I'm looking to get a new car for general car purposes, the main one being to get me to/ from work. I want something with a good reputation, good safety record, and practically off-the-charts longevity.

I'm most interested in the Camry (LE and SE, both V4 and V6) and the Accord (LX and EX, both V4 and V6). The three main drawbacks (for me) with the Accord are: 1) the retail price is now higher than Camry; 2) the warranty isn't as good; 3) I've heard that Honda parts are more expensive to fix/ replace than those of the Camry.

That being said, I still liked the Accord better in terms of the drive, the overall feel of the suspension (it's right in-between that of the Camry LE and SE). But I'm torn because I want what's the absolute best for my money.

So what's the scoop on the Accord? If you think it's better than the Camry, tell me why (or why it's *not* better than the Camry). Why should anyone purchase a car with a lesser stellar warranty (unless someone can attest that Accords never break down either).

I appreciate any input you can offer me.

Jenk

 

99% of the responses will say get an Accord, this is an Accord board.

That being said, get the Accord.

They are both great cars, in the end, it's up to you, you're the one shelling out money for one.

Both cars have an I4, not V4. If you want the most economical, longest lasting, get an I4 with manaul tranny.

The reasons I'd get the Accord: While both are getting bloated, the Accord isn't as "Buick" as the Camry. The Accord is constantly praised over the Camry in most automotive media reviews, and it's just more of a sporty car.

Both are great, at least you aren't comparing an Accord to some domestic...either car should be a good one for you.

 

I have 90 Accord with 180K miles. When my car "retires", which will happen at 250K-300K miles, I will walk right to the nearest Honda or Acura dealership.

A lot of old Toyota Camrys are still on road which tells you something.

Personally, the new Camrys are look weird with their square backs.

I cannot force you to buy a Honda, but don ever buy a Ford!

 

Yes, that's the hard part--seeing so many older Camry's and Accord's still running fine on the road. Both have a great reputation. Decisions, decisions!

Do not worry; I've no desire to ever buy a Ford. And even if I did desire one, my husband would forbid me to get it (just about the only thing he would forbid me in this world).

 

i was in the situation. i traded my 98 accord in for a 05 camry.
why ? camry has a timing chain versus the honda timing belt which is requires replacement every 90k. honda's has a better aftermarket following.

dirt diggler

 

my parents bought an 87 camry I-4 5spd in 1987.
That car gave me us no problems ( aside from normal maintenace ) until about 210k miles. The car even had the original clutch and I used to beat the crap out of it.

The car finally died on me at 220k miles.
My accord gave me a little problem at 20k miles ( 02 accord ) took it to honda and they couldnt find the problem. Problem went away on its own.

From personal experience the camry seemed much more reliable.

 

The K-series 4-cylinder in a new Accord has a timing chain, not a belt. It's a really sweet engine, I'm trying to like the rest of the car. (New '05 is just about the same as our '03.)

If I was the primary driver of that car, I'd have seconds thoughts of the new Accord. Don't flame me, this is ONLY because FOR ME, the position of the console & 5-spd shift lever feel really awkward to me. It was mildly wierd during shopping/testdrives, but after a couple years it just got more annoying.

Auto or manual tranny? Honda manuals are so wonderful, but their automatics don't exactly share the stellar reputation.

 

First - whatever you decide will be the right decision - for your purposes, these are the 2 best choices on the market.

Second - Decide I4 vs. V6 before you go any further. Can you afford the V6? Are you willing to sacrifice 10% in gas mileage?

Third - Decide manual vs. automatic - I am guessing since you are female and it is for work, you probably don't want to be bothered shifting.

Fourth - Decide your budget. If money is very tight, you are looking at Accord LX I4; if not, Accord EXV6 - big difference

Fifth - Are you leasing or buying? If buying, resale value should be a major consideration, and I believe research will show that the Accord is better in this area.

Now that you have narrowed down your choices to a specific model of each car (e.g. Camry SEV6 auto vs Accord EXV6 auto), now start to compare prices and see what the real difference is. Recognize that Accord's pricing structure is simplified - very few options, while Camry is a regular Chinese menu to put a car together for pricing purposes.

The standard warranties are the same. The drivetrain warranty on the Camry is 5/60 vs. 3/36 for the Accord. If it makes you feel any better, Honda has a very liberal "goodwill" policy to cover defects in the period after warranty expiration. E.g. if your trans blows up at 50k, they will usually foot the bill for the new trans, and maybe ask you to cover the $600 labor bill. Another option is to just buy the extended warranty for 5, 6, or 7 years for an additional $500 - $900. Of course, if you are leasing or plan to trade in or sell in < 3 or 4 years, the warranty really doesn't matter much.

Retail Price? Totally meaningless. Accords are currently selling for about $1k below dealer invoice, or roughly $4k below retail sticker.

Replacement parts? Buy them online at 20 - 30% discount off of the dealer prices and they are cheaper or at least comparable to Camry parts.

Specs? Accord V6 240hp vs. Camry V6 225 hp is a significant difference. Accord hiway EPA mileage is 30 vs. Camry 29 even with the added hp.

You have some decisions to make before you can make the best choice.

For me, it came down to the driving excitement quotient. Driving the V6 Accord was like brilliant living color when compared to the mundane, black-and-white styling and performance of the Camry.

Let your heart and your wallet make the final decision...

 

having driven the 88 camry and the 90 accord (cuz my family owns both)
the camry is more of a economical car, hella box shaped, slow but efficient, very easy to work on (engine bay was made to accept v6 engines as well, very roomy) the oil filter isnt under the car and wont spill on your face.

but the accord is more stylish, better handling, expensive ass parts but more aftermarket supoprt, but i currently have to replace like everything in the car accept the interior and brakes :lmao:

 

I've at least decided to go with a 4-cylinder. Even though I would enjoy the feel of a V6 more (looking at the "fun" aspect), I know that I don't truly need it. And with gas prices being what they are today, I don't need the hassle of losing so much gas mileage/ money. So I'm voting to go the sensible route.

And to the person who intimated that I'll probably get an automatic transmission because I'm female and am using the car mainly for work purposes, I'm hurt (or is that offended?). J/K Seriously, I don't want to hassle with learning a stick shift, even though I hear that they're better all around. So automatic tranny it is.

BTW, I've heard it's recommended that the Camry have premium-unleaded gas, while the Accord can handle regular-unleaded just fine. Granted, this info. came from a Honda salesman, so I'm not sure how truthful he was being about the Camry. :eh:

Thank you for all of your help, guys.