Thinking of Buying a High Mileage 54 Plate 2.4 VTEC Auto Accord - Help and Advice

Hi - I'm considering buying a high mileage 2005 Accord. I was initially considering a 2.2 diesel because one had come up locally but have since been advised to consider a petrol vtec instead as there are fewer (potentially expensive) things to go wrong. I have seen a 54 plate 2.4 Automatic tourer available for sale with around 90k miles on the clock and am considering viewing it tomorrow. According to the seller the car has a full honda main dealer service history and has had regular annual services so that's obviously a good sign. Are there any common faults for this model that I should be looking out for? Can anyone provide any specific guidance for what I should look for when I view the car?

Appreciate any help or pointers you can provide.

Thanks!

The 2.4's are as close to bullet proof engine wise as you'd hope to find. Check the usual things suspension wear, good meat on the brakes. Weaker points on the suspension tend to be drop links and lower control arm bushes. Make sure all vsa abs lights go on and then off after ignition. Other than that just listen or feel for knocks and bangs from the suspension components on a test drive. These accords are very sensitive to tyre choice and correct alignment also. Give it a boot when warm to make sure vtec engages at around 6k and on start up listen for any chain rattle or unruly alternator whine, alternators can go as the original belt setup is a weak point.

Also forgot to mention have a touch on the wheels when your finished driving to make sure none of them are hot, siezed calipers is a Honda favourite

If it's had a new exhaust that would be a bonus.

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated!

Good luck, if you find a good one you'll have trouble free motoring for quite some time

I think these have auto open and closing tail gate.
Check to see if it fully working, might be able to haggle the price if it is not.

but as mentioned above, there isnt much that goes wrong other than the usual wear tear and neglect.

90k high mileage? thats nothing for one of these, especially if it's a 54 plate thats over 10yrs old, less thank 10k a year! if it were 150k I would consider it high mileage, I bought my 04 plate on 110k and din't think twice about the mileage. Check the auto gearbox oil has been changed regular or at least once in it's 90k life. Often forgotten.

I agree with ScoobyDoo, 90k is below average mileage and nothing for one these engines, especially if the FSH is to be believed .

I bought mine 3 years a go with 99k miles on the clock, it's almost done 120k miles now.

Things I've had to replace are:

New exhaust from cat back
2 x new rear calipers, slider pins and flexi hoses (I had issues with binding brakes so by choice replaced everything, been fine since)
New air con condenser
New battery
New starter motor
New water pump
New idler pulley
New PCV valve and hose
New upper wishbone

Also done the usual disc, pads, tyres, gearbox oil and filter, brake fluid etc.

As said check the boot opens and closes from the key fob and button on the lid.

Check to see if the sat nav works ok, the air con is controlled using the touch screen, if it doesn't work you don't have full control. Mine has a fake disc and prefers to work in warmer weather rather than over winter. There are guides to clean the DVD drive lens, which I've not done myself yet.

They are really nice cars though, I'm planning on keeping mine a while which is why I've spent so much on it and they don't hang about when you put your foot down. Be warned though I get 21mpg around town and on a longer drive 27-28mpg, if mpg is a concern for you.