Well i picked up my 2005 Accord Tourer I CDTI on Wednesday and thought i'd post some first impressions of the car.
The car seems to be in good condition: the interior is immaculate and the leather is very good condition though it would benefit from some conditioning/restoration stuff to keep it supple. I immediately found the seats very comfortable and supportive - the bolsters are a little constrictive which is fine for me but i would imagine is a nuisance for 'larger' drivers. The car is an 'Exec' so has the premium sound system fitted - compared to other sound systems i have had in previous cars i'd say it's satisfactory. It's certainly loud enough but you don't seem to get a lot of bass from the subwoofer. I think i'll do a bit of investigation to check it's functioning properly, but overall the sound quality is fine. I think i have been spoiled with sound systems in previous years as the old Volvo S60 and Mondeo TDCI both had excellent stereos fitted as standard. Saying that, the Accord's stereo doesn't detract from the car overall. The interior is solid and and the controls are well laid out and the driver's seat is a nice place to be - this is important to me as i do a lot of long journeys.
The engine impressed me with its smoothness. It's unusual driving a diesel which picks up at such low revs and doesn't have the wall other diesels do above 3000 rpm. The engine also doesn't clatter any where as much as my old Mondeo used to though the noise of the turbo is more intrusive and is clearly audible even when at motorway speeds with cruise control on. Is this a normal charcteristic of the engine?
Having read some of the comments on here regarding it comparability to a petrol engine, i have to disagree. It is quieter than other 4 cylinder diesel i have driven, but is definitely a diesel! (Unless my engine is a duffer!)
The gearchange is nice and solid too though i'll have to get used to not having a 6th gear any more. Luckily the reverse parking sensor warns me before i do anything silly! I don't think the lack of a 6th gear detracts from the car too much. The gearing is fairly long and at 70mph it's only running 100rpm higher than my old Mondeo used in 6th gear.
The one area which is disappointing is the economy. I did 375 miles at a constant 75 mph with no traffic to slow down for and barely managed 40 mpg. In comparison my Mondeo would have done 53-54 mpg under the same conditions and even my Volvo T5, a car renowned for its thirst, would have done 33-34 mpg. Reading other member's comments, this seems at odds with what i should be achieving and i was expecting around 48 mpg under these conditions. I have booked the car into Honda Kendal for a diagnostic test later this week when i get home, as my first suspicion regarding fuel consumption would always be the MAF sensor. There's no evidence of any leaks or any other faults but it will be interesting to see what they come up with... I'll be investigating the MAF and EGR valve myself as i reckon they are both due a good clean but seeing as i have literally just taken ownership of the car, i'll let the supplying garage take the lead for now.
Any thoughts or hints much appreciated.
The car seems to be in good condition: the interior is immaculate and the leather is very good condition though it would benefit from some conditioning/restoration stuff to keep it supple. I immediately found the seats very comfortable and supportive - the bolsters are a little constrictive which is fine for me but i would imagine is a nuisance for 'larger' drivers. The car is an 'Exec' so has the premium sound system fitted - compared to other sound systems i have had in previous cars i'd say it's satisfactory. It's certainly loud enough but you don't seem to get a lot of bass from the subwoofer. I think i'll do a bit of investigation to check it's functioning properly, but overall the sound quality is fine. I think i have been spoiled with sound systems in previous years as the old Volvo S60 and Mondeo TDCI both had excellent stereos fitted as standard. Saying that, the Accord's stereo doesn't detract from the car overall. The interior is solid and and the controls are well laid out and the driver's seat is a nice place to be - this is important to me as i do a lot of long journeys.
The engine impressed me with its smoothness. It's unusual driving a diesel which picks up at such low revs and doesn't have the wall other diesels do above 3000 rpm. The engine also doesn't clatter any where as much as my old Mondeo used to though the noise of the turbo is more intrusive and is clearly audible even when at motorway speeds with cruise control on. Is this a normal charcteristic of the engine?
Having read some of the comments on here regarding it comparability to a petrol engine, i have to disagree. It is quieter than other 4 cylinder diesel i have driven, but is definitely a diesel! (Unless my engine is a duffer!)
The gearchange is nice and solid too though i'll have to get used to not having a 6th gear any more. Luckily the reverse parking sensor warns me before i do anything silly! I don't think the lack of a 6th gear detracts from the car too much. The gearing is fairly long and at 70mph it's only running 100rpm higher than my old Mondeo used in 6th gear.
The one area which is disappointing is the economy. I did 375 miles at a constant 75 mph with no traffic to slow down for and barely managed 40 mpg. In comparison my Mondeo would have done 53-54 mpg under the same conditions and even my Volvo T5, a car renowned for its thirst, would have done 33-34 mpg. Reading other member's comments, this seems at odds with what i should be achieving and i was expecting around 48 mpg under these conditions. I have booked the car into Honda Kendal for a diagnostic test later this week when i get home, as my first suspicion regarding fuel consumption would always be the MAF sensor. There's no evidence of any leaks or any other faults but it will be interesting to see what they come up with... I'll be investigating the MAF and EGR valve myself as i reckon they are both due a good clean but seeing as i have literally just taken ownership of the car, i'll let the supplying garage take the lead for now.
Any thoughts or hints much appreciated.
