2004 Honda Accord Tourer 2.4 - Blue
Discussion
TL;DR: I have bought this:
My wife is vaguely supportive of this idea. It is a 2004 7th Gen Honda Accord Tourer in a rather fetching blue but, more importantly, the 2.4 VTEC engine and a 6 speed manual gearbox.
The Full Story
With my beloved MG ZTT 260 off for extensive refurbishment, I remembered last time it was 'away' was for 6 months. We are at present nearing the end of an extensive house renovation, with only an Alfa Romeo GTV and a Honda Insight in regular use outside. The utility of an estate car cannot be overstated, and given the number of trips to buy tiles, sinks, get the dump, move crates and crates of clothing, car parts and building detritus everywhere of late, we 'need' a properly sized vehicle.
I know I am typing this to the right audience here at PH - and so with the flicker of an idea becoming the steady gleam of madness in my eyes, I set about looking for a cheap estate.
Naturally a 2.5 KV6 Rover 75 / MG ZTT was the most logical choice, but I fancied a change. I set a budget of £2k, and noted some key criteria:
Largest boot possible.
ULEZ qualifying.
Reliable/dependable in some capacity, might be a work car for Mrs. Spinakerr so also needed to be tough for possible work lugging.
Manual.
Cruise control has become a near-necessity for me in recent years.
Not black, grey, silver, anthracite, graphite, spectral, steel, gunmetal or graymium. Unless it was a rare beast that suited a monochrome colour.
It is surprising how decent estates are getting thinner on the ground - yes there are always Volvos and such, I did look at Vsomethings, but overall the generational shift to chunky unspacious SUVs is now part of the shedhunting fare. ANythign decent is also well above 2k!
As I gave up again on ever importanting a Mitsubishi Gallant from Japan, I remembered the Honda Accord and its spectacular COG advert from 2003:
[youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57kGB-mI54 [/youtube]
It spawned many imitations, and I do recall the resurgence of Rube-Goldberg machines at the time, including my freinds and I cackling with teenage enthusiasm as we dominoed old Ford Capri wheels into my mum's Fiat Punto.
Anyway, I always thought it was a handsome Tourer, so started amassing details. Not only would it tick the K series box in my petrolhead credentials, it would be smart compliment to the Honda Insight on the fleet. (All our cars seem to be in breeding pairs now... Alfas, Saabs, Hondas...don't get any ideas, 260!)
Variants of the 7th Gen Accord were a 2.2 diesel (not ULEZ), a 2.0 K series and.. ooo... a 2.4 variant. The latter had twin tailpipes, often in the Executive trim level with all the toys and had respectible performance. I am a firm believer in the mantra of 'always get the best, you will never have to wonder what the lower spec engine is like'. The hunt was on.
Problematic, as they were never plentiful when new, and almost all the 2.4s were either pricey imported examples from Japan or...automatics. I missed one just down the road in Farnham with a dodgy clutch for 800gbp, I may have dodged a bullet as the clutch procedure looked significant. Then, as I sunk the depths of Gumtree (sorry, PH!), one popped up for sale in Manchester. High mileage, but evidently loved and a great history - plus it was a fetching blue.
A week of chat solidified my desire, and I orchestrated a drop off of the 260 (see other thread) to coincide with some work obligations on Saturday, leaving me with a few hours to get from Burton On Trent to Manchester.
The journey, if it can be described as such, reinforced my need for a car. Let's leave it at that.
FInally got to the owner, who was a true Honda fanatic and had done 55k in the car over 5 years. Stacks of paperwork, pro-active maintenance and new Goodyears all round. Gosh. The test drive showed up poor brakes and slight driveshaft play, but a new alternator, clutch 20k ago and miles of bills and oil services sold me. We shook hands close to asking price, I taxed & insured it and pointed it southward.
By now it was 17:00 and I had been up for a fair while. While the chat with the seller had been excellent, I was still properly cold from the train platforms, soaked through and aching from a rucksack full of tools and some MG parts (don't ask). The Accord made all my concerns fade away.
As always with a new car, your first drive is tentative and anxiety filled: you are on the alert, feeling the road, pedals and controls out for any issues. Your attention is fully on the car and the road - the measure is not how anxious you are, but how many miles you have to do before it feels comfortable.
It took about 20. The engine was quiet at rest, alert when prodded. The dash was clearly laid out and illuminated in a fashion that recalled my old LS400. Cruise control worked perfectly, the heated seat thawed out my bones and it felt solid and capable on all road surfaces.
The rain properly started around Birmingham. People were spinning and accidents were mounting - I kept the speed down and kept a distance - the brakes are working but evidently old and suffering. After a final stop somehwere around Banbury, I made it home in decent time and clambered into bed.
Seeing the car in proper light today, I can reassure myself for the money paid I did ok. So far!
Good points:
Executive model with all the toys.
Working electric sunroof.
Working heated seats.
Excellent clutch, gearbox and engine with top service history.
Full Honda exhaust at 120k.
New clutch at 170k....
Oh I didnt mention? Its done 196k. But, you know, most of my cars have.
Bad points:
Radiator looks to be on the way out, coolant level has 'dropped', but nothing disastrous yet.
Brake all round look miserable and need replacement.
It has 196k of paint chips and a cracked foglight, but if you said it was 100k I would believe you.
Various interior trim bits to be fixed or replaced
Awful K&N filter thing
Pictures:
r
Next up - when it stops raining, a proper clean and assessment. But first, there is a loads of old stuff to take to the tip. Of, and those hedge clippings. Oh, and those wheels for the Insight to be transported for refurbishment. Oh, and all those painting in storage that need to come home. And a door to pick up from eBay....
My wife is vaguely supportive of this idea. It is a 2004 7th Gen Honda Accord Tourer in a rather fetching blue but, more importantly, the 2.4 VTEC engine and a 6 speed manual gearbox.
The Full Story
With my beloved MG ZTT 260 off for extensive refurbishment, I remembered last time it was 'away' was for 6 months. We are at present nearing the end of an extensive house renovation, with only an Alfa Romeo GTV and a Honda Insight in regular use outside. The utility of an estate car cannot be overstated, and given the number of trips to buy tiles, sinks, get the dump, move crates and crates of clothing, car parts and building detritus everywhere of late, we 'need' a properly sized vehicle.
I know I am typing this to the right audience here at PH - and so with the flicker of an idea becoming the steady gleam of madness in my eyes, I set about looking for a cheap estate.
Naturally a 2.5 KV6 Rover 75 / MG ZTT was the most logical choice, but I fancied a change. I set a budget of £2k, and noted some key criteria:
Largest boot possible.
ULEZ qualifying.
Reliable/dependable in some capacity, might be a work car for Mrs. Spinakerr so also needed to be tough for possible work lugging.
Manual.
Cruise control has become a near-necessity for me in recent years.
Not black, grey, silver, anthracite, graphite, spectral, steel, gunmetal or graymium. Unless it was a rare beast that suited a monochrome colour.
It is surprising how decent estates are getting thinner on the ground - yes there are always Volvos and such, I did look at Vsomethings, but overall the generational shift to chunky unspacious SUVs is now part of the shedhunting fare. ANythign decent is also well above 2k!
As I gave up again on ever importanting a Mitsubishi Gallant from Japan, I remembered the Honda Accord and its spectacular COG advert from 2003:
[youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57kGB-mI54 [/youtube]
It spawned many imitations, and I do recall the resurgence of Rube-Goldberg machines at the time, including my freinds and I cackling with teenage enthusiasm as we dominoed old Ford Capri wheels into my mum's Fiat Punto.
Anyway, I always thought it was a handsome Tourer, so started amassing details. Not only would it tick the K series box in my petrolhead credentials, it would be smart compliment to the Honda Insight on the fleet. (All our cars seem to be in breeding pairs now... Alfas, Saabs, Hondas...don't get any ideas, 260!)
Variants of the 7th Gen Accord were a 2.2 diesel (not ULEZ), a 2.0 K series and.. ooo... a 2.4 variant. The latter had twin tailpipes, often in the Executive trim level with all the toys and had respectible performance. I am a firm believer in the mantra of 'always get the best, you will never have to wonder what the lower spec engine is like'. The hunt was on.
Problematic, as they were never plentiful when new, and almost all the 2.4s were either pricey imported examples from Japan or...automatics. I missed one just down the road in Farnham with a dodgy clutch for 800gbp, I may have dodged a bullet as the clutch procedure looked significant. Then, as I sunk the depths of Gumtree (sorry, PH!), one popped up for sale in Manchester. High mileage, but evidently loved and a great history - plus it was a fetching blue.
A week of chat solidified my desire, and I orchestrated a drop off of the 260 (see other thread) to coincide with some work obligations on Saturday, leaving me with a few hours to get from Burton On Trent to Manchester.
The journey, if it can be described as such, reinforced my need for a car. Let's leave it at that.
FInally got to the owner, who was a true Honda fanatic and had done 55k in the car over 5 years. Stacks of paperwork, pro-active maintenance and new Goodyears all round. Gosh. The test drive showed up poor brakes and slight driveshaft play, but a new alternator, clutch 20k ago and miles of bills and oil services sold me. We shook hands close to asking price, I taxed & insured it and pointed it southward.
By now it was 17:00 and I had been up for a fair while. While the chat with the seller had been excellent, I was still properly cold from the train platforms, soaked through and aching from a rucksack full of tools and some MG parts (don't ask). The Accord made all my concerns fade away.
As always with a new car, your first drive is tentative and anxiety filled: you are on the alert, feeling the road, pedals and controls out for any issues. Your attention is fully on the car and the road - the measure is not how anxious you are, but how many miles you have to do before it feels comfortable.
It took about 20. The engine was quiet at rest, alert when prodded. The dash was clearly laid out and illuminated in a fashion that recalled my old LS400. Cruise control worked perfectly, the heated seat thawed out my bones and it felt solid and capable on all road surfaces.
The rain properly started around Birmingham. People were spinning and accidents were mounting - I kept the speed down and kept a distance - the brakes are working but evidently old and suffering. After a final stop somehwere around Banbury, I made it home in decent time and clambered into bed.
Seeing the car in proper light today, I can reassure myself for the money paid I did ok. So far!
Good points:
Executive model with all the toys.
Working electric sunroof.
Working heated seats.
Excellent clutch, gearbox and engine with top service history.
Full Honda exhaust at 120k.
New clutch at 170k....
Oh I didnt mention? Its done 196k. But, you know, most of my cars have.
Bad points:
Radiator looks to be on the way out, coolant level has 'dropped', but nothing disastrous yet.
Brake all round look miserable and need replacement.
It has 196k of paint chips and a cracked foglight, but if you said it was 100k I would believe you.
Various interior trim bits to be fixed or replaced
Awful K&N filter thing
Pictures:
rNext up - when it stops raining, a proper clean and assessment. But first, there is a loads of old stuff to take to the tip. Of, and those hedge clippings. Oh, and those wheels for the Insight to be transported for refurbishment. Oh, and all those painting in storage that need to come home. And a door to pick up from eBay....
Great car & engine!
Decent all season tyres too; some money spent on it clearly
A set of Bremtech discs and pads all round (or Blue Print, Brembo etc) and a fluid refresh; the brakes will be spot on then
The K24s a good engine too; any idea of its ever had a chain replacement or when it last had valve clearances done?
Decent all season tyres too; some money spent on it clearly
A set of Bremtech discs and pads all round (or Blue Print, Brembo etc) and a fluid refresh; the brakes will be spot on then
The K24s a good engine too; any idea of its ever had a chain replacement or when it last had valve clearances done?
My wife’s car is nearly identical. Albeit the last model it’s a 2015 car. 2.4 vtec, tourer but it’s an automatic. It’s also blue exec model so all the toys. We bought it 7 years ago when it had 50000 on it. Quite high at the time but couldn’t find another
Now done 100000. She refuses to change it. And it’s never thrown us a bill for anything other than tyres, pads and servicing
Great cars.
Now done 100000. She refuses to change it. And it’s never thrown us a bill for anything other than tyres, pads and servicing
Great cars.
An excellent purchase, I’ve looked at these (and the now impossible to find at a reasonable price) earlier generations in the past when hunting for the next car. I hope it serves you well, but as a Honda, I’m sure it will!
I’m looking forward to the updates, will it remain in your hands fora while or will that depend on the MG refurb time?
Thank you also for the inadvertent reminder set off in my brain by your first photo. I need to pay that bridge a visit.
I’m looking forward to the updates, will it remain in your hands fora while or will that depend on the MG refurb time?
Thank you also for the inadvertent reminder set off in my brain by your first photo. I need to pay that bridge a visit.
Memory lane for me. I had a top spec 2.2 diesel one of these from new as a company car back in the day, which i used to help lug stuff for refurbing my first home alongside many happy miles visiting clients all around the south east.
Looking at your pics of the dashboard brought back fond memories. I had the car for 4 years and was very sad to see it go.
Here from the ZT thread and now in for this one too.
Looking at your pics of the dashboard brought back fond memories. I had the car for 4 years and was very sad to see it go.
Here from the ZT thread and now in for this one too.
My mate just picked one of these up about 4 months ago. He paid £900 for a 2006 2.4 Type-S Executive (the model just above the Executive). Absolutely mint, 112k miles, and it also came with a second set of alloys with winter tyres and a whole load of brand new spare parts and servicing kits. He loves it.
Edited by UK_Scat_Pack on Monday 10th February 23:31
Edited by UK_Scat_Pack on Monday 10th February 23:33
Thanks everyone for the messages - I wondered if this would be a PH-worthy car but as always, the Readers' Cars section once again proves itself as one of the better places on the internet.
Please do send over breakers, parts and specialist recommendations - I am amassing details but it seems a lot of you have good stories and experiences on these to share!
Yes, they do rust, and this one has bits and bobs but is remarably clean underneath. I am itchign to get it properly clean and poke it about but I prodded as much as I could while buyign and the seller sent some great photos of it on a ramp before I journeyed up. More to follow...
Discs and pads all round - no driveway or garage at present but hopefully I can soldier it on until that and the weather resolves itself.
No idea on the engine - I didnt ask but I need to go through the stack of bills.
It is also usign a bit of coolant - no head gasket issues apparent and there is a damp radiator (its hard to tell in this season) so I'm goign to investigate all connectors and junctions.
Ownership...eh... I don't have a good track record of actually selling cars. It would be mad to keep two estates outside - I'm goign to service it, use it extensively and see what happens when the MG comes back. I've already had two work colleagues express interest when they dropped the half-interested "Do anything nice at the weekend?" and I showed them this.
Servicing items and a new airbox have been purchased...
Please do send over breakers, parts and specialist recommendations - I am amassing details but it seems a lot of you have good stories and experiences on these to share!
Cambs_Stuart said:
VTECH YO!
Great purchase (as always). What's the engine like? How are these for rust?
Always thought these were a handsome workhorse. Hope it does you well.
YO! Love it! VTEC at 6k sadly - you really need to push it but it does work as expected. During the test drive there was a quiet pause after it engaged, and the seller just said wistfully "I'm going to miss that".Great purchase (as always). What's the engine like? How are these for rust?
Always thought these were a handsome workhorse. Hope it does you well.
Yes, they do rust, and this one has bits and bobs but is remarably clean underneath. I am itchign to get it properly clean and poke it about but I prodded as much as I could while buyign and the seller sent some great photos of it on a ramp before I journeyed up. More to follow...
danb79 said:
Great car & engine!
Decent all season tyres too; some money spent on it clearly
A set of Bremtech discs and pads all round (or Blue Print, Brembo etc) and a fluid refresh; the brakes will be spot on then
The K24s a good engine too; any idea of its ever had a chain replacement or when it last had valve clearances done?
Yes the new set of Goodyers with zero wear and recent bill was a key factor - not cheap and I have never, ever bought a car that I didnt have to immediately take to a tyre place. This is a first for sure!Decent all season tyres too; some money spent on it clearly
A set of Bremtech discs and pads all round (or Blue Print, Brembo etc) and a fluid refresh; the brakes will be spot on then
The K24s a good engine too; any idea of its ever had a chain replacement or when it last had valve clearances done?
Discs and pads all round - no driveway or garage at present but hopefully I can soldier it on until that and the weather resolves itself.
No idea on the engine - I didnt ask but I need to go through the stack of bills.
It is also usign a bit of coolant - no head gasket issues apparent and there is a damp radiator (its hard to tell in this season) so I'm goign to investigate all connectors and junctions.
ziggy328 said:
My wife’s car is nearly identical.
Now done 100000. She refuses to change it.
So far she hasn't really acknowledged it. I just showed her the Honda COG advert a month ago and she said 'Fine, as long as its cheap and you can sell it later'. We'll see. She is in love with the Insight, and the diagonal slash reminds me favourably of the Alfa 164 and the Alfa GTV. Will try and get a phtoo of them together.Now done 100000. She refuses to change it.
darkyoung1000 said:
An excellent purchase, I’ve looked at these (and the now impossible to find at a reasonable price) earlier generations in the past when hunting for the next car. I hope it serves you well, but as a Honda, I’m sure it will!
I’m looking forward to the updates, will it remain in your hands for a while or will that depend on the MG refurb time?
Thank you also for the inadvertent reminder set off in my brain by your first photo. I need to pay that bridge a visit.
Yes I can tell you from over an hour of shivering inspection that bridge needs something. I’m looking forward to the updates, will it remain in your hands for a while or will that depend on the MG refurb time?
Thank you also for the inadvertent reminder set off in my brain by your first photo. I need to pay that bridge a visit.
Ownership...eh... I don't have a good track record of actually selling cars. It would be mad to keep two estates outside - I'm goign to service it, use it extensively and see what happens when the MG comes back. I've already had two work colleagues express interest when they dropped the half-interested "Do anything nice at the weekend?" and I showed them this.
Servicing items and a new airbox have been purchased...
Superb
I had an EX tourer in dark grey with beige leather for years. Great load capacity.
Mine was the diesel and eventually we got rid after experiencing out of warranty cracked manifold issues. Other than that it was a really great car.
Always remember the famous launch advert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cog_(advertisement)
I had an EX tourer in dark grey with beige leather for years. Great load capacity.
Mine was the diesel and eventually we got rid after experiencing out of warranty cracked manifold issues. Other than that it was a really great car.
Always remember the famous launch advert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cog_(advertisement)
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