Would You Buy a 2010 Accord Euro?

gooner85 on 21/10/2019 - 05:45
Last edited 21/10/2019 - 09:49 by 1 other user

Hi just trying to talk through a decision online.

Situation older car 15 years, 250,000 km's starting to fail on me. It's been a great car but failing finally.

Ideally would get a used car smaller for the wife to learn and drive however will give me space to carry stuff for work.
Need a reliable and cheap car to get A to B but also for the wife.

A friend is selling his GEN 8 2010 Honda Accord Euro Standard auto for roughly $7500 nice condition (a couple of scratches_, 120,000km's , serviced at hondas and service books up to date.

Pros:
good condition
buying off someone I trust
heard great things about honda reliability *never owned one
car detailed and looking great
120,000 km's is low for the car
will get it mechanically checked
cheapish

Cons:
bigger car for the mrs. so harder to learn in/move
big turning circle and hard to park (any recommendations of after market parking cameras and how much they cost)
oldish 2010 model so costs may add up
95% fuel needed
expensive services and insurance

Other alternatives are to save to buy a 2014/5 i30/corolla, 2015/6 accent, 2014 mazda maxx all would be auto ($13-15k)
Cheaper would be 2009-13 mazda 3 autos, 2006-2012 corolla. (8k-10k)
Newer 2017 accent, yaris, mazda 2 (14-15k)

what do you guys think?
Would the car be an expensive trap down the line or could we have it realistically for 5-7 years up to 300,000 kms?
Anything to look out for?

Automotive Car Honda

Comments

djones145 on 21/10/2019 - 07:43

had a 2007 euro,.nice car, smaller make than other euros

problem with buying off friends, is when you have issues, do u complain or not!

make sure u check if it needs the airbag replaced and if it does it had it changed!
- brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 08:00
  
  +8
  
  If you bought privately elsewhere you wouldn't / couldn't complain, therefore you wouldn't complain to your friend.
  - djones145 on 21/10/2019 - 09:08
    
    +2
    
    yeah but say u got sold a lemon or something wrong with the car
    private say cant do nothing
    
    sold from a friend, who ur sitting across at a bbq, what would u do! h are given the opportunity to complain unlike with a private sale
    
    I prefer not too, dont ?@&# in ur backyard lolz
    - Euphemistic on 21/10/2019 - 11:03
      
      Buying from a trusted friend who has told you about the car previously changes the equation. It also helps to know why they are selling.
brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 07:58

+2

bigger car for the mrs. so harder to learn in/move
big turning circle and hard to park (any recommendations of after market parking cameras and how much they cost)

My daughters drive my late Dad's 2005 Accord Euro automatic. They are both on their Ps. They have no reverse camera or sensors and neither have any issues with turning circle, parking, maneuvering, etc. I'm not sure why your wife would have problems unless she is a really incompetent driver.

oldish 2010 model so costs may add up

Potentially, yes, but so will any 2010 model, won't it?

95% fuel needed

My girls use e10 94ron. It goes fine, doesn't ping and pulls really well. Occasionally if fuel is really cheap the give it some PULP. It does like to use fuel though. It uses about 20% more than my Octavia which has similar power/weight. NB: It's not the E10 as the fuel economy is the same whether on e10 94ron, PULP 95ron or 98ron. 8L/100km on a trip & 11L/100km around Sydney.

expensive services and insurance

Services are no different to anything else unless you go to the dealer all the time. Why would you do that?
Insurance is sky-high for us but you get that with 2x Under25 P-Platers.
ESEMCE on 21/10/2019 - 08:05

+1

Note that low Km's can mean it's only ever been driven cold on short trips, therefore the engine could be far worse than a higher Km vehicle so double check the duty cycle for the vehicle.
- cille745 on 21/10/2019 - 10:43
  
  +1
  
  I 100% agree, but his car on average has done 13.3k km a year which is a decent amount
  - ESEMCE on 21/10/2019 - 11:14
    
    +1
    
    Duhh… Thanks for making me look stupid :-)
    I hadn't actually done the maths!
navyskies on 21/10/2019 - 08:06

I've pretty much posted this all the time, but my gf has an accord euro which we bought for her and it's a great car for the price IMO.
Wills7 on 21/10/2019 - 08:24

Still driving my accord euro 2005 to work every day. Super reliable car and service is not expensive (I don’t go to dealers to service old cars).
HighAndDry on 21/10/2019 - 08:54

Accord Euros are great cars. I'd have no compunction buying one.
gooner85 on 21/10/2019 - 09:05

Thanks for all the replies

How many kms would you expect the car to last
I drive a bit for work maybe 22500 kms.
Would this car get to 300,000kms given good service intervals?

Anyone have many kms on their car
- brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 09:30
  
  Ours has about 150k on it.
  
  When I took it over from dad, who hadn't looked after the car, I spent about $600 on it changing every filter (fuel, cabin, auto trans, air, oil) and replacing engine, power steer, transmission oil and brake fluid and did a coolant flush. Changed the spark plugs and cleaned the intake plenum.
  
  Passengers airbag has been replaced. Honda says the drivers side is OK.
  
  Since then a coil pack failed (replaced with 4x Ebay units for $100), all the brake lights blew within 6 months of each other and a few other bulbs.
  
  Replaced the tyres and did wheel alignment recently.
  
  Replaced the front brake pads $70 parts.
  
  Replaced battery $120 - It's really undersized for a modern car - expect to change it every 2 years
  
  Replaced starter motor $250 supply & fit
  
  Things that are broken or breaking:
  overhead light has failed.
  ABS light is on permanently (appears to be the ABS control module - too expensive to fix).
  Front bushes in the upper control arm are cracking.
  
  I think once you get beyond 150k you should expect things to break or wear and put aside $1k-$2k per year for maintenance. Sure you will get it to 300k but it will cost you.
  - gooner85 on 21/10/2019 - 09:36
    
    so not so reliable?
    lol looks like a lot of changing
    - brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 09:52
      
      No, I think it's a reliable car for the age and mileage and previous maintenance history.
      
      As I said in my other post, Dad was a tight-arse and didn't maintain it properly and we are playing catch-up. The cars been caught in 2 hailstorms since we took it over and is worth a mars bar and 2 cans of Sprite and so we fix what is essential and relatively cheap and leave what is expensive.
      
      My 190k Skoda also has things wearing out and needing replacement. Cars get old and wear out and need maintenance.
      
      If you think you are going to buy a relatively cheap car that is 7 years old and have a trouble free run to 300k then you have unrealistic expectations.
      - andresampras on 21/10/2019 - 11:20
        
        @brad1-8tsi: Kinda off-topic….Once your Octavia needs replacing, what do you think you'll get next? I'm on my second octavia now. Prior to that I didn't understand people that replaced a car with a newer version of the same model. But when it came time to buy second-hand, I struggled (well actually, failed) to find anything that came close at the sub-$20k price, so I ended up getting another am am still happy with my decision. I may turn into one of 'those people' that just keeps buying the same model…
        
        brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 11:35
        
        @andresampras: My only regret with the Octy is not getting a wagon. I got the hatch and it holds plenty but the boot lip drives me bonkers.
        
        Next purchase will probably be a ute. If I decide I really don't need a ute and can live with the smaller load area, then I'd love a pre-facelift (the original weird front model) Yeti with a (modded) 2.0 diesel mainly because I've already done the 1.8tsi mod thing.
        
        As an all rounder, general load hauler I'd like a Superb or Passat wagon but the Superb is bigger.
        
        I could live with an Octavia Scout too but I'd raise the suspension another 20mm - just for fun.
        
        There isn't much from other manufacturers that has a similar practical / hoon mix for the same money. A Commodore wagon might be OK but they are a bigger orphan than Skoda.
        
        andresampras on 21/10/2019 - 11:43
        
        @brad1-8tsi: "because I've already done the 1.8tsi mod thing."
        
        APR?
        
        Re boot lip - agreed, the 'bump' isn't great, but be careful with SUVs - there may not be a lip, but the load height is higher, in general. To me the lower load height takes priority over flat load entry.
        
        brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 11:57
        
        @andresampras: Engine:
        Bluefin tune
        GFB DV+ diverter valve
        IC inlet/outlet hi-flow pipes
        Hi-Flowed the downpipe from the turbo
        R8 ignition coils
        Forge catch can
        Golf R intercooler (went from 18mm to 25mm and more bars, better flow)
        other stuff I can't remember.
        
        Chassis:
        312mm GTI front brakes (up from 288mm)
        GTI rear sway bar with 25mm shortened arms to make it a bit stiffer
        Eibach springs
        Koni Sports dampers
        Audi S3 alloy lower lower control arms
        S3 console bushes
        other stuff I can't remember.
        
        It's nothing amazing, just a more pleasant shopping trolley.
        
        andresampras on 21/10/2019 - 12:04
        
        @brad1-8tsi: lolz you went full hog! Kudos to you on your fantastic trolley, sir.
        
        And here I thought the standard Occy suspension was too stiff…
        
        brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 13:32
        
        @andresampras: Not really, I just bought stuff as it became available at the right price. There's <$1200 in the engine and $660 of that was the Bluefin. About the same $$ amount in the chassis and $650 of that is the Koni Adjustables. I do my own work so that doesn't cost.
        
        It rides "softer" now than OEM.
        Koni Sports Adjustable Yellows are very compliant in their initial bump resistance and I run them only a quarter turn off full soft. The Eibachs are great too and I've had them on for 90k km. Thinking about removing them as they are too low for the area i live in now which has lots of really badly constructed spoon drains and speed humps. If I could get the Eibach spring rate in standard height it would be a beautiful combo with the Koni.
        
        I've also had 5 different wheel & tyre combinations on it in 16", 17" & 18" ranging from 6.5"-8" wide Again, I've bought stuff when the price was right.
- HighAndDry on 21/10/2019 - 10:52
  
  Friend has a '13 Accord Euro with about 120,000kms on it. Had it for about 5 years now, zero issues with it other than standard maintenance. That was about $14k, so if you can find a '10 model for $7.5k I'd say that's pretty good.
Banana on 21/10/2019 - 09:53

Ex Honda Accord Owner here

I had a 2003 Honda Accord, didn't have problem with it's size or turning radius. To be fair, I learned how to drive in a 1999 Camry, so the Honda in comparison, was smaller in size and had a better turning radius. I had after-market sensors ($50 off eBay) fitted in the last 2 years of our time together and that made it easy enough to park anywhere.

It was incredibly fuel thirsty compared to the new car I have now, but it also offered enough power and the drive was always a fun one. I found the acceleration a little to quick for its weight, so at times it felt a little slippery/hard to control, especially around roundabouts. Make sure you and your wife test drive it!

The greatest grievance I had with it was to find a person who understood Honda to service the car. I had a mechanic who put the wrong oil into the car, causing many other problems down the track, racking up about $1.5k in repairs. So make sure you know how to service it/ find a person who knows how to service it.
Guy Incognito on 21/10/2019 - 10:20

I had a mechanic who put the wrong oil into the car

That just means your mechanic is an idiot. Any numpty can put the correct oil in - heck, I top up my oil all the time and I own a Honda, and am not too mechanically blessed.
- brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 11:26
  
  Maybe he means the auto or power steering oil as they are both honda specific.
  
  Engine oil? I put almost anything in ours usually 10w-40 semi-synth as it's only $20 on special. Yes, I'm aware it should be 5w-30 synth.
godofpizza on 21/10/2019 - 12:19

another ex accord owner here v6L type.

Had ongoing issues with the transmission until the point we couldn't change gear anymore.

is the accord your getting an auto or manual? if it an auto, i would stay way from it. there heap of info around about honda's crap auto transmission. I also owned a manual HRV and a civic. both never had gearbox issues >with over 300k on them.
- brad1-8tsi on 21/10/2019 - 13:50
  
  Dad had a V6L (the bigger, Made in America Accord) before the Euro and the gearbox was fine but he drove like the old man that he was.
  
  Both cars did have an issue with the overly complicated vacuum damped front engine mount which we didn't change because it only caused a small vibration at idle.
  
  The Accord Auto "HondMatic" is has individual gears on parallel axes like a manual rather than using planetary gears like most Automatics. This generates a lot of heat and the V6's have a lot more torque than the 2.4 so I imagine they would be the worst driveline combination.
  
  The transmission oil should be drained every 50,000km (it only loses 1/3 of the oil) and topped up with genuine Honda Automatic oil ATF-DW1 or the Penrite equivalent ATF LV which is only $20/l or $50/4L - cheaper during a sale. It's an easy DIY job.
  
  The filter 25430-PLR-003 should be changed simply because they are cheap - $11 on Ebay
  
  edit: Also, around the suburbs D3 should be used as they don't like dropping into D at speed up to 70kph.
Euphemistic on 22/10/2019 - 08:25

I wouldn’t not buy a Honda if it suited my needs and was owned by a trusted mate. But I’m not in the market for that type of vehicle.

Would You Buy a 2010 Accord Euro?

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