New Honda Accord Vs Bmw 330i 2003

[Mobi]

I've been wanting to trade in my Fortuner for some time, and my recent shunt has accelerated that process.

I'm now torn between getting a very nice, very comfortable, conventional shiny new Honda Accord or for a similar price, a 4 -5 year old BMW 330i, which has had one farang owner since new, is in amazing condition and has done 62,000 kms. I have yet to test drive, but apparently it is a dream.

So do I indulge my second childhood and have some fun for a couple of years, or shall I be practical and go for the cheap to run, easy to maintain Honda?

Or even a third alternative: for another million or so I could get a nearly new, ex demo 325i.

Which one would you go for and why?

I must decide by the end of Songkran

[Digger]

Assuming the BMW is about 1.5m baht, I would go for a 4 year old 523/525 instead if you want to buy second hand. Locally made and a heck of a lot more car (and driving ability) for the same money - the old 3 series was never a touch on the 5 series. Infact 4/5 years ago, the 525 was cheaper I believe than the 330 simply for tax reasons on engine sizes, so residuals will be much lower. I have had a 330 before and while its nice, you actually dont feel that comfortable in it as its so small - the old 3 series is not as good to drive as current model and is not as good mechanically. If you like sitting down very low - you will like it, but it is VERY low on the ground (or at least the current model is which is what I had). Personally I was not that impressed by the reliability either - despite the claims, mine was frequently in the shop and its very prone to suspension issues due to the complex arrangements and awful roads here - replacement wheels and tyres are very expensive if you go with BMW parts as I know to my own cost. Fuel consumption in 330 is quite poor but then again if you can afford the car, you can afford the gas.

Personally I would go with a new car and plump for the Accord or even look at the Australian built 4L Chevrolet Lumina (Holden Commodore) which although retailing at 1.9m can be obtained for about 1.6m as they hardly move any in Thailand. Friend of mine has one and its a very nice car to drive.

[ThaiPauly]

Go for the 325i Mobi

You won't regret it

TP

[indothai]

I would go for a new Honda Accord over a used Euro car for following reasons:

1) Full factory warranty.

2) Reliability.

3) Cost of ownership (maintenance / operating costs).

4) Factory shiney paint !!!

5) New car smell !!!

I have nothing against BMW's or Benz's... If I had the money, I'd go out and buy me a brand NEW 5 Series or E-Class.

Good luck !!!

[Gary A]

I too would take the new Honda. I shudder to even think of having a second hand BMW break down out in the boonies. If you want to spend the money on a new BMW, that is another story.

[indothai]

Also,.. have you seen the bells and whistles of the new Honda Accord?!!

Went to see one at the dealer and I'm quite impressed !!!

[ignis]

100% the Honda...

Honda new = 5yr warranted, FREE 100,000 km or 5 yr Service [service is at 10,000 km intervals]

BMW = Hugh service costs + every 6,000 km/or 6 months !! part are very expensive.

[teej]

Did you decide Mobi?

I'd say the Accord would be more fitting for a man of your age -- a 3-series is a jr exec's/chic car (no offense alexlah, i know you love your bimmer). Just my opinion, don't wanna argue here.

At your age, you go 7 or you go nothing in the BMW range (ok maybe X5).

Stick with the Accord, you'll save big on costs and I think it offers more luxury than a 3-series.

Someone's gonna say, "well in the twisties.......blah blah 3-series would be killer blah blah" This is Thailand. There are no twisties. At least not like in Europe.

Either way, hope you decided on something, at the very least to get you out of that DeathTrap that is the Fortuner.

Keep us updated.

[ThaiPauly]

100% the Honda...

Honda new = 5yr warranted, FREE 100,000 km or 5 yr Service [service is at 10,000 km intervals]

BMW = Hugh service costs + every 6,000 km/or 6 months !! part are very expensive.

BMW offer the same warrenty.

Parts may be expensive but the great thing about Thailand is that labour is not, anyway I would not keep mine past the date of the warrenty expiry

[worldfun]

new honda or mazda anytime - if in germany I'd get the Audi of course

[Heng]

If it's going to be your only car, I'd get the new Accord hands down. 280 ponies. Hard to believe that today's Accord has more HP than my old highschool 91 Mustang GT.

[niebla]

What is the cost of the new Accord?

[Heng]

Haven't been shopping around, but vaguely recall the range as base at 1.25 million for the 2.0 and 2.8 million for the 3.5 with variable piston engine thingie. Surely some car people around here might have the up to date prices.

[ignis]

100% the Honda...

Honda new = 5yr warranted, FREE 100,000 km or 5 yr Service [service is at 10,000 km intervals]

BMW = Hugh service costs + every 6,000 km/or 6 months !! part are very expensive.

BMW offer the same warrenty.

Parts may be expensive but the great thing about Thailand is that labour is not, anyway I would not keep mine past the date of the warrenty expiry

Yes if he was buying new.......... But he is asking about buying a 5 years old 330i = NO warrenty would be left, but 5 yrs ago they did not offer a 5 yr warrenty in the 1st place, and I believe BMW like many others Non Jap of the time were still on 6,000km/6month service intervals.

[steelepulse]

>>but vaguely recall the range as base at 1.25 million for the 2.0 and 2.8 million for the 3.5

1,240,000 to 2,880,000 according to the red book of Thailand   http://www.redbookasiapacific.com/th/vehicle/specs.php?lang=en&key=HOND08AA&new=1

[Mobi]

I have the Honda price list.

E2.0 is 1.240M, 2.4 is 1.376m, EL 2.4 is 1.507,m, EL Navi 2.4 is 1.647m, V6 3.5 is 2.88m, and V6 White is 2.890m.

I am not interested in Sat Nav, so I would probably go for the EL 2.4 at 1.507M. Is there any real advantage to pay another 1m for the bigger engine?

I have given up the idea of a 5 year old BMW for all the obvious reasons. But I am still thinking about a "nearly new" 3 series or 5 series, probably ex demo. The BMW website shows that a 2007, 325i would go for around 2.9M, and a 2006 for around 2.5 m.

A 2007, 523i would cost about 3.5M and a 2006, 525 for 2.5 - 3.0m. All these vehicles are low mileage.

My friend advises me that you can usually beat the price down by maybe 300K. Even so I would be spending at least 1.m more for a used BM, vs a new Accord.

I haven't made up my mind yet, and all the comments are very useful in aiding my final decision, so thank you all very much.

[culicine]

Personally I would go with a new car and plump for the Accord or even look at the Australian built 4L Chevrolet Lumina (Holden Commodore) which although retailing at 1.9m can be obtained for about 1.6m as they hardly move any in Thailand. Friend of mine has one and its a very nice car to drive.

The lumina is too expensive here as a new car (compared to what you would pay in OZ), but the price plummets thereafter. 800K-1 million could get you a 2005-06 model. I saw them on www.one2car.com before with an 800K price tag, but now is seems the price has been taken off.

[indothai]

Have you test driven the Accord?

[jasreeve17]

The BMW 330i is a great car. I had the coupe version in the UK about six years ago - excellent. It's far better than the hond in my opinion.

Get the BMW checked out by a good mechanic, if you can find a BMW trained one, and if it's in good condition it'll last for years. BMW's are excellent cars.

[Mobi]

Have you test driven the Accord?

Not yet, but I plan to.

[rixalex]

BMWs here are over-priced.

The new Accord is pretty ugly - in Europe it's due to be replaced already - later this year i believe.

If it were me, i'd look no further than a Camry. A great car in every respect.

[teej]

The new Accord is pretty ugly - in Europe it's due to be replaced already - later this year i believe.

I didn't know this. So the New Accord that was just introduced in Thailand is due to be replaced in Europe? Any photos?

[rixalex]

The new Accord is pretty ugly - in Europe it's due to be replaced already - later this year i believe.

I didn't know this. So the New Accord that was just introduced in Thailand is due to be replaced in Europe? Any photos?

My friend who came over from the UK this month brought with him the latest What Car magazine. They had a big feature article on the next Accord which is slated for a Summer release in the UK - plenty of photos in the magazine.

There was also an article about the do's and don't's of buying a used Accord, and i was in pain to see that an Accord a few years old is going for about 5,000 pounds - exactly the same version that has just arrived here. Now for that sort of money, even with its looks, i would happily have one thank you very much!

[Plus]

I am still thinking about a "nearly new" 3 series or 5 series, probably ex demo. The BMW website shows that a 2007, 325i would go for around 2.9M, and a 2006 for around 2.5 m.

A 2007, 523i would cost about 3.5M and a 2006, 525 for 2.5 - 3.0m. All these vehicles are low mileage.

For that kind of money you can buy absolutely new 320d that would simply blow them out of the water, including 330. It would have all the latest gadgets and warantee and free service.

Though Accord beats them all as the best value for money and luxury - half the price of comparable "ex-demo 525".

[ignis]

[AlexLah]

Ho OP,

I have purchased a 330I of 4 years old and I must say it is the best ride I ever had.

Yes I also did test drive the Toyota and Honda in that price range and believe me, they are not anything near.

Everyday I take out my Bimmer I have a big smile on my face while driving.

Take care,

Alex

[Plus]

I read in Bangkok Post that 320d will soon replace 330 as "performance model" in 3 series range, and it costs under 3 mil.

[ignis]

<h1 class="articletitle">Honda Accord (2008 onwards model)</h1>April 16 2008

• What – Honda Accord
  
• Where – Vienna, Austria
  
• Price – £19,260-£26,660 (saloon)
  
• Available – June (saloon)
  
• Key rivals – Mazda 6, Ford Mondeo, Renault Laguna, BMW 3-Series, Audi A4
  

SummaryFamous for its reliability and value, can the new generation Accord add excitement into the mix too?

• Likes: more assertive looks, good value, smooth diesel engine, decent to drive, safety features
  
• Dislikes: cabin plastics, weak auto option, limited engine range, button-heavy interior
  

• GALLERY: Honda Accord
  

First impressionsClick images to enlargeHonda says evolution not revolution with the new Accord and at first glance you'd say it isn't kidding. And where the existing car marked a big departure from Accords of the past, Honda has followed Audi's lead with the A4 and opted for a subtle rethink rather than a clean-sheet design. Edgier and more aggressive than the car it replaces, the new Accord gains en vogue wheelarch detailing reminiscent of the new Mazda 6 and is longer, wider and lower than the car it replaces. Significantly for Honda there is also the first sight of its all-new i-DTEC diesel engine, the next step up from the i-CDTi unit.

Of course, a Honda wouldn't be a Honda if it weren't packed with high tech. And the press pack accompanying the Accord launch boasts a bewildering array of acronym-heavy innovations, most prefixed with an obligatory 'super' and/or 'advanced' just in case you hadn't got the message. Honda has lofty aspirations for its new model too, constantly referencing the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class as the benchmarks by which it should be judged. We'd be more inclined to compare it with the Mazda 6, VW Passat, Ford Mondeo, Renault Laguna, Citroen C5 et al but Honda's 'alternative premium' philosophy has its sights set higher.

PerformanceThe engine range comprises reworked versions of the 2.0 and 2.4 i-VTEC four-cylinder petrols and the aforementioned brand-new 2.2-litre i-DTEC. The petrols gain small boosts in power and torque, the 2.0 up to 154bhp from 153bhp and the 2.4 198bhp from 187bhp. Typically Honda in character, both demand revs to get the best out of them, with a noticeable lift at 5,000rpm as the i-VTEC kicks in. Performance is decent enough in the manual but seriously blunted in the auto, the self-shifter adding 1.7 seconds to the 2.4's 7.8-second 0-62mph sprint. A DSG-rivalling dual-clutch unit would be better but Honda has no plans to introduce such a unit any time soon.

In this sector of the market the diesel is of greater significance and the second generation Honda unit is a worthy rival to the new VAG-group common-rail motor debuted in the new A4. Smoother and more refined than the i-CDTi unit it replaces, it's also more powerful with 148bhp and 258lb ft of torque against the i-CDTi's 138bhp and 251lb ft. This is a tad more than the A4 2.0 TDI but Audi will shortly be bringing in more powerful versions of the same engine - Honda engineers we spoke with said further derivations of the i-DTEC would also follow but declined to offer any figures or dates.

Ride and handlingHonda admits the previous Accord was hard riding and for the new model has introduced a number of measures to swing the pendulum back towards comfort. There's more suspension travel, softer bushings for the subframes and new 'Super Progressive Valve' dampers that adapt to the speed and severity of bumps. But the body is stiffer and the track wider by a massive 75mm, while the centre of gravity has been lowered by 18mm, all in an effort to provide a more planted, stable platform. It rides with more authority as a result, the extra 60kg or so it's carrying around no doubt playing a part in this.

The new Accord certainly feels more grown up, adding credence to Honda's ambitions to go chasing Audi and BMW. The steering has been quickened, now taking just 2.6 turns lock to lock, and the stubby gear lever shifts with typical Honda clarity. But some may prefer the slightly more lively feel of the car it replaces, the run out edition Sport GT that has accounted for half of Accord sales since it arrived last September proving especially nimble and light on its feet. Those covering big miles - notably the fleet drivers Honda is courting with the new model - will probably prefer the new set up though.

InteriorWhile the exterior styling of the current Accord has aged well the cabin's abundance of hard, shiny plastics was distinctly old-school Japanese and lagging behind the competition. And the new car feels a lot better in comparison, even if it's still not quite up there with the German competition. It's comfy though, the 5mm drop in height offset by a 10mm lower floorpan and extra shoulder room. It's just a pity all that 'benchmarking' of the 3-Series didn't inspire Honda to look at integrating the controls and reducing the button count - there are 18 of them on the steering wheel alone on high-spec models!

Economy and safetyThe 2.0's combined fuel economy of 39.2mpg and 170g/km offer small gains, the 2.4 showing 32.1mpg and 209g/km. These are ballpark figures for comparable cars, though better than the default Mondeo 2.0 Duratec. The diesel manages 50.4mpg and 148g/km, again pretty typical against rivals with the exception of the Efficient Dynamics equipped 3 Series. All the new Accord's engines are engineered with the forthcoming Euro V standards in mind, the diesel featuring a particulate filter and catalytic converter mounted closer to the engine to speed up the warm-up cycle. And if you follow the shift lights in the rev counter religiously Honda reckons you can improve fuel consumption by 5%.

Honda has gone to town on safety too. All cars come with Vehicle Stability Assist, active headrests and front, side and curtain airbags but Honda is also offering a technology packed Advanced Driver Assist System on the higher grade EX and diesel-only EX GT models. The package includes radar-controlled Automatic Cruise Control, the associated Collision Mitigation Braking System seen on the Legend and CR-V and the Lane Keeping Assist System. Costing between £1,750 and £2,000 depending on spec and engine choice this electronic armoury actively prevents unintended lane changes and will even brake the car automatically to prevent (or reduce the severity of) motorway rear-end shunts.

The MSN Cars verdict: 4/5The Accord is distinctive enough to offer a convincing alternative to the German premium brands it's aimed at and typically weighs in a couple of grand less, like for like. But it's pricier than equivalent Fords and VWs which in a cost sensitive market like this could be significant. The more grown up feel and much improved interior are appealing and the more comfortable ride and huge array of technology also ramp up the bang for buck quota. The 3-Series remains the driver's choice and the C-Class has the snob appeal but against the A4 the Accord is a more convincing rival, both to drive and in value for money terms.

Ratings out of five: Honda Accord Performance***Ride & handling

****

Interior

****

Safety

*****

Price

****

Practicality

****

Fuel economy

***

MSN Cars verdict

****

Need to knowPetrol engines2.0, 2.4 four-cylinderDiesel engines2.2 four-cylinder turbochargedPower (bhp)148-198Torque (lb/ft)142-2580-62 (secs)9.6-7.8Top speed (mph)

131-141

Combined mpg32.1-50.4CO2/tax209/28-148/17

[Plus]

Honda has been offering completely different versions of it cars in Europe and the US, and I'm pretty sure current Thailand's edition is here to stay for years. Maybe we'll get diesels but it would require setting up a whole new production line, suppliers etc.

[Mobi]

Honda has been offering completely different versions of it cars in Europe and the US, and I'm pretty sure current Thailand's edition is here to stay for years. Maybe we'll get diesels but it would require setting up a whole new production line, suppliers etc.

Yes, I think there's some confusion here.

I read recently that The Honda produced in Thailand is designed specifically for the Asian and US market, and the Accord in Europe is a different model.

Maybe they are now marketing the "Thai" Accord in Europe?

Here's something I extracted this morning from the web:

The "Inspire" branched replaced the accord in Japan in 2003, but it is virtually identical to the American (Thai and rest of Asian) accord, with only Europe getting a different Accord. But it is true that the Inspire was supposed to be a step up from Accord, sitting just below the Legend.

This new Accord we have in Thailand has the same styling of the rear lights as the Inspire, unlike the US model, which is the only notable difference between the Thai and US model.

The 3.5 litre Accord is an unusual choice by Honda, since it attracts impossibly high tax here in Thailand, it puts it in a price range well above the 2.4 model. THB 1.2 million more. The old 3.0 litre Accord was under 2 million baht. And since they have the 3.0 litre engine in the Japanese Inspire, it is strange that they decided to go so far..... perhaps trying to compete directly with the V6 Camry.

Anyway regardless of the handling issues, and the ergonomics, and the fact that there are 1000's of buttons to work out, the fact still remains that the Accord is selling very well in Thailand since its launch Late last year. Obviously this has been helped by the price drop due to E20 compatible engines.

The Bangkok Post ran one of their "shoot outs" in January, comparing the Accord with the Camry, the Sonata and the Teana, and the rated the Accord as "best in class.", with the Camry second, Sonata third and the Teana 4th.

Incidentally, the Honda is now slightly larger than the Camry, and while the Post and others rated the Camry better from a"smooth ride" point of view, they all rate the Accord as a much more fun car to drive with better and more responsive handling.

So if you have a driver, buy a Camry, but if you're driving yourself get an Accord.