New Honda Accord Vs Bmw 330i 2003

[Naam]

Are you sure Accord doesn't have an auto-door lock similar to Fortuner, or BMW, for that matter?

mine doesn't (2006 model). if there was i would have done something about it immediately.

[taxexile]

mobi

I must decide by the end of Songkran

c'mon there , its make your mind up time. dont keep us all waiting any longer.

my prediction is that you will be blinded by the badge and buy the old bmw ! in my humble opinion the wrong choice.

but whatever you choose , i wish you many miles of safe , happy and towtruck free motoring.

[Mobi]

mobi

I must decide by the end of Songkran

c'mon there , its make your mind up time. dont keep us all waiting any longer.

my prediction is that you will be blinded by the badge and buy the old bmw ! in my humble opinion the wrong choice.

but whatever you choose , i wish you many miles of safe , happy and towtruck free motoring.

Thanks for your good wishes Tax.

Actually, I'm resolved not to make a decision on this until I've test driven the BM's and the Honda. I guess I can only do that in Bangkok so I will try to arrange that next week when I go there for some hospital visits. I'm not in a mad rush as I have a rented car, and the Tuner will be back on 20th May.

I just said the by the end of Songkran to force me to make a decision

One thing this thread has shown me is that there are as many opinions as there are members, but having said that, some useful and interesting information has emerged, which I was not previously aware of. In some respects I am more confused than ever, and clearly only a few test drives will resolve my dilemma.

In the meantime I might take a peek at the Chevrolet Lumina, if they have one at the Pattaya showroom. Although they won't hold their resale value like a Toyota or Honda, I am told they are very good value for money at around 1,9m. They are big cars with big engines and are imported from Oz under the Thai / Oz FTA. Worth a looksie?

[ignis]

mobi

I must decide by the end of Songkran

c'mon there , its make your mind up time. dont keep us all waiting any longer.

my prediction is that you will be blinded by the badge and buy the old bmw ! in my humble opinion the wrong choice.

but whatever you choose , i wish you many miles of safe , happy and towtruck free motoring.

Thanks for your good wishes Tax.

Actually, I'm resolved not to make a decision on this until I've test driven the BM's and the Honda. I guess I can only do that in Bangkok so I will try to arrange that next week when I go there for some hospital visits. I'm not in a mad rush as I have a rented car, and the Tuner will be back on 20th May.

I just said the by the end of Songkran to force me to make a decision

One thing this thread has shown me is that there are as many opinions as there are members, but having said that, some useful and interesting information has emerged, which I was not previously aware of. In some respects I am more confused than ever, and clearly only a few test drives will resolve my dilemma.

In the meantime I might take a peek at the Chevrolet Lumina, if they have one at the Pattaya showroom. Although they won't hold their resale value like a Toyota or Honda, I am told they are very good value for money at around 1,9m. They are big cars with big engines and are imported from Oz under the Thai / Oz FTA. Worth a looksie?

Cheaper and very comfitable is a Mitsubishi Space Wagon, friend 3yrs ago changed from Honda and loves it.. ??

[culicine]

In the meantime I might take a peek at the Chevrolet Lumina, if they have one at the Pattaya showroom. Although they won't hold their resale value like a Toyota or Honda, I am told they are very good value for money at around 1,9m. They are big cars with big engines and are imported from Oz under the Thai / Oz FTA. Worth a looksie?

Nearly Luminas second hand are dirt cheap (less than a million baht), so buying new, you will lose value quickly. Good, powerful engines (3.5 L for the new model, about 190 kw) though (well, relative to most of your average cars in LoS), but check on the fuel consumption. Though for 1.9 million I would be inclined to get an accord 2.4 and spend the rest on wheels / suspension / engine management upgrades.

[Donnyboy]

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.

from what I know, the posts from ignis about the Accord version he is referring to wont come to Thailand, that version is the "Euro" version and highly spec'd. That design is aimed at the European market, where as the Thai one is mainly for the American market.

Actually NZ has both the Euro and Thai made Acccords on offer. Honda NZ

With the Euro on offer with a 2.4 and the Thai made one a 3.5 V6

but to give my opinion on what the OP should get;

Heart says BMW but head says Honda, but Im swaying more towards Honda as running costs/maintanance will be cheaper, besides, I dont mind the look of the new honda, especially when up spec-ing the mag wheels, seen a few with these aftermarket wheels and they make the car look so much more classy.

Edited April 21, 2008 by Donnyboy

[Mobi]

Though for 1.9 million I would be inclined to get an accord 2.4 and spend the rest on wheels / suspension / engine management upgrades.

I'm not an expert here, but whatever I buy will be driven over a lot of bad roads.

Can you tell me what sort of upgrades I need, and how do I go about this? Do I get the dealer to upgrade the spec, or do take it to special shop after purchase?

Thanks

[esprit]

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?

Accord in thailand is same as US. European model is differant, most notably the dynamics. It is the European model due for replacement later. The New Accord in Thailand is tha latest Thai/US version.

[Plus]

What's the service/spare parts deal with Luminas? Do they need to import every single bolt when something goes wrong, even if on warranty? I doubt Lumina shares many components with Korean desighed Aveo/Optra/Captiva.

So, even if free, do you have to wait for months to get your car fixed?

>>>>

320d sounds like an extremely good value for money comparing to any other BMW/Benz, but still a poor value comparing to Honda. You still can buy TWO Accords for that price, while in the UK they cost nearly the same, and Accords are lot bigger than any 3 series, they should be in 5 series/e-class category judging by size.

[culicine]

Though for 1.9 million I would be inclined to get an accord 2.4 and spend the rest on wheels / suspension / engine management upgrades.

I'm not an expert here, but whatever I buy will be driven over a lot of bad roads.

Can you tell me what sort of upgrades I need, and how do I go about this? Do I get the dealer to upgrade the spec, or do take it to special shop after purchase?

Thanks

Yesa the roads are pretty bad and you need to consider that. You can make your car look smarter and handle better, but the trade off is a harder ride and more risks during flooding. A friend of mine has an accord on 18" mugen wheels and lowered on eibach springs and koni yellow shocks. He says it rides well. He also changed to fujitsubo exhaust. It looks pretty nice. I think you can't go more than 18" on wheels as the roads are bad. If you don't mind a firmer ride (but more sporty handling), thats the way to go.

I would also consider changing to 4pot front brakes like brembo or e'spec, or something similar. That will give better braking feel.

The above assumes you don't mind spending money with not much chance to recover it upon resal of your car:)

As for engines, maybe other posters can respond. You can definately change out the standard air folter for a K&N reusable type. I did that, and it has now paid for itself , after 100K kms. It flows a little better though rally not much different in power from it.

[jonniebkk]

320d sounds like an extremely good value for money comparing to any other BMW/Benz, but still a poor value comparing to Honda. You still can buy TWO Accords for that price, while in the UK they cost nearly the same, and Accords are lot bigger than any 3 series, they should be in 5 series/e-class category judging by size.

Completely agree...any foreigner who would buy a new BMW or Merc in Thailand has succombed to a serious case of "Thai Bling Fever" disease. Buy the Camry or Accord, bank all your millions of baht in savings, and wear your bank book around your neck for all to see if you must

Also, see how much money you have wasted by looking at my post on this subject here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=184420

[ignis]

The name MUGEN symbolizes Honda performance throughout Asia and around the globe. ...

I have seen a number of Mugen Jazz or Civic here, Temple of Vtec Asia has all the kit.

Full engine and body kit for the new Accord

Edited April 21, 2008 by ignis

[culicine]

The name MUGEN symbolizes Honda performance throughout Asia and around the globe. ...

I have seen a number of Mugen Jazz or Civic here, Temple of Vtec Asia has all the kit.

Full engine and body kit for the new Accord

What engine upgrades for honda are available in bkk? Is there an offical mugen distributor here? This stuff is good but you'll pay a premium for it as well. The mugen air intax box is like $1000 US or something ridiculous like that. Same goes for wheels and body kits.

[Plus]

I remember Bangkok Post guys said that 320d has a rather harsh ride for Thai roads, and they said exactly opposite about Accord. Camry absorbs road imperfections very well, some said CRV is even better, Accord should be about the same. Even speed bumps can be annoying in some places.

>>>>>

Post market mods are available for any brand, there are relatively more TRD modified Toyotas that Mugen Hondas here, but I doubt that's the road Mobi is going to take.

[pj123]

The safety aspect of these two cars should also be compared. If you look at the website for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - which does similar work as NCAP in Europe - the new Honda is one of their recommended cars. I understand that this is the same model as the Thai version but I may be wrong. The IIHS do not recommend any BMW sedans.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/default.aspx

The IIHS includes a rear impact test in its studies and this has a significant impact on the number of cars they recommend. It may be typical of every other country but you are just as likely to be involved in a rear as in a frontal impact in Thailand. See http://www.tarc.ait.ac.th/download/eng/factor.pdf

You can find more data on road safety on this website which is run by the Thailand Accident Research Center: http://www.tarc.ait.ac.th

[Gary A]

As far as I am concerned, any of those body kit parts that sit closer to the ground are to be avoided. The front piece on my car has been all scraped up by curbs that are a bit too high. I'm surprised that it isn't broken. the back part has a corner torn from the foot peg of a motorcycle which of course didn't stop. There are some places my car can't go because it drags bottom. No more cars for me.

[Mobi]

An update, for those who are hanging on my decision

I saw an Accord in the Showroom today, and will test drive it tomorrow.

Then I will go to the Toyota showroom and see if I can test drive a Camry.

Then I will go to Chonburi and see if I can test drive a 320D.

But I must admit I am becoming captivated with the 2.0LT Captiva. (see separate thread).

[rixalex]

But I must admit I am becoming captivated with the 2.0LT Captiva. (see separate thread).

Captiva's just another Fortuner - thought you were looking to make a change, no?

[Mobi]

But I must admit I am becoming captivated with the 2.0LT Captiva. (see separate thread).

Captiva's just another Fortuner - thought you were looking to make a change, no?

Actually I was quite happy with my Fortuner, but a while ago I had decided it was time for a change, mainly because there just too many of them on the road - especially in Pattaya, and I wanted to have something a bit different.

Then I had my accident, when the air bags failed to open and I couldn't be rescued due to the automatic locking system, so I decided to sell it and get something else.

Yes , I am veering towards a car, and will probably still go that way, but the Captiva is tempting. From what I've read and seen, it's a quite a bit better than the Fortuner, and the ride is supposed to be much smoother. It's more expensive, but that's fair enough, as with loads of "bells and whistles', it's definitely a step up from the Fortuner, IMHO

My dilemma is the roads down here - they are pretty bad, and I also drive up country quite a lot, so although I would prefer a car, maybe a SUV is the more sensible idea.

I'll do a bunch of test driving and then make my decision.

[Gary A]

I think anyone who lives a bit off the beaten trail should consider a vehicle with a little more road clearance. A car may be rugged enough but there are just too many road hazards for me to feel comfortable driving a car.

[Mobi]

I took the wife with me to road test the Accord this morning. We both liked it very much. Very comfortable, very responsive, very smooth, even over bumps. Nice looking, very spacious vehicle.

Then I took her to the Chevrolet showroom and we looked at the Captiva. Her response was: "Very nice, but not really that much difference to the Fortuner, and I thought you wanted a change?" (I have arranged a test drive for tomorrow, but I might cancel.)

She then went to work, and I drove to the Toyota showroom. No one was interested in speaking to me, and there were no Camrys on the forecourt so I gave up, for now.

Then I drove to Chonburi to look at the BMW 320D. They had an American salesman, and he took me to see it. It was a beautiful machine, and he let me test drive it.

Quite frankly it is in a different class to the Japanese models. This is some car - handles beautifully and goes like Sh..t! Better than the old 330i

It's also bigger than the older 3 series models, and will seat 5 - reasonably well.Fuel economy is impressive, and there is completely free service for 5 years/100k kms. The only thing not 100% covered is the tyres. Wherever I breakdown in Thailand they will come and get me, and deliver me and car to the nearest dealer, where, depending on the problems they will provide me with alternative transport. The tyres will run flat for 100+ kms, and I won't feel a thing. There is a great on-board computer system.

The price is 2.85M That's about 45,000 pounds. The Accord is 1.5M or 24,000 pounds, just over half.

Decisions... decisions...

[ignis]

You were talking about a 5yr old BMW. or a new Accord........

Of course the BMW is better it is a different class..... Same class would be Lexus........ Merc or Jag [not sure a Tata Jag has the same ring about it ]

[Mobi]

You were talking about a 5yr old BMW. or a new Accord........

I know.... but time has moved on....and I have been seduced by an old flame(reborn)....and I'm falling in love

[rixalex]

I took the wife with me to road test the Accord this morning. We both liked it very much. Very comfortable, very responsive, very smooth, even over bumps. Nice looking, very spacious vehicle.

Then I took her to the Chevrolet showroom and we looked at the Captiva. Her response was: "Very nice, but not really that much difference to the Fortuner, and I thought you wanted a change?" (I have arranged a test drive for tomorrow, but I might cancel.)

She then went to work, and I drove to the Toyota showroom. No one was interested in speaking to me, and there were no Camrys on the forecourt so I gave up, for now.

Then I drove to Chonburi to look at the BMW 320D. They had an American salesman, and he took me to see it. It was a beautiful machine, and he let me test drive it.

Quite frankly it is in a different class to the Japanese models. This is some car - handles beautifully and goes like Sh..t! Better than the old 330i

It's also bigger than the older 3 series models, and will seat 5 - reasonably well.Fuel economy is impressive, and there is completely free service for 5 years/100k kms. The only thing not 100% covered is the tyres. Wherever I breakdown in Thailand they will come and get me, and deliver me and car to the nearest dealer, where, depending on the problems they will provide me with alternative transport. The tyres will run flat for 100+ kms, and I won't feel a thing. There is a great on-board computer system.

The price is 2.85M That's about 45,000 pounds. The Accord is 1.5M or 24,000 pounds, just over half.

Decisions... decisions...

Interesting what you say about the 3 series. You were obviously quite impressed. I've never driven it so can't comment, but will say that for me the new shape has gone backwards rather than forwards, in terms of looks anyway - especially the rear end which is really non-descript.

For me, i just can't get over the enormous premium you would be paying for the Bimmer. I guess it all depends how you make decisions. When you chose a woman to be your wife, which brain do you think with?

[Mobi]

When you chose a woman to be your wife, which brain do you think with?

That's not very nice and not relevant to the discussion.

[rixalex]

Then I took her to the Chevrolet showroom and we looked at the Captiva. Her response was: "Very nice, but not really that much difference to the Fortuner, and I thought you wanted a change?" (I have arranged a test drive for tomorrow, but I might cancel.)

Well that's nice...so when the missus says it to you, you listen?! Sometimes i don't know why i bother!

[rixalex]

When you chose a woman to be your wife, which brain do you think with?

That's not very nice and not relevant to the discussion.

Don't be serious Mobi - just a joke!

[HDRIDER]

Mobi

Sometimes it’s a bit hard to follow you; you change your mind for every day, well almost

New Honda Accord Vs Bmw 330i 2003, Which one would you buy?

[rixalex]

Mobi

Sometimes it's a bit hard to follow you; you change your mind for every day, well almost

Hmmm... bit like the behaviour of a woman. Perhaps a white Jazz with the pink Hello Kitty number plates would be more befitting?!

[Mobi]

Mobi

Sometimes it's a bit hard to follow you; you change your mind for every day, well almost

New Honda Accord Vs Bmw 330i 2003, Which one would you buy?

It's a big decision, with many imponderables, and once made, what I choose will be with me every day for at least 3 years, and I will have to give it all my loving care and tenderness and drive it hard every day.

Come to think of it maybe Rivalex is right about it being similar to choosing a wife, with one major difference - my wives don't usually last 3 years....and they don't hold their trade in value