Help pls! Accord '97

**jeDi13** · February 26th, 2009 12:21 PM

VTI-S yata comes with A/T only.. The older the A/T car, the higher the maintenance cost.

**sequoia** · February 27th, 2009 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by 20vanda01

Ops double post na pala. Bat laging nagdo-double post?

Anyway, normal ba sa Accord na pag lagay mo sa "D", yong RPM niya naglalaro from 500 to 800 RPM. Then after mga 5 secs, stable na at 800 RPM. Warmed up na ang engine nun. Idle up problem kaya yon? Mahal ba magpagawa ng idle up ng Accord?

pa-clean mo throttle body, baka madumi na.

**Galactus** · February 27th, 2009 10:10 AM

Anyway, normal ba sa Accord na pag lagay mo sa "D", yong RPM niya naglalaro from 500 to 800 RPM. Then after mga 5 secs, stable na at 800 RPM. Warmed up na ang engine nun. Idle up problem kaya yon? Mahal ba magpagawa ng idle up ng Accord?

I experienced the same symptoms before on my 97 Accord VTi-S. Pinalinis ko rin ang throttle body at intake manifold sa Speedyfix, pero wala pa rin. Turns out na sparkplugs pala ang problema. Weird nga eh, bagong palit lang ako ng plugs, as in bagong bago, kabibili ko lang (siguro defective yung isa). Anyway, nung napalitan na yung plugs, ok na, never had a problem since. Bosch Platinum plugs na pinalit ko.

**corbon44** · February 28th, 2009 02:45 AM

I drove a red VTi-S until last June until I switched to a '98 Cefiro A/T - here are my inputs:

Design: The Cefiro is more exclusive than the Accord (or even the Galant for that matter). Design-wise, the Accord is more sporty. I prefer the more mature design of the Cefiro...wag nang itanong ang edad ko!

I had the 25th-Anniversary VTi-S with the star rims, spoiler, and blacked-out window trim. It also had the 3-disc in-dash Alpine H/U and OEM sunshade at the back. The CD player stopped working in 2002.

Drive: The VTi-S I had was a 5-speed manual. Go crazy with it and you hit 100kph in second gear at 6000 rpm. I logged 135K km on it before selling it last year - the buyer was used to driving a 1.6 sentra and just couldn't get over the pull of the engine. When I saw the smile on his face during the test drive, I knew the car was sold.

The Cefiro, being an A/T, has absolutely no acceleration thrill. Top-speed stability though is much better than the Accord. Driving the Cefiro at 160kph on the STAR tollway is as tame as driving the Accord at 120kph.

Comfort: The VTi-S has the best seats I've ever driven in - perfect balance of firmness, lumbar, and lower thigh support. That's considering I'm 6'1".

Maintenance: The Cefiro utilizes a timing chain and does not need replacement every 100K km. Filters and other regular maintenance things are priced almost the same, surprisingly. You just have to know here to get them (ehem, Nisway). Replacing the Accord timing belt cost 7K.

Problem areas: Cefiro - since June: power steering pump repair only. Had the suspension done at Servitek - bushing are now due for replacement again. The spark plug coil was broken in two, it still functions well though so I'm not going yet spending 4.5K to replace it.

Accord - power steering pump was repaired twice in a span of 10 years. Power Windows, Power Locks, and Power Antenna all stopped working between 2004 and 2005. The trunk spring (the pair of black metal rods which keeps the trunk open) snapped and were replaced in 2007. Replaced this with brand new ones from Honda Marikina for 700. Surplus was going for 1000!

The Accord was plagued with idling problems. I had the throttle body and IAC Valve cleaned but the problem kept recurring (cost P500). Right before letting it go, it developed a buzzing sound at the front right footwell everytime it accelerated, most likely from the power steering.

Which to choose? I'm happier right now with the Cefiro just because of its exclusivity and more mature design. If I were in my 20s again though, the Accord would have been better for me.

**20vanda01** · February 28th, 2009 11:31 PM

*corbon44 - that's comprehensive enough about the 97 Accord to give me an idea on what to expect from it.

OT: By the way I test drove a 98 VTi-L today and while running at 30-40kph, and when I floored the accelerator, it didn't downshift, and the acceleration from standstill is slow relative to the other stock 1.6 A/T that I have driven. My Lancer A/T feels faster on acceleration compared to the VTi-L. Normal ba na slow ang acceleration ng Accord?

**corbon44** · March 1st, 2009 09:33 PM

Accelration on the M/T was addictive, thanks to VTEC. You'd be prone to overtake while cruising in 3rd gear; let go of the gas and abruptly floor it back and you feel the "switch" of the VTEC.

Infairness, the Cefiro downshifts when flooring it, albeit with minimal acceleration increase.

**20vanda01** · March 2nd, 2009 12:48 PM

*corbon44 - good tip... thanks. Took home my Accord yesterday... 98 VTI A/T. I'm quite happy with the performance! Very smooth ang ride.

OT: San pede pagawa yong remote trunk lid opener at yong sa gas tank? Thanks.

**corbon44** · March 5th, 2009 07:06 PM

The gas lid and trunk are both opened mechanically via a cable. If it's snapped, I suggest you have it removed first and use it as a reference when buying a new one. I've had the experience (on a Toyota though) of buying a replacement cable either too long or too short - either way it wouldn't work. I had it repaired by a gas station mechanic during an oil change, but it's a fairly easy DIY.

OT: In the Cefiro, only the hood is released mechanically via a conventional cable. The gas lid and the trunk (the switch to which is interestingly placed under the door armrest and not under the driver's seat) are both latched via an electric actuator. If the battery's dead or disconnected, you wouldn't be able to open the gas lid and you would have to open the trunk with the key.