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The handling is unusual. At first drive the suspension feels up to the task and the steering is fairly direct feeling for electric power assist. However, throw it into a corner and you're immediately reminded that it's not a sports car. Basically, it feels good and drives well, but the actual grip just isn't there.
Skidpad number from Car & Driver was .86g, so that kind of backs up what I'm feeling. That's a lower skidpad number than our GD Fit was stock (progress RSB and wider wheels/sticky rubber drastically improved it from stock) and lower than a base Golf. It's not a terrible number for a sedan, but not even into performance sedan numbers. I think a step down to light weight 18" wheels and stickier tires would make a big difference though. We'll consider that option when it comes time for new tires.
That all said, everything about the new Accord is better than the previous version in my opinion. Especially the interior, infotainment, and drivetrain.
Congrats and nice looking Accord. It's a C&D top 10 car for a reason.
Are you gonna tune it or anything?
At the absolute minimum it will get a tune (probably Hondata since that's what is on our Fit and I've played with it some), window tint, de-badged, and some accessories. Probably place an order tonight for the center console rear section that adds USB ports and probably the interior lighting package. Already ordered the handle for inside the trunk lid so that there's a way to close it that doesn't involve paint contact. Came home with the all weather mats, rear cargo liner, and wheel well moldings.
Guess I'm used to domestics that just have all that stuff already. Maybe the typical Honda customer just doesn't care about that stuff? Either way, I'm glad there are accessories available from Honda.
Oh, and I need to order locking lug nuts. We are in a low crime area, but I know Honda parts are always on the hot list. Can't believe they would sell a car with 19" wheels, $300/tire Michelin's, and no locking lug nuts. Definitely can tell the bean counters are active at Honda.
After that stuff, I'll wait and see how much the wife bonds with it. If she falls in love, I'll probably order a downpipe, front pipe, intake, and exhaust. Heard a video clip of the Thermal system and it sounded great! Prefer the way the DC Sports kit gets rid of the fake chrome outlets on the bumper and replaces them with real tips, but it doesn't sound as good in the clips I've heard. Maybe Thermal will offer a kit that includes exhaust tips by the time we are ready.
I started a new thread for the Accord. Figure it probably deserves it's own thread.
Maybe we can keep this going as others update us on their VW's? It's only been a few days, but we already miss Otto. Thankfully the Accord is darn pretty to help us with the pain. LOL
At the absolute minimum it will get a tune (probably Hondata since that's what is on our Fit and I've played with it some), window tint, de-badged, and some accessories. Probably place an order tonight for the center console rear section that adds USB ports and probably the interior lighting package. Already ordered the handle for inside the trunk lid so that there's a way to close it that doesn't involve paint contact. Came home with the all weather mats, rear cargo liner, and wheel well moldings.
Guess I'm used to domestics that just have all that stuff already. Maybe the typical Honda customer just doesn't care about that stuff? Either way, I'm glad there are accessories available from Honda.
Oh, and I need to order locking lug nuts. We are in a low crime area, but I know Honda parts are always on the hot list. Can't believe they would sell a car with 19" wheels, $300/tire Michelin's, and no locking lug nuts. Definitely can tell the bean counters are active at Honda.
After that stuff, I'll wait and see how much the wife bonds with it. If she falls in love, I'll probably order a downpipe, front pipe, intake, and exhaust. Heard a video clip of the Thermal system and it sounded great! Prefer the way the DC Sports kit gets rid of the fake chrome outlets on the bumper and replaces them with real tips, but it doesn't sound as good in the clips I've heard. Maybe Thermal will offer a kit that includes exhaust tips by the time we are ready.
Honda is weird with what they include. I'm sure the bean counters have a lot to do with it.
Nice!!! Hondata would be my go too. Super easy way to get some more power and the motor is more then capable of handling it. The Thermal system is probably what I would go with also.
Originally Posted by GAFIT
I started a new thread for the Accord. Figure it probably deserves it's own thread.
Maybe we can keep this going as others update us on their VW's? It's only been a few days, but we already miss Otto. Thankfully the Accord is darn pretty to help us with the pain. LOL
You just bought my wife's dream car! She really, really wanted to buy a 2015 Sportwagen TDI when we bought her Golf. The only thing that stopped her was the lack of Apple Car Play.
And, you got a manual. Holy grail of VW's in every way! I'm legitimately jealous of that buy. I had a 1999 Jetta TDI, but that generation was not so great of a car. It drove great and the motor and manual transmission were phenomenal, but the interior just completely fell apart. All of the color peeled off of the trim pieces, the windows one by one fell into the doors and the car just wasn't what is should be. Reminded me of buying a Cummin's powered Dodge. Motor was great. The rest...
I paid pretty close attention during the development of the 1.5t but completely zoned out on the 2.0t. Is the Accord engine essentially the same as the CTR? If so should be easy to get 300+ hp. No clue about the transmission being able to hold. But the fact alone that it's not a CVT seems like the odds are good it will have no problem.
The dealer I bought it from nick named it the Chocolate Unicorn because of how hard they can be to come by and this one had such low miles. It was 2 hours away in NJ. One owner that returned it back to VW after Diesel Gate. The dealer I bought it from got it from an auction. With only 28k miles and the extended warranty that VW added I felt better about buying it as it is my first diesel. Certainly a different driving experience from a gasser but it just soaks up highway miles. Fully loaded I think so it has the pano sunroof, back up camera, BT audio/calling, power seats, not sure what it is missing. The lack of CarPlay is a bummer but I can swap in a CarPlay head unit and move this HU it to my GTI which has the base model radio in it. I'm probably okay with not having it as I have never has a vehicle with it so I'm not sure what I'm missing.
I always loved wagons. An Audi RS2 Avant is probably my all time favorite wagon along with the Volvo 850R. Always admired diesels for their efficiency and power and VW/Audi just happen to make a diesel powered wagon.
I'll be adding a tune, suspension, wheels and some other bits to it. Definitely an exhaust of some sorts. Not sure about deleting the EGR and other stuff. It's suppose to help improve the MPG and give you more power but I am environmentally conscious to some extent.
Oh and this is a Mexico built car and the interior is not as put together as my German built GTI. Everything is tight with no rattles but some of the interior panel gaps are not even. It is a basically a Jetta which is an economy car but so is the Fit.
My wife and I went to VWs In The Valley 2020 at Maggie Valley, NC today and had a fine time. The show was very well attended and it attracted all kinds of VWs and eras, plus parts sellers. One of my favorite GTIs is the 2007 MK5 Fahrenheit Edition and I caught one there. I'm an old skool guy and so enjoyed seeing this one as delivered with the factory wheels and paint. Just a beautiful car.
Whoa -- a TDI. My wife had a 2010 TSI Sportwagen 6-Speed bought new. It was our first VW and it's what brought us into the VW fold. It hauled our family and the Girl Scout troop all over the eastern U.S. and had gobs of power. Just a blast to drive and a super sweet gearbox. When the diesel emissions event gained momentum and VW offered to buy it back, the deal was too good to refuse and we picked up Rolf The Golf for an excellent price simply too good to pass up.
Two things worried us about with our TDI -- the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and the HPFP. Our DPF failed at about 70K miles and would have cost $2K to replace if it hadn't been for the emissions warranty. I couldn't help but think that the next DPF would be on our dime. Yours uses DEF, right?
There was also a problem with failed HPFPs then too, and upon failure, these were costing $9K to repair because metal debris would spread throughout the entire fuel system. I used Stanadyne Lubricity Additive with every tank and never had HPFP trouble, but the threat was always there. VW (Bosch) improved the pump design over three iterations (I think) and yours will have the best and final design. Despite these, our Sportwagen was an awesome car and we remember it fondly. You'll love yours.
Last edited by Alco RS-1; Sep 20, 2020 at 09:39 AM.
Finally bought a VW GTI, a 2021 SE 6-Speed in Cornflower Blue, with VW Pretoria Wheels. 228 HP / 258 TQ, 3125 LBS. I've wanted a GTI for years and being 60+ years of age, I figured that I'd better do it while I was still young enough to enjoy it. The Cornflower Blue color has become increasingly hard to find. VW produced only 700 of them for the U.S.A., half DSG Auto and half 6-Speed Manual. I had to have it driven in from a distant Dealership and hope it wasn't abused en-route.
VW GTI SE 2021
Last edited by Alco RS-1; Feb 21, 2021 at 08:52 AM.
Congrats man! She is a beaut. I predict these will be iconic just like the fahrenheit editions. I am growing increasingly concerned the mk7 I’ll be the last great generation for the GTI.
One thing I just ran across that is a bit of an oddity is that VW has changed the recommended oil spec somewhere along the way. My 2017 runs 5w-40 vw502. Our new 2020 calls for 0w-20 vw508. It’s the same damn engine though. The latter is almost impossible to find. Such is anytime you talk oil online, there is TONS of debate over whether the vw508 spec is necessary and even whether these should be running such a thin weight in the first place. I was on the fence but ended up breaking down and ordering the vw508 stuff through the dealer. Not particularly expensive, just such a weird experience. I’ve never had to special order oil before.
Congrats man! She is a beaut. I predict these will be iconic just like the fahrenheit editions. I am growing increasingly concerned the mk7 I’ll be the last great generation for the GTI.
One thing I just ran across that is a bit of an oddity is that VW has changed the recommended oil spec somewhere along the way. My 2017 runs 5w-40 vw502. Our new 2020 calls for 0W-20 vw508. It’s the same damn engine though. The latter is almost impossible to find. Such is anytime you talk oil online, there is TONS of debate over whether the vw508 spec is necessary and even whether these should be running such a thin weight in the first place. I was on the fence but ended up breaking down and ordering the vw508 stuff through the dealer. Not particularly expensive, just such a weird experience. I’ve never had to special order oil before.
Thank you beardedGTI. Your thoughts on VW-recommended engine oils is right on and our situation is the same as yours, as my wife drives a '17 Golf 1.8L. I bought a quart of 0W-20 at the Dealer and put it on the shelf next to my wife's 5W-40. Go figure. Our Gen2 Fit also takes 0W-20, but it's not VW 508 Spec, whatever that might mean.
I bought the 2021 MK7.5 after seeing photos of the MK8 and liking it less. It seems that every new Gen takes a little bit of the coolness away and VW has steadily de-contented the Golf series by removing nice flourishes like the underseat drawer, soft glovebox liner, underhood insulation pad and spare tire area liner. I'll probably add these back myself. I wish I could have gotten a 2-Door, but they were all dropped several years ago. The MK8 will lose the gas-charged hood strut, and on it goes.
Wow @Alco RS-1 beautiful GTI! It even has good looking wheels from the factory. That's next to impossible with a GTI.
The oil thing is getting ridiculous. It's all for better fuel economy on paper at the expense of decreased protection. Remember back in the day when a car would start to knock and you'd find it low on oil and you'd add oil and motor on? That's not happening with a zero weight oil. Instant seize because it doesn't leave a protective film on the parts. I've settled on 5w30 for most stuff. And I love when people say thicker oils will damage the current "tighter tolerance" motors. The new motors are exactly opposite of tighter tolerances. Since the '90's, automakers have slowly started building motors looser and looser. Low friction piston rings, looser bearing tolerances, etc. all aid in fuel economy. It's why all the new stuff sounds like it's coming apart when you listen to the motor now. Well, that and the Direct Injectors.
Sad to hear that even VW is de-contenting it's vehicles. I didn't know that. Honda has already pretty much taken everything out that they can. Our Accord didn't even come with a handle to close the trunk. First sedan I've seen without a handle or strap to pull the trunk down. I added one. Guess VW is looking for ways to get customers to step up to Audi?
Oh, speaking of the de-contented Accord, it's now running on a custom tune flashed using a Ktuner.
It definitely gets down to business now! Amazing how much power can be added on a modern turbo car with just a good tune. Wife loves it! I can see it getting a turbo upgrade and some more parts maybe later this year. We'll see...
Oh, speaking of the de-contented Accord, it's now running on a custom tune flashed using a Ktuner. ...
That sounds very cool -- I didn't know that products were available to custom tune Accords. I'll leave my GTI stock for now. It feels great and has so much more power than anything I've ever owned. Wanting to break in the engine properly, I've not really put the spurs to it yet, but have tasted a bit of what it can do. Yes, I love the black Pretoria wheels too -- I flipped out when I saw that they are standard on the SE trim this year. Now if I can just keep them away from curbs! The suspension is firm, but not harsh. I wish I could have gotten DCC with its magnetic ride shocks, but only the Autobahn has DCC this year.
The tune takes it from so-so to almost entertaining in my book. It didn't feel like it was trying before. Now, it scrambles for traction at most normal speeds while pulling pretty hard. I'm actually impressed with the ability of the re-programmed traction control. It spins, but keeps it just above vehicle speed for pretty strong acceleration.
I bought a Dragy and have been playing with it in my truck. Will need to try it in the Accord. Best 0-60 in my truck so far was a 4.8 sec. run, but that's in 4wd. Best in 2wd is a 5.5. That's launching the truck in 2nd gear and just rolling into the throttle for the 2wd run. Being a pick up it just wants to spin in first gear.
Don't think the Accord will keep up with it's 4wd launch, but it actually feels strong enough that it would probably eventually run down the truck.
Been pretty active in the Accord groups and no reported failure of the 10spd auto yet. Impressive considering there's a hand full of people running big turbos, methanol, nitrous, etc.
Finally bought a VW GTI, a 2021 SE 6-Speed in Cornflower Blue, with VW Pretoria Wheels. 228 HP / 258 TQ, 3125 LBS. I've wanted a GTI for years and being 60+ years of age, I figured that I'd better do it while I was still young enough to enjoy it. The Cornflower Blue color has become increasingly hard to find. VW produced only 700 of them for the U.S.A., half DSG Auto and half 6-Speed Manual. I had to have it driven in from a distant Dealership and hope it wasn't abused en-route.
