Acura vs VW?
Out of context: Reply #45
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- honda0
RE: "if you want an appliance vehicle that gets you from point a to point b and nothing more, hondas, toyotas, and hyundais are perfect cars to get. "
I would not go as far as to say something like that. Untrue statement. The fact is that those brands are, oddly enough, churning out some truly nice cars and trucks - that will last longer than any German vehicle ( http://cdn.consumerreports.org/s… ). It is true that upon immediate investigation of the interior of a brand new TL vs an A4, the build quality is much different. German cars are built to appeal for the 1-3 year mark. Past that, their consumer generally buys another car or trades in the current model for another. So they go all out for the initial impression. For those brands, long term quality is not a priority. It is the exact opposite with Japanese brands. What you see in your Honda/Acura will be there in 5,6,7 - 10 years time AND it will still work.
RE:"just remember to change the timing belt around every 60-75k miles and change the oil at the right intervals, and you can drive them for a long time."
My 1995 Civic is pushing 200k and I went without an oil change for almost 90k miles - bear in mind I push my car to the limit. Not a single problem. 1994 Acura Integra LS owned by a friend is pushing 195k and he never got an oil change since the day he bought it in '95. He would only put a quart in every few months or so. Got an oil change when he sold the car to his aunt. My timing belt was replaced this year. After 10 years of being on the car, I only decided to change it cause the mechanic said, "Yea, you could if you want. No rush though". Recently had to get a new a/c compressor, again, after 10 years, it was just that time. Built to last (http://apt11.com/?p=57).
My point is that a Honda/Acura is 'built' for love AND abuse; for that extreme long term use. Average Joe doing the regular maintenance on their Honda/Acura will have the love of a lifetime with the car with zero problems. For the Joe who gets lost in the day-to-day meander of life and loses touch with maintenance; the Honda/Acura will 'still' keep on truckin'.
But alas, it does come down to personal taste. Acura is finally upping the ante with some truly beautifully designed cars. The TSX and TL speak to the urban market and for the owner that wants classy AND reliability.
Again, I would definitely consider an older CL model. Whether its the 2.0 all the way up to the 3.2. Great cars, good resale value and they look awesome.
Sincerely,
YFHR - Your Friendly Honda Representative