I'm so bored of my car and I hate it. What should I do?

[slugg]

Car:
2000 Honda Accord SE
65k miles, original owners
Automagic Transmission
Fantastic mechanical condition
Good cosmetic condition (dings and scratches here and there)


I hate driving this thing. I don't know where to begin, but here's a list (in no particular order) of things I absolutely can't stand:

- Ridiculous amount of road noise while driving anything over 30 mph
- Automagic Transmission (boring.)
- Slow. Oh my god, it's slow. Floor it, it makes noise, and nothing happens.
- Air conditioning sucks. I live in Florida, it's hot here, and it takes roughly 30 minutes of blasting the AC for my cabin to start to cool off.
- Suspension is too soft
- Headlights are too dim. Can't see anything in the rain.
- Cloth interior doesn't mean it's bad, but MY cloth interior is the hardest to clean and most uncomfortable I've ever experienced.
- Terrible anti-theft measures
- Most of all: REALLY BORING to drive.

Here is a list of things I don't like about it, but I could put up with if I had to:

- Cloth interior
- Lack of sunroof/moonroof/convertible
- Lack of dimming mirrors (douchebags in SUV's tailgating me with ridiculously bright lights blind me)

Here are some things I like about the car, but I could live without (depending on whatever alternative is available):

- In the rare occasion that I need to travel with junk in my car, it can fit quite a lot in the back seats and trunk if you fit it like a puzzle.
- Power everything except seats
- Decent resale value

Here are some things I CAN'T live without:

- Decent gas mileage
- High reliability



Basically, I'm tired of the car and bored of it. I've driven it for 5 years, and before that, it was my dad's. He's hated it for the same reasons I did, hence why when he gave it to me, there were only 28k miles on it. He bought a 350z, by the way...

So my question is - what should I do? Should I modify it to make it fun, or should I sell it/trade it? Or do you have any other suggestions?

 

[Billb2]

Enjoy the lack of payments as long as possible.

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: slugg

Basically, I'm tired of the car and bored of it. I've driven it for 5 years, and before that, it was my dad's. He's hated it for the same reasons I did, hence why when he gave it to me, there were only 28k miles on it. He bought a 350z, by the way...

So my question is - what should I do? Should I modify it to make it fun, or should I sell it/trade it? Or do you have any other suggestions?

Like father, like son - get a Z!

 

[slugg]

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: slugg

Basically, I'm tired of the car and bored of it. I've driven it for 5 years, and before that, it was my dad's. He's hated it for the same reasons I did, hence why when he gave it to me, there were only 28k miles on it. He bought a 350z, by the way...

So my question is - what should I do? Should I modify it to make it fun, or should I sell it/trade it? Or do you have any other suggestions?

Like father, like son - get a Z!

Heh that'd be cool. But I should mention that I don't have too much money to work with. If I sell the car, I'd only be looking at other cars in the same price range. I believe I could get roughly $5.5k to $6k for my Honda... It's old.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

You can install brighter headlights (they may just need replacing) and an aftermarket anti-theft system (assuming you still have the factory one). The A/C may need recharging; maybe that's why it's not as effective?

Apart from that though, you can't avoid the automagic (LOL) transmission and soft suspension.

Buy a sportier car (Mazda3 for example) if you really want something more fun with decent mileage and reliability, but don't end up with a massive car loan to do it.

Sounds like you should be able to get good value on either a trade-in or private sale for the Accord if you decide to replace it.

 

[slugg]

My headlights have been replaced and it's still too dim in the rain to see the road anything more than 6 feet in front of me. Do I need to look into HID lights? I'll look into recharging my AC. Is there anything in specific I should look for? In my friend's Nissan Maxima, the AC comes out freezing cold almost immediately and it takes only a few minutes to chill the cabin... I'm jealous.

I do like the Mazda 3's looks a lot. Any thoughts on the Miata, specifically in the area of 1999-2001 models? It's sporty, but then again the engine is super weak, so I'm not sure how that would impact insurance rates.

 

[evident]

i'd get brighter headlights. lightbulbs dim overtime so start off with getting simple lightbulbs and replace them

get a nice stereo for your car. start with the speakers, then get a new head unit. this will make your ride alot more enjoyable.

i wouldn't try to performance mod your car outside of fresh new tires, suspension upgrades and if you really had to a cold air intake. unless you're gonna drop tons of $ in it, its gonna look half baked and riced and make the rest of us accord owners look bad!

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: slugg
My headlights have been replaced and it's still too dim in the rain to see the road anything more than 6 feet in front of me. Do I need to look into HID lights? I'll look into recharging my AC. Is there anything in specific I should look for? In my friend's Nissan Maxima, the AC comes out freezing cold almost immediately and it takes only a few minutes to chill the cabin... I'm jealous.

I do like the Mazda 3's looks a lot. Any thoughts on the Miata, specifically in the area of 1999-2001 models? It's sporty, but then again the engine is super weak, so I'm not sure how that would impact insurance rates.

you may need to polish your headlights w/ some of that plasticx stuff to make your headlights clearer.
if you do HID lights, make sure you do them right and get retrofits, or else you will blind oncoming traffic and screw up your own visibility.
HID retrofits are normally very expensive. they are around $1000 done right for my 07 accord

 

[thedarkwolf]

You can get a damn nice miata for $5k. You won't be able to fit as much junk in one duh but they do actually have a usable trunk. It won't be any faster in a straight line stock but it will be more fun everywhere plus its something that is actually worth modifying if you want to make it faster.

 

[MovingTarget]

Get a sub-$1k beater and drive it like you stole it. You never will be bored as not only would you have a stream of stuff to fix, but you will literally be taking your life into your own hands every time you are behind the wheel! Keep the accord, and enjoy the lack of payments!

 

[ElFenix]

what do you consider 'decent gas mileage'?

you may need to polish your headlights

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: slugg
Heh that'd be cool. But I should mention that I don't have too much money to work with. If I sell the car, I'd only be looking at other cars in the same price range. I believe I could get roughly $5.5k to $6k for my Honda... It's old.

That seems optimistic to me...

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I know AT tends to be a bastion of financial caution, but let me be the lone voice of irresponsibility: Life is too short to drive a car you hate. Funnily enough, my least favorite car I've owned was a '98 Accord EX V6. I bought it used and owned it for a year. It bored me silly and I was annoyed every time I drove it. I traded it in on a 2001 Maxima SE and never looked back.

It seems to me you've done your duty by driving this soccer mom-mobile for five years. Sell it and get something that doesn't feel like a chore to drive, whatever that is for you personally. A Civic SE has all the virtues of your car but is actually a fun car to drive, for example.

 

[StageLeft]

Sell it. Find some dolt who equates Honda to sainthood and will pay you $19k for it or something silly and buy a car with power. I am sympathetic to your concerns, that car sounds hiddeously boring.

I am fiscally conservative, but I agree with Don that you probably can buy yourself a nicer car. My 2000 maxima with 122k probably is worth only $4k private. I wouldn't really recommend you sell yours for something with a dubious history and similar price, necessarily (I'd get a bit newer than what you can sell this for), but I still enjoy driving my car. If I hated driving it, I would have replaced it years ago.

 

[CrimsonWolf]

Don't put any money into modding it at all. Your money is much better spent toward buying a car that's actually somewhat fun to begin with...

The only big catch is giving up a car with a known history for one without a known history. But it could be well worth it...

My old roommate had a Nissan Maxima with a V6 and 5-speed manual that he liked driving. I'd start there.

 

[ponyo]

I've noticed Japanese cars generally don't blow really cold A/C air compared to the domestic cars. It seems to take longer and doesn't blow as cold. Same with the heat.

 

[compman25]

Sell yours to Zane, looks like he needs a new Honda.

 

[halik]

Get a lexus, great reliability and total cost of ownership. An IS250 would be right up your alley.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: halik
Get a lexus, great reliability and total cost of ownership. An IS250 would be right up your alley.

This. Or an SC300. Currently 49 listings on Autotrader $6500 and under if you don't mind going a little older. Toyota's 3.0L V6 is bulletproof (same engine was also used in the Supra), and the rest of the car should hold up quite well also. Due to the shared engine with the MKIV Supra, you can mod the hell out of it as well, if you so desire. I don't know the gas mileage offhand though.

Are you looking for coupes? Sedans? What are you looking for exactly? You may get more useful suggestions if you give more details...

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: CrimsonWolf
Don't put any money into modding it at all. Your money is much better spent toward buying a car that's actually somewhat fun to begin with...

The only big catch is giving up a car with a known history for one without a known history. But it could be well worth it...

My old roommate had a Nissan Maxima with a V6 and 5-speed manual that he liked driving. I'd start there.

bigtime QFT there, IMO.

 

[slugg]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA

Originally posted by: halik
Get a lexus, great reliability and total cost of ownership. An IS250 would be right up your alley.

This. Or an SC300. Currently 49 listings on Autotrader $6500 and under if you don't mind going a little older. Toyota's 3.0L V6 is bulletproof (same engine was also used in the Supra), and the rest of the car should hold up quite well also. Due to the shared engine with the MKIV Supra, you can mod the hell out of it as well, if you so desire. I don't know the gas mileage offhand though.

Are you looking for coupes? Sedans? What are you looking for exactly? You may get more useful suggestions if you give more details...

I would like a coupe, even a 2 seater. Convertible could be cool, but I'm not seeking one. I heard that road noise really sucks in convertibles, but I wouldn't know since I've never been in one at anything over 10 MPH, lol.

I've been reading a bit about the Mazda Miata online. I must admit, I do like the car quite a bit - even the old ones. I seem to find many GOOD things about Miatas. What are some bad things?

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: evident

Originally posted by: slugg
My headlights have been replaced and it's still too dim in the rain to see the road anything more than 6 feet in front of me. Do I need to look into HID lights? I'll look into recharging my AC. Is there anything in specific I should look for? In my friend's Nissan Maxima, the AC comes out freezing cold almost immediately and it takes only a few minutes to chill the cabin... I'm jealous.

I do like the Mazda 3's looks a lot. Any thoughts on the Miata, specifically in the area of 1999-2001 models? It's sporty, but then again the engine is super weak, so I'm not sure how that would impact insurance rates.

you may need to polish your headlights w/ some of that plasticx stuff to make your headlights clearer.
if you do HID lights, make sure you do them right and get retrofits, or else you will blind oncoming traffic and screw up your own visibility.
HID retrofits are normally very expensive. they are around $1000 done right for my 07 accord

Shop around and a typical average retro would be something like 700-800. Mine is going to be done for 07 Accord on May 23

 

[JJ650]

Agree. An IS250 would be a nice choice.

BTW, where's Louiissss to tell you that you are completely wrong and should keep it no matter what?

 

[DarkThinker]

I am surprised that the 98-02 Accord is considered boring. Most people I know really like their 98-02 Accords especially those who have the coupe ones.

I guess the no leather + auto combo as you have really sucks.

I do remember looking for a while for a 4 Door 98-02 with manual and leather interior but those are hard to find for a good deal around here.

I own a 96 Accord Coupe LX, It's manual, it's cheap, gets over 30mpg and is really very fun to drive and is easy and inexpensive to maintain too.

Plus I drive it daily to work, I pretty much drive it like I stole it and it doesn't complain.

In my opinion, the accords from 94 to 97 where really well made. Mine doesn't have leather seats, but the trim on it is really nice. Actually, the trim on most 94-97 Accords is like that of much better cars.

The 94-97 Accords are dirt cheap to get and keep their value welll, mine actually went up in value after the Gas price bump.

I have plenty of recommendations, but the Accord is one of the best experiences I have had for the money in terms of price, fun and reliability. It's sure fun to drive when it's Manual.

Originally posted by: Black88GTA

Originally posted by: halik
Get a lexus, great reliability and total cost of ownership. An IS250 would be right up your alley.

This. Or an SC300. Currently 49 listings on Autotrader $6500 and under if you don't mind going a little older. Toyota's 3.0L V6 is bulletproof (same engine was also used in the Supra), and the rest of the car should hold up quite well also. Due to the shared engine with the MKIV Supra, you can mod the hell out of it as well, if you so desire. I don't know the gas mileage offhand though.

Are you looking for coupes? Sedans? What are you looking for exactly? You may get more useful suggestions if you give more details...

I never paid attention much to the SC300,
But I was surprised right now to discover that the SC300 is RWD has an I6 engine option plus a 5 speed manual option for the I6 wow!

And it's not expensive at all.

I didn't know Toyota had such a platform. I thought BMW was one of the very few which mad I6 and coupled them with Manual transmissions. Hmmm

 

[NAC]

If you are interested in a Miata - then get a Miata.
I had a first year model for a few years. LOVED IT. Just a pure joy to drive. As you wrote - it is not fast in a straight line. But I couldn't stop smiling when driving it. If you want one, I highly doubt you'll regret getting it. Living in Florida it is a no brainer in my opinion. You are young - who cares if it is a little louder when driving.

The MPG and reliability should be similar to the Honda as long as it isn't abused or have too many miles. As to negatives, most of it is obvious: you can't carry a lot, it is loud on the highway, some tall people don't fit well, not as safe as bigger cars if you are in an accident.

Test drive one, and I think you'll convince yourself. Life is too short to never own a convertible. I'll get another Miata or similar convertible one day. To me it is driving bliss that a sedan driver can't imagine. Personally, I'd take a Miata over a Z.