2005 Honda Accord Coupe: The Weekly Driver Review by James Raia

2005 Honda Accord Coupe: The Weekly Driver Review by James Raia

Just inside the guard gate, the world renowned 17-Mile Drive in Carmel, Calif., begins with a primarily downhill and often winding two-lane road to Pebble Beach Golf Links. The tree-lined route features lavish, oceanfront homes and a predominately forest-like setting along California's central coast.

It's a perfect several-mile locale for drivers who like to shift through gears. And it's not-so-surprisingly pleasant while doing so in the 2005 Honda Accord.

With its V6, six-speed manual transmission offering, the exceedingly popular model crosses categories. The Accord is listed as a midsize vehicle and it's often compared to the Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.

But the 24-valve, 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower coupe is just as much sports car as it is anything else. And it provides one more reason why the Accordin its more than 25 varietiesis among the most popular and most often best-buy categorized vehicles on the road.

During my weeklong test drive, I drove the Accord Coupe round-trip from Sacramento to the Monterey Peninsula. The interstate portion of the journey included about 400 miles. I drove the aforementioned section of the 17-Mile Drive six times round-trip on clear, blue sky days and in heavy rain. It made little difference.

In all driving conditions, the Accord Coupe performed with confidence. Steering and handling is responsive and poised. Lane changes are smooth. While not as quick as other vehicles categorized as sports cars, the Accord Coupe accelerates well and finds its ways through gears more than adequately. Its 17-inch wheels further add to the tight road feel. The Accord's ride is also adequately quiet.

Like all Hondas, the Accord Coupe's interior is designed in a straightforward manner. Gauges and all instrumentation are clean and used simply. The navigation system is likewise efficient and easy to learn.

Despite its coupe status, front-seat passengers have comfortable leg, body and head room. Back seat passengers (two fit comfortably) have easy access. Side rear-view vision is slightly impeded by headrests and side pillars. The driver's seat, while comfortable for a six-foot, 185-pound driver, is void of the superior seat cushioning of high-end vehicles.

Standard interior features are plentiful: leather-trimmed seats, AM/FM, six-disc CD with six speakers, XM satellite radio, heated front seats, power window and door locks, illuminated visor vanity mirrors, cruise control, exterior temperature gauge, sunglass holder and well- positioned armrests and storage compartments.

Finding fault with the Accord is difficult, but cargo room could be better, and average city mileage numbers aren't special. Yet, the Honda Accord has built its reputation through the years for good reasons. It does everything well, and offers reliability and great resale value.

Whether a buyer opts for the base LX four-door, four-cylinder sedan, the EX V6 four-door sedan or the EX, V6 coupe, the sportiest model of all, it's hard to improve upon the Accord or find any vehicle with more to offer for the price.

2005 HONDA ACCORD COUPE

Safety featuresDual-stage driver and front passenger dual-stage front, side and side curtain airbags. Antilock brakes.

Fuel Mileage (estimates)20 mpg (city), 30 mpg (highway).

WarrantyBumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Power train, 3 years/36,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited mileage Base price$28,880.


About the Author
To read more car reviews or to subscribe to his free electronic newsletters, visit James Raia's web site: http://www.ByJamesRaia.com

The Popularity of the NHRA by Richard A. Brink

The Popularity of the NHRA by Richard A. Brink

It is the Christmas holiday weekend, the family is sitting around the livingroom
discussing how much of a very fine meal we've eaten, when the conversation shifts:
"You on for the drag races this summer?" I asked my brother. "Oh yeah," he answers
back. As we reminisce about the past years NHRA Nationals and discuss plans and dates
for this years race, we wonder why the NHRA does not have a bigger following. If you
like fast cars, and you have not been to a NHRA Nationals event, you have no idea what
your missing. That, we decided, is exactly the problem. You have got to see it live
to understand why it has the following it does. Television is at fault, after-all
this sport has many times the horsepower of NASCAR, the pitts are open to anyone with
a ticket, and the drivers come out of the haulers just to sign autographs on a regular
basis. They even give you a free, glossy team photo to get the autograph signed on.
The problem is none of that comes across on TV. When you watch NASCAR they televise
the pre-race activities, the on-track activities, and the post-race activities. They
even have a segment called CRANK IT UP, in which the anouncers dont say a word for a
few laps so you can litterally blow your speakers apart with your surround sound. This
helps give you the feeling you are at the track. You could be watching your first
NASCAR event and by the end of the race come away with the feeling you understand it,
and more importatly you will feel like you know the drivers. I dont want to take
anything away from NASCAR; it is a great motorsport and they have done a fine job of
marketing to get to this point. But (and it is a big but) there is no feeling in the
world like two top fuel dragsters coming off the line simultaneously; it will shake
your soul. Trying to explain this feeling to someone who has never experienced it is
futile. Nor can you explain the smells of the track, the smoking tires, the rubber
dust in the air, or the way your eyes burn from the half-burnt alcohol sprayed from
the firey pipes. The sound...absolutely deafening.

If we could somehow get these sights and sounds through our TV's, the NHRA would
explode with popularity. "Maybe they should send out bag of rubber dust and a candle
that smells like burnt rubber before each broadcast," we quipped.

In reality, the biggest thing I see that can be done is for television to help
us get to know the drivers andtheir crews. Even the World Poker Tour understands they
can't just show you people playing cards. We have to feel as if these drivers are our
friends. Introduce us to their world! We must be able to connect with them on a
personal level. Show us what it takes to go 300mph in less than five seconds! The
crews can tear down an engine and put it back together in less than an hour. Show us
that! Dont talk while the rockets thunder down the track. Let us blow our speakers!
It will never take the place of being at the track, but it would go a long way in
bringing the NHRA back to the fore-front of the racing world.

Do yourself a favor, the next time the NHRA is in your neighborhood, GO. Take your
kids, call some friends, or go by yourself; just go. There is no experience like it
in the world, at least not yet. Maybe someday soon, when we can board a rocket bound
for the moon, the NHRA might have competition. Until that day comes you owe it to
yourself to take in an event.

Richard A. Brink
AftermarketGoodies.com
About the Author
Richard A. Brink is CEO of Internet Busines Realities. Richard writes articles for several sites in the IBR network including, AftermarketGoodies.com .