Re: are hondas really that bad?

[esw5@postoffice2.mail.cornell.edu (Ernest Wong)]

>Hi folks,
>Now we all love our audis and wouldn't swap them for anything, but sometimes
>its good to pay attention to what the opposition is doing. In that spirit,
>I though I would tell you about my experience recently renting a honda...
>
[waxing praise on Hondas deleted]

Comparing Euro version and American versions of vehicles are not the most
scientific ways of comparing cars. The road conditions, traffic movement
patterns are all different. Not to mention quality of gas (98octane???) and
much lightened vehicle content.

I had a blast in a Fiat Uno 1.1 liter in Barcelona. I kept up with (and
passed others) in traffic and enjoyed it in the mountains. But I wouldn't
for my life drive one here.

I've driven my sister's ex 88 Honda Accord Lxi Coupe. It was a slushbox and
I didn't enjoy it. Steering was deader than my numb brain. The chassis
flexed all over the road. (And I thought my 87 5000S was flexing, Eliot.)
The only fun I had was when I jammed on the throttle on a uphill stretch
and the slushbox jammed into 2nd gear into 5000 revs. This set off some
SUV's alarm. That was fun.
And I don't have to mention the safety factor of an Aud. Izzat why they
call it the Honda Accordion. Guess I'm going to be flamed left and right by
Honda owners.
[but I respect all the engineering wisdom Soichiro put in his cars.]

At the $50/hour dealer rate. This would make it my $30 worth.

Ernest Wong
email: esw5@cornell.edu