Took my first test drive in an '04 yesterday. And I never thought I'd say this, but the transmission and shifter in the '04 felt even better than my '01. I'm jealous! The engine felt very nice too, even without taking it into VTEC. The added torque was definitely noticeable from a dead stop...the car just wanted to start moving more easily than mine does. I even got a chance to flog the car a little on a short, curvy road. Maybe just a touch more understeer than mine, but that could be remedied by adjusting tire pressures I imagine. I thought the car stayed very level though. Overall, I was very impressed with the new car. I actually sat there for a minute after the drive contemplating trading up! In the end though, the prospect of being done with payments (coming up soon) was too nice, so I'm gonna stick with my red baby for awhile longer . By the way, it's her birthday today....3 years and 42000 miles of ear-to-ear grins!

How sad is that...I couldn't tell you my dad's birthday, but I know the day I bought my car .

Oh, annoying note of the day: The salesman gets in the car to drive it off the lot, turns the key back and forth a couple times going "Now why won't the car start?"

 

>>>Oh, annoying note of the day: The salesman gets in the car to drive it off the lot, turns the key back and forth a couple times going "Now why won't the car start?"

LOL, you should have told him the car was defective so he should give it to you for free

 

Nice writeup! I'm so excited to get mine. I hope I don't forget what it was like driving the '01 (traded mine in last week).

 

Koala, if you traded yours in in early December, did the dealer tell you the 04 would not arrive until April? The local dealer here is saying that if I want one in March I should order it in mid-January. And a broker in Toronto has told me he'd need no more than two months to get me one.

 

The fact that Honda made the engine changes only in the American market leads me to think that even they didn't believe it improved the car, but just made it different. If there ever was an example of niche marketing, this is it. The whole idea was to satisfy the morons in the motoring press here who kept complaining that the car didn't have enough torque. Judging from the recent road tests and review, Honda succeeded, even though the change in torque was relatively minor.

The smoother shifts are no doubt the result of the new carbon synchros. Honda knew it had a problem with the notchiness of the tranny, so they fixed it. This is a real improvement.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RoadSurfer1
Koala, if you traded yours in in early December, did the dealer tell you the 04 would not arrive until April?

 

Good stuff, i'll have to go test drive one soon.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rick Hesel
The fact that Honda made the engine changes only in the American market leads me to think that even they didn't believe it improved the car, but just made it different.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rick Hesel
The smoother shifts are no doubt the result of the new carbon synchros.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rick Hesel
The fact that Honda made the engine changes only in the American market leads me to think that even they didn't believe it improved the car, but just made it different.