KITT. The Honda accord.
Discussion
So where do I start. I've been smoking around in an x type for the last 18 months or so, it's been playing up, needs so much work for the up coming mot so a replacement car was in order.
Set a budget of £500. Needed to have a long mot, drive ok and an estate was needed.
A search on face book marketplace brought up this 2006 Honda accord 2.2 cdti executive. 10 months mot. Advertised at £750, then dropped to £600 as a new car had been purchased.
Went to veiw the car, high miles at 211k however it was owned by a polish family and used to commute to and from Poland. It would come with 2 keys, spare winter tyres and some history.
Clutch was the first thing I checked, along with tyres, and usual items. Couldn't really fault it.
Managed to offer £500 to the seller on the basis I didn't need winter tyres, shook hands on that!
So what does £500 get you these days?
2.2 diesel 6 speed, sat nav, full heated electric leather, climate control, electric tailgate, bluetooth amongst the usual high spec electric stuff.
Named KITT due to its various electrical goodies! More Pics to follow tomorrow. It's getting a full valet, roof bars and a going over.
Set a budget of £500. Needed to have a long mot, drive ok and an estate was needed.
A search on face book marketplace brought up this 2006 Honda accord 2.2 cdti executive. 10 months mot. Advertised at £750, then dropped to £600 as a new car had been purchased.
Went to veiw the car, high miles at 211k however it was owned by a polish family and used to commute to and from Poland. It would come with 2 keys, spare winter tyres and some history.
Clutch was the first thing I checked, along with tyres, and usual items. Couldn't really fault it.
Managed to offer £500 to the seller on the basis I didn't need winter tyres, shook hands on that!
So what does £500 get you these days?
2.2 diesel 6 speed, sat nav, full heated electric leather, climate control, electric tailgate, bluetooth amongst the usual high spec electric stuff.
Named KITT due to its various electrical goodies! More Pics to follow tomorrow. It's getting a full valet, roof bars and a going over.
Edited by XRMike on Saturday 25th January 11:28
I test drove one of these a few years ago when I was looking for an estate. Not the largest boot (but adequate for my needs - a wheelchair) and brilliantly comfortable seats (and the heating will be appreciated this time of year!), but the one I saw was outside of my budget at the time. You've bagged an absolute bargain. Great shedding.
Thanks for the comments guys.
Today I took it to a mate for a quick going over, its certainly come up a treat inside and out.
Would have fitted some xenon bulbs but I cannot find the kit in my garage!
Also my roof rack is too wide for the car so I've got to mix and match some Thule square bars and feet that I have in stock when I get time.
It's (hopefully) taking us to the lake district tomorrow so when we return I'll be cracking on with odds and ends.
Thanks for reading.
Today I took it to a mate for a quick going over, its certainly come up a treat inside and out.
Would have fitted some xenon bulbs but I cannot find the kit in my garage!
Also my roof rack is too wide for the car so I've got to mix and match some Thule square bars and feet that I have in stock when I get time.
It's (hopefully) taking us to the lake district tomorrow so when we return I'll be cracking on with odds and ends.
Thanks for reading.
Edited by XRMike on Saturday 25th January 11:10
Usget said:
£500?! Jesus christ, I hope you had the decency to wear a mask
Haha it was a low bid by me as my budget wasn't that much.Interestingly it was quite an experience buying it, the seller and family worked nights so viewing was only possible very early in the morning. We then had a bit of a language barrier which made it challenging and then when I did go in for the low offer there was a silence for a while which was worrying! Haha.
Small update:
Car as got us to the lake district for a short break. Averaged 40mpg with some fast driving.
Very smooth, comfortable and very composed. Soaks up the bumps well and wafts along.
Ideally would like a little more power (Just a little bit more!) And also a headlamp upgrade would finish the car off- after some research it appears on the facelift models like mine Honda dropped the xenon headlights on the executive model for some reason.
I'm interested in fitting some LED bulbs into both the dipped and main projector housings in the future.
Thanks for reading.
Delayed update due to photobucket issues.
Lots has happened to Kitt recently. Firstly I managed to piece together a Thule roofrack from my spare parts enabling me to fit my bike racks and roof box when requiered.
Then I set about improving the headlamps. A 55w 5000k Hid kit was ordered and fitted and gave a huge difference in light output utilising the standard projector lights.
Then I discovered some ebay silicone key covers to protect the keys and hide the wear on them, easy fit and I always use them on all my car keys given the cost of replacement keys.
Last but not least I wanted a small power increase for the time being. These engines respond well to a remap however until the car passes its next mot in September I am going to hold back due to finances and I want the car to prove itself worthy of the investment.
I decided to look for a used tuning box and I took a gamble on a pro bitz unit. I've used many tuning boxes before (before the tuning box police comment) and so I understand how they work and what to expect. I've also plenty of experience with turbo diesel engines.
I fitted the unit and adjusted it 2/3 of the way - avoid setting to maximum as a general rule. The power increase was immediately apparent as was the throttle response. IMO this is how Honda should have mapped these. The clutch is happy also and should any issues arrise I can simply either turn the power down or remove if required- that's the beauty of these. So for £40 I've done alright!
Now really the only things I want next are a tow bar and a new gear knob, I'm sure I'll be updating soon once I source them.
Thanks for reading.
Lots has happened to Kitt recently. Firstly I managed to piece together a Thule roofrack from my spare parts enabling me to fit my bike racks and roof box when requiered.
Then I set about improving the headlamps. A 55w 5000k Hid kit was ordered and fitted and gave a huge difference in light output utilising the standard projector lights.
Then I discovered some ebay silicone key covers to protect the keys and hide the wear on them, easy fit and I always use them on all my car keys given the cost of replacement keys.
Last but not least I wanted a small power increase for the time being. These engines respond well to a remap however until the car passes its next mot in September I am going to hold back due to finances and I want the car to prove itself worthy of the investment.
I decided to look for a used tuning box and I took a gamble on a pro bitz unit. I've used many tuning boxes before (before the tuning box police comment) and so I understand how they work and what to expect. I've also plenty of experience with turbo diesel engines.
I fitted the unit and adjusted it 2/3 of the way - avoid setting to maximum as a general rule. The power increase was immediately apparent as was the throttle response. IMO this is how Honda should have mapped these. The clutch is happy also and should any issues arrise I can simply either turn the power down or remove if required- that's the beauty of these. So for £40 I've done alright!
Now really the only things I want next are a tow bar and a new gear knob, I'm sure I'll be updating soon once I source them.
Thanks for reading.
Nothing too exciting however I thought I'd share an update with the car.
It's been putting on the miles without any issues, It's going on a trip away for a stag do so it'll be hauling various stuff around - exactly the reason I wanted an estate.
I've been trying to determine what the load capacity for the roof rack and a tow bar would be. The user manual didn't specify as it just advised to refer to your dealer.
The internet brought back lots of conflicting numbers so I bit the bullet and took a gamble and emailed Honda UK.
A few days passed then ping! My inbox notification went off!
"Dear Mr. Jones,
Thank you for contacting Honda UK with your query.
You can find the requested information regarding the vehicle in question below:
· Maximum permissible roof load: 80 kg
· Maximum mass of trailer:
o Braked trailer: 1500 kg
o Un-Braked trailer: 500 kg
Should you have further queries, do not hesitate to contact us back."
Top marks to Honda UK customer service!
Now I can start hunting for a towbar!
Mike
It's been putting on the miles without any issues, It's going on a trip away for a stag do so it'll be hauling various stuff around - exactly the reason I wanted an estate.
I've been trying to determine what the load capacity for the roof rack and a tow bar would be. The user manual didn't specify as it just advised to refer to your dealer.
The internet brought back lots of conflicting numbers so I bit the bullet and took a gamble and emailed Honda UK.
A few days passed then ping! My inbox notification went off!
"Dear Mr. Jones,
Thank you for contacting Honda UK with your query.
You can find the requested information regarding the vehicle in question below:
· Maximum permissible roof load: 80 kg
· Maximum mass of trailer:
o Braked trailer: 1500 kg
o Un-Braked trailer: 500 kg
Should you have further queries, do not hesitate to contact us back."
Top marks to Honda UK customer service!
Now I can start hunting for a towbar!
Mike
Large update if anyone's interested.
Following on from the last update, a lot has happened.
A new Ebay gear shift was sourced and fitted, this has somewhat improved the appearance and the gear shift feels connected as the original shifter was loose. Not a bad improvement at £7
Next up was some driving lights (bit nostalgic here). I plan to do some exploration later this year which may involve countryside driving at night, a pair of new old stock Ring Ice Blue lamps fitted in the bumper grilles perfect accompanied with a Ring relay wiring kit fed by high beam. These were a steal at £15.
Next job was a job which required a week of work to tidy up the rear wheel arches. Being a jap car with high miles the corrosion resistance is a little lacking in comparison to the Volvo's I usually have. I obtained as many bits locally as I could during lockdown to complete the work. The arch lips were ground back and treated then painted. I also treated the inner wheel arches behind the liners which was a messy job. It's not perfect due to time constraints and difficulties in sourcing materials locally however I am sure it'll slow the corrosion down and I can tackle it when another car is sourced soon (Volvo 850 estate). The areas were painted with rust resistant paint afterwards.
Finally a set of Honda Penta alloys compete with new tyres were sourced for a bargain price (£100). I have been lusting over these since I got the car but never thought I would obtain a set for a good price. They are in need of a refurb which is next on the agenda when lockdown is over. I also took the time to paint the calipers and disc hubs as they are now on show more.
The car was given a full exterior polish and treatment and it is now looking exactly how I wanted it to.
The last mod was to fit a 'Rhino lip', which essentially is nothing more than a garage door draught stopper however it finishes off the front end a treat and only cost £8.
Here's some latest pics.
.
Next jobs are to tidy up the boot lid paint, Refurb alloys, New number plates, Fit a usb audio interface and front dashcam wiring. The hunt for a towbar continues also.
Thanks for reading.
Following on from the last update, a lot has happened.
A new Ebay gear shift was sourced and fitted, this has somewhat improved the appearance and the gear shift feels connected as the original shifter was loose. Not a bad improvement at £7
Next up was some driving lights (bit nostalgic here). I plan to do some exploration later this year which may involve countryside driving at night, a pair of new old stock Ring Ice Blue lamps fitted in the bumper grilles perfect accompanied with a Ring relay wiring kit fed by high beam. These were a steal at £15.
Next job was a job which required a week of work to tidy up the rear wheel arches. Being a jap car with high miles the corrosion resistance is a little lacking in comparison to the Volvo's I usually have. I obtained as many bits locally as I could during lockdown to complete the work. The arch lips were ground back and treated then painted. I also treated the inner wheel arches behind the liners which was a messy job. It's not perfect due to time constraints and difficulties in sourcing materials locally however I am sure it'll slow the corrosion down and I can tackle it when another car is sourced soon (Volvo 850 estate). The areas were painted with rust resistant paint afterwards.
Finally a set of Honda Penta alloys compete with new tyres were sourced for a bargain price (£100). I have been lusting over these since I got the car but never thought I would obtain a set for a good price. They are in need of a refurb which is next on the agenda when lockdown is over. I also took the time to paint the calipers and disc hubs as they are now on show more.
The car was given a full exterior polish and treatment and it is now looking exactly how I wanted it to.
The last mod was to fit a 'Rhino lip', which essentially is nothing more than a garage door draught stopper however it finishes off the front end a treat and only cost £8.
Here's some latest pics.
.Next jobs are to tidy up the boot lid paint, Refurb alloys, New number plates, Fit a usb audio interface and front dashcam wiring. The hunt for a towbar continues also.
Thanks for reading.
Edited by XRMike on Sunday 10th May 15:58
Another update for KITT.
Towbar fitted finally. Opted to fit it myself which wasn't too hard but next time I might have it done professionally.
Next up is a aux audio imput adapter. I went for a fm transmitter based one as it was much cheaper and easier to fit. The car already has Bluetooth hands free so this is for audio only.
Finally both front dashcam and rear dashcam are fitted and hard wired.
That concludes the recent work on KITT. I'm wanting to do some exploration when lockdown is over and its ready for that!
Future work/plans are a service, rear brakes, tidy up bootlid paint, refurb alloys and more rust treatment/prevention.
Thanks for looking.
Towbar fitted finally. Opted to fit it myself which wasn't too hard but next time I might have it done professionally.
Next up is a aux audio imput adapter. I went for a fm transmitter based one as it was much cheaper and easier to fit. The car already has Bluetooth hands free so this is for audio only.
Finally both front dashcam and rear dashcam are fitted and hard wired.
That concludes the recent work on KITT. I'm wanting to do some exploration when lockdown is over and its ready for that!
Future work/plans are a service, rear brakes, tidy up bootlid paint, refurb alloys and more rust treatment/prevention.
Thanks for looking.
Update.
The Accord has received some love in the form of a remap/EGR delete courtesy of Premier tuning.
I opted for a stage 2 remap which seems to make the car much more punchy but with a linear power delivery. Would highly recommend Fahad to tune a diesel Honda.
Pic taken to show the EGR which is blanked off
Also the Accord has a new stable mate. MRS Xrmike had a corsa however it was due to go and a late V50 Drive E was sourced. Cracking car.
The Accord has received some love in the form of a remap/EGR delete courtesy of Premier tuning.
I opted for a stage 2 remap which seems to make the car much more punchy but with a linear power delivery. Would highly recommend Fahad to tune a diesel Honda.
Pic taken to show the EGR which is blanked off
Also the Accord has a new stable mate. MRS Xrmike had a corsa however it was due to go and a late V50 Drive E was sourced. Cracking car.
The Rotrex Kid said:
Any idea what power output the remap has given you?
The tuner developed this map on his own car a few years ago (He's well regarded in the Honda Diesel tuning scene), stage two gave results of 192bhp and 440nm. I accept that my car having high mileage and getting older may not have the quoted figures but I hope they are close enough. It certainly brings the car into modern diesel territory.Also to add a Honda HDS diagnostics was ran before the tune to test engine hardware. The tuner is a wizard and we may use him to tune the Volvo.
Has this gone wrong at all, OP?
It astounds me that people can get such decent cars for such little money and run them without major issues. I seem to be vastly more unlucky than most with used cars, generally always spending £1000+ on maintenance in their first year with me. I'd love to get into something as decent as this and have no major issues. It'd make a change!
It astounds me that people can get such decent cars for such little money and run them without major issues. I seem to be vastly more unlucky than most with used cars, generally always spending £1000+ on maintenance in their first year with me. I'd love to get into something as decent as this and have no major issues. It'd make a change!
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