The Honda Accord is a Japanese car that’s been in production since 1977. With so many decades of being on the road, drivers want to know if a high-mileage Accord is worth owning. How long do Honda Accords last?
To get the answer, we look at Accord reliability and get some advice from current owners. We also look at the reasons the Honda Accords lasted so long and examine some of the model’s top problems before answering your questions.
How Long Do Honda Accords Last?
Honda makes some of the most reliable vehicles on the road. The Japanese automaker is regularly praised for making a solid and reliable vehicle, so it’s no surprise that the Honda Accords last 200,000 to 300,000 miles with regular maintenance and repairs.
If you care for your Honda Accord, it could even make it further than 300,000 miles. In fact, there’s one owner who nearly saw one million miles on a 2003 Honda Accord.
The main factors affecting a car’s lifespan include the following:
- Regular maintenance
- How the vehicle is driven
- When repairs get performed and the quality of parts used
- Conditions the vehicle is driven in
- Model year driven (some have more problems than others)
The better the Accord is treated, the more likely it is to rack up a lot of miles. If you drive in a mild climate without major snow and you take care of the vehicle, you can expect to get more for your money. As it gets older, it will become more expensive to own, so that’s something to consider.
What Is High Mileage For the Honda Accord?
Because of how well the Honda Accord performs, it’s not usually considered to have high mileage until it hits 200,000 on the odometer. The standard for determining a high-mileage car for a long time was set at 100,000 miles. While this may still be true for some manufacturers, it doesn’t seem to be the case with Hondas.
Another way to look at mileage is by the year. For example, if people average around 12,000 miles a year, anything more than this could be designated “high mileage.” Let’s say you are looking at a 2010 Honda Accord. At 13 years old, it would be typical for it to have 156,000 miles (13 years x 12,000 miles) on it. Anything more than that could be classified as high mileage.
What Makes Honda Accords Reliable?
Honda vehicles, in general, are known to be reliable for several different reasons. RepairPal labels it as the most reliable brand. Here are some of the reasons why it is so reliable.
High-Quality Parts
A vehicle is only as good as the parts it is made with. Japanese automakers tend to use high-quality parts in their vehicles, ensuring they are going to last longer. There are also fewer parts used when compared with other automakers.
By having fewer parts, there’s less to repair. In comparison, if you look at a Japanese car versus a German brand, you are going to see a lot fewer parts.
Carefully Engineered Design
Along with fewer parts, the engineers at Honda take time to ensure the vehicle is well-made. Honda takes the vehicle through many stages of design, manufacturing and testing before sending anything out to be produced.
While this process has put Honda behind the ball in getting some features to market, the car has been reliable once it was released. Overall, this delay has created more customer satisfaction and a better vehicle.
Inexpensive Repairs
You could easily spend $1,000 or more a year on a luxury brand, such as BMW or Mercedes-Benz. That’s not the case with Honda, as RepairPal estimates a cost of $428 a year. That’s far lower than the average of $652 a year for the cars the publication reviews.
The more affordable it is to repair and maintain a vehicle, the more likely it will be taken care of. Expensive cars can be difficult to keep up with, leaving maintenance and repair undone.
Common Honda Accord Issues
Even with the reliability of the Honda Accord, there are still some problems worth mentioning. It’s important to know of the potential issues if you plan to purchase a used Accord. These are some of the most common Honda Accord problems:
- No Start condition because of ignition failure (1990-2010, 2012-2015)
- Flashing Check Engine Light (1990, 1992, 1994-2016)
- Climate and radio control display goes dark (1990, 1993, 1999-2001, 2003-2017)
- Malfunctioning power door locks (1990-2017)
- Brake vibration because of warped rotors (1990-2017)
Should I Buy A Used Honda Accord With More Than 100k?
If you are going to purchase a used car with more than 100,000 miles on it, the Honda Accord may be one of your best options. As professional mechanics, we know how reliable the Accord can be, which is also why the resale value is higher than most other pre-owned models.
To protect yourself, it’s still best to choose a used Accord that has service records. By looking at these records, you can ensure the Accord was well taken care of. If you continue maintaining it and repairing it, you may be able to rack up another 100,000 miles or more.
Honda Accord Owners Share Advice
It’s always valuable to look at what real owners have to say. We found a Reddit post that offers a lot of valuable information. Just look at what was written.
“I’ve got 290,000 on my ’04 V6 Accord. I’m the second owner and have all service records. It’s been very well maintained. Wouldn’t hesitate to take it on a long road trip.” -Scottwax
“There’s no reason why you can’t get 500k, hell even 600k out of the car.” – 45acp_LS1_Cessna
“I’ve bought 3 Accords with about 125k each. I sold each of those when they got to about 225k. More stuff starts to break down at that point, unless you were diligent in maintenance for the earlier miles. Which you wouldn’t know buying a high millage car.” – Doit2it42
Based on this information, it’s clear that most users believe the Honda Accords last beyond 200,000 miles, which isn’t something that can be said about all car brands. Maybe that’s why it’s the most popular used car in the United States.
How many miles can a Honda Accord go up to?
With proper maintenance and repairs, the Honda Accord should last more than 200,000 miles. Just keep in mind that some of the newer Accords come with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which may not be as reliable as the older models. For this reason, it’s difficult to gauge the reliability and longevity of these models until they get more miles on them.
Are Honda Accords good reliable cars?
Honda continues to be the top choice for people looking to buy used cars because of its reliability. Not only does RepairPal list the vehicle as one of the least expensive to maintain, but it’s also dealing with fewer repairs than many other brands.
Do Honda Accords last longer than Civic?
The Accord earns the first spot out of 24 from RepairPal among midsize cars. In comparison, the Civic is ranked third out of 36 compact cars. Both models are equally reliable and don’t cost a fortune to repair or maintain, making them great used car options.
Which year Accord is most reliable?
If you want a newer model, you can’t go wrong with the 2019-2021 years. There’s also the option to drive the 2014-2017 Accord. As far as older models are concerned, the most reliable appear to be the 2004-2007 and the 2010-2011. These tend to have the fewest complaints and rack up the most mileage.
Will Honda Accords last 300,000 miles?
There are reports of used Honda Accords lasting longer than 300,000 miles with proper care and maintenance. The way you care for the vehicle and how you drive it determines how long it’s going to last. It’s also helpful to choose a model that has fewer problems, ensuring you spend less each year for ownership.
If you are in the market for a used Honda Accord or you are wondering when a good time to sell one is, it helps to know how long it may last. With proper care and normal driving habits, you could easily see more than 200,000 miles on the odometer of a Honda Accord. However, with each passing mile, the resale value drops significantly once it gets over this mark.
Our best advice is to research the Honda Accord model you plan to buy. Make sure it doesn’t have any major malfunctions reported by other drivers. It’s also helpful to look at the service records, if they are available, so you can be sure the car was cared for. If it hasn’t received regular maintenance, you may not want to buy it, as it could fail prematurely or cost you more for repairs.
Tags: Honda
Categories: General
