Well-maintained, high-mileage cars are always fascinating both because of the mechanical durability and the owner's dedication to keeping the machine on the road. Honda apparently understands this because the automaker's collection of vehicles includes a 1990 Honda Accord with over a million miles on it.
A guy named Joe bought this Accord used when it had already covered 74,000 miles. He worked for Honda and drove the car to dealers across the country.
Today, the sedan still has the original engine and transmission. But, there has been lots of maintenance over the years, including 185 oil changes, 31 transmission fluid changes, 9 timing belts, and 13 sets of brake pads. Joe kept all the receipts for the work.
Honda did some paint and bodywork to the car after acquiring it. The overall condition is still impressive given Joe's home in Maine, meaning driving on salty roads in the winter.
The interior has some wear and tear but looks good. The plastic on the steering wheel is getting soft, and there's some deterioration to the seat fabric. We've seen cars with far fewer miles looking a lot worse, though.
Honda gave Joe a new car when the company acquired this Accord, and this is something we sometimes see from automakers. For example, Toyota gave the owner of a 2007 Tundra with a million miles a new pickup. Then, the company had engineers analyze the truck when working on the 2022 model.
Toyota did something similar more recently when an owner lost his million-mile 2006 Highlander Hybrid in Hurricane Ian in September 2022. He got a new SUV in return.
Honda just introduced the 11th-generation Accord for the 2023 model year. It features more chiseled styling than the outgoing model and is 2.8 inches longer. Inside, there's a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and an available 12.3-inch infotainment screen
Prices for the 2023 Accord start at $28,390 (after the $1,095 destination fee). Buyers can select from six trim levels: LX, EX Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, and Touring. The range-topping model is $38,985 and comes with amenities like a head-up display, 12-speaker stereo, wireless device charger, and heated and ventilated seats.
For more discussion about the Honda Accord, check out this episode of Rambling About Cars.
