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Rgist85
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You say we whine, you say we're wasting our time, you tell us we need to write letters and stop posting complaints on TOV or move on and now you question my loyalty...yet I'm supposed to be the arrogant one? Okie Dok.
I have said I'll purchase the Fusion (maybe even the Focus after driving it again today) if Honda does not build the Accord of my choosing. Spending my money on whatever car I choose to buy is my choice, you can be "snapish" about it if you want to.
For all the arrogance you claim I have, you come off as pretty ignorant yourself. Just because I have been a loyal buyer and just because I have supported Honda doesn't mean I have to buy their products if they no longer fit or meet my needs. I'm the same guy I was when I bought my 07 Accord, young, energetic, car enthusiast, just now I'm a student, looking to replace my aging sedan.
Considering a car is the second largest purchase most people make, there is NO way I'm buying any product that I'm not satisfied with. Choosing an Accord, any Accord with an automatic transmission would not satisfy me. I don't care how nice it rides, how good it drives, what features it has, I prefer a stick shift. I drove trucks almost five years, its just what I'm used to. When I get 40 or older perhaps I'll care less about driving, but right now at the ripe age of 27 (and in the demographics of buyers Honda is supposedly chasing) I want a car Honda USED to offer but refuse to build for me now.
So I'm not leaving Honda, Honda's throwing me out. Honda changed, not me.
Just ask any of those Prelude, S2000, RSX, previous generation Civic Si and Acura NSX and Legend owners who have been waiting on Honda to throw us a bone and who have waited with checks to write. Honda has ignored that group of buyers and continues to ignore the growing group of buyers in the compact hatchback market. Where is the Civic 5dr that would take on the Focus, Elantra, Mazda3, Forte and Impreza?
Apparently Ford sees a small, but vocal market of buyers who they believe they can cater to with the Fusion and Focus...they still offer moderately equipped to loaded Fusion and Focus models with manual transmission. Hell Ford even opened up the trim levels and the optional packages on the Focus for 2013. You can buy virtually any Focus now with a stick shift. From a lowly Focus S all the way up to the Focus ST.
Its even more crazy when Honda, who is known for making the best stick shifts in the business, deliberately limits color choices on manual models in an effort to curb sales. I'd think it would be more "cost effective" if Canada and the US had the same models anyway.
The letter to Honda will be written, I've got school and my career to focus on at the moment but that letter will be written and sent to Honda within the next couple of weeks, Hell, I'll even post it here for you to see.
Honda's system works fine for most buyers, I've never questioned the "no options" system, its cost effective, but it would not hurt them to offer a Touring I4 CVT to buyers who'd like it and to offer a Touring I4 6MT or EX-L 6mt for that matter on a "order only basis" they ALREADY build the cars for Canada, allow those of us who'd want the cars to place an order, wait for the cars and we'll be happy. Just because a system is "good" doesn't mean it can't be better.
Like I said, I don't have arguments with your points, you make valid ones, but before you consider me "arrogant" before you talk to me about "whining" and before you question my "loyalty" worry less about the commentary of those of us who are upset or those of us who'd like to see some very simple changes made and take care of yourself. Your condensing remarks were simply counterproductive and unnecessary. I will be vocal, others probably will be too and if you have a problem with it, stop reading the posts and the threads, we'll be just fine without your commentary and I promise you I won't ask you to write, lobby or do anything for me in regards to letters or complaints.
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Rgist85
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longhorn wrote:
This may be a case of wait one year to get what you want. If the masses state the same we are saying here at TOV about having a Sport trim with EX-L amenities the dealers will yell all the way to Torrance and we will have the trim we want.
.........Or, the fact that the Sport is limited so in options may be the old Honda thinking of protecting Acura. Think about, if you could get an EX-l decked out in Sport trim, what need is there for the majority of consumers out there to move up to Acura?
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I agree on both points. I think if enough buyers began to complain dealers will make the complaints known. I firmly believe that Honda is testing the waters with the Sport, considering, as I mentioned, most of the competition are offering sporty trim levels with more options.
I think once TSX is dead, ILX will get more equipment and better engines, TLX will move down in size a bit but move up in feature content and we'll see the Accord expand a bit more because there will be more market in play and less canalization. But if we aren't vocal about changes we'd like to see, they may not happen.
I just hope we both are right.
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benbess
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Rgist85 wrote:...The letter to Honda will be written, I've got school and my career to focus on at the moment but that letter will be written and sent to Honda within the next couple of weeks, Hell, I'll even post it here for you to see.
Honda's system works fine for most buyers, I've never questioned the "no options" system, its cost effective, but it would not hurt them to offer a Touring I4 CVT to buyers who'd like it and to offer a Touring I4 6MT or EX-L 6mt for that matter on a "order only basis" they ALREADY build the cars for Canada, allow those of us who'd want the cars to place an order, wait for the cars and we'll be happy. Just because a system is "good" doesn't mean it can't be better.
Like I said, I don't have arguments with your points, you make valid ones....
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I think this is a very sensible suggestion. As you say, they are already producing this model for Canada, and so special orders for the US should not technically cost them more than putting a US spec speedometer in instead.
I would find this model quite appealing myself. It's great that you are going to write this letter, and I hope it succeeds. Truly I do. As I already said, my preference is to drive a manual. I drive a special ordered 2008 EXL navi sedan manual.
You did come across in a way that annoyed me. But I can tell my short answers, which were in part meant to be a little funny, definitely annoyed you too. And that being the case, I apologize for annoying you or anyone else. I do ask that you also consider other people's feelings here, which to me would include throwing around the Ford name so much and at such length as positive example, since some of us don't look on Fords as equal to Honda after bitter and difficult experiences. There's certainly free speech, and you can talk about Ford all you want, but there's a chance you might get some free speech from me about Ford in return.
Please do share your letter to Honda with us! And again, I'm sorry I annoyed you. I do apologize. Although we are very different ages (I'm 47) we actually like the same kind of car! It's possible that if we met (which I know is never going to happen) we might even like each other a little—or more likely like each other's cars—at least if you end up buying a Honda, that is!
Truly, best wishes with this project for the I-4 Touring 6MT for the USA. If you're listing supporters for it, you can certainly put me on the list.
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Mechanic
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Rgist85: FWIW, I encourage you to write your letter. I wrote Thomas Elliott about a decade ago urging him to import the EP3 Type R. At the time, we were contemporaries in different fields, and I got a very polite response to my suggestions. It didn't change anything, of course, but I felt better that I'd raised my hand as a gearhead, and he explained what AHMC had done that led them to the (frankly obvious) conclusion there wasn't a demographic to support a business case for that car here. And that's the take away: No bucks (i.e., the kids can't afford one), no Buck Rogers (i.e., Honda's in business to make $). No exceptions.
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99SI
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Who should we address our letters to?
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