The VIN is certainly right about my transmission: it's a 5 speed, not an automatic. The trim level of 'M' (presumably medium), may translate to different model numbers in different countries; it may be an EX-L in Canada and an EX-something else in the US??
I was going to say your guess is as good as mine but I'd be wrong. You obviously know much more about Hondas than I do :-)
-- Rhino
"Rhino" wrote in news:ikbvlh$aje$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:
"M" means "manual", as in "manual transmission".
"5M" means 5-speed manual. "4A" means 4-speed automatic.
BTW, please add a space character after the double-hyphen in your sig. I keep having to strip your sig manually when I reply.
incorrect: "--" correct: "-- "
Yeah, I saw that....
As noted in another reply above, I'm a little skeptical that the insurance company would know more about what model a given Honda is than Honda itself. But I will speak to them about the whole issue just to be sure I explain why I'm not 1000% sure what model I have. I expect they'll just tell me that EX alone is enough for their purposes; I just can't see the premium be dramatically different just because of leather seats or seat warmers or whatever. The engine and transmission might be relevant but I just can't see lesser items making that much difference. But I am prepared to hear differently from the insurance company ;-)
Maybe someone has done a study that shows people with leather seats are worse drivers or something....
Thank you for that link! The very first one I found did a decent job of decoding my VIN, better than any of the subsequent ones I looked at. None of them indicated "EX-L" or "EX-LT" though. I suppose that is more a marketing thing within Canada than anything else. Honda Canada decides what model it is within Canada and they could call it something else in the US, Japan, or whatever.
Thanks for all your help with this!
-- Rhino
"Rhino" wrote in news:ikbv8a$9nb$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:
You never asked the manufacturer. You asked the DEALER.
The dealer is NOT "Honda", despite that big sign they hang on the outside of the building.
The dealer is an independent company that leases a franchise from Honda Canada, or whatever regional subidiary of Honda Motor Company is responsible for your country.
Yes, the info HONDA gives them, not any particular dealer.
They get stuff from Honda that you and I can only dream of, such as the car's build-sheets.
Of course, you can also phone Honda Canada directly (1-800-387-5399). They will be very happy to tell you what exact model you have.
"Rhino" wrote in news:ikc0hp$ce4$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:
You have never spoken to anybody from Honda. See my other reply.
Tegger wrote in news:Xns9E98B81B8791Dtegger@208.90.168.18:
More information:
Franchise laws prohibit automakers in Canada and the US from selling cars directly to the public (i.e.: retail; end-user).
Franchise laws force automakers to sell lease-agreements to individuals or corporations. These lease-holders are the /only/ entities permitted to retail new vehicles and OEM parts. Franchisees are known as "dealers".
The legal sales sequence is as follows:
- Honda Motor Manufacturing (Japan, Canada, US, etc.) assembles the car.
- The vehicle is sold to to the regional sales subsidiary (Honda Canada, American Honda, Honda UK, etc.)
- Sales sells the car to the various franchisees within the subsidiary's territory (Majestic Honda, Bill Kay Honda, etc.).
- The franchisees sell the car to the end-user (you).
Once Sales sells the vehicle to a franchisee, Honda loses control over the car almost completely. Their only weapons against rogue dealers are denial of warranty-reimbursement funds and other privileges, and refusal to renew the franchise.
The law defines a "new" vehicle as "new" until its ownership is transferred to an end-user (retail buyer). At that point, it becomes a "used" car. Prior to that point, it can be driven 200,000 miles, be owned by a dozen dealerships, and still be considered "new". In a sense, this is not a bad thing: the new-car warranty does not begin until final sale, so buying a year-old demo with 20K miles on it means its 5-year powertrain warranty won't run out until the car is 6-years-old...
Pretty complicated, no?
Okay, I just traded off a 2001 Accord and my daughter had(until a drunk hit it while it was parked) a 2002.
The badge indicating LX or EX was located on the bumper cover below the right taillight. There never was any EX-L designation. My daughter's 2002 was the last year of that model and was called a 'Special Edition' or similar. That badge was also in the same place. While her Accord had the leather interior and sunroof, the only other differences that we could ever tell between her 'special' edition' and the regular EX was the trim on the dash/console area and different styled wheels.
Over the years, I've seen a number of that vintage Accord without the model badge on the bumper. Maybe you dealer repainted the bumper to make things look better (get rid of nicks, etc.) and didn't bother to replace the badge. Since he wasn't a Honda dealer, he might have figured that it really didn't matter...he sold the car anyhow.
The 5M may mean 5 speed manual gear box. Is yours a 5 speed manual? Honda vins are not very informative, so don't expect to get the model code. As to the Canada plant - I agree it is in Alliston as I have visited it a few years ago.
Chewbacca wrote in news:tUxap.78659$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe14.ams:
Somebody's not reading my replies.
I quote below, from yesterday:
-------------------- CG554 = LX 5M CG564 = LX 4A CG555 = EX 5M CG556 = EX 5M CG565 = EX 4A CG566 = EX 4A CG567 = LX Special Ed. 4A
- "CG5" refers to the '99-'02 4-door Accord sedan
- the fourth digit refers to the transmission (5=manual, 6=auto)
- the last digit is the trim level (4, 5, or 6; low, med, high).
--------------------
The actual numbers change with the model, but otherwise this is standard Honda practice.
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