Like other Accord owners, I took my car in for maintenance - I needed an oil change, rear brakes were squealing even when not being applied after only 18000 miles/1.5 years of ownership (bought certified at 39500 miles, now at 57500 miles with brand new brakes applied during the certification process) and I needed my yearly state inspection. I also reported to the dealer that I felt like there was a problem with the transmission jerking or the engine with the VCM and to report a rattle underneath the car whenever going over a bump or pothole. I was told to drop the car off at 7am and it would be ready later in the day which I did.

About lunchtime, I got a call from one of the service guys, and we had a 10-15 minute conversation about he thinks something could be wrong with the torque converter - he is going to do some more testing, and possibly order either a new torque converter or transmission depending on how bad things are - either way, he said that I could he would complete my work order for today (the inspection, brakes and oil) and to come get the car in the next few hours and he would speak with me about setting up a time after he orders any parts needed to bring the car back and give me a loaner to complete the repair.

When I arrive to pay for my service and to talk to the service guy - he acts as if we hadn't spoke earlier - and proceeds to say "I think I got you mixed up with another customer, it happens sometimes, everything with your car is fine". After raising hell for number 1, acting so nonchalant about the situation and for not even mentioning the rattle I spoke about and for having a 15 minute convo with me, when he should have been talking to another customer - I was pissed. He explained that checking the suspension was part of the state inspection process, plus they road-tested the car after putting on the new brake pads in the rear, and they heard nothing - everything was perfect, nothing making noises or loose related to under the car. Then another service adviser stepped in, and said "lets take a drive and see if we can hear the noise", so we did and sure enough he heard the noise and felt the rough jerk of the car and said he wanted to go back, get me a loaner and leave the car with them overnight so the service manager could drive it home that evening and back to Honda in the morning to replicate the noises himself.

Long story short, the car stayed with Honda from Friday one week to Friday the following week - for a car that was said to have been state inspected and not having any suspension issues that would cause it to fail state inspection and that "DROVE PERFECTLY WITH NO NOISES PRESENT OR DUPLICATED", I ended up having the left front stabilizer bar and the right front wheel bearing replaced....which took them seven days after they said the car was perfect. I still have not had my transmission issue addressed and I guess I won't unless I go to another dealer or it blows up first...

This is my fourth Accord, had an 89, 92, 03 and now this 08. Never did rear brake work on the first two, didn't even need front brakes on the 03 Accord until 87,000 miles, I was still on the original rear brakes when I traded it at 95,000 miles for the 08 Accord. I'll be switching my loyalty to Nissan or Lexus as I am so disappointed in this Accord - which to me has been the best looking generation thus far...really wanted to take this one to the 200-300,000 mile mark, but I don't see that happening as by that point I will have paid for the car twice in brake expenses every 15,000 miles. Make the transmissions like they did in 1992, and get rid of the VCM - it is not so unnoticeable as they proclaim. And for a car that costs pretty close to $40,000 brand new with Navigation - at least offer Traffic and Weather on the Nav - Nissan does even in the Altima, even Toyota does in the Corolla which isn't even close to the $20,000 mark....