# Has Honda gone from a great value brand to simply a premium brand? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 6, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317 "2007-06-06T20:24:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anthracite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Anthracite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Anthracite)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/1 "2007-06-06T20:24:07Z")
As I understand it, traditionally, Honda, made very well engineered cars for a very affordable price. Is this still what Honda is? To me, it seems that Honda has become more of a premium brand than a product for the thrifty buyer. I feel that they still make a great vehicle, but not at a great price. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/2 "2007-06-06T20:46:12Z")
well, almost no car compaies have a standard model that isn’t loaded with a/c, power everything, cruise, etc. and very few have cars of any soet starting below 15K. So I don’t think Honda is alone in this - even value leader Hyundai/Kia is up there. ---
**Author:** ![Raymond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c57346/32.png) [@Raymond](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Raymond)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/3 "2007-06-06T22:38:28Z")
> As I understand it, traditionally, Honda, made very well engineered cars for a very affordable price. Is this still what Honda is? To me, it seems that Honda has become more of a premium brand than a product for the thrifty buyer. I feel that they still make a great vehicle, but not at a great price. What do you think? > Buying a car is like courting a woman. One has to be able to say in the end, if things don’t work out, “there’s other fish in the sea.” I have bought Hondas for years; that’s not to say I won’t look at Korean cars next time around. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/4 "2007-06-07T00:28:59Z")
In 2005 I narrowed my purchase to two cars: An Accord EX V6 and a Buick Lacrosse CXS. I considered them equivalent, in that they were low end luxury sedans and seated 5. The Buick would have been $3000 more equivalently equipped, if I could have found one. The Buick I would have bought was $1000 more, even though it did not have a moon roof or XM radio. The price difference is the final price, after all discounts were included. I even had a $1000 GM card discount. I bought the Accord at invoice. I consider Honda a bargain. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/5 "2007-06-07T12:03:00Z")
If buying new Honda’s include great value their resale value is incredible throughout their life. Case in point purchased a 95 Civic Si for $13000 and sold for $2500 after 10 years/225,000 miles. People are nuts! ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/6 "2007-06-07T22:18:17Z")
My 99 EX is still worth a good $5k, and that’s on blue book trade in. ---
**Author:** ![TotalFreeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f14d63/32.png) [@TotalFreeze](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TotalFreeze)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/7 "2007-06-08T00:49:42Z")
Actually they are both in my opinion. They do have the more “Premium” cars with price tag to boot but they still offer those same line of cars with less options at a more budget minded price. Hyundai has made great strides in the quality department since they were first introduced in this country. My parents bought an elantra and they like it very much. But in my opinion the jury is still out on Hyundai’s long term reliabilty vs Honda’s proven track record. If I was in the market for a new car on a tight budget I would certainly give Honda a look. Just because the window sticker says one price doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate a better deal. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/8 "2007-06-08T02:46:01Z")
All car manufactorors have improved their quality significantly. Hondas and Toyotas have good resale value, so if I was buying new I would have factored that in. But then you can get most other cars cheaper, so the upfront savings are a factor. For me I always buy used and buy anything that depriciates a lot. Doesn’t make sense to pay 1K less than new for a 3 yr old car with 36KM on the odo. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/has-honda-gone-from-a-great-value-brand-to-simply-a-premium-brand/317/9 "2007-06-08T14:06:40Z")
Value and premium are not mutually exclusive–For example, when Lexus entered the US market, it was viewed as a premium product priced far less than Mercedes. All Auto companies make more on the " loaded models" so they try to upsell when they can. A bottom of the line Civic is still has a low price and low depreciation, so it is an inexpensive car to own if purchased new. Buying one used is a different story, because they hold value so well