Honda Accord 1996-2009

After 11 years of faithful service, I traded away my 1996 Honda Accord last week. We bought it with about 23,000 miles on the odometer and let it go just a few miles shy of 232,000.

We traded it in on a new Civic, mainly because the Honda dealership was the only place that would give me significant bucks for my classic. Now, my wife can commute to Iowa City in a car that does a little better than 20 mpg, or about what our Chrysler Pacifica gets. 

The Pacifica is my chariot now. Plenty of room for golf clubs, kegs etc.

I've had three Hondas since 1989 and put over 700,00 miles on the trio. The 96 Accord carried me safetly between Ames and Des Moines for several years and on trips to numerous to count. The air conditioning went out last spring, but otherwise it held together pretty well.

The check engine light came on just before we made the trade, so I think the timing was right.

The Civic is the first new car we've owned. And while getting in the other day, it occurred to me that I hadn't driven a brand new car in years, maybe even since driver's ed in high school.

That new car smell always makes me think of driver's ed, learning to pass, parallel parking, stalling while trying repeatedly to get started uphill with manual transmission. Ah, memories.