The seller of today’s Nice Price or No Dice Accord wagon claims to have bought the impressively clean car from the original owner’s estate and describes it as being in ‘MINT condition.’ Let’s see if it costs a mint to buy.
As is often the case around here, the modifications made to yesterday’s 1969 Lotus Europa proved its undoing. At $14,969, there was just too much amiss, which resulted in a 60 percent No Dice loss, our first of the new year.
When Honda introduced the small and efficient Civic to the U.S. market in 1972, at the onset of the first energy crisis, buyers and competitors alike took notice. When the company followed that up with the larger and better-equipped Accord in 1976, everybody nearly lost their minds. The popularity of the Accord saw it become one of the first Japanese imports for which buyers would have to pay onerous dealer mark-ups and often be forced to make their buying decision without so much as a test drive.
By the time of today’s 1993 Honda Accord LX wagon’s arrival, things had calmed down appreciably, with production expanded to meet the model’s rabid demand with the opening of the Marysville, Ohio plant and a rejiggering of the bodystyles offered that saw the original hatchback style replaced by a wagon.
By then, the Accord had established a reputation not just as a solid, dependable car but one that was modestly upscale and undeniably aspirational, something that Honda actively engendered, positioning the model as a stepping stone to the company’s then-new Acura brand.
Despite its when-new popularity, it’s uncommonly rare to see an Accord of this era in as nice of condition as this one these days. This wagon sports 120,000 miles, most of which were apparently racked up by its long-term owner in between bouts of obsessive maintenance documentation.
According to the present owner, the car had lived most of its life in the mid-coastal area of California and outlived its second owner, having been passed on through an estate sale. Offered by that present owner now, it will come with a half-inch stack of service records, both dealer and factory paperwork, and even the cabin delivery tags that explain how to operate things like the automatic transmission and cruise control.
The car itself is in brilliant shape, with no apparent issue showing up in its Frost White paint or flat black window trim. The factory alloys are likewise unmarred and are wrapped in tires that look up to the task.
That time capsule motif continues in the cabin, where rare dealer-optioned leather upholstery covers the seats and a factory cassette radio holds court in the center stack. There appears to be no appreciable wear here, not even any carpet fading. Heck, even the load area cover in the back looks brand new.
In 1993, the Accord LX offered a 125 horsepower 2.2-liter four and the choice of a five-speed manual transmission or an Aisin-sourced four-speed automatic. This car has the latter, and a shot underneath the car shows the car to have no leaks, cracks, or any other sort of monkey business.
As one might expect based on its appearance, this Accord comes with a clean title, current tags, and an accident-free history. The asking price is $17,500, which, remarkably, is very close to the car’s original MSRP of around $16,900. What goes around, comes around, I guess.
Or does it? This car is a bit of an odd bodkin when it comes to finding an audience. It’s not really a classic car, as it’s just not all that special outside of its condition. And yet, that condition makes it unique and probably a catch to someone looking for a bit of nostalgia or the opportunity to check off a box of an experience missed. From that perspective, it might just fit the bill.
What do you think? Is this classy, if not exactly classic, Accord worth that $17,500 asking, considering how nice it appears to be? Or is that price not in accordance with expectations?
You decide!
San Fernando Valley, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the hookup!
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