Honda/Acura's biggest flop
02-18-2005, 07:31 PM
#81
Instructor
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Tampa
Age: 46
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I remember when I first saw a Vigor. I was not of driving age, but have always really liked cars. The parents of the guy my sister was dating had just bought one that was a stick. I didn't know much about it, and I guess I still don't. I remeber him saying that it had good power because it could maintain speed up hills in 5th gear. I grew up in Burlington Iowa, and you never saw Acuras. I remember being very impressed with the car. I also saw a black Element the other day with some really nice black rims (most likely 18s), I thought it was pretty sharp. I would say that biggest flop was last generation RL. It became way to Buick like, and that isn't a good thing is my book.
02-19-2005, 02:14 AM
#83
Advanced
Join Date: May 2004
Location: VIVA LAS VEGAS!
Age: 52
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by vishnus11
:
In regards to the original question, I'd have to say that the Vigor was a monumental flop. Towards the end of its lifespan, Acura was selling less than a 1000 units a month. Im not sure exactly why the car failed, but if I remember correctly, it did have some poor crash test ratings - 2 stars/5 for both passenger and driver.
In regards to the original question, I'd have to say that the Vigor was a monumental flop. Towards the end of its lifespan, Acura was selling less than a 1000 units a month. Im not sure exactly why the car failed, but if I remember correctly, it did have some poor crash test ratings - 2 stars/5 for both passenger and driver.
I'd have to nominate it for 2nd place as HondaAcura's biggest flop ... don't know why it failed though. Lots of power for its time, great handling, very sharp styling, lots of features and a gorgeous interior for the money. I had mine for less than a year and I still miss it. Only real flaw was very tight backseat leg room. Body was also kind of delicate too.
One thing that might've put off American buyers was the styling. I loved it, but it was very, very Japanese. The G1 TL, which was a little bigger but a lot more generic in appearance, moved a lot more units. The I5 engine might've freaked out middle America buyers too. Their loss.
02-19-2005, 02:51 AM
#84
Advanced
Join Date: May 2004
Location: VIVA LAS VEGAS!
Age: 52
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As far as #1 flop goes: definitely the G3 Legend/G1 RL. Killing the Legend name in the US market - a name that's Legendary to this day - was bad enough. But the G1 RL/G3 Legend itself ... I'll stop there out of respect for the G1 RL owners on this board. It was a JDM model and very well-made, but those are the nicest things I can say about it. A worthy successor to the G2 Legend ... well, I don't have the year-over-year 1995 Legend/1996 RL sales figures, but they didn't go up, that's for damned sure.
02-19-2005, 10:22 AM
#85
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by ExHack
I had a 40mph+ driver's-side impact/20mph+ frontal impact in a Vigor. Dead Vigor, barely a scratch on the driver. Bizarrely though, the airbag didn't deploy. It didn't affect my outcome so no bigs. If it had poor crashworthiness, I couldn't tell.
I'd have to nominate it for 2nd place as HondaAcura's biggest flop ... don't know why it failed though. Lots of power for its time, great handling, very sharp styling, lots of features and a gorgeous interior for the money. I had mine for less than a year and I still miss it. Only real flaw was very tight backseat leg room. Body was also kind of delicate too.
One thing that might've put off American buyers was the styling. I loved it, but it was very, very Japanese. The G1 TL, which was a little bigger but a lot more generic in appearance, moved a lot more units. The I5 engine might've freaked out middle America buyers too. Their loss.
I'd have to nominate it for 2nd place as HondaAcura's biggest flop ... don't know why it failed though. Lots of power for its time, great handling, very sharp styling, lots of features and a gorgeous interior for the money. I had mine for less than a year and I still miss it. Only real flaw was very tight backseat leg room. Body was also kind of delicate too.
One thing that might've put off American buyers was the styling. I loved it, but it was very, very Japanese. The G1 TL, which was a little bigger but a lot more generic in appearance, moved a lot more units. The I5 engine might've freaked out middle America buyers too. Their loss.
NHTSA Crash Test Results
1992 Vigor 4-door sedan
Crash Test Driver 2
Crash Test Passenger 2
Oh, BTW i have a a G1 3.2TL, and love it.
02-19-2005, 12:38 PM
#86
Advanced
Join Date: May 2004
Location: VIVA LAS VEGAS!
Age: 52
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I got nailed right on the driver's side doors by a Galant (my stupid; I didn't see the red light until I was already in the intersection; waste of a damn good Acura) and walked away w/no injuries. It passed my crash test. You know what might have affected side-impact tests? The side windows were frameless. That might've reduced structural integrity.
I've always wondered if the G1 TLs recycled the Vigor or the G2 Legend platform. Based on the size, I suspect you're driving a rebodied Legend. Lucky dog!
I've always wondered if the G1 TLs recycled the Vigor or the G2 Legend platform. Based on the size, I suspect you're driving a rebodied Legend. Lucky dog!
02-19-2005, 11:45 PM
#87
EP3...but only in America. Elsewhere it is doing fine I think.
It is the only Honda I have seen recently that the dealerships really could not even give away.
The prelude, del sol, and passport were all moderately successful. Say what you will, but prelude and sol owners LOVE their cars and there are plenty of people out there with them. And while the Passport sucks balls, there really was nothing specifically wrong with it. It was bolted together great and did not have any major problems.
Gotta differentiate "flop" from "low prodcution car." The Civic Si was supposed to "blow the doors" off it's competition.
It is the only Honda I have seen recently that the dealerships really could not even give away.
The prelude, del sol, and passport were all moderately successful. Say what you will, but prelude and sol owners LOVE their cars and there are plenty of people out there with them. And while the Passport sucks balls, there really was nothing specifically wrong with it. It was bolted together great and did not have any major problems.
Gotta differentiate "flop" from "low prodcution car." The Civic Si was supposed to "blow the doors" off it's competition.
02-20-2005, 02:00 AM
#88
Racer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a Sol owner, I wouldn't consider it to be the biggest flop. Roof leaks and a weak powerplant seemed to be the main gripes about the little car. 1995 was when they added the B16 and fixed the leaks, yet it did little to bump numbers, in fact the numbers dropped. It was a little to late to stop the bleeding I suppose, but with the B16, the car did better than it's arch-nemesis, the Miata. Honda managed to move 75k Sols in 5 years, which is better than the 65k Preludes they moved for the last gen. Also, the Sol outsold Miatas in 93-94 by 2-3k. Besides, the Sol has a really strong following of Sol owners who are die hards about their car, "Vegas Invasion" by Team del Sol had its biggest turn out last year. I mean, it's hard to consider the car Honda's biggest flop when it was the main reason 2-seaters were banned from the US Touring Car Series.
Altho, I could see it being one of many Honda flops as it was often compared with the CRX, just as Disneyland's flop of a parade called Light Magic was compared to the vaunted Electrical Parade. Hard to live up to such a beloved predecessor...
Altho, I could see it being one of many Honda flops as it was often compared with the CRX, just as Disneyland's flop of a parade called Light Magic was compared to the vaunted Electrical Parade. Hard to live up to such a beloved predecessor...
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
4drviper
3G TL Audio, Bluetooth, Electronics & Navigation
0
09-23-2015 09:00 PM
