So, I’ve been meaning to talk about my time with the 2016 Honda Accord V6 manual. It’s one of those cars, you know? Not a flashy sports car, not a massive truck, but it just kinda hits a sweet spot if you know what you’re looking for.
I was hunting for something specific back then. Needed a daily driver, something reliable, of course. But I also wanted something with a bit of soul, a bit of oomph. And crucially, a manual transmission. They were already getting harder to find, especially hooked up to a decent engine. The V6 Accords, the coupes especially, had this reputation for being kinda stealthy fun. Good power, Honda reliability, and that lovely six-speed. That’s what got me looking.
The search itself, man, that took a while. Most people, I guess, just bought the automatic. Easier for traffic, I suppose. I remember driving out to see one, advertised as ‘mint condition’. Looked okay in the grainy photos. Got there, and it was a total dog. Dents hidden on the other side, interior smelled like wet dog, and the clutch felt like it was on its last legs. Wasted a whole afternoon on that one. You see a few like that, and it gets a bit disheartening, you know?
But then, this one popped up. A 2016, V6, coupe, and importantly, the 6-speed manual. Looked clean in the pictures, reasonable miles. I didn’t get my hopes too high, but I went to check it out. The owner seemed like a decent guy, actually cared about the car. Took it for a spin, and yeah, that was it. That V6 has a nice growl when you get on it, and rowing through those gears yourself… it just felt right. We haggled a bit, did the paperwork dance, and then it was mine.
Living with it has been pretty straightforward, which is exactly what you’d hope for from a Honda, I guess. The engine is smooth, tons of torque, so you don’t have to wring its neck to get going. Merging onto the highway is a breeze. The shifter isn’t like, a Miata short-throw precise, but it’s got a nice, mechanical feel. Good enough for daily driving and a bit of fun on a backroad.
I even did some basic stuff myself. Changed the oil and filter a few times. It’s actually pretty easy on these cars. Good to get your hands a bit dirty, feel connected to the machine. Put in some all-weather floor mats, a decent phone mount. Small things that make it your own.
We took it on a few long trips. Just loaded up the trunk – which is surprisingly big for a coupe – and hit the road. It eats up highway miles comfortably. Not a Lexus, but quiet enough, and that V6 just purrs along at cruising speed. Never missed a beat, never left me stranded. Solid as a rock.
It’s funny, I got this car around the time my old job was winding down. Things were a bit up in the air, you know? Lots of uncertainty. And this Accord, it was just… there. Every day, started up, got me where I needed to go, no drama. Sometimes, having something that’s utterly dependable, something you don’t have to second-guess, it makes a huge difference when other parts of your life are chaotic. It wasn’t just a mode of transport; it was a small, reliable piece of my world when I really needed it. Sounds a bit dramatic for a car, maybe, but that’s how it felt.
It’s still in the driveway. Still enjoy taking it out. They don’t really make ‘em like this anymore – a naturally aspirated V6 with a proper manual, in a sensible package. Guess I’ll be holding onto it for a good while longer. It’s more than just a car at this point; it’s part of the story, you know?
