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Junkyard Gem: 1992 Acura Vigor

Honda was the first of the Japanese car manufacturers to bring a separate luxury brand to the United States, with the (Civic-derived) Integra and (Rover-related) Legend appearing as 1986 models. By the early 1990s, Infiniti and Lexus had muscled in with their own gadget-laden luxury machines, with even Mitsubishi and Mazda offering legitimate competition for the two Acura models. Something had to be done, in the viewpoint of Soichiro Honda, and so the NSX sports car was introduced as a 1991 model, followed by the Vigor luxury sedan the following year. Here's one of those rare first-year Vigors, found in a Denver self-service boneyard recently. The idea behind the Vigor (which, like the Integra, Legend and NSX, was badged as a Honda in its homeland) was that it would squeeze in between the Integra and the Legend and steal some sales from the Lexus ES 250 as well as European machinery. The Vigor was a front-wheel-drive car, but its engine was mounted longitudinally and angled to clear the hood. The differential sat directly beneath the engine and received power via a tortured maze of shafts. The reason for all this powertrain complexity was the fact that the Vigor's engine was a SOHC straight-five that wouldn't fit the engine compartment using Honda's usual transverse mounting (though both Daewoo and Volvo managed the feat with straight-six engines later on). The U.S.-market Vigor's 2.5-liter five-banger was rated at 176 horsepower and 170 pound-feet. The base transmission was a five-speed manual, but this car has the optional $750 four-speed automatic ($1,696 in 2024 dollars). This car is the cheaper Vigor LS model, so its MSRP was $24,999 ($56,539 after inflation). You could get a slightly smaller but still feature-laden '92 Honda Accord EX for just $20,175 ($45,629 now), though, and the cushier (though less nimble) Lexus ES 250 started at just $21,300 ($48,173 in today's money). American car shoppers just couldn't figure out the Vigor, and sales were weak. 1994 was the final year for the Vigor, and the TL replaced it beginning as a 1996 model. This one drove just over 160,000 miles during its life. Don't think of it as a drive to work. Think of it as a 30-minute vacation. If you get a German luxury sedan instead of a Vigor, you'll be sorry! I miss you… S. As was nearly always the case during the 1980s and 1990s, the JDM commercials were more fun.

Will states start to prevent you from registering cars that have pending recalls?

The impact of 2014 – henceforth known as Year of the Recalls – will have long-ranging consequences on the auto industry. One of the biggest changes, though, might not be in the way manufacturers inform the government of pending recalls or in the way Uncle Sam punishes automakers that violate its rules, but in the ability to sell cars with pending recalls. And strangely enough, the charge is being led by an automaker. Honda Executive Vice President Rick Schostek, pictured above, argued during a meeting of the Senate Transportation Committee that the government needs to take a role in mandating that consumers have recall services performed. That could include withholding registration for vehicles with pending recalls, Bloomberg reports. Honda is just one of the automakers currently embroiled in the massive Takata airbag recall. "It's a good idea," safety advocate Clarence Ditlow said, according to Bloomberg. "California won't give you a registration if you have an emissions recall. Why not a safety recall?" "Honda is going to use any innovative tools to find customers and get these recalls done," Schostek told the Transportation Committee. The exec, aside from echoing Ditlow's viewpoint, also argued for requiring dealerships and garages to inform vehicle owners of incomplete recalls, regardless of the service provided. Schostek also made an argument that state governments could step in, as well. Whatever ends up happening, it's fair to say that between Takata and General Motors, the future of recalls for American consumers are set for significant changes. News Source: BloombergImage Credit: J. Scott Applewhite / AP Government/Legal Recalls Honda Ownership Safety

Honda expands Takata recall for older CR-Vs

Honda has added another 127,000 bad Takata airbag inflators to its growing recall. This latest round affects 2003 and 2004 CR-V crossovers and brings Honda's total inflator tally to 3.4 million units. This marks the first time that the 2004 CR-V has been included in the airbag recall. Repairs will be conducted free of charge, and Honda notes that "it has sufficient replacement parts supplies to begin recall repairs of the added vehicles immediately, nationwide." The company's recall repair is nearly half complete, with 47.1 percent of the bad inflators replaced across the US. "American Honda continues to urge owners of Honda and Acura vehicles affected by the Takata airbag inflator recalls to get their vehicles repaired at authorized dealers as soon as possible," the company said in the attached statement. "Vehicle owners can check their vehicles' recall status at www.recalls.honda.com for Honda owners or www.recalls.acura.com for Acura owners or by calling their authorized dealer." Read on for the official release. Statement by American Honda Regarding Expansion of Nationwide Recall of Certain Takata Passenger Front Airbag Inflators Dec 23, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. Nationwide recall of passenger front airbag inflators expands to include approximately 127,000 inflators in 2003-2004 CR-V vehicles not previously subject to recall or safety improvement campaign No change to national recall of driver front airbag inflators Honda's national Takata airbag inflator recall repair completion rate is 47.1% Honda announced today that it will expand a national recall (15V-370) to replace, free of charge, Takata passenger front airbag inflators installed in certain 2003-2004 CR-V models sold in the United States following a recent defect determination by Takata, the airbag inflator supplier. This expansion will add approximately 127,000 passenger front airbag inflators not previously subject to either a recall or safety improvement campaign. Approximately 78,000 of the affected 2003-2004 CR-V vehicles included in existing passenger front airbag inflator recalls and Honda's voluntary safety improvement campaigns (14V-353 and 14V-700) will also transition into the new recall. The same free repair - replacement of the passenger front airbag inflator - will be completed under the new national action. This updated recall (15V-370) now includes approximately 3.4 million passenger front airbag inflators now requiring replacement in this action.