2008 Honda Accord: Backup Camera?

A back-up camera is available as an accessory. Only a reasonable $473 according to the Honda website.

Remote start is also available for $509. Their prices are a little nuts!

Honda thinks of everything!
You just pay extra. Don't be stingy.

Considering how few people parallel park on a regular basis I dont think this is a big deal. Its like people cant back up without a camera- well at least auto journalists. Most folks have never even sampled a vehicle with a backup camera and manage just fine.

I cant stand the way Honda packages it options. You can only get XM on the EX-L and BT is bundled with Nav. What's amazing about the 2008 Accord is it actually has few options not available on the 2007 model. In fact, I cant even name two new features on the 2008 car unless you count more weight and space as features.

1487 obviously doesn't live in the city ;p

I don't think it is a particularly big deal, but I am very surprised that it isn't included with the nav package.

I used to think that backup cameras were for incompetents who couldn't park (just like nav systems were for dumbells who couldn't read a map). Now that I have both, I must confess that I have revised my position substantially.

Jaeger

"1487 obviously doesn't live in the city ;p"

Actually I do and I question why the average suburbanite would need a back up camera. You rarely have to go into reverse when you park in the burbs. I've been parking for quite some time without a backup camera. In fact, back up sensors would work well enough for me but I dont even consider them essential. 99% of the cars on the road today dont have back up cameras so this feature is hardly a "must have".

Back up cameras only help for parking. They do nothing for the blind spots in normal driving, eg when trying to perform a lane change.
Really poor design with those C-pillars, and it is a shame that so many mfgs are doing this.

I wish my '08 Scion xB had a backup camera or at least a sensor. at times, it can be really hard to parallel park the car with is high and narrow rear window. And since I live in downtown Philly, I parallel park every day. oh well, it is, what it is.

I back into every parking spot as a matter of habit (I'd rather reverse into a spot I know to be empty than have to reverse out of that spot when flanked by two school bus-sized SUV's into a lane of traffic.

I also back out of my suburban driveway everyday (several times on a weekend) - onto a street positively overrun by kids and their assorted bikes, scooters and wheeled whatnots.

I find a backup camera pretty useful for showing me a patch of pavement I couldn't otherwise see, no matter how thin my c-pillars are.

I have also seen / read that backup sensors can sometimes miss stuff - like that 3 year old stooped down to pick up a shiny penny - there was a news program about this a while back.

Could I live without one? Sure - I had for a really long time. But this average suburbanite finds it a useful feature.

"I cant stand the way Honda packages it options."

1487, this stems from Hondas manufacturing practices and manufacturing efficiency standards. Adding those little extras to a few cars here and there slows the process down which costs money. This is one reason why German cars cost so much(when ones crazy with the options list) it takes longer to produce the car. I dont mind it as always get an EX or EX-L anyway.

OTOH I do wish some extras were available straight from Honda instead of the dealer. Those dealer accessories arent cheap and the labor rates are INSANE! Bluetooth and XM could be bundled into all EX/EX-L Accord and not effect the process. Im sure this will be addressed int he Accord MMC.

"You can only get XM on the EX-L and BT is bundled with Nav. What's amazing about the 2008 Accord is it actually has few options not available on the 2007 model."

1487, the Malibu, G6, Aura DONT even offer in dash navigation systems, just that "turn by turn" navigation from OnStar.

"Remote start is also available for $509. Their prices are a little nuts!"

Im suprised Honda even offers this option/accessory at all given their "greener" status. I dont really need remote start as it uses fuel (0 miles per gallon) and the car warms up slower (bad emissions) and neither are good for the environment.

I dont see the whole backup camera thing a huge deal unless youre in a larger truck or SUV and need it for hooking up a trailer or what have you. I do however see the benefits of it (in all vehicles) but vehicles havent always had cameras, people are just plain lazy!

"but vehicles havent always had cameras, people are just plain lazy!"

I don't see how being lazy has anything to do with not wanting to tap (and therefore scratch) the bumper of the car behind you when parallel parking.

could anyone report how much it costs to get an Accord EXL-navi with the canemra option installed and how much an Altima fully loaded with the camera included? Thanks!

Accord: $30895
Altima: $32545

Brent, if you want a camera you gotta pay for it! And you have already done so in the Altima.

"but vehicles havent always had cameras, people are just plain lazy!"

Really? I'm sure your ride has wind-up windows and manual door locks, right?

Wouldn't the Accord be more in a direct competition with the Maxima? Seems like the Civic and Altima are rivals based on their sizes and values. In that case I think the Altima would still win based on available features.

Wait, sorry, I forgot about the Nissan Sentra. So if you're talking head-to-head competition it would look like:

Civic vs. Sentra
Accord vs. Altima
??? vs. Maxima

I agree with Hondaacura4. Needing a camera has nothing to do with roll up windows or bumping into other cars.... it has to do with people being too lazy to learn how to drive.

In the same way Honda engineers and stylists should be held responsible for building a plain jane 4 door family sedan with poor visibility, drivers how need gadgets to back up their cars should go back to driver training school.

??? vs. Maxima

The way some people speak about it you can fill ??? With Acura TL. Then again the way people crosshop cars lately, that list is different:

Versa vs Element
Altima vs Ridgeline
Maxima vs Fit
Murano vs s2000
Pathfinder vs Honda Hrr

-Cj

"1487, the Malibu, G6, Aura DONT even offer in dash navigation systems, just that "turn by turn" navigation from OnStar. "

I know, my point was the 2008 Accord offers few new features over the 2007 model. While the Malibu lacks nav you dont have to get a fully loaded $30k car just to get sat radio. I'm not sure why Honda feels that people want leather and a sunroof and heated seats just to get XM radio.

"While the Malibu lacks nav you dont have to get a fully loaded $30k car just to get sat radio. I'm not sure why Honda feels that people want leather and a sunroof and heated seats just to get XM radio."

On the other hand, the three levels or packages that Honda offers (LX, EX, EX-L), help a lot when you negotiate the price of the car. You only have to know 3 MSRPs and that's it. No need to have an idea of each individual option to negotiate the price.

I wanted a fully loaded car and bought the EX-L navi I4 Accord. It was easier to handle in terms of negotiation that buying e.g. the Camry where every camry had different options configuration. I see 1487's point though about flexibility.