I did manage to get in a test drive today, but it wasn't the high-mileage one that I saw. That one turned out to be kind of a disaster...body was in worse shape than the Accord, and it wasn't PZEV rated so I would be screwed if anything ever happened on the emissions or IMA side.

Phoebeisis, you bring up a lot of very good points. I hadn't heard about the A/C, CV joints, or timing belt repair costs. They do seem expensive vs. what I would have imagined. The HCH that I drove was a severely overpriced '05 w/ 40k miles on it. My impressions of it are mostly favorable. I think the interior quality is good, it has ample power for my rather sedate driving style, and I do think that the FE possibilities are quite promising. But I sensed that I was in a smaller, touchier car than what I'm used to. The ride was good but not quite as refined, and the seats weren't quite as supportive. The Civic just doesn't quite feel like I wish it did. Could I get used to it? I don't see why not, but it's not an issue I should ignore.

Since you ask about the Accord, it's a 2002 EX-L coupe, 4-cylinder and manual trans that's just coming up on 50,000 miles. I got a really good deal on it used at about 25k, and it is indeed a **very** nice car by my standards. The only thing it lacks is the FE toys, but it does respond well to my efforts. (Like I've said before, the FE toys are a 'want' and definitely not a 'need.') I could probably get about $12,500 from a private buyer, and today I saw paperwork on a dealer trade to the tune of $10,400.

At the end of the day I'm nowhere near ready to sign on the dotted line. I do like the car I have, and it would take a very special car at right price for me to switch. I do plan to have some fun shopping around as I still think I could be happy in a HCH. But my gut is telling me that the price point I'm looking for just doesn't exist in this market. And I think my sentiments toward the experience of owning one will gel a little better once I've spent a little more time checking them out.