Honda Odyssey 1999 - 2004

alyssazmom

What are the differences between a Ody EX and LX? What about the 2002 and 2003? Would a used 2002 be a good buy?

Thanks!!

Carrie

timothyadavis

Gess, I think you may be onto something. I saved almost $28,000 by simply posting about the Odyssey for a couple years and not actually buying one. Hmmmmmm.... If my wife would just allow that on the Pilot, then I could save another $29,000+! ;-)

gess

How about a Sport Trac? Or are you done with FORD?

Btw, you also saved several thousand dollars by not buying an Odyssey - you didn't need to replace the transmission!

timothyadavis

Well, I kinda like the Excursion, but she wouldn't go for it. None of the other Fords appeal to me, though I tried hard since their incentives are pretty enticing. Then I had her almost talked into a Yukon XL -- It's suitably massive, can be purchased to seat NINE (you never know when our extended Filipino family will visit!) and it's actually six inches shorter than our F150 Supercab (she's a veritable highway demon and parking lot ace in that thing already). Alas, I'm afraid the more sveldt and sassy (and cheaper!) good looks of the Pilot have captured her fancy (in lieu of the $6,000-plus-more-expensive luxury SUV's my Scroogey heart refuses to admit as possibilities) and the mega-haulers are not to be for us.

Oh, and I can only count an extra $400 to $600 dollars as I would have but didn't buy the extended warranty along with the Odyssey I also didn't buy. So, that would have previously-saved me the thousands for the transmission, making it unfair to count that savings as part of not buying the Odyssey. ;-)

crkeehn

Go for all the gusto, get a PT GT

timothyadavis

in Texas, I'd be looking at hubcaps and axles all the time. If you can't beat 'em,....

crkeehn

fibber2

Gary,
So you didn't run the trailer connector outside of the vehicle down to the hitch? That is where the bumper removal becomes an issue...
Steve

madabout1269

The leather Seats are just that only on the seating areas,the sides are vinyl because of cost and it will not face wear and tear,check out Walmart in the auto section and look for Lexol or Blue Coral Leather Cleaner and Conditioner,it works well for me,pay attention to your driver seat,it needs a bit more as it is always occupied,the door inserts are also leather so do not forget them,if you park outside a garage,try to do the seats every two weeks or even more often.The sun is your enemy as it will try out the seats very quickly.

dave2003

My wife and I bought a 2000 EX almost exactly three years ago, just before the birth of our second child. Last Tuesday, my wife was taking that daughter (now almost three) to day care before heading off to work. A crazy driver (might have been a road rage incident, police report still pending), who was coming from the other direction, lost control and crossed the center line. As he was in the process of trying to correct back to his lane, he struck my wife's Odyssey head-on. Combined speeds probably equaled 70 to 90 MPH. My wife had no time to react, only time to think "he's going to hit me" before the crash.

Impact on the Ody was front left corner. Impact on other vehicle (Ford Taurus sedan) was between front left wheel and driver's door. Other diver was killed (died at scene, trapped in car, about 10 to 15 minutes after crash). It took rescue one hour to extricate his body. My wife was trapped in Ody for about 30 minutes as rescue pulled the driver's area apart with jaws of life. Her right foot was stuck between the gas pedal and brake, which was shifted right by the crash and over her foot. She has one broken bone in that foot. Lots of bruises from dash being pushed back into her knees, and on upper body from seat belt. Minor cuts and bruises on face from air bag deployment. She's up and walking around today with no cast or braces.

Our almost-three year old daughter was in a child safety seat in the second row behind the driver's seat. Her seat did its job, but her legs swung up on impact and (we think) hit the grab bar that is on the back of the driver's seat. She broke both bones in her lower left leg at the shin, and has a corresponding bruise on the right leg. It is a "good" fracture (clean, no deformity, bones stayed relatively aligned), and she will be in a cast for approximately six weeks. Her only other injury was a very minor cut lip (she bit her lip at impact). Both wife and daughter should recover fully.

Police, rescue and EMTs at the scene could not believe it. Three of them told us they were going to get Odys for their families. We bought a new '03 EX yesterday. We brought a picture of the smashed '00 to show the salesman, and it got passed all around the dealership. I firmly believe this van saved the life of my wife and daughter. This post is not hype, it's what really happened. The first witness to check on my wife immediately after the crash called me on my wife's cell phone. I was in my car, heading out of town, when I got the call. I was at the accident scene in less than 10 minutes, before most of the rescue guys arrived. I hope no one ever has to get that kind of call, but if you do, I hope your loved one is in a Honda Odyssey. Thank you, Honda.

stever

and hope both heal fast! Sounds like an awful wreck.

Any way you can scan and put that photo up on the net somewhere?

Steve, Host

sbpceap

Steve-

I read carefully previous posts from you, as well as one on the "towing with minivans" (read only) discussion board. I learned much, and wish the "towing..." discussion was still interactive. Leaving the wiring exposed under the bumper or thru drain plug underneath van would cause weathering/corrosion. I tucked my trailer wiring neatly into the jack compartment, where it is protected until needed. I was pleasantly surprised by the easy installation. And I was unwilling to endure hassle of removing bumpers on an '03 van. -Gary

stever

Since summer is getting in full swing, it does seem like a good time to restart the Towing with a minivan discussion. Thanks for the hint, Gary.

Steve, Host

andrewtran71

Glad to hear your wife and daughter are okay!

lapvn

Best news about what you wrote is.....

wife and daughter is doing fine.

Can't beat that.

Happy to hear everyone is doing fine.

isellhondas

Glad your wife and daughter are O.K. !

I've got a similar story. I sold a new 2000 Odyssey EX to a lady who got broadsided about a year later.

A pickup truck ran a red light at 50 MPH and ran right into the side of her Odyssey. She had her two young children in the second row seats.

The Odyssey was totalled but there were no injuries.

She decided to pick a different color for it's replacement!

dave2003

Steve-
I'm not sure where I could post the pictures of the wrecked Odyssey. If you know how/where, I could email them to you and you could post them, and let those interested know where they could see them. Thanks, everyone, for the kind replies. Wife and daughter continue to improve, both physically and mentally.

Dave

stever

And Edmunds doesn't have anywhere to host them either. Anyone like to put those wreck pic(s) up for a while on their own page or album site?

Steve, Host

gess

I'll give it a shot if you email them to gess1999@yahoo.com.

gess

if this works...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/pe9572ac6d725c3ff3757- - 4aa95bc013bc/fbf49b44.jpg.orig.jpg

wpalkowski

Gess,
   Imagestation won't work unless you're a member. You have to log in to view the pictures.

You can open a free account to post the pictures at

http://www.webshots.com

Their website allows you to create an album, and upload the photos. All you have to do is post the URL back here for folks to view them.

here's one of mine:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/74051458/74051512LZGipW

gess

Try this.

http://community.webshots.com/sym/image6/7/32/54/76473254pPxcqX_p- h.jpg

zorba53

"Does anyone know if the Honda hitch is really worth it or should we go with aftermarket hitches such as Hidden Hitch, Reese or Draw-Tite. We will be towing a pop-up camper."
 
I am putting a hitch on my "02" Odyssey. The best price I could get from a Honda dealer for the "package" which included the transmission and power steering coolers, hitch and wiring harness was $799 installed, one wanted $1100!!!

I got a Draw-Tite class III Max from e-trailer for $115, wiring harness for $25 and $25 for shipping. Installation was simple, takes about 30 min. The wiring harness was more difficult due to having to loosen the left rear side panel to get at the modular connector for the trailer lights. I will have a Honda dealer install the transmission & power steering coolers, I am not messing with that. You save a couple of hundred bucks, which is better in my pocket than the dealer's!

sda

Just finished our vacation trip that resulted in 1900 miles of total travel. Van was great. Got between 22-25mpg. A/C on 100%. Travel speed typically around 60-74mph. Cruise control used as much as possible. A/C very capable of keeping everyone comfortable in hot FL climate. Rear air will freeze you out! Other than wishing for lumbar support adjustment for the front passenger seat, and a little less road noise on coarse road surfaces, this is one great long distance companion.

gess

http://ca.photos.yahoo.com/bc/gess1999/lst?.dir=/ODYSSEY&.vie- w=t

dave2003

Third time's the charm, I guess. Thanks for getting the pics posted. Rescue took the driver's door off, and forced open the left slider to get access to the back of the driver's seat. They were looking for a manual release to move the seat back, and couldn't find one (is there one?). They ended up forcing the seat back, so the closer picture shows the seat further back then it was when my wife was trapped in the van.

Dave

stever

Thanks a lot Gess. Horrific wreck Dave - I can see why you're counting your blessing!

Steve, Host

pat84

Was here, posting ?

pat84

I can't believe I missed him.

fibber2

An unbelieveable story. Your van gave its life for your family. I guess that offset crash test rating has some value.

Competition improves the breed. With the govt and insurance institute publishing these ratings, automakers have been motivated to design for energy absorption. It is something that many people do not understand. I know folks that would look at your pictures and think that the van had no structural integrity - a poorly made product. When in fact, many of todays unit-bodied vehicles are easily 'totaled' in a wreck by virtue of being specifically designed to distribute the impact. It drives up the cost of collision insurance, but as you can attest, is well worth the price.

Steve

timothyadavis

Pat84, I'm back to say a big Texas Howdy! How ya doin? I don't get many chances to check in here, but I'll try to drop by every now and then....

Dave, Phew! It must have been one of those frozen moments when you walked up to your Odyssey and saw THAT!?! Thank God that your wife and child will recover.

Gess, Did you get a Sienna or just shopping? Nice job on the wall too, if that was yours. See ya soon....

gess

I hope I don't have anything embarrassing in there.

The Sienna pics were spy shots that somebody sent me before it came out. Nope, I see either a new Quest or more likely a '05 Ody in my garage next year.

I'll give you a ring next week.

dave2003

of our wrecked Odyssey, this one at the accident scene that appeared on the front page of the local paper. Follow the link below to the web site of the Brunswick, Maine Fire Department. The picture shows the other vehicle as well and was taken only a few minutes after the first rescue personnel arrived on the scene.

http://www.brunswickme.org/fire/06-03-03.html

crkeehn

typical small town newspaper reporting, the books were a nice touch.

On a brighter side, it looks like the Odyssey did what it was designed to do and you and your family can be very pleased with your selection.

pat84

Sure has been a long time. I hope all is well with you and yours.
 My ODY had the transmission self destruct one day coming home from work. It could have gone out on the way in, but no ! - after work on my way home.
 It took 21 days and 2 bad replacements that were so bad, Honda just took them out of the crates and sent them back before I got my van back. It kind of soured me on the ODY. You not only saved money, but aggravation.

I traded the ODY in a week later on an 03 Toyota 4 Runner. I used to get 18.5 mpg commuting in the ODY. I get 16.9 in the V-8 4 Runner.
 It's nice to have a vehicle with an excellent sound system.
 Take care.

   Pat

clpurnell

Thank God your family is safe. The taurus has perfect crash test ratings but something has to be said for size. I know many environmentalists hate vans and SUVs but I think the added heft helps in an accident of the magnitude your daughter and wife went through. God Bless and my hopes are for a speedy recovery for your family.

timothyadavis

crkeehn: I also appreciated the much more personal detail included in the local paper story. The Dallas Morning News is undoubtedly the best newspaper I have ever read on a regular basis. Still, there is something to be said for adding the bits of humanity present in the Brunswick (not the NEWer Brunswick, mind you!) story.

Dave2003: Once again, congratulations on the fact that your family is still with you. Even so, the horror of that wreck must still cause some interruptions to good nights' sleeping....

Pat84: Sorry about the implosion of your Odyssey experience. Funny, my wife was just admiring the looks of the 4 Runners yesterday. But the 5 passenger tops carrying capacity (it takes some big bucks to get a Toyota SUV with more seats than that!) steered us away again. The new Sienna's looks is kinda growing on me, but my wife is pretty set on a Pilot (and I like the 8 seats that has).

But, if I recall, you are close enough to my nearly-half-century age that you must be happily (maybe secretly?) experiencing those male blood surges that only the low rumble of a V8 can produce. Happy motoring.

wpalkowski

Tim
  I know what you mean about the low rumble of a V8. I'm 45 with a V10 Ford Pickup (besides the Ody), and it still doesn't sound as good as a big block from m teenage years. ;-)

wholigan

I need to install a 2" (hitch) receiver to accomodate my bike rack. I have heard, however, that towing without the transmission cooler will void the warranty. I would like to save some cash and just install the hitch myself - my thought being that I would not install the wiring harness - to show that I really do NOT tow - just haul our bikes around. Or am I going to have to have the cooler installed regardless? Then again, after my 95WS transmission fiasco, a few hundo to get the cooler may not be a bad idea...

Any thoughts? "The truth is out there Scully" - just gotta find it!

Thanks!

Wholigan

dave594

Costco is having its annual sale on Michelin (and also Bridgestone tires). You get a $60 discount on a set of 4 tires. I got X Radials for my Ody for under $400 installed. Costco throws in lifetime rotation and balance, road hazard warranty, and valves and stems in the price. Good deal. This discount is good through the end of the month.

andrewtran71

How about Yokohama AVID Touring for $66 per tire from Tires.com and have anyone (like Hibdon, Tires Plus, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, etc.)mount/balance them for $10 labor per tires? This comes to about $300.

st_pu

I got them for my maxxima 99 about year ago. They are awesome tires. I like them more then Michelin MXV4 default tires came with car.

andrewtran71

Thanks. Glad to hear that. At $66/tire, it's a great buy, especially if the ride quality is as quiet and smooth as a lot of people are saying on the internet.
Wow, you liked the Avid Touring better than Michelin?
I thought Michelin MXV4 are among the ultimate tires? Aren't they like $130 per tires?

fibber2

I am toying with the same issue. Want to be able to use the hitch bike carrier on both vehicles. I am hoping that foregoing the lighting interface shows good faith and serious intent to never use the hitch for towing. Unfortunately, you can never be sure how a Honda service mgr or district mgr might view it in the event of a tranny failure. My wife is (justifiably) concerned that we could end up in "denied my warranty" hell for no good reason. She wondered it Honda would respond to a written request for clarification on this point. Personally, I doubt that they would deviate from policy, but I might try anyhow.

Steve

pacinpelo

I noticed that in 2003 Sandstone Metallic is an available color choice..some how I remember seeing darker tan type color on previous years.
Am I losing my mind ??
I settled out at the Sagebrush Pearl which I love because I do not see too many.

stever

Seeing your post reminds me that there's a Town Hall wide chat tonight. Come and talk "live" with other members at 6 PDT, 9 EDT. Link is on the left.

Steve, Host

lfike

We also went with Sagebrush Pearl. My wife and myself love that color.
2nd choice would have been white.
wife would have chose sandstone.

fibber2

Thanks for the invite, but I did not see your post until this morning. Maybe another week...

Maybe I will catch you on the Subi chat tonight?

Steve

stever

Yeah, you missed ten minutes talking about Sagebrush Pearl, plus the usual twenty minutes on food, and the mystery wiring harness buried in a Madza6 trunk (no trivia this month). I'm packing the Soob tonight for a short camping trip, but should be popping in the chat.

Some Ody news today: Honda plan seeks profit, not sales as Japanese market slides (AutoWeek)

Steve, Host

bbhavsar

I have read the post a long time ago with this information but I can not find it now...

I have 2001 Odyssey with 32,000 miles on it. I am interested in buying 7yr/100k/0 deductible genuine Honda Extended warranty, mainly because of rear sliding doors. They have been repaired twice already.

Any one has either link or e-mail/contact for dealer who is selling it at lowest price? As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

-Thanks