Thanks for all the information ... don't understand your last two quotes of mine.
They told us they wouldn't even look for a vehicle for us on another lot until we gave them a deposit (they didn't have any EX-Ls with DVD/NAV on the lot). They did assure us they *could* get one, they just couldn't guarantee that it would be less than two weeks delivery. Their explanation for not even looking before deposit was that they would have to swap out a vehicle with another dealer to get a EX-L with DVD/NAV for us. Wrong?
I just don't understand the dragging of the feet. The first dealer we dealt with (the one that wouldn't drop $500 in price to match the second dealer, nor would give us a service loaner for warranty repair) was beyond anxious to get the deal done and closed before the end of this past month. The second dealer STILL hasn't given us an answer as to WHEN we can expect a vehicle.
The only options that we are interested in with the Touring are the backup/corner sensors (really just the corner sensors, since we'll get the backup camera with NAV and the dealer option for sensors in the EX-L is only backup sensors, or so I've read), the power liftgate, the 115 volt outlet, fog lamps, the console tray for the 2nd row instead of the Plus One seat and the black leather interior, and *possibly* the dimming rear view mirror. I was heartbroken when I found out I could only get black leather on the Touring. The only option that we'd consider adding on an EX-L is the foglamps though .... all the others were just gravy.
After doing the dealership shuffle we have purchased a 2005 EX for $300 under invoice. I am happy with the deal even though Toyota seemed more willing to work with us, we wanted the Odyssey.
Wife thought she wanted the Caravan. Sto N Go seems to woo the soccer mom crowd. Had to drag her to Honda, but she changed her mind.
If you don't mind taking a trip, call Hugh White here in Columbus (614-922-1111). They had at least two EX-L R&Ns in stock last week when my van was in for service. One was MBP (on the showroom floor) and the other was Desert Rock.
I bought my Touring there at invoice in February. There is nothing "bad" about PAX tires. True, they have some drawbacks but, at least in my mind, those are more than offset by their advantages. They ride quite well too.
but got an even better price from a second one ($34,243 out the door)
Are the EX-Ls with DVD/NAV *that* hard to find? We live in New Jersey.
I'm shopping for identical vehicle in NJ right now. I found 3 or 4 dealers with 1 or 2 such vehicles on their lots, and several other dealers expecting them in next 2-4 weeks. Your price seems good. I negotiated an out the door price of $34,020 with a little help from a connection to the general manager of the dealership.
Congratulations. Glad someone is getting good prices on 2005 Odyssey as most dealers are not even going half-way between invoice and MSRP. I was ready to buy a new Odyssey EX but now am undecided for 3 reasons: #1. All 2005 Ody due in have a deposit placed on them. #2. Salesman can not give pricing data on 2006 and said they will have lower discount than now...or none at all. #3. The Sienna I test drove was MUCH more responsive than the Ody I drove 30 minutes later. The Sienna transmission more quickly responded and the acceleration was much better in the Sienna.
My nephew got a NEW 2005 Odyssey EX (cloth) last November 30 for $25,209 if I recall correctly. He was in another state (Utah) and the MSRP on window sticker was $28,510 at the time. (EX later went up to $28,710).
I also have the whistle noise, had it worse on the driver's side. My windshield was "re-sealed" twice by the dealer, and I still have the noise on the passenger side.
Your nephew paid right at invoice back in November for an EX. Yet you state that now, as we near the end of the model year, dealer's aren't willing to even get to halfway between invoice and MSRP for you?
Perhaps your nephew should negotiate for you..... :P
I also have a whistling noise. It's of a very low intensity, intermittent, and almost as though something is jangling. It comes up when the vehicle is at high speeds (60mi/hour), and after driving for about 8-10 minutes at this speed. It is mostly audible from the driver's seat. I am thinking of taking my car to my dealer...any advice? Also, on the passenger side, the rear bumper is slightly malaligned by several milimeters. What could be the cause of this? I have a Honda EX two months old. Thank you for your help.
Maybe with all the "employee" pricing going on, Honda is more willing to negotiate on the price. I also heard Honda has a 3% dealer holdback... or 3% of the MSRP is paid back to the dealer. So if the dealer cost is the invoice price, the invoice price is inflated by the holdback amount and is given back to the dealer later. That would mean there is some room under invoice... I guess it depends on the dealer and how bad they need the sale. Try the last day of the month. Good luck.
He and his wife walked away from that dealership and others many times. Appeared to just be lucky at the end of a very slow month for the Honda dealership.
Consumer Reports ranked the Honda Ody as one of the Top 2 Mini Vans to purchase. I LOVE my van! I spent about 2 months back and forth between the Toyota sienna and the Honda Ody. I took my twins and my oldest daughter and test drove those vans back and forth. Then my husband did his research. By far hands down that Honda is the best van by far. Now it is a newer version this year with more bells and whistles..so the bells and whistles might have some bugs to work out...like my RES...screen that needs some work. But overalll I love my Honda and I do believe it was a wise choice. If I have to eat my words later then I'll let you know. (ha ha...just joking) But I do trust my husband and Consumer Reports. My Honda handles great and I do love it! My Uncle who is an Engineer and studies cars...also says it was one of the smartest things we could have done. But you have to decide for yourself.
I have 3 kids at home and end up running lots of errands with my kids and taking their friends. We also take trips...LONG trips. We bought the Honda Ody 5 Dr Ex-L RES. I LOVE it...Except for the small problem I am having right now with the RES....and it's only the screen right now. Which our dealer is fixing. It's comfy..holds a lot of luggage, I can easily remove the 8th seat, don't really need a compass, but they are nice. Just go drive the 2 vans you are deciding on. Take your kids and make them get in and out of it on thir own without you if that is an issue...ie (car rider lines...) that was a deciding factor for me! Then, go on your own without them so that you can have your own peaceful mind to drive the van the way you want to and really think and decide whether you really like it or not. We didn't get the NAV system, and I travel a lot. I just get my maps or get on the internet. I would much rather spend that money on something else. But you have to decide for yourself. That's what worked for us. I'll keep you in my prayers, and it's your money and you don't want to spend it on something you don't really need or want! The sales people will try to make you think you want something or you'll need it. Those NAV systems are great..but do you really want to pay for them. Think about it and Good luck!!!!!!!
My wife and I pretty much zoned in on the Touring. We did briefly consider the lack of an 8th seat but felt comfortable that hauling eight people was a longshot and things like little league and soccer a few years off (so we could be eating our words...lol). Except for buying a 97 used Subaru a few years back, we hadn't bought a brand new car of 12 years...so we wanted to treat ourselves with all the bells and whistles. Completely unlike us to not comparison shop and analyze to death. Love the touring. I enjoy the MID, she likes the memory seats, the power liftgate has actually been quite useful. The second row console is great too (I think that's touring only).
As for the PAX, we honestly didn't know much of the issues involved. I'm comforted with the fact that they are covered with a two year warranty. In two years, I'm guessing PAX will have become more available and pricing and availability much more consumer friendly.
I just took my 2005 EX in for the same problem. They told me it was a service bulletin which meant they were made aware of it and to expect the Odysseys to come it with this problem. Here's what it is....when you lift the hood, there is a plate that the windshield wipers are screwed into. That plate is deformed and will lift and make a whistling noise. The dealer ordered a new part and fixed my van. I no longer hear that whistling noise. He said if the noise ever comes back, then bring the car back and its always covered due to the service bulletin. Good luck!!
DETROIT (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co. Ltd. is recalling 85,154 Odyssey minivans in the United States to fix potential problems with their frontal air bag systems, federal safety regulators said on Wednesday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the problem, affecting minivans from the 2005 model year, stemmed from two external impact sensors that may have been insufficiently sealed during the manufacturing process.
If water enters the sensor corrosion can occur, possibly causing a short circuit, NHTSA said.
It added that front impact sensor failure could cause a delay in or loss of frontal air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The Honda recall is expected to begin on Aug, 29, NHTSA said.
I noticed today that the 2006 Nissan Quest SE will come with the PAX tire system. The more vehicles involved with PAX, the faster it will roll out to tire shops and dealerships.
"The Touring model adds a power liftgate, tri-zone auto climate control, driver-seat memory, a 115-volt AC outlet, a multi-information display, power-adjustable pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, foglights, parking sensors, auto headlights, a second-row removable center console (in place of the stowable middle seat), run-flat tires, 17.5-inch wheels and a tire-pressure monitoring system."
Not a whole lot of value there for $5k, IMHO. It likely won't bring that much at trade-in time. When I took out what I wouldn't have added a la carte anyway, I decided that memory seat weren't worth that much to me (even though I have had two vehicles with memory seats). Likewise, the auto-dimming inside mirror (again after having two vehicles with them). It is really not much trouble to flip the lever when needed. I am very happy with my EX-L. It is not trouble to readjust the seat when I need to drive it. Run-flat tires might have been nice 40 years ago when I started driving, but now flat tires are pretty rare. The tire pressure monitor on my G35 is nice, but I have only had to add air once in more than an year. Modern tires are doggone good.
That said, it's your money... Sure do like the Ody. Wife is immensely happier than with her 10yo T&C.
$5K?? It only adds $3774 to the invoice. Unless tourings are bringing a big premium in your neighborhood. I was offered invoice on whatever model I wanted. if you look at what those options would add to other vehicles, the Touring isn't out-of-line price wise. I'm not big on the PAX either as I like to have more choice when replacing tires or running snows.
That being said, I would have bought the touring without blinking had it come with the 8th seat. I do miss some of the features of the Touring, but I would have missed the 8th seat by-far more.
The Honda Motor Co. will recall thousands of its Odyssey minivans amid concerns that potentially faulty sensors for the frontal air bag system could make a warning lamp on the instrument panel remain illuminated, the company said Wednesday. ............. Honda said the recall involved 85,154 Odyssey minivans from the 2005 model year. The company said the two sensors near the front bumper may be susceptible to corrosion from road salt, leading the warning light to turn on. ....... The warning light indicates a malfunction and instructs the driver to have the vehicle repaired. The company said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of the sensors were insufficiently sealed during manufacturing.
1. The power lift gate is a very nice luxury. 2.Tri-zone auto climate control is almost a necessity for two adults whose body temperatures vary drastically, together with two kids cocooned in booster/child-safety seats. We know this because of the temperature comfort complaints from everyone when we take our Taurus SES and the absence of same when we take our Yukon XL. 3. The driver-seat memory and power-adjustable pedals are our dream. My wife and I both drive both vehicles and our statures vary by about 10 inches (though my out-of-proportion stubby legs make our leg lengths differ by only 4 or 5 inches). Every time we go through the adjust-everything ritual, we find ourselves salivating over these option (would that both were memory and the mirrors too! Mercedes or Lexus, I guess?). 4. I'll admit that the 115-volt AC outlet and multi-information display aren't too exciting to me. 5. But the leather-wrapped steering wheel as in the Yukon is a delight. 6. Also, the auto-dimming rearview mirror is not only very nice, but also helps prevent a distraction that manually adjusting the mirror causes (not to mention the slight irritation at those so-and-so drivers who have their brights on, thoughtlessly blast the highway with their high-output bulbs, have their headlights misadjusted, or all three! :mad: ). 7. Likewise, auto headlights are wonderful. 8. The foglights, parking sensors, and the second-row removable center console are, at the very least, nice-to-haves. 9.Run-flat tires and the tire-pressure monitoring system might make me feel just a bit better with my wife driving the "wilds" of DFW-area highways (where "courtesy" is undefined and the speed limit signs are taken as the minimum acceptable driving speed). :surprise: :mad: 10. And 17.5-inch wheels would enhance that sense of pride in owning something attractive.
All in all, that's a long list of features I personally would value and well worth a few grand, if you can afford it, IMHO.
As I am in the process of buying a 2005 Odyssey, I am a little bit nervous with all these recalls. So far after the 05s were introduced, there are a total of 4 recalls. I hope that Honda is not compromising their quality for the money, which would be a very bad thing. Is it just that 05s are a new generation model, and (is it) normal for a first year model? I don't know. I would still probably go ahead and buy one, but just wanted to share with this forum my nervousness to see if someone else has any other comments. And, I am not liking the idea to wait for the 06 models, which will be selling probably close to sticker when they come out within a month or so, as I have a deal to get one next week for very close to invoice. Thank you!
Here around Dallas/Fort Worth, it is all too common to hear about someone killed along side the road with tire/car trouble. Don't think I'm being overly dramatic. This happens at least twice a month here.
I've actually told my wife to either drive through the ditch to the frontage road or limp on down the highway to an exit rather than to stop beside the road and risk her life (and usually also, our children's lives) stopping beside the highway.
Doubtless such a maneuver is still risky and would probably destroy the wheel and maybe suspension parts in the case of a flat. But such expense is well worth my families' lives. So, you can well imagine how the relative increased expense and potential hassle of the PAX tires is less of a concern to me than to others.
If one doesn't care about the PlusOne seat and the PAX tire (which can be hard to get and costlier to maintain over the years), and have the money to spend, by all means go for the Touring - it does have features that are very nice. One thing that I have not heard anyone mention is that Touring has a 24.0mm front stabilizer bar, which is only 23.0mm for the rest of the models - a slightly better safety! Another point - if you don't care for the PlusOne seat, why not consider a Sienna - don't shoot me - just a thought :confuse: .....
I bought mine in April and have had zero recalls and really no problems. It seems like whatever recalls have occurred were caught fairly early and corrected on the line. This latest recall only applies to vehicles built through approx. January.
It is common for any new fully redesigned vehicle to have some teething problems. My family was in the auto business for 30 years. We never bought first-year cars, but IMHO the manufacturers have done a tremendously better job than in the past. I like new stuff with the latest gadgets, so I'll give 'em six months of production before buying. Haven't gotten burned yet. Not sure I'd try it with a Ford or Dodge yet....GM has done fairly well though.
Excellent point and you have given your wife smart advice. However, couldn't a person just drive a little slower in the far right lane to the next exit on a flat tire of any kind? I frequently see TV footage of criminals driving for many miles on tires flattened by Police spikes and often at high speeds.
How could you tell that the latest recall only applies to vehicles built through approx. January? Thanks so much! I tried to find that information, but could not during the short search I did this morning. I have been waiting for about two months to get the color I want, and everytime I get hopeful, I get some disappointing news that it will take another couple of weeks (somewhat long story). Very frustrating. And on top of that, these recalls made me even more nervous. If I had the van, I probably would not be worrying as much. Finally today, I have the VIN number, which is somewhat comforting. Anyway, thank you for your comments - it does give me some reassurance - very much appreciated.
According to the VIN numbers, it covers the first 85,000 units built. According to production numbers in Automotive News, that should have hit sometime in January. I know of someone with a Feb. produced van that missed the recall as well.
I would certainly recommend driving on a flat if my families lives were in danger from stopping along the highway. Just glad I don't have to live around such areas. At least it's not here yet. What's the cost of a tire/rim in that situation? Or a good weapon and some training :P
But it doesn't take much to destroy a tire from running on the rim. My daughter drove her Celica GTS back to the house on a flat (just up the drive, about 1/4 mile) and it destroyed her tire. Instead of a $7 fix, it was $350 for 2 new tires. She now knows to huff-it back up the drive in that situation!
And how in the heck to you ruin 2 tires with 1 flat?
You don't ruin two tires. But, unless the ruined tire and it's vehicle/axle mate are brand spanking new, you do want to replace tires in pairs (if not entire sets, if you are in the habit of rotating tires). Otherwise, the mismatches are very hard on your suspension and dangerous for handling.
Also, to sebring95: It isn't so much a matter of getting attacked on the side of the road (though this is a legal concealed weapon state!). It's the fact that drivers too frequently ram into a car stopped at the side of the road. My theory is that this happens because we drive fast here and, when confronted with traffic slowing faster than expected (as they tend to do when a car is on the shoulder), drivers here are in the habit of veering toward the shoulder in an attempt to avoid rear-ending the car in front of them. As a result, they frequently slam into the before-that-point-unseen broken-down vehicle and/or people standing on the shoulder: out of the frying pan and into the fire, as it where. :surprise:
And how in the heck to you ruin 2 tires with 1 flat?
Because the tires were getting worn, we replaced them both so the tread would be even. Price didn't seem bad, tirerack prices were in the ballpark and I'm good friends with the tire shop guys so they always give me good prices. These were her summer tires/wheels, 17" something or another. Youngest boy just got an Acura type-S with some real low-pro 17's, probably be expensive, hopefully it doesn't burn tires as fast as the Celica does.
I would say there is very little to worry about in the recalls. After all the first three recalls affected a grand total of 4373 vehicles. And this latest recall, which according to information I have seen, covers build dates from 7/6/4 to 3/7/5, is to fix something that will cause an airbag warning light to come on in the case of actual failure. In other words, it's not exactly in the same classification as the Exploder/Firestone rollovers of a few years back. In fact, most of the recalls affecting vehicles I have owned were relatively minor matters, for which there was no need to schedule a special trip to the dealer. Once, when Chrysler lost track of me after moving cross-country, my car had a recall repair automatically applied the next time it was at the dealer for service. Also, this number of recalls for a new model is not high. There have been at least 2 recalls for all previous Ody models in recent years.
For any of you Honda sales guys out there, can you share what kind of "days in inventory" figures you have for the '05 Odyssey (specific to EX-Ls if possible)? And for perspective, are these inventory levels any greater today than they were six months ago? And for greater perspective, do you know how this compares to other minivans out there, or maybe even Pilots? Thanks in advance.
NOT an Odyssey salesman but I know that most dealers have ZERO days inventory of 2005 Odysseys....and deposits for all their allotments of new 2006 Odysseys .
Anyone hear Jay Leno last night? He said the recall was *because the drivers look like nerds* - hee hee. Does he not know these are SPORT Vans, not the MINI Vans of days gone by!
I think we might have one or two unsold Odysseys in stock right now. We have maybe a dozen incoming 2005's and probably half of these are pre-sold.
I don't pay a lot of attention to the competition. I do know there seem to be, as usual, a ton of Chrysler minivans sitting on lots as well as a pretty good supply of Siennas.
It's frustrating and I hope the situation improves.
Thank you all for your thoughtful answers. Here is another piece of information that is very disturbing. I am not sure how to interpret, but according to JD Power, 2005 Odyssey has an overall rating of 2 star, which is their lowest . This is really shocking! JD Power gave a 5 star rating to 2004 Odyssey. What did Honda do to go to a 2 start from 5 star after (supposed to be) improving over 2004. I am not trying to find all the negative things about Odyssey, but wanted to share and get opinion from all of you. I am (hopefully) going to get my Odyssey next week!
That information is disturbing mich-chow. Did that information just become available? I recall reading that Ody scored 4 and 5 star on crash test ratings.
Perhaps JD Power sees the drivers side door flying open in a collision as more of a saftey issue than NHTSA does.It is a first year production model though...so maybe Honda can work the bugs out and get that crash rating back up to a 4 or 5.
2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
Comments
They told us they wouldn't even look for a vehicle for us on another lot until we gave them a deposit (they didn't have any EX-Ls with DVD/NAV on the lot). They did assure us they *could* get one, they just couldn't guarantee that it would be less than two weeks delivery. Their explanation for not even looking before deposit was that they would have to swap out a vehicle with another dealer to get a EX-L with DVD/NAV for us. Wrong?
I just don't understand the dragging of the feet. The first dealer we dealt with (the one that wouldn't drop $500 in price to match the second dealer, nor would give us a service loaner for warranty repair) was beyond anxious to get the deal done and closed before the end of this past month. The second dealer STILL hasn't given us an answer as to WHEN we can expect a vehicle.
The only options that we are interested in with the Touring are the backup/corner sensors (really just the corner sensors, since we'll get the backup camera with NAV and the dealer option for sensors in the EX-L is only backup sensors, or so I've read), the power liftgate, the 115 volt outlet, fog lamps, the console tray for the 2nd row instead of the Plus One seat and the black leather interior, and *possibly* the dimming rear view mirror. I was heartbroken when I found out I could only get black leather on the Touring. The only option that we'd consider adding on an EX-L is the foglamps though .... all the others were just gravy.
Wife thought she wanted the Caravan. Sto N Go seems to woo the soccer mom crowd. Had to drag her to Honda, but she changed her mind.
Time will tell... our first Honda.
I bought my Touring there at invoice in February. There is nothing "bad" about PAX tires. True, they have some drawbacks but, at least in my mind, those are more than offset by their advantages. They ride quite well too.
Are the EX-Ls with DVD/NAV *that* hard to find? We live in New Jersey.
I'm shopping for identical vehicle in NJ right now. I found 3 or 4 dealers with 1 or 2 such vehicles on their lots, and several other dealers expecting them in next 2-4 weeks. Your price seems good. I negotiated an out the door price of $34,020 with a little help from a connection to the general manager of the dealership.
MSRP: $28,195
Invoice: $25,367
Bought it from Palm Harbor Honda http://palmharborhonda.com/ in Florida.
It was the last day of the month so maybe they needed the sale ?
I was ready to buy a new Odyssey EX but now am undecided for 3 reasons:
#1. All 2005 Ody due in have a deposit placed on them.
#2. Salesman can not give pricing data on 2006 and said they will have
lower discount than now...or none at all.
#3. The Sienna I test drove was MUCH more responsive than the Ody I
drove 30 minutes later. The Sienna transmission more quickly
responded and the acceleration was much better in the Sienna.
I am very interested to find out where in the US are you not paying around invoice for an 05 ex. Well, maybe hawaii or alaska
I am looking for a solution also.
Your nephew paid right at invoice back in November for an EX. Yet you state that now, as we near the end of the model year, dealer's aren't willing to even get to halfway between invoice and MSRP for you?
Perhaps your nephew should negotiate for you..... :P
The Touring with DVD/NAV goes for $36,237.
Not sure how much the pricing is dependent on your zip code. But those are the prices for mine.
Anyone have any experience with CarsDirect?
Also, on the passenger side, the rear bumper is slightly malaligned by several milimeters. What could be the cause of this? I have a Honda EX two months old.
Thank you for your help.
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As for the PAX, we honestly didn't know much of the issues involved. I'm comforted with the fact that they are covered with a two year warranty. In two years, I'm guessing PAX will have become more available and pricing and availability much more consumer friendly.
The TSB 04-078 "Wind Noise from the Windshield" was for 2005 Ody from vin 5FNRL...5B000001 thru 5FNRL...5B023220. >
Our Ody has the whistling wind noise, but falls outside of the vin # for the TSB - therefore, it supposively was fixed and shouldn't have the problem.
I am wondering if I took it in to get serviced, if they would service it at all and if it would even work?
Thanks in advance.
Love the Ody!
Eric
Good luck.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the problem, affecting minivans from the 2005 model year, stemmed from two external impact sensors that may have been insufficiently sealed during the manufacturing process.
If water enters the sensor corrosion can occur, possibly causing a short circuit, NHTSA said.
It added that front impact sensor failure could cause a delay in or loss of frontal air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The Honda recall is expected to begin on Aug, 29, NHTSA said.
Not a whole lot of value there for $5k, IMHO. It likely won't bring that much at trade-in time. When I took out what I wouldn't have added a la carte anyway, I decided that memory seat weren't worth that much to me (even though I have had two vehicles with memory seats). Likewise, the auto-dimming inside mirror (again after having two vehicles with them). It is really not much trouble to flip the lever when needed. I am very happy with my EX-L. It is not trouble to readjust the seat when I need to drive it. Run-flat tires might have been nice 40 years ago when I started driving, but now flat tires are pretty rare. The tire pressure monitor on my G35 is nice, but I have only had to add air once in more than an year. Modern tires are doggone good.
That said, it's your money... Sure do like the Ody. Wife is immensely happier than with her 10yo T&C.
That being said, I would have bought the touring without blinking had it come with the 8th seat. I do miss some of the features of the Touring, but I would have missed the 8th seat by-far more.
Here are some snippets. Check out the URL for more information.
http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/irep4e_20050804.htm
The Honda Motor Co. will recall thousands of its Odyssey minivans amid concerns that potentially faulty sensors for the frontal air bag system could make a warning lamp on the instrument panel remain illuminated, the company said Wednesday.
.............
Honda said the recall involved 85,154 Odyssey minivans from the 2005 model year. The company said the two sensors near the front bumper may be susceptible to corrosion from road salt, leading the warning light to turn on.
.......
The warning light indicates a malfunction and instructs the driver to have the vehicle repaired. The company said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of the sensors were insufficiently sealed during manufacturing.
1. The power lift gate is a very nice luxury.
2. Tri-zone auto climate control is almost a necessity for two adults whose body temperatures vary drastically, together with two kids cocooned in booster/child-safety seats. We know this because of the temperature comfort complaints from everyone when we take our Taurus SES and the absence of same when we take our Yukon XL.
3. The driver-seat memory and power-adjustable pedals are our dream. My wife and I both drive both vehicles and our statures vary by about 10 inches (though my out-of-proportion stubby legs make our leg lengths differ by only 4 or 5 inches). Every time we go through the adjust-everything ritual, we find ourselves salivating over these option (would that both were memory and the mirrors too! Mercedes or Lexus, I guess?).
4. I'll admit that the 115-volt AC outlet and multi-information display aren't too exciting to me.
5. But the leather-wrapped steering wheel as in the Yukon is a delight.
6. Also, the auto-dimming rearview mirror is not only very nice, but also helps prevent a distraction that manually adjusting the mirror causes (not to mention the slight irritation at those so-and-so drivers who have their brights on, thoughtlessly blast the highway with their high-output bulbs, have their headlights misadjusted, or all three! :mad: ).
7. Likewise, auto headlights are wonderful.
8. The foglights, parking sensors, and the second-row removable center console are, at the very least, nice-to-haves.
9. Run-flat tires and the tire-pressure monitoring system might make me feel just a bit better with my wife driving the "wilds" of DFW-area highways (where "courtesy" is undefined and the speed limit signs are taken as the minimum acceptable driving speed). :surprise: :mad:
10. And 17.5-inch wheels would enhance that sense of pride in owning something attractive.
All in all, that's a long list of features I personally would value and well worth a few grand, if you can afford it, IMHO.
I've actually told my wife to either drive through the ditch to the frontage road or limp on down the highway to an exit rather than to stop beside the road and risk her life (and usually also, our children's lives) stopping beside the highway.
Doubtless such a maneuver is still risky and would probably destroy the wheel and maybe suspension parts in the case of a flat. But such expense is well worth my families' lives. So, you can well imagine how the relative increased expense and potential hassle of the PAX tires is less of a concern to me than to others.
It is common for any new fully redesigned vehicle to have some teething problems. My family was in the auto business for 30 years. We never bought first-year cars, but IMHO the manufacturers have done a tremendously better job than in the past. I like new stuff with the latest gadgets, so I'll give 'em six months of production before buying. Haven't gotten burned yet. Not sure I'd try it with a Ford or Dodge yet....GM has done fairly well though.
However, couldn't a person just drive a little slower in the far right lane to the next exit on a flat tire of any kind? I frequently see TV footage of criminals driving for many miles on tires flattened by Police spikes and often at high speeds.
No - A LOT SLOWER would be more like it.
"I frequently see TV footage of criminals driving for many miles on tires flattened by Police spikes and often at high speeds."
Have you seen the rims after all this? I don't think you want to be driving on regular tires when they are flat.
But it doesn't take much to destroy a tire from running on the rim. My daughter drove her Celica GTS back to the house on a flat (just up the drive, about 1/4 mile) and it destroyed her tire. Instead of a $7 fix, it was $350 for 2 new tires. She now knows to huff-it back up the drive in that situation!
And how in the heck to you ruin 2 tires with 1 flat? :confuse: :confuse: :confuse:
You don't ruin two tires. But, unless the ruined tire and it's vehicle/axle mate are brand spanking new, you do want to replace tires in pairs (if not entire sets, if you are in the habit of rotating tires). Otherwise, the mismatches are very hard on your suspension and dangerous for handling.
Also, to sebring95: It isn't so much a matter of getting attacked on the side of the road (though this is a legal concealed weapon state!). It's the fact that drivers too frequently ram into a car stopped at the side of the road. My theory is that this happens because we drive fast here and, when confronted with traffic slowing faster than expected (as they tend to do when a car is on the shoulder), drivers here are in the habit of veering toward the shoulder in an attempt to avoid rear-ending the car in front of them. As a result, they frequently slam into the before-that-point-unseen broken-down vehicle and/or people standing on the shoulder: out of the frying pan and into the fire, as it where. :surprise:
Because the tires were getting worn, we replaced them both so the tread would be even. Price didn't seem bad, tirerack prices were in the ballpark and I'm good friends with the tire shop guys so they always give me good prices. These were her summer tires/wheels, 17" something or another. Youngest boy just got an Acura type-S with some real low-pro 17's, probably be expensive, hopefully it doesn't burn tires as fast as the Celica does.
I don't pay a lot of attention to the competition. I do know there seem to be, as usual, a ton of Chrysler minivans sitting on lots as well as a pretty good supply of Siennas.
It's frustrating and I hope the situation improves.
Here is the website: http://www.jdpower.com/cc/auto/index.jsp
Perhaps JD Power sees the drivers side door flying open in a collision as more of a saftey issue than NHTSA does.It is a first year production model though...so maybe Honda can work the bugs out and get that crash rating back up to a 4 or 5.