2013 and earlier Honda Odyssey Prices Paid and Buying Experience

Karen_S

Please continue posting your Odyssey purchase
experience here.



Thanks!

KarenS
Vans host

austin78746

I took delivery on September 11 of a 2001 Odyssey EX EG that I ordered on August 21. I paid MSRP + TTL for a total of about $28,700 (the dealership provided fabric and paint protection). I dealt with Tanja Allen of Cleo Bay Honda in Killeen, Texas and she delivered the car to my house because I did not have a trade-in. It was absolutely painless and I never had to go to the showroom. Ms. Allen never tried to have me buy any dealer add-ons. She only offered an extended warranty 7yr/100,000 miles for $1100 It's a great car and we are enjoying it.

ustiny

I ma in NJ by NY state line. I was at a local dealer yesterday who has a brand new zero (0) mile 2000 LX leftover they will sell for sticker of around 23,400. A 1999 at 25,000 is absurd. I deposited a 2001 ex 2 days ago and will be taking delivery in 10-14 days. The dealer called today with VIN # and said once they get the vin# and paperwork expect delivery within 2 weeks. I only paid 26,840 (MSRP) for a 2001 EX. Bottom line, forget about a 1999 for that price. In fact I will sell you my 2001 for 28000 prior to me driving it if you like to overpay.

bberge1

UStiny,

Please reread my post - the dealer is offering the 1999 EX for 22,595, not 25,000. The 25,000 figure is what showed up as the retail value when I tried to get a price from Edmunds. It doesn't make sense to me that the retail value of a 1999 is more than what the original list price - that is why I posted that message.

Thanks for your reply though.

bberge1

Sorry - my last post - that should read 'LX' not 'EX'

idahomom

Yesterday, I paid a deposit for the privilege of being placed on a rather long waiting list for a 2001 EX mesa beige in Idaho. The waiting list is for various colors. I agreed to pay MSRP plus TT & dock fee. "Possible" delivery is late November. I'm sorry to say that the salesman was a little shifty. Before he realized I knew the MSRP of the EX, he actually lied about it. After reading recent posts, I'm scared. Will I ever get my Odyssey? Is mesa beige unpopular and hard to get? Was my negotiating okay? Will I be passed over on the waiting list? Have I been fleeced in a way I cannot even imagine yet? Should I call and bug them every few weeks? Am I driving myself crazy for nothing? Help.

trishadb

This Odyssey thing is definitely affecting me...driving down the interstate today I saw a auto truck trailer hauling a load of Odysseys! My mind went a little crazy and I thought imagine if all the people on this site could get a hold of that truck and push the dealers to negotiate a bit...started cracking up at the site of it:) Something is up as we got a call that ours is in and we only put the deposit in Sat. Beige was my first choice, but silver is coming in so...

jayser

We bought our car at Jim Sigel in Grants Pass. It was for MSRP, but my friend, who is buying an LX, says she is getting hers for $23,300, which is under MSRP. I think they made a mistake when giving her that price. I guess she will find out. Or maybe the LX version is not as popular, so they charge less.
When we picked up our van, the salesman told us that the owner had decided to raise the price to $1,000 over MSRP for the 2001 Odysseys from now on. Still might be worth a try to get one there for MSRP, though.
Also, the dealership in Klamath Falls called us the day our van came in and told us they also had a 2001 SS EX if we were interested.
The Odysseys are out there, if you are in the right place at the right time. We tried Portland and had much better luck in smaller towns for price and availability.

va_buyer

I am in DC Metro area and I got a deal from a dealer in Columbus, OH, who offers Ody for MSRP but since I come from DC (about 400 miles), he would waive the 440 transportation charges. Is it worth to take the deal (Considering wear and tear etc)? Is there any disadvantages in buying it from a dealer who is located so far?

va_buyer

What is the nominal cost for upgrading to leather seats? My dealer here says $1700 to add leather. Is it OK?

masshoosier

Your deposit is the standard $500 refundable one correct. I mean, it should say that on your receipt. If your worried about getting it before early Dec. then put a deposit(refundable, of course) at a couple of other dealers. Even if you have to drive 2-3 hrs. to pick the van up if one of these others get it before the orig. one does then big deal. It will be a nice ride home in that case. The deposits and order can usually be done over the phone if they are willing to give MSRP. If they are not, just give them your name and number and tell them to call you if they change thier minds. If your in no big hurry to get the van.....then just wait it out at your first dealer. An extra month or two is just an extra month or two you get before you have to start the payments.

chip28

My wife and I placed an order for a 2001 Granite
Green EX on 8/23 with a dealer in Charlotte (MSRP + $99 doc fee, no add-ons unless we specify). I am told delivery is around 10/20 to 11/20. Their
"list" (that I insisted I see) was simply notebook paper with pages dedicated to each month. Beside the last name/cust # was the desired color. We are the first of at least four GG EX on the Oct. shipment list. The dealer says they are allotted 30 Odys per month.
I am staying in touch with the dealer to inquire about our Ody about once a week. They have been very courteous so far, but I remain cautiously optimistic. To avoid being slipped by for a "repeat" customer, I will call until that magical VIN number appears.

QUESTION FOR ALL CURRENT ODY OWNERS:
What tips can you give people like Idahomom,
myself and others to best ensure our Ody will BE THERE when "stated"?

rictom

I'm in ORegon. It looks like I can get a 2001 lx with keyless remote, dest, license for 24985 from 3 different dealers. Wondering if I should put a deposit down with more than one (refundable of course) to just see if I can get it a little earlier. Any opinions? Has anyone had a problem getting their deposit back? I've waited this long so I"m not in that big of a hurry but I am worried if my ody will show up when supposed to from the dealer I've given a deposit to. If it doesn't I guess I get in line again, or prowl the dealers to find one someone else didn't want.
Of course I want EG which doesn't seem too popular. My first choice was the blue which they discontinued, very quickly... really wanted that blue.
Thanks

taxmanjeff

I recently went shopping for a minivan for my family and decided on the Odyssey. (Toyota Sienna was nice but small and pricey. Looked at but ruled out the new Dodge Crapavan, this being the first production run of a new Chrysler model.) Anyway several Honda dealers in the suburbs north of New York City all quoted me mark-ups over MSRP of $1,000 - $2,500. That's a little hard for someone to accept who has never paid more than $500 over dealer invoice for any new car. One salesman justified his price gouging by the "Theory of Relativity", meaning that his dealership's standard $1,000 mark-up wasn't as greedy as the $2,000 or higher mark-up demanded by some other dealers.

I did find a reasonable dealer I would recommend, Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie, NY who quoted me MSRP for a 2001 LX with all options (alloy wheels, etc.) at cost. I left a deposit for a vehicle to be built in November, or December at the latest. (PS The salesman showed me an EX but had to struggle to get the power doors to work automatically. Trying to work them manually was like wrestling an alligator. Good luck to those of you opting for the EX with power sliders!)

idahomom

I've read recent posts re. problems with the power sliding doors on the EX. Does anyone know if the power doors will be prone to problems? Also, can anyone confirm for me the MSRP on an EX? Thanks.

bdrsdad

chip28- All dealers get an "allotment" sheet which details how many Odyssey's, which model, color and build date for 1-3 months out, depending on their volume. My dealer showed me theirs, not just some notebook papers - I'm surprised your dealer didn't show you theirs since you had asked. Once you find the build date, delivery will be 12-15 days later, more or less. This is pretty much the rule across the country. The actual delivery date is not under the control of the dealer, they often don't know until the truck shows up, so they can't tell you "exactly" when it will arrive, so don't get bent out of shape if they can't give you an exact arrival time.

taxmanjeff/idahomom- The power doors on the EX work great. If you will read most of the posts related to them, the problems seem to have more to do with "operator error" than any other factor. People don't take the time to figure out how the remote key fob controls work, push the buttons simultaneaously, etc. Even some salesmen appear to be gulty of this. It boils down to the old axiom: When all else fails, read the directions (or owner's manual). I haven't had a single problem with them.

benoble

I, too, haven't had any problems with them. I'm willing to bet those who do haven't even touched the owner's manual! (or got a bad demonstration from their salesmen). I do recall a few people who had a bad sensor in the door, but was very much the exception. They are great!

oddseller

After owning our van for five months, we've decided that we want a trailer and need a truck to tow it. So...our 2000 LX in GG is available. The van has about 7K on it and is absolutely wonderful. It has the in-dash CD and keyless remote added to the LX trim. Anyone in the SF Bay Area interested?

malarchy

Back Again:
Hi all, seems we are still waiting.

In an earlier post you stated you were in the NYC Metro area, and dealing with a dealership 30 miles away, I am from Brooklyn, and very interested in locating a decent dealer, care to disclose your connection?????

To Everyone Else: Stick together be strong, look at us here, we will soon have to start H.O.A.(Honda Odysseys Anonymus). Believe me I feel exactly the same way, I want my Ody too but as I have stated many times earlier, gonna try and hold out just a little longer. Unless we hit the lottery no dealership will take us again, I hated our last car buying experiences, because of dishonesty, the hard sell line, and the sucker punch from the Finance Manager. But these Honda salesman take the award this time, we all can agree. Keep your chins up time and patience will reward us.

kipple23

bdrsdad, you are exactly right. The first time I was at the Honda dealer, the salesman, who admitted he had only been working there a week, was fumbling around with the key fob and couldn't open the door right. Finally, another salesman came over and showed him how to do it (you just press ONE button) and -voila! no problem!

Operating these doors is a piece of cake, but it's better to first LEARN how to do it than to GUESS how.

And it's not a good idea to manually "force" the doors to open or close - you're overriding the motor, and that's not a good thing unless you eventually want to buy a new one.

vatican1

va_buyer, I live in Baltimore and purchased an Odyssey last spring from Honda East in Columbus. Paid $500 less than MSRP. Flew cheap on Southwest Airlines. Dealer met me at the airport that morning, took me to the dealership, completed paperwork w/i an hour, and I drove 6 hours home in time for dinner.

My motivation was not the $500 savings (less, after considering airfare) but the immediate availability of the Odyssey. We needed a replacement right away for our Grand Caravan after the transmission failed for the third time. No MD/DC area dealer could get us a Honda short of a 2-3 month wait.

We did not pay any sales tax in Ohio, but had to pay local sales tax in MD when we registered the van. A little more paperwork, but no real headaches.

vanshopper5

Karen,

Can this town hall discussion continue to be listed in the Consumer COmments section in the Honda Odyssey area (like it used to be)?

I have found it extremely informative and had to search for it today to follow the discussions.

Thank you to all you have posted...I am looking forward to returning to the dealer to place my order much more educated than I started. Will keep you posted as to how I make out...

binkybarnes

trishadb, i know what you mean about the ody thing affecting you. after 5 months on the waiting list for a mesa beige ody, i saw a auto carrier truck on the freeway with a mesa beige ody on it on my way to work...i was tempted to follow it to see which dealership it was headed to. i didn't but ended up calling all the local dealerships and found out which one it was (it was already spoken for...at $2000 over msrp)...rats.

idahomom, the dealership whose waiting list i was on "iced" me (as explained to me in previous posts). in other words, they gave me an expected delivery date so that i would stop shopping around which essentially made me committed to buying from that dealership. meanwhile, they kept getting odys in but selling them to walk-up buyers! i think one way you can tell if your dealer is honest with you is if they will give you the VIN of your exact vehicle two or three weeks before it actually arrives. my advice: continue to shop around until you actually get it.

jmurman42

3 2000 Ody's. A Mesa Beige LX,and (2) GG EX's. Still are wrapped in plastic shipping material.

robr2

Will just continue the praises and info of the others.

Operator error has been our only issue. Doors work exactly as noted in owner's manual which we have read. We usually forget to unlock the doors when hitting the fob or dash buttons.

I was leery of them at first but now wonder why they didn't think of this a long time ago.

Robert

pandey

This message is for oddseller.

We are in the market for an Odyssey LX, and will be interested in talking with you. Please respond if you are still interested.

Thanks.

Karen_S

There are so many Odyssey discussions (current & archived) that in an attempt to save some time I created Honda Odyssey Links. I do my best to keep it updated.

KarenS
Vans host

annetteh1

I was told today that my 2001 EX Odyssey should be in next week. It shipped on the 7th and I was given a VIN number. As it has been a long wait I have not finalized my options. My dealer recommends a GE warranty rather than the Hondacare warranty. The GE warranty is $816 and has a $50 per visit deductible, is good nationwide at any dealer (not just Honda), and is refundable if you don't use it. I know I have seen postings on this in the past but as I am expecting a baby in 4 days I don't have time to review all the old postings. Would anyone be so kind as to tell me if this is a good deal. Are there any advantages to getting the Hondacare warranty instead?

sundweller1

We are looking for a 2001 Odyssey -EX, silver. Does anyone know of an honest dealer in AZ. We are not in a real hurry.

kipple23

Anyone seen a 2001 Odyssey Brochure yet? The web site offers a fact sheet, but only the 2000 Brochure can be ordered. Thanks!

tlm1

I just purchased a 2000 Mesa Beige EX in Idaho on Monday - I'd been on the waiting list since June. I debated waiting for a 2001, but when they called and I went in and drove it (first time I'd even been up close to one!), I decided I'd rather have it now instead of waiting a few more months.

What you were told is consistent with what I heard. My salesman said Mesa Beige was their most popular color requested, but that they didn't get very many of them in. I paid MSRP and they threw in the floor mats (not an issue for you on the 2001).

If you weren't comfortable with the salesman, I'd suggest asking to work with someone else - they should be willing to accommodate you. I'm sure within the dealership, there are some salesmen who are better than others. Long story I won't go into, but I did my initial contact via the internet and my sister asked for the same information via the internet as well. I definitely didn't want to deal with the salesman who contacted her - he assumed she was male, then asked to speak to her husband, said they were selling at above MSRP, etc. I'm a single female buyer and find that really annoying!! However, the person I dealt with was quite direct and accepted my MSRP offer with no hassle. When my Odyssey arrived, he was no longer working there (who knows why?), but the salesman who took over the sale was very pleasant to work with, not pushy at all. They do have Odyssey prices posted with the waiting list on a whiteboard in the showroom - they say the price is 2-3000 above MSRP. My theory is that's just so they can let people who really want to haggle do so and still get them to pay MSRP (or uninformed folks who don't know the actual price, I guess).

Initially, my Odyssey was expected in mid-August, but it didn't arrive until this week. (Must have been the last 2000, they also got a 2001 SS this week.) A friend of mine is on the waiting list for a EG EX, signed up in July and was expecting it in September, but I noticed her delivery date on their list was now Oct. 22. However, on Aug. 31, they told me they were expecting mine in about 10 days, which was right on.

So, at least one other Idaho customer got the same deal and waiting time info as you did...