2013 and earlier Honda Odyssey Prices Paid and Buying Experience

harryfat

Welcome back.

Like I said before, seems to me the only thing falling faster than the Ody prices is my NASDAQ portfolio. When I bought last month I thought I had a cheap price. No way. Things are tumbling down now. Matters not, we needed the van with a 7 month pregnant wife as her back hurts when she has to bend down to tuck in our 2 year old son when she takes him to day care before she goes to work, so the we had to get the van last month for health reasons. No regrets. Money can't buy you happiness, but sure can help you alleviate your back ache.

I just filled up yesterday after coming back from our trip on Easter. We got 22 MPG and that's after the wife drove 60 of 240 miles the past few days on the way to work, all city driving. So I would imagine if it was pure freeway driving it'd be even higher. Don't have the nerve of steel like you do to go 80 MPH as the CA CHP are pretty aggressive out here. Or else I'd have to change my screen name to Harryjailed...

Keep in touch via these boards as I'm sure as time goes on I'll start migrating to the " Honda Odyssey" board and eventually "Odyssey problems" board as the van gets older...

murmal

Finally I got a fantastic deal far less than the MSRP for my new Ody Ex-L RES. My sincere thanks
to lapvn for the proper guidance. I got excellent
deals from Maryland and NY dealers but considering
2 months wait with Maryland and 600+ miles
distance to NY, I shopped around and got a better
deal in NC. Get in touch with me if any one
need information about the dealers and the Sales
people. My dealings went very smooth, sent a
request for a quote on Wednesday. Thursday,
morning, I got the response. By Friday afternoon
deal was finalized and on Saturday I tood delivery
of my New Ody with some freebies like mudguard,
WheelLocks.

This discussion site is something I am addicted to now and will be visiting it atleast one a day.
I could now actively participate in other
Ody discussion groups to let the world know my experience with Ody.

dad16

Our Ody is Havasu Blue and will spend its time on 680/24/880. It's the one with splash guards. I too expect to be changing diapers in two months or so. Know of a good diaper board?

Hey, does any one know of a good product to protect the inside and exterior that is not sold by the finance dept. of a dealership? Yes, I know there are lots of waxes and Scotchguard, but is there anything else to consider? There seems to be quite a following for a product called Zaino that I discovered on the maintenance board. Never heard of it. Maybe its a East Coast-West Coast thing. Most people from the East seem to think its slicker than a new set of snow tires. What's best to protect the leather seats?
How about a teflon sealant called 5starshine?

I saw a site with lots of info on warranties
www.car-buyingtips.com----check out the warranty section.

The new van is just great!

stever

Zaino is practically a cult; be forewarned :-)

Zaino Car Polishes/Products--Your Experiences (Part 2)

For the rest of us, there's:

Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)

What kind of insides? Common recommendations are Lexol for leather, those w/o leather like Scotchguard (or whatever the reformulated stuff is now called) for fabric and I personally like 303 Protectant for the dash & other "plastic" parts.

Check out the "clay" posts in the wax discussions too. It's an old detailer's trick that really works. A clay bar will run about $10 and will really "smooth" out the sheet metal before you wax it.

Steve, Host

dad16

I got lost for hours reading those links.Thanks agian for the insight.

multiplechoice

Dad16, if you need to order Zaino and don't want to wait for the check to clear look at www.lazaino website. I have ordered from them before and was happy with it.

kentucky63

Am trying to find a good deal on Odyssey. Have been quoted about $1100 below MSRP (still about $1900 above invoice) for an EX-L RES -- however, from what I have read here perhaps thats not all that great. What strategy do you guys recommend when getting quotes -- I'm afraid I am a novice at this.. HELP

stever

Kentucky, check out this message and the link in my message that follows:

mlempire Nov 24, 2002 12:15am

Steve, Host

lapvn

I was trying to keep a low profile, until I returned back from the Auto show with more scouting report, but I thought I check in on this one.

First, Nick, sorry for not responding until now.

I didn't know you were aloud to solicit business here. I guess if Steve says it's ok, why not.

Nick and Ed,

Please take a look at my post (# 3507) on
lapvn Mar 25, 2003 1:07am

Should at least be able to match my deal since the Sienna is in full force right now.

stever

The Member Agreement that you agreed to when you joined Town Hall says no soliciting - the big blurb at the top of the page says not to post contact info.

And yet you still spam us?

Ordinarily I delete and admonish by email but you really took the cake today. If you want to participate, fine - if you're just here to drum up business, go away....

Steve, Host

lapvn

Steve, sorry about my post if you got offended.
Glad you got rid of that guy though. I was just thrown aback when I saw that posting.

Nick again I apologize for the delay. Email me, and I will let you know all the details of my journey.

hondaeddie

Steve,

Not trying to drum up business, but trying to show the real differences in the Odyssey vs. the 2004 Toyota Sienna. These people on here are very interested in learning where to go to find
an Odyssey at prices and selection that suit them.

Is it so wrong to be able to give advise from someone on the other side of the fence, as to
why and where to buy an Odyssey? That's why this is an open discussion forum.

I thought you'd allow a little leeway in the debate of Odyssey vs. the 2004 Sienna. Hopefully, you'll allow me to show the differences, and particularly, the residual values of an Odyssey being so much better.

I also hope there isn't some kind of a clique here between you and Lapvn. That wouldn't be very fair.

lapvn

I wasn't going to say anything bad about you, but you drew first blood.

Steve has been here longer than I have, and have no relation to him.

I only started hanging around these forums because I was in need of a minivan. If you look at my previous post it was all information on helping others or asking for help from others.

And yes your previous post was soliciting business. It had no mention of any comparison to the Sienna. There is a forum specific to that topic which you are welcome to join, but this forum is for people in search of TRUE pricing.

And yes I did my share of research, going as far down as Open Road Honda and Freehold Honda and as far North as Middletown Honda. And yes I did get my deal from Yonkers Honda, and am very happy with the purchase. And yes you were contacted.

stever

We have a lot of members participating on Town Hall who sell cars for a living. We very much appreciate the insider info. We also ask that they abide by the Member Agreement, meaning no posts like "we just got 3 off the truck this morning" and "email me for more info" and "take a drive up my way."

Phone numbers and links is way too much....

Steve, Host

kpurohit

I paid 26,311 for Odessey EX-L.

harryfat

I'm from CA, so it matters not to me whether or not you are trying to sell your services because I won't be buying.

But it strikes me as odd that if you want to debate the pros/cons of the two vans here in the prices paid forum. It should be fairly easy to find the actual Ody versus Sienna forum to post your biased opinions over there. That forum is full of biased opinions one way or another. You will feel right at home in the fiery debates over there (assuming you don't post your work info publicly).

So if you truly intend to spread the benefits of Ody, we'll see you over there. If not, then it's pretty obvious your previous post was just a self marketing ad.

kentucky63

I have thought about backing off of a EX-L RES and just getting an EX. I think I can get an EX off the lot for $25,500 (not including 5% tax)and am going to add the Honda added Care warranty. Aftermarker leather is going to run about $1395 (installed, including door panels). Also, the Honda dealer says they have a DVD system they can add which he says he actually prefers to the factory-installed one. Anyone have any insight/advice/guidance they can provide. Is $25,500 a good deal?? I think he wants to do an end-o-month thing. Also, what advantages does the factory RES have, if any?

lapvn

My original HOPEFUL deal was for an EX at $25,590. So for your offer I THINK you should be able to do a little bit better since the Sienna is out in Full throttle.
That particular dealer also offered me an aftermarket DVD, you have to remember that these are installed by another electronics store near the dealership. So that call has to be made by you, unless someone has actually bought from the dame dealership as you and have any input. Same goes with the leather.

Just to be safe, I opted to go and get the EXL RES, this way from day 1 I knew and was fairly confident of what was in my Ody, and felt good about it. It is sort of a peace of mind thing for me.

harryfat

Congrats on the new Ody.

you want to tell people the names of the dealership that sold you the Ex-L? typical restrictions of no names, phones, etc.

looks like you got it for $300 above invoice on the EX-L or $2550 off MSRP. Probably one of the best deals here so far. As always, Ohio seems to be the low price leader in Odys. I'm sure others would benefit from your experience...

vrm

Folks,
IMHO the time is near when you will be able to get a new Ody for $3,500 below MSRP.
My thesis is based on the following fact:
-Two new strong competitors in the market: 2004 Sienna and 2004 Quest (coming in July/August).
-The 3rd seat folding flat is now a commodity: every new minivan/SUV (barring Chrysler!) has this.

The winners in all this competition are going to be we the consumers! If you can, wait till the 2004 Quest is introduced and then it will be a buyers market. Good Luck and keep posting the success stories!

lapvn

a Sunday morning paper with Ody ads all around with $1k rebates. What do you think? Wow, who would have thought I would ever see this day come.

mk37

Congrats on your new van and thanks so much for your invaluable insight into the process. We too live in the Atlanta area and are are trying to decide between an Odyssey and Sienna. I have found the Atlanta Toyota dealers fairly arrogant and it is making us lean toward the Odyssey. We have a prior experience with Honda Carland and would like to do business with them if we choose the Odyssey.

I stumbled on a Toyota dealer in AL called Sunny King Toyota. Do you know if/how they are affiliated with the Honda dealer that you bought from? If so, did you talk to them about the 2004 Sienna? There is one that looks like it will be available next week that would meet our needs but I wonder if they are just as arrogant as all the others?? As you mentioned before no dealer is coming close to a 2-3% over invoice prices mentioned on the Sienna board.

Any thoughts/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

barreg777

Just started my quest for a 2003 Odyssey LX with an email spam campaign to 20 WI/IL dealers. Will let everyone know how it goes. Hoping for at least $2K under MSRP.

rboyd4

I'm sure the Toyota dealer is also related to King Honda- I think they sell about 5 different makes. Incidentally, a related family member to "King" also owns a Honda dealership in another part of the state. As to King's Toyota Sienna prices, I would certainly see where they are. As I said before, to do the volume they are doing from a small town they have to beat the Atlanta dealers. That said, in my experience they are not going to gratuitously discount their vehicles. I also contacted them last November about an Ody EXL-RES. At that time they were holding at full MSRP like the Atlanta dealers. I would suspect on a Sienna right now they would be within a couple hundred dollars of that Atlanta dealers. Carland came very close for us on the Ody I don't know exactly why- the last time I was on their lot a few weeks ago they had marked up the Ody's $1,499 above sticker for some minor add-on features. Maybe if you contact them through the internet they get "real" real fast.

Overall, I think it is very important to e-mail at least say, 10-15 Honda dealers to get a good sense of the market and push them hard about what price you are willing to pay. If you did that today for example I would suspect you would get a totally different list of "winning" dealers than I did. I doubt any dealer has consistently better prices than the others. Once I got down to the top 3 dealers who were all very close I played them off one another and squeezed about another $300 reduction out of it. I do think to get these kinds of prices you have to present yourself as a quick and easy closing once a deal is reached- no delays, handholding, etc.

Good Luck!

kentucky63

I am waiting on a salesperson to call me. I am going to offer the following:

Honda EX (Sage Brush Pearl)
w/ floor mats, Protection Package, and Cross Bars
$25,500.00

Plus, I am going to buy the 7/70,000 Warranty for $995.00

I think this is a good, honest deal with them still getting something above 2% above invoice. What do you think? I'll let you know if I am successfull..

bobbya2

I would not suggest you to buy extended warranty at first place. Should you still decide to go for it, I would suggest going to website: carbuyingtips.com which has information on just about everything extras you want to buy or are forced to buy from dealers. I even remember reading there about 'window-etching VIN # Kit' which you can buy and do on your own for much cheaper.
Infact, they have provided links to all such products and services websites.
Good Luck

kentucky63

The Honda dealer accepted $25,575.00 ($75.00 above my request -- (we split the difference on the $149.00 cross-bar and installation).

Here is deal summary:

$25,575.00 EX (Sage Brush, inc. wheel locks, splash guards, cargo tray, cross bars)
  1,278.75 State Sales Tax
      5.00 Title Fee
      5.00 State Inspection Fee
==========
$26,863.00 Out the door

I will discuss the Extended Warranties when I pick it up tonight. He says they also sell non-Honda warranty and they have one that goes to 100,000 miles for about $1,200.00 (he wasn't sure because business office sells the warranties).

This was a pretty nice experience -- thus far. The guy was really helpful, non-pushy, and the dealership does not add on any unexpected "market adjusted values," paperwork fees, etc.

So, how did I do -- and don't say I did terrible or I will be devastated.... grin

lapvn

Another member to the B.O.O. club woo hoo

stever

You did great!

Another thing to remember is that you can buy the extended warranty down the road; the dealer will sell you the Honda one anytime until the 3/36 warranty runs out.

That VIN etching stuff sounds worthless to me; I guess a chop shop could sell the windows too, but I've never heard of a guy in an alley pushing them. Plus a lot of police stations will do it for you free.

Check this message for a link to a good checklist to follow when picking up that new van:

billg7 "Honda Odyssey" Feb 8, 2001 7:27pm

Steve, Host

vrm

In the Kentucky63 post, I see that "cross-bars" have been mentioned? Can someone tell me what this is?

Thanks!

kentucky63

On the EX Honda includes the roof rack bars that go down both sides of the top of the vehicle -- but charge extra for the cross bars. The roof rack is worthless (accept for aesthetics) without the cross bars.

Thanks for telling me I did well, Steve.

By the way, the dealer was Paul Moak Honda in Jackson, MS. This is going to be my first Honda -- I have had 4 wonderful Subarus before this. Unfortunately, Subaru does not make a minivan (but I'm keeping my Forester for our second vehicle).

dad16

I purchased the Honda Care Warranty 7/100K, 0 deduct. for $999. Yes, you can purchase it any time in the next three years with a coupon sent to you by Honda offering $79 or $99 off (a promotional thing). You can get a better discount negotiating for it now at $995 than you will pay anytime in the next three years. Make sure you get the 0 deduct. not the $50 deduct for your price. I spoke with a mechanic at the dealer near me who said with the Honda Warranty if the doors and windows were not working right then Honda would take care of it in one trip. If you are with another warranty co. and the same problems exist and you have a deduct. they charge $50 each visit and set up two visits.
Buy the Warranty and have peace of mind. Honda Care is backed by Honda Motor Co. who is not going out of business anytime soon.
Congrats on the new van.

stever

Bought in Jackson eh? Didn't want to wait a few months to see the van the people in Canton are working on?

Steve, Host

kentucky63

Well, the new Quest looks nice (if not a bit odd), but I really doubt they will be inclined to offer much in the way of discounts soon. Also, this will be the first vehicle produced in a new factory with new workers who, for the most part, have never built another car. Maybe by the time the Odyssey is ready for the pasture I will have another look. I must admit, I did have them send me information, but I think it would have cost me more...

stever

We can pit the Mississippi Quest against the Alabama Odyssey (still made mostly in Anniston, right?).

It'll be just like Johnny Vaught and Bear Bryant all over again :-)

Steve, Host

kentucky63

Well, if I was going to base it on where it was built, I'm REALLY REALLY glad I didn't get the Sienna (Indiana). Being a Kentuckian that would have been the closest thing to being a traitor. (UK and IU have HUGE rivalry).

stever

You have Subarus! My Outback has a "Made in Indiana" sticker on it :-)

Steve, Host

kentucky63

BUT the Forester is made in Japan.....

ifhima

All,

I've been offered a deal which seems very good, but I wanted some feedback first. Here are the details: '03 Odyssey EX with DVD System. NY 8.25% tax. $1500 total out of pocket; $319 p/month; 48 month lease. Any thoughts, please assist if possible.

Thanks.

mk37

What is the purchase price and/or trade you are doing? I think one of the dealers in GA was advertising 299 for a plain ex and only 7% tax. So with the higher NY tax and DVD that sounds similar.

happy_face

Folks,
I bought an EX-LRES with no additions for $1000 over invoice last weekend form a dealer in Roseville,ca. Got quotes over internet from various dealers & narrowed this one. Process was pleasant.

happy_face

Folks,
Can you buy extended warranty from a dealership other than one which sold you the car?
Mine asked for $1326 for honda 7/100000. I didnt take it.

lapvn

You can most certainly buy from any Honda dealer and also from Honda Warranty. Don't get push around at the finance manager. Hopefully you would have read some information on it, and some pricing before stepping in his office. That amount is extremely high.

stever

That link in post 3787 above links to some older Honda extended warranty quotes at the bottom of that checklist. They are old quotes now, but may give you some ideas.

(Touché Kentucky <g>)

Steve, Host

snish1

I am in the process of negotiating a deal for an EX - Leather + Nav. Minivans with Navs seem harder to find around these parts (Raleigh and surrounding areas).

I am targeting $2500 below MSRP for EX-Leather (without Nav) and am hoping for a similar deal on the Nav. If I get it, we will probably seal the deal.

I had to call around, and the farther away from my hometown that I got, the more the dealers were willing to deal. I'll post the final details when (if) the deal gets done.

We also considered the 04 Sienna, and my wife & I really liked the looks. Apart from paying MSRP, somehow the thought of waiting for "2 weeks to 2 months" did not sound appealing. Also, the ride in the Sienna seemed softer than the Honda - we both liked the feel and drivability of the Honda. Personally, I thought that the interior of the Odyssey was rather spartan, but the Nav should take care of that My wife doesn't see the utility of the Nav, but then it is a toy for Daddy. I just could not see an after-market GPS being as well integrated as the factory installed option.

We are planning to get an after market DVD installed - no point in paying the dealer $500 more than what it would cost me at Best Buy or Circuit City. As an aside, do people with DVDs manage to ration the TV watching time in the van to only long trips? Somehow, the thought of kids watching TV ALL the time including trips to the grocery store does not appeal to me. Am I in the minority in this? (My wife thinks so...)

ldxrunner

I am seriously considering buying a Honda Oyssey EX with cloth because it is a good vehicle. Also I need a vehicle. I can e--mail the story of what happened to my other verhicle.I have no vehicle to go to the various dealers. I live about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Pa. I received one quote for a Odyssey from a dealer, via e--mail, in central Pa. for $26,360.00 plus free wheel locks. Taxes, tags. etc. would be extra.If anyone can give me any advice, help etc.. I would appreciate it. Without a vehicle I cannot get food and go see my friends in New Jersey etc. Thank you for your time and your consideration.

blandfordm

ldxrunner,

If you have time, visit:
http://autobuyingtips.com/
http://www.carbuyingtips.com/
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/

The first two sites are commercial sites specifically designed to teach you how to do what you're asking. The third is for a Federal Government site designed to help consumers, called the Federal Citizen Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. You may remember their commercials on day time TV from years ago- I don't know if they still have the commercials or not. At the pueblo site, just click on "cars" at the top left of their home page. They have two very good articles that are very specific on techniques of how to get the best deal on a new car.

Finally, you can also go to the Honda website at:
http://www.hondacars.com/landing.asp

Type in your zip code on Honda's home page under "Locate Dealers". Then type in zip codes close to you that you would be willing to drive to.

Once you have plenty of dealer e-mail addresses or links to send them messages, then send all the dealers the same blurb- something to the effect of 'I would like to get a quote for the drive-out price for a new 2003 Odyssey EX with cloth. Of course, I would like the quote to include all fees and taxes. I intend to buy within ______ days/ weeks/ months. The colors I prefer are _____ and _____. I will title the van in _____ County (so they can add any sales tax to the drive out price). I've contacted several dealers and intend to buy from whoever gives me the best offer. You can reach me at this e-mail address."

If you plan to buy right away, that's great. Let them know. They'll see quick cash and put other buyers who say they're buying later on the back burner while they try to close a deal on you. But DON'T let the dealer know you MUST buy soon or they will think they have the advantage. I think you want them to believe you can wait as long as it takes to get a good deal and that you will buy when the price is right. And who knows, you might even wait for the 2004 Quest or for prices to drop on the 2004 Sienna (competition is good for buyers).

You'll start getting e-mail replies with quotes or questions from dealers. Some will ask for a phone # to speak to you or tell you to "COME ON DOWN and LET'S MAKE A DEAL- WE CAN'T BE BEAT!!!" Call them or not, whatever you're comfortable with. But unless you haven't test driven the van yet, I would recommend NOT going to the dealer until you get a price you are comfortable with.

When one dealer e-mails you with a quote that is better than another's, write back to the dealer(s) with the higher quotes to see if they can beat your lowest quote. Keep this up until you get tired of it, the dealers start bottoming out saying they can't beat another's, or you reach the price you're happy with.

More advice. My opinion is just deal with drive-out price- not how much "under" MSRP. The dealer will say he's saling the van for $1,000 under MSRP, but will then charge you $399, plus or minus in "processing", "documentation" or some other name for their "fees". That "processing fee" used to be your money, now it is theirs- they didn't sell the van for $1,000 under MSRP. They said they did on one part of the paper, and then took you for an extra $400 further down the paper, so they sold it to you for $600 under MSRP. Different dealers charge different fees. And it can get confusing adding up everything to make a real comparison between dealers. That's why I think you should just deal with drive-out price or total cost with tax, title, fees...\

And watch out for add-ons. Tell the dealer you don't want them and won't pay for them. If they want to throw them in for free, great. For the most part, pin-striping, rust-proofing, scotch-guarding.. are all indicators of a dealer who is trying to overcharge you for something that doesn't really add anything to the vehicle.

kentucky63

Well, I got to dealership at 6:00. Checked over the van, drove it, looked everything over good, signed paperwork, was given tour of service area and good overview of features. The weather during all this was horrible (tornado warnings, hail in area, torrential rain, etc.)

Only two problems. Somehow I overlooked noticing that the cargo net wasn't there. I guess when they put in the cargo tray or something it got taken out. I called this morning and the sales manager apologized and said they would take care of the oversight.

Also, the insides of the car were not QUITE as clean as I would have liked. There was a spot on the carpet (came right out), but they had hurried cleaning it and that was clearly evident.

During signing there was no pressure exerted by the business rep. to purchase an extended warranty or anything. He mentioned it but did not push -- or even ask -- if I wanted to do it right then and there. When I mentioned a price I had found on Internet for Honda Care warranty he said that was better than he could do. Also, he said the 3.9% financing I got through credit union was better than he could have offered.

A VERY low-pressure (actually no-pressure) sales experience. Probably ranks at the top in my history of car deals.

The trip home was harrowing. I kept expecting the hail to start and pummel my new car. The car drove well in the wind and rain. However, I did note the following:

1) The absence of all-wheel-drive which I have had in all my Subarus was clear. However, in defense of the Odyssey, it did very, very well. The Michelin's on the car did well in the storm, and there was little wind noise.

2) The windshield wipers on high are not as fast as I wish they were.

I plan on taking vehicle over and getting after-market leather and then, eventually, adding a rear entertainment system. Does anyone have experience with the Audiovox units? Also, I have thought about fog lights and the autodimming rear view mirror with temp and compass. I have temp and compass on my Forester, and I will miss them on the Odyssey.

lapvn

Congratulations. Glad to hear the new toy came through ok through the storm.
When I started looking at DVD's for the car, I almost settled on Audiovox, people recommend them because they are the only one offering 3 year warranty. I also thought of a Sony 7" motorized screen from Best Buy for like $400. I was hoping to do an Alpine DVD player since I love their head units from way back when.
That is all the information I can give you since I opted to get the Ody EXL RES just to make the task a little bit simpler. Hope the above helps.

harryfat

I normally post on the Ody versus Sienna board that forum made it on the daily top 10 with it's numerous posts. Didn't realize that this forum was number 8 yesterday.

Congrats on making it to the "big time", although I think 1/3 of the posts came from Kentucky...