Honda Odyssey 1999 - 2004

sraj

I've been told that in the 2000 models, the cassette could not be substituted for the CD player b/c you lose steering wheel controls, voice prompts, even keyless entry. Is this still true for the 2001 model year? Has anyone gotten around this problem?

mghoreth

Hi,
I have been gone from here pretty much since my Ody came in in March of '99. There use to be a link to a information page that listed very useful information, such as the hitch and harness detail, sources for parts and other Ody items.
I looked back through some of the archives and couldn't find anything.
Mike in NC

billg7

The link below has a place to get Honda auto parts at a good price. He has also provided other information at that link. I don't think it is what you were looking for. I don't remember ever seing such a link.

http://www.handa-accessories.com/

hangaralf

i bought weathertech mats for the front of my odyssey, i love them - wish i had them 2 years ago. they cover the carpet from door to door (too late for my van, but at least it will protect the carpet from further damage) - the second row mats are on order. you have to understand that i had mats, runners, and car seat covers for every seat in the van before it ever came in. you also have to understand that i have two small kids (and one on the way). no, i have no affiliation with weathertech - i am just passing on some useful info since i know that all of you love their van as much as i do.

sfearing

Steve,
Yes, I did get the quote Feb. 8 from Dave Winnie. I guess you may have to press them to match it. I did buy from Saratoga as they quoted the best price for my van which is now 1 yr old at 20K miles. I waited that long before buying the warranty to establish a pattern of useage of our van and am glad I did as my wife put on a lot more miles than I expected, thus the 5yr/100K plan is perfect for us and saves us around $200!
The Delaware dealer actually had lower prices for vans with lower miles so you might call them and see what they quote you.

stever

'99 Honda Odyssey EX

Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

stevedrew

Scott, Are you sure that 5yr/100K (for $ 745.00)is 0 ded? I talked with Saratoga Honda and they say they gave no such quote, and that you did not get the 5yr/100k for that price.

billg7

1.You seem to have none of the problems reported on this board like pull to the right, problems with the power doors etc, but I now see you are covering a one month period only. I am guessing that one reason some people have more problems then others is that their families are harder on cars and they live in climates other then CA which are harder on cars also.

2. I see you list $0 maintenance cost. Apparently you are leaving out the normal maintenance costs like oil changes, tire rotation etc required on a vehicle of 41,000 miles. Actually I see you are covering a one month period only and maybe that is the reason, but repair cost and maintenance costs would be better reported as total rather then for one month or at least it would be better to list the total costs also.

3. You list the prices you paid for the options on the car. I think you may have paid too much and now I don't feel so bad on what I payed. $395 for Splash Guards and $295 for mats? I had thought that I payed to much for Splash Guards as I thought they were normally about $150.

stevedrew

Scott, Are you sure that 5yr/100K (for $ 745.00)is 0 ded? I talked with Saratoga Honda and they say they gave no such quote, and that you did not get the 5yr/100k for that price.

gkjeung

Thanks for the useful mat info. I have been debating whether to buy them for my 01 SS Odyssey for a few weeks now. One reservation I had was how well they would fit, since they seem to sell them in generic sizes. Another concern I had was that the Odyssey manual states that the factory mats have 'anchors' which attach to the floor to keep it from moving. It warns that you should not put any mats on top of the factory mats because they may move and get in the way of the gas/brake pedals. Does your weathertech mats ever have this problem? Also, does the side of your front mats extend to cover the middle area? Thanks again!

stevedrew

Scott, Are you sure that 5yr/100K (for $ 745.00)is 0 ded? I talked with Saratoga Honda and they say they gave no such quote, and that you did not get the 5yr/100k for that price.

timothyadavis

In the review page there is a box about halfway down the right side labeled "Other Months". In it you will find links to the other monthly articles beginning with May of 1999 (plus an Introduction). Enjoy....

gkjeung

One more question about the weathertech mats. Where did you buy them? Did you order them online? If so, which site? Thanks again.

merlebert

TO johnd15: who is your local dealer who has an unsold white LX on the lot? That's exactly what I'm looking for. (Been waiting 5 months already).

stever

Your mileage should steadily improve after you break-in your brand new van in some more, say a few thousand miles. My (non-Ody) rig had some 12 mpg tanks when it had 400 miles on it too. I'd give it a little time before getting too worried about it.

Steve
Edmunds.com Town Hall co-host
Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories conferences

vmaturo

What's all this talk about buying an extended warranty. Isn't this a Honda you're talking about? I buy Japanese vehicles because I expect little chance of many repairs. Perhaps Honda should have a better warranty.At least better than GM.

hangaralf

I have had them for about three weeks now and I have had no problems. They are made specifically for the new odyssey and extend from one door to the other in a two-piece design that "locks" together in the middle covering just about everything. you can see them in an ad that weathertech is running currently (featuring all the goodies they sell for the odyssey). I saw them in "Motortrend". www.weathertech.com is where i got their phone number. I don't know if they take online orders (since I'm still too paranoid to put my credit card numbers online). The order took about 5 days to arrive. I looked again at the ad and saw that the second row goes from door to door as well and then i ordered them. we'll see in a couple of days when they come in. not cheap - but i think a worthwhile investment. also, for some reason, gray (which is what i ordered since my ody is gray) costs $5.00 more - no big deal.

sfearing

Steve,
That is what I paid. Maybe they decided to raise their prices since then, but they did sell me that warranty that day at that price!

stever

Thanks timothyadavis. I should have mentioned that my link was for the Feb. update. Please keep reading billg7.

Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

koechlein

Our new Odyessy sound system is low fidelity in the carvern of the vehicle. Our neighbor has one with the same problem. Can a simple Amplifier upgrade it? New speakers? Or is the base
in-dash unit poor quality?

grplavloff

"Can a simple Amplifier upgrade it? New speakers? Or is the base in-dash unit poor quality?"

Unless Honda really went out of its way to provide especially poor electronics, the probability is pretty high that your best bang-for-the-buck is to replace the speakers. Unless you're looking for thumpy, exaggerated bass: then you'll need a big amp as well.

jgodyssey

Goggle and I found the following info on weathertech mats...

http://www.roadworksauto.com/default.htm

Are there any other users who can comment on the so called door-to-door coverage? What about the strip of space inside the passenger side sliding door(when the second row passenger side seat is moved to the center)? This is the first step in for the kids and more than likely will get the most traffic and dirt. Do the weather etch mats cover this space?

stever

You may want to look through the 250+ posts in the Honda Odyssey and Sound (only) Board.

Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

jmike1

I have a question about the first oil change. I have a 10 month old Odyssey with only 3,000 miles. Are you suppose to live the breakin oil in place for 6,000 miles or should I get an oil change because its more than 6 months old?

bg18947

As Hangaralf said they do cover from door-to-door. I only got the Weathertechs for the front and center rows. For the rear, a perfect fit is the general purpose SUV/Minivan mat by Kraco which can be bought for $10 at any mass-merchandiser (K-Mart, BJs, Costco). The rear row is not as wide as the center, so the Kraco's work out better. By the way, I bought grey mats throughout. The problem is the Odyssey's cabin is higher than the door sill probably to keep the step-in height low. The trade off is water in the mats will drip towards the door sill. The mats do not overhang the door sill, so potentially it could trap water between the carpet and the door sill.

Also, as per other people's comments, there are not enough ribs strategically molded into the weathertech mats. If you drive with your left foot flat on the floor you have no problem. If you drive with your left foot extended, then it will rest on a portion of the mat without the channeled ribs.

bg18947

I suffer from the same dilemma that you do. I have low-use vehicles. Should I follow the time schedule or the mileage schedule for maintenance intervals? With regards to the first oil change, I would say change it at 3,000 miles. (It's long enough for the break-in.) I only expect about 4,000 miles annually on my Odyssey. It is made up of 60/40 Hiway/Local driving. I was thinking about 1 oil change per year with Mobil 1 oil and filter. It's suburban local driving not NYC local. I think an annual is good enough assuming that you aren't greater than 60% heavy local traffic.

billg7

If you look in the owners manual you will see that under severe driving conditions you should get you oil changed at 3750 miles for the first change. It says also that after 3750 miles you should follow the book and change your oil and perform the services according to that schedule, which says to do it based on mileage or time, what ever comes first. Because you have such low mileage over a long period you are probably driving under severe conditions as you are driving short trips.

I see the next oil change plus other required services comes at 7500 or 6 months whatever comes first, but the third oil change comes at 11,250 with no time limit. I would guess that if you go over 6 months that you would do better to change your oil every 3,000 miles

mrperfect

You can follow the Honda recommendations (remember that manufacturers do not necessarily want long mileage vehicles...they want you to trade every three years) or go the common sense way, First oil change at 1,500 miles (max) and then every 3,000 miles of 5W-30W. The owners manual was produced in Japan and there are probably many mistakes in it due to the conversion from Japanese to American English and American volumes.
Typos are very common in these imported "American English" manuals. Common sense says there are no "special" break-in oils, just thinned down regular oils (castor oil anyone?). Since Honda does not produce its own oil, you have no information as to who does. Since maximizing profits is the name of the game, the oil probably comes from some off-shore refinery run by who knows to who knows what specs. The manuals in all cars are written to "force" owners into using only those products sold by the manufacturer. You can either use their high-priced recommendations (if you are sure the dealer is using them or use any reliable oil change service with name brand fluids. My 2 cents :-) you pickum!

tripp4

The Honda Dealership near me has a 2000 EX still available. What is a reasonable price to pay for last year's model? They're asking MSRP.

Also, what are the main diffences between 2000 and 2001? I know floor mats, alarm, tether connectors.

mike734

Well mrperfect, you are alone in your advice to change the oil at 1500 miles max. Several sources mention special break-in oil. Also, I have not experienced the translation problems you have. Most Hondas sold in North America and made here and the manuals are great. I don't know where you are coming from but it is not from reading the thousands of previous posts on the subject. I'll be changing my oil at 5000 miles and I'm sure everything will be just fine.

gpm5

I recall reading awhile back about uncomfortable seats on long trips. Have the seats improved for 2001? What about the lack of lumbar adjusment on the EX. Is that missed by anyone?

mrperfect

Please look at oil changes logically and practically. Do Honda engines really need oiul changes half as much as ordinary mortal autos? I think NOT! Just use a practical sense and look at your motor oil at 3000 miles and then 7500 miles...and we wonder how sludge builds. Do what you as an individual wants and "lucky" motoring to you. :-)

odd1

Mrperfect has this one wrong. Honda uses a break in oil in many models. Ask your service department about it or scan back on this board there are many posts on this topic.

They make more money servicing your car than selling it to you. I think they would want it to run a long time to keep you faithful to their service dept. and the brand their dealership sells.

jayjr

We live in upstate NY and would appreciate comments anyone has
about how the Odyssey handles in snow. I was looking at mid size
SUV's and started reading up on the Odyssey. It seems like too
good a vehicle to ignore just because it is not AWD.
Can anyone help? Thanks!

auburn63

Here is the link to what the Honda web site has to say http://www.honda2001.com/owners/service_parts/faqs_fluids.html

caviller

>>Do Honda engines really need oiul changes half as much as ordinary mortal autos?<<

No. Honda's recommended oil change intervals, like many auto makers, are 3,750 and 7,500 miles depending on whether you fall into normal or severe service. Some companies use 3,000/6,000, which is not so much different. That's 80%, not half, to be precise. But you could also phrase the question like this:

"With the advent of modern filters and lubricants, why do some companies' cars need changes 25% more often than Honda?"

3,000 or 3,750. I wouldn't lose sleep over it. I really doubt those 750 miles are going to make a difference to the vast majority of buyers.

gkjeung

I purchase my Odyssey about a month ago. The salesman said that I will be getting a 'customer survey' in the mail within a few weeks. He said if I rate 'excellent' to all the categories on the survey, I will be a member of the dealerships's '100% club' and be entiled to benefits. My survey arrived two days ago. Yesterday, the salesman called to remind me I need to answer 'excellent' to all the categories to qualify for benefits. My problem is, is the dealership or saleman trying to bribe me? Isn't it a conflict of interest for him to be telling me that? Although the salesman was 'ok' during the purchase, I had lost a little respect for him when he tried to convince me the the price was $2,000 over MSRP after his associate said it was $1,000. I don't want to miss out on any 'benefits', but I don't want to give him a 'perfect' rating on the survey. Anyone experience this before? Thanks.

bg18947

Oil change at 1500 or 7000 wasn't the original question. If you have a vehicle used only on weekends, let's say, accumulating 4000 miles annually, should you change the oil following the time or distance schedule (a.k.a. 6 mos. or 3000/7500mi (severe/normal)). Oil sitting in the pan is not going to breakdown that fast when nothing is happening.

mschafer

Rate your salesman honestly based on your experience, and the price misrepresentation he made would certainly be enough for me to rate him/her less than excellent.

The only 'benefit' you're likely to miss would be the "SUCKER" sign they'll hang on you, if you rate them better than they really are.

aerocruise

It is not advisable to ignore frequent oil change intervals if say a user puts on only 4000 miles annually. If anything, low mileage users who take short trips( typically under an hour) need to understand that alot of raw fuel enters the engine during warm up cycles- and that is the bane of oil.Some years ago, I purchased a new vehicle that because of its collectible status, it had only 2,800 miles after 10 years. I changed the oil twice annually and it always had the odor of fuel. Awhile ago, I posted a recommendation regarding my Odyssey(which sees a hundred miles a day on the interstate). I choose to keep the purported break in oil and just change the filter(filled with roughly a half quart of what you think the best 5-30 weight oil around is) to eliminate the possibility of the original filter not having the best filtering capabilities from metal particles common in all new engines from manufacturing and break in. Then at 3750, I plan to change the oil and filter again and do so every 3000 miles. I personally know this works because I followed this routine with my 92 Accord and it just hit 180,000 run perfect miles.

acsmith

Bingo! I thought my saleswoman was persnickety because she asked me twice to rate her excellent and even brought out a sample rating form and went over it with me. She asked me to initial that I had seen it! She stated that any rating under excellent was a slam and affects her career, etc., etc.

I thought she was pushy until I got the followup call from the "Customer Satisfaction Rep" at the dealership, "Is everything OK and are you satisfied?" She, too, said to be sure to fill out excellent on every category and to be sure to remember that the dealership made the call.

I'll bet that Honda is not aware that their carefully crafted customer satisfaction surveys are being rendered statistically unreliable by actions such as this.

If nearly all the surveys come in "exellent" the surveys are useless.

Sort of reminds me of Lake Wobegone, where all the men are handsome, all the women pretty and all the children are above average :-).

timothyadavis

I am highly doubtful that Honda America or any significant employee thereof spends much time sweating over how their dealerships achieve whatever ratings they get. Even so, if your personal experience was horrid, you should probably say so on the off chance that someone might take notice (stranger things have happened). But, if you were satisfied in the end with any bumps in the process smoothed out to your satisfaction and they are offering you something valuable to you for a good survey, then why not give it to them? Just because it's win-win doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing. Just MHO....

maxbuster

I have a '01 SS EX with 4500 miles. I have recently noticed several cracks in the rear spoiler near the washer fluid nozzle. Do dealers replace this under warranty? Do the replacements crack as well or is there an improved version?

bg18947

The spoilers are covered under warranty. Whether they will replace it if only a few cracks exists is questionable. I don't know why Honda followed others by putting that useless cover over the rear window. It would have been more practical to put in an air deflector so that the rear wiper would hardly have to be used. Air deflectors serve a function. That so called spoiler doesn't make the Odyssey look any better. They should have at least painted that flimsy cover. Is there an aftermarket air deflector that replaces this useless cover? Of course, I've seen air deflectors that do nothing as well.

fultont

I seam to recall reading on this or another forum that the spoiler is on back order. I would assume due to the number of spoilers that are cracking.

walt43

I have a 2000 Ody LX that I bought last June, and I'm trying to find out the dealer(s) that sell the Honda Care warranty real cheap. I tried searching through the posts but I can't find it. I recall a couple of months ago that someone listed a dealer that charged $895 for the warranty. My dealer wanted $1395 for it and wouldn't budge, so I told him to stick it.
Thanks for the help.
By the way, I love the van. My only problem so far is that the driver's side slider sticks once in a while, but the Sil-glide (Syl-glide?) tip from months ago seems to work.

thecuseman

It's been well over a year since I purchased my Ody, but I recall that the Dealer was Burns Honda in New Jersey. My dealer, Coast Honda in Wall, NJ matched the price.

acsmith

Purchasing a warranty out-of-town 8 months after delivery may be dificult because the selling dealer has to certify the mileage. The cost goes up as time goes by. The selling dealer will have to have some way to verify the mileage. Expect to have to figure out a way for him to verify the mileage, VIN, etc.

Nevertheless, you might try Janis Pohanka at Pohanka Honda of Fredericksburg, VA. She sold me the 7/100/0 warranty on my 01 ODY EX at delivery for $925. Don't know if she'll sell one to a "non-customer" but it never hurts to ask.

acsmith

I agree that it's unlikely that they really care about them, but one never knows. But it was not I that was offered "benefits" for filling out the survey for her with all "excellent" ratings. I was replying to another posting. I wish she HAD offered something nice! But she mentioned nothing about extra benefits. See #1300.

billg7

The salesman did somethings wrong but when I called the sales manager he fixed all of them and gave me somethings for my trouble so I decided to rate them perfect. I was told that anything less then perfect was bad and the ratings were used by Honda to determine how many new cars they were sent.

Nobody is perfect but if they correct all their mistakes when you point it out to them and maybe give you something for your trouble I would rate them perfect. I want a good long term relationship with my service department were we treat each other fairly.

Rear Air Deflector: Many mini vans have them and they are a lot better solution to the problem then the rear wiper. They work great but the Odyssey does not have them.

Posts listing were to buy the Ex Warranty are about 20 to 80 posts up from this one, so start at the end of the posts and work up . You will find them.