Have owned a silver EX-L since July with 4000 miles. No mechanical problems at all and the family loves the all-around versatility and the smooth, quiet ride. However.....we are very dissatisfied with the perforated (gray) leather seating surfaces, especially on the bottom of the front seats. When we picked up the car, the bottom surface that you sit on was not wrinkled, but it was obviously not tight against the foam upholstery. The leather also seems thin. After a few weeks of sitting on it, it had permanently stretched and now has ugly wrinkles and buckles that make it look cheap and years older than it is. Yesterday I sat a stack of 4 books on the passenger seat, and after returning them to the library there was an impression in the seat that was still visible the rest of the day. The demo car at the dealer had the same problem, so I was forewarned, and I also peeked into another Honda while on vacation in August..the drivers seat was in the same condition. I have written to Honda and to my dealer about my concerns so I can go on record in case they issue a service bulletin in the future, but at this time no none is willing to do anything about it.
I am considering the purchase of a Honda Pilot EX and the dealer has promised a $1,00.00 discount. Is this a fair price (I live in Arkansas)? Also, I keep reading about problems--transmission problems on one of townhall discussion groups, headlights not bright enough, and the water pump recall on some of the vehicles. Advice anyone? Many thanks.
I've ordered a pilot but have the following concerns after reading past postings. will people who've recently got the Pilot respond. What's the story with the headlights? Dangerous or not?(I drive on unlighted country highways) The second row middle seat seems hard as a rock. Has this been a problem for anyone? Can the middle pullout (cup holders and activity tray) be replaced with a softer cushion? I've heard that the goodyear integrity tires are terrible on wet surfaces and not very good in general. Is this true? Will I need seperate snow tires for snowy winter driving? Has anyone in the far north country done any winter-like driving in a Pilot yet? How does it handle? Can anyone recommend some appropriate snow tires that also handle well on dry pavement?. Are people still experiencing problems with timing chain, water pump etc.?Finally about the leather. the test drive car i drove had 500 miles on it and the leather seats started to look streched (on seat cushion) and cheap already.Nothing worse than cheap leather. Good reason for getting cloth. I would appreciate answers to these questions. Thanks
First, you should check out the honda-pilots.org board for detailed answers to each of your questions. But, I'll try to summarize....we got cloth cause leather without heated seats is uncomfortable and we had no issues with our 99 Ody EX with cloth...the Pilot EX cloth is even better in feel and appearance.
Headlights are best I have driven, and I used to think the Ody's were the best, and good as Volvo I believe. Only thing I can figure about complaints is that they are misaimed. The lights are bright with sharp cutoff, so if misaimed, you won't see as far as you should; no spillover.
The water pump, belt & pulley is one issue that was addressed in recall for specific vehicles. If you had a defective water pump seize; then all the parts were damaged and then some. Ours was one that was affected; took it in and had all of it replaced.
Tires; forced to replace ours, and I wasn't going to put two new Integritys on when wife punctured left two (400 miles on odo) "avoiding road hazard". Went with Michellin Cross Terrains all around for peace of mind.
Second row seat; I never sit there but I don't hear any complaints....I do hear a lot of fighting for the "solo way-back seat" between our two kids... Whew.....
Thanks for your reponse to my questions moonkat. I would appreciate others out there to give input on these questions as well. One more question: Is there an outside temperature guage on the pilot's instrument panel? thanks
Will trade this year (03) for either new van or suv. Looking at both Odyssey and Pilot. One comment common to both Hondas: excessive road noise inside cabin when traveling at speed (70-80mph). Can anyone comment, pro or con? We currently are ending good association w/Previa van...one of the few knocks: road noise in cabin. I know this is subjective, but would appreciate opinions. Thanks.
lizzard1, The EX has an outside temp guage, its integrated with the trip odometers on the dash (you can only show trip odo A, B or outside temp...the real odometer has its own display)
Buckeyedon,
Yes, its subjective...I would suggest driving the previa to a dealership and then test driving the honda's to compare...I don't have an issue w/ the road noise level in my pilot...I find it much better than my Grand Cherokee, and comparable to our 96 Accord...
I moved away from honda's after owning 3, including the first generation oddy. That was one tight little minivan, was trouble free. Only knock on that, and the accords we owned was road noise. I am considering a pilot but would have to accept the road noise as a compromise to other positive attributes.
I have heard the pricing is going down on the Pilot, but I haven't heard about leasing specifics. Could all of you happy new Pilot owners post what kind of lease deals you've received? Please include the following, if possible: Negotiated sales price Lease term (36 or 48 mo.) Mileage (12k or 15k/yr.) Money Factor State and/or Dealership
I've never noticed a problem with the headlights. The low beams are very good for most driving and the high beams are also very good. I have the fog lights and seldom use them, but when I do, they really light up the low areas to the left and right.
I live in Minnesota and have not put snow tires on a vehicle for many years--all season radials have always been adequate, especially on front wheel drive cars. One reason I bought the Pilot was because I've found the all wheel drive on my wife's Mountaineer to be very handy on the occasional icy and snow-covered roads we have here. I don't intend to get snow tires. Unless you're usually driving in 6-inch deep snow, I don't know why they'd be needed. They are no help at all on ice or hard-packed snow.
Looking for an economical car. No leather, no sunroof. Just power locks, power windows, automatic, power steering, cruise, stuff like that. Nothing else. How much should I expect to pay in Texas? Also, is it cheaper in another state near by? I'm hoping for $25,500
Come over here and I'll sell you one, just so you can stay in Texas. Texas is just about as cheap as you can get for a Honda. We're all "Hey, lets drive a pickup," so Honda is kinda a sleeper and we have a fondness for whoring cars out. Californians would be shocked by what we sell cars here for.
I was really interested in buying the new pilot. However, as expected I am reading both pro & con but it seems more of the latter. It seems that mechanically you all, those of who own one that is, like it in general but by lord is seems to have so many little flaws that if I read in between the line border on irritation. Also the complaints about the lights, steering column, etc bother me somewhat. Also, I remember reading somewhere, that the paint color really lack lots of choices too and not much to choose from or creativity in thought in the paint color selection. Any commnets on my concerns or at least mental mussing? What do you think is the best paint colore to get. No blues at all for use blue people! skihiker
Any one have an opinion on deadening road noise? I wonder if getting rust proofed at Ziebart etc. which claims it deads noise would be effective. Also what is the record for rust in Hondas? I know my 89 and most I view on the road, have the same rust areas by the back wheel wells. If I purchase a Pilot I am considering having it rust proofed with the hopes of not only combating rust but lowering the road noise. Amy comments would be welcome.
the sunroof is strictly aftermarket, although some dealers are having them put in by aftermarket shops...The most popular one for the pilot seems to be the Webasto 744. About $1k from the shop (or dealers are asking $1.5K for the same thing). I dont have one yet, but the one I saw in a pilot looked first rate (hard to tell from a factory sunroof)
The wife and I test drove an EX-L this weekend. We were very impressed. I have a few questions for those who have already purchased a Pilot.
We are considering adding the tow prep package (trailer hitch, A/T cooler, P/S cooler), fog lights, and side steps. For those who have had accessories added, was the price paid actual dealer cost, retail plus installation, or somewhere in between?
For colors, has anyone purchased a Sagebrush Pearl with the Fern leather? What color exactly is Fern? Blue/grey, light blue? The dealer where we test drove had only gray leather and saddle cloth interiors. We're very interested in the Sagebrush, but the website doesn't do anything for us. If someone could post pics of the Sagebrush exterior and interior, or direct me to some pics, that would be great.
My wife and I test drove a Sagebrush Pearl Pilot with the Fern interior. The Fern color looks like light grey. We really liked the exterior color but were concerned with two small kids that it would require more maintenance to keep clean. We ended up with silver/grey. The interior is darker and seemed better suited for kids.
Unless you are a graphics designer with a fancy calibrated monitor, no pic on the web is going to do justice to the real thing. It's hard enough with ink on paper.
I agree, I would wait until a Pilot/Ody or whatever else Honda/Acura paints sagebrush to get a good idea. It seems to be a love it or hate it color. But agree, no brochure or web pic can capture it correctly.
I sure was dissappointed that the rear hatch window was fixed on the Pilot. I get a ton of use with my current one on my Expedition. Anyone heard if this is changing anytime soon or if it's feasible to after-market it.
Thank you for the info. Please pardon my ignorance, but where would I get the sunroof you mentioned? I assume that the sunroof is a power sunroof, with a flip-top feature.
I will likely get a Pilot in the near future. However, I agree with a lot of reviews that state that despite Honda's prowess on technical issues, that the Pilot is quite dull when it comes to styling and colors. I will therefore likely in the future be driving a dependable and rather boring looking SUV. Just wish Honda would hire a few high priced design people to go along with their fancy engineers.
Such musings on this web site tends to get you shouted down because this is an awfully pro-Pilot site. However, many would agree color choices are limited, the truck could use more options like a sunroof, better wheel options, etc.
My MDX has a little road noise from the roof rack at highway speeds, but with the sunroof shade closed it is almost non-existent.
I have added running boards to my MDX myself, and plan to do the towing package too. Hondaacuraworld has all of the accessories and instructions at more than 1/2 the price. If you have a little DIY skills, these are easy projects. I would also get a hitch from hiddenhitch.com rather than the dealer.
Webasto's website is www.mysunroof.com I believe the Stratos 744 is what installers say is the best for the Pilot. Yes its power, sliding and flipup just like you'd expect in a good factory sunroof. They have a link to find a local installer...survey them all to find the best price (people are quoted $900-$1100 + there's a $100 Rebate link on the product page that model (good to the end of the year I think). Also good to find one whose done some pilot installs of course.
I added Ziebart to a Ford I once owned. It really did not help. I asked Varmint (CRV Forum). About Dynamat and he said he had mix feeling (lessen road noise but then he heard his engine noise).
I talked with a "Sound Engineer" and he told me that the human ear to tell a different you had to lower or raised the sound by 5 decibels. If this is true we will need a lot of sound proofing to lower the noise in a vehicle that when traveling 65mph generating 70 decibels down to the low 60’s range.
I've landed at a domestic. The customers are more laid back, they've got a lot of stock, and the atmosphere isn't as stressful. Honda is a great brand, but I'm sick of the "I want the most popular SUV/Van in production for invoice price even though you don't have any on the lot" stuff. I'm loving my new store, and they have some great products that I'd always overlooked. I'm quite a happy girl.
Recently bought a 2003 EX-L and generally very pleased with it. Spent a lot of time agonizing over this Vs MDX but eventually the CAD$9K difference on the road won the day(for EX-L with running boards and nothing else VS MDX with running boards no navi).
Both my wife and I are very unhappy about the front head rests -- in the normal position they are extremely uncomfortable and the head does not nicely fit in the hole. If you try and unlock the rests, there are no adjustments and you have to leave them "floating" above the seat -- looks ugly and they keep going down everytime you lean your head back.
Seems a bit like griping over a small issue but it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect a comfortable seat and adjustable headrest.
daveghh, I stand corrected. What I was told seemed reasonable to me at the time. But on doing a little research (which I should have done) there is a multiplier effect. I got these figure from NASA:
I know it is subjective but with the pilot there seems to be very limited choices. Why doesn't Honda have some more creative or bolder paint choices? Is this cost as the bottom line thing again? Thanks all of you who responded to my noise level question. I guess I should be use to it because my 89 accord, as dependable as it has been, is rather loud. I do hope the 03 vehicles are quieter than mine but just as dependable.
Honda has never really offered many different colors for each model. IMHO, Honda like to keep manufacturing simple ie no factory options. Too many paint colors requires multiple painting lines, production forecasting (guessing) for more colors, etc. Simplicity leads to easier and more consitent manufacturing.
I guess Honda will offer more colors when we stop buying 400K Accords, 180K Odysseys, 200K CRVs, etc. That'll show them!! :-)
For the flip-side of simplicity, I read an article yesterday detailing the Jeep Liberty plant in Ohio. Complete dashboard assemblies (including pedals) are made for them outside. The number of different configurations possible was something like 112 - and the subcontractor doesn't get the information until the vehicle has started down the assembly line. They then have a few hours to build it, test it, put it on a truck, drive it 40 miles, and get it to the assembly station with only minutes to spare. JIT at it's finest.
Very close to a Pilot purchase but am still trying to clear up a few safety questions. It appears that the NHSTA is close to determining the rollover rating for the Pilot but has not yet done so. Any chance it will be below the MDX's 4 stars? Any info on the rollover propensity of Pilot would be helpful. Also wondering about side impact rating. Since Pilot got 5 stars is it still possible to end up with a fatality in the exact same type crash due to head injuries? Bottom line is I'm trying to compare Passat 4motion wagon with side curtain bags to Pilot regarding rollover and side protection.
Agreed; I don't think the Pilot will do worse than the MDX in terms of the star-rating for rollover resistance. It is possible that it's center of gravity is a bit higher because of the different greenhouse but I doubt if it'll be enough to alter the overall star rating.
However, NHTSA's rating is a static measurement and doesn't factor in vehicle dynamics. The 2003 MDX has stability control (Honda/Acura's version is called VSA). As NHTSA says, having stability control helps prevent some accidents that lead to rollover. They feel strongly enough about it that they usually note when the vehicle has stability control. The Pilot does not yet have VSA.
As far as side-impact goes, it's hard to say, and it comes down to the type of side-impact. One vehicle may do better in some types of side-impacts. The Passat is only 4/4 in side-impacts, isn't it? But having head protection is nice.
One reason that most mid-sized and larger SUV's get 5/5 stars in NHTSA's test is because the barrier that is used to hit the vehicle is relatively low. Taller vehicles where the passengers sit higher often incur less injury as a result. NHTSA's barrier is roughly the footprint of an average or larger-sized compact vehicle, so the test doesn't simulate what happens if you get t-boned by another larger SUV or minivan.
Side curtain airbags in SUV's are a hot trend now, but they are not as broadly useful as they are in sedans. In a sedan, the side curtains can help immensely if one is t-boned by a large SUV, with much impact force aimed above the windowline. However, in a taller SUV, that same impact may not threaten one's head as badly.
Where the side curtains may help more in an SUV is the type of side impact where one loses control and slams sideways into a lamppost / telephone pole. That's why models with side curtain airbags are often given the "pole test." Obviously the odds of that happening are lower than the total population of side impacts, but side curtains protect against that nonetheless.
Been off the boards for a few months... too much work I guess. My Pilot is almost 5 months old now and has 15,000 miles already. So far the vehicle has been great, minus a few un Honda-like creaks and rattles... and of course that high quality Honda Paint... I've just learned to carry the bottle of touch up at all times.
Recently, I started hearing hints of the infamous Goodyear SUV whampa whampa when driving down the road. I have rotated the tires regularly and even rebalanced and aligned them recently (bad encounter with a monster pot hole). I have considered replacing the tires anyway with something with a little more aggressive tread since I live at 7000 ft. I didn't think the Goodyear car tire would handle the snow well.
Any thoughts on cupping problems or replacement suggestions? Has anyone tried the Michelin Cross-Terrain on their Pilot?
Comments
The demo car at the dealer had the same problem, so I was forewarned, and I also peeked into another Honda while on vacation in August..the drivers seat was in the same condition.
I have written to Honda and to my dealer about my concerns so I can go on record in case they issue a service bulletin in the future, but at this time no none is willing to do anything about it.
sbdarby: How does the leather in the Pilot compare to the MDX? Leather usually stretches a little. Have you tried cleaning/conditioning it yet?
Headlights are best I have driven, and I used to think the Ody's were the best, and good as Volvo I believe. Only thing I can figure about complaints is that they are misaimed. The lights are bright with sharp cutoff, so if misaimed, you won't see as far as you should; no spillover.
The water pump, belt & pulley is one issue that was addressed in recall for specific vehicles. If you had a defective water pump seize; then all the parts were damaged and then some. Ours was one that was affected; took it in and had all of it replaced.
Tires; forced to replace ours, and I wasn't going to put two new Integritys on when wife punctured left two (400 miles on odo) "avoiding road hazard". Went with Michellin Cross Terrains all around for peace of mind.
Second row seat; I never sit there but I don't hear any complaints....I do hear a lot of fighting for the "solo way-back seat" between our two kids...
Whew.....
The EX has an outside temp guage, its integrated with the trip odometers on the dash (you can only show trip odo A, B or outside temp...the real odometer has its own display)
Buckeyedon,
Yes, its subjective...I would suggest driving the previa to a dealership and then test driving the honda's to compare...I don't have an issue w/ the road noise level in my pilot...I find it much better than my Grand Cherokee, and comparable to our 96 Accord...
MDX is very attractive also, but lacks the room.
Negotiated sales price
Lease term (36 or 48 mo.)
Mileage (12k or 15k/yr.)
Money Factor
State and/or Dealership
Thanks!!!
I live in Minnesota and have not put snow tires on a vehicle for many years--all season radials have always been adequate, especially on front wheel drive cars. One reason I bought the Pilot was because I've found the all wheel drive on my wife's Mountaineer to be very handy on the occasional icy and snow-covered roads we have here. I don't intend to get snow tires. Unless you're usually driving in 6-inch deep snow, I don't know why they'd be needed. They are no help at all on ice or hard-packed snow.
Texas is just about as cheap as you can get for a Honda. We're all "Hey, lets drive a pickup," so Honda is kinda a sleeper and we have a fondness for whoring cars out. Californians would be shocked by what we sell cars here for.
It seems that mechanically you all, those of who own one that is, like it in general but by lord is seems to have so many little flaws that if I read in between the line border on irritation.
Also the complaints about the lights, steering column, etc bother me somewhat.
Also, I remember reading somewhere, that the paint color really lack lots of choices too and not much to choose from or creativity in thought in the paint color selection.
Any commnets on my concerns or at least mental mussing? What do you think is the best paint colore to get. No blues at all for use blue people!
skihiker
Also what is the record for rust in Hondas? I know my 89 and most I view on the road, have the same rust areas by the back wheel wells.
If I purchase a Pilot I am considering having it rust proofed with the hopes of not only combating rust but lowering the road noise.
Amy comments would be welcome.
We are considering adding the tow prep package (trailer hitch, A/T cooler, P/S cooler), fog lights, and side steps. For those who have had accessories added, was the price paid actual dealer cost, retail plus installation, or somewhere in between?
For colors, has anyone purchased a Sagebrush Pearl with the Fern leather? What color exactly is Fern? Blue/grey, light blue? The dealer where we test drove had only gray leather and saddle cloth interiors. We're very interested in the Sagebrush, but the website doesn't do anything for us. If someone could post pics of the Sagebrush exterior and interior, or direct me to some pics, that would be great.
Thanks in advance. Cheers from DC.
Steve, Host
thanks.
the fern interior is actually a light gray, also with a little green tint to it, but that also is hardly noticeable unless your looking for it.
sagebrush has been a "mostly-love-it" color so far.
Of course, some of them are the same guys who charge a premium on an Odyssey or Pilot! Lose a little here, make it up there.
So, where are you looking to land now? Don't rule out Honda, it's a great brand.
I will likely get a Pilot in the near future. However, I agree with a lot of reviews that state that despite Honda's prowess on technical issues, that the Pilot is quite dull when it comes to styling and colors. I will therefore likely in the future be driving a dependable and rather boring looking SUV. Just wish Honda would hire a few high priced design people to go along with their fancy engineers.
Such musings on this web site tends to get you shouted down because this is an awfully pro-Pilot site. However, many would agree color choices are limited, the truck could use more options like a sunroof, better wheel options, etc.
I have added running boards to my MDX myself, and plan to do the towing package too. Hondaacuraworld has all of the accessories and instructions at more than 1/2 the price. If you have a little DIY skills, these are easy projects. I would also get a hitch from hiddenhitch.com rather than the dealer.
I added Ziebart to a Ford I once owned. It really did not help. I asked Varmint (CRV Forum). About Dynamat and he said he had mix feeling (lessen road noise but then he heard his engine noise).
I talked with a "Sound Engineer" and he told me that the human ear to tell a different you had to lower or raised the sound by 5 decibels. If this is true we will need a lot of sound proofing to lower the noise in a vehicle that when traveling 65mph generating 70 decibels down to the low 60’s range.
If you find something that works please post.
Slow
Just kiddin'! You could do a lot worse than sell trucks in Texas.
Stay in touch.
Accepted by most scientist: every 8 to 10 decibels will be percieved by the human ear to be twice as loud.
Never heard 5 decibels needed to detect a difference in sound.
Both my wife and I are very unhappy about the front head rests -- in the normal position they are extremely uncomfortable and the head does not nicely fit in the hole. If you try and unlock the rests, there are no adjustments and you have to leave them "floating" above the seat -- looks ugly and they keep going down everytime you lean your head back.
Seems a bit like griping over a small issue but it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect a comfortable seat and adjustable headrest.
Any solutions? Am I the only one with the beef?
I stand corrected. What I was told seemed reasonable to me at the time. But on doing a little research (which I should have done)
there is a multiplier effect. I got these figure from NASA:
Soft whisper (approximately 5 feet)-30 decibels
Conversational speech-60 decibels
Alarm clock-80 decibels
Lawnmower-100 decibels
Chainsaw-120 decibels
Jet engine-140 decibels
Rocket launching-180 decibels
But because of this multiplier effect it works against getting the noise down in vehicles.
I disagree the alarm clock decibel rating. My alarm clock is between a Jet engine and a Rocket launch at 6am.
Out of curiosity I searched for the quietest vehicle - Lexus LS 430 - 31.1 at idle (www.canadiandriver.com/news/020212-2.htm)
slow
Now that you've completely lost your hearing, what do you use to wake up on time? :-)
tidester, host
Thanks all of you who responded to my noise level question. I guess I should be use to it because my 89 accord, as dependable as it has been, is rather loud. I do hope the 03 vehicles are quieter than mine but just as dependable.
Steve, Host
I guess Honda will offer more colors when we stop buying 400K Accords, 180K Odysseys, 200K CRVs, etc. That'll show them!! :-)
For the flip-side of simplicity, I read an article yesterday detailing the Jeep Liberty plant in Ohio. Complete dashboard assemblies (including pedals) are made for them outside. The number of different configurations possible was something like 112 - and the subcontractor doesn't get the information until the vehicle has started down the assembly line. They then have a few hours to build it, test it, put it on a truck, drive it 40 miles, and get it to the assembly station with only minutes to spare. JIT at it's finest.
I don't expect the Pilot to perform worse than the MDX in the rollover test, since its wheelbase is wider than the already wide MDX.
However, NHTSA's rating is a static measurement and doesn't factor in vehicle dynamics. The 2003 MDX has stability control (Honda/Acura's version is called VSA). As NHTSA says, having stability control helps prevent some accidents that lead to rollover. They feel strongly enough about it that they usually note when the vehicle has stability control. The Pilot does not yet have VSA.
As far as side-impact goes, it's hard to say, and it comes down to the type of side-impact. One vehicle may do better in some types of side-impacts. The Passat is only 4/4 in side-impacts, isn't it? But having head protection is nice.
One reason that most mid-sized and larger SUV's get 5/5 stars in NHTSA's test is because the barrier that is used to hit the vehicle is relatively low. Taller vehicles where the passengers sit higher often incur less injury as a result. NHTSA's barrier is roughly the footprint of an average or larger-sized compact vehicle, so the test doesn't simulate what happens if you get t-boned by another larger SUV or minivan.
Side curtain airbags in SUV's are a hot trend now, but they are not as broadly useful as they are in sedans. In a sedan, the side curtains can help immensely if one is t-boned by a large SUV, with much impact force aimed above the windowline. However, in a taller SUV, that same impact may not threaten one's head as badly.
Where the side curtains may help more in an SUV is the type of side impact where one loses control and slams sideways into a lamppost / telephone pole. That's why models with side curtain airbags are often given the "pole test." Obviously the odds of that happening are lower than the total population of side impacts, but side curtains protect against that nonetheless.
Recently, I started hearing hints of the infamous Goodyear SUV whampa whampa when driving down the road. I have rotated the tires regularly and even rebalanced and aligned them recently (bad encounter with a monster pot hole). I have considered replacing the tires anyway with something with a little more aggressive tread since I live at 7000 ft. I didn't think the Goodyear car tire would handle the snow well.
Any thoughts on cupping problems or replacement suggestions? Has anyone tried the Michelin Cross-Terrain on their Pilot?