2013 and earlier-Honda Pilot Prices Paid and Buying Experience

curt2003

thomasjstone and patientbuyer:

I live just south of the Portland Metro area, and purchased a Pilot EX-L in Sage with DVD Entertainment system last week at MSRP. It was a "demo" that had been driven by the dealership manager (not by prospective buyers) and had about 1K miles on it, but was otherwise in perfect condition. This dealership normally sells at MSRP + $500, which is the best I could find for immediate delivery. Another local dealer offered me MSRP minus $500 if I wanted to wait until that unit arrived in March. I declined, as who knows what the market value will really be in 2 months.

The salesman we purchased from was one of their internet salesman, and was the most professional salesman I've ever encountered. No BS, no hard sell, no promises of what he could talk the manager into--just a good honest guy. He told me that since Honda shut down for a bit over the holidays that Pilots are pretty scarce in the NW right now, and that probably won't change for at least a month, if not two months. Sage seems to be a popular color, and we just happened to be at the right place at the right time.

Given Portland's location, the dealers are used to working with buyers from WA (i.e. Vancouver). If you're interested in contact info for either salesman, e-mail me, and I'd be happy to give that to you. Happy hunting. It looks like these will be good vehicles for the NW.

cds12

Who is protecting the rights of consumers?

The free market is! Nobody is forcing you to buy a Pilot over MSRP. And buying a pilot for MSRP or under is definitly not a right.

txpacker

Purchased EX Pilot with cloth and no dealer add ons for $1,500 off MSRP in Nov. Played around with two dealers over 3 days. Dealers started only wanting to discount $200 - $500 off MSRP. Don't let them tell you they don't discount because they will.

brian125

you have to look out for yourself. the honda dealers in your area are getting msrp plus, cause people are buying them. buy out of state and have it shiped to your area you will find great deals in ohio and you will save thousands. like i've been saying the name of this game is to keep as much money in your pocket and not honda's. i'd also like to touch on what cds12 said he is right but i'm the consumer and buying the pilot for under msrp is my right and it should be yours dont give in to that honda crap 5% 10% over msrp.let your actions be heard by buying else where or find another suv. good luck

sanvijay

Congrats on your new Pilot. I am looking for a new Pilot EXL in Sage Brush Pearl and had no luck finding the car at a good price. Waiting for the price and the color, I missed the 3.49% APR. Anyways, can you please give me the name of the sales guy you were dealing with in Honda World. Not sure if you can give out names here.I am really frustrated with dealing with a bunch of wierd dealers who promise the world just to make you come to the dealreship.

Regards

bigfork2

Just signed a contract on a Sage Brush Pearl Pilot EX with a bunch of accessories for $2,500 below MSRP via Steve Bailey Honda's internet sales department. I was also allowed to test drive a demo on a 50 mile round trip test drive to make sure it fit in my garage with my existing 4X4 truck. Great to deal with, exactly No hassles.

horsestick

Does anyone have an idea about how much for extend warranty (100,000 miles)?

sandherc

...but I got it for MSRP. I called dealerships in Hanover and York, PA right in front of my salesman. I got "paint protection" for free and wheel locks and rear mud flaps for a combined $125. That was the week the Pilot came out. They sold at least one at ASKING PRICE that day.

Gotta say, I love my truck. 12,500 miles and counting in DC Beltway traffic. Got Honda cross bars aftermarket for $130 (fairhondapartsforyou.com)

pilotbuyer

Dear Happy,

Can you please post the name of the dealership where you got $2500 off MSRP? I would like to contact Steve Bailey.

Do you know if they ship out of state?

Thanks

sjwsmw

sanvijay-

I just picked up my EX in Sandstone with cloth. It took a while(10 weeks) after placing the request but I did get it for MSRP by just asking.
It seems certain dealers are realizing that asking more is affecting their credibility and the dealer I used sells other makes and wants me back for another car down the road. I also got all my accessories at cost, even lower than the after market sites. So, I guess I did all right.
The dealer is in north San Diego County (Carlsbad)and the salesman is Lee.
Good luck.

curt2003

horsestick:

You can find Honda warranty prices at www.hondawarranty.com. I've also heard of a dealership that sells them somewhat cheaper than the online quote. I'm not sure if I can post that here, so if you e-mail you I'll give you the info.

bigfork2

The dealership is named Steve Bailey Honda Central. Type that name at Google.com and it will bring up the link. My initial correspondence was via their Internet quote service followed up by a phone call. Great price and exactly no pressure. I should mention that my $2,500 off MSRP is NOT net of the $460 destination charge. Factor that in and my price is roughly $2,040 off MSRP for the vehicle + all accessories and their installation. My apologies for any confusion. I do not know if they ship. Good luck getting the deal you want.

thenumberwiz1

Does anyone know what Honda's current tier 1 (best rate) finance rates are and when they are good until? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

fresca1

I was all set to buy the LX off the lot for about $800 over invoice because I was interested in safety, reliability and AWD and didn't care about "fancy" extras. When I got to the dealers, they happened to have one EX on the lot. I was concerned about the manual driver's seat (versus power in the EX) so I test drove both of them. In the end, I went with the EX for about $1000 over invoice and a total of about $1800 more than I had planned to pay for the LX. And, I am so glad I did. The little extras have really made a difference and there is not a day I drive the car that I don't enjoy one of those extra little "fancies". Of course, it all depends on your budget, but with the overall price of the car, I am happy I went with the EX. Good Luck!

atalalay

I just ordered a Sandstone EX-L from an Ohio Dealership (Waikem) for $800 over invoice ($28.7k) without any fees (only temp tags) and they will deliver out of state (I am in the DC area and they are charging $350 to deliver to my door). ETA: 4-5 weeks! I saved myself a lot of hassle by not interacting with any dealership types with the exception of the test drive.

I also got a couple of other offers within a couple hundred bucks (Hidy and Chesrown Medina Honda).

I could not get anything better than $1k off MSRP in my neck of the woods where MD dealers are most reasonable.

Special thanks goes to brian125 for his insight and valuable information that saved a huge amount of "leg-work"!

Any questions? BEST OF LUCK! AT

tkevinc

Another thanks to brian125. He cheerfully exchanged emails and shared information I am sure he worked hard to find. With the weight of that information I was able to pressure my local dealer into a price of $29,100 out the door-all taxes and state fees included for an EX. This from a dealership who just two weeks ago insisted they had never discounted a Pilot one cent. Hopefully more people will use this site and the information it contains to make it a reasonable market on this vehicle. Although Honda makes great cars they tend to limit production on popular cars to control pricing. That's bound to backfire eventually.

brian125

alex you may stand only 5'5 but today your a giant in the pilot world. i'm glad you shared your buying experience in this forum. many people might come to realize how easy and less stressful a pilot purchase could be buying out of state and saving over 2000 dollars. make sure you give yourself 99% of the credit. you worked the deal. you set the tone. waikem honda sold to you on your terms. ARE YOU SURE DEEP DOWN YOUR NOT FROM NEW YORK.. LOL BRIAN

brian125

kevin YOU DID A GREAT SERVICE to all the people in your area. i'm sure it was not easy squeezing the n.c. dealers for the price you got. hopefully more people in your area will see your post and follow your lead.

thenumberwiz1

Great Job. The more individuals who get great deals, the easier the next great deal becomes. It snowballs. The dealers will begin seeing these deals and other dealers will begin to buckle under competitive pressure. Enjoy your Pilot!!!!

By the way, did you finance it and what rate did they give you? Thanks.

brian125

mr wiz LOOK AT EDMUNDS FOR FINANCE i used them i got 4.85%. 72 month loan. i'll pay pilot off in 3 years but the lower payment does not strap me down. they will approve you online in 15 minutes.

tkevinc

I was lucky in that my credit union was offering 5% on 72 months so I took it. However, I know several people who have used People First (one of the banks on Edmunds) and they have been very happy. Now that I have the purchase set, hope to see you guys in the other Pilot discussion boards. JUST NOT PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS!!!!!!

atalalay

I forgot to make another comment about (a justified) fear of ordering from out-of-state: many are not overly trusting of dealers from out of state (or down the street, for that matter). Most should be worried about getting hosed with a new vehicle that has "a few" test drive miles.

There are a few choices of making sure that you get exactly what you ordered: (1) have the vehicle drop-shipped to a local dealer (cost: about $500 for prep... basically you will be paying both dealers for prep); (2) fly/drive out for the purchase and either drive it back yourself or have it shipped independently and fly back (most expensive, obviously); (3) pick a dealer that has their own delivery service that will allow/require payment upon delivery.

I am using the later option. AT

angieeb

Surely some Honda dealer out there is not price gouging! I am in the Dallas area and I am willing to travel 500 miles in any direction in order to purchase a Red EX-L NOW! Any suggestions? I had a horrible experience today at a local dealership. I was told if I thought I could find a better deal, to go ahead and do it.They wanted $2000 over MSRP! "After all, this is a vehicle high in demand." How arrogant! So I am looking for the better deal via traditional or internet sales. Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

atalalay

I forgot to make another comment about (a justified) fear of ordering from out-of-state: many are not overly trusting of dealers from out of state (or down the street, for that matter). Most should be worried about getting hosed with a new vehicle that has "a few" test drive miles.

There are a few choices of making sure that you get exactly what you ordered: (1) have the vehicle drop-shipped to a local dealer (cost: about $500 for prep... basically you will be paying both dealers for prep); (2) fly/drive out for the purchase and either drive it back yourself or have it shipped independently and fly back (most expensive, obviously); (3) pick a dealer that has their own delivery service that will allow/require payment upon delivery.

I am using the later option. AT

clpurnell

Try Houston area dealers they will go below sticker by 500-1500 on pilots search inventory to see if they have your red one in stock. e-mail me if you need more info.

fresca1

I contacted (and tried to deal with) all the dealers in NH and VT for several weeks in Dec '02 and the best I could find was 2% off MSRP from Automaster in Burlington, VT and I had to wait a month or more to get the car. I ended up buying from La Fontaine Honda near Detroit, MI (because I was there anyway) and I got a much better deal there -- and I bought it right off the lot. If you don't want to travel too far, try the internet options. Get them to print out the exact model with options and the OTD price and e-mail or FAX it to you WITH a sales manager signature. Then, you can try using this as a bargaining point with the local dealers. If the local dealers still won't bargain, stick with the internet deals. Both Automaster (Burlington, VT) and La Fontaine (MI) began as internet deals. I was very happy with the smooth deal I got at La Fontaine, but if I had not traveled to MI for xmas holidays, I would probably have done the deal with Automaster. Good Luck!

clpurnell

Goodson Honda North has a redrock pearl ex-l in stock. request an internet quote from below I think some one on this board also got a really good price from them. Good Luck!

http://www.goodson-honda-north.com/en_US/

davidlex

Angieeb and everyone else,
Please see my previous message #538. I should rename my message to "better than all 626 others", because it still is better than any deal I've read on this website so far. Contact Jay Smith at Gillman Honda. His price absolutely blew away the "best deal" the largest Honda dealer in Dallas (and second largest in the nation)would offer me. Jay Smith will give you absolutely no pressure or sales BS. My 2003 Pilot EX-L is my fifth Honda and the easiest purchase I have ever made.

pilotbuyer

davidlex,

What price did you pay for your Pilot from Gillman. Was it one on the lot, or did you order it. Where there any extras in the deal?

Thanks for posting your good experience with Jay Smith.

brian125

i just read your post about pricing on the 03 pilot i am very very curious to know how much lower than 750 over invoice, tax and out the door that i paid plus invoice pricing on all added accessories did GILLMAN HONDA go? my pilot was not sitting on the lot. IF GILMMAN HONDA IS BLOWING THE DOORS OFF MY DEAL THEN I SAY LETS TELL EVERY BODY IN THIS FORUM WHERE THE BEST DEAL IS. PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH THAT NUMBER.

aleck828

davidlex, do you know if people can purchase a vehicle in TX from out-of-state without getting TX tags first?

aleck828

brian, have u got your pilot delivered yet? how long does it take? i am a little concerned about ordering from Ohio: what if the pilot I got delivered had much more miles on it than the dealer promised?

brian125

i am still waiting del for my black pilot exl res. depending on avalability it could take 2 4 6 weeks. to receive your pilot. as far as mileage on a new pilot that will be del. you must make sure the dealer knows YOU WILL NOT TAKE DEL OF ANY PILOT THAT HAS MORE THAN 40 MILES ON IT. i told my dealer any pilot that he swaps for to give to me must be flatbeded not driven. you always work this out with the dealer first hand. to avoid any problems down the road. being from new york i trust no one. tell me honda dealers are not turning back mileage on new cars and trucks from 500 miles to 20 miles. when you own the store you can do what you want. thats my 2 cents. my friend work at ford years ago i know all the slimy things they pull/ AND GET AWAY WITH.

brian125

BEFORE YOUR PILOT IS DEL from out of state the dealer will contact you with the vin number the mileage and make prep for final payment and del. this is when you will know if something is not kosher.

dcwayne

Thanks for your reports on your purchase of your new Pilot and its impending delivery. I also live in the DC area and concur with your opinion that there are no sweet deals to be had in this area. I've also gotten in contact with brian125, but wanted to ask you some specific details.

Did you get a faxed copy of the final agreement w/the manager's signature? Was your vehicle in stock, or did he have to order it? How is your Pilot being shipped/delivered?

Thanks
DCWayne

atalalay

DCWayne,

We agreed on the details over the web/phone and at that time I gave them a $500 (refundable) deposit with my card. The copy of the details came via snail-mail a few days later. The rest of my payment is due at delivery (to my home). I elected to get exactly what I wanted and that was not available so I am getting the next one that is coming. Furthermore, getting one out of the "supply chain" should ensure fewer miles... So far, it is all going according to plan!

Bottom line: minimal risk... Furthermore, I would suggest that if you deal with any entity, you check their reputation at bbb.org. Just a precautionary measure that most consumers should be taking before they make any sizable transaction...

A. Talalay....

PS look me up if you want more info.

braindrainer

Davidlex,

I am sorry to say that your promises sound too much like those uttered by a "used car salesman"! Lots of promise, but no content! You sound like scenario #3 at http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/78914/article.html. When pressed on price: "All I can tell you at this time is, we'll take care of you."

BTW: Who swore you to secrecy? IRS? INS? FBI? CIA?

Can we stick to the facts, PLEASE.

brian125

i think davidlex is a salesman over at gillmans honda . he has got is 15 minutes of fame. all 3 posts # 629,630 631. have fell on deaf ears. i think he is full of it.

pilotbuyer

Shame on you davidlex for not coming through with the facts on the real issue...the actual price you paid.

aleck828

Can anyone kindly tell me the best quote you got in Houston, TX for a 2003 Pilot? Thanks! Aleck

njswamplands

maj1

Can any tell me the Pilot EX-L RES. What is RES stand for?

crikey

RES = Rear Entertainment System

hadleyfarm

I'm new to this site and would hope to be a new Pilot owner sometime before this Summer. IWe own a 2000 Volvo v70 wagon and with a new baby decided that a family of 4 (with friends) and a dog would ride better in a Pilot or Highlander. We're doing the research now and favor the Pilot if only a Honda dealer were located closer for warranty service. But, I don't think we'll let that stop us.

We live 20 miles west of Boston and given the frenzy and pent up demand for Pilots in this neck of the woods, I'm VERY interested in learning about the "out of state & delivered to your home" purchase process described by atalalay.

It sounds too good to be true but too good to ignore. We would greatly appreciate discussing this process in greater detail. Thanks

I've been reading email exchanges and would like to contact atalalay and brian 125 - can we talk

maj1

Thanks for your answer, Could you also let me know is the Canadian Pilot turn it's head light on automatically at night?

crikey

maj1, I apologize but I no longer live in Canada, but I am Canadian.

However, I imagine that Canadian Honda Pilots will have daytime running lights as it is required by federal law. But, I am not sure if they have auto-on headlights. I think the MDX (U.S. Version) just had this feature added recently, so it might not be on the Pilot yet.

Try www.honda.ca and see if it is stated there. Hope that helps.

maj1

Thanks for your answer, Could you also let me know is the Canadian Pilot turn it's head light on automatically at night?

brian125

you will find your best deals will come out of ohio. once you have your finances in place and know exactly what pilot your looking for your ready to playball. NOT LIKE THE METS AND REDSOX 1986 BUT IN A BETTER SENSE. i had to put that dig in lol brian

angieeb

Has anyone had a bad experience purchasing the PILOT on the internet?I have TWO dealers wanting me to buy and they have what I want on the lot UNDER MSRP! Is it really this simple?

njswamplands