2013 and earlier-Honda Pilot Prices Paid and Buying Experience

auto2003

I am looking for a 2003 Honda Pilot EX in Detroit Metro area. Can someone help me out with dealer name and contact person name and the price please. Thanks.

kukharkin

Hi!

I have been reading the posts about nice deals on Pilot in this group. Apparently, it is very different in different regions. I am wondering about people's experience in southern CT of NY metro area. I have been looking into prices since August and it really looks very discouraging: started at $1000 above MSRP and stuck at MSRP. Plus ridiculously long waits. I did not look far from my town, but I did check 4-5 local dealerships. Is it indeed that bad here, or I am being fooled somewhere? Thanks

brian125

there are no deals in our area. you will find the better deals in n.y/ n.j/ ct are msrp and maybe invoice pricing on added accessories. plus a nice wait for the pilot. good luck in your search

dunny6

Hi,

I've been reading this board, and there is a ton of great information on buying a Pilot. I do think that there are a few things that are being overlooked here in relation to price:

All of the posts deal with MSRP, 1000 under MSRP, 1000 over Invoice, and it seems as if that is the only number some are concerned with.

In my mind, there are 3 issues that you need to consider with regard to car pricing...

(1) price of car (with regard to MSRP)
(2) price of options
(3) price of financing (i.e. interest rate)

This board has focused on (1) heavily, but in my experience, I have seen significant differences in option prices. And more often than not, the cost of the options increases if the price of the car is discounted.

Also, interest rate can really make a difference in the financial decision between 2 prices. For example...

60 months 5% interest $30,000 = payment $566.31
60 months 4% interest $30,750 = paymeny $566.14

The point, one percentage point on interest is worth about $750.

If you're considering a few dealers and their prices are similar, be sure to check the interest rates. Apply for them so you know exactly what the interest rate will be. In shopping for a Pilot, I've had interest rates from 3.99% to over 5% (some dealers can get better rates than others), and this clearly is being factored into the final decision.

In summary, be sure to consider the 'whole picture' including finance options. It may make your decision alot easier.

Good luck, and happy shopping....

boiler1991

Interest rates should not be discussed with the dealer until after the price of the vehicle has been established. Remember buyers, never show any part of your hand until you settle on a price. Dealers also receive a finders fee for the loan and are generally more enthused about a customer coming in looking to finance/lease vs. write a check for the entire amount.

As far as rates go, a home equity line at prime (4.25%) might be the best alternative. Not only is this rate pretty incredible, you can deduct the interest.

boiler1991

Why is the TMV posted on this website typically $1000 over MSRP regardless of the zipcode entered? It sure seems as if the actual prices paid for a Pilot varies tremendously. (Higher prices on the coasts and lower in the heartland.)

brian125

dunny when ever you are considering buying a new/ used car suv the first thing i do is find the lowest possible interest loan, apply get approved. when i start my search to buy a vehicle from a dealer i'm looking for best price and invoice pricing on options.when i nail down the dealer i'm buying from i ask him to beat my %rate. i will admit i went tru 150 honda dealers and getting accessories for close to cost was hard on the pilot but was done. some want more some dealers want less. you have to play the game. so in conclusion your loan part of buying is always your first step the rest is down hill. like boiler 1991 touch on no dealer will tip his hand with a better rate til he knows he got you. hope that helped

harinair

Hi All --

I will be buying a Honda Pilot next week and would like to know the prices you have paid in the San Francisco bay area.

Please let us know of the offers you have encountered. For now, the best quote I got is MSRP from a honda dealer 40 miles away.

- Hari
Livermore

walleye5

I paid $2064 under MSRP for EX-L at Schlossmans Honda City and paid dealer cost (including labor)for options. For example, $750 for towing package instead of the ~$1150 list. Got 3.49% Honda financing end of Dec. Hope this helps.

hadleyfarm

we're looking for a source for dealer invoice pricing for Pilot Options (i.e., running boards, rear splash guards, fogs w/ trim, cargo tray) - Any Suggestions?

Also, I thin we remember reading from this group that the Pilot's roof rack is nothing to wire home about - is there an "after market" source of quality accessories for the Pilot ???

Thanks

we remain optimistic that we'll successfully negotiate a very good deal from "out of state" and will be steering in that direction - reading about the Ohio purchase experiences of Brian125, Atalalay and others is reassuring.

P.S. Atalalay, please contact us when you have a moment.
Atalalay

Karen_S

I'm not sure if this will answer your question, but here is an explanation of how Edmunds determines TMV.

How We Calculate New TMV® Prices

dunny6

boiler and brian, thanks & good points. Is there a site that documents those theories of why you should not ask for interest rates at the dealer? I'd like to read it.

The only downside I could see is that you choose a dealer that can't beat your 'going in' rate, and you chose that dealer over another only by a few $$. If the other dealer could get a better rate, then you may lose out a little.

About home equity loans...are you sure that the interest is tax deductable? I thought that you could only deduct the interest if you were increasing the value of your home...You could always chance it and claim it anyway...anyone know?

jctobin

While I don't consider myself an expert on finance, I have to question the wisdom of using a home equity loan to finance a car purchase. You are creating long-term debt to finance a short term asset that, unlike real estate, will only depreciate. I expect that in the long run that you will pay much more in interest financing the car through a mortgage. Given that it is unlikely that real estate will continue to appreciate at the rate we have seen in recent years, I think increasing your mortgage in this manner may not be the wisest move.

Before you sign on the dotted line, take a look at an amortization table and look at how much of the payments on a 30 year loan go to interest rather than principal in the early years of a loan. It's sobering to look at.

dunny6

You can take any term of repayment for a home equity loan, and it will amortize in the same manner as a car loan.

Clearly, a 30 year car loan on home equity is a questionable move...

boiler1991

Home equity loans are quite different from home equity "lines". 20K borrowed on your home equity line at prime (4.25%) would translate to about $870 a month for 24 months with less than $900 in tax deductable interest.

atalalay

Karen: I think that Edmunds TMV is not at all accurate, it is way too high for many models. Obviously my sample size is small. Furthermore, the explanation at http://www.edmunds.com/products/tmv/about_new.html is ridiculously thin and lacks any rigour or statistical explanations. Unfourtunately, some dealers are printing out the TMV and are trying to con buyers into these inflated prices. I wish Edmunds will reconsider posting TMV and/or make it more scientific and/or closer to reality.

This is not an explanation: "The result is a highly customized value for the vehicle you are researching given the current conditions in your local market. It is a complex, labor-intensive process, but we think it's worth the trouble; it allows us to publish the industry's best pricing, and the first and only new vehicle market transaction pricing available to consumers." blah.. blah.. blah..

And it is NOT the only one!

Buyers: Do not be fooled, TMV (in its current form) is not a good source of price information!

brian125

ATal. DONT YOU KNOW THE BIG BOSS mr edmunds sits in the exec. chair and receives his check for doing certain services for the car industry under the table. i personally would like to see edmunds post the tmv for each state. that would impress me. then you can tell how accurate it is. when you take many regions put it as a whole and come up with this inflated number to me it is hog wash. MY MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN BUYING COMES DOWN TO WHO IS SELLING ME THIS VEHICLE THE CHEAPEST. THE TMV ON EDMUNDS I NEVER considered of any importance due to the prices they post BUT A VERY GOOD POINT.

hadleyfarm

Still seeking help with dealer's invoice costs for Options (see post #715).
Nearly all the "free" dealer's invoice sources of information indicate "No additional factory options are available" - can anyone point us in the right direction to get a handle on invoice costs for the following add-on Pilot options:

   ITEM INSTALLED$ DLR INVOICE$
   - rear splash guards, $63.00 ?
   - fogs w/trim, 564.00 ?
   - running boards, 619.00 ?
   - cargo tray 96.00 ?

Thanks!

kippy95

hadleyfarm,
You probably won't be able to find the invoice price for the DIO anywhere. However, the closest source you can find is the discount price some websites are selling the accessories such as www.hparts.com or www.hondacuraworld.com. If you can get the dealer to include the accessories at the listed price without the installation cost, you got a good deal. Most dealers I dealt with gave me $1,000 off the MSRP on the vehicle but they add extraordinary price on accessories I requested. So now I am ordering all the accessories on the web and installing them myself. Go ahead and read the installation manuals for the accessories available on those website and determine if you're capable of doing it yourself. Accessories such as cross bars, wheel locks, and rear splash guards, you can install them if you can change a flat tire. BTW, for the $96 cargo tray, why would you pay $25 for them to put in a cargo tray?

kippy95

BTW, I ordered my pilot EX-L w/RES for $1492 off MSRP. Picking it up tomorrow morning. No option included. Will install all the Honda genuine accessories myself. Wondering if it will void the warranty. Any input?

suhti

Although everyone's posting has been useful, I found your postings to be most relevant to my situation. I live in DC area and want to purchase a Pilot (I have a prelude and with a 3-month old baby, I need bigger room). In addition to your postings above, any other info and/or advice will be greatly appreciated. I think my plan of attack (since buying a car is alway like a battle to me) is to
1) email/fax dealers for information
2) visit DC area dealers to test drive and get some quotes (which are probably not very good)
3) see if out-of-state purchasers like atalalay and dcwayne received everything they were promised
4) go with whichever way saves me the most money so I can spend that money on diapers.

msgolf41

Thanks to Brian125 for the recommendation to try Bianchi Honda in Erie, PA. On Thursday afternoon I sold my carand called Eric Hannold at Bianchi to let him know I wanted to proceed with an order. I was looking for an EX-L RES but was unhappy about the non-heated leather, so I decided to have my own custom system installed with the cloth. I expected I would be a week or two without a car, but in less than 2 hours I got a call that they had located one that matched one of my preferred colors.

I got an Avis rental one way and drove 8 hrs yesterday. Got back at 4 this morning with it feeling great that I got a good deal (about $2k off MSRP with my accessories) and a no-hassle experience. Best buying experience I've ever had - and I've had a lot! Courteous, professional and no-pressure.

msgolf41

Found this site with discount pricing for Honda options. Also includes PDFs of the install instructions which (in the case of the fog lights) might make the dealer price look good. For other items, you can save a lot... Yes, it is "handa" not honda...

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

brian125

like i have told many in this forum, i went thru more than 150 honda dealers in my search for my pilot. i to had many accessories installed. most of all the dealers i have emailed, faxed, or phoned have all used the invoice prices that are on hondacuraworld.com. i would go by those prices. i'm sure they are getting them alot cheaper but in my search that is the prices they refer to. MSGOLF41 HAS FOUND ONE OF THE BEST WEB SITES TO BUY AFTERMARKET HONDA ACCESSORIES. IF YOU ARE HANDY YOU WILL SAVE A FORTUNE.in some regions like detroit i think it was friendly honda and waynes honda world most of there prices on accessories were listed like at honda accessories.com

brian125

mike i hear at bianchi honda they give you a shovle and they tell you to dig out the pilot you want on there lot. i hope you added the 3 hour diging time to the total..

msgolf41

Brian - They did have some snow, but they had the Pilot clean - I felt guilty taking outside to get dirty! As for the accessory web store - I didn't buy anything from them - I just used it as reference for pricing, and as a future list of "wants".

I just had my bubble burst a little - know anyone who wants a one-day old Pilot? Turns out that the Pilot is a bit taller than we had all expected and I cannot have my low profile Thule ski box on it and get into (or out of) my garage. Since skiing was the reason I wanted the Pilot I have a dilemma.

Has anyone ever seen any kind of alternate roof rails? The factory rails "bow" an additional more than 2" above the place where they sit ON TOP of the side rails rather than connect into them. This makes the cross bar equipped Pilot sit almost 75" tall. Makes it tough to fit an 11.5" roof box into and 84" garage opening.

Help!!!!

mqc99

It's time to remodel the garage... :-)

Sorry, just can't resist.

mqc

badoy

I live in the San Fernando Valley/SoCa area.Just got our 2003 Pilot EX (basic EX no extras).We payed $28900($830 off MsRP).WIth tax/license/doc fee/==total cost was $31500 .Did we get a good deal or did we pay too much?Thanks for any response out there.--This car is awesome..

brian125

msgolf41

Don't worry - I've lloked at where the header is to see if I can get another 3" and considered breaking the concrete and pouring a lower entrance. My wife even offered the suggestion of building a 3rd bay...

To finish this diversion from the topic, if someone needs to know the actual height, Honda claims it to be 71.7 on the EX. The measured height of my EX at the top of the side rails is actually 72.0" and when you add the crossbars, the top of the bars at vehicle center is 74.5". Most manufacturers give you the Max Height, but Honda does not mention the height with crossbars anywhere that I have seen.

Thanks to all for the humor while I work through this!

Karen_S

atalalay and brian125,

As I am far removed from the TMV portion of the site, I can't constructively respond. All I can suggest is that you send your questions/concerns via the feedback form.

http://apps.edmunds.com/contactus/FeedbackForm.jsp

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

jtyoung59

Harinair -

I'm also looking for a Pilot in the Bay Area and have found prices high. What was the dealership "40 miles away" that you found the best price at? Are you finding anyone going below MSRP?

patilsd

Hi,
I want to know how do you guys fixed the prices of honda pilot on the phone with Bianchi,Erie,PA...I mean to say did you guys called in and haggeld on the pone or you went directly? Please let me know as I also want to
buy the honda Pilot Ex. Reply appreciated.

Thanks

driveback

patilsd, find their website, talk to mike Donnelly, comfortable to deal with. They are selling pilots at $1000 over invoice. I ordered EXL silver one week ago. I was told yesterday it is ready for pick up.

brian125

the internet is a very powerful tool. there is no need to ever step foot in a dealership unless you are test driving or picking up your new ride.you can email any dealer and talk price. good luck

sparklegramma

Best we could get in SF Bay Area was at AutoWest Honda in Fremont. $200 below MSRP. I dealt with Ida Lou.
Good luck-tell me if you find anything better.

njeverest

I have similar questions, how do you settle the deal? do you need kind of guarantee in written the car has no mileage, brand new, no damage ever, etc. Also, if you fly in or drive one way, will the dealer pick you up? What other risks should we out of state buye consider? Thanks.

suhti

I think out-of-state deals can be easily had if you follow any one of postings above (from brian12 or msgolf). I think the logistics of buying out of state is a little more involved but the savings might be worth it. For me personally, I had a trade-in so I decided to go with a local dealer in DC area. There is at least two dealers that I know in DC area that will do $1k below msrp on any trim.

atalalay

I disagee with Suhti about the logistics of doing an out-of-state deal. The fact is that I did my deal without ever leaving my home and the vehicle is scheduled to come on a flatbed to my home. Unless a local dealer has the desired vehicle in stock (in most cities Honda does not have adequate inventory), it makes little difference whether it comes from in or out of state. The only differnce is standing in line at the DMV. One can always take the trade-in to Carmax... Suhti, how old is your Prelude?

Furthermore, $1k off MSRP is no longer the best deal in the DC area! Auction #464 at mycarmyprice.com had one go for $1806 over invoice in Silver Spring, MD. FYI: other recent deals for Pilots include $1k over invoice in Hancock MI and $1.5k over in Carmel IN; there is also one (in TX) that is already at $1.2k over with a few days to go...

auto2003

I signed a deal for 2003 Pilot-EX without any accessories for $500 above invoice ($27293) with $160 doc fee. Got the deal after some shopping around for about 10 days. Will take delivery in about 2 weeks. Anyone got/heard of better deal than this ?

suhti

I absolutely love this message board. I have learned so much and as we all know, knowledge is power. Thanks everyone for posting your experience and deals.

Atalay, well in your case, your out-of-state transaction was smooth perhaps because you handled yourself well with the dealers and got exactly what you wanted. In my case, I am still not very good at buying a car in my own term and on top of that, having to consider out-of-state logistics (such issues raised by #743 njeverest) has not eased the whole experience. Btw, my prelude is 95. I have dealt with carmax before and well, carmax is carmax and I want top $$$ for my prelude. We will see.

Bianchi (Erie, pa) did agree to 1k over invoice. They are even throwing in jamaica trip (one of sandals resort but caveat is you have to pay for your own airfare). I am still weighing benefits between out-of-state vs local deals.

One dealer said something very true and interesting (which restates what brian125 said earlier), "you guys create the market". If we share the knowledge and rules and "play the game" right, I think we can all get great deals on a great car like Pilot.

njeverest

if you don't mind, can you let us know where or which dealer? thanks.

atalalay

The only way to get top dollar for your used car is to sell yourself! In fact, all sub-transactions associated with a new automobile purchase (trade-in, warrantee, financing, etc) should be negotiated separately according to most "advice" sources. If you want it bundled, go to your closest dealer and see what kind of deal you can get! Remember, the price "on-line" is about $500 less than if you physically walk into a dealership. But, of course, it does require more "work".

And yes, a small minority of consumer "make" it a market because over 90% of consumers do not shop around... That is why marketing works...

Suhti, you will miss your Prelude. I had to sell my MR2 Turbo to get the Pilot (for similar reasons to yours) and I miss it... a lot!

brian125

out of state pilot purchase. i would like to pass this info to all people looking for the best deals out of state.STOP posting prices and dealers names on this message board in CERTAIN area's i,e [ ohio]. it should be done by email only. the less honda dealers in ohio read about getting great deals the better for us pilot consumers will be. the rules are changing the dealers are reading these posts and sticking together.when enough dealers start sticking together with a flat price than that area is dead like new york and many area's. i think all members in other area's should follow suit for the next buyer.IF YOU FOUND A GOOD DEAL IN A CERTAIN REGION LET THAT PERSON EMAIL YOU IT WILL HELP ALL OF US LOOKING TO GET A GREAT PRICE.some area's there are just no deals. i seen this comming and told quiet afew in this forum. i was told first hand that prices for PILOTS are not going to be sold for prices that are being posted any more.thats from just one dealer in ohio who reads our posting. you know they are calling each other . thats why they are honda acura they play supply and demand. and they are very good at it who knows how many dealers will stick together? ITS US AGANIST THEM. THIS IS OUR FORUM.

brian125

i would talk with msgolf41 about his deal.it would be in your best interest to follow suit. if you want to look me up i will talk you thru out of state purchases and any details or concerns you have. good luck

brian125

karen is it possible you could email me. there are a few concerns i would like to air out.

msgolf41

sorry for the delay in responding! For me, it was a simple process and decision. I knew pretty much everything about the car, the options and the costs, and when brian suggested Bianchi to me, I sent them an email. Their quick and professional responsiveness led me to trust them. As soon as I decided what I wanted I let them know, and they happened to locate a Pilot within two hours in a color I liked. That night I decided to drive out (8 hrs) because I could not get a reasonable flight last minute.

They were kind enough to drive me to the airport to return my one-way rental car, and they sure all my questions were answered and that I was satisfied before I left. It was one of the longer driving days of my life (I got home about 4am) but it was well worth it to be treated like a valued customer. Even when my local dealer came close to the price, it was only after they realized they were going to lose the deal. For me, I decided I would rather support the dealer that gave me a fair deal from the start, as a matter of principle.

All in all, I think you need to feel comfortable with the people you are doing business with. I was given email quotes to confirm my pricing before I left, so I did not get any 'surprises' when I arrived. Also, I did sell my car on my own, so I did not have a trade-in issue, which could cause other problems. It was a simple transaction. Good luck and don't be afraid to travel a little to be treated well.

brian125

mike let me know what brand of tire your pilot came with. also i hear alot of rumblings about tire/road noise. i was thinking on just buying 4 really good tires.. any thoughts yet. i have found out and you confirmed it bianchi honda is a very big well respected dealership. i also agree with your feeling comfortable about your price and your dealership to me it is amatter of principle. brian

hadleyfarm

can anyone refer me to interstate trucking companies they've used to transport new Pilots?

Thanks!

Possible shipping scenarios -
Ohio - Massachusetts
PA - Massachusetts
Illinois - Massachusetts

msgolf41

brian - Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts. I had read the 'road noise' comments as well, but I thought these were fine. There is a tradeoff between quiet soft tires and noisier higher performance. I'm not noticing any undue road noise.

hadleyfarm - in terms of trucking, I would be concerned about all the "things" that could happen in between. To be honest, investigate what they charge to have someone drive it, or fly out and get it and enjoy your first trip. If they deliver, anything along the way is a 'dealer issue'.