2013 and earlier-Honda Pilot Prices Paid and Buying Experience

tjoiner

Does anyone know where to get a good deal on a Pilot EX-L in North Carolina? We're in Raleigh but willing to drive anywhere. Thanks.

tjoiner

Hi jlr3rd,

Can you please tell me the name of the dealership where you bought your pilot?

Thanks for your help...

sungchang

Does anyone know where to get a good deal on a Pilot EX-L in California (north and south)? We're in San Jose but willing to drive anywhere. Thanks.

My local dealer offered $750 under list, but I'm seeing much better deals on this board. Thanks.

sungchang@hotmail.com

rokink

I have an offer of $29,500 + Tax and Tag for an EX-L in South Fla. Sounds ok to me, but I am seeing much better deals in here. Opinions are appreciated.

my3kids

I picked up my new Pilot from Hidy Honda in Beavercreek, OH. The internet manager, Ben, was absolutley wonderful. The transaction went off without a hitch. The initial contacts by email and phone were not the traditional start to a car purchase, but we felt really lucky to have found Hidy. Everything went exactly as it should have. For anyone worried about out of state transations, I am one very satisfied new Pilot owner.

dorene1

We also live in San Jose. We were in a major hurry to get our Pilot, as we sold our other vehicle much more quickly than we thought for a good price, and rental cars were going to add up quickly.

The market is too tight in San Jose, so we actually had to pay $500. over MSRP, as we found the only local (Sunnyvale ultimately) Pilot not on order that had navigation (EXL). Suggest taking a trip out of state if you have the time!
Despite not getting a better deal on purchase, we got a warranty and parts greatly reduced, which helped to balance the transaction, as well as 0 down low interest payments. I also am totally loving this vehicle! Good luck to you.

sgillesp

Hey Brian125, njeverest or atalalay. I am hoping you guys can provide me with the name of the shipper and price you paid for the shipment of your pilots. I am looking to purchase one in Ohio and ship to Long Island, New York. Shipping prices are all varied. Would like to ship on a flatbed or trailer or the like.

Thanks guys.

sgillesp

I see you picked up your Pilot. Would you mind emailing me the details of purchase. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

stevelaura33@yahoo.com

kman73

I paid $27000+ Tax and 3.99 APR for the Sandstone color. Is it a good deal

atalalay

I think these were discussed earlier... Basically, you can have the dealer do the shipping (I did that from Waikem in OH to VA; 400 miles for $350), or get a third party to do that (get about 20 quotes from monstermoving.com, I did that this summer to move my other SUV from CA to VA: used ableauto for $810 )... or get the dealer to drop ship (typical charge is about $500) and brian125 used that option. I think that the shipping from OH to NY should run in the $300-400 range.

kman73: 27k for EX is great! Where did you get that? City? Dealership?

sgillesp

Atalalay, the $350 you paid for shipping was that on a flatbed. What about Brian125 was his on a flatbed or the like. I have been quoted like $800 to ship on a flatbed and $350 for someone to drive it to NY. I don't want to take the driving route, but the dealer has said if you have a cheaper shipping company to say so. I think $800 to ship is way overpriced than what I have seen here and I am looking to either contact a different shipper myself or have the dealership do it for me. Therefore, if you guys know the names and/or phones of the shippers, that would greatly help. If you prefer not to post, email is stevelaura33@yahoo.com.

Thanks. By the way, it is based upon everyone's reviews after picking up their pilot that I tend to believe the professional reviewers.

clpurnell

I moved cross country last year and got an auto shipping company from rroyce(terry) over in real world trade in. The price was pretty low <$700 to go from chicago to houston. From Ohio to the East coast I think could be even cheaper. you might to e-mail terry or bill for a reccomendation as these are dealers that ship vehicles from auctions a lot. They were very helpful to me at least. I didn't actually use them I decided to drive the 1500 miles my self.

sgillesp

Does anyone know anything about drop shipping that Brian125 had done? Does the dealer you are purchasing from arrange for another dealer to deliver to? Can you then refuse shipment if there are unforseen problems?

It seems like this is the safest way to have it done and shipping costs seem to only be like $500.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

brian125

i bought from hidy honda in ohio... the courtesy ship you are referring to could only be done if hida honda could negotiate a deal with a dealer in your area.. long island... most dealers in our area the northeast are getting m.s.rp. and dont like to do this kind of deal/transfer/ transaction... to flat bed from ohio to n.y is between $400 to $550 at best.. IF YOU USE A PRIVATE TOWING LIKE ATALALAY HAS POSTED YOU WILL SAVE MONEY... waikem honda was 450 to ship east hidy was $500.. your best deal might be made at bianchi honda in erie P.A.... email me and i could give you the key to unlock the chasity box...

atalalay

This summer I used www.ableautotransport.com to ship my 4Runner coast-to-coast for $810 (without major issues) this summer (N.B. summer rates are highest) and their quote from OH to VA (400 miles) was $350. However, I did not use them this time. They seem to be a middleman and I was told that I could do better if I found a more direct local way to arrange it.

Drop shipping: Some dealers may agree to ship cars directly from factory to the any other dealership for a fee. Most dealers will refuse to do that but there exists a mechanism for doing that!

kman73

Answer to ATALALAY:
  I got it in Cincinnati OH. Dealer is performance Honda in Fairfield. I got the same deal with Superior Honda but prefered Performance since it is near to my home.

sanvijay

Hi Sungchang,

I've been looking for an EXL in and around the bay area. So far I've only got MSRP. Could you tell me from what dealer you got $750 below MSRP? Also, I've been told that vehicles bought outside California cannot be registered in CA if it has less than 7500 miles on it. Is this true? I would appreciate your response.

Regards.
Pilot Seeker.

barabanki

you paid 27K on EX which is about 300 over invoice. is performance honda or superior will do the same deal on Ex-L ? I mean 300 over invoice ? I used to live in West Chester earlier but now I am in Atlanta... ready to drive it from Cinci if I get the right deal.

acura2001

Hello Folks!

I am from the east coast (Maryland)and boy it is very hard to get a good deal on an EXL or better yet, you would be lucky if you can find the color you want! Anyway, I read everyone's messages and I thought I could purchase $500 to $1000 over invoice, but I was laughed at about 15 times (I called and e-mailed (15) car dealerships in Maryland). I finally decided to go with my credit union, which they have their own prices from the United Buying Service (UBS) and it also includes the destination charge of $460. UBS PRICE IS $29,697 FOR THE EXL. That is exactly how much I purchased the EXL silver metallic, which happens to be a very popular color over here in Maryland. No car dealership would not go under that price, I tried. If anyone does better, please share with us folks on the east coast, especially DC, Maryland, VA area.

Thanks and Good Luck!

sungchang

$750 was for EX-L with Nav, but you should be able to get something close to it at Larry Hopkins Honda in Sunnyvale. I believe I'm not supposed to post salesperson's name. Provide your email and I will email the info to you. As far as getting a car out of state, I'm not sure. Sorry.

sungchang

Thanks for the info. My younger bro is looking for one down in LA as well and he seems to be able to negotiate better down there than here. I guess it's the price we pay living at Silicon Valley. The best I have gotten is $750 off on EX-L with Nav up here. Also the war is impacting dealers to make deals now. I'm not in a hurry, so I might wait a little more to see if my contact here will match the price from LA. I will have my bro fax over the sales contract.... Patience is something I have plenty lately....

sanvijay

My email address is sanvijay@hotmail.com. I am looking for an EXL, but like you said - I should get a comparable rate. I would appreciate it if you could give me the salesman's details so that I may get in touch with them. Thanks in advance.

dorene1

Coincidences do happen! We purchased at Larry Hopkins Honda ($500) over invoice for EXL with Navigation, and our salesperson and the manager said they never sold for under MSRP, and were not motivated to sell for MSRP because they had no other Pilots, and anyone who said they did otherwise was not being honest! Even tho I doubted that, there were no other Pilots around that night, and it was going to be $70 or so a day for a 5 seater rental, so we figured we were cutting our losses to get it done quickly.

  Time is on your side for a better deal. I didn't favor shipping, as I wanted to make sure I took a test drive in our vehicle before purchase, and like getting service from the same dealer as purchase for a possible sense of accountability (who knows, but it can't hurt). So we paid the SJ cost, tho it hurts to see how overpriced our area is. We totally love our vehicle, however........

 Have you thought of combining purchases to lower your cost? If you went together, I bet you could negotiate even more effectively - I wish we were there to add to the group (!) -

If you go to hondapilot.org, or hondacuraworld, and link to the pilot homepage, they have a group buying link. This is through a dealership in New York which ships vehicles when they are bought in 'bulk'. Perhaps you could link with others on this page, and really benefit. Good luck with your purchases!

berbot

Picked up our Havasu Blue Pilot at Port-City Honda in Corpus Christi, TX for $30,500 +TTL. A fair deal I believe.

They have several EX and LX Pilots on the lot; however, we waited 2 weeks for them to find the specific color and accoutrements we desired.

The Honda.com site "build & price" feature does not show the true color of the Havasu Blue vehicle.

akinca

A quick question for all of you . . . how many of you compared the Honda Pilot with the Highlander? I'm in the market for a new car and have narrowed my choices to these two suv's. What was the ultimate decision maker in choosing the Pilot? I would love any input you have. Thanks!

shovelhd

jlr3rd,

I would appreciate the name of the dealer and the salesperson you dealt with when you bought your Pilot. I am ready to drive for a deal.

Thanks,

Chris in MA

masspilot

Got a great deal on a Silver EX-L RES at Park Honda in Akron. Talk to the Internet Sales Manager for your best deal. He is very honest and straightforward.

Only problem is funny Ohio vs. Massachusetts title laws. Ohio requires dealer to title in Ohio which
means they file Honda Certificate of Origin. Mass requires Honda Certificate of Origin or title to register. I'm stuck in middle with temp plates that are not honored here in Mass, and a car I probably shouldn't drive or park on public roads until the OH title comes in and I can register here in Mass.

Other than that, no problems and a GREAT deal. Email me at kfeder@yahoo.com for specifics/names.

my3kids

I bought in Ohio also and have the 30 day tags from that state. Have not gotten the papers I need to get my state tags yet. Why would you not be allowed to drive legally in MA though? Surely there is a 30 day rule or something for registering. No problems here. I went and got the official state inspection done and stickered. I bought my county decal and registered it locally. No problems. I just can't go to the State DMV until I get the official title in the mail. That is when I'll get my state title, register for the tags and pay my state taxes since I didn't pay the sales tax to Ohio.

brian125

i did like the highlander.. over all the pilot has more room, faster.. i think both are a excellent choice depending on preference.. edmunds and consumer reports claims some pronounsed road noise inside pilot when driving.. which i dont. i did note that the driving position in the highlander was more comfortable.. i'm 6'1 235 pounds and i am not happy with the leather seat in the pilot.. i find myself constantly adjusting it up, down forward ,back.. the seat is to small or not long enough, other than that the pilot won hands down for me.. other factors to consider Pilot is m.s.r.p. in most states unless you buy in OHIO, PA, TEXAS, MICHIGAN, ETC,, , GOOD LUCK

robert121

I bought my Honda Pilot EXL-NAV from Jay Honda, Bedford OH for $31217. I went and picked up the vehicle. Otherwise add $500 to ship to your place. The transaction was very smooth and the sales person was very honest and polite. I fixed this deal over phone and e-mail. I would recommend anybody for any Honda deal with this dealer. See insidethecardeal for price information. I love my Pilot especially the Navigation. The Navigation System is very creative and I feel very confident in going to any new place.

theshekster

I purchased my Pilot in Tucson, AZ. I'm picking it up today. I paid $31,980. I then added about $1900 in accessories and only paid $900. I used Costco Warehouse membership to do it. They gave a $500 off the MSRP, Free tint, plus 10% above dealers cost on accessories. I bought the stripping, door guards, dash cover, rear splash guards, roof rack crossbars, sidesteps... trying to remember them all... I think one or two more things... I looked at it last night and I was very, very happy with the look.

I initially was looking at the new Toyota Sienna Van... however, they are marking them up as high as $7000 over MSRP! I did find one in Tempe at the actual MSRP. I was livid at the Toyota dealer here in Tucson so we drove to the Honda dealer next door. Then I wanted an Odyssey until I drove the Pilot. I love it!

kcsen

I was shopping for a Toyota Sequoia at first, but ended up with a Pilot. I already own a 1999 Honda Accord EX V6 (bought it new) and never have any problems. That's why I went for a Honda SUV. I love my Pilot so much because of the price I paid and the quality and reliability that I will get from it. I paid only $28670 for my Pilot EX versus I might have to pay $36k on a Toyota Sequoia. Since I knew that I wanted a reliable foreign SUV with 3rd row seat and not to pay too much for it, therefore Pilot overtook the Sequoia place on my list ultimately.

The $28670 includes:
1) Pilot EX ($27170)
2) Destination Charge ($460)
3) Side Steps
4) Rear Splashguard
5) Auto Day/Night Mirror
6) Cargo Cover
7) Document Fee ($99.50)

Note: I don't know what's the cost price for each accessary. So, go figure much I have saved overall on the Pilot.

I basically drove the car out from the dealer's lot with that price and no other fees are added.
I have heard a lot of bad comments about the leather seats in Pilot, so I avoided to get an EXL. I am planning to get a after market leather seats installed in a local shop. The website for the leather seat is http://www.classicsofttrim.com/index.html . It has certified local installers in most of the states in US. I have gone to a local installer here in my town. Coincidentally, they were installing leather seat for a Pilot. The leather looks and feels like the Honda factory leather. Customer has the option to choose perf or w/o perf. The leather and padding are thicker than the factory one. It would cost around $1295 to get installed, more expensive than the leather in EXL (The price difference betw an EX and an EXL is $1123). It's a full leather installation, meaning it includes the leather on the doors too.

Thanks to kevin114 (msg#891) on the leather information.
Thanks to brian125 for telling me the method to buy a Pilot.

FYI, I bought it in Oklahoma. Anyone interested can email me and I'll let you know who and where I bought it from.

brian125

at12110

Can you tell me if you know a Jersey dealer willing to deal. The one I spoke with in Rt.1 wants sticker. Looking for a blue EXL w/ DVD for about 30,000-30,500 after dest. before TTL. Thanks.

shovelhd

I had a great deal going with a dealer in Ohio, $29,900 for an EXL-RES, which I used to leverage a comparable deal with the local MA dealer I would be using for service. EXL-RES for $30,664 + tax +$175 doc. I figured it would have cost me $500 to fly to Ohio, stay over, and drive back, and the $264 is for my time (10 hour drive).

It pays to use these forums to leverage your local dealer. THANKS to all of you who have posted their out of state opportunities. It makes a difference. My local dealer was very familiar with these out of state deals and the whole negotiation took no more than 30 minutes. It simply would NOT have happened without the great people on this forum.

We take delivery on Monday morning. Anyone that wants details can email me at shovelfl@yahoo.com.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris
'03 Sagebrush/Fern EXL-RES

rokink

I paid $29,500 + Tax and Tag for an EX-L. Also got 4.15% For 5 Years. Guess that is OK.

txpilot

Purchased a Pilot EX-L today for $27160+ TT&L in San Antonio TX. Internet Price located through the honda corp website. The car "sat" on the dealers lot for 18 days with 16 miles and they really wanted to move it. I still don't believe the price myself. But, the new Pilot is sitting in the garage right now!

6kidz

Has anyone had any experience dealing with Bianchi Honda - Erie, Pa? Please post your experience. I would like to purchase a white EX-L Pilot as soon as possible and would like to keep my business in PA. Any other dealers in Western PA that you would recommend?

brewer90

Which dealership did you work with in SA? I'm up in Austin and just starting to look around.

txpilot

Gunn Honda was the dealer I bought from. gunnauto.com

shovelhd

I talked with Bianchi while shopping, Brian Donnelly. They had a few on the lot and were willing to run locates for the same price. The EXL-RES was $1300 over invoice.

marklud

Here's my experience, for what it's worth.The best prices I had gotten were in Ohio or Erie Pa. For a Pilot EX cloth,$27,750 +tt. Originally the dealer in my town's best was $28,700, but as I tried one last time before traveling the 6hrs to Erie, he came down to $27,900 +tt. That was for a Sage EX cloth int. I think I did well, so, anyone getting discouraged,keep trying, the dealers are starting to think twice before passing up your money in this shaky economy. Thanks for everyone's helpful info.

silverpilot03

After a month of reading this message board and other sites, I bought a silver EX pilot for 27,100 + 99 doc (includes license fee $45). I thought I had a great price, then I read message 1012 above. I must admit I did not believe him until I viewed the wesbite. I still cannot believe the prices they have listed. If they sell their EX's for the $26100 price they claim, they are not making one dime. They won't even make any holdback. How can this be? Any thoughts?

txpilot

The dealer had my pilot on the lot for 18 days. When the cars don't sell fast enough the dealership pays interest to whoever finances their inventory--called "floorplan".

Honda allocates cars to dealers based on previous sales. Sell more and they will get more to sell in the future. Gunn wants to grow and they are building a huge new dealership that will need lots of inventory hence the push to increase future allocation. I had both the floorplan interest and the need for future allocation in my favor for getting a great deal.
Also, the loser Honda salesmen in Austin who I offered $1356 MORE than what I purchased for!!! I sure am glad they were so greedy. That made me expand my search to Gunn Honda in San Antonio. This was by far the best car buying experience ever. No hidden fees of mystery charges only the most professional honest deal ever.

silverpilot03

I do understand floor planning costs. However, in this case they made NOTHING on the sale to offset these costs. No holdback, nothing over invoice and there are no incentives in place from American Honda on the Pilot. So, despite the fact that they want to grow and receive more allocation, one must wonder how long they can sell these, and even lose money when you consider the 18 day floorplan cost. Anyone who buys this way is getting a great deal. Congratulations.

silverpilot03

I paid 27100 for an ex cloth at Sim Fryson in Ashland KY. This is just west of Huntington WV. Everything was done via fax until the actual delivery. I did put on Michelin Cross Terrains as new car take-offs. I would say they ride quieter and smoother that the Bridgestones that were OEM. Tirerack's survey rates the CT's very highly and I would concur. The ride is better that my old 2001 Intrepid with new Michelin X-Ones.

qbrozen

Well, my wife and I searched and searched and emailed and emailed all over NJ and even a few in NY and PA. Had some bad experiences at dealers and finally met someone last night at Coast Honda in central Jersey who offered us a Havasau Blue EX-L, due in this week, for $29019. They even matched the highest offer for our trade-in without any prompting from us. There was no negotiating, no discussions, no problems (so far). Oh, and even heard back from them today that they are giving us the best financing rate we have heard thus far as well.

After hearing so many salespeople tell us they would only sell at MSRP and then come down a few hundred (only to lowball us on our trade afterwards), or even stick to their guns at MSRP, this was such a nice change and such a nice experience that they are getting our business even though we've had other dealers call us back and say they will beat the deal we got from Coast.

bobh12127

Traveled to Ohio over the weekend and stopped at Hinderer Honda (near Columbus). I will recommend even though I did not buy - due to trade-in problem.

lesw

qbrozen,
Congratulations!I'm also in the market for the EX-L and would love to hear a great ending to your shopping experience at Coast Honda after you get the car.

qbrozen

i'll give an update when we pick it up. Did get an update yesterday that now the truck might not arrive till Monday. Why it would get stuck in NY for a week, I have no idea.

Anyway, if you are in Jersey, I can tell you to definitely avoid Princeton Honda, VIP Honda, and David Michael Motors. Princeton and David Michael were strictly MSRP, and VIP just wasted my time by telling us they could beat our best deal, making me drive there and sit around for an hour while they did who-knows-what with my trade-in, and then said they couldn't even match what we already had. Had a very similar experience at Kay Honda, by the way. Although Kay did agree to give me the Pilot for an even $30K, but then proceeded to tell me I had to pay an additional $399 for mudguards and a cargo mat that they just couldn't take off the price.

Turnersville sent us an email with a "no-haggle" price of $29,980, so that's not bad. Would have been a drive for us, though.