Honda Odyssey 2005+

jchan2

Were the three tourings equipped with NAV/RES?

odymomof3

I finally saw the Slate Green color I've been waiting to check out, thinking it was what I would buy. And I was disappointed. It really did just look like a light charcoal, no hint of green whatsoever. It was a raining overcast day, FYI. On the up side, that pushed me to go ahead and get the EX-L with RES and NAV in silver with gray interior which was on the lot (the green was not the model we're looking for). We did a test drive, tormented the sales staff with our three kids for a couple of endless hours, and now my husband is off picking it up as I type. Can't wait! We're buying for $34,210 +tax and fees.

odymomof3

Can anyone tell me which seats are latch compatible? Now that we've got it, I'd like to start using the latch system, but don't have a clue.

lakerat

Lumbar I have to disagree with your post #1429.Here are the facts and I am leaving destination charges out of all the figures. In 2001 an EX had a MSRP of $26400 (No leather was available from Honda for this year), however I had it put on as an aftermarket product for $1600 so for argument sake the MSRP of the 2001 was $28000 The MSRP of a 2002 EX-L was $28250 for a 2003 EX-L $28400 for a 2004 EX-L $28490 now for the big jump a whooping $!800 increase to $30295 for a vehicle with so much more than the 2004 EX-L (moonroof, VCM,passenger automatic climate control etc.) What I am trying to bring out with these figures is that Honda did not really raise their MSRP on the EX-L all that much as your post seemed to imply. A 1 1/2% hike from 2001 to 2004 model year is not bad in my opinion .True we had a 6% hike this year for so much more vehicle.

odymomof3

I'm hoping someone can help me out with yet another question. We're unable to lock our new EX-L using either of the remotes. Unlock and door opening and closing works fine, but "unlock" does nothing. I can't find anything other than the basic instructions in the manual. Is there some setting or over-ride that could be in effect? This van has the navigation system if that has any bearing on it. Thanks for any help.

lumbar

You raise a good point and my post was poorly worded. I did not intend to refer to the year over year increases pre-2005, but to the increase from the "old" '04 version to the "new" '05, which IMO is high on a percentage basis--even for a redesign. Reasonable minds can certainly differ as to whether that increase is justified by what's been put into the vehicle, but I think it's pretty undeniable that from a dollars and cents perspective it's a lot compared to typical industry standards. There were also a number of pre-introduction "leaks" about the increases that have been proven to be quite a bit lower than actuality. I trust Honda's corporate intelligence enough to assume they tested various price points and realized the market would bear what they are charging.

andreab

The three tourings that we saw did not have the NAV/RES. We want the NAV/RES. The salesman said that they would pretty much have to order a touring with RES/NAV since this model is so high end. I told him that I refused to by a touring with this feature if I did not see it and try it out first. Interestingly, none of the Odysseys on the lot had NAV. He finally remembered that the new Accords have the exact same NAV system (the 2005 Pilots are not voice activated). We tried it out, and I must say, it was awesome! Really nice to have the voice activation system. You press a button on the steering wheeel to activate the system while you talk. We were very impressed! Now that we have seen how it works, we definitely want the NAV. Could care less about the RES, but we have to get the whole package.

baileybrad

Yes, there did seem to be a relatively few problems overall. Now the folks who have experience them probably don't think that this is a small number. Our next door neighbors' "99 had a total failure at 48K and Honda replace it at no charge. This pre-dated this recall by several years.

ace1000

The non-Touring models will relock the doors automatically 30 seconds after unlocking if a door is not opened. One advantage of the Touring model is that this interval can be changed to 60 or 90 seconds.

I tested the distance of the remote in a rainstorm yesterday. The van was several hundred feet from the door of the store, and I was able to unlock the doors from that distance. However, when I got to the van, the doors locked on me and in the rain I had to get the remote out of my pocket with my hands full to unlock the doors again. Relocking in 30 seconds defeats the advantage of being able to unlock the doors from hundreds of feet. I guess I will leave the van unlocked when it is parked outside for short periods of time on rainy days.

I plan to ask the dealer if he can reprogram the relock interval on the EX.

jchan2

I want the NAV too if I get another car. Too bad on the Odyssey I have to get leather and RES. (I want just NAV with a Cloth interior)

graystrickland

1) Can the sound of the movie play through the main speakers?

--YES

2) We were not really able to get the DVD I brought playing (ran out out time + dealer ignorance). Is there a way to start/control a movie from the NAV screen or other dashboard located buttons?

-- YES, you can operate the movie from the front dash controls or from the built in rear remote.

3) If an adult in the front row uses the remote, I suppose he can change tracks and so on, but how can you see the DVD menu?

ON THE FRONT DISPLAY. You can't see the movie, but you can see the menu.

varas

On this Saturday,We took delivery EX-L/RES/NAV ody'05.

This looks Great and excellent.

I had a quite a long drive and I am so happy and thrilled.

I have started exploring features one by one. I am really thrilled to see the NAV system. It is really awesome.

Highpoint:

NAV / rearview Camera / Drive Stick Design/ XM1 radio/ 8 Seater Capacity / Spacious and smooth.

Before buying, I am watching this thread from the begining and I was so scared whether I made a wrong decison. Ultimately, I believe I made right decison.

whatever money I paid I feel it is worth for the features and comfort Honda is providing.

By the way, I am not honda Crazy guy. I have 99 Totota Camry and driving for the past three years.

tom19

Congratulations, glad you're happy. We went to pick up our 05 Touring/Nav/Res on Friday and refused delivery.Thanks to the delivery check list we found an unacceptable amount, for a Honda, fit and finish problems. The rear seat hinge was indeed rusted, the carpet fit poorly on the 3rd seat in the storage well, the fabric backing on the 3rd seat at the bottom was torn and buckled near the bag holders, the left rear plastic "cap" at the top that covers the hinge for the power tail gate was warped and was installed poorly so that in a few months of repeated use it would puncture the rubber gasket, the front hood was misaligned so one side had a gap larger than another,the rear "spoiler" was also misaligned so one side's gap was larger than the other, the lazy suzan compartment separator was cracked, and there were no fewer than 4 "dimples" in the body that would have to be fixed at the dealers body shop.

The final blow was both clips that hold the sun visors in place had been mis-installed at an odd angle, just enough to hold the visor in place but clearly poorly put together.

The dealer's response was that all of these could be fixed and we would be happy with the car. Our salesperson explained that in early production models that some of these minor things happen but my response was that our 00 Odyssey that we were trading had perfect fit and finish and not even a rattle after 85,000 miles. She finally agreed that for $38,000 we should expect more. She said that she had sold Ford's and Chevy's and that this is what she used to see from them. She then said that the demand was high for the car, that the Honda plant in Alabama was working overtime to meet the demand and that perhaps they should slow down a little bit.

End result was that we left, no new Ody to drive home, kids and wife very unhappy and will ponder our next move. Perhaps a trip to the Toyota dealer will help the situation. Been a faithful Honda owner for many , many years, ( 3 Accords, 2 Civic's, 1 Ody) but seems that the Japanese and the Canadians sure build a better car than the folks in Alabama. At least in the Quality

varas

It looks like you have problem with your honda dealer and not honda.

Just forget about the this dealer and look for another one.

I did my test drive with Touring model and it is really good. EX-L/NAV/RES is same as Touring except couple feature.

I felt it was too expensive for those small features. the extra money is for the PAX tires.

Try different dealer.

kixo

Good for you that you refused delivery. So many buyers spend more time inspecting the test drive model, and then happily accept their vehicle without even a cursory check.

I have looked at three 05s, ranging in VINs from about 400 to 12,000, and all of them had embarrassing fit and finish problems. It ranged from warped plastic, wide gaps between interior pieces, headliner not properly fitted, lots of plastic slivers from the injection molding, sloppy carpet fit, headlight cover cracked.

Were the O4 Odysseys made in the same Alabama factory?

inky4

Egads that is bad. I am very picky. I like RX330 quality you know. I ordered a 05 and will do the same. Thanks for heads up. Being built now so I hope not a monday morning build. Honda made some compromizes I see. I drove a 05 Friday and noticed some headliner woes. I looked no farther that that. My early build 99-first month was a flawless van, so the Canadians must have a work ethic the new plant lacks. Hmmmn.

INKY

weaselinsuit

Seriously though, I think you are going to find glitches in the first run of any vehicle regardless of where it's made. But, that sure doesn't mean you have to accept them. Best of luck in your search for a replacement.

varas

It looks like you have problem with your honda dealer and not honda.

Just forget about the this dealer and look for another one.

I did my test drive with Touring model and it is really good. EX-L/NAV/RES is same as Touring except couple feature.

I felt it was too expensive for those small features. the extra money is for the PAX tires.

Try different dealer.

billiebird

Read in earlier msgs. re. Bedard Bros. Honda in Mass. offering 05 Odys at $950 above invoice. Checked it out and it's true. However, my local Honda dealer says it's probably a Canadian vehicle and thus will NOT have a U.S. warranty. My dealer is near Detoit and says some folks moved to Det. from Canada with their Canadian warranty and it can't be honored in the U.S. Also, Mass. is a different region and dealers around here are sticking with MSRP. Would appreciate any comments.

onleewords

Can somebody post the prices that are being paid for Touring model with Res and Nav.My dealer at Richmond,VA quoted me 500$ off on MSRP.I thinks its too much.What do you guys think?

elaine

We picked up our van on Friday, and this morning I had the same problem. After reading through the book, I learned that the REMOTE LOCK does not work if a door is not shut tight. In our case, it was the rear hatch. Unfortunately, I generally have to shut the rear hatch twice for it to close tightly.

andreab

Which dealer in Richmond? I live in Richmond, and have visited all the area dealers - West Broad, Mechanicsville, Richmond, Colonial Heights as well as Williamsburg. Have not started negotiationg yet, still want to see the Ocean Mist color in person. But I will want to try and get the best deal. At least $500 off on MSRP is a start!

cccompson

"Leaking" potential price points likely had very little to do with the actual numbers set. Honda is, of course, well aware of what its competitors do and prices its products accordingly.

Anyway you slice it, the price increase on the '05 Odyssey is easily justifiable - side curtain airbags and stability control alone are worth the raise IMHO.

sanand5

I have had my 05 Ody EX for about 3 weeks. The first tank of gas got only 16.5 mpg (mostly city driving). The second got only 15.5 mpg. Granted I live in a hilly area but this is less than my MDX I just traded in which averaged 18 mpg and which had ratings of 17/23 instead of the ODY's 20/28.

I sure hope it gets better than this.

odymomof3

Yep, that was the problem for me too, I had left the tailgate not quite latched. After that, it locked fine with the remote. I went over the book for a good long time before I found that one! My next challenge is to figure out which button combination unlocks and opens the doors simultaneously.

focusjc

Anybody knows if the Honda rack is wide enough to fit two kayaks, or I have to get from Thules or Yakima? The dealers here seems have no answer for me. Thanks.

torque

IMHO, even with all of the '05 Ody's shortcomings the touring Ody may beat the FWD Sienna XLE limited for one simple reason. The Ody simply drives better. Accelerate onto a highway or take a mild hairpin turn and the winner seems clear. If SECURE driving characteristics are what is most important in a minivan then there seems to be little contest.

However, it is frustrating that Honda missed the opportunity to achieve true perfection. Here is where the Sienna tops the Ody in my opinion:

1. Fit, finish and attention to detail of Ody is relatively poor. e.g., The floor mats can never fit well due to poor design (eg,snaps that don't line up), and the rattles in the cabin are numerous. Also,wind noise as heard from the front passenger seat is annoying. In addition,look at the floor models. The weather stripping on the sliding doors, located near the step is already working it's way off. Little kids have a hard time getting in and out of the sliding door because there is no handle except the one on the back of the passenger seats. That handle is too high for preschoolers.

2. Minivans are for kids right ? Then why is the Latch child seat system for the third row seat only equipped in the middle position on the Ody ? While the Sienna has it in two third row positions. And why, why, why does the top tether for the only Latch equipped Ody middle third row seat designed to transverse the cargo area and effectively bisect it in half. Toyota does it the right way, the third row top tether hooks onto the back of the seat leaving the cargo area unobstructed.

3. No DRL or HID option on Honda. Toyota's got it!

4. Nothing against run flats but the PAX thing concerns me. The tire and rim size is unique to the 05' Ody. In a pinch, you do not even have the option of placing a standard tire on you Ody rim because the Ody rim is a uniquely sized metric rim. So unless you are within run flat driving distance of a someone who has that tire or knows how to fix it - YOU ARE STUCK. Literally Stuck. Weekend road trips planned? Make sure you are never more than 100 miles or so of a Honda dealer. Oh and don't travel on Sat night or Sunday since the dealers are closed. Toyota got it right - run flats of a standard size on standard rim, so at least you have options.

5. Ody front passenger seat is uncomfortable to me.
Too much fixed lumbar support that is not adjustable.

6. No AWD option, even though they have already perfected this technology in the Acura MDX.

7. No telescoping steering wheel on Ody.

8. The memory seats buttons do not also remember the settings of the side mirrors and power adjustable pedals. (But perhaps that being picky.)

9. The front wheel drive versions of both cars BOTH have torque steer issues and pull to the right. But at least with the Sienna you can escape that issue by getting the AWD version.

10. The Ody third row windows do not open at all. Toyota's got power third row windows that pop open - nice for ventilation on beautiful fall days.

All that being said, the Ody has some areas of seeming perfection, e.g. the NAV and the driver's seat.

But the bottom line is that even Toyota loyalist must eventually concede, the Ody simply accelerates, drives and handles better. Don't focus on the stats, drive it and focus on the feeling. IMHO, once you get over the glitz of the Sienna and really just concentrate on it's driving characteristic it becomes clear. Unless you are a very passive driver, for all of it's seeming luxury, you may eventually find the Sienna lacking. For example,04-05 Sienna owners are well aware that the Sienna transmission has the annoying habit of searching for a gear in the midst of an attempted acceleration. (You have all felt it.) The service department will tell you that the car is learning your driving habits and will "adjust" over time. They will tell you that if the car has more than one driver then it confuses that process. So I guess the Sienna is meant for single parents only. This transmission issue in not a fixable problem, rather it is a design feature that is also apparent in other new toyota models like the Camry. BTW, it is also apparent in the AWD Sienna - sorry.

Toyota makes a great minivan, but the Ody may come out on top because above all else it excels at what a minivan is made for - driving.

Thanks for listening.
Enjoy your families.

Torque

stever

If you stack your kayaks the factory rack should be wide enough, assuming you have a bar accessory to stack them against. Otherwise, perhaps not, especially if you are talking about beamy sea kayaks or recreational style Kiwis, instead of whitewater boats.

Plus if you wind up shuttling friends as well, removable longer bars are a big plus (mine are 78" wide).

Steve, Host

fbear

wife is only 5' tall...she has to be close to the dash to reach the pedals.


My wife is 5' 1". Just bought Touring with adjustable pedals and she has found a comfortable position. Manual says that driver should be at least 10 inches from steering wheel to be safe from air bag impact. Says to find a comfortable seat position with arms almost fully extended- then raise pedals to suit. It worked for her and she is 12+ inches from steering wheel.

Perhaps this might factor in decison to go with Touring or not- touring might get her further from wheel.

fbear

Our touring with NAVI was missing the NAVI manual. Dealer says it is a nationwide shortage-that no one is getting the NAVI manual and he will call when they come in...

fbear

Backup camera is a very cool toy. Extreme wide angle lens takes a bit of getting used to. Objects most definitely "are closer than they appear", as the saying goes.

Seat comfort is a huge upgrade from our 99 Ody. No comparison. Just so much better.

Power rear lift gate has been immediately useful. I did not have to put down the 30 lb pumpkin we bought on the way home from the dealer...just hit the magic button as we approached the car and plopped it down.

Silver Pearl color is stunning in cloudy conditions. It has been rainy/cloudy just about non stop since we bought. Hope it looks as good in the sun.

Parking sensors are a mixed bag- they go wild every time we pull in or out of our narrow garage - the corner sensors get too close to the edges of the garage door. Fortunately the large on/off toggle switch is within easy reach.

The door lock confirmation chirp is still a (much too loud) toot of the horn. Our 99 Odyssey had this and I would have thought Honda had fixed it by now. The remote door lock gives no sound and you feel you need to hit it again to make sure it is locked. When you do, everyone in the parking lot looks your way.

Touring's key memory function memorizes the seat only. It does not remember outside mirror or pedal settings...a drag when there is a large height discrepancy between 2 main drivers.

dulnev

"Touring's key memory function memorizes the seat only. It does not remember outside mirror or pedal settings...a drag when there is a large height discrepancy between 2 main drivers."

That's just RETARDED! How stupid & cheap is Honda to make such a huge mistake? Readjusting mirrors and pedals takes more time and aggravation than readjusting seats, in my opinion. There's simply no way in hell I would buy a Touring now, given this information!

px260

Torque, Thanks for the great post on your observations. We are on the fense between Ody and Sienna, and yesterday, I stopped by to check out the '05 Sienna. My first impression, before even getting into the driver's seat, was that I noticed the poor fit and finish between the top and bottom dash area - uneven gap that runs horizontally on the left side of the steering wheel. The other general impressions of the Toyota are: hard/cheap plastics all over the interior surface - something reminds me of our early model Taurus. Same thing for the steering wheel - very plain and plasticky,I hope Ody's feel better. The leather seat feels very supple and Lexus like, but loose threads are apparent. I think Ody's leather feels harder and more durable. Also, the way both driver and passenger doors close - very "empty" and "unsure". I think Ody's doors close with a more solid "thump". I wonder if you made any comparisons between the two?

kengaroo

Can anyone who has the 2005 Odyssey with the RES option tell me if the DVD player plays movies that are in burned the following disc formats?

CD-R
CD-RW
DVD-R
DVD-RW
DVD+R
VCD
SVCD
MP3

I am looking into a Odyssey EX-L with RES, but I want to make sure it can play at lease some of format disc before I spend the money on the RES option.

focusjc

Thank you so much, Steve. Sounds like longer bars a good solution when I get the Ody. We just add a 2nd Sea Kayak(Shadow and Necky). BTW, I too have a 94 Quest just past 200K this Summer. I would keep on driving it except kids been asking for something new. I especially like the part that I don't have to worry about getting scratched either in parking lot or loading up the kayaks/bikes.
Regards, Jeff

stever

Great! I spent a week last summer helping guide a sea kayak trip in Alaska (as assistant guide I got to wash all the dishes and lug all the gear to camp <g> - still fun!).

My Quest driver's side mirror is epoxied in place after dropping a canoe on it and it has a few other boating scars. Hopefully it'll go for another 100,000 too.

Steve, Host

stevens608

I picked up my EX-L last Tuesday. I have looked over the entire vehicle and I can't find the coin box. The dealer can't find it either.

A "Coin Box" is listed, for all models, in Honda printed brochure, but I don't think it exists.

heywood1

A great thing (wish my Sienna had them). But: Isn't this benefit somewhat mitigated by the Odyssey's lack of a telescoping steering wheel? Sienna has this (my XLE, at least), and I think it's an important safety feature for short/petite drivers--with or without adjustable pedals.

scorcobra76

yeah, a coin box is different from what you expected, you were probably looking for a COIN TRAY - which sorts coins by nickels, dimes, quarters and such...box is just a box

sportymonk

I hate to say it but the problems described have absolutely nothing to do with the dealer. The dealer should not have to reassemble the vehicle and that is a significantly long list of details.

From what I am seeing, I think I will wait a while to buy.

surferjoe

We have a 2000 EX and are waiting for delivery of our 2005 EX-L in mid-November.

When we were on the showroom floor my wife uttered, "$35,000 and no coin holder like my 2000 model. Well that just kills the whole deal." Boy was that funny when all the salespeople took her seriously.

thumper

Does the Ody not flash its lights when locking/unlocking by remote? My Subaru does this and it makes the confirmation chirp unnecessary.

I agree about the lack of mirror adjustment on the memory seats. My wife and I have the seat in our other cars in nearly the same position, it's the mirrors that get moved!

--> Andy

fredf3

Has anyone gotten a good look at the olive leather? It looks light gray in the brouchure and gold on the web site.

surferjoe

We have seen it in person. I'd call it more of a light gray. I really liked it, but my wife feels pretty stongly about the ivory. Needless to say we are waiting for delivery of an EX-L in sagebrush with ivory. My Accord is blue with the same shade of ivory interior, and I'll be happy with our choice for the van.

torque

Hmmm. I didn't notice the fit and finish issues on the Sienna, but it would not surprise me. I did notice that the Honda steering wheel felt more substantial than the Sienna.

The Honda is a heavier vehicle, but I agree that the doors on both vans seemed somewhat light and as you say "empty". Perhaps only a European minivan would ever have solid feeling doors.

fbear

Lack of coin box is my wife's big complaint...fortunately we have Easy Pass (transmitter on windshield which pays tolls without money exchange) so coins for occasional use at car wash are now in a coin purse in the pull-out drawer way down at floor level in the center of the dash.

fbear

Has anyone with a 2005 Ody with Navigation system received a manual? We bought on 10/16 and are still waiting.

fsmmcsi

Now that more time has passed, has anyone found a fix for the wind noise? Now that Motor trend has tested the other vehicle I was considering, and I have driven it more, it is too slow, so I am back looking at the Odyssey (or maybe the soon-to-be-released Honda pickup which is the same platform).

andrewtran71

"salesman said that they would pretty much have to order a touring with RES/NAV since this model is so high end"

The things some of these sales people say.
I saw two Touring models w/NAV+RES in OKC, and Oklahoma City isn't exactly a big city with a huge inventory like Dallas or LA.

andrewtran71

"nationwide shortage-that no one is getting the NAVI manual"

Now that's extremely funny!

I've heard of a nation-wide shortage on the flu vaccine and other medications due to contamination, but nation-wide shortage of NAVI manuals?

How many Ody w/NAV models does Honda have?

Perhaps Honda needs to redesign their printing faciities? :-)