Honda Odyssey 2005+

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Comments

  • tcsubwoofertcsubwoofer Member Posts: 25
    We have an EXL with NAV/DVD. We have what appears to be an internal door rattle on the driver side passenger door. We took it to the dealer once and they seemed to fix it, but when hitting potholes or railroad tracks we hear it. My hunch is that it is something with the internal sunshades? We will try to take it back again to fix the rattle when we have the time.

    Small nuisance - we really like the van.
  • tcsubwoofertcsubwoofer Member Posts: 25
    I haven't posted for awhile since we received our Black EXL DVD/NAV about 1 month ago. I spent a lot of time at these forums making the painstaking decision to go with Sienna or Honda. I agree with some other posters that we edmunds fanatics are too caught up in minor details. Our van is so nice and luxurious that we love to drive it. People who drive a Sienna should feel the same. Relatively speaking - each van is a great blend of practicality and luxury.

    We love... the smell of the leather when we get in. One of the pleasures of owning a new car.

    We love... the comfortable drive and solid handling of the Odyssey.

    The NAV system is a blast and is a surprisingly nice feature to have. I knew the NAV would be great, but I was unaware of the other features. You can also view audio stations settings, have restaurants guides, a basic contact book, a conversion calculator, and other features. It really is impressive. You do have to clearly enunciate your vowels or when you say "XM radio station 1", it might say "rear defrost on".

    I would have liked to have a power rear hatch, but the rear door on the Honda is REALLY easy to close. I don't have to exert much force to have it close, even when it barely clicks shut. No problems.

    The lack of a telescoping steering wheel was somewhat of a concern for us. There are enough seat adjustments and the ability of the steering wheel to move up and down that I and my wife can be comfortable. However, a friend of ours had to buy the Sienna because this bothered her. After driving the van for more than a test drive, your body becomes accustomed to driving it and I haven't noticed any undue stresses on my arms or legs. Perhaps a 1000 mile road trip would be a better test.

    The rear 3rd row seats are awesome and very easy to use. Nice to have them up and down for groceries or whatever.

    The DVD system is nice to have. We let my 3 year old watch it on longer trips. We haven't figured out how to run it from the front control console (if possible) and have to arch back to look at the roof controls over the second seats. Not a huge deal. The wireless headphones work great and they turn off when you leave the van or enter into the front passenger area - all to avoid people from viewing of listening when they shouldn't be.

    We have noticed no wind noise at high speeds like others. We have no apparent shifting problems. We have no apparent braking problems. Road noise may seem louder than I would have thought, but perhaps only because people made such a big deal about it. I think road noise is slightly above my volkswagen passat.

    The VCM system seems flawless. The VCM light goes on and off when you are cruising at stable speeds and I have yet to perceive any noise or changes in engine vibration.

    I don't know what else I can offer about this van other than our subjective joys of owning it. One thing is for sure, the Honda is one heck of a vehicle and we look forward to driving anywhere we go. My mother-in-law calls it a hotel on wheels.

    My advise to people is to back off a little on the minutia of their vans and to enjoy all the great things about it.
  • rand01rand01 Member Posts: 75
    Yeah, I don't care much for those Toyota wheels either...or did you mean the Touring model wheels? Being a 4 day new owner of the Touring with Nav and RES, I like the tall wheels, and the design is OK (my opinion, yet you know what they say about opinions!), sets it apart from the rest of the mini-vans. Of course, I'd rather have a set of chrome Weld Racing wheels (as would my wife, who is the primary driver of this thing). Perhaps, down the road when the wheel manufacturers have a better idea of what fits best, and assuming that I can transfer the tire pressure sensors/transmitters over to the new wheels to maintain the TPMS, a fancier set will adorn our Odyssey.

    Regarding the carrying of a spare, I don't see why the compact temp spare that comes with the non-Pax models won't fit in the stowage compartment. A full size tire and wheel is definitely not going to fit! In fact, the owner's manual shows you two different methods of temporarily storing your full-sized flat in the rear of the vehicle (3rd row seats up or down) in the event you have to install the spare.

    Addressing the seating comfort, they seem OK to us, a side bolster adjustment would be nice, but as it appears so obvious to me, one seat is not going to fit every butt and back combination out there!

    My only issue so far, in my limited amount of driving the Odyssey, is that the reach to the steering wheel is a bit much. Locating it further back or at least making it telescopic would solve this problem. Guess we are stuck adapting for now...
  • rand01rand01 Member Posts: 75
    Well said! All too often we focus on the negative and forget what a great vehicle the Odyssey is.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Odyssey is a great vehicle in ALL models from LX to the Touring. More minivan at MSRP than any competitor as it has been since 1999 introduction.
        I prefer the appearance of the wheels of the Odyssey EX to the Touring. The Touring wheels look too much like the Chrysler Touring and Limited wheels. The 2002-2004 Odyssey EX wheels are the most attractive wheels of any recent vehicle.
        I also prefer the Sienna XLE 16" wheels to either the standard LE wheel covers, LE AWD 17" wheels or XLE Limited wheels. (The XLE standard 16" wheels are the same as the optional 16" alloy wheels of the LE).
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    Maybe. But the previous generation Odyssey managed to command MSRP for about three years. The new '05 model has barely been able to hold MSRP for three months, and discounts are already available. And if you want a Touring with no options, discounts can be in the thousands.....
  • yatesdyatesd Member Posts: 60
    heywood1,

    I noticed that you have bought a Toyota Sienna. You are right, we appear to be lucky that some discounting exists. However, the Toyota's are also seeing the same thing.

    When I bought my Touring I directly priced it against an XLE AWD w/leather. The dealer was offering close to $4,000 off list.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    No question Toyotas are seeing significant discounting now. But even the '04 Sienna managed to sell for close to MSRP for about the first year, due to its leapfrogging of the then-aging Odyssey. But I'm surprised at how quickly discounts have become available on the new & improved Ody. I wonder if Honda dealers and salespeople aren't a bit surprised as well.

    Although I negotiated a great deal on my Sienna at the time, I'm sure I could get the same van now for $1-2K less. But I've enjoyed my van for nearly a year, and in the meantime, the van I traded might have dropped in value by more than I would have saved by waiting.
  • jimmylee1000jimmylee1000 Member Posts: 22
    I am nearly ready to buy a minivan. I am seriously considering the Ody Touring. Those PAX tires concern me. I decided to try a test.

    I called the Honda service department of the dealer I am working with. I told him my concerns. He tols me that they are too new for him to know about. I told him he should have a Michelin "hatbox" handy to swap out my whole wheel if needed, he told me that he found it.

    If I have a flat, I have to buy the whole kit. Wheel and all - at a cost of $517.00. He was clueless about a trade in program, clueless about how to service me. Nightmare. He said that Honda Service Departments had zero training on it yet.

    I called the major tire sellers in my area (Cincinnati). Not a one carried the tire. And not one had the equipment to mount and balance one if I provided it.

    Even www.Tirerack.com does not carry it.

    I did find one tire retailer that would order me one. The cost you ask? $240.00 per tire.

    I called Michgelin's 1-877-PAXTIRE number. I told them I was in Cinci and had a PAX tire issue and needed a replacement. It ended up being a general Michelin service number, and they were polite but nearly clueless about how to help me.

    If you have an issue with a PAX tire, you are toast for at least awhile. If I buy the Touring Ody, I will replace those PAX tires and rims with standard ones from Tirerack, and put a donut spare/jack in the lazy susan storage area. Then I can also mount and use Blizzaks in the winter. Sure can't do it with the PAX wheels.

    Damn Honda for this BS move of providing a tire for which there is absolututely zero support infrastructure. Most people buying these Touring Odys have no clue yet just how screwed they are if they have a tire issue. They will find out. I did my experiment and investigation, and it was bad.

    At least with a conventional tire and a donut spare, you can buy time. And contrary to popular belief, the tread on a fully inflated donut spare is good for a few thousand miles, albeit it at reduced speeds and decreased handling. The PAX tire can go 150 miles while flat. That's it. Might as well have done what Porsche does in the boxter and provide a can of fix-a-flat. It works better than PAX, except in sidewall blowouts.

    But PAX better catch on quickly industry-wide, and most tire pros believe it is too complicated and complex a syatem to become wide spread. PAX is a loser in my view. Strike one against the Honda.
  • yatesdyatesd Member Posts: 60
    jimmylee1000,

    Here is the PAX dealer in your home town:

    Tire Discounters Inc
    5362 Ridge Ave
    Cincinnati, OH 45213-2544
    Tel # (513)351-0300

    However, most people in our region don't regularly switch over to snow tires. If this is a huge issue, I would probably buy something else.

    I would also suspect that you could get away breaking the mileage rules on PAX, just like you could with a donut spare. Again, I am not sure there is a difference between these two experiences. Except that you physically need to change the spare and the PAX is relatively carefree.

    Did you take the time to read the warranty link? It appears that my whole assembly would be switched at no charge. That seems OK to me.

    Again, if you spent this much time worrying about the issue, and you think traction is that much of an issue, I would just get the Sienna AWD. Personally, I live in central PA and my other vehicle is AWD so I have no concerns whatsoever.

    Actually, I take that back. I was somewhat concerned when this discussion first started, but doing my research reinforced my very wise decision.

    Furthermore, these are premium Michelin tires. I just checked the sidewall of my Truck last night and those Michelins are only rated 420 and they have a 65K warranty (which they will easily reach). The PAX tires have a rating of 500 and I anticipate at least a similar lifespan.
  • yatesdyatesd Member Posts: 60
    One other interesting tidbit that I picked up. When I was cross shopping the Sienna I learned that they have a reset button for the tire pressure monitor.

    The good thing with Toyota is that the tire pressure monitor is standard across the line. However, it appears to be very basic in it's capability.

    The Touring model doesn't need to be reset, since it actually monitors the pressure live and reports the exact pressure of each tire on the driver information screen.
  • jimmylee1000jimmylee1000 Member Posts: 22
    Yatesd,

    Thanks for the info. The company name you gave me was exactly who I had called in my area. They do not stock these tires. Of all their dozens of stores, only one is set up to handle PAX. They can special order me a tire at $240 each. They do not believe PAX will be a hit in the marketplace.

    As far as getting the Toyota AWD, take a look at their board. As it turns out, they come equipped with "conventional" DSST run flat tires. No spare, and no place to carry one. Their tires are wearing out at 12,000 miles on many Siennas, and people are talking class action suit. It is really bad.

    All I want is a conventional tire, with a donut spare. I carry fix-a-flat, which works great for minor nails and stuff like that. I have had one sidewall puncture in 10 years, and was glad to have the donut spare. I called tirerack and they had me a new tire in 2 days. With PAX, the dealers are NOT taking care of customers like Michelin promises, and are not even aware of the policies supposedly in effect.
  • rand01rand01 Member Posts: 75
    Yes, I own an Odyssey Touring and you've got me shaking in my shoes with the results of your "experiment and investigation", NOT!! Thankfully, I'm not one of the owners that "have no clue yet just how screwed they are".

    How long has the PAX been out now, a few months? It may take awhile for everyone to get up to speed. Same goes with aftermarket accessories for the '05 Ody. Not too many available right now, but there will be in the future. Did you check and see if TireRack had any aftermarket wheel fitments for the '05 Ody? They don't, but give it time and they will.

    By the way, did you bother to check the knowledge of personnel, availability and price regarding all the other numerous systems on the Odyssey (or any other vehicle for, that matter) that could break and possibly leave you stranded? More can fail than just the tire!

    There have been numerous anti-PAX posts on this site. What can I say, if you don't want it, don't buy the Touring model or be prepared to lay out some bucks for new wheels and tires! I can take or leave the PAX or any other run-flat system. I'm not pro or ant-PAX. My wife wanted all the features of the Touring so that is what she got, PAX and all. But she does like the idea of not having to deal with a flat, just drive home and let me handle it!

    If I change my wheels and tires out, it won't be for my lack of faith in PAX though, but because I want to customize ours to be different than the crowd. But there are considerations other than the proper wheel size , backspacing, etc. With the Touring, you have to deal with the TPMS so it would be nice if an aftermarket wheel will accomodate the sensors/transmitters, assuming you will want to maintain the fuction of this system, (I would).

    True, a choice of tires for the PAX wheel would be nice. Hopefully these will be available in the future, but in the meantime, I for one, will not be sweating the PAX system. As far af failures go, in 30 years of driving, I have been fortunate never to have had a flat or other tire malfunction (yep, I'm knocking on wood) on any of my 4 wheel vehicles (bicycles and motorcycles are another story), and this has included lots of off-pavement ventures! Of course, I have also properly maintained my tires and used only quality brands.

    Only time will prove the PAX system to be a success or failure. I don't think PAX should be a deal-breaker for the majority of drivers considering the Touring though. However, perhaps the price difference between it and the EX with leather will be!
  • nissan22nissan22 Member Posts: 17
    For those of you experiencing an uncomfortable drivers seat in your new '05 Odyssey, there's hope. The upholsterer fixed the padding of my seat so that the lumbar and thoracic area of the seat do not protrude. The seat is much better. No more pain! Also with these modifications, my head is within 2 inches of the head rest. Before the foam was modified, the headrest was 8 - 10 inches from the back of my head which would have resulted in terrible whiplash in the event of an accident. The seat feels corrected. We'll have to get the passenger seat corrected.
    Now I can focus on the features of my new Odyssey instead of the problem of back pain.
  • yatesdyatesd Member Posts: 60
    bamapt,

    Here is a compromise that you may want to consider. I just purchased the Cargo Tray since it will protect the cargo area (allow me to carry gas cans, used oil, garden stuff, plus it doesn't interfere with seat operation).

    I almost bought the mat, but it was fairly expensive and I don't believe it covers the entire area with the front seats removed. Instead I bought a high quality painters drop cloth (6 by 9)at Home Depot. It should be somewhat leak resistant and it folds small enough to store under either second row seat when not in use. My cost was $10.

    I had a difficult time deciding whether to buy the all weather mats from Honda, but they are over $100 and you are not supposed to leave the original mats in place (I would need to store them every winter). My wife and I finally decided that we are going to just enjoy the look and feel of our new mats (since they cover almost every area you can walk) and then we will replace them with new ones when I have around 80,000 miles on the vehicle (they don't cost much more than the black all-weather versions). If I was in the construction business, I would probably just use the black rubber mats.

    I hope this helps.
  • torquetorque Member Posts: 14
    Recently we decided to go with the touring. We have not had it long and last week I got flat while driving home after dark. The first thing that I noticed was the display gave me a visual and wheel specific warning of low tire pressure. There was also an audible alert. I pulled over and sure enough a tire was "flat". Not really flat more like semi-flaccid, because it appeared about half full since the rim was still far from touching the ground. I guess a Pax tire may never really look completely flat.

    Got back in the car and called my local Honda dealer. Service was closing, but when they heard is was a Pax tire they broke into what seemed like a well rehearsed fire drill. They told me that they would keep the service area open for me until I could make it in. I was far away but it took me only about 30 min to get there courtesy of great "direct route" directions from the NAV. The ride was harsher than normal but even at freeway speeds I felt in complete control.

    When I arrived, they had a giant black "hat box" waiting in the service bay. They opened it up to reveal a huge 70lb premounted and balanced new Pax tire. They put my car on a lift and swapped the entire mounted tire. They showed me a large nail in my tread. (BTW-always travel with the key for your optional 2005 touring wheel locks, since the dealer doesn't have any master keylocks that will fit those yet.)

    After swapping the wheel/tire the tech said that he had to drive the car for a few min in order to reset the tire pressuring monitoring system. Which he did in about three min.

    I braced for the cost and was shocked when I was told that it was completely covered under warranty.

    They would place my original rim complete with flat tire in the giant "hat box" and mail it to tirerack(I think that is where they said). They would receive another premounted tire ready for installation on the next touring owner who has a flat. They indicated that it would take a few days for them to get the replacement. (Which means that I pity the fool who has a PAX flat before the dealer gets another tire. I suggested that they keep TWO premounted Pax tires in stock. But, they pointed out that since you can continue to drive on it for days, it probably doesn't really matter if someone has to wait a day or so or drive to another honda dealer.) As an aside, does PAX preclude the use of fix a flat?

    Anyway, I was in and out in under half an hour. What is really impressive is that I was the first Pax flat that they ever had! They had apparently spent hours of training preparing for that moment. While driving off, the tire pressure monitoring system confirmed that the new tire was inflated to the correct pressure.

    Overall a pleasant experience and much better than waiting for AAA on the side of a busy highway after dark.
  • yatesdyatesd Member Posts: 60
    torque,

    Thanks for sharing your real world experience. I doubt every instance will go that smoothly, but it doesn't even sound like you got your hands dirty.
  • dkwarddkward Member Posts: 2
    Our EX has the rattling noise too. It's been in for service twice and it's still rattling, though not as bad. I might expect a noise like this in a vehicle with 250,000 miles, not 200!
  • jimmylee1000jimmylee1000 Member Posts: 22
    To Rand01, I respect your right to be blissful about PAX. But know this: You are assuming that soon PAX will catch on and become widespread. Remember the TRX tire from Michelin? It never did. The top tier tire dealers in Cincinnati all say that PAX is a long shot, if they even know what it is. My local Honda dealer states that they are being asked to buy PAX equipment, but likely will not. As far as your wife coming home and letting you handle it - she better not be more than 150 miles away. As far as asking the service people about the other new systems on Odyssey, I did not. They are not supposed to break. But tires are supposed to wear out. And when they do, you are screwed. And if you have a flat right now, prepare to wait and argue. Bliss is fine for people like you. I respect that. Others want to be better informed. And yes - tirerack has wheels for the 05 ody. Call them, as they are not yet on the website. You are going to need them in a few years when PAX goes totally bust and exits the marketplace they barely entered.
  • jimmylee1000jimmylee1000 Member Posts: 22
    Can the dealer install the identical NAV system found on the EX-L DVD/NAV? Just curious if a non-NAV Ody can be upgraded at the dealer.
  • ezuckerezucker Member Posts: 34
    >>And if you want a Touring with no options, discounts can be in the thousands.....

    What do you mean by "a Touring with no options"? I thought there were no options available for the Touring, at least not on the Touring with NAV/RES.

    My understanding is that the Touring with NAV/RES is in extremely short supply -- none have yet arrived at any of the dealers I know in San Diego -- and so it's hard to see how they could be discounted by thousands of dollars. Maybe the situation is different elsewhere in the country.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    I was referring to the Touring WITHOUT Nav or RES. The big discounts posted in 'Prices Paid' board seem to be for the Touring that lacks both. And the marketplace seems to have already decided that the EX-L with Nav & RES is the better value.
  • rand01rand01 Member Posts: 75
    Same deal up here in central California. The Touring with Nav and Res are very difficult to find. If a dealer has one scheduled to come in, count on it being a color that you aren't interested in. MSRP and above seem to be the norm.

    We lucked out with ours. It arrived at the dealer and was supposedly sold, but they couldn't swing a final deal, so I was first in line to speak up for it, at MSRP, and happy to get it. It's tough paying MSRP when I've typically paid only slightly above invoice for my last two loaded Suburbans, but if you want that Nav/Res Touring, that is what it will take in our area (for the time being)!
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Both cars, the Odyssey and the Suburban were worth the money you paid. Funny how that works! :)
  • mybuymybuy Member Posts: 42
    Sorry about the delay in getting back on this. In order to fold the seats down, we need to physically remove the entire frame + cargo board. Mine is sitting in the garage right now since we took the Ody on our roadtrip up to Michigan this holiday weekend. We got about 8 inches of snow up here and it handled OK, but not as well as my old AWD Astro or our Lincoln Navigator. Oh well, if an AWD version comes out (without PAX) in the future, that would be one I'm interested in for the next car.
  • bbug1bbug1 Member Posts: 76
    We have now owned our 05 EXL NAV/DVD for 1 week and 1 day.
    This van is SA-WEET! I never thought I would be so happy about driving a van.
    We have 2 kids still in booster seats and 1 teen. We removed the "alien" seat and there is so much room. The Navigation is so great to have, the DVD is nice (headphones are great) and the XM is a plus.
    I had posted earlier that the brakes weren't as good as my Pilots, but for some odd reason, they have improved and are working just fine now. Even the stereo sounds better to me.
    We all love our new van and this vehicle is sure to end up with high miles!
    Love it!!
  • bsendbsend Member Posts: 3
    Have you solved your radio problem? My Touring radio crackles in and out really bad but not all the time. Noticeable especially on AM. The crazy thing is,I have discovered I can make the radio crackle (fades in and out and crackles) be hitting the floor in front of the front center console (under the DVD layer). I dont know if it's a wire running underneath the carpet or maybe its a electro reception thing.
    Anybody else have this problem?
  • jimmylee1000jimmylee1000 Member Posts: 22
    Well, I did it. I made a deal for the Touring Ody. The deal is $31,843.00 for a Red Touring Ody. Sticker was $35,010, and invoice was $31,143 according to Edmunds. That's $700 over invoice. And none of that dealer advertising crap either. I am talking $700 over the real deal invoice with no fluff added.

    With that deal, I can buy new wheels when PAX is a bust. I plan to buty a donut spare ($50 for the wheel, $50 for the tire) and keep it in the lazy susan area. It will fit. I measured.

    I am a big time PAX detractor. I think it is a big bust. But I can buy new OEM wheels for $177 each if I want, or get some nice aftermarket ones. With the price on the van, I have a good bit of flexibility.

    Here's to hoping this van will be as good as my 1999 Ody has been.
  • makumaku Member Posts: 2
    Been reading your posts re:uncomfortable drivers seat in your new Odyssey. Just received my EXL with Nav/Dvd and I too am experiencing severe back pain. Never had this before with any of my previous cars. I agree that the problem is likely the protrusion of the seat in the thoracic/lumbar area.

    Where did you go to have the seat upholstered? How much did this cost you? Please let me know soon- those who experience this problem understand its severity and would rather not have to sell an otherwise excellent product.
  • player4player4 Member Posts: 362
    Ok, hey man first of all congrats on your new van, enjoy it! I like want to know, how do you get dealers to sell you the van at Invoice prize? Like what do you have to do in order to get it at that great prize?

    If you would please tell me a little more about how to do it? and whats the process? Thanks alot!!

    Enjoy your new 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring!!
  • mingdermingder Member Posts: 12
    dkward,

    I kind of fingure out what is rattling. I believe it is the sun roof shade. When I use my right hand to push it against the ceiling when driving, it is obviously less rattling. I will report this to my dealer but don't have time until the week of 12/6. I will let you know what happens there. Could you also post what happens to yours too?
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    I'm assuming--based on his MSRP--jimmylee1000's van lacks RES and Nav. Tourings without these gizmos seem to be the unloved sisters of the Odyssey lineup. Find a dealer that has a couple of these gathering dust, and you can negotiate a great price. Despite claims that Odysseys are worth MSRP, the marketplace has already decided that Tourings without RES & Nav are not.
  • jimmylee1000jimmylee1000 Member Posts: 22
    You are correct. I got the unloved sister. But she usually gives it up more and better! No NAV, and no DVD. I own a Garmin Streetfinder color talking GPS (2 years now) that I take from car to car - even rentals on business and vacation, and my waypoints are already programmed. So the NAV system held no great appeal to me, though it would be cool to have it. As far as DVD, I have no kids, and seldom does anyone ride in my back seat. So I decided on the Touring unloved sister.
  • jimmylee1000jimmylee1000 Member Posts: 22
    Ebay. This is the 4th car I have bought there.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    I'm with you. I always try to buy a vehicle that's overlooked, and take some satisfaction in not being a lemming.
  • ctbuyer1ctbuyer1 Member Posts: 17
    Yatesd: Great advice. Thanks. I just picked up my new Ody and was going through the same questions on the cargo tray vs mat. I'll follow your lead here.

    Another question/decision for you and all: Are wheel locks really needed? Are stolen stock Honda alloy wheels a big problem in your area?

    I'm in central CT, with some travel to Boston and NYC and I'm on the fence about the wheel locks.
  • pkapka Member Posts: 56
    Can somebody please state specificall how they (with the dealer) were able to solve the wind noise issue. What is the defective part? how long does it take to fix? What is the cowler? part as listed here in the forums as the defective part. Pleas provide detailed explanation on solving this nuisance in a new car. Thank you.
  • fredf3fredf3 Member Posts: 21
    I had the wind noise and my dealer took the van for a day and placed tape over various points on the lower windshield where it meets up with the wipers. They isolated the area and then ordered a sealant. One week later, they took the van for a half day and fixed the problem. It was a bummer not having a new van for a day and a half, but the noise is gone and all is well.
  • yatesdyatesd Member Posts: 60
    ctbuyer1,

    I'm glad you liked the suggestion on the cargo tray and mat substitution, hopefully it works out for you too. Anyway, I am not generally a paranoid person so I would generally skip the wheel locks. However, I think it depends on your circumstances:

    *Do you work/play in the city often?

    *Do you have the Touring wheels? (certainly would be tempting for a thief)

    *Do you park on the street?

    *Have you had any vehicle related theft in the past? Do you have a friend/relative that experienced an issue recently?

    I hope you enjoy your new Odyssey as well as I am enjoying mine.
  • yatesdyatesd Member Posts: 60
    heywood1,

    I actually used the opposite to my advantage. I cross shopped my Odyssey Touring against a Sienna XLE AWD w/leather.

    I found the Toyota dealer to be very aggressive with their discounting. The sales rep was telling me November was slow for them.

    Anyway, after negotiating a great price on the Sienna, I went in to my local Honda dealer armed with invoice pricing. I challenged them to show the same effort on their pricing (In relation to invoice). When they did, I decided to go with the Honda. Overall, the Honda dealer was more knowledgeable and offered a better sales experience.
  • nissan22nissan22 Member Posts: 17
    Where to get Odyssey seat fixed:
    Actually - you need to start with your Honda dealer. Take the Odyssey back to them and tell them you are in extreme pain from driving the van. Ask your dealer to remove the plastic lumbar piece. The odyssey is not equipped with a balloon like lumbar support device, but rather a piece of plastic that feels like a fist going thru your back. Try having this removed first before doing anything else.
    If your pain is similar to mine, removing the lumbar doesn't help, but it get's the dealer's attention that something is wrong with the seat.
    After you try the seat without the plastic lumbar piece, if you are still experiencing the discomfort, call your dealer's service manager and tell him/her you need the foam of the seat modified and don't take 'no' as an answer. Also let him know that the cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas of the seat are not designed for the average back.
    The foam of the seat needs to be flattened out.
    The upholsterer I went to was recommended by my Honda dealership. My dealer also gave me some assistance with the cost of modifying the foam so I'm not sure what the actual cost is.
    The upholsterer flattened out the foam in the driver seat to match that of other driver seats in other cars. Now my back is against the seat where it should be, and my head is closer to the headrest.
  • bmt451bmt451 Member Posts: 4
    Any good advice on washing the 05 ody ? It is so large compared to my previous car ('96 accord). Friends say not to run thru the gas station washers are bad on paint over a period of time.
    thanks
  • emaneman Member Posts: 85
    I have a week old 05 EXL and am very dissapointed - any suggestions would be appreciated. I should have driven the car on the highway before buying, but when I did I was surprised by the amount of road noise coming through. My last car was a quiet Chrysler T&C 01 LXI. I thinks its the tires. How would I know whether the two noise cancelling systems are working??? It seems like it needs more insulation but the car is already 4500 lbs!!

    The 120watt radio is poor. The window diversity antenna looses the signal too easily . The sound quality is very poor especially at low volume. The main speakers are too low in the foot well, so when volume is down all you hear is the buzzy dash mounted tweeters. I ordered a subwoofer (not yet installed) but that won't take care of the mid-range. Can't get an aftermarked unit because its unique to the dash.

    The second row windows are no joy either. Can't drive with them open or the wind buffeting noise will break your eardrums. HOnda should have left the swing out tail windows to relieve the air pressure - which the Sienna still retained. This is going to be a battle in the summer!!

    Last major dissapointment is in the trailering capacity. They claim 3500 lbs. but to get that you need to install $1300 worth of parts and coolers. Then the fine print tells you that any trailer over 1850 lbs. needs a weight distribution hitch - another $400. How do they get away with this. either it tows 3500 lbs. or it doesn't.
  • ezuckerezucker Member Posts: 34
    >>In order to fold the seats down, we need to physically remove the entire frame + cargo board.

    Thanks very much for confirming that. That sounds a bit inconvenient, but I looked at the manual for the cargo board, and it appears that it is pretty easy to take out and put back in.

    I guess the only problem would be if you are away from home and need to fold the seat down. Then you'd have to figure out what to do with the cargo board.
  • ezuckerezucker Member Posts: 34
    It's perfectly obvious to me why few people want to buy the Touring without Nav/RES. In fact I predicted this to my local dealer before the 2005 Odyssey began shipping.

    Most people who are willing and able to spend the money for Touring wouldn't think twice about paying for the Nav/RES, and they likely wouldn't consider buying a top-of-the-line minivan without those two features. I know that's certainly true in my case. Heck, I wouldn't have considered buying my 2000 Odyssey without the Navigator, and I had the dealer install a RES before I even drove it off the lot. (Although it is only VHS, not DVD, it also receives broadcast TV, which I don't believe the 2005 Odyssey RES does.)

    I think most of the people who end up buying the Touring without Nav/RES will get a significant discount, and I suspect they might have been looking at a lower-end Odyssey but decided to go with the Touring because they got it for a good price. I don't think the Touring with Nav/RES will be discounted as frequently, certainly not here in southern California.

    As for the conventional wisdom that the EX-L with Nav/RES is a "better value" than the Touring with Nav/RES and that "the marketplace has spoken," all I can say is: to each his own. I like the extra features on the Touring, and they are definitely worth it to me. If I didn't want them I'd probably buy a Sienna instead rather than an EX-L.
  • rand01rand01 Member Posts: 75
    I've always been reluctant to run my vehicles through car washes, all those brushes and cloths and what kind of grit is left on them from all the rigs ahead of yours? But it is tough washing these things with so much surface area! I don't know if there is an easy way to get it done, but I developed a system with my last 2 Suburbans (even more surface area and red to boot).

    I wash the top and the glass then dry (step ladder is a necessity). Then comes the front followed by the sides. I found this helps to minimize the water spotting, at least better than if you tried to complete the whole process all at once. Blasts of compressed air around the roof rails, mirrors, and other crevices will help to get some of that excess water out that seems to seep out forever otherwise(and if your water is hard like mine, leaves a trail down your paint).

    Use good automotive soap and paint care products. I personally prefer, and use, Zaino but there are many good products out there.

    Since the Ody is my wife's vehicle, I've told her that it is her responsibility to keep it washed. Yeah, right! She is already asking about the Mr. Clean system. I'm a little hesitant, but may give it a try. The Ody is ocean mist in color so at least it won't show the dirt and spots as much as a darker color.
  • serkisserkis Member Posts: 11
    I am considering removing the second row (center) armrests so the seats can be positioned closer to each other. Since I need to use two car seats in the second row (I have already removed the plusone seat), i don't really need the armrests. Removing them would allow easier passage to the third row, probably by 6 more inches. Is this feasible? Thanks in advance to all who comment.
  • ctbuyer1ctbuyer1 Member Posts: 17
    Yatesd: Thanks for putting the questions in black & white...All the right questions to ask oneself.

    This NYC raised, paranoid, former car break-in victim, whose wife parks it on the street at work guy WILL buy the wheel locks. ;)

    And yes, we are enjoying the Odyssey--a pleasure to drive and plenty of space for the kids and dog.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,567
    Saw the cargo gizmo the other day. It has to be plucked out of the well to fold the seat. Easy, but bulky to store.

    The idea of better value, I think, was an EX-L nav/res for the same +/- price as a base touring.

    You can probably remove the armrests, but taking out the center ones won't do anything, since the seat will be in the same place (fixed by the attachment points on the floor). You might be able to remove the outer one to make the passage to the back seat easier, but it probably won't be worth the effort.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

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