Honda Odyssey 2005+

dave594

What Steve said.

If your ego is so fragile as to be hurt by what people think about what you drive, then you have more issues than this board is meant to handle.

ivan_99

Heh…harsh.

popper

on the burb vs. the ody discussion. We have both and for an extended trip Ody wins hands down. The high seating position of the Suburban results in more exagerrated pitching and tossing of it's occupants. It's slight but I sure notice it after a 500 mile day- wears my neck out. (Sub LT & Ody Touring)

dilbertzzz

I guess that's what keeps me coming back. And you currently-posting folks are very civil, thoughtful, and honest. I appreciate that.

My point about the YXL was that I am probably not paying the mileage premium that I had thought I was. That is comforting for me having sunk money (and more each month in car payments) in that beast -- especially knowing that I am not going to get the same out of it on resale/trade-in as I would have with an Odyssey (and so will keep it a loooooonnnnnnnggggggg time).

I admit topping 50 as well, Steve (OK, I just passed 51!). So, I also will own up to increasingly savoring all that not-touching of controls that didn't use to matter. (It all mattered more when I got the Taurus commuter and have to play with the radio, mirrors, and cooling/heating/defrosting/temperature/fan controls while trying to stay safe in DFW-area heavy rush hour traffic. I am/was truly spoiled, it's true!)

As for vacationing with 7 other people, 4 of whom are another family, with the exponential increase in discussions over where to stay/eat/stop and how much it's going to cost and what is worth it and who thinks so, ad nauseum,... well suffice it to say, Mr. rorr, it was a once in a lifetime experience to be sure.

Thus, the even higher level of my joy at finding some reasons to feel better about the behemoth in the garage! ;-) Afterall, I find it attractive, it's comfortable for me and all others aboard, it's versatile as well, and it isn't costing me as much extra in fuel/maintenance as I had supposed. That is happy news indeed! Besides that it helps my wife stand up better to the surprisingly rude and competitive world of dropping-off/picking-up our Kindergartner (What is with people these days?!? And what in the world are we teaching our high-self-esteem kids about their places in society?!? I guess maybe that they are society all by their little lonesomes?!?)

Peaceful driving, one and all.

macakava

Here is an interesting extract from Money Oct 2004 magazine column "Motor Mouth" where a woman stated that her husband hated minivans(probably won't be seen dead on one) and she would like one.

"They(i.e. Pilot and MDX which are similar to the Ody) look like SUVs but are essentially minivans under the skin, allowing your husband to preserve his manhood, and you the marriage."

dilbertzzz

I wonder if there will be a market for the tongue-in-cheek minivan hearse just for such purposes?!? ;-)

mikeo1

Dilbertzzz...so you don't own an '05 HO?

I love my big american SUV also but
on long trips/vacations the HO rules.
And I'm your same size and age.

Image aside... it's the most
multi-functional/practical vehicle I've ever owned.
You should try one once, it might make a
believer out of you...it did me.

dave594

"They(i.e. Pilot and MDX which are similar to the Ody) look like SUVs but are essentially minivans under the skin, allowing your husband to preserve his manhood, and you the marriage."

My wife won and we got the Ody. Guess I know who wears the pants in my family

My 99 Ody is now 6 years old and still drives like new. I'm still impressed by how tight this vehicle is and love the exhaust note as I accelerate from a stop. That 3.5L V-6 is a great engine. As for MPG, my best was 30 MPG on a trip to and from Ohio from DC, average highway speed 75 mph. Around town, it'a about 20.

stever

Some Italian company is converting PT Crusiers for the hearse market. Haven't heard about minivan conversions.

Steve, Host

dilbertzzz

I'd bet the minivan hearse would prove an especially-popular send-off in the image-conscious California market. ;-) Especially when the goodbye is accompanied by an under-the-breath "good riddance!"

And, come to think of it, I've seen the stretch limo Excursions, Yukon X(XXXXX)Ls, and even Hummers. Where is the stretch limo version of the Odyssey?!?

denver5357

"I wonder if there will be a market for the tongue-in-cheek minivan hearse just for such purposes?!? ;-)"

Personally, I've always thought the Chrysler PT cruiser fits that bill.

stickguy

I find the ody to be extremely nice to drive, just too big for my tastes (for normal around town driving). But, you can't beat a Mini for travelling with the family!

We looked at X-over SUVs before we replaced our '99 Quest with the '05 ody, but the extra room + cheaper price led to another mini. We can wlive with the Stigma just fine, must be healthy Egos!

denver5357

"Some Italian company is converting PT Crusiers for the hearse market. Haven't heard about minivan conversions."

OK, way funny. I had not read this before I posted my comment earlier about the PT Cruiser (because of the way the thread broke on my screen).

robr2

Actually, I've seen plenty of minivans used as hearses. Also, one local funeral home has a Cadillac EXT pickup for use as a flower car. Black, tinted windows, chrome bling rims - I wouldn't be surprised that the funeral director is driving it at night as a "company" car!!

denver5357

"Actually, I've seen plenty of minivans used as hearses. Also, one local funeral home has a Cadillac EXT pickup for use as a flower car."

Sure. But my point was that the PT Cruiser isn't a minivan. I've always detested that car, because it (to me) looked like a cut-off hearse and seemed to be purely a marketing-created vehicle vs. something the market demanded. To read that someone is actually converting PT Cruisers to hearses cracked me up.

hansienna

I would prefer my chances of survival in a Yukon XL to those being in an Odyssey if there were a collision between a Yukon XL and an Odyssey.
The extra size and weight of the YXL can be valuable in a collision.

dilbertzzz

OR costly, depending on which side of it (in- or out-side) you were on at the time!

ivan_99

How about a Yukon versus a semi
and
an Odyssey versus a semi

dilbertzzz

... demolition derby to be sure.

Actually, between the YXL and the Odyssey, the Yukon would also benefit from the energy-dissipating crumple zones of the Odyssey. The Yukon's relative lack of same may well mean that the Odyssey occupants would fare better in a collision with a semi.

And, even more importantly (I'll have to research the documentation if pressed), minivans prove to be the safest vehicles of any kind in real-world crashes.

minivandriver

I wonder if the vehicles that are getting poor gas mileage are the earlier lot. My VIN is about 7500. In any case if most people are way off the posted mileage maybe the EPA should verify Honda's estimates since they do test 10-15% of vehicles themselves. If production models are not able to achieve the results of the test vehicle Honda should not be allowed to claim 20/28 mpg for the vcm engines. That would hurt their sales significantly. There is a lot of money at risk in this for Honda. There is also a lot of money at risk with us in unanticipated large fuel expenses. I wonder if there is some way to complain/file request for the EPA to verify Honda's test numbers given the large number of new Odyssey owners who are getting dismal mileage.

dilbertzzz

Finding statistics to back up my hearsay-evidence claim that minivans are safest proved more time-consuming and illusive than I'd thought. But here are links to a couple articles claiming the same thing and offering some figures (though no documentation citing studies or exactly how those figures were obtained).

http://dadtalk.typepad.com/dadtalk/2004/08/minivan_is_the_.html

http://www.creationsmagazine.com/articles/C89/Bradsher.html

allison5

less about what people think of what I drive. My ego is definatly not fragile but it's ajust a little hard not to be thinking about it when you are surrounded by stay at home moms driving these big SUV's. I have driven a few mighty old beat up cars in my 27 years of owning cars and had quite the stares, oh well.... I went out with some friends and one of them was talking about buying a new car and said there was "NO way on earth she was going to finance a car, wanted to buy it out right". To me that is all fiane and dandy if you have that money tree growing in the backyard, anyway I do see her point of which was there are probably many many people that buy cars that they truly can't afford them just to look "cool" and they are in debt to their eyeballs and after having it for few months the newness goes away and you are still stuck with those astronomical payments. Just another topic of discussion...

dudleyr

That Yukon is far more likely to flip on its back than the minivan. SUV's have far more single vehicle accidents than any other class of vehicle. Tall vehicles easily get "tripped" by curbs and other obstacles. Don't have the numbers in front of me, but the SUV is something like 10 times more likely to rollover than a minivan. Also remember that if you hit a solid object in an SUV you have that much more weight compressing your vehicle.

Regarding the 8 mpg for the Yukon vs. the 13 for the Odyssey in CR. This is measured over the exact same road coarse that simulates heavy stop and go city traffic. Remember a stopped vehicle gets 0 mpg, and that brings down the average much faster than spirited acceleration.

isellhondas

I can tell you...your friends, ex girlfriends/boyfriends etc...DON'T CARE!

When you pull up to your high school reunion your friends will only care about YOU and not what you parked in the parking lot!

rand01

Why even consider eating a years worth of depreciation and going to the Sequoia that is not all that much different than your Yukon? Do you need 4WD for that occasional winter trip to the mountains? If so, then perhaps you should stick with the SUVs (the 4WD, Stabiltrak and traction control system on my Suburban is hard to beat under slippery conditions). Otherwise go with what works best for you and to heck with what all the neighbors or anyone else thinks! There are sure a lot fewer 05 Odysseys running around in our area than SUVs, kind of nice being different!
My wife loves her Odyssey and she is also one of those image conscious gals (can't tell you how many of those L.V. purses she has, and always keeping her eyes open for another!)

denver5357

Actually, there have been some recent articles -- one in particular that I read in the past couple weeks -- that said the number of men driving minivans has increased greatly. It even had a stat that said something like 50 percent of new minivans are driven by men. I actually like driving our Ody. It feels more natural than driving a 2-seater sports car and having people think I am in the midst of a mid-life crisis!

macakava

Dave: You dah man!

Now that is a great description of how addictive the Ody's engine note is! It sounds greatest when you let the 255hp loose on the off-ramp to make the Sedona dissappear on your rear-view mirror!

Those of us who have been married for long know how to keep the peace and retain our "executive" perks.

macakava

It drives like a sporty sedan and feels so good that when my 10 yr old car dies, I may consider another Ody to replace it.

The Ody EX at about the same price ($25.5K) as a comparably equipped V6 Accord, Camry, Altima, etc is looking like an attractive option, in the spirit of practicality and functionality.

sportymonk

Actually the wight and size can work against you. (1) the increased mass and size make it harder to maneuver and avoid problems. (2) In an actual impact with an unmovable object, the momentum of the vehicle that instantly stops is immediately transferred to the objects in side that will collectively continue on with the same momentum.

Volvos are a prime example of cars that collapse properly and provide safety. I would rather be in a Corvette that disapates its energy in exploding bodywork than a Suburban that "doesn't even dent"!

Design has a lot to do with safety and considering the design of the Yukon/Suburban is very old, I would pass on its safety. Like I said, I would rather have a vehicle that is light and nimble and built to safely take an impact.

heywood1

So I would assume, then, that the number of men getting dates is proportionably DECREASING.....

rand01

Current body style/design Suburban/Tahoe (yes, the Yukons too) has only been around since 2000. I don't know if I would call this "very old".

It may not be a Volvo, but the Suburban is designed with front and rear crush zones and available side impact air bags. Front air bags are standard of course.

macakava

Last year, I saw a Civic t-boned a YXL at an intersection and the YXL flipped over. Of course due to its high center of gravity.

"David did conquer Goliath" for sure.

In fact I get great kicks when these SUVs try to tail gate me at high speeds. I intentionally lead them into tight corners especially off-ramps where I can move at high speeds without rolling. At one time, I did not see the SUV emerge - so I assume that something unpleasant happened to him.

hansienna

That may be true, but what happened to the Civic and the driver of the Civic?
I would prefer to be in an Odyssey that t-boned a YXL than in a Civic in the same type accident at the same speed.

stever

I've got company and have been a bit preoccupied, but finally found the hearse (right here at Edmunds; no wonder it struck a cord with me):

Cruisin' Into Eternity: Introducing the PT Cruiser Hearse (Inside Line)

Steve, Host

rand01

"In fact I get great kicks when these SUVs try to tail gate me at high speeds. I intentionally lead them into tight corners especially ........."

I would attribute this more to the participating drivers' ability, or inability, rather than the fact that they were in a SUV.

macakava

The Civic driver survived fine because the energy of impact was used in rolling the SUV over instead of like hitting a concrete wall.

dudleyr

Very few SUV's can keep up with passenger cars on twisty roads, and they are made by BMW and Porsche. Even the Camry went through the CR obstacle course 5 mph faster than a burb. Add another 5 mph for a sports car.

rand01

I agree with the obvious. Given professional drivers on a test course, what would you expect. This is not the case out on the streets. Most people are getting by on a wing and prayer and have no idea how to set up for and execute a cornering maneuver properly or know the limitations of their vehicles. And a lot of them are driving Porsches, Corvettes, etc.!

hansienna

PT Cruiser Hearse? Nice link Steve. It will be rather lethargic unless it has the HO Turbo.

Has there been any Odyssey made into a hearse?

scottyb

You may want to try duct tape and foam on your seat!

scottyb

FYI, when I asked the dealer (late Dec.) about buying a PlusOne seat, I was told that Honda does not offer the seat for sale, even as a replacement part. Rather, they offer 18 separate parts that make up the seat; the dealer would have to assemble those parts. For those parts alone, I was quoted $812!

Certainly, if you found an EX that had been totaled, you might find a plusone.

ace1000

The ACE structure on the Honda is suppose to give it the equivalent of a 50% weight increase in protecting the occupants in a multi-vehicle accident, according to early Honda publicity. That would make the Odyssey the equivalent of a 6700 pound vehicle, which I believe outweighs the Yukon and many other full-size SUV's.

However, weight is a disadvantage in single vehicle accidents, resulting in a lot of additional momentum that usually causes more injury to the passengers, especially if the vehicle rolls or hits a stationary object such as a tree or wall. SUV's have many more single car crashes than other vehicles.

So the Odyssey has a double advantage over a full-size SUV: a structure that gives it the weight advantage of a much heavier vehicle and much lower actual weight that reduces the frequency and severity of single vehicle crashes.

Any innovation called ACE has to be good.

dilbertzzz

So I would assume, then, that the number of men getting dates is proportionably DECREASING.....

Since the majority of these men now driving minivans are almost undoubtedly married men, I would certainly hope so!?!

On further thought: Ladies, if the untanned ring dent on his lefthand ring finger doesn't set off the alarms nor raise the red flags, the minivan should be a dead giveaway! Be alert out there! ;-)

dave594

Actually, minivans are great party mobiles, just put that folding third row down and you can have lots of fun there

dilbertzzz

Still one more reason that the women should be on their guards! Man am I ever glad my daughter is not quite 4 years old; plenty of time to arm myself! ;-)

macakava

Dave,

There goes your creativity!

But you just exposed one secret reason for owning a minivan!

For those who like/have Stow and Go seats, you can have a bigger party like "three is company". Maybe DGC thought about this reason as well.

denver5357

"So I would assume, then, that the number of men getting dates is proportionably DECREASING....."

Haha. Perhaps, but the men who DO get dates have a ready place to go so it evens out. ;-)

badgerfan

Well Hans, I am sure the rear passenger in the PT Cruiser hearse really won't care whether the hearse is lethargic or not. How often have you ever seen a Hearse doing wide open throttle starts?

The passenger will definitely be as lethargic as he has ever been!

dilbertzzz

Didn't George Barris build one or two variations of the dragster-hearse back in the 60's? ;-)

hansienna

One of the best posts in the Town Hall.
Not many rear passengers in a hearse will feel the difference in the performance of a PT Cruiser hearse or a more highly powered Odyssey converted into a hearse.
Wouldn't a 2005 Odyssey be large enough to serve as a hearse if the 2nd row of seats were removed and 3rd row folded into the floor? Or, take out the 3rd row completely so it would be a "2 in 1" hearse for rare occasions when a parent and small child die at the same time? (Just place the small coffin in the well first).