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I got here on Sunday night (New Years Eve) and on Wednesday morning I called Deal Finder. I told them what vehicle I wanted, was not too fussy about the color, gold, white or silver would do, and they set about their work.
On Thursday, while moving from the Hotel to the house I've rented, they called. They had found a white EX, showroom model, at a dealer not far from where I was, and arranged a conference call with the dealer, Formula Honda in Scarborough. The fleet manager at the dealership was very accommodating and even took me himself to the bureau to get it licensed. By Friday afternoon I was proudly driving my new '01 EX, having paid just under CA$3000 less than MSRP.
The vehicle is fine, except for a slight pull to the right. I'm taking it in tomorrow to have that corrected. All in all though, a very pleasant buying experience.
Other than the pull to the right (and the mediocre sound system) I'm very happy with the vehicle. The traction control works like a dream on the ice and after the first training session on the doors with my kids I have had no problems there either.
Thanks.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
Those 225/60's rotate 757 revolutions per mile as compared to 747 revs/mile for the factory supplied tires. That will exacerbate the already high reading (~5%) inaccurate speedometer. 235/60-16 is a much closer choice with a very minor error (+0.4%) in the direction that will compensate for the inaccurate speedo.
But you also get what you pay for. I have sold all other van of its type and none come close in comparison.
After dropping it off at the dealer for a replacement of the latch/unlatch motor, I got some bad news from the dealer. They had replaced the motor, but it did not fix it and the honda techs consulted by the dealer were also baffled. Honda recommended that the dealer techs do voltage checks which proved fruitless and to also remove the panel in the rear to observer proper sequencing and timing of all movements. 5 days later, I was told that all was fine, the problem had been resolved. The dealer said that a second replacement latch/unlatch motor fixed the problem and that the 1st replacment arrived bad from the factory.
Later in the day, I began checking the quality of the work. I found the door poorly aligned, 5 dents on the exterior door from the technicians pressing against the door while fixing it and making door position adjustments. I also found paint scratches down to the primer on the door's interior surrounding the rear bracket. The dealer admitted to the dents and agreed to fix them, fix the scratches and properly align the door. They used one of their best techs who properly aligned the door (works smoother than factory job). He also supervised a dent repair guy who used a paintless dent removal system to push out the dents. Although the repair isn't as good as new, it is not noticable unless very closely scrutinized. Three small holes, which were plugged when done, had to be drilled on the inside door edges to get at the dents inorder to push them out. Also the switch for the release of the gas door was no longer working and had to be fixed (interior taken apart a second time).
Bottom line is, I'm disappointed in the complex design of Honda's sliding doors which are having too high a faulure rate and appear difficult for dealer techs to troubleshoot, fix and subsequently align. Needless to say, I am also disappointed in the dealer for negligence in making the dents, albeit by accident.
All said and done, I still think the ody is the best overall van on the market. However, Honda should redesign the power sliders to be more simplistic and troublefree.
If you happen to trigger the door to close accidentally by the remote pressing on something in your pants pocket(very startling),and can't reach the dash switch nor get the fob out in time, you can trigger the auto reverse by getting in the way of the door.
What do other EX owners think?
I was provided a T&C rental through Thrifty Car Rental while my ODY driver side slider was being repaired. In comparing the two vans, only the T&C slider impressed me as being superior to the a 2001 Ody EX. Everything else about the Ody, I like better.
Anyways, just a blanket thanks to all. I received many tips from this forum over the past 6 months and am convinced Honda is the only way to go in the automotive world, though my husband and sons still prefer the "Scooby Doo Van" as they call our VW.
Thanks again!
Only drawback so far is getting used to remembering to put the vehicle in park before the sliders work. If I'm dropping someone off or picking them up, it's too easy to just put on the brakes while leaving it in drive which defeats the sliders. I know it's a safety feature, but I'm guessing nobody learned previously to do quick drop off/ pick ups with the vehicle in Park!!
Any ideas/thoughts on this?
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What your dealer is offering you is technically a used van. Honda US will not honor the warranty on a Canadian van first titled in the US. Dealer will probably offer you an after market warranty, but many times this may be limited.
As for changing out the dash - the vehicle becomes distressed property. Legally, the dealer must note the odometer was changed out on the title and at resale time most buyers are leery of replaced speedometers with a perception of unknown/unverifiable mileage.
Canadian market Odds get low washer fluid light, heated outside mirrors, and daytime running lights.
My opinion - stay away. The wait times are getting shorter and if you call around or are willing to travel, you might find one faster.
Best of Luck.
Contrast that with what happens in an LX to your four-year old's arm stuck in the door when your nine-year old closes the manual door. If the closer does not keep his or her hand on the handle throughout the travel, or is not strong enough to rapidly stop the travel of the door, there's a problem. The EX doors seem considerably safer to me, although in both cases no problem should occur with a bit of time spent educating the users.
I have had a few incidents with my power doors - I picked up my Oddy in October. On 4 or so occasions, one door or the other has balked at closing completely. In each case, pushing the dash control finished the cycle. Also, on one occasion I came out in the morning to find that both doors were open - however, I do have a nine-year old and a four-year old, so it may not have been a 'car' problem at all.
Dave Kelsen.
Everything just adds up to trouble.
Thanks for any thoughts/advice.
I received two recall notices this past summer for my 2000 EX, dash light v. regulator and ml-manufactured sliding door latches. Neither item has given any trouble in 8000+ miles and since I have the vehicle garaged till next spring, I was hoping to wait till then to go to the dealer.
What does the list think?
mac
instead of the clever, well designed middle seat that can be a bench or separate captains' chairs. For only $200 more for the current style middle seat of all Odysseys,I did not want an inferior 2 passenger bench seat so I made sure the salesman wrote LX-C on the order instead of just LX.
MSRP: Stockton to Malone Honda is going to offer Odysseys at $150 Below MSRP. First time I ever heard of Odysseys at below MSRP. All 6 Honda dealerships in this area have been selling Odyssey at MSRP and keep the list of orders posted for all to read. At MSRP,the Odyssey
is a much better buy than any other minivan even if any other brand offers discount of $2000 (or more).
I would have bought the 99 Odyssey at MSRP even though I got a $4900 discount on my 99 GC SE...IF THE ODY had been available without the 5 month wait. My sister and brother-in-law asked my opinion on the
minivans. I said we love our 1999 GC SE but I would recommend the Ody as first choice due to magic seat, 2nd row flexibility, powerful economical standard engine, overall comfort, and VALUE for MSRP. If must have an inexpensive 7 passenger minivan with minimal features and comfort, one can get a base Voyager or Caravan SE with built in child safety seats for less than $20,000 as MSRP is only $20,005.
Reliability: Do NOT be concerned about Consumer Reports rating the 1999 Ody as below average and 2000 as only average. I have found CR reliability ratings as reliable as the utterings of Saddam Hussein.
We used the dealer checklist that some posted earlier and had a realistic idea of what to expect with dealer attitudes and pricing.
We made an offer for a 2001 EX on December 21, it was delivered on Jan 10 and we picked it up on the 13th. We live in Atlanta but drove to Somerset Kentucky to buy our SS EX. They discounted $1000 off MSRP ($25,480) with no dealer add on and no doc fee. Barry Flatt was our sales rep and he was great to work with.
Their phone number is 1-800-264-3275. Tell them that Dennis & Laurie from Atlanta referred you.
We drove 350 miles back from Kentucky. Did not pull to the right, no transmission noise when backing up. We sold a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee to buy the van. There is no comparison, the EX rides a lot smoother and a lot quiter that the Jeep. Almost as smooth and quite as my 2000 Acura 3.2 TL.
You get a lot of bang for your buck with this Odssey. Will report back in a few weeks and report any problems.
Thanks again everyone and I would definity recommend this vehicle.
wait, dealer add-ons and attitude would be appreciated. Thanks.
I'm thinking about ordering the cassette deck from HandA-Accessories.com. It looks straightforward to install. Any gotchas? Is there any reason for me to have the dealership do this, like I'm going to get myself in trouble and I'm better off letting them do it for me?
The other thing I'm wondering about is the extended warranty. I've always avoided them and I wasn't considering it for the Odyssey either, but is there a good reason I should? I've heard some folks say it's a good idea because of the sliding doors.
You will need to move the shift lever to the first gear position. If this is done after the battery is disconnected, the shift interlock can be overridden by removing the plastic access cover on the top of the steering column and inserting a key in the slot.
Removing the radio/climate control instrument panel is doable but tricky. You must remove the "blank" switch cover on the lower left of the panel. I managed to scratch it up when I removed it. Use a towel as the instructions suggest.
The panel requires a healthy tug to remove it from the dash. Even pressure is required here and the plastic corners can be sharp. Disconnect the wires to the dome/door light switch and climate control so the panel can be removed from the dash to better access the radio. I would label the wires to ensure they are reconnected to their correct location. After that, just unscrew the radio and the pocket as described, wire the tape player to the radio and reinstall.
It took me about one hour to complete and I wouldn't describe me as being that swift mechanically. Remember, your EX radio needs to be reprogammed if the battery is disconnected. You should have the code cards in packet included with your owners manual.
As far as the extended warranty, given the complexity of any modern car, I think it maybe money well spent. Consider it an insurance policy. Others may offer differing opinions but we'll report and you can decide.
My sense is that the consensus is to go for an authentic Honda warranty, not an aftermarket one. There are several dealers who have been talked about on these threads who will sell you, by phone and mail, a 7-year, 100,000 mile, no-deductible warranty for under $900. We got ours from Union Park Honda in Wilmington, DE, for $885, with no sales tax. Good luck.
Thanks
Any thoughts?
You can call the Honda Care warranty people at 1-800-999-5901 and ask them the question. Before I bought my warranty I called them and had them fax me a sample warranty. The warranty I like the best is the 7yr/100k mile/ 0 ded. I think it currently sells for around $900, but you can check some of the posts on this board for were to get. If you tell the dealer you can get it for $900-950 he will probably give it to you for that price.
Final bit of advice,don't let the dealer talk you into buying his brand of warranty, and he will probably try his best to do that. Go for the Honda Care warrant.
Just wanted to say thanks for all your interesting comments and valuable feedback; it's helped me in my decision to purchase a 2001 EX. I LOVE IT!!! We looked at other vans, but I felt that for us, the better value was the Odd (and yes the deciding factor was the "magic seat").
Believe it or not I was quite lucky in getting my Odd so quick. I made my initial inquiry through Autobytel.com on January 2nd and within 24 hours they put me in touch with an authorized Autobytel Honda dealer (which by the way is only 20 minutes from my home). Everything was done over the phone and I picked up my car on January 12! I think I just set the record for fattest delivery on an Odyssey!
I would say you did very well indeed. When I phoned College Park Honda and made an appointment to see a sales person, I did not think to find out what their asking price was. Anyway, my family and I made an hour long trip down there to test drive an EX w/NAV. After being tempted by the high tech toy (NAV) and negotiating for a little over an hour, we could not get their asking price down to MSRP for an ODY EX. Granted, we could have driven one home that night, but I strongly felt $1,000 over MSRP, with options I didn't want, was too much. Frankly, I'm surprised you drove out of College Park paying MSRP.
Good deal and enjoy the new ODY!