This is typical of certain Honda dealers on "hot" cars. the $1000 wax job is simply a way for these sleazeballs to charge a premium over MSRP on hard to get models. They did it in the 80's on Accords and more recently on '99 - 2000 Odysseys. I think Honda corporate frowns on simple dealer upcharges, but tend to look the other way on outrageously priced DIO's.
Herb Chambers is the worst offender of this type of practice in the Boston Area, IMHO. Try Bernardi in Natick or Honda Village in Newton. You may not be able to avoid the wax jobs at some dealers, but if you are willing to wait for the next shipment, you should be able to avoid paying an inflated dealer price for LoJack. A friend once had a dealer tell him, after he waited several months for a car to be delivered, this it came with LoJack. When he looked at the Lojack materials, it was installed AFTER his conversation with the dealer. Upon reporting this scum to the Mass dept of Consumer Affairs, he opted to keep Lojack at dealer cost rather than having it removed.
My Pilot will be here in a few weeks. I am interested in the following options which I will either get aftermarket or from the dealer.Any recomendations for these options as aftermarket accessories is appreciated.
Trailer hitch Air deflector for the front hood Auto-day night mirror
I do not have the air deflector, but a few owners reported that it will create wind noise, hissing sound when up to certain speed. And from the Pilot board, one owner have the dealer uninstalled (and refund ?) the deflector right away. Some owners use tape, black duct tape and black elect. tape for their black Pilot, to seal the gap between the hood and the deflector. There is a samll gap between the top of the hood and the deflector that produces the wind noise.
You should be aware that the Auto-day night mirror is a bit larger than the regular rear view mirror. And make sure the dealer programe the "Direction zone" for you, if not the compass may be off.
Pchiu, thanks for your info. What if I choose to install the day/night mirror by myself? I check the pdf file from the colledgehonda.com. It doesn't mention any "Direction zone" programming. Thanks!
Don't worry about the "direction zone" thing... it's no big deal. Don't let concern for this influence whether or not you install the mirror yourself. The directions for the "direction zone" deal (if it is even necessary to do) are included in the owner's manual for the mirror.
Yes the instruction to programe the "Direction zone" comes with the owner's manual. But if you bought it as an option with the car, you can try to get the mirror at dealer cost and without installation cost/or at a min. installation cost.
In a previous thread, a poster indicated that he had the Honda in-dash CD changer installed in his EX model (I responded to his post but he has not yet replied). However, when I purchased my CD changer, my dealer first attempted to install the in-dash unit... only to discover that the in-dash unit would not fit properly in an EX.
According to the service manager, the in-dash unit installed and connected OK, but there was no plastic bezel available to cover the gaps remaining after the installation (the in-dash unit replaced the open cubby immediately below the a/c control). Since they had no way to properly finish the installation, they removed the in-dash unit and installed the under-seat changer instead.
Here's my question... Does ANYBODY have the Honda in-dash CD changer properly installed (and finished) in their Pilot EX???
Chiefpilot it isn't being done by Honda or the dealers! I tried everyone to see if it could. I suppose you could build something but all the controls are on the dash in the underseat model.
A dealer in my area has an "LX" w/Sandstone. EX's will not be available until mid-Sept I'm told. I was under the impression it was going to be more of a champagne color, but it was darker, more brown. It too dark for me, I like a lighter shade (but that's just my opinion). Ended up buying silver.
I just ordered a unit with Navi..will take about 60 days to deliver. List price, no add-ons. I would like to get the camera installed that interfaces with the Nav screen. Anybody have one? What about cost, visibility, etc. Also, how about the Nav system itself? I rent a lot of cars when I travel, and always use Hertz so I can get their Neverlost Nav system. How does the Honda unit compare. Who makes it.. What is model number, etc.
I purchased the cross bar for EX and it arrived today. However, I found it is really frustrating for me that I can not remove the front cover from the roof rail base. No matter how hard I press the retaining tab by the flat tip screwdriver, I just can't get it released. Anybody can give me some insight of doing it? Thanks!
I would like to install the factory back-up sensor. Has anyone done this? I have the instructions and It doesn't appear to be too hard. What size hole saw can be used? I don't think I will be able to find metric ones.
Another source of Honda accessories and parts is hpart.com. Their prices are lower than collegehills and since they're in Tulsa OK, us Californians don't have to pay sales tax. I purchased rear mud guards, oil filters and the air deflector. I returned the air deflector after reading some of the postings here. Thanks for the info.
I installed a Yakima low rider mount with 48" cross bars to the existing roof rack. It fits great but at speed it make a lot of noise, so it's off until I need it.
We are very happy with our Pilot (my wife that is). I'm really glad we waited and didn't buy the Explorer.
aerostar45 - we also had trouble removing the covers and we finally just took our Pilot to the dealer to remove them for us and they broke them, which apparently happens when you remove them. We installed the cross bars ourselves and I was able to have the dealer replace the covers on a warranty so they didn't charge us for the new parts and their installation. I don't know if every dealer will do this - we have been a customer at this dealer for quite some time. I also asked the question and another reader sent me to www.pilot.org for other discussions. (check previous Edmunds Pilot discussion entries for this info) The rack is a poor design compared to other vehicles, that and the back door window not opening are our only complaints.
Anyone else noticing lots of road & tire noises!! I've got an LX with all season Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts mounted!! Would undercoating help or What???? I've heard others complain about this also!! HELP!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for your advise. I checked there and it is very helpful. I think I have a pretty good idea of how to remove the cover. However, it seems to me that I have a more serious problem to deal with. My pilot's Vin # fall into the range of the recall list. I guess I have to get this one straight before I am going to do anything on it.
Some of us were evidently successful in getting NHTSA & Honda to recall a safety defect in the 2003 Pilot (timing belt tensioner pulley misaligned, which may lead to a crash). You should be getting a letter in the mail soon.
Now we owners of the Pilot need to email NHTSA the following message, or a version thereof. Email the message below to: webmaster@nhtsa.dot.gov (alternatively, use the web form on NHTSA safety hotline site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/email.cfm).
Message that needs to be conveyed to NHTSA by as many Pilot owners as possible goes as follows: "The 2003 Pilot headlights are very weak and do not sufficiently illuminate the road ahead. This creates a very serious driving hazard on the freeway especially at speeds as high as 70 mph. The Pilot's headlights fail to illuminate the curves in the freeway, and consequently, Pilots can veer off the highway and get into crashes. Apparently, the Honda company is aware of this problem but has chosen not to take any action. We appeal to NHTSA to urge Honda to recall and replace the defective headlights".
zzanonzz, I have just done my share. Great thought! I notice this problem for a long time. The only thing I had thought about are how to adjust the headlight angle and changing bolts. It will be great if we can push a recall on this.
We checked with both the NHTSA and Honda. No recall notices have been posted and the Honda services rep said no recalls have been issued for the Pilot. If you have evidence to the contrary, please post it. BTW, our headlights are very bright. We drove through the Sierra Nevada Mountains at night in full darkness and had no difficulties.
The dealer mentioned that an aftermarket DVD entertainment center could be installed if I wanted an LX or EX without leather. Has anyone heard or this or had experience?
I'm looking for a seat cover for my Pilot passenger bucket seat. My Golden likes my Pilot as much as I do and rides with me. I'd like to protect the leather.
There is a recall on SOME Pilots for bad water pump, which will need replacement. Call your local service dept with the vin number. About 4000 units are affected
I just found out that I should have a scheduled build date for my Pilot within the next week or so. I ordered the Pilot back in July. I was told to expect delivery around the end of October. My salesman wants to know what add ons I want, if any, so he can order the parts to be installed. I'm considering the following: Trailer towing package, roof rack cross bars, wood trim, keyless entry and running boards. Any suggestions on which I should stick with and which I should drop? I can't believe the cost of the towing package($1100+), running boards ($500), wood trim & wheel $600-$700...etc.. A local auto/truck accessories shop will install a trailer hitch (2" receiver) and transmission cooler for about $375.00. Will this effect the warranty? I'll probably only be towing a motor cycle trailer with two dirt bikes for the first year or so.
-running boards you can do yourself (Checkout hondaacuraworld.com, however $500 isn't bad installed) -trailer hitch you can also very easily do yourself ($125 from hiddenhitch.com) -I would have a honda dealer do the transmission cooler, however, you can shop around at different dealers and get the best price.
The Canadian-spec Pilots come with heated mirrors, but the US-spec do not. Does anyone know how I can get mine modified or where I can buy a heated mirror kit?
Does anyone know whether the 2003 Pilot EX Leather has heated seats. If not, has anyone installed seat heaters from an aftermarket source? Can you provide the approximate cost and name of the company? I am planning to order EX-L .. not having the heater would be a bad thing in Boston winter
Hi! I am very close to purchasing a Pilot. Just noticed that there are no vents in the 3rd seat area. Does anyone have a comment on the heat/cold comfort of the 3rd row passengers. Thanks
We are looking to buy an EX. Local "one simple price" dealer is asking $700 below MSRP. We are considering adding the rear sensor, running boards, cross bars, cargo cover, splash guards, and all season mats.
We are wondering if the running boards are useful or do they just get your pants dirty every time you get in and out of the vehicle?
Also wondering about installing splash guards myself. I looked at collegehillshonda.com and they are much cheaper ($31 vs $89 at dealer). The installation instructions look easy. Has anyone installed splash guards themselves? Is it really just turning 3 screws or is there more to it? We are not really do-it-yourselfers. Anything that involves drilling holes in the vehicle, we will leave for the dealer to do.
Didn't see the cargo cover on collegehillshonda.com. Anyone know where you can get it for less than the dealer? Is there any installation involved or does it just snap in place? Thanks.
I was told by a dealer in CT that manufacturer's installed day/nights mirrors are not available for Pilots. Sounds a bit strange to me... Did anybody have such experience? Or, vice versa, is there anyone who just had mirror installed? Thanks.
My Pilot is coming in December, but not sure if I want to have the dealer install the EX crossbars or attempt myself. Anyone had any experience with this??
I am going to attempt the splash guard install, that seems pretty straightforward.
In addition to College Hills Honda for accessories, I shopped, www.handa-accessories.com www.hondapartsforyou.com
ACCORDING TO THE HONDA US, CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATIONS DEPT. THE STANDARD ALARM SYSTEM ON THE EX PILOT DOES GO OFF WHEN A WINDOW IS BROKEN. THE DEALER TOLD US IT DID NOT AND SOLD US THE UPGRADE! DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS? ....GEE ONE WOULD THINK THAT WHEN BUYING A NEW CAR THAT THE DEALER WOULD HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING AS TO WHAT THIS ALARM DOES!!!!
My Honda dealer in Conroe, Texas said the Pilot day/night mirror does NOT come with a compass. He said the day/night mirror found on the Accord is a different mirror, incompatable with the Pilot.
I purchased the cargo tray and a windshield sun shade through H and A Accessories (handa-accessories.com). Yes, it is "handa". I wish I had known about them before purchasing the cargo cover from the dealer. H and A's prices were really good and the shipping is reasonable. They do sell genuine Honda parts. If you are getting a cargo cover remember that you won't be able to use your 3rd row seat with it in place. It fits nicely in the storage area, but you have to remove the 3rd row head rests for it to fit. The cargo tray is great! It fits perfectly and has raised sides! I highly recommend it if you do any type of hauling.
If you know how to get a compass, I would love to have one! I really need it!
Would anyone know where to find the seat cover for the Pilot. I have checked at Walmart, Kmart, Target, Autozone, Pepboy, Oreilly, etc... Nobody have the cover which fit the Pilot because the seat is high back couple with the very high head rest. Thanks
I've been looking for some information about if/when Honda will be offering a moonroof for the Pilot. I will be purchasing a vehicle in the next few months and am hoping it will be a Pilot! Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Looking for EX stock alloy wheels. I bought the Honda LX and it comes with some ugly steel wheels. I like the alloy wheels on the EX. Does anyone know where I can get some at an afforable price. The dealer quoted me 900 dollars and thats to much.
Has anyone done any modification on the speakers? What sizes are in the doors and subwoofer? How easy is it to replace the subwoofer? I think the sub is a little weak and would like to get more volume out of it,plus it seems to distort quite easily. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
I know the owner's manual says to use 5-20weight oil for engine. Would it hurt to use 5-30 in it? I have several cases of it at home and always see it on sale but not the 5-20.
In the market for an EX-L/RES and wondering if anyone's ever heard of, seen, or had experience with either of the above products. Here in Florida, I've seen what a lovely mess "lovebugs" can leave on your hood, and short of buying a bra for the car, I wonder if either of these are any good.
The seller claims Invinca is "...referred to as the "clear bra", these no-nonsense, precision cut kits are made from a flexible, energy absorbent thermoplastic urethane film cleverly developed by the 3M Company called Scotchcal specifically for vehicular paint protection."
As for the grille guard, here's a listing on eBay that shows a pic:
Not sure if that name is the right one or not, but I have heard good things about the 3M film to cover your car.
You don't have to drill holes to mount the grille guard, but I do believe, in fact, that you have to cut away a bit of the plastic skirt covering the mounting points on the frame. You can look over at hondapilot.org for more info on that. someone posted pics of his install and, if i remember correctly, that is what was involved.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Comments
Herb Chambers is the worst offender of this type of practice in the Boston Area, IMHO. Try Bernardi in Natick or Honda Village in Newton. You may not be able to avoid the wax jobs at some dealers, but if you are willing to wait for the next shipment, you should be able to avoid paying an inflated dealer price for LoJack. A friend once had a dealer tell him, after he waited several months for a car to be delivered, this it came with LoJack. When he looked at the Lojack materials, it was installed AFTER his conversation with the dealer. Upon reporting this scum to the Mass dept of Consumer Affairs, he opted to keep Lojack at dealer cost rather than having it removed.
Trailer hitch
Air deflector for the front hood
Auto-day night mirror
And from the Pilot board, one owner have the dealer uninstalled (and refund ?) the deflector right away.
Some owners use tape, black duct tape and black elect. tape for their black Pilot, to seal the gap between the hood and the deflector. There is a samll gap between the top of the hood and the deflector that produces the wind noise.
But if you bought it as an option with the car, you can try to get the mirror at dealer cost and without installation cost/or at a min. installation cost.
According to the service manager, the in-dash unit installed and connected OK, but there was no plastic bezel available to cover the gaps remaining after the installation (the in-dash unit replaced the open cubby immediately below the a/c control). Since they had no way to properly finish the installation, they removed the in-dash unit and installed the under-seat changer instead.
Here's my question... Does ANYBODY have the Honda in-dash CD changer properly installed (and finished) in their Pilot EX???
Lower Trim
Wood Interior Trim Kit
and what's the difference between the sidesteps vs. the running boards? One better than the other?
I was under the impression it was going to be more of a champagne color, but it was darker, more brown. It too dark for me, I like a lighter shade (but that's just my opinion). Ended up buying silver.
Thankx
Slamjammer
Another source of Honda accessories and parts is hpart.com. Their prices are lower than collegehills and since they're in Tulsa OK, us Californians don't have to pay sales tax. I purchased rear mud guards, oil filters and the air deflector. I returned the air deflector after reading some of the postings here. Thanks for the info.
I installed a Yakima low rider mount with 48" cross bars to the existing roof rack. It fits great but at speed it make a lot of noise, so it's off until I need it.
We are very happy with our Pilot (my wife that is). I'm really glad we waited and didn't buy the Explorer.
Suggest you check it out for additional information.
Now we owners of the Pilot need to email NHTSA the following message, or a version thereof. Email the message below to: webmaster@nhtsa.dot.gov (alternatively, use the web form on NHTSA safety hotline site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/email.cfm).
Message that needs to be conveyed to NHTSA by as many Pilot owners as possible goes as follows: "The 2003 Pilot headlights are very weak and do not sufficiently illuminate the road ahead. This creates a very serious driving hazard on the freeway especially at speeds as high as 70 mph. The Pilot's headlights fail to illuminate the curves in the freeway, and consequently, Pilots can veer off the highway and get into crashes. Apparently, the Honda company is aware of this problem but has chosen not to take any action. We appeal to NHTSA to urge Honda to recall and replace the defective headlights".
Feel free to modify the message above. Thank you.
Has anyone heard or this or had experience?
thanks.
Bill
I ordered the Pilot back in July. I was told to expect delivery around the end of October. My salesman wants to know what add ons I want, if any, so he can order the parts to be installed. I'm considering the following:
Trailer towing package, roof rack cross bars, wood trim, keyless entry and running boards.
Any suggestions on which I should stick with and which I should drop?
I can't believe the cost of the towing package($1100+), running boards ($500), wood trim & wheel $600-$700...etc.. A local auto/truck accessories shop will install a trailer hitch (2" receiver) and transmission cooler for about $375.00. Will this effect the warranty? I'll probably only be towing a motor cycle trailer with two dirt bikes for the first year or so.
-trailer hitch you can also very easily do yourself ($125 from hiddenhitch.com)
-I would have a honda dealer do the transmission cooler, however, you can shop around at different dealers and get the best price.
We are wondering if the running boards are useful or do they just get your pants dirty every time you get in and out of the vehicle?
Also wondering about installing splash guards myself. I looked at collegehillshonda.com and they are much cheaper ($31 vs $89 at dealer). The installation instructions look easy. Has anyone installed splash guards themselves? Is it really just turning 3 screws or is there more to it? We are not really do-it-yourselfers. Anything that involves drilling holes in the vehicle, we will leave for the dealer to do.
Didn't see the cargo cover on collegehillshonda.com. Anyone know where you can get it for less than the dealer? Is there any installation involved or does it just snap in place?
Thanks.
Anyone had any experience with this??
I am going to attempt the splash guard install, that seems pretty straightforward.
In addition to College Hills Honda for accessories, I shopped,
www.handa-accessories.com
www.hondapartsforyou.com
STANDARD ALARM SYSTEM ON THE EX PILOT DOES GO OFF
WHEN A WINDOW IS BROKEN. THE DEALER TOLD US IT DID
NOT AND SOLD US THE UPGRADE! DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS?
....GEE ONE WOULD THINK THAT WHEN BUYING A NEW CAR THAT THE DEALER WOULD HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING AS TO WHAT THIS ALARM DOES!!!!
http://www.honda-pilot.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1470&highlight=heated+seats
It seems to have been successful for him!
Is this true?
How do I go about getting a compass on my Pilot?
If you know how to get a compass, I would love to have one! I really need it!
Thanks
Thanks.
I like the alloy wheels on the EX. Does anyone know where I can get some at an afforable price. The dealer quoted me 900 dollars and thats to much.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
In the market for an EX-L/RES and wondering if anyone's ever heard of, seen, or had experience with either of the above products. Here in Florida, I've seen what a lovely mess "lovebugs" can leave on your hood, and short of buying a bra for the car, I wonder if either of these are any good.
The seller claims Invinca is "...referred to as the "clear bra", these no-nonsense, precision cut kits are made from a flexible, energy absorbent thermoplastic urethane film cleverly developed by the 3M Company called Scotchcal specifically for vehicular paint protection."
As for the grille guard, here's a listing on eBay that shows a pic:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2411719583.
Looks pretty cool, but I wonder what installation's like. I'd be loathe to drill holes in any part of any car, much less a Pilot.
Any thoughts?
You don't have to drill holes to mount the grille guard, but I do believe, in fact, that you have to cut away a bit of the plastic skirt covering the mounting points on the frame. You can look over at hondapilot.org for more info on that. someone posted pics of his install and, if i remember correctly, that is what was involved.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S