Posted on January 31, 2005 at 1:28 pm by Jeff
I am currently on the lookout for quality new car reviews to share on the New Car Price Quotes blog. Having been in the business I know that there is very limited original content out there. Most reviews are coming from Edmunds, Intellichoice, or NewCarTestDrive. Now, there’s nothing wrong with these reviews - I’m just looking for original content. So “stay tuned” for more details.
Yesterday’s post included a review of the Honda Pilot, but a professional writer. It’s a great review, but I thought I would add a personal touch by writing my own. I leased a Honda Pilot EX in September 2002 (model year is 2003) just as the vehicle started entering Honda showrooms (I was one of the original owners of a Honda Pilot). We will be turning the car in this coming September and so far I have nothing but rave reviews.
Our actual vehicle was a 2003 Honda Pilot EX in sage brush pearl (think forest green). The sticker price on the vehicle was $30,500 and we paid $28,700. The EX comes with leather, power everything, CD-player, etc. We did not opt for the DVD or navigation packages. We are currently carting around 2 kids (22 months and 1 month) and have had a very easy time with an infant carrier (with base) and child seat - that LATCH system works great. Even with the back seat fully occupied there is still plenty of room in the back with the 3rd row folded down.
There is nothing flashy about the interior design and layout (it is a Honda), but everything is sensibly laid out and easy to access. Shorter drivers might find the center-console stereo controls a bit far to reach, but the controls mounted on the steering wheel solve this problem. There is plenty of head and leg-room for tall passengers and drivers as well. I am 6′3″ and can ride comfortably in the first or second rows. The third row is really for small adults or children only (though once we did fit 6 adults and 1 child in a car seat in the Pilot). The only problem I’ve run in to is with the infant carrier and base installed behind the driver seat. I cannot put the seat as far back as I would like - it runs into the infant seat. Aside from that the Honda Pilot is very roomy for both passengers and cargo.
Maintenance has been fairly routine. We have changed the oil in our Honda Pilot every 7500 miles (as suggested by the manufacturer) and have also performed the suggested 6-month maintenance. We did have 3 recalls on the Pilot which required me to leave it at the dealership for an entire day, but it was not much of an inconvenience.
Handling has been very good - even in the snow (and we’ve had a lot in Michigan this year). The vehicle has good acceleration and I’ve noticed reasonably good gas mileage - approx 18 city, 23 highway. There is plenty of horsepower, and acceleration is very smooth. Road noise is minimal and the overall drive is very enjoyable. Our Honda Pilot is mainly driven by my wife and it has proven to be a very reliable vehicle.
Her biggest complaints are the automatic climate control, and the fact that we don’t have a sun/moon roof. The Honda Pilot’s automatic climate control can be a little annoying as it typically “blasts” hot or cold air until the set cabin temperature is reached. You can easily override this by manually controlling the air speed and temperature. We also had to manually manipulate most of the vents - this one open, that one close, this one pointing up, that one pointing down - but you have to do that in almost every car anyway. The Pilot’s “manual” rear-control is also a nice feature for those passengers in back.
Some features I’d like to see on the Honda Pilot (and the current models may have these): memory seats, back-up sensors, and a moon roof. I would highly recommend the Honda Pilot to anyone looking for a reliable SUV with our without a family. Our Honda Pilot lease is up in September and we will be moving to a minivan. Right now the all new 2005 Honda Odyssey looks like a good choice!
Get a free Dealer Price Quote on a New 2005 Honda Pilot.
Posted on January 30, 2005 at 8:44 pm by Jeff
Like its brethren, the CR-V, Odyssey and new Element, the Pilot completes Honda’s best-buy SUV and van line. And like any of those offerings or anything else in Honda’s arsenal, it’s hard to find serious fault with the Pilot.
Introduced in late 2003, the Pilot replaced the Passport and it shares the same basic chassis and powertrain as the MDX, the complementary choice from Honda’s upscale Acura division.
My test drive for the week was the top of the line’s EX L 4-door wagon that includes both a navigation system and second seat DVD entertainment system. With those additions, the Pilot further enhances its position at the forefront of the midsize SUV ranks that include the Ford Explorer, Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander.
The three Pilot models all offer a V6, 255-horsepower engine paired only with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The HP total represents an increase of six percent from the 2004 model, further adding to the vehicle’s status among the quicker midsize SUVs. It has a 0-60 mph test rating of 7.9 seconds.
Further performance areas for the Pilot are all ranked at least average or above. The driver sits “tall” in the vehicle, so steering and handling are fine for the car’s type. But it should never be mistaken for anything other than a SUV with cornering limitations.
Braking is strong and the standard all-wheel-drive system seems well- suited for trails and in inclement weather conditions.
Like other Hondas, controls and instrumentation as well as styling and indoor space are thoughtful and styled simply. The automatic shift lever is located behind the right side of the steering wheel and doesn’t block access to other controls. But it’s also too easy to shift in and out of transmission settings.
The pilot is an eight-passenger vehicle, with little compromise. The second and third-row seats each comfortably seat three passengers. Although unused during my test week, second and third-seat passengers can view DVDs from a screen that pops down from the second-seat ceiling. Headphones are stored in a map/accessory compartment behind the driver’s seat.
All three Pilot models have a long list of standard features: tilt steering wheel, cruise control, 60/40 split folding second and third seats, power mirrors, windows and doors locks, remote keyless entry and AM/FM/CD player, among other items. The EX and EX-L models include a six-disc changer, steering wheel radio controls, automatic-off headlights and allow wheels. Leather upholstery, heated front seats, power sunroof and heated power mirrors are standard on the EX-L model only.
Despite its best-buy status, the Pilot does have two less-than- spectacular considerations: curtain side airbags are not available on any model, and its fuel rating of 17 in city driving and 22 in highway use is fine for its category but hardly an economical plus.
Nevertheless, the Pilot overall is an ideal family vehicle. It’s spaciously designed, practical and fits well in the Honda family known not only performance and reliability, but for a strong position in the resale market.
2005 Honda Pilot
Safety features — Front side airbags, anti-lock 4-wheel disc brakes, rear-obstacle detection system. tire pressure monitor, rearview camera.
Fuel Mileage (estimates) — 17 mpg (city), 22 mpg (highway).
Warranty — Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited miles.
Base price range — $34,120.
James Raia is a syndicated journalist in Sacramento, California, who writes about sports, fitness, travel and lifestyle topics as well as the car review colum, The Weekly Driver.
To read more car reviews, visit: The Weekly Driver. To read James Raia’s additional articles or to subscribe to his free newsletters, visit: http://www.ByJamesRaia.com
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Posted on January 28, 2005 at 2:49 pm by Jeff
Today I’ll take a look at Dealer Holdback. Many people out there have heard of ‘dealer holdback’ but very few people actually really know what it means. Some even think they can use this as a “secret negotiating point”.
Dealer holdback is a fixed percentage of the MSRP (manufacturer suggest retail price) or Invoice price of a new vehicle that is paid back to the dealer. Manufacturers introduced ‘holdback’ a number of years ago to help supplement a dealer’s cash flow and to reduce the amount of money paid out as sales commission.
Let’s explore exactly how this works:
Through you research you’ve probably come across Dealer Invoice, and MSRP. Dealer invoice is the amount the dealer paid for the car (well, sort of) and MSRP is the suggested retail price as set by the manufacturer. Most people negotiate a final purchase price somewhere between Invoice and MSRP. When the manufactures introduced dealer holdback, they inflated the invoice price by a predetermined amount (the dealer holdback amount). The dealer pays the inflated amount when they receive the cars from the manufacturer. The manufacturer then pays the “inflated” amount back to the dealer, usually once every quarter. This is the dealer holdback, or amount of money that was “held back” by the manufacturer until the dealer was invoiced for a specific vehicle.
How does this benefit the dealer?
1. By increasing the “Invoice” price of the vehicle, dealers can reduce the amount of sales commission they pay. If a salesperson is compensated based on the gross profit of each sale, by artificially inflating the invoice amount, the resulting gross profit is much lower, and therefore the commission percentage is lower. A lot of car salesmen aren’t even aware of this!
2. Many dealers borrow money to finance cars (this is called “floor planning”). The amount of money they can borrow is based in the invoice price of the vehicles they are buying as well as those in inventory. The higher the invoice price (as well as the size of the dealers inventory) the more money they can borrow.
3. Have you ever seen a dealer advertise an “Inventory Blow Out Sale” with some vehicles priced $1 over invoice, or even some vehicles priced below invoice? Did you ever wonder how a dealer makes any money selling a car for more or less money then they paid for the vehicle? Dealer holdback!
Some large “volume” dealers take advantage of this by selling cars priced so low that smaller stores simply can’t compete. The dealers are happy to make less profit on each vehicle because they make it up in volume. They probably also have good finance managers, a busy service department and other “profit centers” in their dealership.
Some consumers think that by arming themselves with this “knowledge” they are able to negotiate a better deal - Don’t Push It! Dealers consider holdback money sacred and seldom ever share it with consumers. The only time it may be appropriate to mention dealer holdback is if you’re getting the old line about not making ANY profit on the deal. Now keep in mind that a salesman is paid a commission based on the sale price of the vehicle. The dealer can sell the vehicle at invoice price and still make money. If a salesman sells a car at invoice price they may not get any commission on the sale. Just remember that salespeople need to eat too!
A few more gems:
If you are ordering a vehicle (not buying it directly off the lot) the dealer doesn’t need to floor plan the car - the holdback is pure profit. You may be able to use the holdback amount to negotiate a lower price on the vehicle.
Don’t mention dealer holdback unless you’re told that there is no more profit in the deal (especially if you are financing the car with the dealer, have a trade-in, or are buying any aftermarket accessories). Even at invoice, the dealer is making a profit and generally the salesman is making a little bit as well (typically a flat commission of $25, $50 or even $100).
