We are thinking about getting a 2004 Odyssey or Pilot. Do any of you have one of these cars/vans and if you do, do you love it.

Is the Pilot big enough for a family of 4 and a big dog?

Thanks

By Truestori on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 04:21 pm:

Andi,

I say go for the pilot! They are the same exact car as the Acura MDX and my mechanic raves that they are one of the best things on the market.

Oh, and don't forget to check out Carbuyingtips.com. Goodluck and happy hunting.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 04:35 pm:

I'm partial to minivans myself. I'd go for the Odyssey. Very family friendly!

By Eve on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 04:40 pm:

Tough one! The Odyssey has got to have more space! The Pilot would probably be fine for everyday, but think of all the added cargo for trips and adventures if you got the Odyssey!

Stori-I've been eyeing the MDX. Mommy wants!LOL!

By Vicki on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 05:31 pm:

We have a Pilot and LOVE it!! If you fold down the very back seat, the cargo area is huge. I think you would be happy with either one, but we love our Pilot!!

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 06:35 pm:

I'd LOVE to have a Pilot. We have two, '98 Accords that are PAID FOR! And we plan to drive them both until they die on the road. However, we often drool over the Pilots. Lucky you!

By Andi on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 06:44 pm:

Karen, we are only "looking". DH wants to wait a few months but I think I might be able to talk him into doing it sooner if Honda comes out with an amazing lease deal.

I like the Pilot because it's a small SUV and not a "Mommy" car. But I like how much room we will have with the Odyssey. I think I am going to go look at the on Thursday while DS is in school.

By Vicki on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 07:47 pm:

Do you really think the Pilot is small? Have you test drove one yet?? It feels like a tank to me when I drive it. LOL I really like that back seat that we can pop up and take 8 people in the car pretty comfortable. Dd's favorite thing is the DVD player. LOL Have fun looking and test driving!!

By Andi on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 08:08 pm:

No, I havent had a chance to test drive it, I am going to go look at them on Thursday. Now you have me really excited about it...I hope it's as big as you say.

By Conni on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 08:41 am:

I dont have an opinion on the Honda Pilot. But I can tell you my experience with SUV vs Minivan...

I bought a minivan 2 yrs ago. Toyota Sienna. I test drove the Honda van btw and I didnt like it as well as the Toyota van. (i am biased to toyota's tho!!) At the time I got the van dh began to drive my Landcruiser I had been driving. Van gets great gas mileage, drives more like a car, rides good, just a great vehicle to get little kids in and out of. Great for running around town (which I do all day long driving to 3 schools, etc...)

Now my problem is I can't pull anything with my van. (ie: we have 2 trailers we use to haul things with, we have 2 big lab's I wont put in my van, we have a ski boat I cant pull with it and are fixing to have a pontoon I wont be able to pull with it) We have a 4 wheel drive hill that leads down to our cabin at the lake--I cant get down it if I go out to the lake in the van. I have needed 4-wheel drive when it snowed here too. Also could have used 4-wheel drive when I took the kids to Colorado in the van for spring break one yr--snowed ALOT that time.

I am now getting ready to sell my van and buy a crew cab 4 wheel drive pick up! I want a diesel, 6-speed manual transmission. Will either get the 4-door Dodge or GMC truck after researching many different trucks. I will be able to take dogs with me, put 4 wheeler in back of truck, pull trailors, etc...... I Am sure my neighbors will fall off their rockers when they see me in one. LOL But we are getting ready to buy some property (approx 100 acres) out in the country and will move there in a few yrs. So we will get lots of use out of a truck --especially when I have a horse trailor to pull. ;)

If I were you and you think you will need a 4 wheel drive I would get the **Pilot**. I also for some reason (maybe its just me) absolutely refuse to take our dogs in the mini van. I use to take them all the time in my landcruiser and when we had the 4-runner I could roll the back window down a tad and take them in the back of it. But I will not put them in the van. I would have to roll up the back seats to fit them in and then they would get it smelly, etc... Didnt bother me in our SUV's tho?? Go figure...

BTW my neighbors bought the Acura MDX and the BMW SUV last yr-- they are both really pretty vehicles as well!! She had a mini van-- she traded it for the Acura SUV.

My dh says I should have bought a Suburban not a minivan in the first place. lol

Maybe this will give you something to ponder.

Have FUN shopping!!! You cant go wrong buying a Honda btw! I know they are great vehicles.

By Andi on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 10:14 am:

After talking to DH last night I think we have decided to look at the Odyssey. I can change diapers, get to the back seat and move around in it so much easier. DS will have the DVD player so he will be occupied and it is just a better fit for us right now. When they get older than I will look at getting an SUV. Looks like I'm going to be driving around in a "Mommy Car" in a few months.
Thanks for all your advise and I would love to hear more if you think it would help with our decision.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 11:35 am:

I love my "Mommy Car"/minivan. As I mentioned above, it's VERY family friendly. If 4 Wheel Drive is a big factor, you can get a '04 Toyota Sienna with AWD.

Safety Ratings, etc.:
http://www.suvsafety.info/

By Jilly on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 01:00 pm:

We test drove a Pilot last fall and I loved it. We had thought about upgrading our CR-V to a Pilot but we ended up keeping the CR-V and buying a Mini Cooper instead. ;)

The CR-V will do for baby #1 when s/he arrives next spring. DH is up for a SUV or minivan. But I've never really considered myself to be a minivan type person - so the Pilot is probably the way we'll go.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 02:34 pm:

I still say lucky you! LOL I'm calling my car a hoopty ride these days - the windshield just got cracked and I have to get it replaced before November, one of the interior AC knobs broke (actually it's the 2nd one to break) so have to replace that, and there's something going on with the left front wheel - also have to correct that before November when we drive down to Tampa. On top of that, someone hit the bumper in a parking lot and it has white paint scrapes on it (car is dark green). It's going on 7 years old and that's the longest I've ever kept a car. However, it's the 2nd Honda I've owned and I love Hondas because they last.

DH and I both bought Accords the same day, they both have about the same mileage on them, and we get regular maintenance on them. I figure we won't get new cars until the kids are all out of college. Hope these last!!!!!!!!!!!!

We really want to get a Pilot, pretty much mainly for traveling with the dog. LOL Be sure to let us know when you get your Odyssey, and how you like it!!!!!