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Buy 2017 or wait until Spring

10K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  SteveV 
#1 ·
I'm in the market for an Odyssey right now, but I do like the 2018 modern design over the current gen 2016/2017, which I was originally looking at. Now that I have three kids, I cannot fit two booster seats and an infant seat in my Accord :) I've been swapping seats in an out every time I have to take my little girl to her doctor appointment. I could keep swapping seats until the Spring no problem, though I'm not sure my wife is going to appreciate that kind of exercise. This Odyssey better be worth it.
 
#2 ·
You'll get a much better deal on a 2017 model and likely have your choice of trims.

If you wait for a 2018, you may be waiting and waiting and waiting - especially if you want a certain trim and color. Youre also likely to pay at the very least MSRP, but likely you'll pay a premium to have it within the first 6-12 months of it landing on dealer lots.
 
#5 ·
I have an 8 and a 6 year old. I like your idea of using this bubblebum booster seat and possibly fit all three kids in my Accord. If this works I might just do without a minivan all together and save me $30k :) I could really use a few OLED TVs in the house.
 
#4 ·
A lot depends on your list of priorities. Are you one of those people who are going to kick themselves if they see the 2018 on the road just a few months after buying a 2017? Does having apple carplay/android auto mean a lot to you? Does the upgraded Honda Sense make a difference in your decision? Clearly the largest part of the decision is probably money. As others stated I'm sure you can get a sweet deal on a 2017, or even 2016 for that matter compared to probably paying MSRP for a 2018. If the difference in price doesn't bother you then look at the other differences. Personally I'm holding out for the 2018 knowing full well I will probably pay MSRP. I'm definitely one of those people who would kick themselves if I got a 17 and then the 18 was out just a few months later. I'm also a big tech nerd so the upgraded infotainment system is a big thing to me along with Honda Sense. I also plan to keep mine for a long time so I feel like waiting for the newest model is the way to go also. But everyone has different priorities and it just depends on what is important to you and your family.
 
#7 ·
Just my two cents but consider a Pacifica too. I have posted my reviews so far in the Pacifica thread. Not trying to sway you, just an objective look at another option. I did not care for the 2018 Odyssey redesign so I checked out the Pacifica. Given the level of refinement and content especially tech, it is worth a look.
Good luck, John
 
#8 ·
I do like the 2018 modern design over the current gen 2016/2017
I agree that the 2018 looks much better on the outside than the previous generation. It's also a big step upward in features.

The new model will be released in the spring, but it may be summer before there is a good selection in all cities. If you can make do with your Accord until summer, hang on for the new Ody. It would be disappointing to pull the trigger now and then to regret it later.

If your wife is not content with keeping the Accord, have a look at the Pacifica. It has more features than the new Ody, but its long-term reliability is unknown. If you want to stay with Honda, the current Odyssey has been in production for six years and so most of the bugs have likely been worked out.

Dave
 
#9 ·
People (including me) have been getting some really good deals on the 2016s. There still seems to be a decent supply of them out there. Not much (any) changes between 2016 and 2017 MY Odysseys. With the exception of the residual value difference that one model year makes, I'd say the 16 is a better bet than a 17 MY. People have been reporting discounts of $6-7,000 off MSRP on the 2016s.
 
#10 ·
Yeah I know there are some dealers near me that have a lot of both 16 and 17. If the 18 is truly coming out in the next few months they are going to have to get all those off the lot and should be discounting heavily. I know I've been quoted just under $39k for a 16 elite, and that was just an email quote without doing any haggling. I just wonder when they are going to stop production of the 17's? You would think they would stop and have a little bit of a gap before the 18 goes into production to give the dealers time to sell all the 16-17's.
 
#11 ·
This is how I look at it. Is it worth the $6-7k upgrade (EX-L model 2016-17) over 2018. It depends on your need, for me is a yes. Here is some of the features I needed and a rough estimated it can be lower or higher, but this is how I view it:
  • $300, 32HP increase - to pass cars on the highway
  • $600 Remote starter in build with the remote - if it's the same as the pilot trim, EX-L or higher has this, it's always good to carry one fob.
  • $800 Apple carplay - A techy guy and love to stream bootleggy stuff, if you know what I mean.
  • $300 Magic slide seats - I can slide my buddy closer to feed him a bottle of formula while racing on the street.
  • $500 In cabin camera - spy on my kids at night.
  • $550 Bigger screen 8" - compared to the confusing slow dual screen with a cool box that you need to click on the button everytime to hop on to your car to keep your drink cool. In the winter we throw it in the back trunk and it's freezing cold, sometime it's frozen.
  • $2000 Redesign exterior - want to be different from 20 friends of mine that own 2016 model.
  • $200 In app stream/queue/and etc - 10hr +Road trip with techy peers and listen to varieties of culture music is the bomb. Instead of hey let me disconnect and connect my phone to listen to my album.
So I'm expecting to pay close to MSRP price most likely which of fine with, since I'm getting all these nice features over 2016 model, that is over $5k.
 
#13 ·
You can fit 3 car seats (including 2 boosters + infant) in pretty much any Accord; you just need the right seats!

3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Fit in a Honda Accord?
This is a fact lost on too many people. I say this completely in spite of the fact that my wife and I chose to buy a van instead of a midsize or large car that could accommodate 3 car seats in the back. But we made that choice with our eyes wide open about the pluses and minuses of each. We did the research on sedans, SUVs and vans and decided we wanted the Odyssey.

The biggest plus to a van for us is the extra space. The 5 of us travel in luxury and comfort wherever we go and all the stuff that goes along with having 3 kids under the age of 5 is stowed safely outside the seating area. We also love that we can pick up the grandparents and have them ride with us on a picnic in the mountains, for example. Of course, all that space is also at the root of the minuses of a van - the bulk, the fuel consumption, the compromised maneuverability and handling compared to a car...

As for the OP, buying new car seats just to fit a certain car may not be logical. If you have decent enough car seats and the car should be replaced anyway, the fact that seats can be found to fit is moot. But if the reverse is true - the Accord is brand new or somehow otherwise too good to replace - then maybe spending a grand on three new car seats that will fit it well is the more economical choice.

We have a second small car we use as our urban runabout when the children aren't going with us - I drive it to work most days. We know that all the children will likely never ride together in that smaller car, but as long as we have the van, that doesn't matter. Whenever we all go somewhere together, it's in the Ody and that's all there is to it.
 
#14 ·
Its not just a question of three car seats, but all the extra luggage that goes with a baby and small kids. The throwing of pop corn, space to walk to the third row of seats, and stuff like that .... It's infinitely better to have a minivan in this scenario.
Technically you can squeeze three car seats even in a civic if you want to, but that's not the point.
 
#16 ·
Yep, if you can afford it a minivan just makes life easier. Between the stuff kids have and the friends you cart around it's nice to have a minivan. But I know people who either don't want one or can't afford one and they do just fine with two or three in the back of their car. Is it tight, sure, but as parents you just do what you have to and you get used to it. We never had one when I was growing up and we did fine, but man do I wish we had one! :)
 
#15 ·
I only have two kids, but I wanted space to bring their friends along. I take 5 kids to the library weekly, and wouldn't be able to without the Ody! And then when it's just the four of us going skiing or camping, it is SO nice to not have to deal with roof racks (esp as a short person) to haul our stuff. We also use the extra space to bring the grandparents along to events. Mine are moving out of car seat age, but we are doubling down and planning on having a minivan until they are in college - I imagine our next purchase will be used to actually TAKE them to college in 2024!
 
#17 ·
We have three kids and only have an old Accord. It works well. We can fit a stroller and a pack n play in the trunk along with things stuff in nooks and crannies in the trunk when we need to and things on the floor below the carseats. We can fit quite a large amount but as the kids get larger it won't work so well (ages 1+, 1+, 3 years). One thing is that the front seats are pulled up more than I prefer in order to fit the car seats. But it's ok.

We've survived well over a year this way and will probably make it to this fall or so, and then spring for the 2018 Odyssey. Greatly looking forward to being able to breathe a bit when loading the car, and it unlocks future road trips, which are currently hard to imagine. But is it necessary? No--I'm sure we could make this configuration work for quite some time.

And why the 2018 over 2017 (original question)? I do feel a bit guilty over the price, and I'm still not 100% sure we're going for the 2018. It feels extravagant--they're both nice, newer, well-featured minivans. But, if I'm going to get a minivan for convenience and safety, I want it to be as convenient as possible. Magic Slide just seems very, very nice for putting our 3-year-old in the back then sliding back out so the babies have a bit of room, etc. Maybe I'm overestimating how nice it will be--hard to say. Just removing one of the side seats in the 2nd row of the 2017 might be as convenient. Additional safety features aren't a major selling point but help me to rationalize my choice too. I also think the 2018 looks much nicer, but not near as nice as the Pacifica.
 
#19 ·
What trim level are you looking at? If you say something like LX or EX, I would say get the 2017. Chances are you need a minivan, a good one. And that is it. As much as the 2018 is all new, IRL, it's pretty much the same Ody, sorry to say that, and not to be a downer. I'm on my 3rd Ody. Yes, they are all different, but, it's really the same thing. So don't expect that WOW factor with the 2018 compare to the current gen.

If you are looking at the Touring or TE, then I would wait till the 2018. There is no point in paying over $40K for "yesterday's technology." You want the latest and greatest.
 
#20 ·
I'll probably be going with the 2018+ model because I like to pay cash for my cars, and I'm woefully short of income this year. Next year I get a nice payraise, and a year or two after that I ought to be able to pay cash for a brand new Ody to replace my 2010 Ody.

I wouldn't go for the first year of 2018+ production because I expect something to have some sort of teething problems and I'd rather let someone else explore the world of TSBs and recalls, what with the chassis, engine, trans, and controls/radio/nav being all new. But 2019 or 2020 models ought to be just fine, and the 10 speed trans might even make it down to the EX-L trim by the time I have the cash saved up.

Then again, I managed to fit my 3 kid's car seats in the back of my G8 so I don't NEED to replace my car right now due to family size. The G8 (and chevy SS) have 2-3 extra inches of rear seat hip room compared to almost every other sedan on the market, and that really increases rear seat carseat options. You're not gonna easily get 400+ hp and 3 abreast child carseats, at least not with an accord :) A used G8 GT ought to run under $16k and the base V6 G8 is quite a bit less than that... Maybe that could hold you over until the 2018 models arrive if you really can't make the accord work.
 
#21 ·
I jumped the gun and bought an oddy... We were deciding either the pacifica or the oddy and one of the big consideration was the pacifica was the first generation out of the production line... Now the same is with the 2018 oddy, first one out of the 5th gen...

from my experience with honda, the last model release of a generation is usually the best, with most of the problem sorted out...
 
#23 ·
With just 2 kids getting older now, I think we are going to get a suv (Pilot) soon instead of waiting for the Odyssey. Also I am thinking our 2011 trade-in value may drop even more once the 2018 model is out, so I think it may be better to trade it in soon.
 
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