[tombeaman]

You're right!

You're right...it IS uncomfortable. But there is a reason, IMHO.

I've spent the last 7000 miles trying to figure it out, and I'm pretty sure I know Honda's reasoning (they ALWAYS have one).

They do not want you to lean toward the door. The reason is that the side airbag needs to slide between you and the door to be effective. I believe they have purposely made it less comfortable for that reason. (Note that it is also not padded).

If you must, buy a piece of foam and store it in the pocket. I've learned to do without.

 

[FW_in_OKC]

The Odyssey is a great driving and handling minivan (likely the best in the industry), it appears to be reliable and economical, but, in my honest opinion, it's unremarkable most everywhere else. (Seating, lighting, audio, interior noise, usable interior storage, other features and appointments.)

I think the Odyssey is a van well worthy of the $20K (LX) to $27k (EXL NAV/RES) price range. But for the MSRP it is commanding, one would, and rightfully should, expect much, much more. I think Honda has ridden the reliability/reputation horse about as far as they can. It’s time for them to improve the areas where they know the buyers are dissatisfied.

I am going to keep my Odyssey as long as I can, or longer, if I get the gumption to finish building it by adding a ton of sound insulation, lighting, a new audio system, and have the front seats rebuilt to add leg support to the seat cushions. (An expense not needed by anybody. It should have been there at delivery.)

This is MY opinion, just like everybody else has THEIR opinion. I'm not trying to make anybody mad or push anyone’s buttons. I'm just not totally mesmerized by the Odyssey. It's not at all bad, but I think Honda could easily improve on it in many areas without significantly increasing the bottom line. Even if the top-of-the-line Odyssey ended up in the mid $30K area with other less reliable minivans, the choice of the Odyssey would be clear if it matched the others in interior comfort, features and appointments and had the best drive train and handling in the world.

Now it’s time for all the hate mail to come flowing in. I hope I’m wrong, but in the past, any time I have voiced an honest, non-warm fuzzy opinion about my Odyssey on this forum, I have made some people very MAD.

 

[claymoh]

How about the fact that you have to lift the right arm rest to buckle the seat belt? Also not a good design. It should stick up higher and have the arm rest out a bit farther. I really haven't noticed the height differences, but I do second the lack of padding. This is further complicated by the bizarre shape of the surface next to the window which keeps you from putting your arm there instead.

I do agree that it is nice to gripe about stuff like this vs "my engine sucks" or something. People get floored when they see the power/acceleration of the van when considering a 20-25 mpg performance, I love it.

 

[ody02chic]

My Cheap solution to problem

Use gel pad from computer wrist rest.

 

[bjk2001]

I think the Odyssey is a van well worthy of the $20K (LX) to $27k (EXL NAV/RES) price range. But for the MSRP it is commanding, one would, and rightfully should, expect much, much more. I think Honda has ridden the reliability/reputation horse about as far as they can. It’s time for them to improve the areas where they know the buyers are dissatisfied.

I am going to keep my Odyssey as long as I can, or longer, if I get the gumption to finish building it by adding a ton of sound insulation, lighting, a new audio system, and have the front seats rebuilt to add leg support to the seat cushions. (An expense not needed by anybody. It should have been there at delivery.)

Fred:

I am just very curious. Since you are very dissatisfied. Why don't you get rid of your Odyssey? It doesn't make sense to me that you are very dissatisfied with is and you want to keep it then pripe about it all the time. If I were you I would have get rid of it long time ago to make my life easier. But that's just me. Do you keep everything you bought which you are very dissatisfied but keep them anyway?

 

[bjk2001]

Re: My Cheap solution to problem

Use gel pad from computer wrist rest.

ody02chic:

Very creative and matched color. Did you put one on the passanger side too?

 

[ody02chic]

Use gel pad from computer wrist rest.

Thanks

No pads for passenger, Just for me only!

 

[joelkeenan]

You shouldn't distort what people say.

"I am just very curious. Since you are very dissatisfied. Why don't you get rid of your Odyssey? It doesn't make sense to me that you are very dissatisfied with is and you want to keep it then pripe about it all the time. If I were you I would have get rid of it long time ago to make my life easier. But that's just me. Do you keep everything you bought which you are very dissatisfied but keep them anyway?"

The writer either has no ear for nuance or knowingly distorted what the original poster said. The original poster said that while he was not "mesmerized" by the Odyssey, the car was "not at all bad," concluding that there was room for improvement.

To infer from those comments he is "very dissatisfied" seems childish and disingenuous, particularly in light of the snide addendum about keeping everything you buy with which you are dissatisfied.

 

[Guest]

FW, I think that Honda is listening because look at all the improvements they've made in the new Accord. I can't wait for the next model Ody!

 

[BobN]

I think the hieght of the left armrest is OK for me, but I don't understand why Honda would put out an armrest with no pading underneath the fabric.

Am I missing something? Do the rest of you have something underneath the fabric which isn't installed in mine. My '91 Sentra has no pading and as a result of puting my elbow there, the fabric had become permanently crushed after a few years. (AND I don't think the quality of that Sentra's interior materials, ie the fabric, were below average. In fact, the interior everywhere else looks just like new and I'm messy!)

 

[FW_in_OKC]

Fred:

I am just very curious. Since you are very dissatisfied. Why don't you get rid of your Odyssey? It doesn't make sense to me that you are very dissatisfied with is and you want to keep it then pripe about it all the time. If I were you I would have get rid of it long time ago to make my life easier. But that's just me. Do you keep everything you bought which you are very dissatisfied but keep them anyway?

I will get rid of it long before I would have normally. I like to keep a vehicle for 6 or 7 years. I will tough it out for a year or two, but the way I buy vehicles, I never have pay a cent of interest for a car payment.
I gradually pay into a Certificate of Deposit each pay period. When it gets up to $25k - $30k, I stop paying in and let the interest grow. In short, I make money in my car buying process. Right now I am in the recovery mode, building it back up again. I will lose money selling the vehicle right now.
I made the HUGE mistake of buying into the Odyssey Hype. And I can only blame myself. I was mesmerized by the resale value and blinded myself to other problems never talked about by Odyssey Owners.
The reason for that is largely due to the fact many of the people I talked to about the Odyssey had never owned anything but Honda's. Their parents and grand parents drove Honda's too. So they had no experience base to compare anything to. They just passed on the rumors they heard or read about American made vehicles. (Rumors to them only because they had no first hand experience.)
So.... Yes, I will be selling it when it is fiscally wise, and not before. I am really disappointed, and that is my opinion. (Just as me selling now so Odyssey owners don't read anything negative about their vehicles is your opinion.) Sorry...

 

[nwf_snake]

Fred,

Sorry you feel that way, but what $27,000 minivan do you think you would be happy with?

 

[Phace]

wow... that's sad.

I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[Maugham]

...The reason for that is largely due to the fact many of the people I talked to about the Odyssey had never owned anything but Honda's. Their parents and grand parents drove Honda's too...

Yikes , those people have had a pretty limited experience.

You must know some very young drivers if their grandparents have owned only Hondas.

Honda started importing into the US in 1970 (the Honda N600 2-Door Sedan, 2 cylinders air-cooled), only 32 years ago and the Accord wasn't imported until 1976, 26 years ago!

http://hondafirst.com/history.htm

Regards,

M¿

 

[icydon62]

I'll respond to Honda hype. I've had a Mercury, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, and 3 Hondas. My parents have had fords, olds, buick, 2 hondas.

Okay, I have a question--how many models (any year any make) of Hondas can be classified as crap? Civic, et. al.--nope, Accord--nope, Odyssey--nope, Prelude--nope, S-2000--nope, Pilot--probably not, CR-V--nope. Passports are the closest and they're Isuzus. Even their motorcycles and lawnmowers are quality. I have no experience with their generators.

Now ask that about Ford, Chrysler and GM.

 

[MichaelJW]

FW_in_OKC,

It is a shame that you spent the amount that you did on a product that you are not happy owning. One bright spot, for you, is that by the time you are ready to sell your Odyssey it will probably be as reliable as it is today. That bodes well for resale value. There is a good reason why Hondas hold their value as well as they do.

Personally, I would be disappointed if I had bought a Chrylser mini-van because I had been blinded by the extra comfort that it may offer only to find out that it was a repair nightmare.

The reason for that is largely due to the fact many of the people I talked to about the Odyssey had never owned anything but Honda's. Their parents and grand parents drove Honda's too. So they had no experience base to compare anything to. They just passed on the rumors they heard or read about American made vehicles. (Rumors to them only because they had no first hand experience.)

If you think this is a fairy tale then by all means go buy an American made mini-van and come back to this forum in a few years and tell everyone of your experience.

Have you looked at the resale value lately of the Honda Odyssey vs the American made counterparts?

Back in April, I looked at the resale value of a 2001 Honda Odyssey EX vs Chrysler T&C EX:

Each with 15,000 miles:

....................................MSRP+Dest..........Private Party Value
...2001 Odyssey EX:........$26840................$27675
...2001 Chrysler T&C EX:..$26830................$21950

Each with 30,000 miles:

....................................MSRP+Dest..........Private Party Value
...2001 Odyssey EX:........$26840................$24775
...2001 Chrysler T&C EX:..$26830................$19375

Notice, that at 15K miles the Honda was worth more used then it was new. The last time I remember seeing a used vehicle that was worth more used then it was new was the 1989 Honda Accord LXi. In 1990, a used 1989 Honda Accord LXi was worth 101% of its new price. The 2002 resale numbers reflect about the same thing as the 2001 resale numbers.

Certainly, the Honda Odyssey is not perfect and there is room for improvement. Every vehicle has its strengths and weaknesses. About the only area where I am disappointed with the Odyssey is the sound system and the lack of a roll down side windows. But then I knew about these when I bought the car. Fact is, there is not one other mini-van out there that embodies as much as the Honda Odyssey does.

Funny this is, the first words out of everyone who has sat in my Honda Odyssey EX-L is that it is roomy and comfortable. My kids (all three of them) love the Odyssey.

There are compromises to everything.

 

[dgs]

Have you looked at the resale value lately of the Honda Odyssey vs the American made counterparts?

Be careful in that comparison. The Ody buyer actually paid MSRP while the T&C buyer probably got several thousand off. Probably not enough to make up the difference, but it would make it closer.

 

[BobN]

I think Michael hit it right on.

Why not sell your van now and recoupe most of what you put into it. Sure, there might be a loss, but there ALWAYS is with automobiles. From your sig, it looks like you've added many extra "value-adds", of which you could mention the retail price of them (without saying what you paid for them). You might even make money on the accesories.

If I wanted out, I'd sell now before Honda adds capacity or a third shift (I heard that they were only running two shifts of Ody making).

Why wait five years to save up for a new van, when you might get close to the same amount of purchase price (excluding taxes) in your hands right now?

Good luck

 

[Grand Total]

There is a good reason why Hondas hold their value as well as they do.

There are several reasons why the Odyssey holds it's value well. Without a doubt one of those reasons is their reliability and longevity, but I think two other reasons are significant too. One of those is simply supply and demand. Until recently Honda were not nearly making them as fast as they could sell them which keeps their sale price at or near to (or even over) MSRP which reflects in secondhand values too. The other reason is that there is not an option list as long as your arm. I consider that options are nice to have and may make the difference between a sale secondhand or not to a specific buyer but their value is essentially discounted to zero as soon as you drive off the dealer's lot.

 

[icydon62]

The supply of Odysseys does have something to do with resale value but that is certainly not the whole picture. Take a look at the resale value of Accords and Civics--they're certainly not in short supply. They hold their value quite nicely as well compared to the big three. Its a Honda thing--also applies to Toyotas