To buy 2013 Pilot or not?

[mfm22]

I'm looking to trade my 2005 4runner with 93k ..it's been good to me !
Pilot and Jeep laredo are the choices and it's tough to choose.

I've been reading some issues with the Pilot and I'm having some concerns regarding shuddering etc..
Always felt Honda was a quality product and have owned accord & civic years ago .
Guess I'm looking for some reassurance to buy it or solid reason not to.
Thanks for any input

[Tim Jim]

Overall Honda does build great products. I have been disappointed in the poor sounding stereo and the annoying shudder I perceive as the variable cylinder displacement system operates, especially since I am not yet able to achieve the posted 24 mpg on the highway (even under ideal conditions). If an average sounding stereo & 20 mpg are ok for you, and you're not obsessive/compulsive like some of us on here, you'll likely love a Pilot. The 4WD system seems well designed and the people packaging is very good. One other quirk, the very sloped cargo area, never seen another vehicle like it. Not really a deal breaker, but it's peculiar. Third row space is very usable even for average sized adults. I do not expect any long term durability issues. Generally speaking, any car in its 5th model year has had most of the bugs worked out of it...

[EmptyTank]

Originally Posted by mfm22

I'm looking to trade my 2005 4runner with 93k ..it's been good to me !
Pilot and Jeep laredo are the choices and it's tough to choose.

I've been reading some issues with the Pilot and I'm having some concerns regarding shuddering etc..
Always felt Honda was a quality product and have owned accord & civic years ago .
Guess I'm looking for some reassurance to buy it or solid reason not to.
Thanks for any input

Test drive a couple different individual copies of both, going to different dealers, or the same dealers at different hours. You might want to test drive Toyota Highlander and Mazda CX-9 and even Acura MDX while you're at it.

In the end, it's a choice only you can make. The shudder problem seems to be only noticeably bad to a minority of Pilot owners, so don't let that scare you off necessarily. During your test drives, try to hold exactly 35 MPH and exactly 65 MPH, both on the flat. Those should be the points at which the VCM kicks in while not downshifted. If you don't notice any shudder on a couple different individual Pilots, you should be good to go.

[RinconVTR]

Drive'em all. Then you'll know.

There isn't anything out there you cant find complaints about...

[mfm22]

Just bought my daughter a CX-5 to replace her Xterra [hurricane got it and 2 others in front of our house]
I have looked at quite a few suv's . Most are not off road capable and my going off road is an occaisional fishing trip. Winter/snow is a factor here in New York and the Pilot should be fine .
The Stereo would be an upgrade from my 4 runner & I'm not looking for an audiophile experience while driving ,good sound system will suffice .
The variable cylider -shudder could be an issue for me . Is this a matter of sensitivity [princess & pea] or as I read a motor mount proximity issue ?
Cylinders turning on & off could be unnerving but just how bad is it?

I don't really nee the 3rd row seating [3 kids all growed up] I plan on leaving the seats down and enjoying the cargo area .

[RinconVTR]

Originally Posted by mfm22

Just bought my daughter a CX-5 to replace her Xterra [hurricane got it and 2 others in front of our house]
I have looked at quite a few suv's . Most are not off road capable and my going off road is an occaisional fishing trip. Winter/snow is a factor here in New York and the Pilot should be fine .
The Stereo would be an upgrade from my 4 runner & I'm not looking for an audiophile experience while driving ,good sound system will suffice .
The variable cylider -shudder could be an issue for me . Is this a matter of sensitivity [princess & pea] or as I read a motor mount proximity issue ?
Cylinders turning on & off could be unnerving but just how bad is it?

I don't really nee the 3rd row seating [3 kids all growed up] I plan on leaving the seats down and enjoying the cargo area .

The shudder/vibration has existed in Hondas with VCM since its debut. Early years VCM problems was more serious and could lead to torque converter failure. This was fixed with a firmware update. But still people complained.

The issue is real, yet very rare compared to the number of units on the road. Our neighborhood and school system is practically a Honda dealership lot, and we all talk. None of us have met someone who actually has this issue.

And IMO, most reports are also based on ones perception of what a vibration or shudder is, and how sensitive one is to it. Which is why most cases are claimed not to be "resolved" with Honda.

EDIT: Have you looked into the CR-V? Seeing you don't need the 3rd row seat...

[mfm22]

I did look at cr-v & thought it would work for me .. It's a little light in the power & my wife hates it! Go figure , she has very strong feelings against it .

[EmptyTank]

Originally Posted by mfm22

I did look at cr-v & thought it would work for me .. It's a little light in the power & my wife hates it! Go figure , she has very strong feelings against it .

Then maybe the Acura RDX would be her cup of tea. Has she test driven a Pilot yet? If so what did she say?

[mfm22]

Thats the thing ..she never drives my truck .. She lost a mercedes E350 in the Hurricane ..now driving a 2013 C300 .
The Pilot is as close as I can get to 4runner in on & off road capability $$ is a big deal and the pilot ex after some discounts will boil down to $31,000 and dealer offered good trade money for the 4runner. I need to go and firm up the deal ,salesman was not 100% on trade ??

[Gobbledot]

We had an 2011 Odyssey and never had a problem with the shuddering and now have the Touring Pilot and have not noticed it in neither but I am not looking for it either. I have been very happy with both the van and now the pilot (not had but 3 days). I will try to see if I notice it next time I get to drive it, the warden has tight reins on her vehicles..

[TomStromie]

My wife drives the 2007 Pilot and I recently purchased a 2012 Jeep GC Laredo. I've not looked the recent Pilots, but the Jeep is much quieter, smoother and comes much better equipped than the Pilot. Jeeps (this is my 4th one) have also been cheaper to maintain. No timing belt to replace for one thing.

Before buying my Jeep I also looked at the new Explorer. The Explorer shares one characteristic with the Pilot that neither my wife nor I like. That is the pad to rest your left foot. It does not allow either of us to stretch out our legs long enough that our left knees begin to hurt on longer trips. That's why I decided to buy the Jeep.

2007 Pilot has almost 140,000 miles
2012 Jeep GC is at 8,500 miles

[dale512]

Not clear why you want to buy any car now. Your present 2005 has a lot of life left in it and by your own admission, has been good to you. Also, present Pilot is at the end of its cycle and we'll be seeing a new generation next year. Just my 0.02.

[Im2c0oL]

Originally Posted by dale512

Not clear why you want to buy any car now. Your present 2005 has a lot of life left in it and by your own admission, has been good to you. Also, present Pilot is at the end of its cycle and we'll be seeing a new generation next year. Just my 0.02.

2x if you can hold up the upgrade for one more year.

[chas22]

I always try to stay away from the first year of a body style change on any Honda.

[dr bob]

We have both in the garage (2004 4Runner SR5 and 2013 Pilot Touring). K drives the 4Runner and is focused on the truck chassis and how she likes the firmer ride. I had the opportunity to buy the Pilot well. She won't get into the driver's seat yet. She drove a new Explorer for a week and consistently parked it into the next right-side parking space due to the greater width vs her 4Runner. I like the Pilot so far, but it is different from the very well maintained but still 100k-old 4Runner in our garage. I think the Pilot is a lot better, but I only get one vote to her two. I guess that's why the garage is so big...