wait for 2012 CRV??

[mrcheap]

considering either a 2012 crv or a 2012 pilot

the only real negative i can think of for the pilot is the mpg. i have a daily commute of 60 miles total a day. plus i don't have kids. do i really need a vehicle this large? although i do enjoy a large and comfy and luxurious car.

i know the crv has great resale value that i dont think the pilot even matches. but i know when the crv comes it wont have good financing rates or any real discount because honda dealers know they will sell. i guess the only real negative for me is the pricing when the crv comes out because i will be looking at an exl which will be pretty close to a pilot exl in pricing that i am currently being quoted for.

i also only have street parking which is a negative to me regardless of what i get, but i figure with a pilot it would be easy to pull out of snow after the plows come through.

please offer your insight if you were in my situation.

[iggibar]

Originally Posted by mrcheap

considering either a 2012 crv or a 2012 pilot

the only real negative i can think of for the pilot is the mpg. i have a daily commute of 60 miles total a day. plus i don't have kids. do i really need a vehicle this large? although i do enjoy a large and comfy and luxurious car.

i know the crv has great resale value that i dont think the pilot even matches. but i know when the crv comes it wont have good financing rates or any real discount because honda dealers know they will sell. i guess the only real negative for me is the pricing when the crv comes out because i will be looking at an exl which will be pretty close to a pilot exl in pricing that i am currently being quoted for.

An EXL CRV is close to a EXL Pilot on pricing? Huh? There's an almost $10,000 difference!
Also, according to Honda FInancial, the 2012 Pilot holds a residual value of 56-59% of its value after 36 months(depends on packages-56 for base lx, 59 for base EXL/ nav model). The 2011 CRV holds a 36 month residual of 54-60% after 36 months. Obviously, here, the value of a base CRV doesn't hold up as well as a base Pilot, but a FULLY loaded EXL/nav CRV is expected to hold a great value of 60% according to Honda Financial. The Pilot/CRV residuals clearly match each other closely.

As you mentioned earlier with the 2012 CRV, Honda is known to undervalue their new model year cars more than your average manufacturer. The leases on the 2012 will most likely suck!

I personally don't enjoy the ride of the current CRV, but I obviously can't say anything about the 2012. I prefer my Pilot, but I also have use for it that the CRV couldn't be of any help in. That might be different for you.

[1YESfan]

Buy a basic level Civic. Good gas milage, great for street parking aka scratches, bumps and dings, stolen, how much room do you really need most of the time ( rent something bigger when needed)?, and easy on the wallet for everything else you want to do in your life.

or

go all out and buy yourself a hybrid Mercedes. You only live once. ;-)

[mrcheap]

Originally Posted by iggibar

An EXL CRV is close to a EXL Pilot on pricing? Huh? There's an almost $10,000 difference!
Also, according to Honda FInancial, the 2012 Pilot holds a residual value of 56-59% of its value after 36 months(depends on packages-56 for base lx, 59 for base EXL/ nav model). The 2011 CRV holds a 36 month residual of 54-60% after 36 months. Obviously, here, the value of a base CRV doesn't hold up as well as a base Pilot, but a FULLY loaded EXL/nav CRV is expected to hold a great value of 60% according to Honda Financial. The Pilot/CRV residuals clearly match each other closely.

As you mentioned earlier with the 2012 CRV, Honda is known to undervalue their new model year cars more than your average manufacturer. The leases on the 2012 will most likely suck!

I personally don't enjoy the ride of the current CRV, but I obviously can't say anything about the 2012. I prefer my Pilot, but I also have use for it that the CRV couldn't be of any help in. That might be different for you.

i was comparing the sticker price of a crv with my quoted pilot pricing which is nearly 4k off sticker. i dont think a 2012 crv will sell for 4k below sticker. a 2011 crv exl is around 29k with destination. i fully expect the 2012 to cost at least that much. so my quoted price 32.5k is very close to 29k.

and as far as resale value i've compared 2nd gen crvs with the first gen pilots with similar mileage and their prices are pretty much the same to me. to me that is more of real indicator because it based on what is being asked for in the market as opposed to predictions.

anyway i do like the pilot and my posting was not intended to bash the pilot which seems like the reaction i am getting here. i just wanted to know what some of you thought as i assume most people compare vehicles before buying them.

[Hakone]

I have the 2011 pilot and the 2010 CR-V EX. If the new CR-V is [at least] the same level of refinement of the current generation, i'd say get the CR-V. It's listed at 28mpg but as we drive 80% highway, we're approaching around 29-30mpgs on the 2WD.

My Pilot's only under 3k miles so I expect it to get better than the ~22mpgs it's getting now as the time goes by.

As far as refinement, I feel the CR-V to be better built. The two shelf system in the cargo area is the most useful to us as a small family. Stroller on top, bags/groceries at the bottom. The rear seats, on the other hand, don't fold flat so you won't be able to haul 5' boxes without it being at a weird angle. My other gripe is that the 160W stereo is a 4/10 at best. The EX has no sub so you definitely lose a lot of depth. Overall I think it's the perfect vehicle for carrying people/cargo. It has about the same interior volume as a midsize sedan but w/ the extra added utility. Rumor has the 2012 to have the 200hp+ engine w/ approximately 30mpgs (2WD) which is awesome since I feel the current CR-V's acceleration to be very adequate. I like their Multi-info display better than the Pilot since there's more info on one 'page' as where in the Pilot I have to jump thru pages to get the info I want.

My passengers are definitely happier in the Pilot EXL for the obvious room, and nice leather. I've had it packed w/ people and cargo before and it's nice to be able to fit as much cargo and also keep the passengers comfy. There's also a bunch of storage bins and an abundance of cup-holders everywhere which helps keep the passengers content on long trips. The price you pay is really the MPGs.

They're both great vehicles. I'd suggest to do the math on the gas consumption and weigh that w/ other of your priority factors. Best of luck on what you decide. =D

[whizmo]

I'd go with the CRV. Better yet, if you have another car for when you need a big car, get a Prius. It seems totally ridiculous to buy and fuel a huge 4700-lb SUV to get a one person and his/her briefcase to work. This hand-wringing over which might be the better deal seems like noise to me compared to the basic consideration of getting an appropriate car for the job.

Personally, I'd also prefer driving the CRV. It's simply a much more fun car to drive.

- Mark

[mrcheap]

thanks for the tips! besides from the mpgs, it does feel like overkill for what i would be using my car for 99% of the time. if i ever feel the need for a pilot i could always upgrade in the future.

thanks!

[RSQ Pilot]

Originally Posted by mrcheap

thanks for the tips! besides from the mpgs, it does feel like overkill for what i would be using my car for 99% of the time. if i ever feel the need for a pilot i could always upgrade in the future.

thanks!

get some internet quotes, 2011 CR-V EX-L AWD prices are falling, you should be able to pick one up in the $27K range or wait for 2012..

[Pilot-1]

Originally Posted by mrcheap

considering either a 2012 crv or a 2012 pilot

Good arguments here for and against both models.

I'm thinking the same thing myself -- do I go with a Pilot or wait for the CRV? Like you I am mostly the only person that will be in the vehicle on a daily basis, but I do not prefer a 4-cylinder powered vehicle and I've been driving big vehicles most of my life...so it's easy for me to prefer the Pilot by default. And as you mentioned, I like the room, luxury, etc. etc. I'm extremely independent and don't like having to rely on friends to 'borrow their truck' if I need to haul something every weekend, and having the extra room in the Pilot will offer me that independence to do what I want when I want without having to rent a larger vehicle like someone suggested.

But I do admit and wonder if the CRV would really be the better choice for me. Probably the 2 biggest things preventing me from getting a current CRV is (besides the 4-cyl.) is the noise level and the fold-n-tumble rear seat setup. I've been spoiled by my previous Pilots with the fold-flat setup, and I wouldn't be surprised if the 2012 CRV comes with fold-flat second row seats. If I knew now that it would, plus knowing that maybe it would have more power and a quieter interior, I would pause a bit and reconsider getting a 2012 Pilot. But the deals they have on the Pilots are irresistible. If '11 CRV EXL's top out near $30K, why not pay a few grand more to get a Pilot?

In the end it all comes down to your preference. Like I said earlier, I've driven big vehicles most of my life, so that's what I'm used to. It
wouldn't disappoint me one bit to stay with a '12 Pilot, but the '12 CRV is strangely starting to look more attractive to me (as an overall purchase) for whatever reason. Keep in mind financing deals end in one week on the Pilots...the new CRV's won't be sold for invoice or at 1.9% financing like these Pilots are right now. Can anyone say fire sale?

Good luck.

[Johnjk]

We have a 08 EXL AWD CRV and a 11 EXL 4WD Pilot. Both are great. My wife is primary on the V and averages with her driving style 23mpg combined. I can get 28 combined all day long which drives her nuts. It is great for 4 people, plenty of room for short trips. the 4cyl is impressive with its acceleration and responsiveness. More importantly, the V has not been back in for any break fix repairs since we took delivery. Normal maintenance only.

I got my Pilot based on the reliability and our experience with the V. My first choice was the Accord, however we wanted something a bit bigger and I don't like mini vans. The Pilot is more comfortable seating and riding. Long trips to soccer tournaments with 5 kids in the back and all their gear is a non issue. Parking, it has a great turning radius. Combined I can get 21MPG all day long with my Pilot. My daily commute is 18 miles each way, combined city, hwy and rural. On long trips we get 23-24 unless I can find a truck or tour bus traveling my speed. Driving in traffic it is nice to have the responsiveness of the 6cyl.

Each has it's pro's and cons. For our family they both make sense. i do like how the new CRV looks. From a style perspective, it makes the decision a bit more difficult for me.

Good luck with whatever one you choose.

[Hakone]

One thing i noticed from the spy photos is that the cargo area seems to be a bit bigger, perhaps maybe up to 38-40 cubic ft (vs the current 35) w/ the shelf system i'm guessing.

[xGS]

You’ll be spending 1-2 hours every day driving it, so get the vehicle in which you’ll be most comfortable.
So what if you don’t need a vehicle the size of the Pilot?
If you think the Pilot is somehow oversized, compare it to a Toyota Sequoia or Nissan Armada.

It doesn’t matter if choosing a particular vehicle would save you hundreds of dollars on gas, insurance and taxes if you suffer twinges of buyer’s remorse each time you slip behind the wheel.

Almost any vehicle with all-wheel-drive and decent ground clearance should get you out of a plowed in parking space.
A Civic or Prius, as some have suggested, might not.
If snow is a particular concern, then get a set of winter tires.

[iggibar]

I would like to point out one thing about the current CRV. A new CRV, fresh off the dealer's lot, will seem to be loud due to its craptastic tires. If you go on TireRack's website, reviews there os one michelin tire say that the CRV handles and sounds like a completely different car. The stock tires don't absorb sound. They instead transfer vibrations to the cars frame - causing you lots of noise. From the reviews, the people who switched to the Michelins are in love with the CRV as if it's their new car. I swear, I'm not a Michelins spokes person! lol

With that said, they 2012 CRV is suppose to get a quitter cabin, with more sound dampening, just as the 2012 Pilot got updated in that department.

[mikemcm]

you mentioned snow and getting out of parking spots. having owned a 2nd gen crv and now a first gen pilot (both awd) there isn't any issue with getting out of snow with either of these vehicles. it takes a lot of snow to bog these vehicles down.
having bought a used pilot with similar ownership as to you (one person, no kids) i say do it. my pilot was pristine when I bought it.

[roarkrd]

Originally Posted by mikemcm

you mentioned snow and getting out of parking spots. having owned a 2nd gen crv and now a first gen pilot (both awd) there isn't any issue with getting out of snow with either of these vehicles. it takes a lot of snow to bog these vehicles down.
having bought a used pilot with similar ownership as to you (one person, no kids) i say do it. my pilot was pristine when I bought it.

I can second this. I have owned a CRV which was excellent in the snow and I own two Pilots, both usually only having one occupant at a time.