First time post! I am the proud owner of a 2004 EXL with 250K and still going strong. No major issues and just some rust in
the rear right well. Car is my go to for anything...
Now, I have a chance to buy a 2008 EXL with 73K original miles...no rust, dents, clean Car fax.....for 10 thousand (from a dealer, too)
First, good deal? I'm trying to get them to do it for 10 out the door.
Second, I heard that 2008 has great reliability record (this car will be for my son....first car!). I heard 2009's had some issues?
(and I'm not really fond of the new interior and exterior appearance.)
I know the 2008 won't last at the dealer ...I've missed out on a few others over the last few months....
Thank for the suggestions
I dont like the price, but the used vehicle market is high priced right now.
As soon as I got it, I'd disable the VCM and switch the ATF to Full Synthetic Valvoline MaxLife.
Has the Timing Belt been replaced? It should have been changed out 5-6 years ago.
Sorry, no pictures (yet). But it is silver and spotless. So I guess I'm just looking for some wise advice from Piloteers.
For example, my '04 does not have the VCM engine...so how is that working out? Any issues?
Also, it seems that oil consumption issues are plaguing all years after '09......I have no issues with mine. Any comments?
Thanks again
Thanks for the price input. Yes the timing belt was changed with last few years.
Shopping for a First Generation Pilot This is the final version of a checklist that was collaboratively developed to help prospective buyers evaluate first-gen Pilots (2003 - 2008). Many of the most experienced forum participants as of late 2020 contributed ideas, reviewed the content and...
Any car with that low mileage won't have many problem and VCM would not have possibly caused any damage by then. I personally know many people who own Hondas with VCM with over 200k miles on it. No oil consumption, clogged cats, transmission issues. While this is a relatively small sample size, it seems like majority of owners have no issues. I just don't buy it when people say VCM will destroy your engine. Sometimes it may contribute to issues but it is not the only cause.
I reread what I wrote and I guess I could have proofread it a little better.
Also I’m sure we could all find enough evidence to support our claims either way.
Either way I’m happy with my newish Hondas and I wouldn’t have any problem buying another used one provided it was maintained correctly and drove well.
A car this old is still going to have seals in it that are 12 years old, and are going to need replacing regardless of mileage. This includes power steering pumps, hoses, water pumps, belts, etc. anything rubber is going to need replacement. That car isn’t worth $10k. The interior tech is old, these cars don’t drive that great and you could probably find a slightly More used car in a newer body style and see more of a return later on. I’m just not convinced that low miles mean much when those seals have all been sitting for 12 years whether the car has moved or not.
if the timing belt, waterPump and tensioner hasn’t been done, it must be done at this cost level
I would want ALL service records and if it’s not Honda dealer maintained i would never take the car.
Knowing when the brakes and rotors and brake fluid were last replaced. Brake fluid that’s 12 years old can damage a system by this time. It should be changed every 3 years max.
Valve cover gaskets will need to be done soon. Be prepared for this. They are hard as a rock at this point.
So here is the highlights on the CarFax on this '08 Pilot:
ALL service done at Honda dealership (same dealer it is being sold from too...)
Regular oil changes at 5500k
Trans/diffrerntial oil change at 30K
Front brakes serviced/Rear replaced at 42K
Left air bag recall/replaced and Induction system service (what is that..?) at 45K
Tensioner/idler checked at 49K
Brake fluid flush at 52K
New tires (Michelins) at 54K
Antifreeze change, differential/rear differential at 57K
Battery replaced at 69K
A/C service at 72K
Radiator replaced at 73K
Seems well cared for........still worth 10K? (I know, I'm sure they bought on the real cheap and trying to squeeze every penny for it, too...but hey..it seems like it might be worth it?!)
Be sure to post your best deal with the sales manager. Armed with info from the Piloteers can make you a smarter and more informed Pilot purchaser/owner.
Its only been on market for 3 days.. I think I'll hit them with 10K out the door (and stand firm) They said they would "throw in" (and install) a backup camera as well. Not sure of the value of that but it can't be much.....
OK, it's not a new vehicle, but it seems in pretty good shape, and a well-maintained Pilot has a proven track record of reliability. How much would you be paying for a new vehicle?
I still think they won't bite for 10K out the door....(and I'm not springing for a new one...not for a 20yr.old) so I'm really going to have to negotiate....
There is no way to check the idler pulley on the timing belt without completely dismantling the serpentine belt, tensioner, etc etc. to be able to get the covers off so this part isn’t true. And checking the tensioner would be tough to see because it’s partially covered by the timing belt cover. I guess you can check it for leaks but there are so many other things in the timing system that could go bad with this much age. I think Honda recommends 7 years or 105k miles. The belt is old. It needs changed.
The water pump has a rubber seal on it that’s 12 years old. You’re in for a huge expense if this starts to leak. I’d offer $7500 OTD on this car and let them come back with an offer. Your going into it way too excited and thinking this is some kind of gem car. It’s not. It’s an old pilot that they made hundreds of thousands of. Emotion in a car purchase always results in self pressure that you won’t be able to get into this “ultra rare” car and pay too much.
Also - what are they going to install a backup camera to? The 2008 backup cameras are all but worthless and look basically black and white. Is there an aftermarket stereo in it?
OEM stereo (and after market backup camera, I would guess). I've seen them, the screen clips to dash and camera is attached to above license plate.
I'm probably not going to have them do that.
Separate to the CarFax, the description of the car explicitly said new timing belt.
thanks for the advice on the opening offer. I was going to start at 8 OTD and then show them a check to get the negotiations going.
My best recommendation would be to reach out to your insurance company, and see how much the value of the vehicle is through them. Other thing to do is try and find comparable's as well. In regards to pricing, see if you can get them to do $9999 (or less) out the door cash, that will keep them from having to file a bunch of extra tax paperwork. Or better yet see if you can possibly get a better OTD price via their financing, and then use your preferred lender/loan to pay it off the next day if not paying cash. This will give the illusion to the dealer they might actually make some of that price-cut back on interest, and you'll get an extra "paid as agreed" entry on your credit score for a structured loan (win-win for you, only person getting the sour side of the deal is the Dealer, which they will easily make-up for by gouging another person at some point for something).
One other thing to find out... what is the Down Payment requirement for the vehicle. This price in some cases can reflect what they paid for it on a trade-in/otherwise.
Good luck! As a reference point, in June 2020 I got a 08 EX-L with 129k miles on it for $6750 before title + tax, for further details about it's condition, see my thread here.
UPDATE:
No deal on the Pilot....they will knock off $200...so out the door would be 11500.
My top figure was 10-10200Tried every negotiation...they wouldn’t budge....kept saying they have “huge” interest in it
UPDATE:
No deal on the Pilot....they will knock off $200...so out the door would be 11500.
My top figure was 10-10200.Tried every negotiation...they wouldn’t budge....kept saying they have “huge” interest in it.
Kind of pissed. It not getting “emotional” enough to make a wrong decision.
There will be another!
Walking away is always the right thing to do as the price was not right. In the next few days if not tomorrow you can expect a phone call begging you to stop by again....LOL
Wait a few weeks and see if it’s still on the lot. Perhaps they will be more willing to negotiate then. Otherwise it wasn’t meant to be. That Pilot isn’t worth $11.5k out the door.
Used car prices right now are super high too so they are banking on the fact that someone will stroll in and buy it. Look into the next generation pilots too but be sure to understand they have a huge recall for piston rings.
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