Lets talk about new vehicles

[Zee09]

The Pennzoil Ultra Platinum was just leftover on the shelf. Think I have enough for one more oil change then it’s on to something else. Plan for the oil was to let the dealer do the free changes & do a vacuum swap in the middle. I’m not going to waste my stock of HPL on it that way so it’ll likely get Mobil 1 0w-30 once the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum is used up.

My wife seems to like the Pilot so far with the exception of calling it pretty gutless. I don’t have to drive it & I mainly drive when we go on trips. Looks like the only real downside is our long summer trips will be in my F150 getting 18-20mpg instead of 30+ in the Pilot. There’s just zero chance I could ride in that thing for a 1200mi round trip. Maybe the driver seat is better, idk? The passenger seat is its own special kind of torture.

I'm doing what you're doing with the oil changes....you may get lucky as those seats really need a good break in.

Surprisingly my seats are comfortable for long trips but the seats bottom are a tad to thin but acceptable.

I need to go back and get the rattles fixed and the USB stuff but my irritation is with the poorly designed chattering belly pan... I have a plan to fix it but under warranty I will give them an attempt to fix it...

It's a constant noise maker and a dumb design.... typical Honda

Not a minor irritation but a massive one... Below is a picture of it...

 

[MParr]

I'm doing what you're doing with the oil changes....you may get lucky as those seats really need a good break in.

Surprisingly my seats are comfortable for long trips but the seats bottom are a tad to thin but acceptable.

I need to go back and get the rattles fixed and the USB stuff but my irritation is with the poorly designed chattering belly pan... I have a plan to fix it but under warranty I will give them an attempt to fix it...

It's a constant noise maker and a dumb design.... typical Honda

Not a minor irritation but a massive one... Below is a picture of it...

View attachment 328375

I sure am glad that we picked the 2025 Ford Escape over the 2025 Honda CRV.
I only have one complaint with the Escape and that is the garbage Michelin Primacy Touring AS tires.

 

[Zee09]

I sure am glad that we picked the 2025 Ford Escape over the 2025 Honda CRV.
I only have one complaint with the Escape and that is the garbage Michelin Primacy Touring AS tires.

Honda used to use those back in the day on most vehicles.

 

[Patman]

I need to go back and get the rattles fixed and the USB stuff but my irritation is with the poorly designed chattering belly pan... I have a plan to fix it but under warranty I will give them an attempt to fix it...

It's a constant noise maker and a dumb design.... typical Honda

Not a minor irritation but a massive one... Below is a picture of it...

View attachment 328375

Take that belly pan off and throw it in the trash. It doesn’t really serve much purpose and just makes oil change time more annoying

 

[Zee09]

Take that belly pan off and throw it in the trash. It doesn’t really serve much purpose and just makes oil change time more annoying

True but its a new car and right now I don't want to put it back on incase I have a warranty issue come up or my other free oil changes

 

[rstsco]

My wife seems to like the Pilot so far with the exception of calling it pretty gutless. I don’t have to drive it & I mainly drive when we go on trips. Looks like the only real downside is our long summer trips will be in my F150 getting 18-20mpg instead of 30+ in the Pilot.

To help give it a few guts, suggest changing the drive mode to Sport. There's a rocker switch, and Sport is one push forward. It will stay in that mode until turning the car off... or change to a different mode. Bonus: It disables auto stop/start. It will never feel like an Audi for acceleration.

We get 20-22 mpg on our trips to Wisconsin (1200 miles each way), keeping at 75-80-ish mph. We had a good tailwind once and got 23 mpg. MPG is much worse driving in town.

 

[MVAR]

I'm doing what you're doing with the oil changes....you may get lucky as those seats really need a good break in.

Surprisingly my seats are comfortable for long trips but the seats bottom are a tad to thin but acceptable.

I need to go back and get the rattles fixed and the USB stuff but my irritation is with the poorly designed chattering belly pan... I have a plan to fix it but under warranty I will give them an attempt to fix it...

It's a constant noise maker and a dumb design.... typical Honda

Not a minor irritation but a massive one... Below is a picture of it...

View attachment 328375

The seats are firm for sure but the seats in the Fusion it replaced were as well. The real difference is the Honda seats are flat. They offer zero side bolsters & no real lumbar support. If vehicles are going to have flat seats like a work truck, they can’t also be firm.

You’re correct as well about being noisy. SUV’s are generally louder than sedans but the Fusion & her MKX before it were electric quiet in comparison. My F150 is as well.

The Honda is just the accumulation of things that I don’t like in cars. One or two annoyances is something that can be dealt with. The only things that are missing from this thing that I don’t care for is an iPad type center control system & electric drivetrain (although I’d likely prefer an electric drive to this V6 & transmission).

 

[MParr]

The seats are firm for sure but the seats in the Fusion it replaced were as well. The real difference is the Honda seats are flat. They offer zero side bolsters & no real lumbar support. If vehicles are going to have flat seats like a work truck, they can’t also be firm.

You’re correct as well about being noisy. SUV’s are generally louder than sedans but the Fusion & her MKX before it were electric quiet in comparison. My F150 is as well.

The Honda is just the accumulation of things that I don’t like in cars. One or two annoyances is something that can be dealt with. The only things that are missing from this thing that I don’t care for is an iPad type center control system & electric drivetrain (although I’d likely prefer an electric drive to this V6 & transmission).

Ford cars are generally quieter than imports. Also, a unibody car is going to be louder than a body on frame vehicle. The engine in our former 2019 VW Tiguan 2.0 sounded like a Kubota diesel tractor engine.

 

[MVAR]

To help give it a few guts, suggest changing the drive mode to Sport. There's a rocker switch, and Sport is one push forward. It will stay in that mode until turning the car off... or change to a different mode. Bonus: It disables auto stop/start. It will never feel like an Audi for acceleration.

We get 20-22 mpg on our trips to Wisconsin (1200 miles each way), keeping at 75-80-ish mph. We had a good tailwind once and got 23 mpg. MPG is much worse driving in town.

Wife is currently getting your hwy mileage in town. She said she got 31mpg doing a round trip from Sacramento to Pleasanton with little traffic. Probably the trip computer not calculating correctly. If it only gets 20-22 hwy most of the time, taking my F150 won’t be any real difference on cost

Thanks for the tip on sport mode

 

[MVAR]

Ford cars are generally quieter than imports. Also, a unibody car is going to be louder than a body on frame vehicle. The engine in our former 2019 VW Tiguan 2.0 sounded like a Kubota diesel tractor engine.

My old Audi & Volvo’s were quieter than her old Fusion but I’d agree that Fords are generally pretty quiet vehicles in their price range.

 

[Zee09]

Ford cars are generally quieter than imports. Also, a unibody car is going to be louder than a body on frame vehicle. The engine in our former 2019 VW Tiguan 2.0 sounded like a Kubota diesel tractor engine.

My 2016 C-Max Hybrid was heavily built and quiet with no wind noise...
I wish all makes would adopt the VW or Subaru at the top of the engine oil filter placement a dream for us Seniors that do the top extraction as well... easy peasy

 

[KCJeep]

Hauled my folks on a short trip in our 17 Edge and both commented on how quiet and comfortable it was, my dad mentioned it multiple times. They have a Tiguan.

My sister bought a new 25 Highlander hybrid which is nice, I drove it several hours but its best feature was the steering wheel. It drove mediocre and the leather seats were good looking but not that comfortable.

Youngest daughter bought a Pilot they had to have cause the in laws have one.

Edge is quieter and more comfortable than both and has been more reliable than both as well. Had it 5 years 60k miles and zero repairs. Both the Toyota and Honda have had two warranty claims each in the first few months of ownership. I know it’s day will come but the Edge has been a fantastic vehicle. And we just flat like it which adds to ownership satisfaction. Wife wants another whenever it is time.

 

[Zee09]

The only reasons I purchased the Accord Hybrid was for MPGs and Power Projection something a green Mustang couldn't give me......

 

[zzyzzx]

Take that belly pan off and throw it in the trash. It doesn’t really serve much purpose and just makes oil change time more annoying

I suspect that the dealer might do that for him, and without telling him about it.

 

[Zee09]

I suspect that the dealer might do that for him, and without telling him about it.

I have a free oil change coming up but after this I'm not going back because I prefer my own choices in oil and filters

If they don't resolve the shield I was going to machine urethane washers and suspend the pan on them...

I hate belly pans but they keep everything clean and the silver metal when you open the hood will show any leaking fluids but the chatter needs to be resolved.

 

[walterjay]

If they don't resolve the shield I was going to machine urethane washers and suspend the pan on them..

Heck...just caulk it shut with silicone. Presto...no more rattles

 

[Zee09]

Heck...just caulk it shut with silicone. Presto...no more rattles

Spoken like a true plumber
Unlike Toyota it has no access panel

 

[rstsco]

I have a free oil change coming up but after this I'm not going back because I prefer my own choices in oil and filters

When I had the "6" service, rear differential fluid changed at the dealership at 5,663 miles (going on a trip and didn't want to do it myself), they pushed hard that I use their free oil change, which I declined, as I'd already done two oil changes with Amsoil Signature Series by then and was going to do so again. They made sure the first entry of my receipt said I declined this service.

I document the crap out of everything and have a three-ring binder with every receipt for everything, with the exception of gas. I have receipts for all oil, oil filters, and any other purchases. I've never been this retentive about documenting to this extent, but with reading about so many warranty denials, they're going to have a fight on their hands should they ever try to deny a repair under warranty... and I have an 8 year/120k miles, HondaCare warranty (cost was ~$3k and we hope this is last car we purchased as we're getting older). I also document all DIY service into Honda Garage and Carfax. I print out all services shown from both sites and put them in the binder, replacing older versions.

 

[Zee09]

When I had the "6" service, rear differential fluid changed at the dealership at 5,663 miles (going on a trip and didn't want to do it myself), they pushed hard that I use their free oil change, which I declined, as I'd already done two oil changes with Amsoil Signature Series by then and was going to do so again. They made sure the first entry of my receipt said I declined this service.

I document the crap out of everything and have a three-ring binder with every receipt for everything, with the exception of gas. I have receipts for all oil, oil filters, and any other purchases. I've never been this retentive about documenting to this extent, but with reading about so many warranty denials, they're going to have a fight on their hands should they ever try to deny a repair under warranty... and I have an 8 year/120k miles, HondaCare warranty (cost was ~$3k and we hope this is last car we purchased as we're getting older). I also document all DIY service into Honda Garage and Carfax. I print out all services shown from both sites and put them in the binder, replacing older versions.

View attachment 328552

I put my records in a zip lock bag in the glove box with receipts too but also pull the filter box top off and write the date and mileage and oil used too...

Another neat trick is to take pictures and post them here in the oil change thread which you can pull up if ever needed...

My dealer was telling me about the Mitsubishi oil filters and I tell him I cut open virgin and used ones often...he gave me a funny look and I pulled up BITOG and my Mitsubishi filter thread and BAM right in his face and he learned something too...much respect was given as many talk you know what...

 

[KCJeep]

The only reasons I purchased the Accord Hybrid was for MPGs and Power Projection something a green Mustang couldn't give me......

It was either the Accord or the Witness Protection Program for you. You chose wisely, the Accord will definitely make you disappear.