Car Review: Honda

After we decided the Sienna was not for us, it was on to the choices from Honda. Ashley has been seeing Pilots everywhere since the new car discussion started, and it seemed like the optimal car. Not too big, third row, full second row, car seat anchors everywhere ...

So we went to test drive one. Ashley fit in the second row between the girls (and so did I, though perhaps that is a reason not to buy one...).

It was all perfect until Ashley sat in the driver's seat.  When the seat was positioned in a way allowing her heel to hit the floorboard and her toes to press the gas, she could not easily see over the dash. When the seat was positioned in a way allowing her to see, her heel would not hit the floorboard making for an uncomfortable and unsafe driving machine. When she and the sales associate came back from her test drive, the associate said he could hear the music inside Ashley's head go "Woh. Woh. Woh." Indeed.

She sat in an Odyssey - apparently Honda makes minivans for short moms, a perfect fit. You could hear the sad music again ...

Since the girls were getting restless and dinner time was approaching, we left and set to schedule an appointment for the next Saturday to drive an Odyssey, and since the sales associate could also sell Toyotas, a Highlander.

Fastforward a week - We got to the dealership around 11:00 on Saturday. The associate we dealt with last week was out sick. So we met another associate who looked at the inventory of used Odysseys. There was an 08 with 48K miles on it in our price range. We saw it, put the carseats into it, and drove it around. Cue music - just not the "ah-ha" Ashley had felt with the Pilot. It had a full second row, and the middle seat between the girls was comfortable for both of us. But, it was a removable seat that really wasn't made for a car seat.

So that she could get it out of her mind, she asked a used car associate to let her sit in all the Pilots on the lot - you know, just in case she fit into one. There was an 07 with 50K miles - silver (her color) with leather (perfect for spills). And ... drum roll ... SHE FIT!!!! Apparently the change in body style/height was done in 2009, so all 2008 and older will work. We did ask the sales associate last weekend if this might be the case, but he said no. We found out today that he is last in sales for this month. We tried the car seats in the second row and we both fit between them comfortably. We tried the strollers in the back -- the single stroller fit behind the third row while it was up and they both fit with tons of room left when the third row was down.

At this point, we are in negotiations for that car ... I got them down 14.5% in the hour and a half meeting I had after I dropped Ashley and the girls off at home. Hopefully they'll break next week - or we will find another low mileage Pilot soon. Seems like that's the car ... stay tuned!

[Editor's Note: We are in the middle of "No Spend" Month, and I think it's hilarious that we may buy a car this month.]