Used Honda Odyssey Minivan Shopping

In the process of looking for a minivan. I will be adding notes as I go.

First off I suggest reading this Wikipedia article all about Honda Odyssey minivans. It gives a breakout of each generation of the vehicle and also has more in depth information about the transmission issues mentioned frequently in connection with Honda Odysseys.

2001 Honda Odyssey

Recalls:

Transmission Warranty Extension

2002 Honda Odyssey

Recalls:

- Automatic Transmission Second Gear Inspection

- Driver's Airbag Inflator

Reviews and Ratings:

- Edmunds Editor Review

- JD Power Quality Ratings

Price Range: $5,900 - $7,000

2003 Honda Odyssey

Recalls:

- Automatic Transmission Second Gear Inspection

Transmission Issues

From an article about the transmission problem: Honda's Unexpected Gear Shift

Of 1 million vehicles sold in the U.S. with those transmissions, Spencer said, Honda has replaced the transmissions in about 16,000, or 1.6%.

Cost to replace transmission: $3,000 - $4,000 at a Honda dealer.

Reason to replace transmission at a Honda Dealer: longer warranty on new transmission.

Motor Mount Issue

A number of consumer reviews mention they've needed to replace motor mounts around 90K miles. More information needed. May be good to ask specifically about this if you get a mechanic to inspect the vehicle prior to purchase.

Research Resources

• How to check an automatic transmission
• Honda site to look up recalls (requires VIN)