Company employees are still enjoying the utility of our long-term Honda Odyssey minivan. As the first minivan in our fleet of long-term cars, the Odyssey is faring exceptionally well. Those with children love it, those with large pets appreciate it, and even the single folk among us have nice things to say about it. This month, the vehicle matriculated through the hands of several staffers, proving that minivans--like pickup trucks--are vehicles everyone needs once in a while.
Almost every driver this month commented on the spacious and convenient interior of the Odyssey. At an out-of-town funeral, one staffer appreciated the Odyssey's seven-passenger carrying ability, which enabled several family members to ride together during the course of the weekend. Our currently unattached photo editor even went so far as to call the van "cool"--though he was quick to point out that he would never buy one, because a vehicle that screams, "I'm married with kids!" is not likely to attract many dates. But this thing is all about space ... space for people, toys, tailgate parties, even a lawnmower. Small storage spaces continue the theme, offering plenty of pockets and cubbies for storing all kinds of goodies. The removable middle seats are easy to take out and don't weigh too much, steering-wheel controls are functional, side mirrors are plenty large, and the fold-down armrests made one driver feel like Captain Kirk at the controls of the Enterprise. Another staffer complained about those very armrests, however, because he said having to push them up to fasten your seatbelt is a huge pain.
One editor noticed the usefulness of the flip-down tray between the driver and passenger seat, saying that his father would have loved it. On family road trips, his Dad would have been able to move into the rear seat instead of having to swing the arbitrary wand of punishment (usually a rolled-up newspaper) at the three troublemakers in the back in a feeble attempt to get them to behave.
Small irritations about the van included an oversized shifter that would occasionally block the HVAC and stereo controls, a pointy nose that made determining vehicle dimensions difficult, and an engine that doesn't accelerate fast enough to please some drivers. Two staffers mentioned the loud road noise that seeps into the cabin on the freeway, causing low-grade headaches and interrupting passenger conversations. Our photo editor also found that, even though the dual sliding doors are a nice feature, the beeping that occurs while the doors are closing becomes irritating after while. And, the automatic sliding mechanism takes much too long to move the doors into place; our driver said his grandma could do a 100-yard sprint faster than that-with her walker!
In Phoenix, our account executive took the Odyssey to Bell Honda for its 7,500-mile service. Prior to the service, the "maintenance required" light began flashing with increasing urgency as we approached the 7,500-mile mark. After hitting 7,500 miles, the light stayed lit--the perfect dummy feature for those who don't know squat about maintaining their vehicle. The folks at Bell Honda were courteous, professional and fast. The service was performed in less than an hour and included the following:
oil and filter change
replace drain plug washers
inspect/top off all fluid levels
inspect front brake pads, rotors, calipers, and hoses
inspect and adjust rear brakes and parking brake
inspect power-steering system
inspect exhaust system
inspect air cleaner
inspect for fluid leaks
inspect suspension and drive axle boot condition
inspect windshield wiper blades and system operations
rotate tires and adjust air pressure
inspect all lights
road test vehicle
