starscars4

Hey guys. I've never owned a Honda SUV before. I've been strickly CRX and Accord. I found a 2005 Pilot EX-L that I'm looking to pick up for my wife. Do you guys have any suggestions for a pre-inspection? Aside from checking the radiator, radiator cap, fluid leaks, obd1 diagnostic check, battery corrosion, a/c temp? Thank you guys in advance.

speedlever

Personally, I would look for a 2006 over a 2005 because in 2006 the tranny was revised, the transfer assembly was separated from the tranny (uses hypoid gear oil instead of tranny fluid for lube), the 2006 includes side air bags, and the 2006 also has the larger DVD screen if you're looking at a RES model.

Regardless, all have a heat exchanger in the radiator and the radiator/tranny fittings need to be checked at the Belleville washer for excessive corrosion which could lead to a failure where tranny fluid and coolant mix to the detriment of the tranny. This is easily circumvented by simply replacing the radiator with a Koyo, Silla, Spectra, etc.

Also check the coils and spark plugs on cylinders 4 and 5 for any oil/coolant contamination which could indicate a cracked head.

Good luck!

FondenR

Last year I a purchased a 2006 Honda Pilot EX-L and made use of an excellent used-car-checklist from Popular Mechanics (free). Use of the checklist saved me from buying a lemon I was looking at (I really dodged the bullet on this one) and led me to a better vehicle that I ended up purchasing.

Below is a link to the Popular Mechanics webpage which contains a downloadable PDF file you can print and go through to grade any vehicle to see if it is a good one.

How to Buy a Used Car Without Getting Burned - PM's 101-Point Checklist

Also, I made use of the Consumer Reports on-line used car subscription (annual investment of about $25 but worth it) to look at the best years for buying a used Pilot. The 2006 I purchased has worked well for me.

Hope this is helpful!

Ron