Category Archives: Honda

Cool Cars, Honda

The Honda S2000 Will Probably Become A Future Classic

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Hey Cool Car Fans,

The other day someone asked me what I thought would be a good vehicle to buy today that will probably be worth more in the future as a classic car.  It had to be cool and really fun to drive and there were quite a few of them that came to mind right away.  One vehicle that I have noticed has been going up in price recently compared to what they sold for new is the iconic Honda S2000 roadster.  It was Honda’s last true sports car and a really cool one for sure.

The Honda S2000 was manufactured by Honda from 1999 to 2009 and sold worldwide.  It’s a super cool car that was one of Road & Track‘s Best All-Around Sports Cars,  I would have to agree with that assessment.  Honda created a great vehicle for the money and they ended up selling 66,547 in the United States over the decade that it was available.  That may seem like a ton of cars, but it’s really not since in 2009 there were fewer than 1,000 sold.  In 1999 there were only 3,400, so they are getting more difficult to find, especially with lower miles and in great condition.

I spotted a 2000 Honda S2000 with about 195,000 miles running through the dealer auction and it would still retail for close to $9,000 to $10,000, which seems a bit crazy.  Granted it was in excellent condition, but the original MSRP of this vehicle back in 2000 was $32,000.  The reality is that vehicles are getting more expensive on an annual basis and many people are turning to older cool cars that have already depreciated enough that they are affordable to drive.

WHAT ABOUT REPAIRS ON AN OLDER VEHICLE LIKE THIS ONE?

As The Cool Car Guy, I find cars like this for people who are into cars all the time.  It can take some time to find the right one that isn’t trashed or hasn’t been driven hard to the point that you’re going to spend a fortune in repairs.  It’s true that there are maintenance costs for some of these vehicles, but if you do the major issues such as a timing belt, water pump, brakes, tires, alignment, change the oil, etc. these vehicles can last a very long time.  As long as parts are readily available, you can usually go to an local shop and get repairs done for less.

This is another strategy to own an affordable cool car for the masses that many people often overlook. Certain vehicles hold their value much better than other vehicles.  Some vehicles you can actually drive for nearly free because of how they hold their value and appreciate after a certain time period based on supply and demand.  Of course, I can’t tell you that’s going to happen for sure, but I can tell you that I’ve done it many times.  The Honda S2000 is one of those vehicles that is unique, fun, engineered extremely well and popular enough that you can buy one at a good price and drive it for a few years and not lose a ton of money in depreciation.  The biggest challenge is just finding another buyer, but they are out there because more care enthusiasts are discovering how fun they are to own and drive.

This is a different strategy than one of my other ones where you can be driving a near new vehicle every three years and have most of the warranty in place during the time you’re driving it.  That strategy is really cool as well and it’s a great alternative to leasing.  I also have my unique CoolCarsForLife.com strategy where you can buy a vehicle like this one by borrowing against your cash value life insurance policy and paying it back on your own terms with no credit check or having the loan even hit your credit report.  If you know what you’re doing, you can do this at nearly zero net interest as a great way to fund a vehicle like this one as your daily driver or to own a fantastic future classic for Summer or warm weather driving.

Another great feature of the Honda S2000 is that after-market and OEM parts are readily available and you can still order parts from the Honda dealership as well.  There are also plenty of online forums and car clubs available for this vehicle because it’s a vehicle with a bit of a “cult” following.  Why wouldn’t it be since it’s such a cool looking car and it’s now affordable for the masses.  If you want me to track you down one like the photos in this article that I pulled out of the dealer auction website, just reach out to me through the contact form at CoolCarGuy.com.

Finally, if you want to read another perspective on why it’s a great time to look at this vehicle as a potential buyer be sure and check out the article over at TheDrive.com called Why Now Is The Time To Buy A Honda S2000.  If you decide this is a vehicle you want to own just get back with me and I’ll track it down.
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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Honda, Toyota

First Toyota’s Recall And Now Honda Joins In

Many people contact me each month to help them locate a new or pre-owned vehicle at the right price.  All too often, people will tell me that they have to own a Toyota or Honda instead of some of the other brands in the marketplace because of the perception that they are better vehicles.  Sometimes they are better vehicles and I do like the Honda and Toyota brands.

I’m also a fan of many other vehicles in the marketplace that are often overlooked by consumers, which quite frankly are a much better value. I know because I spend tens of thousands of dollars fixing cars each year and I’ve seen problems with every major manufacturer, but usually care and maintenance is the problem and not the vehicle itself.

The media has definitely shown favoritism to these two brands over the years, but since America has now invested billions into American car companies we’re starting to see more press about the challenges facing all the major manufacturers in building modern vehicles.

After Toyota had a major recall this month, Honda is now recalling over a half a million of their small cars based on a faulty window switch that was shown to be a safety hazard.  It’s not that these vehicles are bad, as the article points out, but it is a fact that there are thousands of small parts that go into building today’s automobile, from oxygen sensors to air bag sensors.  I think that people forget this fact all too often.

As we move into more sophisticated vehicles there are more opportunities for parts to malfunction and for a vehicle to have problems, such as a gas peddle or a window switch.  There is no perfect automobile, but if you can reduce the amount of chances for a problem to take place by checking for recalls on your vehicle and having parts replaced it will last you much longer with less likely opportunities for failure, regardless of the specific brand.

Here’s an article detailing this latest recall for Honda.

Honda recalls 646,000 amid Toyota woes

Recalls the latest black mark on industry already battered by recession

WASHINGTON/TOKYO – Honda Motor Co. said it would recall a total of 646,000 units of its Fit/Jazz and City models, including 140,000 in the United States, because of a faulty window switch, after a child died when fire broke out in a car last year.

The announcement came as investors, suppliers and consumers weighed the impact of an unprecedented halt in U.S. production by Toyota, the world’s No. 1 automaker.

Honda’s move, as well as Toyota’s recall due to problems with unintended and dangerous acceleration, come at a bad time for the industry as it struggles to lure buyers back to showrooms after a sales slump that helped drag U.S. rivals General Motors and Chrysler into bankruptcy.

Toyota this week suspended North American sales and production of eight models including its best-selling Camry after regulatory pressure, and widened the recall to China and Europe. A Toyota spokeswoman said the company was still checking on whether any vehicles are affected in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

Japan’s largest company, studied for its devotion to quality, could recall about 8 million vehicles in total — more than the number of cars and trucks it sold worldwide in 2009.

In Tokyo, some worried about the knock-on effects to Japan’s image and economy.
“If Toyota has hard times, there’s a high probability that also Japan will,” said Takeo Namekata, a 62-year-old office worker. “Particularly, trade will suffer.”

Honda’s recall added to concerns that the safety-conscious image of Japanese manufacturers would be threatened.
“The Japanese have built their image on reliability, the fact that they make bullet-proof vehicles,” said IHS Global Insight analyst Carlos Da Silva.

“It’s not that their vehicles are worse than the others, (the recalls are) just showing maybe that their vehicles are like the others. The race to cost cuts and the competition between all the brands is so fierce that even the mighty Japanese are doing things that are not as reliable as they were.”
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John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Honda

Cool Car Looking For A New Home – 2006 Honda Odyssey EXL

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Hey Cool Car Fans,

2006odyssey

I have a client that has a 2006 Honda Odyssey EXL that they need to find a buyer for that has around 45,800

miles on it.  They asked me to help them sell it , so that she can get a new 2009 Toyota Venza and I’m putting it up here at CoolCarGuy.com for people to find out about it.

IT’S SOLD!

It’s the FWD, EXL, Good Gas Mileage, six-cylinder, Silver, Gray Leather Interior, Power Windows, Power Locks, all the goodies.

Who doesn’t like the Honda Odyssey, a Cadillac of mini-vans as it were.  My brother has owned two of them and his kids are to the point where he can be driving an SUV.  He likes to tell the story of how he saw an SUV get stuck up in the mountains and his Honda Odyssey had no problems.

This is not the Touring with the crazy Honda only tires issue.   Quality Japanese engineering and it’s had massive depreciation that has taken place in the past three years because it’s a mini-van.

I can get you financed with 40 credit unions and a number of banks to choose from through JFR & Associates. If you are interested and want to see it today, call me at 720-771-6269 More to Love the movie and I’ll grab it and show it to you.

Ref: Stock number 2006HO

2006odyssey1

I’m listing it at $17,995 Day of the Dead release for a quick sale, which is below NADA Clean Retail, NADA retail book is $18,300 because of the miles.  It has new tires and it’s ready to go!  If you tried to buy one new get ready to stroke a really big check!

Don’t wait on this one, people who waited on the AWD Sienna van and the 2002 VW Passat I had listed a few weeks ago missed out on getting a couple really great deals.

The used car market is strong, so don’t believe the headlines that the auto industry is hurting. New car sales are in the tank, but I’m heading off to deliver a pre-owned 2009 Nissan Murano to a client right now.

I’m having to go out of Colorado to find many vehicles for clients and most of the dealerships around town are doing the same thing and buying vehicles at out of State auctions.  The used car market has filled the gap for the new car market, the market has changed. Don’t snooze in this market or you will lose.

People still have to drive, cars break down and have to be replaced and more people are buying used vehicles right now, but finding them can be a challenge.

Check out NADA for details on this 2006 Odyssey.

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John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Honda

The Cool Car Guy’s 7 Gas Saving Tips

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Cool Car Guy Ad

Hey Cool Car Fans,

With gas at $3.50 a gallon and diesel now at over $4 a gallon, I thought I would post a few tips on how to get better gas mileage out of your vehicle.

I picked up a copy of Reader’s Digest the other day that had an article about a “hypermiler”, Wayne Gerdes, who gets 59 mpg out of his ordinary Honda Accord by changing his driving habits.

What is a Hypermiler?

Wikipedia has an article with the following definition…
“* Hypermilers are drivers who exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated fuel efficiency on their vehicles by modifying their driving habits. The term ‘hypermiler’ originated from hybrid vehicle driving clubs and Wayne Gerdes in particular. As people began comparing fuel efficiency, they noticed that by using certain driving techniques, they could greatly improve their mileage. With the aid of real time mileage displays, drivers were able to refine these driving techniques and greatly exceed the EPA rating for their vehicle. Decades before the word ‘hypermiler’ was used, the techniques were used in events such as Mobil Economy Run dating to 1936. Gas rationing during World War II forced some drivers to adopt these techniques, but they largely fell out of favor with the population after the war. Hypermiler Wayne Gerdes can get 59 MPG in a Honda Accord and 30 MPG in an Acura MDX.”

Granted, Wayne’s methods are a bit extreme for most people, like wearing an ice vest when he drives instead of using the air conditioning. I’m not quite ready for an ice vest for extreme fuel savings, if you know what I mean.

However, there are some things you can do that are common sense practices to get better mileage out of your vehicle. Here are 7 quick tips from The Cool Car Guy to spend less at the gas pump.

Honor the Scheduled Maintenance – Scheduled maintenance is designed to help your car run as efficiently as possible. Many people skip the maintenance of their vehicles and end up getting worse gas mileage than the EPA recommendation.

Keep Tires Inflated and Aligned – Believe it or not, frequent alignments and keeping your tires inflated to the proper amount will save you gas.

Use Overdrive and Cruise Control – Most automatic transmissions have these features. If you drive a stick, consult your owner’s manual about the recommended RPMs when shifting. I prefer driving a manual transmission and I get great gas mileage out of my WRX compared to most people by driving properly.

No Junk in the Trunk – Clean out your trunk and the rest of your car for that matter. Excess weight bogs down your vehicle, causing it to burn more fuel. You wouldn’t believe the stuff I see in people’s vehicles when they finally trade them. Some people are carrying hundreds of pounds of excess weight in their vehicles for no reason – put it in the garage.

Drive the Speed Limit – The higher the speed, the more gas your car will use. This is a big one for most people. If you want to go faster, weight for the downhills and leverage the terrain you’re driving on. Wayne drives 50MPH in the slow lane, which again doesn’t work for The Cool Car Guy, but your speed makes a big difference on gasoline consumption.

Avoid Long Idles

– Idling burns more gas than restarting an engine. Turn off the engine and save your fuel. In cold weather states this is a big one for many people, especially when picking up kids from school or sporting events.

Go Easy on the Pedals – Jackrabbit driving is a killer when it comes to burning fuel. Remember that slow and steady wins the race in more ways than one. Don’t race from stop sign to stop sign or kick it down only to have to come to abrupt stop in heavy traffic. Save the fuel and save lives.

There you have it! Seven tips to save you some money at the gas station. Another tip, if you are driving a big SUV that is costing you $100 or more to fill-up, you may want to call me and get a smaller gas saving vehicle. The gas savings will pay for the vehicle. I have clients who are keeping their trucks and buying Chevy Aveo’s as their daily driver’s for under $10,000.
_________________________________________________________________________ John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Honda

The Cool Car Guy Show – Joe Howard of Prestige Realty “Howard Knows Housing”

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Castle Rock Radio

Hey Cool Car Fans,

On The Cool Car Guy Show on Wednesday of this weekCastleRockRadio.com I had my friend and client Joe Howard, of JoeKnowsDouglasCounty.com

Joe has been in the Castle Rock and Douglas County area since 1969 and he shared with our listeners about how he and his buddies used to drive down County Line Road in Littleton, CO back when it was a dirt road. We had a great time talking about Time Magazine’s 50 Worst Cars ever, one of which is a vehicle that Joe owned back in the 70’s when he was in the Navy, the infamous AMC Gremlin. 1974 Gremlin I had to add another category to CoolCarGuy.com for the AMC after having Joe on the show.

We didn’t talk too much about the real estate market and his business, but we did talk briefly about how much Joe and his wife Jolene love their Honda Pilot. As if that’s a surprise, considering all of the other guests I’ve had on The Cool Car Guy Show who also lover their Pilot’s. Joe also commissioned me to find his daughter a low priced Subaru to drive, so I’ll be getting on that task next month for them.

It was great having Joe on the show and if you want to reach him about his real estate services, you can find him by visiting his website JoeKnowsDouglasCounty.com Breach release CastleRockRadio.com.
_________________________________________________________________________ John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Tune Into The Cool Car Guy Show Every Thursday 10AM – 11AM MST on Castle Rock Radio – CastleRockRadio.com