How to price a Honda Odyssey

When determining the value of a Honda Odyssey, there is no one simple rule. The ultimate determining factor is what the buyer is willing to pay and what the seller is willing to sell for. Prices will vary greatly by region as some areas tend to have a more steady supply of Odyssey's and Pilots while other areas are more rare.

When trying to determine a "fair" market value for any Odyssey, the following factors play a significant role. A Bone stock machine in near perfect condition is likely more valuable to a collector. A worn out rusty tarp find with all of the pieces there is ideal for someone looking to get started and wants to upgrade over time. Finally, an all out upgraded machine with all of the aftermarket bells and whistles will likely command a premium just do to the parts and labor involved.

If you are in the market for buying a machine or you are looking to sell your machine, the following is a set of "guidelines" you can use to follow to price out the value of the machine in question. These are not rules, they are guidelines based on observation of market conditions over time. Your experience will vary based on local factors.

Condition

These machines are approaching nearly 40 years of age. Sadly, far too many of these machines were stored outside and under a blue tarp that rotted away after a few years. Odysseys left out to the element can be very rough and finding parts is very difficult. The number of these machines built and sold in the US measures in the low tens of thousands (I've heard anywhere between 15,000 and 30,000 and would appreciate input if someone knows authoritatively the real answer). Now if a machine was fortunate to be stored indoors, the value can be significantly higher even if both machines run.

Parts Availability

The supply of new OEM parts has almost entirely dried up. Most of what is available is from other machines being parted out, recreations of stock parts or new parts / mods. While it isn't impossible to build a completely OEM stock Odyssey from existing parts, it is going to be extremely expensive and time consuming to do so.

Upgrades

The other major factor in pricing an Odyssey is what upgrades may or may not be on the vehicle. Things like Upgraded Shocks, Aftermarket Fenders, Water Cooled Cylinder Head to even more exotic upgrades such as engine conversions to something like a Rotax all impact the value. When looking at upgrades you still have to consider the quality and condition of the upgraded part or in the case of engine swaps, the quality of the work done. Not all engine swaps are the same. There are some conversions that are absolute works of art and then there are hack jobs that may get the job done but are full of compromises.

Upgrade Costs

The following is a list of approximate costs for various upgrades that are generally in the list of "to-do" when owning an FL350R

Aftermarket Fenders = $1000
Water Cooled Cylinder Head = $1000
Worx Shocks = $1500
Seat Upgrade = $500
Aftermarket Fuel Aluminum Fuel Tank = $800
Front Long Travel Suspension = $1500
Rear Long Travel Suspension = $1500
Rotax (or other) Engine Swap = $1000 - $2500
Rattle Can Paint Job done well = $500
Complete SandBlast & Powder Coat Paint Job = $500 - $1000

Buying / Selling an Upgraded Machine

If you are looking to buy a machine with upgrades or looking to sell a machine with upgrades, factor a 50% discount on the "new price" for any upgrades on the machine. This takes into account the base price of the machine plus half the cost to upgrade due to current wear and tear on the upgraded parts.