vehicle help

[DeniseinNS]

We have been trying to decide on a new vehicle and are down to 2 choices and need to make a final decision in the next few days if we want one of the vehicles (we have a month until our lease is up) but I can't decide!!! The options are a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe and a 2010 Honda Odyssey. We had also been considering a Toyota Sienna (love our 2007 Corolla) but we are scared with all the issues with Toyota's lately and the new ones will not be arriving until this week or next.

-We have the Santa Fe dealer down an extra $50 a month (still $100 more then we pay now) on a 60 month purchase and the interest is 0%. The warranty is 5 years. They are suggesting we get it undercoated since there is often alot of salt on the roads in the winter which is another $699 and we would be purchasing a car starter through the dealer. We are comfortable seating 3 in the backseat and the trunk is big. Car insurance is $300 less per year then what we pay now. We would need new winter tires.

-The Honda payment is at least $150 more per month ($250 more then we pay now) then the Hyundai and the interest is 3.9%. Some things are under warranty for 5 years, others for 3. We would want to get the back windows tinted and the car starter is $200ish more then on the other vehicle. Car insurance is the same as what we pay now. Our current winter tires will fit this van.

I have been driving a Caravan for 4 years and I hate it!!! Lately have been thinking that it is too big and usually it's just my son (4) and I in it during the day while my daughter (8)is at school and we don't go too far and we take the kids to their activities in it. My son starts school in September so it would be just me in it during the day. We are considering having a 3rd child in the next year or two but we are still undecided on that but all 3 will fit comfortably in both vehicles and my daughter will be out of her booster seat in a few months. We usually make maybe 2 or 3 5 hour trips per year.

I really like both vehicles!!! What should I do???? Should I downsize a bit or will I regret it???

 

[SarahKate]

Former Odyssey owner here. We LOVED our van and it's so very comfortable. We had it on a lease and turned it back in almost 2 years ago. At the time we wanted an SUV but couldn't really find an affordable one that had good gas mileage (and this was the time that gas was getting close to $4/gal in our area). So we got a car.

Fast forward to now - I'm actually really wanting to get something bigger. Not another van because mileage is NOT good on those. But an SUV because they are really getting GREAT gas mileage now.

I know you mentioned the Santa Fe, which I read great things about, but have you looked at the Tucson? It's less expensive and I think it's even nicer looking than the Santa Fe in my opinion - and the gas mileage is amazing for an SUV! I've heard good things about both.

If you can fit everyone comfortably in the Santa Fe, it kinda sounds like that would be a good option for your family. You indicated you're tired of driving the van - financing is better for the Santa Fe - cheaper payment....those are all VERY good reasons to go with that vs. the Odyssey.

But of course, this is all up to you!! Best of luck in what you decide!

 

[DeniseinNS]

Thanks for your help It's such a tough decision.

 

[jmb120]

I'm not going to be much help, but I can tell you that I have a Tucson and we feel that it is too small. When I have the 2 kids ages 2 and 5 and both my hubby and myself in the car we feel packed in. Especially when we have the car loaded with luggage to go away. With 2 car seats in the back seat, it is a real tight squeeze to fit a 3rd person in the back.

My next car will probably be a van although I will check out Santa Fe's. My sister has one and it is quite a bit roomier than my Tucson. When I sit in the drivers seat of my Tucson and stretch my arm out I can almost reach the passangers side door, in her Santa Fe when I reach my arm out it goes just about halfway across the passangers seat. Not exactly an official way of measuring room, but I just wanted something to compare the space between the two cars.

 

[Luvchefmic]

I highly recommend the Santa Fe BUT you don't need the undercoating we had the SUV in NY and this is such a dealer "come on" IMHO.

Also be careful with financing through Hyundai Dealer, I don't care what their commercials say and I don't know your financial situation but if you ever ever fall behind in a payment they will harass you constantly

Back to the car I have had Hyundais since the Excel back in 1986 when everyone else laughed about it, our whole family has had Hyundais, Sonatas etc. The Santa Fe was the best SUV I ever owned. Gas mileage was great, smooth ride, highly recommend.

 

[momofrrr]

We had a Hyundai Sonata that we bought in 1992 and LOVED it. It was easy to drive and ran very well. The only issue we had with it was the electric window assembly which was made of plastic (I don't know what they are now). It was my husbands car and he drove the daylights out of it until he decided to park it in the rear end of a Ford F150. Needless to say, the F150 won. I am convinced we would still have it if not for that. I would absolutely buy another.....At the time we needed to replace it we decided to go with something a little larger so we got a Chrysler Town and Country mini van since we had three small children at the time.

 

[auralia]

look into a mazda 5 before you commit to an suv don't know if it would work for you but i was looking at the santa fe before my husband told me about the 5

 

[AirGoofy]

I have a Caravan and absolutely hate it. I will never own another mini-van again. I'm sure other brands can't be worse than the Caravan, but doubt they would be that much improved. Not really a vote for Sante Fe - I've heard good things - but a vote against the minivan

 

[DeniseinNS]

look into a mazda 5 before you commit to an suv don't know if it would work for you but i was looking at the santa fe before my husband told me about the 5

We did look at the Mazda 5 and didn't care for it, my 8 year old said the very back didn't have enough room- it just seemed too tight for 3 rows and had no trunk space.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I have a Caravan and absolutely hate it. I will never own another mini-van again. I'm sure other brands can't be worse than the Caravan, but doubt they would be that much improved. Not really a vote for Sante Fe - I've heard good things - but a vote against the minivan

We've had 2 Caravans (thats what we're replacing) and I will never buy another one, we had too many problems with them.

 

[mamaLori05]

we just went to the car show earlier this week, and were just looking around for future needs. I am a mini van HATER, they are like the old station wagons to me. Can't stand them, never want to own one, etc... Anyway, we checked out all the 3 row seat SUV's and I wasn't impressed at all with any of the room in them. Checked out a couple mini vans and thought the same thing. Then we came across the brand new Toyota Sienna that came out just this past Dec. I have to say, I LOVE that mini van. It doesn't look as much like a typical mini van, and the room inside is AWESOME!! I loved how the seats moved so you could easily get to the back, and I loved how you could adjust the captains chairs in teh second row to make even more leg room fo the third row, and still have pleanty of leg room for the people in the captains chairs. Even though I am a mini van hater, we are considering this for our next vehicle. However we don't plan on buying a new car for at least 3 years.

 

[a1tinkfans]

OP: all I read was HONDA versus Hyundai and did not read further...if you can afford it, Honda without hesitation...


HONDA all the way, they keep their value and won't drop 30% as soon as you exit the lot, seriously....


Great vehicles, great service, own The Honda Crv and the Honda Pilot and we love both!
Good Luck deciding..

 

[princessmom29]

We just brought home a new honda CRV today. We looked at the Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-7, and Mazda 5. We only have 1 child. I felt the Santa Fe and Sorento were too big for me to drive (I am a short person used to a small sedan), but were really roomy. With 2-3 kids they would be a good fit I think. The mazda5 would be great for a larger family as it has 2 captian's chairs in the second row, and a 3rd row bench seat much like a van, but the cargo area is small. If you are taking a road trip I doubt you could get everything for a family of 5 back there. The CX-7 is samller with 2 rows and a smaller cargo area as well. We went with the honda because it we felt it was plenty of space for us, had a large cargo area, and was the best quality vehicle we drove. We were much more impressed with the ride and materials quality on it. We purchased an extened warranty through the dealer to 100,000 miles bumper to bumper and our dealership will warrant y the power train to 250,000 miles if we service with them.

 

[Junebugwv]

Because of a large family and frequent transport of elderly relatives, I have been a mini-van owner since the mid-80's. Our present one is an 05 Honda Odyssey Touring Model which is incredibly comfortable. However, I will never again purchase a mini-van that is 2-wheel drive. We live in the mountains of WV and I literally park that vehicle in the winter because I can not get up small snow-covered hills. Never had a problem with the AWD mini-vans. My daughter's in-laws sold their Odyseey for the same reason- it was the only vehicle they owned that could not get up their driveway.

We also own a Toyota Highlander and an Acura MDX (both seat 7) and they do great in the snow, but are cramped for seating.

I should add that on our model of Odyssey, it has the PAX tire systems. Those tires wear out quickly! We are on our 4th set in 70,000 miles. The replacement set costs $1170!

 

[Nicolepa]

we just went to the car show earlier this week, and were just looking around for future needs. I am a mini van HATER, they are like the old station wagons to me. Can't stand them, never want to own one, etc... Anyway, we checked out all the 3 row seat SUV's and I wasn't impressed at all with any of the room in them. Checked out a couple mini vans and thought the same thing. Then we came across the brand new Toyota Sienna that came out just this past Dec. I have to say, I LOVE that mini van. It doesn't look as much like a typical mini van, and the room inside is AWESOME!! I loved how the seats moved so you could easily get to the back, and I loved how you could adjust the captains chairs in teh second row to make even more leg room fo the third row, and still have pleanty of leg room for the people in the captains chairs. Even though I am a mini van hater, we are considering this for our next vehicle. However we don't plan on buying a new car for at least 3 years.

I love, love, love my Sienna. When I get my next car it will, w/o a doubt be a Sienna. The only question is when. My current one is 5 years old and I've had zero problems with it and the turning radius is awesome. The only thing I would change is to get the AWD and I wouldn't definitly get one used. We will be getting a 1-2 year old one next time.

 

[DeniseinNS]

Thanks for your replies. We decided on the Santa Fe since they offered us a good deal I'm hoping I don't miss having a van, if so my hubby will be replacing his car with a van next year when he's due for a new vehicle lol.