Which new minivan?

[jensen]

I've been a minivan driver for several years now and I've always had Chrysler Town & Countrys. My warranty has recently expired and I'm ready to trade, but I'm debating now whether to get another T&C or go with a Honda, Toyota or Nissan.

One of the big selling points for me for the Chrysler is the fold 'n go seats - as I use mine all of the time!! And we like our DVD system, though it's not a deal breaker as I can buy an aftermarket one. The Chrysler still seems to offer the best options for the money, but they hold absolutely no value, so I'm wondering what other people think.

Which van do you drive and why?

 

[thunderbird1]

Just got a new Honda Odyssey a couple of months ago and LOVE IT! We've rented a lot of different minivans, but this is the first that we've owned. We were station wagon folks before, but needed more space since MIL moved nearby into assisted living.

Rear seats do fold easily into the "trunk," leaving a big, open space for more stuff, if that's the same as fold & go. You can do 1, 2 or all 3. We recently went on a short trip (100 miles away), and folded 2 seats down to make more room for luggage, but left 1 up for a passenger (me). It was very comfortable for the whole trip. Also, the second row seating is flexible--it can be 2 captain's chairs (kids are loving these) in a couple of different configurations or a row of 3 bench seats.

You can get the dvd entertainment system, but Honda's stuff is all packaged together into 4 different models. If I recall correctly, to get the dvd, we would have had to get a bunch of other stuff including leather seats, which was the one thing I didn't want, so we passed. But our dealer has a guy that can do any after-market installs, so I'm sure that would be an option.

We went with the Odyssey over others because they hold their value, have a decent warranty, and we had a fairly new Honda Accord to trade in (it just seemed simpler to trade the Honda in at a Honda dealer--silly, probably). We also have friends who recently purchased the Dodge Grand Caravan with the 2d row swivel seating, and they love that. This is the minivan my 10 yo really wanted--she saw the commercial for the swivel seating, and said she was going to ask Santa for that car for Christmas. Check out the video--it is pretty cool:

http://www.dodge.com/en/2008/grand_caravan/interior/seating/

Good luck shopping!

 

[GreatDaneMom]

My DD and her Hubby just bought a 1 year old Toyota. (You know you're old when your kids start buying mini-vans!! )

They were debating between the Honda and the Toyota. In the end they chose the Toyota because they were much more readily available in our area. Since they wanted an almost new one they had to work with what was available on the lots.

I drove their Toyota a few weeks ago when DD was too preggers to drive. Wow, I was really impressed with how it handled. It's nice to know my grandchildren are riding around like little princesses and princes.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I have a 2008 Toyota Sienna and love it! I also had a 1999 Sienna (which was great but much smaller - the old style) and a 2004 Sienna (also great but it was AWD - don't need that anymore, and the AWD system cuts gas mileage and requires expensive run-flat tires). I love my car, my DH loves my car, and everyone who borrows it to haul stuff loves my car. It rides great, gets reasonable gas mileage for its size, has every amenity I would want, and is comfortable for long trips as well as driving around town. I have not had any mechanical issues with my cars (except the run-flat tires wearing out too quickly on the AWD 2004). They only go in for service when it is time for an oil change or other scheduled service.

The Honda Odyssey is also very nice and reliable - it just has a different ride - more sporty, I think, while the Toyota is plusher. It is personal preference. I can't help with the Nissan or Chrysler, except that reliability was a huge selling point for me. I don't want to be dropped on the side of the road by a car that is not reliable, and I don't want to spend time in service departments because something stopped working.

I would drive them all, check whatever consumer report site that you trust (Consumer Reports, Edmunds, etc.) and figure out what works best for your family. Remember - a good deal on a bad car still leaves you with a bad car (not that any of your choices are bad, but you will likely be driving the car every day for years). Make sure it is what you want and that it will hold up to whatever kind of driving you will do. You can check average resale value after 3 and 5 years online, I think, or check Consumer Reports April Auto issue in the library. Good luck!

Edited to add: My car was in the shop for body work because someone ran into the back of me at a stop light. For two days, I drove a rented Dodge Caravan. I was amazed at how poorly it was constructed - cheap materials, poor finish, and poor design. Of course, this was probably the base model Dodge, not a Chrysler T & C, and it was a rental, but I would be incredibly disappointed to drive that car everyday. I could not wait to get my car back!

 

[lemondog]

We just traded in our 2002 Chrysler Town & Country Limited on a 2004 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited. We LOVE it!!! It's basically got all the bells & whistles that my T&C had...power side doors, power rear door, stow & go seating, etc.

The main benefit of the Toyota over the Chrysler, IMO, is the reliability at higher mileages. My Chrysler had 93,000 miles on it, and my mechanic told me the engine was getting ready to die. The Toyota we just bought has 49,000 miles on it, and we plan to drive it well over 100,000 if possible.

I think you can easily get the bells & whistles on the Sienna that you had on the T&C. And it does keep its value better. Also for comparison's sake...my T&C sticker price brand new was $39,000, but the sticker price on the Sienna brand new was $37,000, and the Sienna has a DVD system which my T&C did not.

 

[StotheK]

We went with the Honda. We got the EX-L with DVD system , which is pretty loaded with stuff like power doors and XM and all that fun stuff, but nothing next to the touring model that has all kinds of stuff. For some reason my DW couldn't possibly stand the idea of an aftermarket DVD system, go figure. The only other van we really considered was the Sienna, but we would have had to order the one she wanted as opposed to the Honda which had 2 of each color with the exact features on any one of three dealer's lots.

The van is quite solid. As another poster mentioned, the Toyota and the Honda have different driving feels to them, so you might want to test drive each even though that means talking to at least two car dealers instead of one. I think either are good vans.

 

[seeking pixie dust]

I was determined to get the Toyota - they were offering a great deal on it...but when I drove it, I just didn't like how it drove. Then...in the lower models, only one of the doors was automatic. My aunt and grandma have the Nissan and never said very many good things about it. When I drove the Honda Odyssey...I fell in love! I love it! I love how it drives, I love all the conveniences....as the above posters noted. We've owned Hondas for years...they hold their value extremely well. Go with your gut and what feels right for you.

 

[nonzerosum]

We have a 2006 Sienna XLE Limited. Here's how I decided. I asked every single person I could for about 6 weeks for their opinion. I asked strangers, friends, anyone. I readily approached people in parking lots and asked them what they thought of their ride. One common theme that came up repeatedly was the comment, " I wish I would have spent the extra x dollars and bought the next model up. We now want the DVD player, leather seats, automatic doors, or whatever, and didn't get them at the time. We would now take a huge financial hit on depreciation to buy a new van with these features." So based on this I bought the van with everything and haven't been diappointed at all. I know this isn't possible for everyone, but we really saved and shopped around (we ended up buying new from a broker instead of a dealership which saved up about $8000.) The Toyota dealership just wouldn't move on the price and I told them that I would go elsewhere, but I think they thought I was bluffing. When I took the van into the same dealership a week after I got it, the the salesman was shocked to see that I wasn't bluffing. I gave him the old, "just because I'm a woman buying a vehicle, doesn't mean I'm an idiot" chat. I hope he learned his lesson.

Anyway, I love the Sienna. I decided against the Odessey because I couldn't see the odometer and other controls when the seat was positioned for my height (I like to sit very high and I'm tall). Honestly, though, I did like that the Honda felt tighter, sportier, and had more punch than the Sienna.

For me automatic doors are a must, including the trunk. I also love how the third row can be stowed creating a flat bed. The DVD is nice, but rarely is used so it has more effect when it's needed. My daughter didn't even know it existed for the first 18 months that we had the van. When we went on a road trip we told her there was a special surprise in the van and the DVD was revealed. She thought we had it installed just for the trip. I'm a bad mom. One big complaint is that it takes forever to heat up--I live in the wilds of Canada and it gets very cold here in the winter. This is a known complaint with the Sienna. Good luck with your decision!

 

[kinntj]

We bought the Honda Odyssey in March and we LOVE IT!!!! After test driving the Honda and the Toyota and many nights of talking about the pros and cons of each vehichle we decided on the Honda. We have the EX-L with DVD. I love the storage areas, especially the 2nd row in the floor one.

I won't buy Chryslers, just because of bad reliability. Toyota and Honda are willing to negotiate low prices, so get multiple quotes if you're buying new. We got ours for $27,900. No dealer could match that price. I checked 10 different dealers I was willing to buy it from.

We'll drive this baby into the ground, so we wanted reliability and to keep it's value if we decided to trade or sell when it's paid off.

Good luck deciding.

 

[JohnNYC]

I just got a brand new T&C Signature series and I love it! Give it a test drive - it's redesigned and loaded with features.

 

[nettii]

Buy American! Id Love to see more people take pride in the products manufactured here in the states! Maybe it would help boost our economy.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Buy American! Id Love to see more people take pride in the products manufactured here in the states! Maybe it would help boost our economy.

The Toyota Sienna is built in Indiana.

The Honda Odyssey is built in Alabama.

The Nissan Quest is built in Mississippi.

The Chrysler Town and Country is built in Ontario, Canada and also in Missouri. Some previous years (including 2007) were also manufactured in Japan.

I'm sure all of these American and Canadian workers took pride in their products. Doesn't narrow things down much, does it?

One other thought - Chrysler redesigned the T & C for 2008. Typically cars (not just Chryslers) show a higher number of defects the first year of a redesign. If you decide a T & C is right for you, you might look for one manufactured later in the model year to minimize problems, if there are any.

 

[DVCLiz]

We just traded in our 2002 Chrysler Town & Country Limited on a 2004 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited. We LOVE it!!! It's basically got all the bells & whistles that my T&C had...power side doors, power rear door, stow & go seating, etc.

The main benefit of the Toyota over the Chrysler, IMO, is the reliability at higher mileages. My Chrysler had 93,000 miles on it, and my mechanic told me the engine was getting ready to die. The Toyota we just bought has 49,000 miles on it, and we plan to drive it well over 100,000 if possible.

I think you can easily get the bells & whistles on the Sienna that you had on the T&C. And it does keep its value better. Also for comparison's sake...my T&C sticker price brand new was $39,000, but the sticker price on the Sienna brand new was $37,000, and the Sienna has a DVD system which my T&C did not.

I feel a lot better now!! I have a 2002 T&C, too, and it has 125,000 miles on it. I've been trying to justify getting a new car this year, but kept thinking I should drive this one into the ground. From your report, I feel better knowing that I've gotten it to 125K without the engine dying!!!

 

[hopefor4]

I just got a new T&C last month. My neighbour works for Honda, and he even said it was the better deal! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It is great driving, great in the snow, decent on gas, and perfect family options! I love the GPS Nav system! The two screen DVD is great, older kids watch one, little ones another! Works out great! Lots of space, cup holders etc. I have the Clearwater blue, and it is a really nice colour, I get compliments all the time!

Good luck!

 

[las3888]

We are fans of our T&C...had it about 3 yrs now...the new model looks really nice. We just comparison shopped down to the penny for the features we wanted...found that T&C was considerably less for all the things we wanted.

Good luck...

 

[DVCLiz]

I just got a new T&C last month. My neighbour works for Honda, and he even said it was the better deal! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It is great driving, great in the snow, decent on gas, and perfect family options! I love the GPS Nav system! The two screen DVD is great, older kids watch one, little ones another! Works out great! Lots of space, cup holders etc. I have the Clearwater blue, and it is a really nice colour, I get compliments all the time!

Good luck!

Did you get a 2008? What kind of deal was offered, and it is still available?? Do you mind saying about how much it cost??

 

[5 crazy kids]

We bought a Honda in 2004. I hate it. Just joking - I hate it b/c it is a minivan, but, as far as minivans go, it is great. We've had no problems. I researched them a ton and drove all of them. I owned a T&C before that and it had problems. Hondas are pricey and the resale is high, but worth every penny. We have the DVD, auto doors, auto everything. If I could go back, I would also have a sunroof and automatic back door.
Highly recommend it.
As for SUVs, we've been through many and are pretty settled on a Pathfinder, so I guess I'm not a Honda snob afterall.

 

[Lil'DisneyMom]

We just bought a brand new T&C last week!! I LOVE it!! It is loaded, runs so nice, and has SO much room! I never owned a mini van till now, and am so glad we got it!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I have a Toyota Sienna XLE that we bought new in 2006. I love it!! Prior to buying we shopped the Fords and Hondas too. Fords felt like cheap plastic everything.
Hondas were great but the salesperson practically held us hostage with our old car (drove it far away to mechanic area to determine trade value but didn't bother getting our car seats out for 2 small children for a test drive!!) I could go on and on but they were extremely rude so many times (like telling me my old Ford Taurus was such a piece of crap and who would own a Ford and can't I just go find someone to buy it from me so they don't have to try to sell it!) UGH!! I know it may have just been her but also their closest dealership is too far away from us to be convenient and it's very congested there at rush hour.

Once I settled on the Toyota I asked people everywhere (grocery stores, school, swim club, etc.) how they like their Sienna and did they ever have any problems. Everyone loved theirs and I can see why.
You can fold down the rear seats with 1 hand. (Honda, you had to remove each head rest first.)
Both doors and trunk are power (trunk has power close too) as are passenger windows and rear quarter panel windows. Leather seats are heated and feels great since I wear thin scrubs to work. It also has retractable shades if you park your vehicle in the hot sun helps keep interior not so hot. Excellent JBL stereo w/ 10 speakers and 6 disc in dash CD changer. Ipod input. Also 16 cup/bottle holders throughout and 3 cigarette lighter-type plugs.
I don't know anything about it taking a long time to warm up. I keep it in the garage so that helps. I also start it up before I blow dry my hair so it's toasty when we get in.

We didn't buy the dvd system since they wanted so much to install. Dh got & installed matching leather head rests with 7" screens built in to each one. I like it better than one hanging down from the ceiling that could block my rearview mirror. Dvd player is under one seat and mini PS2 under the other.

It's 2 years old and no problems at all. I plan to keep it 10+ years at least.

 

[JackJack08]

We just went through this last month. We looked at EVERY minivan out there. We decided for the money, the Caravan was the best value, with the most options. DVD, power doors and tailgate, swivel 2nd row captains with the table (very cool, I may add), lots of storage in the floor, sat. radio, wireless headphones. And the best feature is, the rear windows open. The kids love it, and I have had young (20-25) year olds stop and ask me what kind of vehicle it is because it doesn't look like a minivan. Of course it is black, with tinted windows and nice rims!! If you can afford the town and country, it is a sweet ride. Duel DVD, built in flashlight, just some really cool options! JMO.....