Your favorite Minivan..... I need your help!!!

[Gillian]

We got a 2006 Sienna in March & love, love love it! The prices are very reasonable for what you get, barely more than the used ones we looked at.

Friends have a mazda mpv, and it is nice, but not as smooth and not as large (good/bad depending on your needs).

We also have a Honda Accord 2000, and have had several major problems (transmission, car's computer) but Honda has been great! They fixed 3 issues out of warranty.

One reason we chose the Sienna without even looking at the Odyssey is that we tow a pop up with it. Because the Odyssey has a history of transmission problems, and towing is hard on the transmission, we preferred the Toyota.

 

[mmaddog56]

We presently own a 2000 Toyota Sienna van with 86k miles on it and love it. Whenever we decide to trade for a new one, it will be for another Sienna or a Honda Odyssey, both of which are comparable.

I WILL NEVER own another Chrysler product in my lifetime...we owned a Dodge Grand Caravan and had problems starting at 12k miles. The local dealership was absolutely horrid in dealing with, but they were amateurs when compared to the Chrysler Customer dis-Service Department.

I have had a Toyota product for myself since 1990...my first was a 1991 Camry that I had for 9 years and was just getting broken in at 186k miles. I upgraded for a 2000 Camry that I barely got the new car smell out of before I fell in love with my 2002 Tacoma Double-Cab which I just finished paying off. Everytime I take it to the dealership for the normal maintenance, I am surrounded by Salesman who want me to trade it in, and have "the absolute perfect truck on the lot for me to drive home". I smile and tell them "No thanks"..but will be happy to come see them in a year when the wife wants to upgrade the Sienna...

mmaddog56
*********

 

[2poohbears]

I bought the Honda Odyssey today! I managed to get a decent price by requesting quotes from a number of dealers via email and telephone. Anyone who is looking could probably get a great deal in another month or so, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get exactly what I wanted if I waited too long.

It's going to be so much more comfortable driving to WDW in JAN in the Odyssey ...last year we were all cramped into our jeep liberty for 12 hours.

 

[momimouse27]

Let me put in my vote for the Chrysler T&C. We have a 2004 Suburban right now, but if I could get my T&C back, I would do it in a milisecond! It rode great, and after looking at many minivans we found that it had the most room in the third row seat. Also, there is tons of cargo room, at least in the long wheel base.

 

[Disneyrsh]

I just looked at my minivan on the Consumer Reports website. They hated it! I'll reiterate that I have a Mazda MPV, 2003.

Here's the bummer part: when I checked the website back in 2003 when I was car buying, they LIKED the MPV!

I guess as data continues to come in it changes, but man, it was a shock.

I got a black dot for transmission (our transmission computer did, in fact need to be repaired-under warranty, took a few months to get it shifting right-several patches from Mazda later), and a black dot for fuel systems.

Knocking wood, I've had no problems there, but now I don't think I'd recommend the MPV to others, because while I love mine, most of the people on Consumer Reports hate theirs-customer satisfaction was a half black dot.

I need a knock wood emoticon, now!

Ooooh, please last me for another 7 years...

 

[MEredhead]

Another Vote for the Sienna! We have a loaded 2004 and love it. We look at the Honda, but it was the year before they redesigned the Odyssey. A big reason we bought the Sienna was the customer service. Around here, Honda dealers are difficult to negogiate with as they know they have a good product and most will pay what they ask. Toyota has always been good to work with in my opinion. I don't know that you could go wrong with Honda or Toyota, both great products. Going on 40k miles and loving it...

 

[Deb & Bill]

Toyota Sienna. We have two - 2000 and 2006. Very few repairs, they ride great, decent mileage and last a long time.

 

[jnordan]

I just looked at my minivan on the Consumer Reports website. They hated it! I'll reiterate that I have a Mazda MPV, 2003.

Here's the bummer part: when I checked the website back in 2003 when I was car buying, they LIKED the MPV!

I guess as data continues to come in it changes, but man, it was a shock.

I got a black dot for transmission (our transmission computer did, in fact need to be repaired-under warranty, took a few months to get it shifting right-several patches from Mazda later), and a black dot for fuel systems.

Knocking wood, I've had no problems there, but now I don't think I'd recommend the MPV to others, because while I love mine, most of the people on Consumer Reports hate theirs-customer satisfaction was a half black dot.

I need a knock wood emoticon, now!

Ooooh, please last me for another 7 years...

Ahh. . . I'm the one who posted earlier on about having a REALLY bad time with my MPV. It was a 2003!!! And I also bought it at the time because it was rated REALLY well -- *right* behind the Odyssey and Sienna, but it was significantly less expensive. . . Sure enough, I had tons of problems! Just fyi, but our problems seemed to be with faulty ignition coils, so just keep that in mind. Hopefully yours will be great and you won't have to worry about it!

Grrr. . .

 

[PaulaSue]

I have a 99 Grand Caravan and LOVE it. It will need replaced soon and I SO WANT a new 2005 or more with STOW and GO. I could never go down to a regular sized minivan. Money fairy PLEASE visit my house SOON!!!!

We have been looking at the older (2003) Windstars and they seem nice but I just can't get used to the boxy feel of the hard straight up and down plastic insides. I know stupid reason.

 

[Mr._The_King]

We bought our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan from Enterprise. They had the best price and the vehicle was in great shape. I would recommend going to their site and taking a look. Good Luck We love our van

 

[Disneyrsh]

We bought our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan from Enterprise. They had the best price and the vehicle was in great shape. I would recommend going to their site and taking a look. Good Luck We love our van

I would highly recommend you check consumer reports online guide to used cars. They were *not* happy with the caravans.

Our '99 Dodge Grand Caravan was a straight up lemon.

There is somebody in Atlanta here who drives a brand new-ish looking Town and Country with lemon stickers ALL over it. Little lemons covering the entire car.

And how good is Consumer reports on new cars when you look at it, it recommends the Mazda MPV right under the Honda Odyssey and the Sienna, and then three years later hates it?

Has anyone else noticed that their 'recommended' new car a few years later has turned into a 'not recommended' car by CR?

I guess the answer is, only buy Toyota.

Well, at least we have a 2004 Toyota Corolla...

Ignition coils, hmm, have to look that up.

 

[Deb & Bill]

... Has anyone else noticed that their 'recommended' new car a few years later has turned into a 'not recommended' car by CR?

I guess the answer is, only buy Toyota.

Well, at least we have a 2004 Toyota Corolla...

Ignition coils, hmm, have to look that up.

Except for the Toyotas. Never had problem 1 with any of my Toyotas.

 

[lovehoney]

I was in a high speed rollover accident in 2003. We were in my sister's Sienna with 8 people on board (ages 2 - 70). Everyone had their seatbelts/carseats on (except 13 y/o DN) My nephew had a few stitches in his elbow, my sister had soft tissue bruising. I actually ended up with a crushed vertebrae but after a week in the hospital and 3 months in a brace my back healed without surgery (I was also pregnant at the time and my 2 now year old is super healthy) . Everybody else was not hurt at all.

The van was totaled and my sister went out and replaced her Sienna with another Sienna immediately.

We had just bought a 2003 Mazda MPV. As soon as I'm in the market for another mini van - I will be getting the Sienna!

 

[ZachnElli]

Another Sienna owner checking and I love my minivan! I got it in 2003, the new 2004 version right after it came out. My Dh worked for a company at the time who's parent company was Toyota, so we got the company price. At first I was not happy when dh told me I HAD to get the Sienna, but I was with him at a company meeting when they mentioned the "new" Sienna coming out in a month. I looked it up online and was thrilled and have been thrilled since! I have the Limited all wheel drive. Great van!

 

[mickeymousemom]

My DH has worked for Chrysler for the last 7 years.

He says the Caravan is garbage. You have to wonder when the employees don't drive their own product.

We have a 1998 Chev Venture. When we bought it it was all that we could afford. We have not had a single problem with it. All that we have done to it are things like brakes and tires--- just the everyday stuff that IMO doesn't count since you can't drive for free. I wouldn't say that I love it but to be fair I can't complain---I had a sports car before so it was hard for me to give that up and get the "mommy van".

Lucky for us DH has gone back to work for Nissan/Infinity so when we get a new car this year it will be back to Japanese quality.

I worked for Toyota and they will always be my first choice. Honda also ranks right beside Toyota for me. You will always pay more for a Japanese car but it the long run you are better off. They have very high resale value(80% in the first five years) and the quality is second to none. My DH remarked once right after he had started to work for Chrysler that he was seeing cars in the shop that were 3 and 4 years old with problems that he was seeing at Nissan on cars that were more than 10 years old.

Good luck, buying a new car is so much fun. Just an after thought---go and rent the ones you are interested in for a weekend at Alamo or someplace like that.

My Dh has worked for Chrysler for almost 10 years. Every vehicle we've had since then has been a Chrysler product and we've been very happy(and for at least 6 or 7 of those years we've had TWO new Chrysler vehicles). We are on our 2nd T&C van and have the Stow n Go.
We live near the town where DH works and there are 4 Chrysler plants here. Thank God I see TONS of Chrysler vehicles around everywhere here. It helps keep my DH in a job.

 

[Disneyrsh]

My Dh has worked for Chrysler for almost 10 years. Every vehicle we've had since then has been a Chrysler product and we've been very happy(and for at least 6 or 7 of those years we've had TWO new Chrysler vehicles). We are on our 2nd T&C van and have the Stow n Go.
We live near the town where DH works and there are 4 Chrysler plants here. Thank God I see TONS of Chrysler vehicles around everywhere here. It helps keep my DH in a job.

Well, maybe now that chrysler's owned by mercedes the build quality might improve...

We tried to buy american with the first dodge. Eh, at least the Mazda has a ford engine...

 

[Suzanne74]

We ended up purchasing a Honda Pilot (which we love) but were very close to getting the Odessey. I highly recommend it, it was awesome. The new Nissan Quest looks cool but I have no idea who it rides or its safety. GL!!!

 

[stacey0514]

I Love Love Love my Town & Country