anyone got a Venture/Montana? minivan recommendations?

[outoftheblue]

I know the car threads here usually end up arguing about imports vs domestics... and minivans aren't usually the car type of choice... but what the hey

In need of a new minivan... so far looked at:

- Dodge Caravan (cheap, but reliability concerns me...)
- Honda Odyssey (NICE, but $$$)
- Toyota Sienna (same as Honda)
- Ford Windstar (a little too big, plus reliability problems...)
- Chevy Venture/ Pontiac Montana (so far seems OK...)

Currently have a '89 Plymouth Voyager which has served well... (300,000+km) but don't know if Chrysler should be trusted with the current version...

Anyone got a Venture/Montana (or Olds Silhouette)? These are fairly new vans (only been around a couple years) and I havent heard much about them in "real life" experience...

Also any comments on the 2001/2002 Caravan would be appreciated...

Thanks

 

[Poontos]

Odyssey, no question.

Pay now or pay later. Pay a bit more upfront for the Odyssey and you will not regret it, you will thank me!

 

[conjur]

Avoid American mfrs...esp. Chrysler and Ford.

'course, imo, minivans/SUVs should be avoided if at all possible...but...were I forced into one...probably the Acura MDX or Lexus RX300 (or the Odyssey if I had 3-4 children)

 

[Jerboy]

<< I know the car threads here usually end up arguing about imports vs domestics... and minivans aren't usually the car type of choice... but what the hey

In need of a new minivan... so far looked at:

- Dodge Caravan (cheap, but reliability concerns me...)
- Honda Odyssey (NICE, but $$$)
- Toyota Sienna (same as Honda)
- Ford Windstar (a little too big, plus reliability problems...)
- Chevy Venture/ Pontiac Montana (so far seems OK...)

Currently have a '89 Plymouth Voyager which has served well... (300,000+km) but don't know if Chrysler should be trusted with the current version...

Anyone got a Venture/Montana (or Olds Silhouette)? These are fairly new vans (only been around a couple years) and I havent heard much about them in "real life" experience...

Also any comments on the 2001/2002 Caravan would be appreciated...

Thanks >>




Get a Toyota or Honda. You won't be disappointed. They're reliable like their older brothers Camry's and Accord's

 

[freebee]

You seemed to have been spared any horror stories regarding the 89 voyager. As I recall they were some of the worst in terms of reliability. Domestic minivans were big sellers before because they were the only choice. Now with better models from the Japanese manufacturers, there is no real reason to buy a domestic. I'm actually thinking about working at a chrysler dealership but am not sure I can sell such crappy cars.

Along with everyone else I'm going to recommend the Odyssey or Sienna.

 

[outoftheblue]

OK... well the pricing roughly comes down to this (all prices in CDN $)

Sienna/Odyssey $38,000
Montana/Venture $30,000
Caravan $28,000

Are the Japanese vans really worth $10,000 more than a Caravan!!?

The present '89 Voyager's most expensive repair was a head gasket/engine job for around $2000 if I remember...
Plus 2 fuel pumps @ ~ $500.... water pumps...

Hmm.... it does start to add up!

 

[freebee]

Are you sure the 10,000 difference is with similarly equipped models?

On average the japanese models will be 2-3 grand more expensive (in american dollars)....also keep in mind unlike domestics, toyotas and hondas tend to offer more standard equipment and less optional equipment. I'm not sure what the supply situation is in Canada but for a certain time period many of the Odysseys were selling at sticker price with a waiting period. It should be a lot better now, but discounts for the Caravan may be much more readily available.

You really should test drive it, get firm price quotes from the dealership, and then make the decision whether the difference in price is worth it to you over the long run. If you are worried about reliabilty, perhaps some of the difference in cost can be used to purchase an extended warranty (though you must be careful who you get this from.)

 

[Rallispec]

My family has a honda oddyssey.... yeah, its a little more expensive, but completely worth it. It is so much fun to drive and really comfortable. And its a honda- which makes it even better.

and our oddyssey--- pretty well equipped (everything but leather) was only $29k

 

[thedarkwolf]

Well if I were you I would just go with the caravan. You had good luck with the first one and like you said it would have to have a lot of problems to make up the $10k price difference. It will depriciate a lot more than the imports but if you keep it aslong as the last one who cares none of them will be worth anything in 12 years.

Aslong as you like the way it drives and things anyway.

 

[outoftheblue]

The 10,000 diff was pretty much between base models of both vans. I agree that the Odyssey came with more std. features. Basically... just looking for a base van.. or one step up.

Keep in mind that GM/Chrysler/Ford all have $2000 off all new vehicles now if bought cash, plus 0% financing incentives. With Toyota/Honda there are basically no rebates... I guess they sell just fine without em.

I did test drive the Odyssey, and I must say :Q ! Best one out of the vans I mentioned (I've test drove all except the Sienna). When the salesman told me to try to step on it.... nice ... Odyssey seemed to be the nicest of all of them.

Thx for the warranty advice... I checked out the Lemon-Aid guide... and it basically said the Caravan is NOT to be bought without an extended warranty. GM seemed to be decent. As for the Odyssey and Sienna, they got a good rating, but it was also mentioned that quality is slipping... which I found dissapointing. Maybe its just b/c there are more on the road now?

 

[RossMAN]

A $10,000 difference between Japanese vs American seems awfully steep.

How about getting a Ford Windstar or Dodge Caravan PLUS the extended warranty (because you know you'll need it)?

 

[outoftheblue]

Remember those are Canuck dollars

I think the Windstar is out... they've had awful problems in the past... and doesnt Ford = Found On The Road Dead?

BTW... the Dodge Caravan is/was Canada's best selling vehicle. The GM guy said that the GM vans beat Caravan sales this past month, though...

 

[Russ]

My 1989 Aerostar Cargo van owns them all!

Russ, NCNE

 

[Tangerine]

I saw a silver Mercury Villager on the street today, and I actually noticed it in the land of minivan where I live. It looked pretty nice, for a minivan

 

[Dark4ng3l]

we have a brand new montana and it's awesome... we paid aroun 28k though, same price as your caravan. I say get it, better reliability than Chrysler or Ford and alot cheaper than the imports, a good compromise.

 

[Flat]

GM Minivans have HORRIBLE crash test ratings

 

[KamakaziRcr]

<< we have a brand new montana and it's awesome... we paid aroun 28k though, same price as your caravan. I say get it, better reliability than Chrysler or Ford and alot cheaper than the imports, a good compromise. >>



Cheaper than imports? Price out the competition and you will see that the Honda is VERY competitively priced or CHEAPER than some of the domestic when you compare same options. Sienna is too small and pricey. Go for the Odyssey, you won't regret it. Trust me.

Pontiac Montana - 185hp 3.4L V6, 4spd auto vs Odyssey 240hp, 5spd auto

2002 Odyssey LX - $24,690 (power window, locks, cdplayer, 4wheel disc+abs+traction control, cruise)
2002 Odyssey EX - $27,190 (LOADED - 16" alloy, cd changer, autoclimate control, power rear doors, keyless entry, power seats)
2002 Odyssey EX w/leather - $28,690 (same as EX with leather)

 

[wiggyryder]

Honda Odyssey hands down. Dodge Caravan is a really close second. Ford has major transmission problems. Chevy Venture/Montanas don't score as high on crash tests. The Toyota minivan is just ugly.

 

[bunker]

I'm gonna throw in another vote for the Mercury Villager. Before you Ford bashers step in, it's not based off the Windstar. My mom had one and it was great.

*Edit - Just remembered the Villager and Nissan Quest are the same van, engineered by Nissan.

 

[bunker]

I'm a consumer reports subscriber, I'm not going to sit here and dig up all the info for you, but here's something to look at.

Geoshitties link, you know what to do

Notice none of them are below very good.

 

[KamakaziRcr]

Village/Quest = outdated, small minivans. Reliability problems (readup on it and you'll see)

 

[outoftheblue]

I've pulled up some price data off the company websites for similarly equipped models:
ALL PRICES IN CANADIAN $

Caravan SE base - $25,430
+ D package (cruise, power, roof rack...) + $800
TOTAL MSRP: $26,230

Venture base - $27,280
+ 1SB package (cruise, etc....) +$645
+ roofrack +$285
TOTAL MSRP: $28,210
(Pontiac Montana is +$500-1000)

Odyssey LX base - $31,900
+ block heater & roofrack +$626
TOTAL MSRP: $32,526

Odyssey $32,526 - (Caravan $26,230 - $2000 Chrysler promo) = $8296

+ freight, a/c tax, other tax.. etc

I agree the Honda has a few more base features & ABS, Chrysler doesn't have ABS, GM has CD player & ABS... but thats as close a comparison as possible.

So you see the Odyssey comes out to be about $10,000 more than the Odyssey.. when you consider the manufacturer incentives, and the fact that Chrysler MSRP tends to be more negotiable than Honda's.

 

[outoftheblue]

GM Minivans have HORRIBLE crash test ratings
Really? In the brochure, "The Chevy Venture also recieved a 5-star rating from the US government for drivers-side impact testing"

I guess you mean crashes other than drivers side impact?

I'm a consumer reports subscriber, I'm not going to sit here and dig up all the info for you, but here's something to look at.
Thanks for the info, bunker. I looked up the Lemon-Aid guide, and it basically rated Honda/Toyota the highest, followed by GM, Chrysler, Ford. Mazda and Nissan were somewhere up there too, I think higher than the domestics.

The Villager isn't available in Canada anymore, AFAIK. It used to be. Ford billed itself as Canada's "Minivan Centre" b/c they had the Villager, Windstar, and Aerostar.... well, not anymore... and I guess it didn't help their sales much

 

[KamakaziRcr]

<< GM Minivans have HORRIBLE crash test ratings
Really? In the brochure, "The Chevy Venture also recieved a 5-star rating from the US government for drivers-side impact testing"

I guess you mean crashes other than drivers side impact?
>>



Check out the GM minivans and Quest/Villager's Insurance Institute of Highway Safety's crash test. GM was far the worst minivan.

IIHS Minivan crash test

 

[PlatinumGold]

one thing to keep in mind. you can get about $2000 to $35000 discount from domestic. you can't from Honda / Toyota. lot more bargaining room w/ domestic. so i'd say $10,000 difference is about right.

for eg. i bought my Ford Windstar for about $7000 OFF the MSRP. $29,000 MSRP $23,000 out the door, (including tax tag and title) no way i coulda got a similarly equiped Toyota or Honda for anywhere NEAR that. woulda cost me clost to $8000.00 more at least and that was a year ago, before the recession and all.