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It's minivan time! Any opinions welcome.

Scarpozzi

Scarpozzi

Lifer
I know the first response to this may be, "Don't Get One!"

I have a 2003 Buick Regal with 150k miles on it.
We have 2 kids(2 and 4 years old) and my wife wants to get a van.

She's been driving a 2011 4Runner. The plan is, I trade my Buick, she drives the van, and I drive the 4Runner.

We did a quick test drive last night of the Odyssey SE and a Sienna XLE. The SE didn't have leather, but we may end up having leather installed in it after we buy (we did the same thing in our 4Runner and saved about $4k from the Limited package) I think I can get the SE with its non-nav DVD package, cloth seats, and wet/dry vac for $30.5k minus trade in...before taxes The Sienna XLE with 8 passenger seating and leather would be around $33.5k minus trade in...before taxes.

We liked the Sienna's 2nd row leg room...the seats go a lot further back it seemed, but the tracks they slide on seemed far more utilitarian (like the Dodge/Chrysler vans). Honda was far more refined....but also smaller feeling. (possibly lower to the ground?)

Anyone gone through this search recently?
 
The new Kia has won in Motor Trend's rating this year. New Odyssey is supposed to be announced by EOY.

I'd wait for the Ody for sure and see what Honda brings to the table.
 
bigi said:
The new Kia has won in Motor Trend's rating this year. New Odyssey is supposed to be announced by EOY.

I'd wait for the Ody for sure and see what Honda brings to the table.
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The package features of the 2016 Odyssey SE are a pretty good value. They are pushing that to make up for the lagging sales on the last year of this gen. I saw some of the Odyssey pictures from the Japanese market a few weeks back and the 2017 should be close to the same design. We'll likely be running the miles up on this van as we do all our vehicles, so trade value isn't much of a concern.

Thanks. I'll check out Kia.
 
Still between Toyota and Honda....

Kia and Mercedes both look alright, but the pricing, style, brand image of Toyota and Honda are winning. The Metris is a lot like the Ford Transit. That's definitely a cool way to get a custom van, but the standard features in the Odyssey and Sienna trims we're looking at in the low $30s are considerably more expensive when added to the custom build.

My local Kia dealership has decent pricing, but to get the features we'd want to justify buying a Kia (like reclining 2nd row, etc) are in higher packages...plus the car seats in the 2nd row would make them unusable for about another 3-4 years.
 
herm0016 said:
transit connect?
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I looked at those. The price/value and customization was great, but my wife didn't like the look of the van. It still looks more like a delivery van to both of us. I think we're going to stick to Sienna vs Odyssey at this point.

I'm leaning hard toward Odyssey....especially because quality in the last few years of a gen is usually pretty solid and we'll be driving this one at least 5+ years. I've been emailing dealerships the past few minutes and have gotten a few good quotes $1500 under what I got yesterday.

Thanks.
 
Buy it used. Resell on minivans, at least in my area, is horrible. A friend just picked up a 2015 Caravan fully loaded for under $20k. Leather, power everything, the works.
 
Subyman said:
Buy it used. Resell on minivans, at least in my area, is horrible. A friend just picked up a 2015 Caravan fully loaded for under $20k. Leather, power everything, the works.
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Resell on Odysseys and Siennas is not horrible. I agree that a used Caravan is a great value but it sounds like his heart is set on one of the Japanese models.

We had an '07 Odyssey, and it served us very well. MPG was meh (probably ~20 lifetime) but my wife has a very heavy foot. We put about 230K miles on it before the tranny started acting up, and with the cost of a new one our mechanic recommended looking for a replacement. It was still in very good shape considering all it had been through in 8 years.

So we got a '15 Odyssey in late 2014. My wife was insistent on another Odyssey. I tried to get her to consider a Sienna but she basically looked for reasons why she didn't care for it. This generation gets much better fuel economy - I've driven it several times on longish (500+ miles) trips and it gets 27-29MPG on the highway. I think it's at 23 lifetime even with my wife's lead foot.

I don't have any complaints really, other than the Sirius seems to go out much more frequently than on my car (any sort of tree canopy will cause a sub-second dropout). I also don't care for its transmission programming. It wants to downshift while cruising down hills, I assume for fuel economy, but I just find it annoying. The previous Odyssey did the same thing. Both models were EX-L, which is the lowest trim level with leather. Both were also under $30K ($27K for the first one, $29.9K for the newer) which is really a great value. The upper trim levels are out of control on pricing IMO.
 
SearchMaster said:
Resell on Odysseys and Siennas is not horrible. I agree that a used Caravan is a great value but it sounds like his heart is set on one of the Japanese models.

We had an '07 Odyssey, and it served us very well. MPG was meh (probably ~20 lifetime) but my wife has a very heavy foot. We put about 230K miles on it before the tranny started acting up, and with the cost of a new one our mechanic recommended looking for a replacement. It was still in very good shape considering all it had been through in 8 years.

So we got a '15 Odyssey in late 2014. My wife was insistent on another Odyssey. I tried to get her to consider a Sienna but she basically looked for reasons why she didn't care for it. This generation gets much better fuel economy - I've driven it several times on longish (500+ miles) trips and it gets 27-29MPG on the highway. I think it's at 23 lifetime even with my wife's lead foot.

I don't have any complaints really, other than the Sirius seems to go out much more frequently than on my car (any sort of tree canopy will cause a sub-second dropout). I also don't care for its transmission programming. It wants to downshift while cruising down hills, I assume for fuel economy, but I just find it annoying. The previous Odyssey did the same thing. Both models were EX-L, which is the lowest trim level with leather. Both were also under $30K ($27K for the first one, $29.9K for the newer) which is really a great value. The upper trim levels are out of control on pricing IMO.
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as an odyssey owner, not sure I would ever buy one again. I get less than OK mileage with my 2009 that has cylinder management ... I get on average about 17-18. I might have hit 20 once.

the things I don't like about my car... it eats up tires, it uses a little oil (always has; with the maintenance minder it may go 7k between changes and might use upwards of 2qts over that span depending on driving conditions - this is fine as long as you check your oil every 1500 or so), constant squeaking noise from drivers side window rubbers, the slider doors seem to always need parts (granted they are 7 yrs old now) and interface with the infotainment system is outdated (even when it was new, this was a sacrifice going in). My van has 103k on it and beyond replacing some cat heat shields and 1 O2 sensor it has only needed regular maintenance. I pay special attention to doing the trans services, and so for my car has been good.

the thing I came across when shopping vans is nobody had exactly what I wanted. I was sacrificing something no matter which brand I chose. in the end I bought the van I felt drove the best.

going in now for a van, Id have to drive the kia before deciding, but the sienna and odyssey would still be my top choices. I love the look of the nissan van, but would have to do some research into it. Personally wouldn't even consider a chrysler product, but thats me.
 
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Zivic said:
as an odyssey owner, not sure I would ever buy one again. I get less than OK mileage with my 2009 that has cylinder management ... I get on average about 17-18. I might have hit 20 once.
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The new generation really has improved on fuel economy. I was disappointed with MPG on our '07 (same gen as your '09) but the newer one is significantly improved. It's too early to tell how well the new one will hold out in the long run but our '07 was rock solid and everything worked as well the day we sold it as the day we bought it (aside from the transmission).
 
I'd get the Toyota. The Sienna consistently ranks at the top in minivan comparos and it's a Toyota so it will provide many years of trouble free operation.

Don't get a Chrysler. They are garbage.
 
SearchMaster said:
The new generation really has improved on fuel economy. I was disappointed with MPG on our '07 (same gen as your '09) but the newer one is significantly improved. It's too early to tell how well the new one will hold out in the long run but our '07 was rock solid and everything worked as well the day we sold it as the day we bought it (aside from the transmission).
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I am not unhappy with it... i really don't care about what mileage my vehicles get. I don't drive enough for it to be an issue. I wouldn't have it be a deal breaker as it will get comparable to competitors. they probably just revised the tranny, gearing, and added a gear for the current generation to increase mileage.

the only thing I am disappointed in is the squeak from the window and the slider doors... I had to replace both sides rider assemblies (plastic wheels) and recently had to replace the latch actuator assemblies. pain in the arse and were 175 bucks each.
 
I have an off topic but serious question OP, how did you end up with a 2003 Buick Regal? You are obviously somewhat young and not poor... did your grandparents give you the Regal?
 
Insomniator said:
I have an off topic but serious question OP, how did you end up with a 2003 Buick Regal? You are obviously somewhat young and not poor... did your grandparents give you the Regal?
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I bought the regal in 2004 after my Jeep Cherokee was totaled. 200hp sedan with 21k miles, 1 year old and I got it for $13k from my neighbor who was a Buick dealer. I'm 6'4" and that car has been great. Solid engine, leather interior.... quiet ride and an excellent long-lumber hauler.

IMG_20130624_081427_551.jpg


I ended up trading the regal and we got the 2016 Odyssey SE. The kids already love the DVD. I think the vacuum is more of a gimmick, but as long as my wife vacuums naked in the car, I don't mind. I like that we were able to get the DVD package without having to pay for the navigation. We may upgrade to leather later. The biggest difference between the Odyssey and the 4Runner we have with 3rd row seating is that the second row seat in The Odyssey actually picks up and pivots. This allows you to get in without having to remove car seats first.
 
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Odyssey and Sedona are the only ones TSP rated. They are not TSP+ though so I would probably avoid the minivan segment.
 
HarryLui said:
Have the wife drove them both yet?
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I drove both and she rode along. Both had good handling and pickup with so-so visibility (purely because they're vans). The Odyssey that we got has a blind spot camera....basically a camera that is mounted under the right side mirror... triggered by the right turn signal. Neat, but not necessary.
 
Scarpozzi said:
I drove both and she rode along. Both had good handling and pickup with so-so visibility (purely because they're vans). The Odyssey that we got has a blind spot camera....basically a camera that is mounted under the right side mirror... triggered by the right turn signal. Neat, but not necessary.
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Have her drive both and let her choose.
 
monkeydelmagico said:
Congrats on the minivan that looks like a hearse. Hope you didn't get black......
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Where do you live that hearses are 6' tall?

Jumpem said:
Odyssey and Sedona are the only ones TSP rated. They are not TSP+ though so I would probably avoid the minivan segment.
Click to expand...

TSP+ basically requires auto-braking, etc. I imagine the Ody is getting that with the new model and Toyota probably isn't far behind.
 
Scarpozzi said:
I drove both and she rode along. Both had good handling and pickup with so-so visibility (purely because they're vans). The Odyssey that we got has a blind spot camera....basically a camera that is mounted under the right side mirror... triggered by the right turn signal. Neat, but not necessary.
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It actually comes in pretty handy and beats the heck out of having to look back and strain your neck after passing (it has virtual markers to show proper passing/merging distance from the other cars).
 
monkeydelmagico said:
Congrats on the minivan that looks like a hearse. Hope you didn't get black......
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Our 4Runner is black. Ended up going with Silver...so it sort of matches my F150.

Looks like this:
2016-honda-Odyssey-D.jpg


I feel better having cars mostly from the past decade now. I really miss cars that have heavier body panels and doors, but it's nice to know that mpg is generally better and now all our cars finally have bluetooth. I missed that in my daily driver.
 
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