Hey folks! Well, we have another baby on the way. She'll be here in Febuary. Soooo...the wife wants a (cringe) minivan. I'm wondering which ones are the best buy and best quality. I want something safe, reliable, with plenty of cargo space and reasonably good gas mileage. I also don't want to go to the poorhouse just because my wife wants a minivan. I'm considering new and used.

We've looked at several and our favorite so far is the Toyota Sienna. We found an '06 model with 24,668 miles on it. Power doors, windows, locks, cd/mp3 changer, 8 passenger seating, window tint, etc. They're asking $24,900. Obviously, the $24,900 is just a starting point for negotiation. I've done a little research, but I haven't been able to find much about the Sienna. I'd like to hear from any Sienna owners, or anyone else who loves their minivan. Please help...thanks!

 

Sister-in-law has the Toyota, no issues, approx 19 mpg.

We have a '97 Olds "Silly". The decent (by minivan standards) looking one, not the early dust-buster job. 110,000 miles, no real issues. Some GM interior irritations. 3.4 motor is a little weak, but with the low first gear, you engage the traction control on dry pavement sometimes. (wow! fogging the tires on a minivan....).
The double sliding doors are great. Ours is power on the rh side, never any issues with it.

We get 19.5 average mpg, with mostly urban and urban freeway driving.

I will say I'd go for another one as the family truckster, vs. an SUV either cross over or truck based. Compare the numbers and the seating access. Only in a Suburban sized SUV do you get the leg room of a long minvan. Most SUV's have some punishing access routine to get to the third row seat. NOTHING is more convenient than the double sliding doors, especially when you need to service a tiny tot in the second row. (the wife, however, just having hit the big Five OH!, isn't buying my arguments...)

So the world will not end with a minivan.

As for what I'd look at, the Toy for sure, and the Honda. No on GM, and No on Chrysler stuff, unless you're a real good buddy with a dealer and buy the max warranty. (which I'd do anyway). Now the Ford is a decent van, but suffers from being dated, having been renamed with a silly name (why couldn't they just leave it Windstar???) and the engines are a bit agricultural compared to the Toy and Honda. And I mean it. I've ridden in an '03 and that 3.8 is a real growler and sounds like it's straining all the time. Plus, they aren't selling. Hhhmmm. So, you might could get your Ford dealer to squeeel for a deal on one. Of course, Ford could be out of business by this time next year, but what the heck.

Absolute bang for the buck if you don't mind some rough edges would be the Hyundai, which I think is very close to the Ford as far as bells and whistles etc. Just find a body shop that will heat-gun off all the Hyundai badges....

 

I have an 02 Chrysler Voyager that has given my 67000 trouble free miles, and I am an extensive user of E85. It is an excellent van that gets 17-19 mpg in town and 23-25 mpg on the highway (E10 fuel). I also tow a utility trailer, and towed a u-haul from CA to IL. I would by another one in a heartbeat. Take a look at price and you will see that you can get a lot more Caravan for the buck than a Honda or Toyota. By the way, do some digging on the Honda and you will find they are having some major transmission problems.

As long as you take care of it, it will last a long time. just like any other vehicle.

 

My other Sis in law has a Honda, (forgot to mention....) They like it fine. No mpg figures. They got a notice about the trans, but have had no issue. Is the trans thing a one year or multiple year thing?

 

We've had a Town & Country for about a half year now. That also came about as a result of us two staring at each other, the stick with the plus sign on it, and going OOPS!
She wanted a Grand Caravan. The T&C had a little more gizmos and for whatever weird reason I fit in it a little better. Now I realise that doesn't matter since I've ridden in it twice in 6 months, and once was home from the lot.
Its been decent thus far. I borrowed a friends minivan just for a trip a week ago and got out saying to myself gee, I kinda actually liked *gasp* that one, what the heck is it? And it was the Toyota.
And I can say that when my sisters van got smacked her loaner was a Kia and they both said what a lump o junk!
Think your spouse would consider an International CXT?

 

weve only had two minivans here. first a 93 grand voyager 3.3 v6 that ran 155,000 miles before some jackass creamed the passenger side of it. with the van bent in a "u" shape and the two passenger side doors tied shut it hobbled its self to the junkyard. never had any real problems with that van.

next, maybe around 94-95ish we got a 88 caravan the orginal box on wheels, bright white with the woodytrim and always missing a hubcap, i beat the crap outof that van when i learned how to drive, countless times putting the gas to the floor in nutral and then slaming it in to drive i cant remember the engine size but it was a 4 banger, only needed gas twice a month. my stepdad took it with him when him and my mom split, he used it to drive to work everyday till then, last time i seen it the back seats were torn out, and there was a greasy blue tarp acting like a bed liner, the body was trashed, starting to rust, that van has to be pushing 250,000 miles, and has been spending the last few years of its life as a work truck.

they were both good vans. i sure they're older then what you'd want, but you're never gonna find a new one that'll last, like so many other things they just dont make em like they use to.

 

WEll, the 94 Voyager I have I got with a bad trans at about 139,000. I put a not real good trans in that got me to 175000, and the motor is stil going sdtrong, even after smashing the front of it with a big deer. Small towing jobs would be ok, I did tow my sister's Caravan home when they toasted out the head gaskets with a bad radiator, but that finished off the not so good trans I put in. The last trans I put in is strong as can be, the mileage is about 21-24 hwy on E10. Other than the trans and the deer hit, I haven't really had to do a thing to it, 3.0 motor. Sitting about 185000 and still going.

 

You can't really complain about 139,000 miles on a trans, can you?

I am not sure if it is a specific year thing with the Honda's, but I know it was within the past two or three.

You won't go wrong with any of the minivans. Look at while style and price suits you and go for it. I kind of like the Nissan Quest, and have toyed with getting one when the old Voyager needs replacing. I guess I am a bit too die hard Dodge to do it, but they sure look nice.

 

We have a 2003 Honda Odyssey bought brand new and now has 33k. I have to admit, I like driving it since it has a much better ride and handling than my Explorer and Ram 1500. We get about 20 MPG with mostly local driving but have gotten 25 MPG with 5 adults and doing 70 MPH on the highway.

I considered all the other makes and models when we bought it and at the time, it was the best. I wanted to buy a Ford Freestar for obvious reasons but the wife wouldn't have it since it was an inferior product. I have no idea now though. I would speculate that the depreciation is best on the Toyota and Honda.

The '05 models of the Ody and up are 2 inches wider, have side curtain airbags, split fold 3rd row, windows go down in the doors, available moonroof, and also have VCM (vehicle cylinder management) where three cylinders shut down when not needed.

So, if you are going to buy new I would definitely put it on the list. I will warn you about buying a used one - minivans tend to get abused by the kids on the inside and wives on the outside! If you do buy used, go domestic since the depreciation hit has already occurred.

Best of luck and keep us posted,
Eric

 

Thanks for all the info folks! I've heard of all the nightmare transmission problems with the Honda and the Ford Windstar. Just wanted to see if there's anything bad about the Sienna. All I've come up with so far is the 2nd row in the 7 seaters don't have armrests, and some guy was complaining because all the paint chipped off on his when it was 11k miles old. After looking at almost all available minivans, I'm seriouisly leaning towards the Sienna. I posted a similar thread on the Aerostar forum, and man, those guys really like their Aerostars! Who knew you could fall in love with a minivan?! Anyway, thanks again, time to go to work.

Go figure...Veteran's day and I'm putting on a uniform and dragging myself to work! Weekend duty sucks!

 

My daughter has an 02 Honda Odyssey and it has been good but the fuel mileage is not really good (around 14 totally in town and up to 22 highway). If you're going new, then the Honda and Toyota might be the way to go but it you're going used, you should shop for something that depreciates more quickly. The Winstars and Freestars have transmission issues (we had a bunch for company vehicles). Any of the GM vans with the 3.8 engine would be a dependable and economical choice (the 3.4 is underpowered and uses more gas than the 3.8). The Chrysler vans are also a good choice. I would buy used and base my choice on condition, price and features.

 

Keep in mind that the Sienna requires 91 octane while the others only need regular unleaded fuel.

I think the Sienna's are nice, the only thing is that there are so many different option packages to choose from that it will drive you crazy deciding what you want.

The advantage of the Sienna is the availability of all-wheel drive - a nice feature.

 

Really?! I didn't know that. Why?

 

Honestly, I don't know why. I recall reading that when I was researching minivans for my brother-in-law. He chose Honda over Toyota and the fuel requirement was the difference for him. I think he might have went Sienna otherwise.