RE: Honda Odyssey/Toyota Sienna

[OC Campers]

 
Does anyone own a Honda Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna?  We are going to be buying a new vehicle in the next couple of months and want a really reliable vehicle that will last till it is paid off and then for quite a few years after that.  This car won t be used for towing but to carry the family.  I am a stay at home mom and need something that seats at least 7 people because of carpooling.  
 
 Consumer Reports raves about the Odyssey but I just wondered if it is worth all the $$ s they want for them ($27,000 ++).  We are also thinking the Toyota Sienna  but I read that they are changing the body style for the 2004 model which comes out in the Spring of 2003.  I also looked at the Nissan Quest but they have discontinued that model for 2003.  
 
 We have always purchased american made cars but the quality just hasn t been there.  We own a 98 Chevy Astro and it is falling apart.  I have heard and read good things about the foreign models, so we want to give it a try.  Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.
 
 Jacqui

[gsm x2]

 OC Campers
Jacqui,
 
 Haven t owned the Oddysey, but have been associated with TWO Honda vehicles in my life.....BEST CARS I ever owned.  Absolutely trouble free.  Never seen the inside of the Honda Service Department except for routine maintenance.  Sold each of them to friends who drove them many many more miles.
 
 " The agony of bad quality outlasts the joy of inexpensive pricing every time."
 
 You should expect to get 200,000 trouble-free miles from Japanese cars.
 
 gsm x2

[OC Campers]

 OC Campers
Scott, thanks for the info.  I am hoping to be able to run it that long.  We have never gotten more than 100,000 miles out of our GM cars without many $$ s in repairs.  And just so you kow it won t be Dark GREEN!!  LOL!!!

[whitestar505]

 OC Campers
Get the Honda Odyssey. []

[cyclone]

 OC Campers
Another vote for Honda.  I love my Honda (and I m on my second one.  Drove the first one for 7 years and never had problems with it).

[kminton]

 OC Campers
Jacqui,
 We have a 1999 Honda Odyssey (with 60,000 miles on it).  This is the second Honda that I have owned.(1990 Accord with 120,000 when traded).  I love my Odyssey; DH keeps saying what kind of car do you want next?  I don t want one.  I love my Odyssey.  I especially love the fold down seat in the rear (don t have to remove just fold into a well in the back - nice to have if you are traveling with 4 or less people and need more seating space when you get to your destination.  I forget the Horsepower that it has - but it will get up and go.  When I get the oil changed, everybody is like " That engine shouldn t be in a mini-van" .    The only trouble that we have had from my van is the sliding doors (we have the EX model with the automatic doors); sometimes the remote doesn t undo the door and you have to manually open it.  It has to do with the design - we bought ours the first year they came out with the remodeled Odyssey.  My brother just bought a 2002 model and they have changed a little but not much (cup holders and loops for the grocery bags in the back " well" ).  He went out on the internet and did some research and got the dealer to come off a little (when we bought it was list - no haggling - never done that before but I wanted it badly).  
 
 Gas mileage is acceptable 19-20 around town; 24 -25 out on the road.
 
 Since you say you aren t going to use it for towing, I have no problems endorsing the Odyssey.  I don t think I would use it to tow our Niagara but some people tow their popups with it.
 
 FYI, I had an explorer between my Accord and Odyssey.  Too big for me; Odyssey fits nicely in the garage and don t have to peer over the hood to see where I am going.  Did I mention that I love it?  DH has the Tahoe and I don t mind driving it but I would much rather drive my minivan any day of the week.
 
 Do your shopping on the internet for price; but I would say they are worth the money.  Chryslers and Chevys were way more expensive than my Odyssey when we bought it - similarly equipped.
 
 Just my thoughts,
 Kerri
 

[birol]

 OC Campers
One thing to consider, Toyota is coming up with a revamped Sienna this coming March, their 2004 model. it will be the biggest minivan in its class. Might be worth the wait if you think space is an issue for you. The Honda Oddysee is right now a lot bigger than the current Sienna, but that will change with the new Sieanna.
 
 I never had a Toyota or Honda minivan, but had their mid range cars (Accord, Camry, Corolla), and would go with either, except that I THINK Toyota s were more reliable than the Honda s. BUT, I liked the ride of the Honda Accord better. I just ahd more problems with the Accord than Corolla and Camry combined.
 
 I think both are excellent vehicles, just wanted to let you know that Sienna is being revamped !
 
 Good luck.
 
 Birol

[Gamecock Camper]

 OC Campers
My FIL has the Honda van and loves it.  Hondas are well engineered and well built vehicles.  My FIL has had his Odessey for two years and it has been problem free.   I ve owned three Hondas and never ever had a single problem with any of them.  My first Honda was the two seater CRX.  It was a fun car to drive and averaged, yes averaged, 48 mpg.  We bought it used with 16k miles and when we sold this car it had 150k miles on it.  This was one of the first cars we had when we were married and didn t have lots of money (or sense)...we did not maintain it properly.... but it was still running strong when we sold it.  Our other Honda s were an Accord and a Civic.  Both were solid vehicles.  I still miss our Accord.  It was a comfortable vehicle, nicely designed, problem free, and just a great all around car.  I don t think you can go wrong with either Honda or Toyota brands.  Both brands are well respected for their endurance and quality.    If Honda was selling the Pilot when I bought my Suburban, I might have made a different choice.  Right now, I m very pleased with my Suburban.  I ve had very few problems with the American cars/trucks I ve owned.  I do think that the imports are able to withstand a little more abuse than the american vehicles though.
 
   
 
 

[got woody?]

 OC Campers

This car won t be used for towing but to carry the family

 
 My Apologies!  Speed reading AGAIN and missed this line.  Second time in as many days--I must get more sleep!
 
 I have always thought of " minivans as tow vehicles"  as the only reason folks ask about them here on PopUpTimes.  Assumptions are no good for me.
 
 My face is red and I beg forgiveness...

[SactoCampers]

 OC Campers
Why did my post get deleted?[&:] or did I delete it accidentally, without knowing it?

[DBGCAMP]

 OC Campers
We have the Sienna... Love it!
 We have had no problems with it.
 Tried to look at both vehicals, but none of the Honda dealers had an Odyssey for us to look at. We thought the dealers were pretentious and condescending, they wanted us to buy sight unseen, would not even let us take a look at one that had been sold!   The Sienna had a smooth ride, a slightly better service record, and was about 4,000 dollars less than the Odyssey... We are very happy with our choice

[OC Campers]

 OC Campers
Thanks for the feedback.  I like  both of the cars.  The Odyssey a little more because it doesn t look like your run of the mill minivan.  I knew the Sienna was being re done and will probably wait to see what it has before the final choice is made.  I have till July 1 to decide.  My dh really dislikes the Taurus we are getting rid of and I don t know if he wants to wait till July.  
 
 One of the other problems with Honda s in our area is the dealer tack s on an additional $3,000 to the price just because he knowes he can get it.  I have been looking on the internet also and maybe I can find a dealer that won t try to do that.  
 
 I know people try to pull the larger popups with these cars but I don t want to take a chance.  Our 2001 Coleman Westlake is really heavy and hits the GVW of these 2 cars.  That is the reason we are keeping the Astro for now.
 
 Jacqui

[DiW]

 OC Campers
We love our  99 Odyssey, the first year of this design (as compared to the old station wagon door style). We also utilize the folding down back seat (to carry bikes, wagons, ballgowns, etc). We also liked the Sienna. It handled well but was quite a bit smaller than the Odyssey. Glad we went with the larger Honda. My daughter s boyfriend is 6 6   and still growing. Usually they sit in the captain s chairs but occasionally they go to the back so we can t listen in (and tease them). It s pretty funny watching him make his way back there. His family has a monster SUV (whatever the biggest one is). They just replaced one for another with a bench seat and I hear that is a real pain to climb over (my DD has a broken foot). So I guess there are issues with all vehicles.
 
 Good friends have the Sienna and they love it. They have 2 children, as opposed to our 3, and rarely use the back seat.  I think most features are comparable. Both are quality units.
 
 Although some dealers were charging a $3000 premium, with long waiting lists, we paid list for our Odyssey. We got the basic model without electric doors. (My DH was afraid to get them in their first design year. He expects everything to break. More importantly, the waiting list for the electric door model was 6 months. We got ours in 2 months). I believe it was around $23,000. I think the electric model was around $27,000. When we priced similar units (Windstar, T&C) we found them more expensive because EVERYTHING that came standard on the Honda was an add on for the Am. makers, even tinted windows. Imagine how hot it would be in a van without tinted windows. Even the Sienna was higher priced at that time.
 
 We ve owned Toyotas and Hondas with great success and so have our families. Either van is a good choice. Maybe wait and see that new Toyota so you can compare.
 Diane

[Gamecock Camper]

 OC Campers
Keep shopping until you find a dealer that WON" T mark up the MSRP.  That infuriates me when dealers try to mark-up a car.  I see it as greedy.  When business is slow, that dealer wouldn t get my business either.  Even if I saved a few $$ because of this practice.

[GeneF]

 OC Campers
Okay Okay the good old van issue.
 
 I guess I have been very lucky because I have owned an 85 Dodge Caravan, a 89 Plymouth Voyager, 93 Plymouth Voyager, 96 Windstar and a 00 Sienna.
 
 All, except the Sienna had over 80,000 miles on them when they were sold or traded.  Other than some minor mechanical or cosmetic repairs, I had no problems with any of these vehicles and all were used as a tow vehicle.  The 85 was only used to pull a very small tent trailer.
 
 All of the vans were maintained and the oil and filter were changed at approximately 3 to 4 thousand miles.
 
 Of the five vans, I think dw and I would rate the Windstar the best for comfort, handling and size.  Reason we didn t get another one was that we couldn t find one with a tow package and we thought they had cheapened the interior with too much plastic on the 2000 s.  We really enjoyed the feel of the 96.
 
 We, too, considered the Honda but I was darn if I was going to pay 3000 over sticker price plus probable get a lousy price on my trade in.  Sorry, but I don t see me getting that 3 grand back when I trade or sell.
 
 We looked at the Chrysler Town and Country which was around $30,000 and it was loaded.  I actually could have gotten a better trade-in and deal on the T&C than on the Sienna which was about $26,000.  Two reasons why we didn t buy it, no tow package and dw hated the plastic wood.  Me, I would have very seriously considered it.  Loved all the gadgets and it was bright red with gold wheels. []
 
 We have about 68,000 miles on the Sienna and it has been a real nice car.  Good ride, handling and plenty of coffee cups.  Pulls the 98 Mesa real well.  I would not go any bigger nor would I pull a new Mesa with it.  The new Mesa weighs more.
 
 The flip over seats are easy to tilt and are not that bad to take out.  Forget what they weigh but dd and dw can take them out.  They flexibility of folding one down for long stuff is nice.  All of the backs on all of the seats recline and are fairly easy to remove.  The single back seats on the Dodge products were heavy and ackward to remove by yourself.
 
 The Sienna is rated second by Consumer Reports and this is mainly due to the fold down seat in the Odyessy.  They seem to like that feature a lot.  Sienna was tops for quite a while.
 
 Major drawback to the Sienna is the legroom.  While very adequate, I would just like a little more.  The other item is its size.  It is one of the smaller vans and if you have a growing family, maybe waiting for the new Sienna, might be worth it.
 
 If my memory serves me correctly, the Windstar and the Sienna are rated as the safest minivans.
 
 So good luck in your choice.  Those interest rates on some of the new vehicles sure are tempting.