Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Minivan recommendations

We're on our second Odyssey. Bought a '99 (just off lease) in 2003, with around 60,000 miles. Drove it 7 years, and put a total of 187,000 miles on it. Replaced it with an '08 last year, with only 16,000 miles. Love them both. Couldn't imagine not having one with 3 kids. Inevitably, we will have one or two of the kids friends tagging along, or a set of parents.

Drive both the Honda and the Toyota. The Sienna will be quieter and smoother on the road, but the Odyssey will handle better. If you decide on the Honda, be sure it is an '05 or newer. That year they installed the transmission out of the Ridgeline. Lots of transmission problems prior to that.

As a side note, both ours are/were the base "stripper" versions. As much as I would love to have all the toys, we keep them forever, and there is way less to go wrong with base models.

(Sorry for the grammar, but it's midnight, and I'm tired)

As others said, I'd stay away from the Windstar, I bought one used and had nothing but problems for 4 years before the transmission finally busted.
I just got a 2010 Dodge Caravan a few month ago and even though I don't know what the future will be, I like all the different compartments to put stuff, I love the easy folding seats and the ESP that comes even with the most basic model has proven itself useful this canadian winter. Others might have had problems with Chrysler, me I had (and still having) a good experience with it. In 2003 I bought a 1999 Cirrus with 118km and, except maintenance, I didn't really have any problems with it. In 2006, the transmission line broke due to rust, when I took it to the mechanic, he told me that I was lucky the transmission didn't brake. Even though it didn't, it has never been the same and it's getting worst every year. Now, 5 years later, the transmission still didn't brake but when it is cold in the morning, the gears keep on slipping during the first 5 min. The card has now 330Km and even though I am not repairing it anymore and I am just waiting for it to die, I refuse to throw it out while it is still drivable Even if it doesn't mean anything, that's one of the reasons I went with the Dodge Caravan, the other one being that it is cheaper than their japanese counterpart.
I think overall that it is a good value and am happy with it but if I would have had more money to spend on a minivan (not that I would want to ) I would get the Odyssey, it looks good (for a minivan) and just feels more upper class when driving it compare to the Dodge.

My Dodge cost $8k for repairs in it's last 3 years. Two trannies!

Toyotas have had roll-over issues in models from a few years ago.

On my 3rd Odyssey lease. Don't want a van, but as long as I have to have one, it'll be a Honda.

Besides Mark and I both drive 'em and are happy. How much more definitive can you get?

So what I'm hearing is AWD ain't worth it. I can live with that. Sounds like Odyssey is the way to go, but my wife has the ultimate say here.

She also says that I dislike SUVs more than her, so any recs on 5-0 years old, 7 passenger ones with decent mileage that would go for less than $20K used?

You're hilarious.

Volvo XC90. Here in southern ontario there are lots of 2006-2007's in the low $20's.

Ken, I have to echo a lot of what Shawn wrote. Also preferred the '08 Odyssey on the road over the Sienna, as the Sienna felt a little boat-like. There's road noise on the Honda, but it's a trade off I took. Also ditto what Shawn said about transmissions.

Though there's no a lot of respect, Motor Trend's TV show did a van shootout last week and the Honda won. It's a redesign from the years that you're looking at, but if you decide to buy new for some reason, it might be worth looking up. The Toyota was not in the top four out of the six tested.

I don't mean to sound arrogant in saying this, but don't necessarily rule out new if a great bargain can be made. We bought our 32+K Odyssey for 23+K because the economy was down, gas prices were up (big vehicles weren't moving at all) and it was a 2008 when the 2009 had just come onto the lots. We got a moonroof, leather, etc...for $2000 more than the Chrysler dealer wanted for USED Town and Country vans that were 2 years old and with less features.

The only thing I don't like is that our previous '97 Plymouth had an absolute flat floor, whereas the Odyssey's is bumbly with seat latchpoints and uneven besides. Not an issue with seats in it, but I carry cargo and nothing slides in easy, though it'll take a sheet of plywood on the floor and some like the Hyundai and Toyota wouldn't.

Finally, wait just long enough to find out if the plave you're going to live might warrant AWD. Probably not, but you'd hate to buy a van and THEN wish you chose something different.

Consumer Reports April auto issue should be on the stands, and you can check reliability for different models at different years.

AWD is nice but.... Costs more, a little more maintenance, changes buying tires a little, poor fuel economy. But I like it.

I really had no idea Ken was considering living in a plave.

That changes everything.

I say find a nice retro volkswagen van from the 70's.