Mini Van Advice Please

January 01, 2019, 09:16 AM

mark_a

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I too was smiling in anticipation when I opened this thread. I think it is interesting what catches the forum's fancy and becomes lore...

quote:
Originally posted by .38supersig:

What kind of rims are you going to put on it?

January 01, 2019, 10:11 AM

JDHunz

We had an Odyssey when our twins were born...ran that up to 184k before trading it without any issues. Bought a Honda Pilot...nothing but problems with the vehicle and dealership.

Traded it in on a Sienna SE and it has been a fantastic vehicle. Took it on a 2k mile trip right after we got it and never regretted it. Love the room, quality, ride.

January 01, 2019, 10:40 AM

Erick85

We had a 2010 Town & Country. Hated it. It didn't hold up very well on the interior. It ran ok and got us from point a to b with no problems, but the fit and finish left something to be desired.

January 01, 2019, 10:59 AM

PASig

Don’t do it. Their ratings are nowhere near the two at the top: the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey

January 01, 2019, 11:00 AM

Suppressed

We have a 2012 Honda Odyssey with just over 200,000 miles. There was a TSB that called for the rear pistons to have new rings installed and replace the spark plugs. Honda did not charge for this even though the van was out of warranty. The only repairs I have had to do other than wear items and scheduled maintenance were alternator and axle replacements.

January 01, 2019, 11:05 AM

amc

Like everyone else said, go with the toyota or Honda. My 3rd pick would be the Kia.
I own a toyota sienna and it's been a great vehicle.

January 01, 2019, 01:53 PM

daoliver

Thank you everyone. We have decided not to get this. The odesseys are a little out of range but that may change in a few months. Thank you for the great advice.

January 01, 2019, 02:50 PM

Fredward

I had a Nissan Quest. I drove it for 180k until I gave it to my daughter at college. It was great.

January 01, 2019, 03:05 PM

Sig Sauer Kraut

quote:
Originally posted by daoliver:
Thank you everyone. We have decided not to get this. The odesseys are a little out of range but that may change in a few months. Thank you for the great advice.

What part of the country are you located? We’re toying with the idea of selling our 2016 Ody this spring. We haven’t decided yet, but we figured out that neither of us really like it.

January 01, 2019, 03:51 PM

PKFan

Chrysler trannys are notoriously bad in these things. Another vote for Sienna (just passed 14 years in our current one).

January 01, 2019, 04:16 PM

jigray3

Anecdotal evidence aside, Odyssey's are notoriously unreliable for Hondas. In fact, in Consumer Reports annual survey released lat month of half million car owners Honda slipped to 15th out of 29 brands, largely due to 2 vehicles in Honda's fleet, the Odyssey and the Clarity. The Odyssey is currently listed as one of the 10 most unreliable vehicles.

Link

Lexus and Toyota are numbers one and two. I'd buy a Sienna.

January 01, 2019, 09:15 PM

TRIO

I have a 2003 grand caravan. Over 240k mIles on the 3.3l v6. Engine and trans original. Can't get it pass inspection with check engine light, but the damn thing won't die. Keeps on chugging along.

Wife has the 2005 grand caravan, 3.8l v6... love the stow and go seats!

Cheap to buy and cheap to fix.

SIL has the Sienna. Very nice, but holy crap, every repair is pricey!

January 01, 2019, 10:28 PM

rekstrom

I will add my experience with a 2006 Odyssey, 105,000 miles over 7 years, perfect family vehicle when we had smaller kids. At the end, the timing belt blew and we had to eat that engine repair. But otherwise, great car.

Before that my wife had the chevy Astro van, not terrible but not even close to the quality of the Odyssey.

After the Odyssey, wife got an Acura MDX, the 7 passenger crossover suv. Also a great car for us. Had a couple minor things come up over 5.5 years (electric hatchback motor, and telescopic steering wheel motor both died), but all covered and repaired under warranty.

My advice: look at a Toyota Sienna in trim of your choice. Drive and enjoy.

Second choice, Honda Odyssey, but get the extended warranty.

January 01, 2019, 10:31 PM

bubbatime

When buying used, Chrysler cars have the worst residual value. Meaning you can get a much newer, lower mileage Chrysler, than the competing Honda/Toyota.

My kids beat up cars with Cheerios all over the floor, muddy soccer cleats, and generally trashed interior in no time flat. I'd MUCH rather do that to a 15K used Chrysler than a 40K Honda/Toyota.

The 2016 Town & Country is a very solid car. I have the 2017 Pacifica with the 9 speed transmission, and its been in the shop a few times for weird shifting. The 6 speed transmission in the older cars is solid and much better than the new 9 speed monstrosity.

So if you are looking for the best condition car in your (used) price range, that 2016 Town and Country should be a solid buy, and give you minimal problems.

And last I checked, the Honda Odyssey, ALL of them, uses a timing belt. So figure in a $1400 repair right at 105,000 miles that MUST be done. The Chrysler and Toyota have timing chains so they don't need this pricey repair.

January 01, 2019, 10:43 PM

sjtill

I was interested in jigray3’s comment about Consumer Reports’ reliability survey of the Odyssey, so I looked it up. The poor reliability is for the 2018 Odyssey, and almost entirely related to in-car electronics (i.e. infotainment).
Previous years, particularly 2015, are very reliable per Consumer Reports.
2018 was a new year for the Odyssey, hopefully Honda will get that under control.
By the way, unreliability of in-car electronics has been a huge hit for reliability for a number of car manufacturers in the last year or so.

January 02, 2019, 12:47 AM

heisrizn

Pacifica

January 02, 2019, 10:32 AM

PASig

quote:
Originally posted by sjtill:
I was interested in jigray3’s comment about Consumer Reports’ reliability survey of the Odyssey, so I looked it up. The poor reliability is for the 2018 Odyssey, and almost entirely related to in-car electronics (i.e. infotainment).
Previous years, particularly 2015, are very reliable per Consumer Reports.
2018 was a new year for the Odyssey, hopefully Honda will get that under control.
By the way, unreliability of in-car electronics has been a huge hit for reliability for a number of car manufacturers in the last year or so.

My wife's uncle works for Honda (Acura actually to be specific) in Ohio and one of his perks is a new Honda every other year. They have a 2018 Odyssey and that thing is SO loaded with all sorts of electronic sensors and radar and screens and gizmos it doesn't surprise me at all.

He told me that Honda is on a phased plan for their vehicles and the 2018 Odyssey is considered Phase 2, and he lets go of the steering wheel for a good 25-30 seconds while on the highway and the van basically starts driving itself, them prompts him to grab the wheel again. He says Phase 5 is completely self-driving Hondas.

January 02, 2019, 07:33 PM

wrightd

my observation is minivans are not as durable as suvs in general. i drove one for over a decade when my offsprung were young, and it was not good with all sorts of little problems. I don't know why minivans aren't better built. But when they're working, you can't beat the convenience of a minivan, even more convenient than an SUV.

January 02, 2019, 07:52 PM

PowerSurge

quote:
Originally posted by bubbatime:
When buying used, Chrysler cars have the worst residual value. Meaning you can get a much newer, lower mileage Chrysler, than the competing Honda/Toyota.

My kids beat up cars with Cheerios all over the floor, muddy soccer cleats, and generally trashed interior in no time flat. I'd MUCH rather do that to a 15K used Chrysler than a 40K Honda/Toyota.

The 2016 Town & Country is a very solid car. I have the 2017 Pacifica with the 9 speed transmission, and its been in the shop a few times for weird shifting. The 6 speed transmission in the older cars is solid and much better than the new 9 speed monstrosity.

So if you are looking for the best condition car in your (used) price range, that 2016 Town and Country should be a solid buy, and give you minimal problems.

And last I checked, the Honda Odyssey, ALL of them, uses a timing belt. So figure in a $1400 repair right at 105,000 miles that MUST be done. The Chrysler and Toyota have timing chains so they don't need this pricey repair.

It only costs half that to have a timing belt put on an Odyssey. And it’s not a “repair”, it’s maintenance.

Btw, FCA makes nothing that is “solid”. They are some of the lowest quality vehicles you can buy.