A dealer I know took in a 2007 one owner RT Ridgeline with about 115k miles. Talked with the salesman. Which I know and is a good honest guy. He looked it over as they just got when I found out and called. He provided a couple of vids and got the inspection report from the shop and got me the carfax. Good service history. Not horribly beat up. I would not call it a cosmetic gem. The factory wheels are pretty rusted and the finish is rough on them. The undercarriage is good. No heavy rust. Runs like a clock. Cannot hardly hear the engine run. Shifts smoothly. No front end vibration at hiway speed.
The dealer put new front brakes and rotors on. Had a new timing belt about 10k miles ago. Glass all good. AC and heat blow cold and hot. Has a nice Kenwood stereo. Has Michelin tires that maybe have 10k miles on them.

I guess I am a new owner.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: old rugged cross,

I have no minivan but my brother and parents both of Toyota's and like them. My parents is likely from the age your looking at. It's been very reliable for them.

I fit in Sienna. I like the Toyota design.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
So now I find myself in a situation where I am in need of a serviceable and affordable van... in heavy winter weather.

A 4.3L Astro with all wheel drive?

If you are familiar with doing repairs yourself, you already have knowledge of maintenance requirements. The parts will be something you can find and afford.

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

My wife had a 2006 Odyssey EXL for 10 years and it was trouble-free. Additionally, the V6 engine had plenty of power and the turning radius was incredible for a vehicle of that size. Much to her chagrin, I used it for Lowes and Home Depot trips on occassion. (with the seats removed, I could fit sheets of plywood, sheetrock and all sorts of other materials in the back).

We sold the vehicle with 108K miles for $8,000.

If you do a lot of winter driving and want AWD - the Sienna may be a better choice.

My brother has a '09 Odyssey that has approximately 225,000 trouble free miles.

Sorry, Toyota fanboy here. You just can't kill them.

Short story, we were in a terrible accident in our Sienna in ‘01, and it saved our lives. We purchased an Odyssey with the insurance money. We liked it a lot since it was larger and had auto doors, etc, but the road noise was terrible. The stock tires and/or suspension made it unsatisfactorily loud.

We like both Toyota and Honda vehicles, but it was such a letdown Honda dropped the ball. However, we went from that to a first gen Pilot. We really loved that.

I have no idea how these late gen minivans are, but I bet they are comparable to wear brand loyalty wins out.

I dont know how either would fair in heavy snow. Not so much a traction issue but these vans have limited ground clearence. The wheel walls will fill with hard frozen yuck so you'll be chipping that away often. My Sienna seems a fairly heavy vehicle for its size. I have life long experience driving various vehicles in snow, just not with a mini van. I wouldn't want to loose control of one in slippery weather. Both makes are good vans and I have drivin both as transportation and work. They are versatile buggys and comparable. Consider the ground clearence.

Used to own a Sienna that we bought w 43,000 miles on it and it was rock solid for the 90,000 miles that we owned it.

Mid 2000s...Sienna would probably be the better choice. Odysseys of that era are known to have transmissions that were not the most reliable as the vehicle aged, regardless of the amounts of mileage accrued. I remember that there were certain years where the sliding 'barn' doors had greater numbers of function and reliability issues than others, though I don't recall exactly which model years those were but there was a lot of complaining in the early 2010s from owners of used Odysseys, which might be an indicator that it was vans sold during the 2000s that were the main culprits.

However older Siennas had their own issues to watch out for. The worst would be oil leaks have become a thing with these vans as the engine ages. It can range from slow, nagging leakages to sudden catastrophic system failures that happen without any advance warning. With any older vehicle it's always advisable to have a PPI done. Fifteenish years is plenty of time and miles to run any normally high usage vehicle like a minivan into the ground, especially if it's not well taken care of during any significant period during its operational life.

I have a buddy who bought a late 2000s Sienna a couple of years ago, chosen primarily because he was of the belief that "Toyotas are bulletproof". Never did say if he had a PPI done before he bought it; probably didn't want confess that he didn't. Within months he had various electrical gremlins come to light (fix: new wiring harnesses, though it didn't solve everything). Consecutive O2 sensor failures in quick succession. Weird 'clunking' sound cropping up in the drivetrain (diagnosis: needed bushings and various suspension bits; at least that's all he told me about. Personally I thought it sounded far worse than just a set of new bushings would fix). Based on what his wife said later on, there were likely a LOT of other issues as well. He kept it for less than a year, then wound up trading it in for a newer Toyota SUV somethingorother. More than likely his Sienna was not one that was taken care of during its previous life.

My memory could be wrong, but I think toyota's had an option for all wheel drive, so I would lean toward that. We had an 05 Odyssey and I can honestly say, it was the absolute worst vehicle in the snow. I say this having put on Blizzaks every year also. Slight driveway incline to the garage would drive that vehicle nuts.

thank you guys all good info. I have also found a early Honda Ridgeline with Low miles. It maybe be a lot better option for me with the snow and ice driving. Thoughts on an early Ridgeline?

I am going to miss my Vans though.

Good friend is on his second Ridgeline, loves them. Male nurse, so he HAS to be at work on time.

My SIL has the Sienna. Very luxurious for being a van. She is constantly in the garage with it. I couldn't afford those repair bills! Legendary reliability?

Get the Ridgeline. I bought my 08 new and never intended to keep it this long but there is nothing I'd rather drive, and it's long since paid for.

It has been bulletproof at 60k miles and is wonderful in the 6-7" snows we typically get. Very surefooted just get in it and go. I've towed a 5000 lb boat and it did ok but that was pushing it. I tow an aluminum boat, approx 2,000lbs like it's not there.

My wife drives a 2015 awd Toyota Sienna and it's troublefree as well.

working on the Ridgeline now. So we'll see. Any rust issue on the early models. 2006,07.?

Are they 4wd or awd. I am assuming awd hence no low range?

Thanks guys for the input on them.

on my fourth Oddy

You can't go wrong with toyota or Honda. I prefer the feel and design of the Sienna myself. We have a 2011 and it's be great.

Mine has been garage kept and driven mostly in southern Indiana so not much salt on the roads. Zero rust on mine although the aftermarket trailer hitch is showing some surface rust.

All wheel drive.