Ottakee Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 We are looking seriously at a new to us mini van. :auto: Today I looked at a 2008 Honda Odessey. They come with 12 months, 12,000 mile 100% warranty and then the balance of the factory 7 year, 100,000 mile one. QUestion is---do I want leather or cloth? The cloth is cheaper with about 12,000 less on it but the leather is cool. Do I want the cooler tan color with more miles or the white one (we are rural with dirt roads) one with 12,000 less miles for about the same price? Another option that just popped up is the Hyuandai Entourage, 30,000 miles for $17,000 miles--cloth though I think. It is a lot less money though than the Hondas. Help me decide. I have money and will pay cash with no trade in and can buy tomorrow but dont' have to buy for a few months yet. My old van is dying and falling apart---I literally have a 2x4 and construction foam in one spot and another spot that lets dirt/mud in when it rains :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I vote for less miles. I drove nearly 28,000 miles this year. :confused: I would want as low mileage as possible. I keep leather seats in the car on my wish list that also includes an inground pool, more money, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I have an 06 Honda Odessey with leather and captain chairs. I would never buy cloth seats with kids. Leather is so much easier and they have held up well with car seats on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeFe Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I think it would depend on how much less the one with cloth cost. I have a 2007 Odyssey with leather. Best van we've ever had. Absolutely love it. This is the first car I've had with leather and it would be hard to go back to cloth but if there was a fairly significant price difference I'd consider the cloth. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) --- Edited November 10, 2021 by prairiewindmomma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Leather is sooo much easier to clean up, so keep that in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Leather is sooo much easier to clean up, so keep that in mind. I agree. I went for cloth before and some stains and smells just don't clean up. I bought leather the next time and am loving it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I hate leather. It's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Your arse slides around in the seat when you drive, unless it's summer and you're stuck to it. We have leather in our Odyssey, though, because somehow leather was inextricably linked to both heated seats and the eco engine....?? I do love all other aspects of the Odyssey, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 We are looking seriously at a new to us mini van. :auto: Today I looked at a 2008 Honda Odessey. They come with 12 months, 12,000 mile 100% warranty and then the balance of the factory 7 year, 100,000 mile one. QUestion is---do I want leather or cloth? The cloth is cheaper with about 12,000 less on it but the leather is cool. Do I want the cooler tan color with more miles or the white one (we are rural with dirt roads) one with 12,000 less miles for about the same price? Another option that just popped up is the Hyuandai Entourage, 30,000 miles for $17,000 miles--cloth though I think. It is a lot less money though than the Hondas. Help me decide. I have money and will pay cash with no trade in and can buy tomorrow but dont' have to buy for a few months yet. My old van is dying and falling apart---I literally have a 2x4 and construction foam in one spot and another spot that lets dirt/mud in when it rains :-) I love leather. We had clothe interior in our last car for the first time in quite a while. Hated it after having leather. I would do all I could to keep leather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I hate leather. It's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Your arse slides around in the seat when you drive, unless it's summer and you're stuck to it. . I hate the leather too, for all the reasons you've listed, especially sticking to it in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in NC Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I love my Odyssey. I have a 1997 with 180,000 miles on it. I am so glad I invested in a good van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 My friend voted for cloth until she found out that the sunroof ONLY came with the leather and then she switched her vote. If the cloth was a dark gray I might go with that but light tan cloth I am afraid would get really dirty really fast. Still thinking if I want to get the tan one or wait for one with a bit lower miles but then just get the pick of whatever color it comes in as. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I have an 06 Honda Odessey with leather and captain chairs. I would never buy cloth seats with kids. Leather is so much easier and they have held up well with car seats on them. :iagree:Leather works better with kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missiemick Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I hate leather. It's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Your arse slides around in the seat when you drive, unless it's summer and you're stuck to it. :iagree: Plus it rips. I don't think I would ever choose leather on purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I would never buy cloth seats with kids. Leather is so much easier and they have held up well with car seats on them. :iagree: We have an '03 and love the leather. Worth the $ imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I have had both. My 2005 Odyssey was totaled by an idiot (i.e. not myself, though some may disagree). That one was cloth with an aftermarket installed dvd player. The replacement was a 2007 leather-interior and Honda dvd player. Guess which one I like better. I love having leather seats. They are so much easier to keep clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I hate leather. It's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Your arse slides around in the seat when you drive, unless it's summer and you're stuck to it. We have leather in our Odyssey, though, because somehow leather was inextricably linked to both heated seats and the eco engine....?? I do love all other aspects of the Odyssey, though. I disagree...except with the sticking to it in the summer part. The heated seats are wonderful in the winter. I don't like getting in and out of a car with wooly-type clothes in the winter and sticking like velcro to the cloth and coming out all static-y from the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 The cloth vs. leather debate must rank right up there with the "which math program is best?" question. We have leather in 2 vehicles now and cloth in 2 and honestly, either one is fine but the leather would be easier to clean. Now the debate is do I go in today for the tan (mocha metallic or some fancy name like that) one or do I wait until next week and see the white one with tan leather that has less miles---but my brother has first dibs on that one. Hmmm---better color with more miles or white with less miles???? I did think though today as I picked up 4 extra kids for VBS in rainy weather on a dirt road with dirt driveway that right now I dont' have to worry at all about muddy feet, etc. in my van. I can haul several bales of hay in it, 600# of grain, chairs, and all matter of stuff........but on the flip side, I don't think I could trust it for trips more than an hour or so away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Leather and tan car. Sure, there's mileage to consider, but there's a lot to be said for the ability to hide and remove dirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 I am trying to balance two practical sides here: 1. Tan will hide dirt and the leather is easier to clean 2. The white with leather has less miles If the tan wins out, we might go buy it this afternoon. One thing urging us on a bit quicker is that we know a family that sends their kids to AWANA (mom herself was in my AWANA group years ago) that right now doesn't have a vehicle. We plan to give them our old mini van once we get a new one. It might last 1 week or 5 years, we just don't know so we wouldnt' feel good selling it but they might be able to use it for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I have tan cloth seats in my 98 Sienna minivan. They have held up well, but I am PICKY about what food is in the car (water to drink, and bite-size non goopy food). This van made it through most of dc childhood! And tan is the color of dirt, and that is why I turned down the gray (light) seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I have an 06 Honda Odessey with leather and captain chairs. I would never buy cloth seats with kids. Leather is so much easier and they have held up well with car seats on them. I think just the opposite! We had a leather chair in the house that they somehow mangled and poked holes in. I can easily clean my cloth seats in my 2006 Odyssey with a warm, soapy cloth, or Little Green Steam Machine if you have one. Dh has leather seats in his car and when I'm wearing shorts my thighs stick to the seats and that drives me batty! So, my vote is for cloth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Jo Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Another vote for leather if you can....but not white. I don't think a white interior would clean very well. We have leather in both our trucks (99 Ford F150 and 02 Suburban.) Both are tan. Both have held up VERY well...and I haul some stuff in my Suburban. I also vote for a Honda...my dd drives a Honda. She has put 36,000+ miles on her car the first year she had it. Has been in a fender bender (rear-ended - car that hit her drove off :001_huh:) and we could not find one bit of damage to her car....and she was hit hard. Same with my parents. They were hit from behind in their Honda...other car was totaled, theirs had about $2,000 in damage. They were the much smaller car. I'm seriously thinking about a Honda Odessey when we get rid of the Suburban. Just our experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 Well, the Mocha with leather won out and it is now sitting in my garage. I went back to the dealership with my dh and my brother (who has researched these things to death--but is waiting for a blue one to come in :-)) so I knew I would be coming home with one. My dh is a mechanic and was very impressed with what he saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Happy Driving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Well, the Mocha with leather won out and it is now sitting in my garage. I went back to the dealership with my dh and my brother (who has researched these things to death--but is waiting for a blue one to come in :-)) so I knew I would be coming home with one. My dh is a mechanic and was very impressed with what he saw. Congrats! I think you'll love it. And since you're not installing car seats in it I'd have picked the leather too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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