Nestof3 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Thoughts comparing EX-L and XL-E Odyssey has better sound sound system with 2GB storage for CDs and ability to upload iphone songs Sienna has more horse-power and nicer ride. I loved the pep of the 2007 Odyssey -- not sure why they changed it. Odyssey has much nicer leather and the seats are nicer. Sienna's dashboard and such seem very cheap. Sienna air conditioner seems colder Honestly, we are not thrilled with either considering we will have to go back into debt and pay out $13,000. I want to really love the van. I really do want a minivan -- love the room and extra seating for grandparents. I am surprised by how many people favored the Sienna. I wanted to love it, but the interior is just so much nicer in the Odyssey and the sound system/music options are such a plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 It just does not seem right that you have to go into debt to replace a vehicle that was totaled by no fault of your own. *stomp* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hmmm....It seems to me that what you're looking for in a vehicle might not be a priority for others here. For example, the sound system wouldn't be important to me at all. As long as I can hear music, I'm okay. :) I was one in favor of a Sienna, but I do have the stripped down model. We only buy cars with cloth seats because leather gets too hot and cracks in the desert. We don't much care about dashboards either, because again, they crack in the heat eventually. My dh and I are definitely not car people. As long as it is reliable and has a/c (which you said the Sienna seemed cooler, hurray!) we're good to go. My last 3 vehicles have been Toyota brands. Before that, I owned 2 Hondas. When we were able to have 2 vehicles, dh had Ford trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 There are so many SUVs now that seat 6 or 7...you might want to consider that category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Have you looked at the Honda Pilot? It seems very versatile for a family who doesn't need all the seating *all* the time. (Keep in mind, I have no idea what I'm talking about. I drive a 15 passy because it was CHEAP compared to the other "family of 8" people movers...but I have a friend who drives a Pilot and it makes me drool. :drool5: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hmmm....It seems to me that what you're looking for in a vehicle might not be a priority for others here. For example, the sound system wouldn't be important to me at all. As long as I can hear music, I'm okay. :) I was one in favor of a Sienna, but I do have the stripped down model. We only buy cars with cloth seats because leather gets too hot and cracks in the desert. We don't much care about dashboards either, because again, they crack in the heat eventually. My dh and I are definitely not car people. As long as it is reliable and has a/c (which you said the Sienna seemed cooler, hurray!) we're good to go. My last 3 vehicles have been Toyota brands. Before that, I owned 2 Hondas. When we were able to have 2 vehicles, dh had Ford trucks. We feel the same way. Couldn't care a bit about the sound system and will only have cloth seats because leather is tooo hot in the summer. Everyone is different in what they are looking for in a car. It's hard when you have to spend so much money and you aren't falling in love with anything. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Kia makes a good minivan that is less expensive than the Honda and Toyota ones. We were between the Honda and Toyota last time and went with the Toyota, mostly because in that model year (2006), the 8th seat was only available in Honda's top trim line, and we were looking for a middle trimline (we have a 8 seater Toyota in the middle model). But like someone else said here, things like leather seats and sound system are not big factors for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 We test drove the Sienna and the Odyssey and also the Kia Sedona and ended up with the Kia because we didn't feel either the Toyata or the Honda was worth thousands more, all 3 tested very close in safety ratings last year, and I was sick of the attitudes of the Honda and Toyata sales people :glare:. I don't mind a stripped down vehicle at all though and almost prefer it after having to fix some high end extras in other vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 I know. Leather seats aren't exactly my preference either. I am not as into the music side of it either, but my husband loves music. I did like the option of burning discs to the memory and also from a usb hookup. It would be great for audio books as well. Our other Odyssey was an EX model, and it was great, but we did add an iphone hookup to listen to our music easily. We are looking at a 2008 EXL model Odyssey tomorrow from a private owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea1 Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Hmmm....It seems to me that what you're looking for in a vehicle might not be a priority for others here. For example, the sound system wouldn't be important to me at all. As long as I can hear music, I'm okay. :) I was one in favor of a Sienna, but I do have the stripped down model. We only buy cars with cloth seats because leather gets too hot and cracks in the desert. We don't much care about dashboards either, because again, they crack in the heat eventually. My dh and I are definitely not car people. As long as it is reliable and has a/c (which you said the Sienna seemed cooler, hurray!) we're good to go. My last 3 vehicles have been Toyota brands. Before that, I owned 2 Hondas. When we were able to have 2 vehicles, dh had Ford trucks. Yes, different priorities. I don't care about the sound system, as long as I can hear the radio/CD's. We are not car people here either. Our other car is a Honda Accord:). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 Yes, different priorities. I don't care about the sound system, as long as I can hear the radio/CD's. We are not car people here either. Our other car is a Honda Accord:). I just wondered how well the dashboard held up to the sun because it seemed more delicate than our Odyssey's. We had it for five years and the dashboard was just as nice as it was the day we bought it and it was not garaged. Of course this was the XL-E model. Perhaps it is different in a different model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stayseeliz Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 We have an Odyssey and we love it. It's a warhorse. There have been a few glitchy things but overall we've been very happy. It has a TON of cargo space and I feel safe in it. We'll look at the Sienna when it's time to buy something new but if the Sienna doesn't have as much cargo space I won't consider it a real option. My sister has a fun SUV/wagon but it doesn't have anywhere near the space our minivan does. Check for minivans used. We bought ours used with only 38k miles on it for half what a Honda or Toyota minivan would cost new! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari C in SC Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Kia makes a good minivan that is less expensive than the Honda and Toyota ones. We were between the Honda and Toyota last time and went with the Toyota, mostly because in that model year (2006), the 8th seat was only available in Honda's top trim line, and we were looking for a middle trimline (we have a 8 seater Toyota in the middle model). But like someone else said here, things like leather seats and sound system are not big factors for us. I love my kia. Everytime an adult rides in the back, they rave about the space. I tried out others, but am very happy I chose my kia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Our 2000 Sienna has over 200k on it and never a 'repair' just replacing hoses/belts, maintenance stuff...rear brakes lasted 200k miles! When I look at what is on the road I still see Toyota Previas (precursor to Sienna) but not many late model Odysseys...we buy a car and keep it forever...our Prius was just rear ended badly, the car that hit me on the interstate had to be towed, I drove away only with scratches on my bumper, it may look cheap..but boy is made solid... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope in God Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Our 2000 Sienna has over 200k on it and never a 'repair' just replacing hoses/belts, maintenance stuff...rear brakes lasted 200k miles! When I look at what is on the road I still see Toyota Previas (precursor to Sienna) but not many late model Odysseys...we buy a car and keep it forever...our Prius was just rear ended badly, the car that hit me on the interstate had to be towed, I drove away only with scratches on my bumper, it may look cheap..but boy is made solid... We have a Sienna XLE and ours has over 200K as well. It is true, we only ever do regular maintenence on our van. Nothing breaks. We had a Caravan before this and oh boy! All we did on the Caravan were repairs- constantly. Our van has a excellent sound system and really, it mostly anoyes me because the bass is so...there. I feel like the whole van shakes when I turn it up a touch and when one is trying to listen to the Jungle Book audio book it can be rather overwhelming (and yes, I have the bass turned way down in the mixer). Everyone is different though. The feature that I would never want to live without are the leather seats. I shudder to think what cloth seats would look like after all the catastrophes that seem to happen with my crew (if they spill, you wipe it. If they throw up, you wipe it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Hubby drove an 2006 Oddy for over 100,000 miles and the only problem was a sliding door he opened on The Worlds Steepest Driveway, and it flew back and needed new rollers. Other than that, the interior stayed nice (a miracle if you saw my fellas), it drove like "a couch", and never gave us a single hiccup. We bought it for near 30K and sold it for 12K when it was 6 years old. We downsized when we discovered that once the kids we knew were in grade school, the group outings to the river or beach, etc stopped, and we no longer needed to haul people. :001_huh: Was a nice way to carry 3 grown ups, 4 kids, a roof rack of bikes and a dog, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarfoot Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Well, I am, admittedly, a car person. I drive a 2006 Odyssey with all the trimmings. I won't buy a Sienna for exactly the reasons you stated. My van is approaching 100,000 miles, and knock-on-wood, still going strong. When it finally gives out, though, we'll likely go with a Nissan Quest, loaded. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 We opted for a Nissan Quest when we were looking 6 years ago. We've been very happy with our decision - just to throw another one out there :) When we looked it seemed like it had more interior space than the Odyssey and was definitely cheaper than the Sienna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 As nice as the Odyssey seems, I'd go for the smoother ride. I am a nervous nelly when it comes to how my vehicle drives. My current car just drives like something isn't right. My DH has checked the air in the tires and even had them balanced for me. Our mechanic says the car is in great shape. So it's just me. And every single time I get into that car, I wonder if today is the day it's going to break down. It's not cool to have no confidence in your car. And I'm a Honda lover. I've owned 3 Odysseys, 1 older model that was like an Accord and two of the regular vans like they have now. Except for the Odyssey that never recovered from being sandwiched between two Ford 150 trucks, I loved my Odysseys. The only other van I ever drove was a Town and Country and it was just an okay car. It did the job of a rental car but I wasn't impressed with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBanjoClown Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 We just got a 2007 Odyssey and we love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 My other concern is with the number of 2007 Odysseys whose transmissions went out at anywhere from 40,000-100,000 miles. We owned a 2007, and I'm not sure I would get one again because Honda has done nothing for the people whose transmissions did go out. It's all so confusing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 My friend had this happen to hers! If that were even a concern, that car would be off the table for me. You can get a little $20 plug from Amazon that will allow you to play your itunes (from an ipod or phone with itunes on it) through your stereo system. I have friends with 1999 Toyota Sienna minivans that are still going with only regular maintenance. I do like Hondas, but even a hint of issues during those years and after what my friend went through, I would opt for the Sienna. Dawn My other concern is with the number of 2007 Odysseys whose transmissions went out at anywhere from 40,000-100,000 miles. We owned a 2007, and I'm not sure I would get one again because Honda has done nothing for the people whose transmissions did go out. It's all so confusing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 We have an '01 Odyssey which we love, but we've had some expensive repairs this year at 155k miles, $1000 total, although not much before that (we've had it 5 yrs). We did have our transmission replaced early on but it was covered under a recall and we didn't pay anything for it. I'm not sure what we will go for next time, we were pretty torn between the Sienna and the Odyssey but I had a Civic before and it made us such Honda lovers. To me it is just so comfortable and our Civic was incredibly reliable even when it was older. We'll definitely be checking harder into repair history next time though. I thought the transmission issues were exclusive to the older models and had been resolved for awhile. My dad also had an older Toyota and it was awesome and drove forever though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Have you looked at a cross-over vehicle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 Thanks, ladies! We went with the Sienna EX-L. Love it! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Thanks, ladies! We went with the Sienna EX-L. Love it! :D Hope it turns out to be a great fit for you. You might be answering my questions one day when we are looking to replace our Odyssey!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I just wondered how well the dashboard held up to the sun because it seemed more delicate than our Odyssey's. We had it for five years and the dashboard was just as nice as it was the day we bought it and it was not garaged. Of course this was the XL-E model. Perhaps it is different in a different model. Our Sienna is nearly 13 years old. The dash looks as new as the day we got it. We have 90+ in the summer and below zero in the winter. It is garaged about half the time when we are home - but obviously not when we are out. I don't baby this car - I am too busy being a parent. The engine has been fabulous. We are just now having to fix minor things - like door handles that can't take my teens who don't know their own strength. The sound system sounded great when we first got it, but needs some tweaking now. We just turned the base down a little and my audiophile boys find it acceptable. We have cloth seats. I could never have leather - too hot in the summer and unbearably cold in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 Hope it turns out to be a great fit for you. You might be answering my questions one day when we are looking to replace our Odyssey!:D Thank you! I'll be here. :D Our Sienna is nearly 13 years old. The dash looks as new as the day we got it. We have 90+ in the summer and below zero in the winter. It is garaged about half the time when we are home - but obviously not when we are out. I don't baby this car - I am too busy being a parent. The engine has been fabulous. We are just now having to fix minor things - like door handles that can't take my teens who don't know their own strength. The sound system sounded great when we first got it, but needs some tweaking now. We just turned the base down a little and my audiophile boys find it acceptable. We have cloth seats. I could never have leather - too hot in the summer and unbearably cold in the winter. Thank you. Every positive story makes me feel better about our purchase. It really does seem like a fantastic vehicle. I think I may have been too emotional about our Odyssey at the time. Toyota has a great 0% APR for 4 years or 0.9% for 6 years offer going on right now, and our sales person was very new and very pleasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pemberley Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I haven't read all of the responses, but I can tell you this... We looked at both Honda and Toyota for a minivan, and we chose Honda (not the newer version) and here's why (for us)...the Sienna has "tracks" on the floor that allow the seats to move easily. In our family of small children, crumbs are inevitable when driving and I figured crumbs would get lodged in that track system and make it inoperable. We avoided SUVs b/c small children may not always know how to gently open a door while in a parking lot and I was afraid they would open their door into the car next to us. Hope it helps!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Thank you! I'll be here. :D Toyota has a great 0% APR for 4 years or 0.9% for 6 years offer going on right now, and our sales person was very new and very pleasant. The biggest downside is that people love it so much that there aren't many in the used market! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I love my Odyssey. Never really liked driving my mom's Sienna much. It doesn't seem as comfortable to me. But I haven't been in the newer models of either. Mine's a 2006, my mom's is a 2003. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 The biggest downside is that people love it so much that there aren't many in the used market! Yes, we saw far more used Odysseys for sale. I wonder if it has anything to do with all the transmission problems they've had for the last 8 years. ??? I love my Odyssey. Never really liked driving my mom's Sienna much. It doesn't seem as comfortable to me. But I haven't been in the newer models of either. Mine's a 2006, my mom's is a 2003. I loved the feel of our 2007. The new ones are very sluggish and not sporty feeling like the one you have. We chose the Odyssey in 2007 over the Sienna for that very reason. The new Siennas drive like a dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Yes, we saw far more used Odysseys for sale. I wonder if it has anything to do with all the transmission problems they've had for the last 8 years. ??? I loved the feel of our 2007. The new ones are very sluggish and not sporty feeling like the one you have. We chose the Odyssey in 2007 over the Sienna for that very reason. The new Siennas drive like a dream. Hmmm. I guess I would go with the one that drove better. You'll get used to the interior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlylocks Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I loved the feel of our 2007. The new ones are very sluggish and not sporty feeling like the one you have. We chose the Odyssey in 2007 over the Sienna for that very reason. The new Siennas drive like a dream. :iagree: -- my friend just bought a new one. However, watch the ground clearance...it is much lower than other minivans. My friend hit a raccoon and it did $200 damage to the lower edge of the front bumper. (That $200 was JUST parts...labor not included.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Kia makes a good minivan that is less expensive than the Honda and Toyota ones. . Love, love, love our new Kia Sedona!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 It just does not seem right that you have to go into debt to replace a vehicle that was totaled by no fault of your own. *stomp* We had to do this. When you have an old car, insurance only replaces the value of the car when totalled. But you can't necessarily use that money to buy another car that will work just the same. Its part of the car being a deprecating asset thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 We had to do this.When you have an old car, insurance only replaces the value of the car when totalled. But you can't necessarily use that money to buy another car that will work just the same. Its part of the car being a deprecating asset thing. Right, but we put $500 worth of tires on in February and only received a little over $100 in compensation for them. And, we were not able to find an Odyssey anywhere near the condition ours was in for the insurance money. So, the NADA value is only accurate to a certain extent. Our interior looked, honestly, a hair away from being brand new except some normal wear on the floor mats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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