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Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans - READ ONLY

7485 messages,  Last post on Mar 23, 2008 at 8:43 AM

You are in the Honda Odyssey Forum.

What is this discussion about? Dodge Caravan, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Chrysler Voyager, Plymouth Voyager, Van

Messages Page 735 of 750

#7334 of 7485 Re: 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Limited vs 2007 Honda Odyssey EX [bhs1975] by marig0107

Jul 10, 2007 (2:12 pm)

Replying to: bhs1975 (Jul 09, 2007 8:04 pm)
A (good) dilemma:
  
Have verbally negotiated a good deal on a new Honda Odyssey, however have just recently been offered a family van (the Chrysler) for $10,000 less. Seems like a no-brainer to go the cheaper route - the Chrysler only has 27k miles on it. But I'm still a little leary about the Chrysler product's reliability over the long haul. If you were in a similar situation, would you go the new van route or save the cash and go with the 3yr old model?

 
I'd say do your homework. There are a few around here who swear by their dodge products and have themselves experienced good things with them, along with friends.
 
We've had the whole other spectrum with dodge. had a terrific car with them so we went with the caravan when van shopping. CR had them rated top of the line and we thought, why not. Well, the next year, the reliability rating in CR plummeted. We had awful experiences from the first year of owning it.
 
So check the newer issues of CR, check online reviews here for that model caravan that you are looking for. See if it is acceptable to you. Sometimes price is not the first consideration in car buying. You may end up with the more expensive deal when trying to save a few dollars.
 
Good luck and most of all, make it a fun car buying experience

#7335 of 7485 Re: Odyssey vs. Grand Caravan SXT [marig0107] by thegraduate

Jul 10, 2007 (3:31 pm)

Replying to: marig0107 (Jul 10, 2007 2:07 pm)
Didn't intend to make you paranoid. I didn't realize the Shadow had even one airbag (and it will be the one the most important person to you will use!).
 
I started in a 1996 Accord. Dual Airbags are all it has (I still drive it regularly!). No ABS has been something that's scared me only a handful of times though, and I'm turning 20 next month (got the car 50,000 miles ago in August of 2002). I'm now at 174k miles, and haven't been injured in either of my two wrecks in that car (wrecks that combined cost over $4,000 to repair - NOT MY FAULT, but still!).
 
Don't be paranoid. In a Shadow, and in the city, he won't be going too fast to do anyone too much harm, much less himself since he has an airbag.

#7336 of 7485 Re: 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Limited vs 2007 Honda Odyssey EX [bhs1975] by bobber1

Jul 10, 2007 (6:18 pm)

Replying to: bhs1975 (Jul 09, 2007 8:04 pm)
No need to calculate anything for me. If you're saving $13,000 go that route. Your family member has already taken the resale hit and that shouldn't even factor into the equation with the savings you're looking at.
 
Honda's are nice(I own one), but the Chrysler products are decent as well. Parts will be a lot cheaper to come buy than the import products and you'll be able to afford to stick some money into it with the savings you're looking at.

#7337 of 7485 Re: 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Limited vs 2007 Honda Odyssey EX [bobber1] by masterpaul1

Jul 10, 2007 (7:19 pm)

Replying to: bobber1 (Jul 10, 2007 6:18 pm)
If it checks out mechanically, I'd go with the 04 T&C. You might even be able to get an extended warrenty for peace of mind for over $1,000. We bought a used 01 DGC EX back in Sep. 03 with 37K on it. (This was a new year module.) We bought the extended bumper to bumper warrenty for three more years. (We saved $10,000 buying used.) We now have over 88K and for the most part has been very reliable. We have never been stranded or needed a tow. Under warrenty we had both front window regulators and motors changed. Front suspension sway bar, bushings and links replaced. Cargo latch changed and computer upgraded software added. Other things out of warrenty that needed to be replaced was one of the thermostate housing bolts broke off while still inside the engine. (Not sure what caused this. I backed out the bolt myself and replaced the thermostate and bolt. Only cost about $20.00) Just last week, I broke the emergency brake padle, while trying to apply it. (I will have to take it in for that to be fixed.) We will need to have the water pump replaced in the future from a very small leak that was found when the cooling system was flushed. (This I'm going to keep an eye on, because I haven't seen any leaks on the ground, before or after the flush.) The links and bushings are going to need to be replaced again in which I'm going to try and do it myself. (This is the only thing that I don't see as reliable only lasting a few years. But, it is farley easy to fix according to some here on Edmunds.) All electronics, air/heat and mechanical are working as they should. Still get about 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

#7338 of 7485 Re: 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Limited vs 2007 Honda Odyssey EX [masterpaul1] by thegraduate

Jul 10, 2007 (7:58 pm)

Replying to: masterpaul1 (Jul 10, 2007 7:19 pm)
Maybe I've been spoiled my my service from my 174k mile '96 Accord, but you've had a lot more things fixed from 37k to 88k miles than I have from 125k to 174k miles in my car. It doesn't sound particularly "high-quality" with all of those repairs... multiple suspension parts needing replaced more than once over 50k miles, power windows, thermostat, water pump, breaking a pedal(!)?
 
It's that sort of stuff that will nickel and dime a customer right into the arms of another make of car. Sure, I'm sure any manufacturer has its share of the same, but your vehicle seems particularly full of little issues to have so few miles.

#7339 of 7485 Re: Odyssey vs. Grand Caravan SXT [thegraduate] by marig0107

Jul 11, 2007 (6:39 am)

Replying to: thegraduate (Jul 10, 2007 3:31 pm)
lol...doesn't take much to make me paranoid.
 
Yep, he does have the airbag. I have never had ABS up until now. It was never a big thing because being a NYC driver, I really pump brakes. I have beeen making an effort with my new car NOT to do that, but darn if it ain't hard
 
thanx for the kind words. I do worry about him. People here drive awful...I have seen worse driving habits than any big city up north in this little town!

#7340 of 7485 Re: 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Limited vs 2007 Honda Odyssey EX [masterpaul1] by shipo

Jul 11, 2007 (6:43 am)

Replying to: masterpaul1 (Jul 10, 2007 7:19 pm)
The swaybar bushings on Gen4 vans are problematic, period, full stop, the end. Some also claim that the swaybar ends are troublesome as well although it is unclear whether that is actually the case or whether the links are being lumped in with the noise generated by worn bushings.
 
In our case, our 2003 developed the infamous "clunk" somewhere in the thirty to forty thousand mile range and we simply ignored it until about the 85,000 mile mark when it finally got annoying enough to do something about. I am an analyst by trade and as such am a fan of changing one thing at a time instead of throwing a whole bunch of parts at a problem hoping to solve it via brute force. So, ignoring the dire warnings of many experienced folks, I simply changed the bushings (I used the NAPA "Blue" bushings that cost about $11.00) and NOT the links.
 
When I admitted what I had done I was told that I'd need to go back in and replace the links as well and that I was a fool for not doing them all at the same time. Well, I'm here to say that nearly 10,000 miles later and our 2003 is still as quiet as it was the day it rolled out of the showroom.
 
In defence of the "You must change the links" folks, I've heard anecdotal reports that suggest that Chrysler used two different end link types, one primarily plastic and one primarily metal. If that is the case, then I can certainly understand why some folks are convinced that the links are needing replacement at the same time as the bushings.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#7341 of 7485 Re: 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Limited vs 2007 Honda Odyssey EX [thegraduate] by masterpaul1

Jul 11, 2007 (8:22 pm)

Replying to: thegraduate (Jul 10, 2007 7:58 pm)
Maybe I've been spoiled my my service from my 174k mile '96 Accord, but you've had a lot more things fixed from 37k to 88k miles than I have from 125k to 174k miles in my car.
 
I'm glade to hear that you have had less repairs then we have. Let me ask though, what repairs have you had done, big or small, up to 174K?
 
Also, You are comparing a car to a minivan. (Apples and oranges.) I agree, the power window motors and regulators should not have stop working around 37K. The front suspension bushings and links should have lasted longer. (These two problems are well known with this generation minivan.) The bolt for the thermostat housing breaking off inside the engine block should not have happened and I'm not even sure why it happened. (It was an easy fix and the thermostat did not need to be changed. I choose to change it since I had to take apart the thermostat housing.) The water pump being replaced is ?. Not sure what broke with the emergency brake. (Pedal or cable.) We apply it every time we park, since we've owned it. (Most people don't even use their emergency brake. So, the life expectancy is questionable.) Even with these minor repairs on our minivan, I still feel that it has been very reliable. I have heard of more costly repairs and repairs in general on later model minivans with less miles then ours on Daimlerchrysler, Honda and Toyota. Some problems that couldn't be solved or solved only after multiple visits to the dealer. Also, keep in mind, that this is a first year model. There are always going to be bugs needing to be worked out on any new model, no matter who made it.

#7342 of 7485 Re: 2004 Chrysler Town and Country Limited vs 2007 Honda Odyssey EX [masterpaul1] by thegraduate

Jul 11, 2007 (8:35 pm)

Replying to: masterpaul1 (Jul 11, 2007 8:22 pm)
I'm glade to hear that you have had less repairs then we have. Let me ask though, what repairs have you had done, big or small, up to 174K?
 
At 131k miles, I had my main cooling fan (radiator fan) replaced due to motor failure. My brake master cylinder developed a very slow leak around 155k miles - had that replaced. Most recently, I had a developing crack in my radiator, at 172k miles. While it never ran hot, it likely would have shortly had I not had the thing replaced. Both of these repairs were in the $300 range each.
 
The suspension, rear brake shoes/drums, front rotors (not pads), tranny, alternator, exhaust system, etc... are are original, from purhcase date Nov 12, 1995.
 
I certainly realize that I was comparing two very different vehicles, but it seems like things like the emergency brake (my whole immediate family uses the brake every time - I was taught it was part of driving, like putting the car in park and wearing a seatbelt. I use it regardless of where I'm parked) shouldn't break so soon.
 
I didn't intend to make a specific rally for Honda, its just that the only older vehicle I've ever owned was this Honda, and it seemed like in comparison, your Chrysler wasn't aging very well. Every make will have its share of issues. Honda had V6 transmission problems in Acura 2001-2003 3.2CL Coupes, 1999 Odysseys, 2003-2004 Accord V6s. Toyota had an infamous engine sludge problem in the 1990s, and seems to flub its most recent launches (2007 Camry V6 tranny failures, New Tundra 5.7L engine problems...).
 
It's not limited to one make, rather, just the opposite.

#7343 of 7485 Re: Comparison [dc_driver] by sarkan

Jul 20, 2007 (8:49 pm)

Replying to: dc_driver (May 01, 2006 9:01 am)
just curious, what kinda of problems did you have with your jetta? I had a series of elec, struts, back window brackets, and just recently had my speedometer and tach including the dash lights die. In like the first 2 years i had a birdshit stain my hood, air condition leak, No AM reception on my radio, and went through those crappy tires. now i'm bout to trade her in for a oddyssey. 4 years ago i was going to get 10,000 but now they offering 2,000 for trade.

Messages Page 735 of 750

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