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Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans - READ ONLY

7485 messages,  Last post on Mar 23, 2008 at 7:43 AM

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

#7409 of 7485 Re: Confused about which Van to get [cheapdad000] by hansienna Mar 05, 2008 (12:18 pm)
Replying to: cheapdad000 (Mar 05, 2008 9:59 am) BUY the Odyssey if you need seating for 8 on occasion but want easy access to 3rd row most of the time. The "Plus 1" middle seat of Odyssey 2nd row is easily removed while any 2nd row seat of a Sienna is HARD to remove and replace. The 2nd row seats of the Sienna 8 passenger do NOT have armrests.   However, are you buying the vehicle for your OWN comfort or for the ability to take the 8th person on occasion? Replies to this message: cheapdad000 (Mar 05, 2008 7:12 pm) maryh3 (Mar 07, 2008 4:25 pm)
#7410 of 7485 Re: Confused about which Van to get [cheapdad000] by artgpo Mar 05, 2008 (2:13 pm)
Replying to: cheapdad000 (Mar 05, 2008 9:59 am) I am about the same height as you although not a football player build....a football maybe but not a player. My car is a 2006 Odyssey. I am like a NASCAR driver in that I like to sit close to the wheel. We have taken many long trips in this van with no problem in the leg room area. My son is 6'4" and seems to have plenty of room when driving the Odyssey. However, when he and his wife decided to buy their own minivan they chose a 2008 Sienna XLE. My son claims no discomfort. I prefer the Honda but his Sienna is VERY nice as well.
#7411 of 7485 Re: Confused about which Van to get [hansienna] by cheapdad000 Mar 05, 2008 (7:12 pm)
Replying to: hansienna (Mar 05, 2008 12:18 pm) However, are you buying the vehicle for your OWN comfort or for the ability to take the 8th person on occasion?   Now that is the million dollar question (or $30K one at least). Next stop will be to go to local Carmax and have them line up the leading contenders side by side and move from one to the next to see about fit (should be able to take care off all (or equivalent body style) but the 08 T&C).
#7412 of 7485 Re: Work horse [hansienna] by maryh3 Mar 07, 2008 (3:32 pm)
Replying to: hansienna (Mar 02, 2008 7:58 am) Our daughter's 1999 GC SE is running well at 107,000 miles and my sister's 2001 Ody EX is also running well at 88,000 miles. Both have had a few minor repairs.    Based on family experience, the Grand Caravan and the Odyssey are very reliable.   I always do my own research so I asked my 3 friends who bought the Odyssey in 2000 when I bought my Chrysler how their vans were holding up. It doesn't look too good. One has 105,000 and has not had transmission problems. Another had hers replaced in the 80K range through the recall (I did not ask if she had to pay anything) and the transmission went again at 135K. She fixed it again because she can't afford another van right now. The third friend had the transmission go at about 90K. I was replaced for free by Honda. She then traded it in for an 07 Odyssey. Now she has discovered that her 99 Accord's transmission is going with less than 90K on it. I told her that her 07 Odyssey should be better because they redid the transmission placing the heavier Pilot transmission in it. I hope I am right because she is having some health issues and I'd hate to see her have problems again.   I would avoid used Odysseys. What I can't decide is how many miles people should get out of a transmission? What is considered the norm before a transmission is considered to be poorly designed? Replies to this message: bobber1 (Mar 07, 2008 6:06 pm) dennisctc (Mar 08, 2008 3:13 pm) thegraduate (Mar 08, 2008 10:26 pm) srs_49 (Mar 14, 2008 2:36 am) and 1 more... hansienna (Mar 07, 2008 6:49 pm)
#7413 of 7485 Re: Confused about which Van to get [hansienna] by maryh3 Mar 07, 2008 (4:25 pm)
Replying to: hansienna (Mar 05, 2008 12:18 pm) The 2nd row seats of the Sienna 8 passenger do NOT have armrests.     I don't know if this is necessarily bad because most of what will be sitting in the center row will be a child in a car seat which usually already have arm rests. I think the comfort of the center seat should be the deciding factor between the 2.
#7414 of 7485 Re: Work horse [maryh3] by bobber1 Mar 07, 2008 (6:06 pm)
Replying to: maryh3 (Mar 07, 2008 3:32 pm) I think anything past 100,000 is gravy for any make on transmissions. Everybody can tell you a story about a vehicle that has 300,000 mile with no problem, but statistically every make also going to have an increasing percentage of cars that has problems.   Honda has a well documented problem with the 99 to 04 models. Those models seem to be 95% of the complaints you see on this site. I haven't seen many problems from 05 to 08's but they also have less miles on them. Still a lot of those are well into the range when the previous model was showing problems.    Chryslers warrantee is good, but they haven't had a good history with transmissions either and there are some strings attached. It's a crap shoot anyway you cut it. Replies to this message: dennisctc (Mar 08, 2008 3:13 pm) thegraduate (Mar 08, 2008 10:26 pm) srs_49 (Mar 14, 2008 2:36 am) maryh3 (Mar 15, 2008 6:37 am)
#7415 of 7485 Re: Odyssey transmission failures [maryh3] by hansienna Mar 07, 2008 (6:49 pm)
Replying to: maryh3 (Mar 07, 2008 3:32 pm) The many Odyssey transmission failures are ignored by CR in their April 2008 issue.
#7416 of 7485 Re: Work horse [bobber1] by dennisctc Mar 08, 2008 (3:13 pm)
Replying to: bobber1 (Mar 07, 2008 6:06 pm) I think anything past 100,000 is gravy for any make on transmissions. Everybody can tell you a story about a vehicle that has 300,000 mile with no problem, but statistically every make also going to have an increasing percentage of cars that has problems.   180,000 trouble free miles on my 1983 Cavalier....5 spd manual!! Replies to this message: thegraduate (Mar 08, 2008 10:26 pm) srs_49 (Mar 14, 2008 2:36 am) maryh3 (Mar 15, 2008 6:37 am)
#7417 of 7485 Re: Work horse [dennisctc] by thegraduate Mar 08, 2008 (10:26 pm)
Replying to: dennisctc (Mar 08, 2008 3:13 pm) 180,000 miles on my 1996 Accord automatic, tranny serviced twice in its life, driven in rush hour for 12 years. So?   Back to vans???
#7418 of 7485 Edmunds choice is Odyssey by artgpo Mar 13, 2008 (4:50 pm)
Read http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=125009 to see the Edmunds evaluation of the Odyssey VS a pair of SUVs. Point is Edmund's calls the Odyssey the benchmark for minivans. Replies to this message: shipo (Mar 13, 2008 6:55 pm) hansienna (Mar 14, 2008 6:46 am) artgpo (Mar 15, 2008 5:20 am) artgpo (Mar 15, 2008 5:30 am) and 33 more...

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