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Minivans - Domestic or Foreign

3643 messages,  Last post on May 20, 2009 at 6:32 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Sienna, Dodge Caravan, Chevrolet Venture, Mazda MPV, Kia Sedona, Honda Odyssey, Chevrolet Uplander, Nissan Quest, Hyundai Entourage, Van

#1224 of 3643 Re: Add up the cost [st_moyer] by jipster Dec 22, 2005 (11:03 am)
Replying to: st_moyer (Dec 22, 2005 10:27 am) I'm not going to call you stange st-moyer. I use to be the same way(no...not strange) , frugal with my purchases.It is a smart approach though.   I had a 1979 Olds Cutlass Supreme I bought used(was in excellent condition)in 1990(roughly) for $1,500. Sold it 7 years later for $800. Had almost no problems. Replaced a few wear items, starter, tires, battery, brakes, exhaust...was extremely reliable.   On our new minivan purchase, we were going to buy a 3 or 4 year old vehilce. But, for 5k more than the used minivans we were looking at, we were able to buy a new 04 Mazda MPV. If it starts when you turn the key, and brings you home safely...well...everything else is just icing on the cake.   Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to ALL members and hosts of Edmunds.
#1225 of 3643 Re: Minivan test drive experience and buying [soderholmd] by artgpo Dec 22, 2005 (11:26 am)
Replying to: soderholmd (Dec 22, 2005 10:56 am) I had a 2003 Olds Silhouette, a step-sister to your Relay. The Olds rode nice and was reliable but was a poorly constructed rattle trap. Consumer Reports said about the same for the 2005 model it tested in March (I thought it was a Relay). I don't care what you pay for a van. These days a vehicle should be well constructed with good fit and finish. If Kia can do it with their 2006 Rio why can't GM on a $23,000 van. One other thing: I hope you are planning on keeping this Relay for a long time otherwise you are going to find out how worthless it is as a trade. My '03 Silhouette cost $29,000 new but current trade in is around $9,000. You really do get what you pay for.   In October I purchased an '06 Odyssey EX-L. I cannot say my shopping experience was like the one you describe. The Honda and Toyota dealers were both friendly and helpful. The Honda salesmen (I dealt with three over three months) all knew the product inside and out. They were grateful for my business. Sure, I paid $28,750 for my new van but I got ABS, brake assist and electronic brake force distribution. Also, stability control and head curtain airbags plus a sunroof. In three years my Odyssey will still be worth $17,000+   Good luck and enjoy the relay. It should prove reliable.
#1226 of 3643 Re: Minivan test drive experience and buying [soderholmd] by jipster Dec 22, 2005 (11:29 am)
Replying to: soderholmd (Dec 22, 2005 10:56 am) "Thoughts?"   Hey, you're happy...so why care what we think?   But, since you asked, it sounds like you got a very good vehicle at a great price. Don't think you can ask for more than that. Congratulations!   I too like the SUV look in the GM vans over the traditional minivan look. My brother has the Pontiac Montana with Onstar and he loves it. The Onstar system is pretty cool...and is a nice saftey feature as well. Rear seats that fold flat is not really a big deal.
#1227 of 3643 $8,000 in Rebates?! by jchan2 Dec 22, 2005 (2:10 pm)
You have got to be kidding me.   $22,000 for a loaded Relay, despite all its bugs, is still a good value.   And in my case it would leave a good chunk of change for other purposes...   I would be happy with a Relay too if it came into my garage for $22,000.... Not so sure about a Sienna coming in at $38,000 though, or an Odyssey coming in at $33,000.   I wonder how much extra Buick wants for the Terraza after all applicable rebates.   Was your Relay a 2005 or 2006 model?
#1228 of 3643 Re: Minivan test drive experience and buying [soderholmd] by hansienna Dec 22, 2005 (2:31 pm)
Replying to: soderholmd (Dec 22, 2005 10:56 am) CONGRATULATIONS on your new minivan. Agree with jipster that you're happy, why care about what others think.      Your experience with arrogant Honda and Toyota dealers was less satisfying than mine when I have looked at the Odyssey and Sienna.      FORGET about depreciation. Unless you want to trade in a year or two, you will incur less depreciation than had you purchased the $ 33K Odd or $ 34K Sienna.      Lastly, your experience is a vivid reminder of why people purchase a minivan other than a Sienna or an Odyssey. Replies to this message: artgpo (Dec 22, 2005 5:50 pm) macakava (Dec 22, 2005 6:36 pm)
#1229 of 3643 Re: Minivan test drive experience and buying [soderholmd] by just4fun2 Dec 22, 2005 (3:00 pm)
Replying to: soderholmd (Dec 22, 2005 10:56 am) It sounds like you got a great deal! You also have the best safety feature offered by any company, Onstar. My niece was involved in a head-on crash, air bags went off, but she wasn't hurt. Onstar ask if she was ok or needed an ambulance, she said that she was ok, but the driver of the other car needed medical assistance right away, so Onstar might have saved the day for that person.   Enjoy your Relay, you are one smart person. Replies to this message: soderholmd (Dec 22, 2005 3:19 pm)
#1230 of 3643 Re: Minivan test drive experience and buying [just4fun2] by soderholmd Dec 22, 2005 (3:19 pm)
Replying to: just4fun2 (Dec 22, 2005 3:00 pm) The Relay is an 05'model with everything on it. It seems very solid, the driveline very smooth and the seats are very comfortable. I'm impressed with the overall package and am ecstatic about the onstar! It really brings peace of mind knowing my wife has it with the kids in the vehicle. Why other companys don't offer anything similar is beyond me..........If this van were an import it would list for 35K! We're very happy!
#1231 of 3643 Re: Minivan test drive experience and buying [hansienna] by artgpo Dec 22, 2005 (5:50 pm)
Replying to: hansienna (Dec 22, 2005 2:31 pm) Excuse me but I had a $33,000 GM van (MSRP) and it depreciated to $9,000 in three years. The $28,000 Honda is still worth $15,000+ in trade after three years. Most people do not keep cars more than five years. That is an easy statistic to verify.   As I had previously posted, I did an opinion survey (for which I was paid)in October, 2004 for minivans. At the time I still owned my GM van with no intention of trading. I drove a fully loaded model of each of the following , all with less than 500 miles: Freestar, Relay, Town and Country and Odyssey. There was simply no comparison between the Odyssey and the other three. It was just superior in every way. The test drive was the catalyst in my buying an '06 Odyssey. The Relay had the next best ride but is squeaked and rattled just as did my two year old van. I too had Onstar and kept paying for the service after the one free year was up.   When I decided to buy a new van and started shopping every dealer told me that the GM rebates would come up and bite me and it did. A $22,000 van is going to depreciate the same percentage as the same model without the rebate. So, if the rate is 40% the first year you would lose $8,800 when you drove it off the dealer's lot. The depreciation is based on the selling or market price not the MSRP.   I did not come on here to demean someone's purchase but we WERE asked for our opinion. Replies to this message: macakava (Dec 22, 2005 6:36 pm)
#1232 of 3643 Re: Minivan test drive experience and buying [artgpo] by macakava Dec 22, 2005 (6:36 pm)
Replying to: artgpo (Dec 22, 2005 5:50 pm) "There was simply no comparison between the Odyssey and the other three. It was just superior in every way. The test drive was the catalyst in my buying an '06 Odyssey."   AGREE 100%!   My almost 100 minivan rentals have included a few Terrazas, Uplanders, and Montanas, from which the Relay is a derivative. These are absolutely not in the same performance(handling, road feel, energetic feeling, etc) class as the Ody.   The appearance of these vehicles are "spooky" to me. It appears to look like a mixed breed (SUV and minivan) that has gone wrong - it turned out to be bad/wierd looking(i.e. like a ware wolf). It does not know what it is exactly. Maybe the Astec designer had some influence in the design??   Since then I have been choosing the DGC/T & C over these GM vehicles in the rental car lots, when Siennas are not available. The DGC/T & C is a better perfoming vehicle than these GM minivans.   GM and Ford are trailing the minivan segment in a very embarassing way. Besides car rentals, GM is probably moving these mostly to GM employees or retirees at employee discounts. GM should give up the minivan segment - it may help keep them away from bankruptcy longer. Kervokian's recent sale of a few million GM shares is a good sign. Stay tuned!
#1233 of 3643 Minivan Test Drive and Normal Driving of minivans by hansienna Dec 22, 2005 (7:15 pm)
The Sienna had better performance than the Odyssey...which surprised me after reading the glowing reports about the Odyssey. I have NOT driven any minivan but the Astro, Grand Caravan, Odyssey, Town & Country, and Sienna.      The Sienna LE (cloth) interior looks and feels superior to the Odyssey EX (cloth) and GC SXT (cloth) and is also the quietest of all. Being a Toyota, it also has the best reliability.      The Astro has THE most cargo space and has the easiest access to the 3rd row of the 8 passenger vans and the 4.3L V6 had the MOST torque of any minivan. It is a real TRUCK with truck durability but also has the truck feeling. People who prefer trucks prefer the Astro.

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