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Minivans - Domestic or Foreign

3798 messages,  Last post on Mar 31, 2013 at 5:37 PM

You are in the Vans & Minivans Forum.

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

Messages Page 68 of 381

#664 of 3798 Re: Totalled!!!!.......(is that the right spelling??) [masshoosier] by jipster

May 26, 2005 (7:12 am)

Replying to: masshoosier (May 25, 2005 9:59 pm)
Yes masshoosier... I am an MPVer. Sorry, to hear of your accident & glad everyone is o.k. Could you describe in more detail the circumstances of your accident? Were you sitting at a light..traveling on hwy etc.
    I have a 2004 MPV...which has the 200 hp Ford Duratec engine in it(beginning with the 2002 model) I believe the 2000 & 2001 models have the 160hp engines.
From what I have read the engines are extremely reliable and easily get over 150k.
Recent reliability scores from Consumer Reports(gag) show excellent reliability ratings for the 2000 and 2001.For 11k you may be able to get a 2002 model.
I like the MPV because it is a true minivan. It is smaller in size, but has enough room to seat 7 comfortably. Rides and handles more like a car...easier to park and manuver.Compare to 1999-2002 Dodge Caravan, 1998-2000 Grand Caravan and 1998-1999 Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna.

#665 of 3798 Re: Totalled!!!!.......(is that the right spelling??) [masshoosier] by irg

May 26, 2005 (9:58 am)

Replying to: masshoosier (May 25, 2005 9:59 pm)
Why wouldn't you buy another Odyssey if you loved it - especially since it saved everyone's life? I would tend to buy the same again if I had paid so little in repairs, and no one was injured after a 60 mph blow. If you are getting $11k from the insurance, take that and apply it to an Odyssey LX, and you would only have to finance about $11k which would be a very low payment. And being new, you would have peace and mind about having a new car warranty. Glad to hear everyone is ok. Whose fault was it?

#666 of 3798 Re: mini van shopping [rolandk] by big_red_nation

May 26, 2005 (12:10 pm)

Replying to: rolandk (Jan 04, 2002 12:17 pm)
I would recommend that you lean strongly towards either the Honda or the Toyota. My wife and I still refer to our former Dodge Caravan as the Crap-A-Van. I am still not impressed with Chrysler Products for reliability reasons. We bought our Odyssey a few years ago and is has been very reliable. We've taken trips to California, Colorado, etc. The Toyota Sienna looks very nice also (and is supposedly just as reliable). The seats may be a little more comfortable in the Toyota. Just my 2 cents -

#667 of 3798 totalled...... by masshoosier

May 26, 2005 (1:54 pm)

Love the input.....nice to hear stuff from others that isn't along the lines of..."My so-and-so has one and they think its wooonnnnderrful"...
 
irg-ours, better half was driving...me on passanger, one child in the middle(2nd mid seat was out) and 2 kids in 3rd row.
 
jipster-we were crossing(north) 4 lanes of a stretch of local U.S. highway. We had crossed the 2 east bound lanes(median separated the other two) and was hit by a car in the right lane coming down the westbound side(right hand lane). The road we were on comes at this highway from an angle rather than a standard +...... just lost them between the blind and my head. The other driver admitted that they saw us crossing but didn't slow because they figured we were going to turn into the immediate left lane.
The hit came right around the front right tire, spun us 360 degrees and in the middle of that managed to smack the car with passanger slider area of the van as well. The front part of the frame was shoved over about about a foot and the engine just seemed to be all but hanging by a thread in there. Front air bags didn't go off though........should of they???...
 
once again...thanks...keep chiming in.........your opinions are important!

#668 of 3798 Re: mini van shopping [big_red_nation] by str

May 26, 2005 (5:56 pm)

Replying to: big_red_nation (May 26, 2005 12:10 pm)
That's a very interesting name you have for your former van. What was it you didn't like about it? On a lot of these forums people write that they really like the Caravan. I don't know anything about the Caravans, just wondering why you disliked it so much.

#669 of 3798 Re: totalled...... [masshoosier] by jipster

May 26, 2005 (7:13 pm)

Replying to: masshoosier (May 26, 2005 1:54 pm)
Thanks for the update. Sounds like the Ody absorbed the impact very well. The front air bags don't go off unless you have substantial impact to the very front of the car.Probably would have caused the side airbags to go off in a vehicle equipped with them.
    
 FYI- The MPV rates 5 stars in side impact and front impact collisions. Most all minivans rate very high in saftey ratings now. A few in late 90's early 2000 weren't that good on side impact collisions(not that you're planning on having any more...but still good to know)
   
  Good luck with your next van purchase.

#670 of 3798 Re: mini van shopping [big_red_nation] by hansienna

May 26, 2005 (9:34 pm)

Replying to: big_red_nation (May 26, 2005 12:10 pm)
After closely comparing one son's 2001 Ody EX and another son's 2002 GC Sport, we bought a used 2002 T&C LX clone of the GC Sport. The DC minivans are quieter with more nice features for less money than the Ody. So far, none of the 3 have had any problems.
      The GC Sport and T&C LX get better gas mileage than the Odyssey.
       It is quite absurd to compare an old Caravan with a much newer Odyssey but apparently you still need to bad mouth the best selling minivan.

#671 of 3798 You can't beat what Chrysler has now. by marine2

May 27, 2005 (12:54 am)

I guess if you want to go by inside looks, Honda and Toyota are the vans to buy. But if you want a van that is not only people friendly, but can do everything you ever thought a van could do, and in many cases, do it better, the Chrysler/DGC are the best on the market.
 
They not only are quiet with a smooth ride. Have the best sliding doors on the market. Have a great sound system and A/C. But have the best versatility and storage space of any van on the market, bar none.

#672 of 3798 Re: You can't beat what Chrysler has now. [marine2] by irg

May 27, 2005 (9:08 am)

Replying to: marine2 (May 27, 2005 12:54 am)
The only real advantage Chrysler has over Sienna and Odyssey are the fold flat second row seats. That does come at a price, as the seat cushions are not as substantial. For some those tradeoffs are worth it. For others, who have child seats, the fold flat second row is somewhat useless. IMO, both Toyota and Honda are the vans to beat in terms of ease to use, best features, best powertrains, and best overall quality and resale. I like a lot of things about the DC vans, I simply don't think they are the best anymore. Still very competitive though, and should be more so when they update their powertrains and intereior design.

#673 of 3798 Re: You can't beat what Chrysler has now. [irg] by marine2

May 27, 2005 (9:58 am)

Replying to: irg (May 27, 2005 9:08 am)
The only real advantage Chrysler has over Sienna and Odyssey are the fold flat second row seats.
 
That is a big advantage. For those that have car seats, you still have the third row seats to connect them to. That gives a family with kids the advantage of stowing one or two of the middle seats and putting in a stroller set up, or even a wagon in the middle. And they still have room to stow toys, diaper bag, purse or anything else not to big, out of sight. And they still have the rear storage bin for groceries.
 
As for their modern power train, it doesn't run that much faster,(less than a second in the quarter mile) and only a little over one mile per gallon in mileage. So I don't see a big advantage there.
 
As for Toyota and Honda are the vans to beat in terms of ease to use, I think Chrysler has done that quite easily. No van on the market is easier to use,(no matter what your using it for) than the Chrysler/Dodge.
 
They do have the advantage of resale value. But lose some of that advantage with the higher selling price.

Messages Page 68 of 381

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