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2008 Minivans - READ ONLY

1261 messages,  Last post on Feb 27, 2008 at 7:47 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan, Hyundai Entourage, Mazda MAZDA5, Kia Sedona, Car Comparisons, Car Buying, Van

#903 of 1261 2008 T&C / GC are the ONLY new for 2008 minivans by hansienna Nov 28, 2007 (10:40 am)
Honda very quickly sent me a brochure for 2008. Honda changed the Odyssey grille for 2008 but the 2008 Odyssey brochure has less useful information than prior Odyssey brochures. ( Who needs 6 double pages with photos of the Odyssey exterior in different colors?) I would like to see photos of the dash without NAV, photos of the interior of the LX and cloth EX, and the HP / torque curve graph of the engines.   The 2008 T&C brochure is much nicer than the 2008 GC brochure with HP and torque curve graphs for all 3 engines and options information in black on white instead of the hideous white on orange of the GC brochure.   I could see NO Changes in the 2008 Sienna compared to the 2007 which had a more powerful 3.5L V6 but still had same EPA fuel ratings as the 2006 3.3L. The 07 Sienna brochure had more useful information than the sorry 06 brochure (my dealer does not yet have 2008 Sienna brochures even though the 2008 Sienna has been on the market for months).   I have no interest in any minivan but these.
#904 of 1261 Re: review [bobw3] by maryh3 Nov 28, 2007 (10:42 am)
Replying to: bobw3 (Nov 27, 2007 1:27 pm) The point is that one person's experience, good or bad, isn't necessarily representative. Some folks here seem to think that professional reviews, surveys, etc aren't as important than their personal experience. So my copy/paste post isn't any more representative than someone who posts here saying how great the T&C is.   I repeat, nobody is as interested in your welfare, or has as much personal investment in you as you do.   My using of my own experience and observations displays my ability to think for myself and my distrust of people with possible ulterior motives and my confidence in my ability to make intelligent, well informed decisions. I can't blindly accept everything I read for everyone has their own interests in mind before mine!!
#905 of 1261 Re: review [bobber1] by maryh3 Nov 28, 2007 (10:46 am)
Replying to: bobber1 (Nov 27, 2007 7:18 pm) My Fury 3 Plymouth had the dreaded buffeting sound.    My Chevy Celebrity had the dreaded buffeting sound.    My Chevy Lumina had the dreaded buffeting sound.    My Chevy Impala had the dreaded buffeting.    My current Ford Taurus has the dreaded buffeting.    My current Honda Odyssey(which is a great vehicle) had the dreaded buffeting.   Add a 2007 Ford Focus to the list. Rented 1 a month ago and it buffetted horribly.
#906 of 1261 Re: Predicting the Future [maryh3] by hansienna Nov 28, 2007 (10:54 am)
Replying to: maryh3 (Nov 28, 2007 10:24 am) Using the experience of Chrysler minivans owned by friends, I feel Chrysler minivans are just as reliable as any other brand.   I trust people I know and can talk to in person more than the faceless experts.   I have DISAPPOINTMENT more than dislike of my 06 Sienna. I expected it to be better than my lowly, less expensive 02 T&C LX.   The Sienna driver's seat is infinitely more comfortable for me than the driver's seat of the 02 T&C LX was but the other seats were more comfortable in the T&C than the Sienna.   I like the MUCH larger cargo space behind the 3rd row of the Sienna that is 50% larger than that of the 05-07 T&C/GC and more than twice as large as that of the 02 T&C.   I MISS the separately controlled temperature for driver and front passenger and better controls for stereo, WSW wiper and washers, and HVAC of the T&C.
#907 of 1261 Re: review [dennisctc] by maryh3 Nov 28, 2007 (11:03 am)
Replying to: dennisctc (Nov 27, 2007 5:37 pm) You have to be skeptical of some who buys ABC Minivan yesterday, the wheels fall off, the engine explodes, the tranny fall out and it's the biggest POC on the planet. They join Edmunds today to bash, then you never hear from them again? If its bashing to doubt newbies like that, I'm guilty and will continue to be no matter what minivan they bash.    Most legit people on here would probably check out these forums before buying, do some research and buy, then complain and continue to complain year after year after year about how their 1917 Chrysler Minivan ended their family tree, started WWII and caused global warming overnight   I have to be skeptical because I have been looking for a minivan since mid-August, and those new 08 T&C's did not hit the lots until mid-September. And this person bought it and has had it in the shop constantly already? Her "review" is dated 10-7-07 and her friend had already wrecked hers and had the kids diagnosed with whiplash? The 4.0L Limiteds are both expensive and harder to come by. Only 1 person on this forum has one that I have seen, and they just got theirs recently. I'm still waiting on mine. I don't see alot of them out there yet either. A few have complained about their inability to test drive them because they can't locate any in their area. This has eased recently, and there are more Limiteds out there now, but unless this person has special pull so as to get one for her and her friend before the dealers did, paid full price, had the financing go through immediately etc --- I think I have reason to doubt the sincerity of this "review". Which leads me to wonder why people are so nutty so as to make up a review like that? Pride? A Toyota employee feeling threatened for job security? Hatred from a horrible experience? I don't get it. I had a horrible experience with a 1995 Ford Windstar yet I don't feel compelled to behave like that. I guess for some, cars are like their kids. They take everything associated with their vehicle personally and are threatened by any of their kids's peers or rivals.
#908 of 1261 small minivans by bobw3 Nov 28, 2007 (12:22 pm)
anyone here considered the Kia Rhondo or Mazda 5? If you're only using the 3rd row occasionally, they're worth looking at.
#909 of 1261 Reliability, Brochures by ateixeira Nov 28, 2007 (1:05 pm)
Mary: keep in mind the 4.0l engine is new to the vans, as it the 6 speed transmission. Parts of the powertrain were used in the Pacifica, so those may tell you more about your Dodge than a used Dodge van would.   hansienna: the 2008 Sienna did add a few features. VSC was made standard on the models that didn't already have it, plus they added Bluetooth connectivity.   The 2007 had just got a new engine and was a short model year, from January to August. So the 3.5l engine was only out for 8 months when the 2008 Sienna came out.   Brochures: here is where Toyota fumbles. You say the 06 brochure is worse than the 07, well the 07 brochure is pathetic. I can point out several mistakes in it, for instance. Off the top of my head, the fuel capacity is wrong, as is the list of options in Package 3 (brochure says no power seats, but mine has that).   Chrysler does make much better brochures - I have their new one and it puts Toyota's to shame. Replies to this message: artgpo (Nov 28, 2007 1:17 pm) dennisctc (Nov 28, 2007 1:29 pm) maryh3 (Nov 28, 2007 2:13 pm) dennisctc (Nov 28, 2007 5:37 pm)
#910 of 1261 Re: Reliability, Brochures [ateixeira] by artgpo Nov 28, 2007 (1:17 pm)
Replying to: ateixeira (Nov 28, 2007 1:05 pm) My son's 2008 Sienna XLE does not have Bluetooth. It may be part of the now optional JBL radio package.
#911 of 1261 Re: Reliability, Brochures [ateixeira] by dennisctc Nov 28, 2007 (1:29 pm)
Replying to: ateixeira (Nov 28, 2007 1:05 pm) Chrysler does make much better brochures   Always thought Honda had the best technical brochures, but that's change lately. And like someone said earlier, the new Ody brochure only focuses on EX L and Touring....no pics of cloth interior etc...
#912 of 1261 Agreed... by mfletou1 Nov 28, 2007 (1:42 pm)
on the brochures. Though I have an 07 Pacfica brochure which is no better than the Sienna or Ody, I think the minivan brochures for Chrysler are much better. The Sienna brochure was awful, the Ody is slightly better.   atexieira hits on the problem I had with the Toyota---I WANTED Bluetooth, but the only way to get it was with a mondo expensive EVP that added $4k to the MSRP. It varies within the 7 Toyota regions, but its too bad---had I been able to add Bluetooth/JBL ala carte, I may have held off buying the Ody. As it was, I was looking at a $34+ MSRP just to get a Sienna with Bluetooth. It looks like I can add an aftermarket integrated Bluetooth system like Parrot on the Ody for a couple hundred bucks anyway.   My Camry has that system and I love it--voice recognition isn't very good but its easier just to type the numbers in the cell phone anyway.

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