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2011 Toyota Sienna

687 messages,  Last post on Dec 14, 2012 at 3:46 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Sienna, Future Vehicle, Van

Messages Page 42 of 69

#411 of 687 Re: Here is what I think Toyota did wrong with the 2011 [nobo] by victor23

May 31, 2010 (7:17 pm)

Replying to: nobo (May 31, 2010 8:02 am)
Samnoe:
- Hidden rear wiper maybe cute, but almost worthless. Bring back the old one.
Would you please elaborate, why do you think this is a bad design?
 
Nobo:
Agree about seats. I would say, more than that. Easily retractable (folded down or forward like on 04-10 Siennas) seats make for a very versatile and practical vehicle. If the only way to make room for cargo is to remove the seats altogether, and especially if these seats are heavy and ungainly, and after that one still has to worry about seat bases, well, this is not what minivans are valued for. This may still be a good vehicle, but a different one, not multipurpose and practical. Anything but. Not "everything hauler", just "people hauler". Like my previous Olds Silhouette 1999. Actually, after learning about new seat design, I all but crossed new Sienna out of my future shopping list and will possibly try to stick to my 05 Sienna as long as possible. Or maybe even consider a Chrysler if the company won't go belly-up in a year or two.
 
Turn indicators on the sides (mirror or elsewhere) must be standard on all vehicles, like in Europe. Maybe someday they will.
 
Now, about "disconnected steering feel", this is debatable. Some people feel better this way, others - another way.

#412 of 687 Random questions for a 2011 Sienna AWD LTD by tfaw_big

Jun 01, 2010 (8:38 am)

Just bought a Sienna LTD AWD. I have a few questions.
 
Question (1) My Sienna came with run flat tires which I have my doubts about. My specific question is how the run flats will fare in the snow of Chicago 'burbs. On my 2004 Sienna, I simply had an extra tire in the back, because it was just too darn hard to get the little spare from underneath the seat. I'm guessing the tire type matters as much or more than the drive train. So, if anyone has any comments about run flats (these are Firestones but don't know the specific type) working in winter conditions, it would be great to hear from you...
 
Question (2) Has anyone purchased the cross bars available from Toyota for the roof rack - wondering if I should go to aftermarket for the cross bars - all I want to do is to put a Thule luggage carrier on top.(side note - pretty hard to believe the LTD does have the cross bars as a standard feature!)
 
Question (3) I do want to haul bicycles, but want to use the hitch system. Can anyone offer up ideas on where to go to get this on an after-market, as the Toyota people tell me they don't quite offer this up yet on the 2011.
 
Thanks

#413 of 687 Re: Here is what I think Toyota did wrong with the 2011 [samnoe] by ateixeira

Jun 01, 2010 (12:34 pm)

Replying to: samnoe (May 30, 2010 1:20 pm)
Nice list, sam.
 
I'd add one and change one slightly:
 
1. Bring back the tailgate position for the 3rd row, it disappeared.
 
2. Instead of HDD-based, let's see a flash memory based Navi/music server. This is where the tech is headed, moving parts only break later in life so hard drives will go the way of the dinosaur.
 
Cost? 32 Gigs of flash memory at Micro Center cost just $60 at retail.
 
Better yet - make it portable, so you can load music in the comfort of your own home.
 
Heck, let me add #3 to my list: let owners add quarterly map updates using the same portable flash memory for a subscription fee instead of selling outdated sets of DVDs!
 
Dealers could perform the same updates at dealerships as well.

#414 of 687 Re: Here is what I think Toyota did wrong with the 2011 [ateixeira] by victor23

Jun 02, 2010 (8:44 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 01, 2010 12:34 pm)
Oh, I agree about HDD. I also thought about it, but forgot to mention in my previous post. I don't, actually, believe moving HDD would become unreliable before becoming obsolete: it works pretty well in laptops and camcorders, However, Flash memory is indeed so much nicer in many respects. And portable too.

#415 of 687 Re: Here is what I think Toyota did wrong with the 2011 [victor23] by ateixeira

Jun 02, 2010 (9:02 am)

Replying to: victor23 (Jun 02, 2010 8:44 am)
Having no moving parts makes flash memory ideal for mobile devices, such as in-car entertainment.
 
We have fleets of laptops and we see hard discs crash all the time. At 3 years I'd say a good 20-40% of them fail depending on the model. What are the odds that one in a car will work 10 years from now?

#416 of 687 Re: Here is what I think Toyota did wrong with the 2011 [ateixeira] by samnoe

Jun 03, 2010 (3:29 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 02, 2010 9:02 am)
Flash memory is much more appropriate in a moving vehicle, running into potholes and over bumps. Non moving parts is the way to go. Besides, it is much quieter. In my previous Chrysler T&C, the hard drive was SOOO noisy when thinking, and was thinking a lot - meaning to say it was very slow as well... Flash memory is much better at both - Faster and quieter.
 
Someone asked me above:
 
"... Hidden rear wiper maybe cute, but almost worthless. Bring back the old one. Would you please elaborate, why do you think this is a bad design?..."
 
Here is my answer. Look at the real estate that the older design wiped away, compared to the newer one. It wipes much less space. I admit that the newer design have some advantages, like being easier to clean rear glass, less weight on wiper when heavy snow, etc. But bottom line we need MORE of everything... Not less... (And I am still unsure if it is more complicated to change the hidden rear wiper. Anyone knows?).

#417 of 687 Re: Here is what I think Toyota did wrong with the 2011 [victor23] by wwest

Jun 04, 2010 (8:25 am)

Replying to: victor23 (May 31, 2010 7:17 pm)
"..Turn indicators on the sides.."
 
But why not on the bottom of the outside mirrors so they could be seen front and back...??
 
And "puddle" lights included..?

#418 of 687 Re: Here is what I think Toyota did wrong with the 2011 [wwest] by victor23

Jun 04, 2010 (11:40 am)

Replying to: wwest (Jun 04, 2010 8:25 am)
Yes, what I meant is, anywhere on the side, including, like you say, on the outside mirrors, or even right on the fender, I don't care. Many Nissan and VW vehicles have these lights on the mirrors, even the relatively low-end ones.
 
"Lighted arrows in the outside rear view mirrors" would be better than nothing, though.

#419 of 687 SUA concerns by minimommy

Jun 05, 2010 (9:04 am)

Dealer says 2011 Sienna has brake override... I know Siennas not part of recall (not even prior model years)... but does anyone know if SUA is fixed in these new Siennas? (Some reports of older Siennas with SUA) It's the only concern keeping me from getting a 2011 Sienna right now... but my other option of 2010 Odyssey I think has too many transmission issues and I don't trust 2011 Ody until it's transmission proven. But unless SUA is fixed, I may have to risk Ody. Thank you.

#420 of 687 Re: SUA concerns [minimommy] by wwest

Jun 05, 2010 (10:40 am)

Replying to: minimommy (Jun 05, 2010 9:04 am)
You can bet good money that any brake over-ride implemented this quickly will simply be a firmware subroutine incorporated within the engine/transaxle's ECU main control code. So if the SUA is the result of this ECU's instruction execution sequence going into a "deadly embrace" loop or the like nothing will have been accomplished.
 
Just like the "virtual", non-functional, brake over-ride in the Sike's Prius.

Messages Page 42 of 69

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