I have finally caved and have decided to buy a minivan! I like both of these models but our mechanic told us the Odyssey's tend to have transmission problems when they get more mileage on them. We keep our vehicles for a LONG time, (Our SUV has over 300,000 miles on it, if that tells you anything!! :)), and would like to keep this one for a while also.
So, what are your experiences with either of these vans, good or bad? I was pretty much leaning towards the Toyota before he told us this, but I am still open to a Honda.
Thanks mamas!
I had a Toyota Sienna. LOVED it. Drove like a car and not a van. After a lot of research we decided it was the only van we would get. It was very comfortable and roomy. Drives like a cream puff. Siding doors on each side and captains in back rock! The bench in back can be removed leaving a ton of room for stuff! It gets my vote.
C.
I have heard great things about both vehicles. We just purchased a 2006 Toyota Sienna last month and love it. It drives great and is super roomy.
My parents have had the Sienna ever since the transmission of our old minivan died on our Vegas trip nine years ago. I like the fact that the back seats can fold down when not in use and the middle seats can be removed if necessary. It's a pretty good vehicle.
I'm sure both vehicles are vastly different models than what was available when I got mine, but I have a 2001 Sienna, nearly 10 years old with 100,000 miles and still going strong. It has been a great van and I intend to drive it for a long time yet.
I don't think you can go wrong with either. I have a 2007 Odessey w/ 70K miles on it, and it is great! I would drive both - they feel different. HOndas are less cushy of a ride... I am a HOnda fan, but have to say the Sienna body style is much more appealing to me than the new Hondas...enjoy
We've got a 2008 Odyssey and we've had no issues. We were looking at both the Odyssey and Sienna, but we found the back seats of the Odyssey were more comfortable (probably due to how the fold down). I don't think you can go wrong either way :)
We have a 2003 Odyssey and I hate it. One of the sliding doors doesn't want to open half the time, we are having some kind of transmission issue, and the road noise is terrible. I have a 1998 4 Runner that I love and drive most of the time instead. We couldn't get rid of the Odyssey soon enough in my opinion, the only thing I like about it is the roominess inside.
We have a 2009 Toyota Sienna and we LOVE it!!! I always said I would never, ever, ever drive a mini-van, but with three kids in car seats, it was one of our only options. I don't think I will go back to a car again! It has every convenience for today's family and is so easy to drive (and park). We've had ours for 3 years and have needed nothing but an oil change and new tires. I would recommend it to anyone!!!
My parents had an Odyssey for a couple of years and decided to trade it in and buy a Sienna- not sure of the reason, but I know they've been happy with the Sienna.
We have the 2011 Sienna and love it. It took us a long time to decide between the two but we chose the sienna because the drive is so much smoother. The honda's drive is sportier. We also like the look of the sienna better. Our other car is a Lexus rx330 and the drive of the sienna is comparable to the Lexus. Highly recommend the sienna.
We got our 2011 Honda Odyssey back in October. There is some kind of glitch in this model that is driving me nuts. If I only use the minivan for short trips for a week or so, the "low battery" warning light comes on, and all the auxilliary power (interior lights, headlights) shuts off as soon as you either get in or out of the car. When I called the Honda dealership about it, they said it is just a glitch that lots of people with this model have encountered. And they did nothing to look at it.
I have a complaint into Honda, and I will have the dealership look at it soon when I get my first oil C.. But now that I've had this car for a few months now, I don't know that I would buy it again. The Toyota Sienna offers more features for less money. I hear that it doesn't drive quite as well as the Odyssey though.
Good luck to you. Let me know if you have any more questions about the 2011 model. I like it, but I think it's over rated.
We have had our 2003 Odessey for about four years and have never had any issues with it. We currently have almost 110,000 miles on it and we've only had to do routine maintenance on it. It's our primary vehicle, I drive it all over and we have taken it on numerous long road trips. No complaints here!
We were told the same thing about the Odyssey. We got one anyways..And love it!!! Were are almost at 100k. Still no issues!...knock on wood!
We rented a Sienna in California one vacation. It was roomy and nice. Drove well.
We have a 2003 Odyssey. The only thing I wish it had was the windows that roll down on the sliding doors. They didnt start making those until 2009/10.
Both are pretty good in comparison to each other. So, function is not as hard to choose from..its more the style, added extras and seating.
Good luck...and have fun car shopping:)
I don't know specifics about the vans but I do know that Honda has some quircky things when it comes to maintenance. We usually buy used cars that are a good deal.....formerly we were inundated with Toyotas...which I loved and now we have three Hondas, a CRV, an Accord and a Passport. All are expensive to maintain. I know brakes cost more because of the way the are installed. The air in the Accord cannot be fixed unless the entire dashboard is removed. You get my drift. I would trust my mechanic!
M.
Forget those. Get a Dodge Caravan or Chrysler Town and Country if you want the vehicles to last and repairs to be reasonable.
