My husband and I are looking for minivans and we have narrowed it down to a Honda Odyssey and a Toyota Sienna. The Odyssey we found is a 2005 and is fully loaded but has 59,000 miles on it. We love everything about it except for the mileage and it is in our price range. The toyota Sienna that we found is a 2005 and is fully loaded also and has 31,000 miles on it. We do not like the color of that van but it has much better mileage and it has all that we want in our price range. I was wondering what everyone's experience has been with a Honda Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna especially if you own a 2005 of either model. We are trying to decide if mileage is a big concern with the Honda because we like it so much. How many miles on average do Honda Odyssey's last? Any and all advice would be great on what you all have experienced with either minivan. Thank you.
Take a look at consumer reports or just google it but there was one year that the Odyssey had major problems, I cannot remember which year.
S.,
We bought a 2006 Toyota Sienna this past spring and I LOVE IT! We also test drove the Honda and the Toyota, new and used, and ended up finding a good deal on a used one so we bought that. It is not the color I would pick either (gold - boring - I wanted red!), but it is so much more comfy than the Honda was. The only thing it is lacking is interior storage space. My husband likes to carry around the 1st aid kit, the jumper cables, the trailer hitch, etc., and there really isn't a good place to store stuff like that (compared to the Honda which had more compartments inside). The seats are roomier and it just seems more cushy than the Honda did.
J.
DH and I run an automotive repair shop. I vote for the Toyota, they have the fewest issues in the long run. Mileage generally is not a concern for either Toyotas or Hondas but minivans tend to be more prone to transmission problems compared to cars so from that standpoint mileage is a little more of a concern. Frankly, I don't feel Carfax gives you very much information. It is advertised as being a complete history of the vehicle but all it will tell you is the purchase history and whether it has been in a major accident that shows up in the public record. You are best off, with any used vehicle purchase, having a mechanic famililiar with that type of vehicle do a thorough pre-purchase inspection (even if the owner or dealership claims it is fine). Most used car dealerships will give it a cursory look over and call it an "inspection" but they don't have much incentive to find lurking issues because they are hoping to sell it without doing much work. The $$$ spent on an independent inspection typically pays for itself in bargaining power.
If you need a recommendation on a good mechanic, let me know.
Did you test drive them yet? We tried both and the Odyseey won, hands down! We have a 2008 Odyseey and it's such an awesome vehicle (can't believe I'm saying that about a minivan!) To me it is so much better than the Sienna in terms of the way it drives, the look of it, and the function of the controls.
S.,
When looking at minivans this past year, we test drove the: Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country and the Nisson one. We loved the Toyota Sienna, but couldn't justify the price. The Odyssey was nice too, just not the one we test drove. We ended up with a Town & Country and than we also purchased a Grand Caravan - so now we have 2 minivans.
I would't not be concerned with the mileage at all on either of them. Toyota's are great vehicles and will last a long long time if you take care of them!! Our vans we bought are 2005 and had 45,000-46,000 miles on them.
So I would say go with the Toyota!!!
Just make to get a CARFAX report on them!!!!!!
Can't go wrong with either! From our experience with Toyotas, they tend to last FOREVER. 200,000 if you take care of it well, so you may be entirely sick of it long before it dies. Resale value on both is great. When you decide on one I would take it in for an inspection. We did this at a Toyota dealer, but that can be pretty pricey. Any good mechanic could do this as well. The price is well worth it. I know you'll love your purchase no matter what it is!
I’m also in the market for my first Minivan. My top choices are the Toyota Sienna and the Honda Odyssey. I would probably go for the lower mileage because miles scare me! However I have owned 2 Toyotas and my current car has 135,000 miles I bought it brand new and have only invested minimal maintenance costs. My previous car had 200,000 + miles and same thing no problems. My husband owns a Lexus (they have Toyota engines) with 200,001 + miles as well.
Honda and Toyota have been known for long lasting high mileage. I would have your regular mechanic check them both out and give you their opinion. Also consumer reports are good to check out. Please let me know what you find out? I will start the process come the first of the year, it’s always stressful buying a car especially when it has had a previous owner.
I'm a Honda gal so I'm biased, but to answer your question, I've been told that all Hondas should get more than 200,000 miles as long as you change the oil regularly. Hope that helps!
