Getting a new/newer minivan

[QueenIsabella]

I'm looking for input from people who have purchased a new or newer minivan in the past year or two. What do you like and dislike about yours? I currently have a 2009 Dodge Caravan that's going in for transmission work today--the issues I've had through the years make me gun-shy about getting another Dodge. I've heard good things about the new Chrysler Pacifica, but this is only the second year it's out, so long-term problems may not have surfaced.

This is a huge purchase, so I want to get it right. 2-3yo Toyotas don't have much cost savings over new, but are worth considering. Really, the only feature I'm looking for are stow-and-go seating.

So, hit me with the good, the bad, and the ugly! Thanks.

 

[tvguy]

I'm looking for input from people who have purchased a new or newer minivan in the past year or two. What do you like and dislike about yours? I currently have a 2009 Dodge Caravan that's going in for transmission work today--the issues I've had through the years make me gun-shy about getting another Dodge. I've heard good things about the new Chrysler Pacifica, but this is only the second year it's out, so long-term problems may not have surfaced.

This is a huge purchase, so I want to get it right. 2-3yo Toyotas don't have much cost savings over new, but are worth considering. Really, the only feature I'm looking for are stow-and-go seating.

So, hit me with the good, the bad, and the ugly! Thanks.

No advice other than the Chrysler and Dodge are the same vehicle. So if you are gun shy about another Dodge you would should be gun shy about the Chrysler Pacifica and the Volkswagen Routan which is a Dodge Caravan/Chrysler Pacifica with a VW name plate on it.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Actually, in this case, they're not. They re-designed the Chrysler and gave it a new nameplate in 2017 (it used to be the Town and Country). They didn't redesign the Dodge, which makes me wonder if, long-term, they're going to discontinue it. The Dodge is cheaper and has better incentives, but also is rated much lower in Consumer Reports. And, of course, it doesn't have the newer design. But, I do like the overall design of my Dodge, just don't like the functional issues.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have a Honda Odyssey and LOVE it. Like the Toyota though, a used one that is just a couple years old with low miles isn’t going to be cheap. Ours is a 2008 with 167,000 miles on it and runs great. We had to put a new power steering pump in last week and that was the first repair we’ve had to do on it that wasn’t just routine maintenance.

 

[firefly_ris]

I have a 2005 T&C Touring which I intend to drive into the ground. I haven't had many issues with it and I drive it about 16,000 miles per year including a lot of trips to Baltimore and Outer Banks NC. I trust it enough that I would drive it to FL today from Buffalo.

However, everyone I know that has the newer body style T&Cs (I think 2008 or 2009 and on) have all had bizarre recurring issues with electrical, transmissions, A.C. units, noise issues, etc, all on vehicles a lot newer than mine. I know about 5 people with them and they all have problems. I wouldn't trust the new Pacifica either personally.

When the time comes I'll most likely replace with a used Honda Odyssey.

 

[corgi_monster]

I love my Honda Odyssey. I can flip down the rear seats with one hand while carrying my daughter, so that's a big plus. Also, I felt that we got a lot more features with the Odyssey. My only "must have" was heated seats (even though we live in Hawaii ). A Sienna with heated seats was going to cost us $5k more.

You might want to consider a van with an automatic lift gate. I didn't think I needed it until I had it. Makes life so much easier when you're holding multiple bags and children.

We rented a Sienna on our last trip to Disneyland. After the drive from LAX TO Anaheim my husband and I both agreed we were glad we got the Odyssey. I think the Sienna SE is the nicest van on the road, but the interior design and ergonomics of the Sienna just didn't do it for us.

 

[tvguy]

Actually, in this case, they're not. They re-designed the Chrysler and gave it a new nameplate in 2017 (it used to be the Town and Country). They didn't redesign the Dodge, which makes me wonder if, long-term, they're going to discontinue it. The Dodge is cheaper and has better incentives, but also is rated much lower in Consumer Reports. And, of course, it doesn't have the newer design. But, I do like the overall design of my Dodge, just don't like the functional issues.

Actually, they are the same car under the skin. Different styling yes. But same 3.6 Liter engine. Same transmission, everything under the restyled body is the same. Styling doesn't break down, engines, transmissions, ac compressors etc, the things they have in common do.

 

[katriscari]

I have a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT with all the bells & whistles (I paid about $30k). We drive a lot for hockey tournaments, so in 2 years I have 40,000.00 miles already. I am hoping it lasts me the 5 years I financed it. For the price compared to larger SUV's and other brand van models I could not pass it up. Other vehicles would've cost me up to double. Even if I have to make some repairs along the road in the next few years it still would be more cost effective than a much more expensive vehicle outright for our family. So far, I have replaced the factory tires (a month ago) because I wanted really good all weather tires for my trips/crappy Ohio winters. Other than that, I have done nothing other than oil changes/better wiper blades. Happy car hunting!

 

[belleatdisney]

We like Honda’s and Toyota’s but I don’t think they have stow and go seating. The Pacifica seems quite a bit nicer than the dodge. I cannot make up my mind either.

 

[msjprincess]

Last year we bought a 2016 Chrysler T&C. It has stow and go seating, so far we haven't had any problems with it. When DH saw the Pacifica commercial he wished we had waited. He likes the look of it better than the T&C.

 

[Southernmiss]

Traded in a Dodge Grand Caravan with transmission issues and 147,000 miles on a 2008 Toyota Sienna in 2008 with 20,000 rental car miles on it.

Now have 150,000 miles no issues and expect another 150,000 miles from it. The 3rd row seats stow flat. The back seats come completely out. Have moved 3 kids to college, driven to Smokey Mtns, Disney 3 times, numerous travel soccer weekends, and hauled all kids of things in it.

 

[HeatherC]

Just last month we purchased a 2016 Kia Sedona that was actually a rental car and so far love it. We paid $16,000 and it is actually still under warranty which was a nice bonus and a big factor in our decision. Kia has the 100,000 mile warranty, but since we are the second owners, it drops to 60,000. The car has 40,000 on it so the warranty is good for another 20,000 miles. Not bad for a used car.

In the past we have had a Ford Windstar (many moons ago), a Toyota Sienna and a Nissan Quest.

Our kids are older now we but we do a lot of traveling and feel like the minivans give us the most space and are easy to drive and get decent gas mileage compared to a large SUV. I am also short, so like that it is easy to get in and out of.

Out of all of them, we loved the setup of the Quest the best. The seats folded flat and you don’t lose the storage well in the back when they are down. But all the ones we looked at this time all had the paint chipping on the hood and roof. Not a good sign that they all had it so we decided against them. Plus Nisssan has discontinued them.

We liked the Sienna we used to have, but it had a problem with the power doors just opening randomly. Toyota knew it was a known problem and wouldn’t do anything about it. The airbag light also kept coming on and they told us the airbags were bad and we needed to replace them to the tune of $4000. The car was only two years old at the time so we traded it in and decided no more Toyota’s for us.

This time around we test drove a Chrysler Town and Country, Chrysler Pacifica, a couple Quests and the Sedona. The Sedona felt the most solid, felt the most comfortable and drove the best. Since it was still under warranty, we decided to go ahead.

It is very spacious and has some nice features like heated seats, backup camera, etc..

We are doing a cross country trip this summer and feel like it will be great for it.

Good luck in your hunt!

PS. Should also mention that my parents have a 2012 Sedona as well and have not had any issues with it. I think the Kias are great cars and they have the warranties to back that up. Worth a look definitely.

 

[Klayfish]

Actually, they are the same car under the skin. Different styling yes. But same 3.6 Liter engine. Same transmission, everything under the restyled body is the same. Styling doesn't break down, engines, transmissions, ac compressors etc, the things they have in common do.

Actually, no, they're not the same...at all. The Dodge Grand Caravan is a hold over from the previous generation, dating back many years. The Chrysler Pacifica is an entirely new platform which it does not share with the Grand Caravan. The only major thing they have in common is the engine. Different transmission, different unibody, interior, electrical etc... The old Chrysler Town and Country was a clone of the Grand Caravan, but the Dodge and Chrysler today are vastly different and share very, very little.

OP, if you want stow n go, pretty sure the only ones offering it are Dodge and Chrysler. You'd be wise to have concerns about them otherwise. As I mentioned above, the Grand Caravan is a very dated design and in the absolute back of the pack. Unless you're just looking for the very cheapest new minivan you can get, avoid it. The Pacifica is much better, but still a mid-pack at best minivan...plus you'll get all the reliability that Fiat and Chrysler have to offer...which is to say not much.

We've had minivans for 11 years now, which for a car obsessed guy like me probably seems odd. However, I absolutely love them. We've had Kia Sedonas, as I think they're the best bargain out there. We have the older generation, but the newest one is a darn good van. I believe that generation came out in '15 or so. You can find a lightly used 2 or 3 year old one for a song, I'd definitely look at them. They're quality is outstanding. They're not quite up to the full "refinement" of the class leaders, but for the money you pay, they're hard to beat.

The top of the class in minivans is still the Honda Odyssey. It's the best minivan money can buy, period. But yes, it'll cost you more. The Sienna is probably a close second, but again, it costs more. Honda and Toyota quality is the best in the entire automotive industry, bar none.

As a wild card, check out the Ford Transit Connect. Pretty neat van, but not the absolute best.

I'd suggest thinking long and hard how much you really need stow n go. In the 11 years we've had our vans, I can count on one hand the number of times I wish we had it. Chrysler does offer that, but you'll suffer everywhere else.

 

[mjkacmom]

We have a 2000, 2006, and 2007 Honda Odyssey. Plus a 2007 Honda Civic. We also had a 2003 Honda Odyssey, but Dd totalled it.

 

[smiths02]

We love our 2017 Honda Odyssey. We got it about a year ago...we got one of the last 2017 (new) so we got a deal as they were making way for the 2018. Plus there was a good financing deal for 2017s as they made way for the 2018s.
The 2016s and 2017 had very little differences, so some people might be ready to get rid of their 2016s now (most which would be 3-4 years old at this point)

It doesn't have complete stow & go, but you can take out the middle row altogether (although there is a recall and they need to replace these seats as there was a latching problem when you put them back in, but Honda is handling it) and the back row works as stow & go.

 

[mjkacmom]

We like Honda’s and Toyota’s but I don’t think they have stow and go seating. The Pacifica seems quite a bit nicer than the dodge. I cannot make up my mind either.

The rear seats stow and go in my odyssey’s.

 

[Klayfish]

The rear seats stow and go in my odyssey’s.

All minivans have 3rd rows that fold into the floor. OP is referring to the middle captains' chairs. I think only Dodge/Chrysler have that...and for a reason (not everyone wants it or cares about it).

EDIT: OP, one other thing I thought of. I'd have to double check, but I believe the new Chrysler Pacifica uses the ZF 9 speed automatic transmission. It has been very harshly criticized for having poor computer programming...in other words it makes bad decisions on when to shift and acts "confused" a lot.

 

[cvjw]

We purchased a 2014 Honda Odyssey touring elite when my Nissan Pathfinder was lemoned out. It is the best minivan we have ever had. It is like driving in your living room.

It is so spacious when you fold the 3rd seats under and take out the 2nd row seats. I have moved my kid to college several times, fit a couch in there, brought home wood from Home Depot, etc.

I have had it 4.5 years and have 44,000 miles on it. Usually after owning a vehicle that long, I am ready for something else. Not with this van. It is still so nice.

The only th8ng to ever go wrong on it is the lift gate motor had to be replaced. We bought the extended warranty, so it was covered.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I appreciate everyone's insights. One of the reasons that stow-and-go is important to us is, DH has a mid-sized SUV that seats 5. When we have to haul stuff, the minivan is used--most recently to pick up a large desk, but DH also likes to have room for a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood. That won't fit in his SUV. I agree that we don't use this feature a lot, but I would say, a handful of times a year. The storage area also comes in handy when traveling--we're a family of 6, although our oldest has moved out. We tend to bring a lot of stuff when we travel.

It's funny a PP mentioned the automatic lift-gate. My current van has power doors, so you just push a button--nice to have, but IMHO, not required. But DS21 (still lives at home) said the only feature he wanted was the automatic lift-gate--he's the one who's always bringing in groceries! My youngest child is 12, so no issues with getting kids in and out (although I'm sympathetic). I'm most likely to be hauling costumes and cellos.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

stow-and-go

If this is a deal breaker, you have to get the Pacifica or T&C.

There's no way these babies (in Siennas) Stow-n-Go: