Getting a new/newer minivan

[bethy]

We have a 2016 Sienna Limited. It's wonderful and I will never go back to anything but a nice minivan even when my nest is empty.

One thing I don't like about stow and go seats is they are not as plush and comfy. We've take out our second row seats a handful of times and it's not bad if you only do it once in a while.

We chose the Sienna over the Odyssey for 2 reason: AWD (only Toyota has it) and at the time we bought the Odyssey didn't have true captains chairs in the second row - just seats that sort of pull apart but didn't have 2 armrests.

Also, we intended to buy one that was around 2 years old but found that there was no cost savings in that. Minivans hold their value well due to their utility.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

We are buying a van next month. We are strongly leaning toward a Pacifica. I have a 2015 Sienna on lease (lease is up soon) and we like it well enough, but think we will be happy enough with a Pacifica.

 

[rwdavis2]

Our 2004 Toyota Sienna lasted 11 years. I would do that or a Honda.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Sorry to hear about the transmission, that stinks. Don't rush into something today. Rent a car, even if it's for a week, you're better off. It'll give you a bit more time to think about it, digest it, test drive, negotiate, etc... If you fix the existing van, I'd keep it for a while, not just a few months.

I decided to get our current van fixed, for now. I just felt too rushed to buy right away, and would be stuck with the choices on the dealer lot. And it's never the best negotiating position. Plus, I figure we'll get our transmission money back when we trade in.

I don't want to keep the van much longer, for reasons other than the transmission. It has the nasty habit of just...dying. It doesn't happen often--every few weeks or so--and it's always been very close to home (1/2 mile or so), when I'm coasting. But, it's pretty scary. She starts right back up again when I put her in neutral and turn the key. Due to that charming habit, we're trading her in, sooner rather than later.

We happen to have a third car--it was meant for our oldest, when she graduated from college (her grandmother gave it to us). But, she ended up living/working in Boston, and didn't want it. Now, she's saying she'll get it this summer, which is fine. I think it's a 2006 Impala--nothing fancy, but it gets me around, and it's in pretty good shape. It actually has more miles than my current minivan (~83k)

 

[jrmasm]

I decided to get our current van fixed, for now. I just felt too rushed to buy right away, and would be stuck with the choices on the dealer lot. And it's never the best negotiating position. Plus, I figure we'll get our transmission money back when we trade in.

I don't want to keep the van much longer, for reasons other than the transmission. It has the nasty habit of just...dying. It doesn't happen often--every few weeks or so--and it's always been very close to home (1/2 mile or so), when I'm coasting. But, it's pretty scary. She starts right back up again when I put her in neutral and turn the key. Due to that charming habit, we're trading her in, sooner rather than later.

We happen to have a third car--it was meant for our oldest, when she graduated from college (her grandmother gave it to us). But, she ended up living/working in Boston, and didn't want it. Now, she's saying she'll get it this summer, which is fine. I think it's a 2006 Impala--nothing fancy, but it gets me around, and it's in pretty good shape. It actually has more miles than my current minivan (~83k)

Your van has 83k miles? My Odyssey has 203k....


I did have to put in a transmission at maybe 150k (Odyssey had a bad couple of years where their trans were a problem).

 

[mom2rtk]

I decided to get our current van fixed, for now. I just felt too rushed to buy right away, and would be stuck with the choices on the dealer lot. And it's never the best negotiating position. Plus, I figure we'll get our transmission money back when we trade in.

I don't want to keep the van much longer, for reasons other than the transmission. It has the nasty habit of just...dying. It doesn't happen often--every few weeks or so--and it's always been very close to home (1/2 mile or so), when I'm coasting. But, it's pretty scary. She starts right back up again when I put her in neutral and turn the key. Due to that charming habit, we're trading her in, sooner rather than later.

We happen to have a third car--it was meant for our oldest, when she graduated from college (her grandmother gave it to us). But, she ended up living/working in Boston, and didn't want it. Now, she's saying she'll get it this summer, which is fine. I think it's a 2006 Impala--nothing fancy, but it gets me around, and it's in pretty good shape. It actually has more miles than my current minivan (~83k)

I don't blame you. It's not a great spot to be in being forced into a fast decision. At least for now you know you'll be driving a car with a new transmission!

 

[QueenIsabella]

Your van has 83k miles? My Odyssey has 203k....


I did have to put in a transmission at maybe 150k (Odyssey had a bad couple of years where their trans were a problem).

Yeah, this is why I'm not thrilled to get another Dodge. That's on top of the 4 sets of tires I've been through, 3 sets of brakes, a shorted-out power door, and the charming "dying" problem I mentioned. No way should I have to replace a transmission at 83k miles, and I swear, I don't drive like an Indy 500 racer! I DO spend a lot of my time on shorter trips that are stop-and-go due to traffic lights and so forth, but I don't commute. I ferry kids around and go to Walmart, that kind of thing.

 

[Disneylover99]

We bought a brand new Dodge Caravan in 2012. Loved it so much we bought another new one last summer!

 

[jrmasm]

Yeah, this is why I'm not thrilled to get another Dodge. That's on top of the 4 sets of tires I've been through, 3 sets of brakes, a shorted-out power door, and the charming "dying" problem I mentioned. No way should I have to replace a transmission at 83k miles, and I swear, I don't drive like an Indy 500 racer! I DO spend a lot of my time on shorter trips that are stop-and-go due to traffic lights and so forth, but I don't commute. I ferry kids around and go to Walmart, that kind of thing.

Yeah, no way I’d buy another Dodge van. That’s terrible!!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have friends who absolutely love their Toyota Siennas and Honda Odysseys. I had a 2013 Grand Caravan. I would avoid anything Dodge/Chrysler. I traded mine off while it was still under the power train warranty. It had some weird transmission stuff going on occasionally. Sometimes, it would absolutely slam when you went would go from reverse to drive. I took it in under warranty early on and they looked at it, they did't "notice anything" and blew me off basically. They did replace a water pump under warranty and one of the power windows. It also had some weird stuff going on about not wanting start, and the display going blank. Those issues went away, it took a spell for off and on for about a month it was doing stuff like that, but it quit happening. I dunno, I don't trust a Dodge/Chrysler at all. The one thing I did like was the Stow N Go stuff. My dislikes about the Caravan were numerous aside from the fear of it tearing up. It was very difficult to maneuver, would not turn sharply at all. It was just clunky and awkward getting around in it.

 

[Klayfish]

I decided to get our current van fixed, for now. I just felt too rushed to buy right away, and would be stuck with the choices on the dealer lot. And it's never the best negotiating position. Plus, I figure we'll get our transmission money back when we trade in.

I don't want to keep the van much longer, for reasons other than the transmission. It has the nasty habit of just...dying. It doesn't happen often--every few weeks or so--and it's always been very close to home (1/2 mile or so), when I'm coasting. But, it's pretty scary. She starts right back up again when I put her in neutral and turn the key. Due to that charming habit, we're trading her in, sooner rather than later.

We happen to have a third car--it was meant for our oldest, when she graduated from college (her grandmother gave it to us). But, she ended up living/working in Boston, and didn't want it. Now, she's saying she'll get it this summer, which is fine. I think it's a 2006 Impala--nothing fancy, but it gets me around, and it's in pretty good shape. It actually has more miles than my current minivan (~83k)

Being rushed is always a tough spot, no doubt. Just a few suggestions from experience...between DW and I (well, mostly me), I can't tell you how many cars I've owned, but it's well over 80. I know, I have a problem, I need help.

First, unfortunately, don't expect to get much of the money you put into the transmission back when you trade it in. It's "expected" the vehicle have a working transmission, so while the rebuilt one will help, it won't help much.

For the best bargain, you actually DO want something on the dealer lot. In fact, the longer it's been on their lot, the better. It costs a dealer money to have a car sit on their lot, so after about 60 days or so, they begin to really want to get that car sold. I literally just bought a car last week that had been on their lot since November. Got it for $2000 less than most other dealers were asking. Last year I bought one that had been on a dealers' lot for 7 months...it was a convertible near Chicago, dead of winter. Got it for a steal. Find something you like on a dealer lot. If they won't tell you how long its been there, ask for the Carfax, that will tell you. By the way, do NOT rely on Carfax to "prove" a car has never been in an accident. Carfax is a decent tool, and I'm not saying to not use it, but there is a ton of stuff it doesn't capture, so don't take it as fact.

The Dodge definitely shouldn't have needed a transmission at 83k miles, but sadly this is not uncommon for Dodge. You mentioned tires and brakes...I wouldn't necessarily attribute that to Dodge. Minivans are heavy, they will go through brakes and tires. That also can depend on driving style (not only how fast, but stop and go, highway, etc...), maintenance of the car, and a lot of other factors. The stalling you describe, while definitely not a good thing, could be something very simple. Maybe have it looked at. From the description you give (happens while coasting), it could be something called the idle air control valve. It's a $50 part and not hard for a mechanic to change. It may be something else, but it may be a simple fix.

Happy hunting!!! My top three suggestions would be Sienna and Odyssey if you want to spend a little extra, or Sedona if you want the same reliability as Honda and Toyota but want to save some money. It's not quite as fancy as the Honda and Toyota, but awful darn close.

 

[StephMK]

We traded in our 10 yr old Toyota Sienna with 180k miles for a former rental Sedona with 11k miles a year ago. The Toyota was awesome and never gave us any issues at all.

We went with the Sedona mainly because we could get a much better deal. Even though our youngest two are about to head off to college, we decided that the space of a van for road trips and carting our 3 dogs made sense.

My absolute favorite features in my newer van are the heated seats and Bluetooth to connect to my music. The only downside I have found so far is that the Kia seats are not as plush. Fine for around town but I can feel the difference on long trips.

 

[mom2rtk]

We traded in our 10 yr old Toyota Sienna with 180k miles for a former rental Sedona with 11k miles a year ago. The Toyota was awesome and never gave us any issues at all.

We went with the Sedona mainly because we could get a much better deal. Even though our youngest two are about to head off to college, we decided that the space of a van for road trips and carting our 3 dogs made sense.

My absolute favorite features in my newer van are the heated seats and Bluetooth to connect to my music. The only downside I have found so far is that the Kia seats are not as plush. Fine for around town but I can feel the difference on long trips.

Our youngest is a junior, so no little kid hauling any more here either. But I figure we have a number of college moves ahead of us, and we don't have anything else to haul building supplies and furniture as needed. And like you I love a minivan for road trips.

My friend just went from minivan to an Explorer. From the outside it looks similar in size, but she urged me not to to the same. She said the room inside isn't even close. She wishes she had gotten another minivan.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Being rushed is always a tough spot, no doubt. Just a few suggestions from experience...between DW and I (well, mostly me), I can't tell you how many cars I've owned, but it's well over 80. I know, I have a problem, I need help.

First, unfortunately, don't expect to get much of the money you put into the transmission back when you trade it in. It's "expected" the vehicle have a working transmission, so while the rebuilt one will help, it won't help much.

For the best bargain, you actually DO want something on the dealer lot. In fact, the longer it's been on their lot, the better. It costs a dealer money to have a car sit on their lot, so after about 60 days or so, they begin to really want to get that car sold. I literally just bought a car last week that had been on their lot since November. Got it for $2000 less than most other dealers were asking. Last year I bought one that had been on a dealers' lot for 7 months...it was a convertible near Chicago, dead of winter. Got it for a steal. Find something you like on a dealer lot. If they won't tell you how long its been there, ask for the Carfax, that will tell you. By the way, do NOT rely on Carfax to "prove" a car has never been in an accident. Carfax is a decent tool, and I'm not saying to not use it, but there is a ton of stuff it doesn't capture, so don't take it as fact.

The Dodge definitely shouldn't have needed a transmission at 83k miles, but sadly this is not uncommon for Dodge. You mentioned tires and brakes...I wouldn't necessarily attribute that to Dodge. Minivans are heavy, they will go through brakes and tires. That also can depend on driving style (not only how fast, but stop and go, highway, etc...), maintenance of the car, and a lot of other factors. The stalling you describe, while definitely not a good thing, could be something very simple. Maybe have it looked at. From the description you give (happens while coasting), it could be something called the idle air control valve. It's a $50 part and not hard for a mechanic to change. It may be something else, but it may be a simple fix.

Happy hunting!!! My top three suggestions would be Sienna and Odyssey if you want to spend a little extra, or Sedona if you want the same reliability as Honda and Toyota but want to save some money. It's not quite as fancy as the Honda and Toyota, but awful darn close.

Thanks for your input! I actually took the van into the shop--twice--for the stalling thing. They couldn't find anything. I've also heard that the Dodge Caravan with the 4.0 liter engine (which I have) can burn through tires--she does have amazing acceleration, but I guess I pay for it in tires.

And my thought on the transmission is less "we'll get the $2600 all back" than, "If the transmission is blown, they're going to offer us $20 for it."

I hear what you're saying on negotiating for an on-the-lot vehicle. My only concern is getting a van that's larded up with features I don't need or want.

I have to say--I showed my kids those awesome second-row seats on the Sienna, and they fell in love! They offered to leave stuff home--who needs Stow and Go? I did point out that their 21yo, 6-foot tall brother would expect to actually use the third row, so they offered to leave HIM home, too!

Maybe I can just order a blue Sienna with a moon roof and those killer middle seats...

 

[Wendy31]

Thanks for your input! I actually took the van into the shop--twice--for the stalling thing. They couldn't find anything. I've also heard that the Dodge Caravan with the 4.0 liter engine (which I have) can burn through tires--she does have amazing acceleration, but I guess I pay for it in tires.

And my thought on the transmission is less "we'll get the $2600 all back" than, "If the transmission is blown, they're going to offer us $20 for it."

I hear what you're saying on negotiating for an on-the-lot vehicle. My only concern is getting a van that's larded up with features I don't need or want.

I have to say--I showed my kids those awesome second-row seats on the Sienna, and they fell in love! They offered to leave stuff home--who needs Stow and Go? I did point out that their 21yo, 6-foot tall brother would expect to actually use the third row, so they offered to leave HIM home, too!

Maybe I can just order a blue Sienna with a moon roof and those killer middle seats...

I literally went into our Toyota dealership & told the guy I wanted the light blue Sienna w/ a sun roof (moon roof?), & we wanted the XLE edition. He found it for me on a dealership lot in a city about 2 hours away, & they did some kind of dealer transfer & had it brought to our local dealer. And the one he found for me had an upgraded navigation system & a pretty chrome runner piece along the sides.

We did not get the killer middle seats because we wanted the 8-seat model. In the 2nd row of the 8-seat model, there is a removable seat. When you're not using it, it folds & "stows" in its own storage area in the very back - which is where we keep it, but it's there if we need it for friends & cousins along for the ride.

Back to the "Stow-and-Go" seats of the Dodge, another poster pointed out that the "Stow-and-Go" seats aren't as comfortable as other mid-row seats in other models, and it's true! While I miss our "Stow-and-Go" storage, the mid-row seats of our Sienna are SO MUCH more comfortable than the our Dodge's mid-row seats!!

Also, in my original post on this thread, I said we had rented a Quest for vacation - not true! We rented the Kia Sedona! LOL! We liked it just fine, but the inside storage was a bit smaller than the Sienna. And DH wanted to go w/ either a Honda or a Toyota.

 

[Klayfish]

Thanks for your input! I actually took the van into the shop--twice--for the stalling thing. They couldn't find anything. I've also heard that the Dodge Caravan with the 4.0 liter engine (which I have) can burn through tires--she does have amazing acceleration, but I guess I pay for it in tires.

And my thought on the transmission is less "we'll get the $2600 all back" than, "If the transmission is blown, they're going to offer us $20 for it."

I hear what you're saying on negotiating for an on-the-lot vehicle. My only concern is getting a van that's larded up with features I don't need or want.

I have to say--I showed my kids those awesome second-row seats on the Sienna, and they fell in love! They offered to leave stuff home--who needs Stow and Go? I did point out that their 21yo, 6-foot tall brother would expect to actually use the third row, so they offered to leave HIM home, too!

Maybe I can just order a blue Sienna with a moon roof and those killer middle seats...

Well, that's the advantage of buying from the dealer lot. You can get a van loaded up with features for the same price you'll pay for a stripped down version ordered from the factory. The "custom order" new vehicle can be a cash cow for the dealer. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, if it's what you want, go for it and enjoy. But dealer lot picking is going to get you the best bargain. If you're a bit adventurous and are buying new, shop dealers hundreds of miles away. It's a brand new car, so you don't need to go check it out to make sure it doesn't have rust, dents, scratches, etc... You may save thousands...if it's too far to drive and get it, have it shipped. I've bought cars all across the country that way.

Unless you're doing burnouts, the engine shouldn't really effect tire wear. Then again, maybe you just gave us a clue as to how you actually drive.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Being rushed is always a tough spot, no doubt. Just a few suggestions from experience...between DW and I (well, mostly me), I can't tell you how many cars I've owned, but it's well over 80. I know, I have a problem, I need help.

First, unfortunately, don't expect to get much of the money you put into the transmission back when you trade it in. It's "expected" the vehicle have a working transmission, so while the rebuilt one will help, it won't help much.

For the best bargain, you actually DO want something on the dealer lot. In fact, the longer it's been on their lot, the better. It costs a dealer money to have a car sit on their lot, so after about 60 days or so, they begin to really want to get that car sold. I literally just bought a car last week that had been on their lot since November. Got it for $2000 less than most other dealers were asking. Last year I bought one that had been on a dealers' lot for 7 months...it was a convertible near Chicago, dead of winter. Got it for a steal. Find something you like on a dealer lot. If they won't tell you how long its been there, ask for the Carfax, that will tell you. By the way, do NOT rely on Carfax to "prove" a car has never been in an accident. Carfax is a decent tool, and I'm not saying to not use it, but there is a ton of stuff it doesn't capture, so don't take it as fact.

The Dodge definitely shouldn't have needed a transmission at 83k miles, but sadly this is not uncommon for Dodge. You mentioned tires and brakes...I wouldn't necessarily attribute that to Dodge. Minivans are heavy, they will go through brakes and tires. That also can depend on driving style (not only how fast, but stop and go, highway, etc...), maintenance of the car, and a lot of other factors. The stalling you describe, while definitely not a good thing, could be something very simple. Maybe have it looked at. From the description you give (happens while coasting), it could be something called the idle air control valve. It's a $50 part and not hard for a mechanic to change. It may be something else, but it may be a simple fix.

Happy hunting!!! My top three suggestions would be Sienna and Odyssey if you want to spend a little extra, or Sedona if you want the same reliability as Honda and Toyota but want to save some money. It's not quite as fancy as the Honda and Toyota, but awful darn close.

I haven't had the same experience with lot vehicles vs ordered vehicles. In fact, I've had many who offered a bigger discount on an ordered car since they didn't need to cover overhead the way they do on one that sits on the lot. Where I HAVE done better is getting rebates on dealer stock.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Well, that's the advantage of buying from the dealer lot. You can get a van loaded up with features for the same price you'll pay for a stripped down version ordered from the factory. The "custom order" new vehicle can be a cash cow for the dealer. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, if it's what you want, go for it and enjoy. But dealer lot picking is going to get you the best bargain. If you're a bit adventurous and are buying new, shop dealers hundreds of miles away. It's a brand new car, so you don't need to go check it out to make sure it doesn't have rust, dents, scratches, etc... You may save thousands...if it's too far to drive and get it, have it shipped. I've bought cars all across the country that way.

Unless you're doing burnouts, the engine shouldn't really effect tire wear. Then again, maybe you just gave us a clue as to how you actually drive.

This is only a good thing if you want those features--or, at least, wouldn't mind them.

My concern with getting a car shipped in is, I'm worried about getting a new car that's had weather damage (snow, hurricane) that a remote dealer is trying to unload. I've read a lot about this. I've also heard what Gumbo said, about getting a good deal because you don't have to cover a dealer's overhead.

Some car guy told me the thing about the 4.0l engine and tire wear. But we all know about middle-aged moms street racing in their souped-up minivans!

BTW, I totally "get" that you buy and sell cars for sport. My DH's "work BFF" (cringe!) does the exact same thing. I know he just bought a $63k...Infiniti, maybe? to replace his Mercedes. I'm thinking his car budget is slightly higher than mine...

 

[amberpi]

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.

My partner has one too and loves it like crazy. The automatic opening doors is pretty sweet with 2 kids I have to admit.

 

[Klayfish]

This is only a good thing if you want those features--or, at least, wouldn't mind them.

My concern with getting a car shipped in is, I'm worried about getting a new car that's had weather damage (snow, hurricane) that a remote dealer is trying to unload. I've read a lot about this. I've also heard what Gumbo said, about getting a good deal because you don't have to cover a dealer's overhead.

Some car guy told me the thing about the 4.0l engine and tire wear. But we all know about middle-aged moms street racing in their souped-up minivans!

BTW, I totally "get" that you buy and sell cars for sport. My DH's "work BFF" (cringe!) does the exact same thing. I know he just bought a $63k...Infiniti, maybe? to replace his Mercedes. I'm thinking his car budget is slightly higher than mine...

Well, with 3 kids now, my car budget is nowhere near what it once was. The really wild and super cool cars disappeared from the stable years ago. And yes, it's kind of a sport...sometimes I enjoy the hunt as much as the car, or more.

Shipping a car in definitely isn't as "easy" as buying local. I'm pretty sure it's illegal for a dealer to not disclose damage on a new car, I deal with that stuff a lot for work. If you do have interest in buying a distance away, there are tons of professional appraisers who will go look at it for you if you want, it's usually $100 or less.

Totally agree that you don't have to cover the dealers' overhead when you order, but they try to work that to their advantage. Dealers desperately want to sell what's on their lot, because of the overhead...like I said, the longer a car has been on the lot, the more they'll deal. So if you walk in and want to order, they may not be very interested in working with you on price because that's one more customer who's not taking something off their lot. But shop around, you never know. I'm not at all saying you can't get a good deal ordering, you may be able to. And besides, a car is a big purchase, if you want a particular car with particular options, go for it!!

And if you like the Sienna, buy it. You can't go wrong with one, they're fabulous.