Castration time! Honda Odyssey & Toyota Sienna - Opinions?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Actually, I jest. My wife put my nuts in a Mason jar almost 6 years ago when we said "I do", so I won't feel a thing. So, the day has come, and we are minivan shopping. It was actually my idea, sadly enough. I'm finally done with school, and now have a joyous $40k in student loans to pay off. If we can ever sell my wife's stupid Cadillac SRX, we can then buy a minivan for $10k-ish, and apply the rest. With what we've saved, I should have a bit over $20k to put towards them before the first payment is due. So, SUV haters (Jeff), rejoice! No Armada for us.

Anyway, we're looking at the older bodystyle of Honda Odyssey (2004-older) and new bodystyle of Toyota Sienna (2004). Both can be had for $10k-ish with 60-80k. Probably the Honda more so than the Toyota, though I have seen the Sienna that cheap. Yesterday we looked at a Ford Freestar, Chrysler Town & Country, and 2004 Odyssey. The Freestar and Chrysler were appallingly crappy. Even using the term "build quality" seems silly. Hard plastic, rough edges, pieces falling off, cheap carpet, cheap seats, etc. We didn't even bother driving the Ford, and the Chrysler was slow, bouncy, and the engine sounded like crap. My wife's comment: "I felt like I wouldn't be able to pass anybody". The Odyssey, totally different story. A gave the Americans a chance because they are way cheaper, now I know why. After driving the Odyssey, my wife confessed that she liked it better than her SRX. Pretty impressive, considering her deep seated hatred of the minivan. We're driving a 2004 Sienna tonight.

So, long story short, any issues with the Odyssey or Sienna to look for? I'm thinking not, but it's worth asking the question.

[berettafan]

my wife carpools w/ a honda minivan owner and it wouldn't take much to convince her to buy one. she likes it quite a bit.

i'm holding out for a wagon of some sort but minivans really offer a lot of utility. suv's don't compare at all for ease of use and storage capacity.

[onewhippedpuppy]

We considered a Mazda 6 wagon, but there's not 1/2 the room of a minivan. Really, there's no better tool for hauling kids and their stuff. As for SUVs, even my wife can't justify 10 MPG worse MPG and less interior space, especially when we're agressively trying to pay off student loans. I told her that I'd buy her an Armada when we get the finances sorted out, but I think by that point 18 MPG might be a hard pill to swallow. We shall see..........

[jhynesrockmtn]

I'm a Honda fan. My DD is an 05 Acura MDX. Very similar mechanicals, the engines are smooth, powerful and thrifty for their size and output.

[berettafan]

there is no shame in driving a relatively efficient, if boring, vehicle during the work week if it helps fund weekend blasts in a Porsche!

sure the goatee wearing, chopper riding sheeple will point and laugh when they see you in that rolling daycare center but you'll know better because every $ you save on fuel/repairs by driving a Honda is a $ you can put towards that awesome piece of race-bred german engineering in the garage!

[onewhippedpuppy]

That's all well and good, but I'm Porsche-less too. What about a Saab 9000 Aero?

[speedracing944]

No need to cry. You just need about 450 hp in it with some huge sway bars and you will be set.

Those hondas are about 250 hp stock and can smoke my... hmmmm dare I say? 944! Ouch.

Here is a vid of the honda factory turbo minivan running the cannonball run this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voyebVquSzY

Speedy

[legion]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

That's all well and good, but I'm Porsche-less too. What about a Saab 9000 Aero?

Well the solution is obvious! Take the $10k and buy my 951.

***

Seriously, I think we're probably going to get a Pontiac Vibe when the family starts. Smaller and more efficient than a minivan. Available AWD. And that GM employee discount doesn't hurt much either.

[chuckr]

I have an 2006 Odyssey as a company car, spend 4 or 5 hours a day in it, have put 40,000
miles on it.... love it ! very comfortable, good mileage, 23-24 mpg average, mostly highway
pretty peppy for a minivan. Lots of room, a bit tight if you are tall, drivers seat is not very
far away from the center console and steering wheel is too close to the dash. 2007 has telescopic steering wheel !!

[n8marx]

When my wife's A6 wagon was rear-ended and subsequently totaled out a year and a half ago we replaced it with an '03 Odyssey EX-L with DVD package. Great move. It'll haul all the plywood, sheetrock, lumber, etc. that I care to throw at it. Oh yeah, the kids too. My wife misses her Audi but loves the van as well. It's not even terrible to drive. Scoots along pretty nicely. Not that I'd street race a mini-van but ours has embarrassed it's fair share of ricer kids out with their dates. 240hp and not all that heavy. Kind of cool when the VTEC kicks in at wide open throttle. The exhaust note change is pretty cool.

Yes, I've been without a 911 for too long.

There are reports on the web, www.odyworld.com, that the Honda transmissions in the '04 and earlier vans can be troublesome but we've not yet experienced anything.

[Tim Hancock]

Don't do it Matt!!!!! When my brother and I were kids, my parents made due with a VW beetle convertible.....family vacations and all! My wife, daughters and I have never needed or wanted one either. Resist resist resist!

[onewhippedpuppy]

I can't complain about the Aero too much, it's a good car. Quick, 30 MPG, and except for needing a new blower motor, pretty damn reliable. Too bad the torque steer tries to kill me under boost.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Ahh, Mr Tim. Somehow, I don't think our current law enforcement would approve of my two kids + friends bouncing around the backseat of a VW bug. If you eliminate those pesky car seats, you can fit 5 or 6 in the back!

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Ahh, Mr Tim. Somehow, I don't think our current law enforcement would approve of my two kids + friends bouncing around the backseat of a VW bug. If you eliminate those pesky car seats, you can fit 5 or 6 in the back!

I don't know about 5-6, but four kids in back was never a problem especially if I was riding up on the boot when the top was down

[IROC]

A friend of mine had his gonads removed...uhh...I mean bought a mnivan about three years ago and went through the same thought process you're going through. He analyzed it death (after all, we are engineers, aren't we?) and it came down to the Sienna or the Odyssey. They ended up buying the Odyssey. They love it.

[Rot 911]

Matt finally you are doing something that makes fiscal sense. No shame in the minivan, although you will never see one in my driveway. I think for your needs a minvan should fit the bill perfectly. Certainly a lot cheaper and will also get better gas mileage!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I like Chris' suggestion.

With its four seats and ample cargo area a 951 is the ideal family car! Safe and fun for all! C'mon - at least make the case. . .

In all seriousness though, I believe Wayne on here has an Oddity; I'm sure he had good reasons for getting it (IIRC one of them was incredibly good financing terms).

[vash]

matt, car shopping? big surprise

all my nut-less friends love their honda odessey's. Me? if i had kids, i would embrace the lesbian within me and buy a subaru legacy wagon.

[vash]

hey matt, when i picked up my mazdaspeed3, i sat in a mazda5. damn roomy and great gas mileage. under 20k new, i think. it had 3 rows of seats.

i looked very dorky tho.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Cliff, I like the Mazda5, but we need something cheap (around $10k). Not certain, but I don't think it has as much room as the Odyssey and Sienna. If the wife would drive something smaller, she'd have a Mazda6 wagon. Space is one thing she won't compromise on.

Kurt, are you trying to say that buying a 320 HP V8 SUV that's not very big but only gets 18 MPG was a bad fiscal decision?