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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ OT - Odyssey or Sienna

Posted by: SteveL Sep 6 2006, 12:53 PM

Well, got married last January, and now it's time start looking at Mommy Wagons. We have it narrowed down to a Honda Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna. Any anvice? Anybody have one?

Thanks!

Posted by: blitZ Sep 6 2006, 01:20 PM

We bought an Odyssey in 2001, it's been a great van. They had transmission issues and Honda extended the warranty. When our transmission acted up, it was replaced, no questions.

Posted by: eric914 Sep 6 2006, 01:26 PM

Take a look at the Dodge Caravan. Great van for the money. Our entire extended family have driven these (7 vans total) and we have all had good experiences with them.

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Sep 6 2006, 01:37 PM

We are an original owner of a 1991 Toyota Previa. A+++ car.

We also recently bought a 2006 Honda Odyssey A+++ car.

Choose the one you like the best, you cannot go wrong.

Posted by: jhadler Sep 6 2006, 02:17 PM

Isn't the Previa a mid-engined mini van??? I would think that would be a must-have for any serious 914 owner....

-Josh2

Posted by: dlo914 Sep 6 2006, 03:01 PM

Actually, the previous vans before the previa were actually mid-engined Everyone remembers these boxes on wheels IPB Image
Oh yeah, to comment on the 98' Sienna we have, quite a comfy van. It has a torquey 3L V6. The gas mileage is decent at 18 local /24 highway at a combined 21 mpg. Other than that our sienna tends to run better on 91 octane. So far we've gotten 100k out of sienna, and only had to do the regular maintenance. Then again i'm more of a toyota guy.

Posted by: chunger Sep 6 2006, 03:35 PM

We've got 180K on a '91 Previa the family purchased new. . . I've used it pretty hard in the last 3 years hauling construction materials. Plywood, sheetrock, lumber, etc. I've had to replace the shocks 'cause I 'sploded them, but other than that, no complaints. It still runs strong.

My in-laws have a Sienna, and it seems to exhibit the same boring reliability iffin' you do all the scheduled maintinence.

-'Chung

Posted by: Sammy Sep 6 2006, 06:12 PM

I've owned a plymouth voyager (total POS), a toyota sienna, and a honda pilot (the wife's cars).
The honda is pretty good but not as good as I expected. the sienna was a much better vehicle IMO. I wouldn't own another voyager if it was free. I hated that thing.
When the honda gets all worn out I will try and convince the wife to get another sienna.
The only reason we sold it was because she just had to have an SUV insterad of a mini van, because SUVs are cooler. fffffffzzzzt

Posted by: 9146986 Sep 6 2006, 09:30 PM

We were dead set on a Sienna, until I drove an Ody. The Sienna may give a longer service life, as they have a great engine in that van, but the Honda drives so much more like a car, a good car, a good handling car. We got an 06 with the rear entertainment package (rear dvd player) and the Nav package (GPS map, and XM with three free months XM), for about 2k less than a Sienna without the Nav and XM. It also has voice commands for the stereo, which is cool. So far we are totally happy with the Ody. Drive them both. I think the Sienna may have a few more useable features than a similarly equipt Ody, better headlights and power rear door, but they've had some problems with the power rear door anyway (recalled some350k vans). Dealer support would probably be another consideration.

Did you know an Ody handles better than a 356 and an XKE??? An Ody with plus one wheels and tires beat a stock 356 in an autocross by almost three seconds!!