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I didn't know the Relay was that slow of a seller...
The biggest surprise to me is that there was only a 57 day supply of Caravan while there was a 52 day supply of the Odyssey as of March 1, 2006.
Compare these numbers with 47 day supply of Caravan and only 26 day supply of Odyssey as of July 1, 2005
Has the demand for the Odyssey dropped as fast in 8 months as current inventory that is twice as large implies?
Probably, because it isn't a brand-new model anymore. Just like most new-releases, cars sit less time when they are brand new, in high-demand, and don't have extra production surpluses from years of production.
Honda does typically keep production tight during the first year or so of a new model. Toyota does the same. The new Civic is sitting on 24 day supply, which is less than half of where they were last year.
Sales look strong for all the main players, except T&C. Following is January 2006 Sales and % change from January 2005:
T&C 9447 -17%
Caravan 16,273 +18%
Odyssey 10,257 +10%
Freestar 5,746 +4%
Sienna 11,774 +27%
Monterey 338 -62%
Yeah, I threw the Monterey in there for fun!
In short, any thoughts and opinions on how you use your 2nd row seats would be most helpful in designing better seats for future minivans. Thanks!
On a recent trip, I put the older kids in the 3rd row seat, one in a high back booster and the other in an extended weight 5-point harness restraint. That left the passenger-side 2nd row seat (moved to the center) and center 3rd row seat open. That allowed my wife to move back to the second row to be next to the rear-facing 11 month old. She could also get back to the third row to help the older kids when needed. That worked very well for us on a 2300 mile round trip drive. She ended up spending most of her time next to the baby, rather than in the front seat. In that regard, the comfort of the full sized captain's chair was an added bonus.
We use the 8th PlusOne seat only as needed for an extra child or passenger. Normally, it is stored in the compartment where the Lazy Susan would be. This works great for us, since we only have 5 passengers most of the time. If we carried 7 or 8 passengers regularly, the Sienna 8-passenger version would have been a better choice.
The Sienna's 8th seat option is very nice as a full time seat. The integrated shoulder belt and LATCH system are very handy for child restraints and passengers of all ages. The slide forward feature was nice, but would be much better if the mechanism allowed you to do this without removing the chair and re-attaching it. One other dislike is that the flush-mounted seatbelt buckles can be hard to access, especially for kids in boosters when they are sitting next to a child restraint.
I had originally ordered a Sienna LE8, with the idea of having 3 kids in the second row and leaving the third row open. When our previous van sold, I quickly discovered that having our kids in the same row of our wagon was not pleasant on a daily basis. That was one reason I reconsidered the Odyssey and it's stowable 8th seat option.
In my opinion, the ideal second row arrangement would be a Stow 'n Go system like the Chrysler minivans have. It would be improved with three separate stowable chairs, similar to those in the 8-passenger Sienna. It would also be easier to stow and have improved comfort compared to the current Chrysler design. Having LATCH in all three seats like the Sienna would be another great feature. That would be the best of all worlds for seating and cargo flexibility.
IF a person needs 8 passenger seating, the Odyssey EX with 8 passenger seating is the best choice. (The former Astro/Safari 8 passenger minivans were good because it was easier for children to access the 3rd row with an 8 passenger van than with the middle 2nd row seat in place with the Odyssey).
The Odyssey's PlusOne seat is fine for a narrow booster or teenager, but not wide enough for an adult on a longer trip. The Sienna's 3rd row is also a couple inches wider which can help for 3 across, even though the legroom is less for adults. The tumble forward mechanism on the 8-passenger model is a little easier than the 7-passenger version and leaves a reasonable clearance for adults and plenty for kids.
Any opinions on either of these brands/models?
From the resident seatbelt jerker. :P
also it's not widely advertised but kia has $1000 finance bonus cash plus 3.9% financing listed for the 06 sedona on their website through april.
There is no way on earth Kia would stick such a long warranty (20 years, 200K miles) on the Sedona- even cars with a "sterling" reliability reputation may not go that long without a repair. (I know my Civic hasn't, and neither has my Odyssey)
Between the two, I would probably lean towards an 06 Sedona, because of the added safety features you get, the longer warranty, and because its a newer design than the Caravan.
The Dodge dealer would have to offer me a very, very good deal on the Caravan SXT to get me into one.
Perhaps a car with a 50year/500,000 mile warranty would be more economical?
The car could be advertised as ,"The Alpha and Omega Car...The first AND last car you'll ever need. From cradle to grave....and everything inbetween"
Almost every Town Hall member has also written that the "jerk test" does not test whether a shoulder belt will lock or not.
There is always the possibility that equipment in one or 2 vehicles of any brand will fail to work properly.
Buy a Kia if you don't want a minivan preferred by most minivan buyers.
I found a 05 Kia we really like but I do like the new 06 better (especially with the floor fold seats and larger cargo area). The price difference is alot. We can get a 05 EX with leather, sunroof ect for 21,500 with the rebate. Unsure if I should just hold out for a really good 2006 deal??
Also if they are offering a $4750 rebate do I still try to talk down more on the price?
TIA for any advice
going price around here seems to be $22k for 06 EX without leather or sunroof and <$20k for 06 LX. i haven't priced leather/sunroof 06 EX's, but i'd personally hold out for an 06, unless you can get a *much* better deal on that 05.
If you knew that, I apologize; I'm just trying to be informative.
The "best part" of my Mazda MPV is the raw unadulturated power. High end torque is unsurpassed. Mac, if you're still out there...I'll be waiting at exit 115 on interstate 65 for ya.
I also like the fold flat third row and the 3.5L VTEC that gets 25 MPG highway...