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Minivans - Domestic or Foreign

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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    from Marine's add-on list:

    2 115 power outlets - Sienna has this

    plus power converter - what does this mean exactly? :confuse:

    blue tooth U connect - Sienna just got this, too

    third row vents in ceiling to control air flow - don't all vans have this?

    second row heated seats - I'm not sure about this one, this may indeed be unique

    halo lighting - I listed that (LED lighting)

    Able to view movies up to front dash screen when van is stopped - Most NAV equipped cars can do this, though I'm not sure because I didn't get that option

    Offers two different rides. Softer on Chrysler, stiffer on Dodge. - not sure if that's really a feature, but it's useful to know, I suppose.

    Voice recognition on the NAV - pretty sure Honda has it

    3rd row split bench seat that can tailgate - Sienna can, Ody cannot

    It's important to note that while you can put the Ody's 3rd row in that tailgating position, it will not hold, i.e. the seat will collapse in on itself. This is dangerous so please do not try this by seating your kids there, it's not meant to handle the weight! :surprise:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Let's see...

    Honda has the largest screen for the NAVI - aren't they all about 7" nowadays? Some may be 6.5", I'm not sure.

    Ody does have 8 seat belts, even if the 8th seat isn't comfy for a long trip, it can handle an 8th passenger, at least. Should we give it half credit? ;)

    roll down the windows remotely using the key fob - not sure if the others have this. I do open the doors remotely to cool off the interior, so I can see the use for it.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I will bet you they'll come down on the price of the Chrysler where they probably won't on the Sienna. In the end, you'll get more on the Chrysler and pay less.

    I'm gonna cut you some slack here because you did say they will come down in price, future tense, but that's not the case as of yet:

    Fitmall.com's no-haggle price on their most-loaded FWD Sienna XLE Limited: $36,178.

    Same dealer, Town & Country Limited FWD, best equipped model on their lot: $38,580.

    So for now, you can spend about $2400 more at the Chrysler store to get those extras.

    Both are 2008 models, so they probably will come down a bit on the Siennas, actually. 2007 models started with no rebate, but that crept as high as $2000 at the very end of the model year.

    Bottom line: will the Chrysler drop in price by $2400, potentially $4400? Possibly.

    If I were shopping again now, I'd probably wait to see how prices shake out. I bet they will BOTH drop.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    There are NO 2nd row seats with armrests at ANY time in the 8 passenger Sienna BUT the Odyssey has 2nd row armrests for both outside seats when there are not 3 passengers in the 2nd row.

    As an owner of a 7 passenger 2006 Sienna, I do NOT think the 2nd row seats of the Sienna are as comfortable as the 2nd row seats of the Odyssey. I would prefer to ride on the 8th seat (middle seat in 2nd row) of the Ody for any distance than to ride in any of the 3 seats of the 2nd row of an 8 passenger Sienna.

    All you have to do is have the 2nd row outer seats of the Ody slid forward or back the same distance and fold the armrest up even with the seat back.

    To be fair, the Sienna does have the MOST cargo space behind the 3rd row of any minivan. :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I would prefer to ride on the 8th seat (middle seat in 2nd row) of the Ody for any distance than to ride in any of the 3 seats of the 2nd row of an 8 passenger Sienna

    I could not disagree more.

    All 3 seats are very comfy, 7 of us just drove 3 hours to the beach and eveyrone wanted to sit in those seats to get front row seats to the movie, people were fighting to see who got to sit there!

    I disagree 100%! They are first class seats! :shades:

    I don't get your love/hate, seemingly bi-polar opinions of the Sienna, honestly. You mix in a small complement as if to make your criticism more plausible, why? :confuse:

    The chrome surround for the gauges you mention all the time? Guess what? They're not even chrome. I looked closely. They are black, a bit glossy, but certainly not chrome. My Miata has chrome rings. Neither one bothers me!

    You really gotta get over these little pet peeves you have. Your posts are otherwise informative and useful, but you get so hung up on these pet peeves! :P
  • strawboss1strawboss1 Member Posts: 14
    We have a 2006 T&C Limited. We love it. With 15K miles on it, we have had it in service for airbag light and ABS light coming on during travel, was a bad sensor, no other issues at all, fixed promptly and one time. Gas mileage on highway is 24-25, fully loaded, have never had worse than 22 mpg showing on the trip computer. DVD system is great with wireless headphones. Stow n Go is why we got it, and we have one 2nd row seat always folded in the floor for dogs, coolers, stuff. We are kidless and in our 40's. We shopped all mini-vans, thoroughly, but the stow n go was the feature that made it so much more flexible and met our needs. Got it for 32K, list was almost 38K. Radio with Nav is complicated, never have even used the Nav system. A/C is the best ever, front and back. Love the radio controls on steering wheel, as the radio buttons' print is so small. Ride is very good, not that super quiet, but definitely better than most cars. Power tailgate, leather, rear back up sensors are great. Our first Chrysler, the quality on the Limited is above average and it has served us well. Hope this helps!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Honda has the largest screen for the NAVI - aren't they all about 7" nowadays? Some may be 6.5", I'm not sure.

    Ody does have 8 seat belts, even if the 8th seat isn't comfy for a long trip, it can handle an 8th passenger, at least. Should we give it half credit?

    roll down the windows remotely using the key fob - not sure if the others have this. I do open the doors remotely to cool off the interior, so I can see the use for it.

    I think the Honda has an 8 inch screen.

    Half credit for the half-size seat sounds fair,

    and the bonus about opening the windows is that you can immediately lock the car back, setting the alarm should someone try to get in your car. With your doors open, anyone can climb on in and quietly take your things. Not a huge deal, but here in Alabama, where we just had a record-hot-August with 104 degrees being the norm, its worthwhile.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    You really gotta get over these little pet peeves you have. Your posts are otherwise informative and useful, but you get so hung up on these pet peeves!

    Well, no he doesn't! :P It's the little things that can cause people to love or hate their car. Sharing these feelings with other readers can help them discern what things that should look for in a test drive that might otherwise be missed. Chances are, if something bothers someone, they aren't the only one it will bother.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    8 inch screen.

    Waaahhhhhhh mommy, I need the 8" screen Waaahhhhhhh :(~~~
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    LOL... well if we're being nit-picky we want the best!

    Here's Edmunds' take on things.

    Battle for the Best Minivan: Dodge vs. Honda

    I won't spoil the ending for those who haven't read this yet. They do note that the Dodge is the new hot-rod of the minivan field, with Honda having superior dynamics.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    An 8 inch NAV screen would be boss. That's awesome.

    I went aftermarket for the DVD player because we wanted a big screen - 12.1" means everyone can see it. :shades:

    Here's a question - do any of these vans have a one-button, close all windows (including moonroof)? That would be useful. Close EVERYTHING. All windows, moonroof, and lock the doors. Put that on the wish list.

    -juice
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Here's a question - do any of these vans have a one-button, close all windows (including moonroof)? That would be useful. Close EVERYTHING. All windows, moonroof, and lock the doors. Put that on the wish list.

    Insert your key in the door lock on the outside, turn it left, then turn it left again and hold. The roof stays open (if equipped, my aunt's is cloth-equipped - no roof to close), but the windows go up, the doors lock, and the alarm is armed, in the Odyssey (and my Accord as well). It's CLOSE. :)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    It's the little things that can cause people to love or hate their car

    Valid point, but the glare he complains about from chrome rings (which aren't even chrome in the first place) are on a van he doesn't have. He took one test drive (I suppose) and concludes that's a deal killer. How long did he spend in that van, honestly? A few minutes at most?

    He even admitted that the issue with the 8 seater comfort was something personal, i.e. we are all shaped differently. Surely these seats are better than the miniature Stow-N-Go seats Dodge uses, for instance.

    Then he complains about resale on an ALG rated 5 star minivan, and says he's going to buy a Dodge, rated 1 star for residuals, worst possible. That simply makes no sense! He paid too much for his new van, that's all. Shoppers come to this thread and should know they don't have to make the same mistake, yet you read his comments and assume resale is poor (5 stars is poor?).

    The fact that there is one vocal unhappy Sienna owner makes him the exception that proves the rule. The Sienna threads are full of happy owners and his views are simply not representative of the typical Sienna owner.

    Remember, 79% would buy another Sienna if they could do it over. 21% would not. He's in that minority, 21%. Nothing he says changes the fact that 79% are happy, the most among minivans.

    Sienna owners are happiest overall, period.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Nice, if you have no moonroof then you have no worries.

    Honda should program the roof to close, too.

    We have an aftermarket ASC moonroof that closes when you remove the key, it's very cool. It's actually programmable, too, you can set it so that it stays open if you want it too.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    That article is as old as my dinosaur!!!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Cool, you have a dinosaur?

    ;)

    I honestly didn't know, and I really didn't want to pour through 250 posts to see if it had. Edmunds has it on the front page of the "CAR REVIEWS" sections so it can't be THAT out of date.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Boy, just try keep up with us!! ok?
  • marine2marine2 Member Posts: 1,155
    Stow n Go is why we got it, and we have one 2nd row seat always folded in the floor for dogs, coolers, stuff. We are kidless and in our 40's. We shopped all mini-vans, thoroughly, but the stow n go was the feature that made it so much more flexible and met our needs.

    Same here. Our kids are grown and gone and we are older. But I also bought my 2005 because of Stow-n-Go and we also keep the one passenger side, second row seat stowed for the same reason. I like putting stuff in the side door much better than the rear, except food. Our dog also likes laying there. When we do carry two, three, or four others, it is so easy to get to the back seat with the one seat stowed.

    Your also right about the A/C. Here in Arizona, it can hit 105-115 for months and the A/C has no problem cooling the whole van. One thing I checked out real good before buying, as my Dodge Dakota did a lousy job of doing it, as it had no recirculating switch on it.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I think the under-floor compartments themselves are more useful than the Stow-n-Go seats, actually.

    They would be great for each kid to have a place to store their toys, a stuffed animal, a spare sweater for when they get cold. You would use that all the time.

    I would not want the miniature seats, but I believe Edmunds said you can get the Swivel-and-Go seats, which are nice captain's chairs, and still get the under floor storage.

    Is that right?

    I do wish my Sienna had more covered storage bins. You can actually get up to 2 consoles, front and middle rows, but the model I got only has the tray.

    I can always buy them from Toyota and snap them in place, but we just slide a shoe box under the tray and put the toys in there.

    Funny thing is vans are almost TOO big, so cargo has to be tied down else it slides around. Covered bins are nice for this reason.
  • forgopforgop Member Posts: 16
    I had originally set my heart out on a used Odyssey. In the price range I was looking(around $11-12k), it looks like I'd have to settle on around an '02 with over 100k miles on it.

    I have a co-worker that has asked about my interest in an '05 Grand Caravan with virtually every option out there, including navigation, DVD, etc. It only has 34k miles and has a 100k mile extended warranty. He's asking $18k for it.

    I'm torn-I know my wife would love the stow and go. I'd certainly love buying something that has more bells and whistles that I wouldn't get buying an Odyssey, but I'll also get a vehicle that only has 1/3 to 1/4 of the miles I'd have to get along with the warranty to boot. Buying an Odyssey of similar mileage/options would cost a LOT more.

    What would you do?
  • bobber1bobber1 Member Posts: 217
    Buy the Dodge. You'll get a lot of bang for your buck and it's a decent vehicle. It doesn't have stability control like the Honda does, but people have been driving vehicles for over 100 years without stability control, and most of them survived just fine.

    Buy the Dodge...
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I agree. In this situation the Dodge is a much, much better value.

    Remember - early Odysseys had transmission issues, so you're not necessarily buying reliability in this case.

    An 05 Dodge with 66k left on the warranty, 3 years newer with far fewer miles, plus more equipment.

    Having said all that, shop around. I've seen 06 Dodge SXTs for as little as $15k.

    The extra equipment and the warranty are probably worth the extra amount in this case.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Depends on what he's gonna take for it. There's a $6,000 difference from your target price range there and that extra $6,000 also buys a lot of Odyssey if that's why you have your heart set on. But in all honesty, most folks (as proven by sales data....) would prefer the bargain. The Ody was the first minivan that really met all my needs/wants so that's what I went with. But unless handling and certain performance/features are your issue, that '05 Caravan will likely tickle 90% of your fancy.
  • forgopforgop Member Posts: 16
    True, but when comparing the Honda and Dodge, I'd probably have to get something with 20k more miles or spend more than what I'd spend on the Dodge. I saw an 05 Odyssey w/ a salvage sell for $19k on ebay. The Big Three just depreciate so much faster than the Odyssey.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    So true, in this case quick depreciation works to your advantage.

    And with an extended warranty, you can keep it for a long time, so the amount of $$$ you get for it down the road will be far less significant than getting a good deal now.
  • forgopforgop Member Posts: 16
    I'm much less concerned about depreciation at the end as I'm looking to get something to drive until the wheels literally fall off. With a Dodge, it's more likely to happen sooner than with a Honda though. ;)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, it's a couple of years newer, keep that in mind. Also has far fewer miles.
  • bobber1bobber1 Member Posts: 217
    Actually I had a friend that got 300,000 mile out of a mid 90's Dodge Caravan. I think the engine can do it, it's more some of the other items.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The big ticket item most likely to go would likely be the transmission, but with the 100k warranty, you're good for a while.

    If it turns sour and doesn't feel like it will hold up for the long haul, you can still sell it with 5k miles left on that warranty, so you have a "plan B".
  • marine2marine2 Member Posts: 1,155
    I had originally set my heart out on a used Odyssey. In the price range I was looking(around $11-12k), it looks like I'd have to settle on around an '02 with over 100k miles on it.

    I have a co-worker that has asked about my interest in an '05 Grand Caravan with virtually every option out there, including navigation, DVD, etc. It only has 34k miles and has a 100k mile extended warranty. He's asking $18k for it.

    I'm torn-I know my wife would love the stow and go. I'd certainly love buying something that has more bells and whistles that I wouldn't get buying an Odyssey, but I'll also get a vehicle that only has 1/3 to 1/4 of the miles I'd have to get along with the warranty to boot. Buying an Odyssey of similar mileage/options would cost a LOT more.

    What would you do?

    I have a 2005 DGC and it's been trouble free going on three years. I think 18 is a little high, but maybe not if it has leather, navigation, DVD and warranty.

    Stow-N-Go is a very nice feature. It can hold a whole lot of stuff, including a small television you can plug into one of your outlets. blankets and pillows if you go camping.

    I keep one passenger middle seat stowed most of the time so the dog has a place to set, or if I want to haul something big and already set up, like a bassinet. The side door is much better to load stuff like that, than using the tailgate.

    Don't be fooled about those middle seats being uncomfortable. Maybe if your 230 lbs., but not for the average person. I have made two trips from Arizona to Ohio in it and my brother sat in them both times.(2,000 miles one way) He never complained about them. They are firmer and narrower, but far from being uncomfortable.

    The advantage having to be able to stow those seats and have all that storage room, makes those seats a real bargain. I like the idea that they have arm rests on them too and the seats can lean back. Something you can't get on some bench seats.

    I think you'd be happy with the Dodge. With the 100,000 warranty, you have little to worry about.
  • bobber1bobber1 Member Posts: 217
    I disagree on the comfort level of the Stow n Go. Those things are the hardest, most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in. If it's kids riding in them most of the time, however you'll be fine.
  • marine2marine2 Member Posts: 1,155
    I disagree on the comfort level of the Stow n Go. Those things are the hardest, most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in. If it's kids riding in them most of the time, however you'll be fine.

    Well my brother isn't any kid and a 4,000 mile round trip is a long time to sit in them and he hasn't complained. Now if you don't lift the head rest up, you'll complain. I have had others set in them for short trips of less than 60 miles and they never complained either. Maybe you have a more than tender rear end.
  • hypnosis44hypnosis44 Member Posts: 483
    Several friends and I took an 800 mile trip in an '05 Chrysler van and had no complaints or problems with the seats at all. It should be a good value, especially with the extended warranty. My friend has had no problems with hers except a very hard to locate rattle that the dealer did finally cure. It has about 35K on it.
  • hause7hause7 Member Posts: 153
    We had those seats in our previous 05 Town&country, they were very uncomfortable, especially when compared to the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna's rear seats. i am 5' 11" and 175 pounds, so i would say the average peron, and they sucked to me and had a cheap feel to them, one of our stow n' go seats got stuck in the well, had to take a trip to the dealer to get it out, it was quite funny explaining to the dealer what was wrong.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    I guess different strokes for different folks. People use to complain about German seats being so firm/hard, but they're considered some of the best seats for long hauls and in the industry. A friend of mine works for GM and they marvel at VW's seats because ALL VW/Audis use the same basic seat structure and whether you get a Beetle or an A8, they're design for comfort from day one. GM has DOZENs of seat designs with every division doing their own thing, never sharing knowledge etc...

    I've been in my Stow N Go seats to Toronto a few times, with no complaints after a 5 hour drive. My elderly parents have been in them for hours and I asked what they thought. They had no issues. You can't beat em for ease of use and flexibility. I love not taking seats in and out for camping trips or big Home Depot runs. It'll be interesting to see when or if others bring out anything like them. It would take a commitment to a specific minivan chassis for Honda for example because the Oddy, Ridge, Pilot and MDX all share same architecture. Will they come up with a better mousetrap, compromise "comfort" or stick with what they have?
  • bobber1bobber1 Member Posts: 217
    Marine2 I'm 6'1" and weigh about 200 pounds. I've been known to ride a horse all day, so my butt's fairly tough. Actually it was probably the back support which lacked more than anything.

    Hey I think the rest of the minivan is a good value and the stow N go's are handy. They had to make some sacrifices is eat comfort to make the seats work. If you sat a Chrysler next to all it's major competitors and sat in the second row seats, you'd note the difference. That's what I did when I was shopping.
  • strawboss1strawboss1 Member Posts: 14
    We take our '06 T&C Limited on long trips, 4 generous sized adults, so someone has to sit in the stow n go seat at least for a little while. Husband is 6', 250, so it's not his favorite seat, but if we stick a DVD in the player, he forgets all about it. He doesn't complain, but he would rather sit up front, of course! To me, the stow n go convenience outweighs the neglible difference in seats. No van is perfect, you just have to put your top wants and deal breakers on a piece of paper, and go from there. I drove the Honda, with him in the backseat, and it was nice, but any seat over the long haul is going to tire butts, no matter how ample or flat. My dogs couldn't lay flat up near us, so that was our deal breaker on the other vans. Everyone is different, but I think all the vans offer good, different things. It's just what you want out of your van.
  • marine2marine2 Member Posts: 1,155
    We had those seats in our previous 05 Town&country, they were very uncomfortable, especially when compared to the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna's rear seats. i am 5' 11" and 175 pounds, so i would say the average peron, and they sucked to me and had a cheap feel to them, one of our stow n' go seats got stuck in the well, had to take a trip to the dealer to get it out, it was quite funny explaining to the dealer what was wrong.

    If your going to compare the middle stow-n-go seats to the Ody or Sienna for softness, of course the stow-n-go will come in last. That's a given. They are firmer, but they are far from being uncomfortable. But those of us that bought the Chrysler/Dodge, mainly for the convenience of stowing the seats instead of removing them when we needed the room and loved the large storage bins, did so knowing they wouldn't be as comfortable, but also knowing they had big advantages over the Ody and Sienna for those of us that use our vans for more than people haulers. If all your going to do is haul people and don't need to worry about storage, Chrysler's stow-n-go is not for you. But there are many people like myself that hate having your van or truck messed up with toys, tools, jump cables, blankets, etc. That like the idea of going into a store, buying something, stowing it out of sight in those bins and then leaving it to go to another store. Not worrying someone will look in and see it laying on the floor.

    I love the idea we can go to some place like park and swap and if I see something I like, I don't have to go home and take out my seats and go back and load it.

    About a year ago, I went into Sears to get a bassinet for our daughter. They only had the floor model left and I took it. I dropped the middle passenger seat and slid it in the side door, standing up. Did the same thing with an air compressor. I would have had to pick it up to get it in the rear hatch. I only had to bend the handle down and slide it in the side door. No heavy lifting.

    So yes, you give up a little softness in the middle seats for the convenience of stow-n-go. To me it was a no brainer. I got rid of a truck because of the stow-n-go seats and have never been sorry.

    I also disagree with them having a cheap feel to them. The seats have a solid steel frame and the cloth is the same as the other seats, the arm rest are firm. There is nothing cheap about them. Even the cover over the bins are steel and solid. I think most people who own one will agree.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    and he hasn't complained... I have had others sit...

    Did you ever ask him/them? If I was a guest in someone else's vehicle I sure wouldn't be telling the owner that the seats suck...may find myself walking home. :)
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    The vast majority of people who have actually purchased and used them have no complaints, only the people who don't have them seem to complain about them. Solution, stop complaining and enjoy your vans. If you're in the market, shop and compare and buy what you like.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The vast majority of people who have actually purchased and used them have no complaints, only the people who don't have them seem to complain about them.

    That one should be obvious - I wouldn't buy something I felt was uncomfortable either; it may explain why nobody owning them think their Stow n Go seats are uncomfortable. To the owners, they are comfortable! :)
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Maybe just maybe, people should not just jump in them, say "they're hard" and dismiss them. They seem to be a sucess in the marketplace, Chrysler credits them with keeping sales up on their last gen minivans, and they've incorporated them into the next gen, so the majority of people must like them?
  • bobber1bobber1 Member Posts: 217
    Well gosh why should we write anything on this board then? Opinions are going to differ and I believe it's good to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Maybe just maybe, people should not just jump in them, say "they're hard" and dismiss them.

    I REALLY don't think it would happen as much as you'd think. The seats in my sedan are VERY firm, but quite comfortable (they are fairly large captains chairs though). With 350k+ sold every year, people aren't dismissing that seat very quickly.

    I make it a point to sit in LOTS of vehicles when the auto show rolls in here in November. I'll have to try out the DCX SnG seats again. Last time they were just too small for me to get REALLY comfortable. They weren't "Gawd-Awful" as some people make 'em out to be, but they weren't as good as our 2000 model Odyssey's 2nd row for me (I'm 6'4" and always had plenty of room and comfort in our 2nd row). Sure, the seats didn't stow, but we did more people moving than cargo moving, so it didn't matter too much to us. We actually never took the seats out - we didn't move that much stuff!

    Nobody's questioning stow-n-go's practicality; it's a compromise that makes sense to a large number of people. For people who haul more rears than gear, a more comfortable seat is worth losing stow-n-go.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Yeah, but it'd be good to hear it from people who actually own the product . It'd be like me whining about how "squishy" Oddy seats are because I sat in them a few times when looking for a minivan over 2 years ago. I'd hardly be the best judge of them.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Allow me to play the devil's advocate here for a second.

    Chrysler did keep them, but they also offer different seats for Swivel-n-Go that appear to be more comfortable (thicker padding, higher off the ground). So at a minimum they hedged their bets.

    If Chrsyler thought the smaller Stow-n-Go seats were fine, they probably would have used the same design for Swivel-n-Go, yet they didn't.

    On the other hand, most of the times its kids in these seats, and if you have an infant seat or a booster for a toddler it really doesn't matter what is underneath, in fact a thinly padded seat might make it easier to secure a child safety seat, so it could be seen as an advantage.

    Simple conclusion - try them out. We are all shaped differently. I found they're a bit short for me, no thigh support, and too thinly padded. marine's brother is either too nice to complain or simply shaped differently than me, perhaps both. ;)
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Yeah, but it'd be good to hear it from people who actually own the product. It'd be like me whining about how "squishy" Oddy seats are because I sat in them a few times when looking for a minivan over 2 years ago.

    Would you buy a van knowing it was uncomfortable?

    I'm afraid you won't find what you are looking for, unless some people had a change of heart (or change of backbone :)). Seat comfort isn't a problem that would "develop" like a burned-out bulb. It should be relatively static; it would be existent from the time of test-drive. Do ya kinda see what I'm trying to say?

    I'm not knocking you, really I'm not. Seat comfort is subjective, and there's no point in trying to convince someone that something is comfy to them or not, since everyone has a different idea of comfort. There are obviously loads of people who find the DCX seats perfectly suitable. The thing is, people that had a problem with the seats probably didn't BUY THE CAR which is why you aren't hearing complaints from owners. They wouldn't buy something they found uncomfortable in the first place.

    That's (the underlined part) all I'm trying to say.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Would you buy a van knowing it was uncomfortable?

    paging hansienna, paging hansienna, you're needed in the Minivan shopping forum.

    :D

    To be fair, I think it's just a matter of not taking a long enough test drive.

    BTW, he is VERY vocal about what he perceives as poor seat comfort. He is by far the most vocal Sienna critic here on Edmunds, one of the very few.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Ok, so there's an anomaly. :)

    Leave it to the 'Yota drivers! KIDDING! :P
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You got me! :D
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