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Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans
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Hopefully there aren't too many Quest owners paying attention, but they're BUTT UGLY!!!!!!!!! Almost same league as Aztek!!
I guess that you may say the same about JLo's. It all depends on what turns you on or off!!
As they say, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
For 2005, the GC is most attractive, T&C 2nd place, and 2005 Ody has fallen to third place with its boxier shape, less streamlined tail lights, and less attractive grille than 1999-2004 Odys. MPV is tied with Ody for 4rd place with the rest far behind in good looking exterior appearance.
I decided to look into to a replacement and the magazines and internet directed me to the Odyssey hands down. Me and my wife checked it out in and out and compared to my 1997 one would have to be crazy to vote for the caravan especially with my experience and looking at the inherent design. Their glove compartment was not held by straps. We loved the ride also. Then we started talking price and we knew they had no reason to negotiate since all the models they have in stock were quickly sold and they had a limited inventory. I decided we should at least look at the dodge and see where they have evolved. We quickly selected the sxt for comparison to the odyssey ex and checked the car as thouroughly as possible and test drove. We could see from looking that numerous
design defects had been corrected and it rode better. They also tried to answers answers verbally about why their new model heating and airconditioning worked as compared to my older model and other issues. The list price for the dodge was was higher than the odyssey. After haggling with the dodge dealer only because they won't give you a price I finally went back. I went back to the honda and got a price in 5 minutes.
The results were Honda ex with my old dodge trade in $23, 800 and for the dodge sxt with power gate, side airbags, and towing package $16,500. I like the honda better but can it really be that much better!!
Honda fans help me rationalize going that way. Since I drive my cars to their end resell value means nothing to me unless that reflects reliability.I am retired now so price doesn't matter when I bought before is out the window.
Dave
The price difference is pretty big I think you can get a better price on the Honda then that. If these are the best deals that you could find and VSC isn't a big deal for you get the Dodge. I got the Honda but I love the ride handling and packaging EX-L with RES. Took the Ortega Hwy today it was 2 time better a drive then my 2001 Caravan. Someone was saying the Dodge is the best looking exterior but that is the most subjective comment you can make!! The Honda was the only minivan my Wife thought was even a bit good to look at!! Please take your time if you buy a car you don't like you will regret it!
I appreciate your input.
Dave
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RES- Rear entertainment system(DVD)
VSC- Vehicle stability control- It uses sensors to see when the car is moving from it's intended path and reduces engine trottle and brakes the apropriate wheels to aviod a the car getting out of control. This will stop you from going into a uncontrolled spin in alot of situations. IIHS has a huge article on this a must read.
Yes 2 times better is VERY subjective sorry I said it !!!!
The ortega is a very curvy moutain road in the dodge I was a little nerous too much body lean and the transmission isn't set up to slow you down no 2nd gear setting availiable so on the way down you have to brake(some people will say NEVER use you tranny to slow down a car, I think it's not much different then useing it to accelerate your car and if you only do it rarely so what)like crazy and the body lean was too much. The odyssey handled more like my subaru legacy. The road noise is similiar and the freeway, on bad road is firmer and a little more jarring. But with more controlled feeling. On good freeways I like both the cars about the same.
On carsdirect.com the Ex is going for 26,681.00( at 5000 a year you should get more than 2800.00 for your tradein) but on the prices paid board people are getting it at $100 to 200 over invoice. Try and get the best quote from internet and then keep pitting them agaisnt each other. The great thing about all these employee discounts is that the other manufactures are feeling the change and dealing alot better.
Check out honda problems.....glovebox alignment is one of the issues the first year Oddy is having. It appears that even Honda's vaulted quality is suspect on first model year offerings now. If you get the Oddy, wait for 2006 model.
I came to your same conclusion, after driving Oddys at 4 different dealerships here in the Detroit area (so as not to become a pest I had the good fortune of getting a friend's employee discount from DCX back in Dec and the price difference was even more substantial than what you're looking at. I couldn't justify the difference with my DGC SXT vs Oddy EX. I also got the power hatch, sunroof and tow package (other minivans are rated at 3500lbs tow, the DCX is 3800lbs which was important for me for my camper).
It also appears that DCX will be offering employee pricing for all here very soon, so hold off a week.
Its interesting that glove compartments are hard to build. Maybe we should go into business and show them how to do it right.
Dave
Every Dodge or Chrysler mini-van I've been in has had a second gear selection.
Dusty
I have driven from Phoenix to Prescott a couple of time this year in my 2005 Dodge minivan and didn't encounter that kind of body leaning in my van and there is one big mountain to cross with lots of turns in it By contrast, I found this on the internet of a test drive of the Ody. on mountain roads.
"As on its passenger cars, Honda tuned that suspension tightly. The vocal engine, decent tire grip, and busy ride quality make it feel connected to the road, and the turning radius is nearly as tight as a sedan's. Like the Accord it's based on, the Odyssey gives the feeling that it can be tossed around corners a bit. Taking it up on the offer ruins the illusion, however, mostly because the capsizing feeling that comes with any aggressive turn reminds you of how high you're perched. That, plus too-slow steering, plus the Odyssey's not-so-mini measurements, make mountain runs a nervous affair. It's probably best to be content with the Odyssey's feel in the city, and best to keep it there."
Every Dodge or Chrysler mini-van I've been in has had a second gear selection.
Dusty
My 2001 caravan Van had D 3 L R they were the only selections. Which one is 2nd???
Wow do you believe everything you read, the guy asked my opinion. I rode the roads and thats how I felt. Is that so big a deal to try and make my opinion trivial. Of coarse it is :P
I don't know what year Dodge you drove, but my 2005 didn't feel that way. It's wasn't said to make your opinion trivial and I didn't mean it to sound that way. Just to let that person know the new Dodges aren't that way .But as you know, there have been much blasting of the Dodge by Honda owners and I wanted to set the record strait as to how the 2005 handles mountain roads and also show what a professional tester said of the Ody, on mountain roads.
Dave
With your above description and the driving preference spectrum I have decscribed many times in the past, the DGC would fit you like a glove. Go for it!
The glove box door retainers on our 1996 Caravan also failed after warranty and were so simple to replace I did it myself, and the parts were so inexpensive the dealer gave them to me. The replacements did not fail now at 8 years of ownership for us. Both of these were really minor issues.
Dave
At the price your getting the Dodge is a good value. Me and my wife liked the Honda better and got a pretty good deal on the EX-L with dvd only about 3000.00 more than a dodge with the same equipment, and less than the sienna. Getting a new car is always nice. Enjoy your new vehicle and have a good time. Hey if your retired you should be putting more miles on your van. If you can save $8000.00 dollars thats alot of money for taking vacations/recreation. I just like to keep people informed on why I bought the Honda. I liked the ride better(results may vary) comfort, safety features, and packaging. Even as I write this someone is ready to tell me I didn't!!! Dodges reliabilty is getting much better and after 20 years maybe the 41TE issues are a thing of the past CR says they have improved from below average to above average since the late 1990's.
Sales numbers indicate that DC minivans are THE MOST PREFERRED .
Maybe your wife senses competition and is steering you the other way!
Well, it is my wife's opinion. And I din't say it was anyone elses like your trying to imply. Sales are not all about looks as our good friend Dave said he would rather keep some money in his wallet(nothing wrong with that Dave) And as far as I'm concerned that lady has great Taste!!! Take it easy Hans your gonna blow a gasket. I still love ya man!!!
You know there is a difference between most prefered and most purchased. I prefered a Subaru WRX STI but with 3 kids I got a Honda Odyssey.
Let's look at edmunds most consumer most wanted MiniVan-The Honda Odyssey!!! Here's what they have to say!!!!
Minivan: Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey conquered this category thanks to a sympathetic restyling that allowed the car to become the hands-down winner by a clear majority of votes. None of the other vehicles, not even last year's winner, the Toyota Sienna, registered more than half of the enthusiasm that consumers seemed to have for the new 2005 Honda Odyssey. The addition of optional eight-passenger seating with a stowable middle seat, second-row chairs that convert into benches, and generally improved space and noise dynamics undoubtedly helped the Honda Odyssey to reclaim its rightful crown in the minivan hierarchy.
The Sienna XLE has all the features but in Denver Region, all XLE's include XLE Package # 4 that is $2575 bringing the MSRP up to $ 32,365. The 2nd row seats of the Sienna are not comfortable for me.
The Odyssey has the most comfortable seats, the easiest to use 3rd row folding seats, the most power, the nicest cloth interior (Grey with bluish tint) with the prettiest color (Ocean Mist Metallic) and has an MSRP of $ 28,710. The Odyssey lacks the overhead console with compass, temperature, and trip computer that I like in a minivan.
The Grand Caravan SXT has all the features but the trip computer now lacks the current fuel economy reading that is included on my lesser 2002 T&C LX. (The Sienna has that feature.) :confuse:
The higher price of the Sienna XLE with Pkg # 4 disqualifies it for me while the Odyssey would be my first choice if price were comparable to the GC SXT. Based on all the above factors, the much lower actual selling price of the GC SXT makes it my first choice. I can do alot with the approximately $ 5,400 lower actual selling price of the GC SXT vs Ody EX or almost $ 9,000 lower selling price vs Sienna XLE.
Jeezzzz, what do women know about automobiles??????? :P
Shame on you guys for letting them have ANY input!!!!!
I haven't seen it in person, it is probably pretty nice. My vote is for Honda Odyssey Sage brush Pearl. It's like 3 colors in one, just change the lighting. It's a greenish, blueish, grayish color. I think it's the Boss! I'll keep my eye open for the Magnesium!!
Shame on you guys for letting them have ANY input!!!!!
Dennis I'm sure your wife dosen't read this forum or you'll be getting none. We all know who gets input into the family car!!! BTW my wife is smart she knows where the gas goes and to tell me if any lights go on, strange noises, wierd problems happen.(well sometimes she tells me) But I'm sure she can put gas in the car!!!
I get to spend a considerable amount of time behind many of the mass market people haulers. Everything from around town to long highway trips.
If changing loads (people and/or alternatively, stuff) is the intended usage, the DCX vans are nearly impossible to beat. A vehicle with power sliders and hatch and the SNG is, IMHO, leagues better than anything I've used.
Granted, some of the imports have superior powertrains; however, those advantages pale in comparison to the game-changing superiority of the Stow N Go system. It's hard to describe until you've lived with one for some time.
Dusty
I've had people call it gray, metallic gray, metallic blue, etc. depending on the light and surrounding comparison colors. Great color... hard to describe.
I can't even argue that one!!!! Mine is strickly for moving people. I work as a FSE and if I still got a company car I would get that!! For my wife and kids Honda was the best choice!!
Thanks, for the reply!! You'll get me soon. I'm sure!! I post enough.
For those out there who responded to my request for input I wish you the best of luck with your vehicles. When I get some experience with the sxt I'll contibute to this forum.
Dave
We were initially going to pick a silver or red hue, but we ended up falling for the Butane Blue Pearl, which is a very light blue that looks bluish when there is more light and silverish when the light is low... very nice!
The Stow-N-Go is a must-have feature for us. We have 3 young kids and it works out perfectly when we stow the passenger side seat in the 2nd row. So the baby goes in the bucket seat driver side and the 2 toddlers (2 and 5) go in the back. That leaves a wide open area behind the front passenger seat for groceries, toys/books, and easy access to the carseats to get the kids out. Just perfect!
The Magnesium has a similar effect, though I believe that the sage brush (at least from pictures I've seen) is more towards the Olive color, and Magnesium a little more blue in t here. Both nice colors. You can also see Magnesium on Pacificas and 300's
I keep the second row passenger seat stowed too. It is amazing how much room it gives you to not only get at the third row seats, but to load just about anything you want in that van easily. I put very few things in the van through the back hatch. The side door is much easier.
Dave
Dodge dealers I have talked with on a 2005 GC SXT are telling me my well equipped 2002 T&C LX 36,400 miles is worth $ 9,000 to $9,500.
As I read your postings, your 97 GC had about 45,000 miles on it. Was it a GC ES, LE, or loaded SE? What extra options did your 97 GC have? My 02 T&C LX is a clone of the 02 GC Sport and has most 02 Sport options except for the Power Sliding door on passenger side.
Dave
completely loaded se model perfect shape.
Today I saw a Dodge Caravan SXT (not DGC) advertised at $20.3K; prior to that I have seen a DGC advertised at $16.5K with rebates.
Even if there may be some option differences, it does not look right.
The DGC you saw advertised for $16.5K may have been a stripper version SE without Stow and Go seats. For that matter, it may even have been a demo or used unit.
Dave
Regards,
Dusty
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Two never replied and a salesman from the other 2 called on the telephone while I was out. :sick:
Will I call them back? Not NO, but NO !!
The Honda prices are not as good as they were a few months ago, but that is a moot point as all 2005 Odysseys have been pre-sold. My favorite dealership has their September allocation for 12 of the 2006 Odysseys.
Question? Is an Ody EX really worth $ 27,206 (MSRP $28,810 ) when I can get a GC SXT for $21,000 - $22,000?
I know Ody owners will say "absolutely" and DC owners will say "Of course not".
What do some neutral Town Hall members like "thejipster" say? :confuse:
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM!!