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Buying a Used Sienna

24

Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Congrats.
  • dc0517dc0517 Member Posts: 12
    I just found a loaded 2006 limited AWD near me, claim only 1 owner, 46k miles for $24,995, good deal? Anything to look out for on a 2006 like this?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That was probably a $38 grand van when new, i.e. loaded and the most pricey.

    Let's see. $25k is about 2/3rds of the original price, or 67%.

    Usually I say knock 10% when you drive off the lot and another 10% or so every year after that. Being 3-4 years old it should be 40-50% less than a new one, so there should be room to negotiate on that price.

    What too look for?

    Run-flats, definitely check those closely, see if there is uneven wear. They are expensive to replace a whole set and with AWD even tread is vital.

    The alloys wheels on some of those had a finish that would not last very long, so take a close look at the wheels for bubbling paint or any signs of oxidation.

    Then check the driver's door, 04-06 models had a TSB on the issue, make sure it latches well and nothing is loose.
  • azdinoazdino Member Posts: 9
    Sounds a bit pricey for my frugal tastes. I would offer $21,000 at the maximum.

    Do you really need AWD? It is an expensive option and when it breaks damage will be done to your hoard of cash. I lived in the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains for 10 years and survived admirably with FWD.

    When the sliding door motor fails it is a $1,500 fix per side. About $800 for the rear door. Check out one of the "repair" subjects on this board. Best of luck.....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They definitely left room to haggle.

    At $25k most people want a new van. That's what I paid for mine. Not loaded, sure, but I do have power doors, 6CD, tow package, etc.
  • dc0517dc0517 Member Posts: 12
    I went and saw the van, it was a single owner lease from New Jersey, had excessive wear on front tires (original Dunlaps maybe??) and bubbling on the rims. Dealer was willing to replace 2 tires and sell for $23,500, then he sent me the AutoCheck history, everything looked fine EXCEPT it had been in a frontal collision with a parked car, imagine there wasn't much damage but I get really nervous when I find out a car has been in an accident. I told him I might still consider it for $21k pending an inspection, pretty sure he wont go that low. There are too many people out there right now who don't do their homework and will take it for more.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Good catch, checking on the collision damage.

    Sienna are plentiful. Find a better one.
  • tallchicktallchick Member Posts: 1
    I have an opportunity to purchase a 2004 with 107,000 miles for $6500. Is this a good deal? Should I be worried about the mileage?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I think the price is very good, yes. The 3MZ engine has not had any issues, but at that mileage have it inspected anyway.
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    That is a really good price for an 04.An amazing deal.Get it checked and buy it before it`s gone. :shades:
  • hnorman143hnorman143 Member Posts: 1
    I am in the market for a used mini van. I like the Odyssey but I have found they are above my ideal price point and the Sienna seems to be a better value. I am looking to spend 10-12K so I am focused on the model years of 2005 and older. Any input on good model years or bad ones? I have found prices, mileage, options and model years all over the board and am now VERY confused!

    Please advice!! Any and all help is MUCH appreciated!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The 1MZ 3.0l V6 in the 2003 and prior Sienna was known for sludge issues, so a safer bet is the 3MZ 3.3l in the 2004 and later models.

    2004+ is basically the current platform, too. Much bigger than the prior one, 2nd row windows roll down, 3rd row folds in to the floor, etc.

    So aim for a 2004+.
  • burlyqburlyq Member Posts: 1
    I have been looking at a 2008 Sienna AWD model but am concerned about some of the information I am finding on the Web, The used ones I have found available all seem to have very low miles, and in a number of cases, have apparently been sold, and then put up for resale within months - which would probably indicate some inherent problem that is being found by the purchasers. A number of posts indicate very bad mpg problems and I wonder if this might be the problem being discovered.
    Furthermore, I drove one of these vehicles yesterday for the first time and noticed that it seemed to slow dramatically as soon as I took my foot off the gas. Even the salesman at this Ford dealership acknowledged that this seemed unusual.
    Is this normal with this vehicle because of its AWD?
    Thanks for your input!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    There is drag from two axles, so to some extent, yes, it's normal.

    My guess is it's the run-flat tires, which come with AWD. They're the most common complaint by far.

    Some people replace them with conventional tires and add a spare to the cargo well.
  • hihostevohihostevo Member Posts: 59
    Hi a neighbor friend that works at a local dealership has offered me a 2004 Sienna XLE Limited with factory nav and factory DVD systems.

    Visually it appears in very good shape with 77,000 miles.

    He is asking $11,900........

    What do you guys think?

    Ps. Did the loaded '04 models include Bluetooth?
  • tekkamakitekkamaki Member Posts: 23
    Seems like a good price for that car according to NADA.com

    While it is a good deal- personally I would spend a little more to get a newer van with lower miles. I would look for an 07 or newer with the larger motor (Timing chain instead of timing belt )and better safety features (door beams came it 05)

    For example I just bought an 07 Certified CE with 40,500 miles for $14,950. I worked with a car concierge service to find a newer model low miles Sienna for a great price.

    Personally I am not a fan of bells and whistles though- Its just more stuff to break over time. The LE and CE models come plenty well equipped IMHO. Forget NAV- get a Garmin! You can also consider an after market DVD if you need one.

    Read up on the Sienna Forum about the new motor, the power sliding door problems, and other things Sienna. You are sure to get the car you want if you are well informed and patient.

    My advice- Buy it if it is exactly what you are looking for - if not have him find The ONE at auction.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Not sure, but I'm guessing no on Bluetooth. I think that came in 2008, at least for LE and XLE with the upgraded JBL sound.
  • zinderzinder Member Posts: 2
    The price seems high to me but the van does have only 8,800 miles on it. This is a private-party seller in the SF Bay Area.

    Does the price seem reasonable with the low mileage?

    For reference a CPO 2008 XLE with basically the same options but 22k miles is listed at $29k at a local dealer.

    Any opinions on the above are welcome.

    Thanks!
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Yes, way too high. A brand new 09 Sienna XLE has invoice of 27,550. But there are a lot of packages available. So dont know whether the van you are looking at has any extra packages ,any navigation ,moonroof etc.. More info will be needed.
    But a base XLE has a invoice of 27550 and this is a 3 yr old model albeit with low miles. Hope this helps.
  • yatesjoyatesjo Member Posts: 186
    Dealers in the Bay Area are crazy in what they try to ask for late model used Siennas. When I was shopping in 2008 for ours I checked around on used vans before going with a new. What I found is that 80+% of the late model used Siennas are retired rentals with relatively high mileage (all LEs with with a slightly de-contented EVP1). For the privately owned trade-ins the dealers wanted outrageous prices. By the time I was done dickering, I was getting offers for a brand new 2008 Sienna for nearly as much used side of the exact same dealer wanted for a similarly equipped 2006 (with the weaker engine!!!). I tried using this as an argument for the used van to come down on the price and they still wouldn't budge. I told them they were crazy and they responded that they didn't have any problems selling them at that price. I took Toyota's 0% financing had a lower payment than if I financed the used van through my credit union.

    As they appear to still overvalue the used vans, I would recommend going new. Taking into account the incentives that Toyota offers for financing, buying new can actually come out to less cash payout over time in addition to the luxury of getting to be the first owner.
  • zinderzinder Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the replies. Luckily I don't have to buy right now so I can wait for the right deal. I'll probably just wait a couple months until the 2011s drop to see what that does to the market. I would like the 2007 but for quite a bit less like ~22K I think, I'll watch it to see if it stays on the market.

    I also agree about the prices for used Sienna's around here. I have no problem with the dealers if they can get it, but who would BUY a used for the cost of a new?
  • seattlemomseattlemom Member Posts: 6
    I am looking into buying a used minivan. We live in the Seattle area which usually doesn't snow but when it does, it's a pain (with hills around).. and we go skiing a lot so I am considering buying a AWD. However, I see so many complaints about the run flat tires and AWD vans are a lot less to choose from.

    a dealer recommended vans with traction and stability control feature and said it does well in snow.

    Can you comment on will stability control good enough to drive in snow (not in heavy snow everyday but highway to ski resorts, etc.. )

    Thanks
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Doesn't seem like you'll see lots of snow, so FWD should be adequate.

    Consider a set of Autosox for occasional traction needs.
  • jprocjproc Member Posts: 135
    Its interesting the prices dealers want for used cars.I looked for a used Civic ( 2 years oldish or so a while ago) and soon realized new was cheaper! Same thing with the car I bought my daughters ( ford focus) A new one was cheaper than a 1 year old used one.
    Regarding Sienna's I have an 00 with 138,000 miles and its been essentially bullit proof.Other than a sensor about 4 years ago all I have done with the car is follow the recommended maintenance.But buying a 2-3 year old one probably doesn't make sense.Buy new and keep it a long time would be my advice.
  • yatesjoyatesjo Member Posts: 186
    My guess is two factors at play. The first is that there is a glut in global production so there are lots of incentives to push vehicles out the door to keep the factories and sales floors humming. The second is the inertia of conventional wisdom that says you take a hit just driving it off of the lot and that buying used saves the depreciation hit so you should always buy used unless you just have to have a new car. We aren't great it looking rationally at every decision and tend to depend on recieved wisdom for many of our decisions- it simplifies life.

    The first pushes down the cost of buying new and the second props up the price of used. The biggest problem with the conventional wisdom is that while, yes, you do take a hit driving it off of the lot, you take a similar hit on a used car. The the tax man and the dealer want their cuts and the reputations of Toyota (and Honda) are so good people will pay the premium even for a used one even if it is not the most rational economic decision.
  • jprocjproc Member Posts: 135
    When I was looking for the used Civic, I remarked to my salesman that the prices were so high I didn't even know how negotiations on price could even start (I had bought a new CRV from him a year or so earlier).He told me that because of the extended warranty on certified honda's that they could sell the used ones for the prices quoted.Given the price of an extended warranty on the new car we bought (around 900 to bring the coverage to 7-100,000) that explanation didn't make much sense to me either.
    I simply think that buying certain cars slightly used makes no sense.(most toyota's and Honda's and even the ford focus )
  • phillymomphillymom Member Posts: 30
    I currently drive a 03 Town and Country. I am looking to buy a 8 pass Sienna used, but no older then 2008. I am curious how people feel about the 8 pass?
    I do childcare and could always use the extra seat but is it really useable?
    How about access to the third row?
    How long should I expect a Toyota to run without many major issues (my 03 van now with 70K miles is starting to give me issues, so I am unsure looking at a 09 with almost 40K miles)

    Any thoughts about these prices.

    09 LE w/39,400 miles for $19,876
    09 LE w/34,924 miles for $21,422
    08 LE w/44.330 miles for $19,650
    08 LE w/ 26,963 miles for $20,975
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Dont worry,the Sienna is the most reliable van out there and they will easily run more than 125k miles with no major problems. Just a few questions:

    1.Your budget range--max budget??
    2.8th seat is usable but small-- Is the 8th seat absolutely necessary? Is it a must have or can you do without it?--b`cos 8 pass Siennas are rare compared to 7 pass.
    3. 04-06 Sienna is the redesigned model whereas the 07-09 is the updated version of the 04-06 model.So practically no difference between the 07-09 Siennas.
    4. Any specific features you need-like leather/navigation/AWD ? Or is the base LE OK with you as you quoted prices just for the LE model ?

    I would never buy an 09 or 2010 models with more than 25k miles as these are mostly rentals.So any 07-09 Sienna should be OK and the mileage should be of a bigger concern. Let us know. :shades:
  • yatesjoyatesjo Member Posts: 186
    The 8 seats are all comfortable enough for adults and we are very pleased with our 8 passenger van. We use the middle 8th seat in the "front and center" position with our youngest so it has even more room and he was in easy reach when he was an infant.

    Access to the 3rd row is easy... as long as you can leave at least one of the outboard seats without a car seat. Also, if you are using car seats the rear seat has 2 LATCH positions on the third row for a total of 5 LATCH positions- 2 more I recall any other van having.

    Reliability on the Toyota is generally excellent and I should expect you will get many more than the 70Kmiles you have on your Chrysler. Based on the model, and mileage for age I would guess those are retired rental vans. Some here say they have gotten excellent service out of retired rentals, but my experience leaves me wary. Still, you should get more than the what you seem to have gotten on your Chrysler.
  • madams1madams1 Member Posts: 101
    We were going to get a new 2010, but not that many in our area. Basically, the dealers did not want to deal since most would have to find the vehicle, plus they low balled the trade on the new one. They had a 2008 LE with both sliding doors and homelink on the lot that was previously owned by one of the salesmen. Had 37K miles, kind of high for an 08. We paid 20K and they gave us kbb good for our trade(much more than they would give us towards the new one). Probably could have gotten a better deal if we looked around some more or maybe could have found a 2010, but it was the right time. Our 4 year old granddaughter loves the 'magic' doors(power). If you have kids this is a good feature.

    Good luck with your search.
  • maxwell10maxwell10 Member Posts: 29
    we just traded our 2002 sennia van 123K miles (bullet proof machine) for a used 2008 with 48K miles.

    It was a rental so I guess I will find out the problems of trading for a rental machine.
    However we are on a fixed income, so for $11800 difference we got a vehicle that is 6 years newer with improved features, different body style and lower mileage by 75K.

    They had to have dr vinyl remove the red wine or blood stain out of the carpet under the back seat, now its at the body shop getting a few scratches repaired on the back bumper.

    But mama likes it and has been pleased with the repair work so far. We are not sticklers for a perfect looking machine, just as long as I get the quality and reliabiltiy of the Toyota van.

    Of course mama's first words were "does it have michelin harmony tires", well of course not being a rental, so next it goes to the Michelin store for a set of new tires and then to our local repair shop for a rear bumper hitch install.

    Guess by then she will be set to go.

    my son has a top of line 07 limited, so she wanted one that looked as much like his a we could afford.

    Wish us luck with it as it drives and other than these two items looks great.
    Toyota Service manager said getting a rental that has higher mileage, means it was on longer distance drives which is less stressful than a lot of short drives.
    Of course thats what I would have said too, just to sell it.
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Dont worry,You got an absolutely screaming deal..just 11800 difference and your 02 Sienna for the 08 Sienna.That`s an incredible deal..You did great on this one..What dealer was this at?? Even for a rental that`s a good price you got..
    Enjoy the 08 Sienna..Lightyears ahead of the 02 Sienna..125 k plus and more trouble free miles !! :P
  • maxwell10maxwell10 Member Posts: 29
    we traded for the 08 model in Murray, KY small Toyota dealership.

    I had reviewed autotrader and car.com for compairson deals on vans with up to 45K miles in a driving distance of up to 250 miles from our home.

    This van was within 6 miles of our home, had the 4 captains seats, but it had 48K miles so I said let's go look and give it a shot.

    I have a very nice looking van for trade, we low balled them and kept working back and forth until we settled at the $11800 figure.

    So it worked out. They had another buyer looking at it while we were making our deal.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    We love our 8 passenger model, no regrets at all.

    It is very useable and adult-sized. Even the smaller, middle seat is a full 20" wide. Measure your office chair, I bet it's smaller, and people spend 8 hours a day in those.

    Access to the 3rd row is good because the outboard seats fold down and then tumble forward. Plenty of space back in the 3rd row. We've taken road trips for several hours with 2 whole families in ours (7-8 people).

    Those prices are all close, may as well go for the one with the 27k miles, which is exactly what my van has on it now. Sorry, it's not for sale! ;)
  • phillymomphillymom Member Posts: 30
    Thanks everyone for the feedback.
    I think we are leaning towards the 08 LE with 27,000 miles for $21K.
    They are giving me a great deal on my trade.

    A couple questions I have

    Should I buy the extended warranty?
    Do the 2008 seem to have any ongoing issues? I thought I saw something eariler but cannot recall
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    I would always advise --to buy the extended warranty. It is just a tremendous peace of mind..Not that something will go wrong--but rather that dealer diagnostic and labor hourly rates are getting way too expensive.. A single visit can cover up the extended warr. :shades:

    Always buy the Toyota manufacturer ext warr,,not a 3rd party aftermarket warr. A dealer can sell you either of these and typically there is higher profit in the aftermarket warr and so they will tend to push these.

    You can buy a Toyota 7yr/100k miles extended warr--this is as close to the original bumper to bumper warr- for less than $1200 and it i s a very very wise investment as cars nowadays are very computerized and complex..You can search Toyota forums online on Google that have dealers selling these and also the Edmunds Toyota forums for info on the Toyota Ext warr..

    Enjoy the Sienna !!
  • merjoliemerjolie Member Posts: 4
    We are considering buying an used Toyota Sienna. It's a 2005 LE 8 pass, 81K miles, passenger side power sliding door, 1-owner. Owner is asking $10,500. Is this a good price?
  • maxwell10maxwell10 Member Posts: 29
    sounds ok to me
    we just bought a 08 model LE 7 pass with 2 auto doors 48K miles we paid $16, 500

    I did install new tires on it.

    check nada listing for the vehicle retail, trade in and sell values.
    these are nice vehicles and hold there value.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I think so. Bad press seems to have lowered values a bit, so you win.
  • ingridringridr Member Posts: 20
    Hi All,

    Now that my 99 Forester has 190K miles on it, I am looking to replace it. I show dogs so have been researching vans in anticipation of this for awhile and the Odyssey and Sienna are my top choices. I drive about 17K miles a year and most of it is highway traveling to dog shows. Don't need fancy. Just need a safe, reliable vehicle with plenty of cargo room ;)

    I want to spend between 12-14K and live in MT. I know this is not going to buy me anything close to new but I have the 14K in cash so that might go a little further than if I had to finance.

    In my area (area in MT being under 240 miles ) there are the following vans listed at dealerships:

    2004 Odyssey LX (basic model) with 52K miles - $13K
    2006 Sienna LE with 85K miles - $15K
    2007 Sienna LE with 43K miles - $17K
    2005 Sienna XLE with 72K miles - $18K

    Obviously all the Sienna's are over the 14K but I figure I have at least a shot to get the 2006 in my price range. My questions are these:

    1) This will be the first non-Subaru that I will be buying and I am used to having a vehicle that I does not have significant repair issues until you get close to the 200K range. How much life do these Sienna's have? If I bought one with 85K - how much more miles should I expect to get out of it before I run into more than routine servicing?

    2) Are these prices rock bottom for these vehicles in your opinion or do I have some haggle room?

    3) Barring any major issues that knock them out of the running, how would you rank them in order of looking at?

    4) Or should I just suck it up and buy a one way ticket to a major city like Denver and hope to find something there?

    Sorry for the book - just trying to cover my bases and pick all your brains :) Thanks for any and all help that you all can give me!
  • jprocjproc Member Posts: 135
    I have a 2000 XLE with 145k on the clock.I have owned it since new and have followed the maintenance schedule religiously.It still runs very well and has never had a major problem.

    However buying a car with 85k miles on it when you don't know how well the car has been maintained strikes me as iffy.Obviously you would want a good mechanic to look it over before you buy.

    the used car section at edmunds will give you an idea of the prices.

    Good luck
  • ingridringridr Member Posts: 20
    Thanks for the insight. I am lucky in that a friend of mine is a long time mechanic who owns his own business and will look over anything that I am interested in. I will definately keep what you say in mind.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Get the 07 because it has a timing chain.

    All the others have a belt that needs changing with the miles.
  • gsenthilgsenthil Member Posts: 154
    Am in the market for a used Sienna. Due to the depreciation I am looking at Limited since they seem to have depreciated to reasonable values and should be good for resale too

    2006 Sienna Ltd 95k miles single owner well maintained $15,000
    2008 Sienna Ltd 135k miles Dealership owned/used as shuttle in LA $17,500

    Which one should I go for? Both are fully loaded are exactly the same color etc. I intend to sell it in 6-12 mo. What is a better value AND easier to sell? The 2008 looks better with the newer engine etc but the 2006 has the same features and should be easier to sell with lower non tainted mileage.

    I have a Lexus RX300 with 180k troublefree miles so I dont have doubts with high mileage cars but others may not feel the same way when I am trying to sell it back.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The 06 has a timing belt, so it if has not been change it's due right about now.

    The 08 has a timing chain. The high miles probably mean they're mostly highway.

    What scares me away from the 08 is the shuttle service. Thousands of people who didn't car getting in and out constantly...I dunno. Check the doors for smooth operation, and inspect the interior to see how beat up it got (did the shuttle passengers carry lots of luggage?).
  • yatesjoyatesjo Member Posts: 186
    My take on the shuttle is opposite Ateixeira's. Shuttle service van got all it's miles in town- not highway- and those are stressful miles especially on brakes, suspension and steering components. On the other hand, a shuttle van was at steady state running condition most of the time, and (one should hope) routinely serviced so the engine should be relatively strong. The clientele would generally be cleaner, but for essential purposes it is a retired taxi.

    Take a look at the maintenance history on the 2006. The timing belt really should have been changed at the 90k service and if not, question how well the maintanance has been kept up with. Assuming all the maintanance really has been kept up, at $2500 less I would be strongly inclined to the 2006 because the mileage is a lot lower so there is less risk of costly repairs and the only advantage the 2008 really has is some improvements in the engine power/efficiency.
  • gsenthilgsenthil Member Posts: 154
    I finally found a 2008 Sienna Limited 42k miles with Nav/DVD/HID for 21k + TTL. Is this a good deal? Also, CarFax report has no mention of any oil change etc being done - should I be worried about sludge?

    This is not certified but from a Toyota dealership where it was traded in
  • jprocjproc Member Posts: 135
    I thought carfaxes showed ownership and accidents not maintenance history.If in fact the oil hasn't been changed in over 40k miles of course you should be worried about sludge.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That was probably a $38k van new. So 3 years old, miles only a little high for its age, the price sounds find to me.
  • kennethjiangkennethjiang Member Posts: 6
    We just had a second child and I'm thinking about getting a minivan to give the whole family a bit more comfort on the go. I'm now leaning toward Sienna, however I need advices on whether or not I should get one with AWD.

    We live in SF Bay Area and the only reason for us to have AWD is that we go to Tahoe for skiing several times a year (we don't do a lot of skiing though). To be honest I don't mind putting on and taking off chains, but I want maximum safety for my family. I did have the experience that my sedan (with snow chain on) skid out of control and that scared all of us to death. Since Sienna is a lot more heavier than my Accord, I'd imagine we'd have more trouble driving in snow without AWD.

    So my question is, do I absolutely need a AWD in this case. How much AWD will help in giving me more traction and making us trouble-free in snow? Is there a more reliable way than snow chain that can gives us better traction when we need it (mostly only a couple of times a year).

    Your advices are appreciated!
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