Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans

hayneldan · March 2001

Those mags tested 2001 Caravans,Both titled First Look, 2001 DamlierChrysler Minivans.Say whats the price penalty for premium gas over regular where you live? Do the math! Call DamlierChrysler and ask them what they paid AMCI for the test. And yes, they did comission (pay) AMCI to do it. If the results were bad, nobody would have seen it!

carleton1 · March 2001

nd every Honda owner I know has complained about how little the Honda dealer will give on a Honda trade-in on a new Honda. Marge F. could not get the "proverbial" high value on her 4 year old Honda Civic when she got the new 1999 Honda CR-V. Richard L. could not get the quoted trade-in for his 1990 Accord when he bought a 1999 Maxima and the list goes on and on and on...
For an accurate check on trade-in values,go to the Forum in Town Hall titled "Real World Trade-in Values" and see what those who buy and sell vehicles have to say:
sysop "Real-World Trade-In Values" Mar 18, 2001 8:06am
Do people who buy Honda do so with the intent to get rid of it in 2 years? Otherwise, why the hangup on theoretical re-sale value that never exists in the real world?

dave210 · March 2001

Once again, (this part is to everyone) who cares about the 0-60 time? I don't understand it. I like my 01 LTD for it's passing power which is phenomenal for a minivan in my opinion (I'm sure the Ody is the same) but as for the 0-60 part...1. Who cares if the DC is a tenth of a second slower and 2. Do you actually drag and see how fast you can go 0-60 in your ummm MINIVAN (a.k.a. mommy mobile) I know my wife sure doesn't mind, although she got upset when the Odyssey next to her at Marshal Fields beat her in a race from the Sears parking lot to the Neiman Marcus parking lot.....get over it. We're driving minivans not a Mercedes CL600. And about the resale, I'll take my heated leather memory seats, trip computer, temp readout, compass, power gate, 3-zone automatic temperature control, 4 disc CD changer, and chrome wheels over a modestly equipped minivan anyday, and no I don't care about being able to say my car is worth more than that, etc., etc car in 5 years. It'll be the day when I sacrifice my comfort so I can save 5 grand in the long run just to have a modestly equipped van. As I've said before I know why you bought your Odyssey and I'm glad that you're liking it so much, but your cheap shots at the "RV acceleration" (have you driven any DC to accually experience the RV acceleration or have you just been taking the magazines word and spreading their word everywhere?)and the resale are getting old. Sorry bud, but yes we did by a DC minivan and not the Odyssey. Deal with it please.

carleton1 · March 2001

DC minivans offer more comfort items than the Odyssey. Odyssey offers most of the necessary items in a minivan at MSRP. I like both and choosing between the two is a very difficult decision.
Does a person want comfort, a nice discount at purchase with a theoretical low trade-in or.....utility, low MSRP and a theoretical high trade-in? Honda owners do NOT get a high trade in when trading a Honda on a new Honda.

h20guy · March 2001

I must disagree on Honda trade in. When we purchased our 2000 ody lx in Jan. 2000 we traded in a 1997 Accord lx and got a $1,000 over what Edmonds said it was worth. That being said we also paid $1,000 over msrp so we felt like we purchased it for msrp. Anyway there are plenty of great mini vans and we are all different and make our own choices as to what our needs may be.

carleton1 · March 2001

Town Hall Smart Shopper

Real-World Trade-In Values
1061 messages,Last post on Mar 18, 2001 at 04:43 PM
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#1056 of 1061 Ody Trade/ Brentwood & rroyce10 by philw2 Mar 18, 2001 (10:48 am)
Like the Lincoln LS, I also own Navigator.Trying to keep my trade difference as low as possible. The Ody I have, is a piece of junk. Have had nothing but problems. Would like to get out of it while they are still in high demand. Few months from now, supply may catch up, my best guess anyway, and depreciation get worse. Would like trade difference in the 3k or so range. Can get brand new TL for 26.5 or so. Maybe pick up a 2000 TL, good miles, $24k. Thoughts?

NOTICE the words:..."The Ody I have, is a piece of junk..."

bdaddy · March 2001

On most new vehicles with climate control, the control for the fresh air vent is now found on the left and right door armrests.

ctrout63 · March 2001

I currently own a 1994 Nissan Quest and have been very satisfied with it. Since Nissan is discontinuing the Quest and recent reports on the 2001 are not good,I am now thinking of buying a Dodge Caravan but have a question.I know three Caravan owners who have had to replace the transmissions. These cars had less than 80,000 miles on them and were from different years. Is this a problem with Caravans in general?

mojo66 · March 2001

Reading in the March 19 edition of AutoWeek that DC has officially put the 230hp, 3.5L motor for 2001 Chyrsler minivans 'under review' and will not offer it this spring as promised, which I think is Daimler's way of telling us "it's cancelled." With the financial state of the company being what it is right now it apparently can't justify the extra costs involved to offer the 3.5L option.

eneth · March 2001

There was a piece in this Saturday's local newspaper indicating that DaimlerChrysler has officially canceled the 3.5L engine for the minivan lines. They are focusing on keeping prices down and have said they can't justify offering that model right now.

grplavloff · March 2001

"These cars had less than 80,000 miles on them and were from different years. Is this a problem with Caravans in general? "

It was, tho Consumer Reports's surveys seem to show that the problem went away about 3 years ago.

dave210 · March 2001

Like I said, I'm glad you like your Odyssey but I wasn't the one who said the Odyssey couldn't hold a candle to it, but as long as we're on the topic, it surely can't in the luxury department. The reliability factors and what not are another story though. Back to what I was saying, I merely said in my post that I valued my luxury features over a better resale van 5 years down the road, which comes with only average features when compared to my T&C. Yes, the Odyssey is valued better by most of the car magazine, but am I losing sleep over it? No. Remember, these are only minivans. Anyway, I can see why the magazines would value the Odyssey, which has a good price at MSRP, an array of standard features for your normal consumer, and a fairly stable reputation. The DC's as you know have unproven reliability in some areas and carry a higher price. I don't care though if the T&C was the worst selling minivan in the world though because it is still the van that meets my needs in terms of ride and luxury. After having 2 previous Chrysler minivans that have all been perfect, I had no reason to drop down to an Odyssey (going from a T&C LXi)and that is why I ended up with the new LTD. So sorry, but you can be sure that I'm dealing with the fact that the Odyssey is the more favored van in the magazines just fine. I on the other hand don't let the magazines opinions affect what I really like and look for in a car. I know I have the best van for me, popular or not, and that is my '01 T&C LTD. You go on liking your Odyssey, but it is not the BEST minivan because there is no such thing. We all look for different things in our vehicles and which ever one we end up with will probably be the BEST to us the people who bought the particular make, but there's a good chance that to other people in the world it isn't and you know what? I'm just fine with that.

garcia2ko · March 2001

I don't know where there's much price comparison between the Odyssey and the T&C or Caravan with "luxury" items....they are separated by thousands of dollars. Sure, I wanted a compass and (thankfully) realized that this gadget wasn't worth getting a Chrysler or Chevy minivan for. (BTW, paid $50 and got a compass/temp gadget for the Odyssey.) And leather? Give me aftermarket and _full_ leather, not just "seating surfaces."

My family has owned three Hondas: a 93 Civic, a 95 Accord and a 00 Odyssey. We still own all three and haven't had any problems. Tenth of a second difference in the quarter mile isn't an issue. My main concern is reliablity, and I can tell you, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of "Chrysler minivan" is "failed transmission."

For me, anecdotal stories about a few friends who had problems with their Hondas can't compare with the volume of posts I've read over the past couple of years regarding Chrysler products.

carleton1 · March 2001

Do NOT take my word about unreliable or problem Hondas. Go read in the Odyssey Problems Forums or the Town Hall "Real World Trade-In Values" and read about unreliable or problem Hondas.
phil2w has stated quite clearly in the Town Hall forum quoted above that his 99 Ody is a piece of junk. Might not be normal for a Honda, but who can argue with his facts? or Tayalynn who had a 99 Ody lemon?
Of course there are more accounts of problem DC minivans...they have sold millions more than the amount of minivans sold by Honda.

carleton1 · March 2001

since the 2001 DC 3.8L V6 has more horsepower AND torque than any other minivan....and does NOT require more costly premium fuel to get the power.

eneth · March 2001

That may be true, but neither is the engine as refined as those from some of the competition - numbers aren't everything.

tomtomtom · March 2001

Just to remind you people who is going to buy a minivan. Go test drive all models out there and pick one that will fit YOUR NEED. Each one of us have had our OWN reasons to pick our vans and most of us are very happy with OUR vans. It really doesn't matter if the van comes with leather/ magic seats/ computer/ GPS/ power liftgate... if those are not the things that you need in YOUR minivan. Again, if anyone of you want to buy a minivan and come here hoping for an easy answer...forget it. There isn't an easy answer. You are a grown-up and you should be able to find what is good for yourself!!

johng14 · March 2001

I agree totally with your statement, people buy automobiles to fit their own needs. I purchased my Ody because it fit my needs. I did not care for leather seats, a trip computer (if you don't constally re-set it, then is useless), I liked the fold down third seat and the overall style of the Ody. If you purchased another van great, but when I see people justifying and glorifying their purchase, it is just childish.

Well, just my thoughts.

garcia2ko · March 2001

On the one hand, it took us many months of consideration to choose the Odyssey over other makes. We went back and forth, weighing the options for each vehicle. I suppose that, depending on where we were in our decision-making, we could have selected a particular make for a (limited) set of features or other factors. Whatever was "important" that week or month, since needs and interest change. Some selected the Chrysler and some selected the Honda.

On the other hand, maybe one is better than the other and trying to prove it can be a light diversion!

How boring this forum would be if we just all agreed to disagree!

tomtomtom · March 2001

It is good to disagree but this topic somehow became an ego issue around here. Comparing two minivans is becoming my decision is better than your decision.

carleton1 · March 2001

Summary of all the postings. No owner of a DC will disagree with the statement that Odyssey is THE choice if you want to haul a dozen sheets of sheetrock home from Home Depot each week. On the other hand, people who like convenience and comfort items, will buy the DC minivan.
And I will re-iterate: At MSRP the Odyssey is the BEST BUY. Most DC buyers do NOT pay MSRP and that changes the whole buying scenario. Yes, hotspur did copy and paste a posting of mine correctly. I love my 99 GC SE and prefer it to a 99 Odyssey LX...but if I were buying now, I would get the Odyssey. DC eliminated the Trip Computer on all but the most expensive.

carleton1 · March 2001

In another forum...but maybe he had problems with the Town Hall login as I did in the past when I had to use r-10 before I could determine how to get back to carleton1.

carleton1 · March 2001

Just read the April 2001 issue (pg 40) wherein a completely false statement was made about the DC 3.3L V6. My GC SE with 3.3L V6 has AVERAGED over 23 MPG for 24,461 miles. Trips of 1400 miles delivered 27.1 MPG and 27.0 MPG under normal driving conditions. When is 27 MPG considered not fuel efficient for a minivan with 6 persons and much luggage?
As usual, the unreliable, ignorant babblings of Consumer Reports make it NOT RECOMMENDED for purchase.

stever · March 2001

Did you hear NPR's Talk of the Nation yesterday with the guest from CR? I missed it :-(

Maybe there's a transcript out there (something tells me your call would have been "screened" anyway, lol).

Steve
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kelsen · March 2001

RE # 130, Carleton1, they are not neccessarily ignorant. Many people in the Odyssey forums have mentioned their low mileage figures; they are not ignorant, despite the fact that many others have mentioned very respectable (and remarkably divergent) mileage figures. Similarly, a fair number of folks have mentioned a problem with premature brake wear, while others have noted high mileage with the original brakes and pads. In neither case are they ignorant.

The kind of information reported is anecdotal, and is meaningful only in statistically large enough samples. In other words, if you have a 99 GC that has 100K troublefree miles, or one that puked it's tranny in 5K miles, it's not statistically meaningful. When a large number of people report on the same criteria, it becomes meaningful, but not predictive on an individual purchase basis.

Dave Kelsen.

carleton1 · March 2001

Best responses on the subject that I have read.

I think people who report low mileage on the Odyssey need to re-evaluate their driving habits...and CR should be more objective in their testing. BTW, I love our 99 GC SE but would now wait for the excellent Odyssey LX if I were to buy a new minivan as it is the BEST BUY at MSRP. I saw a 2000 GC LE advertised in today's newspaper by a DC dealer for $17,450 by the same owner's dealership "Discount Outlet" that had a 1999 Sienna LE for $22,??? just 2 or 3 weeks ago.
DC's policy of discounts, rebates, incentives (although I got $4900 off MSRP in March 1999) is destructive to resale value just as is the abuse the many DC minivans get while in service as rentals, fleet, and/or government usage during the first year of a model year.
Another reason for me to look to Odyssey or Sienna next time IF our DC ever gives us problems.
However, I have been warned in another forum that my praise of our most excellent DC could bring bad luck!

Auf Wiedersehen and Pax Vobiscum.

garcia2ko · March 2001

I agree, MPG is a matter of driving habits and, to some extent, the vehicle. I was a bit dismayed to discover that our Odyssey was getting something like 13 MPG in the city...a wake up call to be careful with the heavy foot. Haven't checked city MPG lately, though. Only have about 8K on it, so it might get better.

However, was happy to discover that highway MPG was pretty consistant with other posters. Something like 24.5.

cincy_ody_mike · March 2001

Greetings to all...

I'm new here and thought I'd throw in my $0.02 on the debate.

For starters, I'd like to say that we swore we would NEVER buy a minivan. We currently drive an Explorer, but after the second kid was born, we accepted the inevitable conclusion that the van was the sensible solution. We started looking about 6 months ago, and considered the GC, T&C, Odyssey, Sienna, Villager, and Windstar. We decided that our important criteria were as follows:
Cargo space for travel, seating flexibility, reliability, appearance, remote keyless entry, power sliding doors, purchase price, and resale value. We quickly eliminated the Windstar (overpriced, ugly, and lousy reputation), Villager (pricey and small) and the Sienna (pricey and too small as well) and narrowed the field down to Odyssey EX, T&C LXi or EX, and Gr. Caravan ES or EX. Drove and liked all 3 makes, so from that standpoint, I felt I was not going to make a bad decision. The Dodge guy kept bugging me even though I told him I was still in the comparison phase, so I eliminated the Dodge. I also noted that the resale on the Dodge was terrible compared to both the T&C and the Odyssey. Finally decided on the Odyssey EX over the T&C for the following reasons:
1. Reliability - Honda's historical track record is better than Chrysler. Even though I feel DC is working on that issue, I had concerns about this being the first year of production for the T&C vs. third year for the Odyssey.
2. Interior space utilization - Honda was easier to reconfigure the seats for our travels and liked the third seat stowage capability. This is important for our vacation travels. After we unload, we can pop up the last row and carry people again.
3. Initial price - I was surprised by this and expected that the Honda would cost a lot more since we were paying closer to MSRP, but the T&C with the options was actually several hundred $$ more expensive. We're getting the Odyssey for $750 below MSRP.
4. Resale value - no argument here. If we decide to trade it in after 5 years, it's worth a lot more towards the next vehicle.
6. Relative numbers - The fact that there are fewer Odysseys on the road means you aren't passing yourself all the time or getting confused in the parking lots. Granted, this may be "snob appeal," but since we drive an Explorer and a Camry, having something a little different is a welcome change.

The T&C had a lot going for it as well, including better color choices, but we decided that the extra bells and whistles on the T&C did not outweigh the benefits of the Odyssey. In the end, I like knowing that either van could have been the right choice. Things in the market are a lot better now than they were 10 or 15 years ago.

hotspur · March 2001

There is absolutely no factual evidence that the presence of the magic seat increases road noise in the Ody. This is a marketing "apple" put forth by DaimlerChrysler in an attempt to justify to potential buyers their not putting a similar seat in the new DC minivans. The real reason is that they could not figure a way to have AWD and a disappearing third seat--a legitimate reason which required no embellishment.

If the magic seat is so noisy, then why is the Ody quieter (according to instrumented tests) than the pre-2001 DC minivans which had no magic seat? It's disappointing to see this old wive's tale propagated by someone who should know better.

binkybarnes · March 2001

is a navigation system available on the T&C? i can't find any mention of one.

drew_ · March 2001

AFAIK, during the development phase, Chrysler experimented with the foldaway seat and found that it allowed for more noise penetration vs. w/o that sort of seat.

Drew
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tomtomtom · March 2001

A fair comparison based on what he/she really needs not what the professionals/ experts/ any of us (Ody/DC owners) said is always welcome in here. Hotspur, do you really know why we bought the DC vans instead of the Odyssey? Or you think we are just stupid and have extra money to spend?

hayneldan · March 2001

There is a navigation system available for the 2001 DC minivans. Page 37 of the Caravan brochure. Quote "The principles of navigation. This sophisticated, simple-to-use Navigation System guides you to your precise destination through Global Positioning System (GPS) sattelite technology and an onboard computer. The system calculates the most efficient route to your destination, provides a visual map display, and uses voice-command technology to literaly talk you through every turn." (No mention of factory or dealer installed.)

hayneldan · March 2001

Come on folks, have all of you forgotten what you learned in Economics? One of the reasons the Oddy is commanding a higher resale value is availability! the old supply and demand theory,(Not that it is not an good value) Look what happened to the Taurus when the market was flooded with off lease company and rental units. A dealer isn't going to give you a high trade for a car he has a bunch of sitting on his lot. Right now the supply is low and demand is high. If Honda keeps the production where it is, the trade in value will remain high. But if they get to selling more and more the availability of used ones will be higher and the value will drop! How much is hard to say, but it definately will be lower.

carleton1 · March 2001

I just looked at my 2001 Caravan Brochure and there it is on page 37. The options pages 33 and 34 do not list it and as they say in the Army "RTFP" (Read The Fine Print).
Chrysler was not asleep at the wheel as some of us are prone to think. DC minivans still offer the most of the desirable options.
And theoretical resale and trade in values are meaningless. Many people I know that own or owned Hondas NEVER were able to get the
"alleged" high trade-in value of their Honda even at a Honda dealership!
I like Odyssey, DC minivans, and Toyota Sienna. All have some
"Best" features. Even GM have a "Best Feature": 8 passenger seating
that can NOT be had on Ody, DC, Sienna. I happen to think GM FWD minivans feel crude and unrefined compared to DC, Sienna, Ody.

carleton1 · March 2001

Why are some paragraphs split with some one word sentences and not like we type them in before we post them? I try to edit when I see short sentences but am usually unsuccessful as in posting above.

drew_ · March 2001

Motoring 2001 (a Canadian auto televsion show) covered the '01 Chrylser minivans when they first came out. The engineers that were interviewed were asked why a hideaway 3rd row, like the one in the Odyssey, was not available. They said what I've mentioned before. Because the 3rd row seat well would've made packaging the AWD difficult (don't forget that there is an extra differential and other components to power the rear wheels in the AWD models), and that it would've allowed for more interior noise. If you just stop and think of it, it make sense since the 3rd row well is lower/closer to the road than the floor of the van. I'm not sure how an "unbiased 3rd party" could provide the above information. The engineers do work for Chrysler afterall.

The Odyssey stores its Mickey Mouse spare just behind the front seats and under the floor. With the prop shaft in the AWD models running to the rear axle, this is not possible. That's why you won't see an AWD Odyssey anytime soon. The traditional place for the spare tire, which is just behind the rear wheels, ahead of the rear bumper, would be taken up by the 3rd row seat well, if so equipped. Again, as you can see, the hideaway 3rd row caused a number of design problems, hence the reason why Chrysler has abandoned the idea...for now.

I hope this clears things up.

Drew
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scanner · March 2001

Not only does Chrysler offer a dealer installed navigation system, they're also available aftermarket from any Tom Dick & Harry's auto electronics store. Heck, you can buy a laptop computer with nav software for less than the Odyssey system, and the kids will be able to do their homework on it when its not in use.

Here's a question, why doesn't Odyssey offer things like side airbags, leather, or at least a decent radio before offering a navigation system?

egrand · March 2001

Hotsturd and what is your great expertise in commenting on this subject? I test drove the Odyssey. The road noise was incredible compared to my 1994 minivan. My family ( 4kids ) were brought along for test rides on the many minivans I tested. The kids hated the Odyssey. My 6 and 8 years olds who sat in the back seat said it was "loud back there" and that they couldn't hear the radio. The 2001 T&C van we tested and purchased is silent and wonderful.

dave210 · March 2001

Why are you so persistant in making sure we know DC is an "awful biased company that builds crappy minivans." The Odyssey is a wonderful van, although I'm sure you already know that... Anyway, is it a crime that DC didn't put in a folding seat? No, and I praise Honda for doing so, but for whatever reasons DC didn't. Too bad for them I guess, but I deal with my bench just fine since it folds and slides forward for more room. At least I can let the dog have the back bench but still have more cargo on trips. Yes, the Odyssey has a good reputation (I have an Accord), a nice amount of standard features, a foldaway seat, and decent power. I commend them for that, but that does not mean the DC minivans are piles of you know what. You may think DC is biased but if Honda started making accusations that the Odyssey was the best or more quiet van, I doubt you'd be here disagreeing with them. Obviously you have a deep hatred against Chrysler minivans and I think you're going to have to stop and remember these are only minivans. You like your Honda? GREAT! And I like my new T&C LTD. They all have different things going for them, but I've already gone over this. But really, lets try to keep this discussion civil and not just constant smart [non-permissible content removed] remarks. That may be hard for you, but I'm not the only one who is getting sick of your posts. This is not meant as a flame but just an informative post regarding your immature actions. I'm hoping you can take this seriously and not just shoot out more slander reagrding what I and other people have just said, but I'm hoping you'll get your act together.

wevk · March 2001

Since you don't believe the DC engineers explanation regarding the exclusion of the fold away seat. perhaps you can share with us your "hypothesis" regarding this matter.

Also in what ways do you consider the AMCI comparison "bogus"?

johng14 · March 2001

Can someone specially if you own a DC explain to me what too much road noise is, do you have any DB levels to prove this to me. I have not experienced more road noise on my 2001 Ody EX than on any car that I have owned. I must point out that the van is extremely quiet around city driving, at times I feel that the engine is not even turned on.

dave210 · March 2001

Quite honestly, I haven't noticed that big of a difference between by old '96 T&C LXi compared to my new '01 T&C LTD. I had a 1988 Plymouth Grand Voyager LE and I was quite excited about the new '96, because everything I read had said the new '96 was the most quiet van yet. I was kind of saddened when I drove my new van home only to find it about the same. Flash forward to today, and the same thing happened. Chrysler said, "We really focussed on the sound deadening blah blah blah." Once again, I don't notice a difference. They have all been great vans, but to make a vehicle with such a great amount of glass dead quiet is almost impossible. I imagine the Honda and Chrysler vans are comparable in noise level. Maybe each Chrysler van has gotten more quiet for around town speeds which I'm sure it has, but at highway speeds (where I notice the noise) the new van sounds a lot like my old '88. Maybe I'm spoiled though I just test drove the new Lexus LS430, which has got to be the most quiet car ever made at any speed in my opinion.

hayneldan · March 2001

I guess you either flunked economics or haven't taken it yet. The Lesson you missed or never took is: The law of supply and demand is where there is a high demand and a small supply the price goes up. Like when you had to wait 3 to six months for a Odyssey when it first came out.the demand was high and supply was low. Hence dealers had you and were willing and able to charge whatever they thought they could get. The same thing is going on now with the PT Crusier. High demand not enough supply. Now if you try to equate that to the LHS and Civic, you have missed the point by a mile, as there was never a high demand for the LHS. Most high priced (Luxury cars) take High deperciation in the first few years. Cadillac Lincoln, Etc. How much over list did you pay for your Odyssey? It seems that all you contribute to this board is your dislike for DC vans, how about something positive about your experience with yours?

drew_ · March 2001

Perhaps if you care to explain to me what you would consider an unbiased source regarding why Chrysler decided not to engineer the hideaway 3rd row seat? Incidentally, have you looked at the rear axle/rear differential of an AWD 2001 Chrysler minvan? If you do, you'll see that there is not much space underneath/back there as it is. Common sense will probably tell you that a 3rd row seat well won't be easy to fit back there with all of the AWD components.

All I'm saying is that Chrysler's engineers found that a 3rd row seat well would cause more road noise for their designs (again factoring in AWD).

I like the Odyssey, BTW, and have recommended it to several people without hesitation. I do wish that it did have side impact airbags, and AWD though (that's not possible with its current design). Its interior noise level is acceptable, but by no means as low as the Sienna.

Godd luck! Keep it civil everyone!

Drew
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carleton1 · March 2001

And inflammatory postings against the Odyssey have NEVER been tolerated in the many Odyssey forums. DC, Ford, etc. are bad mouthed all the time in Odyssey forums by Odyssey owners who feel the Odyssey is superior. Sienna owners likewise write of Sienna virtues in Sienna forums and post negative info on Odyssey, DC, etc. And, DC owners likewise post negative info on Odyssey in DC forums.
Since this post is Honda Odyssey vs Chrysler minivans, dissenting opinions on either is the name of the game...altho I do agree with you that people should not use derogatory names in reference to another Town Hall participant.

wevk · March 2001

Road noise by grand.
Best thing to do is test drive 2001 DC van and compare. As Buddy Hackett once said " I didn't know how bad heart burn was until one day I didn't have it." Same for noise

Hot spur
That DC commisioned the AMCI comparison might make the results suspect but not necessarily bogus. As to noise, wife and I drove to Honda dealership in a 1996 I&C. When we got on the same highway in the Honda we turned towards one another at the same time and said "noisy". Perhaps the Honda measures quieter then the pre-2001 DC but all noise is not created equal. Compare 90 db of your favorite music to 90 db of baby crying. I read somewhere that Honda might use Active Noise Control (ANC) in the Odyssey.

Frankly I expected more of the Honda since I had owned a 1990 Accord. The Accord had a very nice interior fashioned from high quality materials. The Odyssey clearly is not up to that standard.

For me, Honda needs to fix the interior, the road noise and upgrade the sound system to be competetive.

dave210 · March 2001

This may just be me, but since when were we comparing the noise in an Odyssey to the the pre-2001 minivans. So the Odyssey is more quiet than a pre-2001 van...ummm your point? Obviously Honda has more sound deadening even with the well than the old DC vans. And so what if DC paid AMCI to say it was the best minivans. Does that make you mad and do you lose sleep over it? I don't think many people care whether the Odyssey or T&C were named best van because people should buy vans based on their own needs and opinions, and not some "third party source." Those sources may be used as aids in buying a car. Please, lets all try to keep it civil and stop bashing Drew, because I think he's doing a fine job...I found NOTHING wrong with his choises. Keep it civil

hayneldan · March 2001

In the 2000 J.D Power survey of OWNERS problems per 1000 vehicles. remember this is NOT Honda as a mfgr but by model, Voyager 45th out of 191, Caravan 74th out of 191, Odyssey 80th out of 191, T&C 87 out of 191. Draw your own conclusions. Also re read Jean Jennings April 2001 column in Automobile magazine, as her reference to Quality was for 1974, 27 years ago!

rockbiter · March 2001

Hotspur, I found this message board, and was hoping to get some honest-to-goodness information on the Ody Vs. DGC from the people who count the most -- the consumers. I am, after all, looking for a minivan that will haul my soon-to-be-expanded family. I've read many opinions on member choices, most of which are honest and forthright, not to mention positive, while being complimentary toward the other van. Civility is always nice.
Then I started reading your attacks, er, uh -- postings. They just kept on coming and coming, ad nauseam. I can't help but think of the kid at every school who gets angry with others if they don't play his way. Why do you insist on attacking those who don't agree with you? Everybody has an opinion -- you're entitled to yours. But please, don't try to ram your opinion down my throat. You've gotten your point across. Now please just SHUT UP!
I imagine should Honda execs ever read this board, they'll probably cringe, knowing that your rabid attacks will probably make those on the fence go toward the competition, as I believe I may have. I'm not saying that I've completely made up my mind to buy a DGC -- but your rantings have made it a bit more attractive to me, while somewhat turning me off to the Ody. Please do us a favor and enjoy your Ody in peace, and leave the rest of us "fools and idiots" alone.
Oh, and if you're going to compare apples and oranges, please use the same model years. I really don't care that an Ody is quieter than a "pre-2001 DC." But then -- that's just my opinion.

Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans

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