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Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans

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Comments

  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    I'm just pleased as punch to hear that your two Odysseys are doing well. However it really doesn't address the meat of this discussion (I suspect because by the nature of the beast, as discussion of this sort doesn't contain meat.) The bottom line in a comparison is which is the best van. I suspect the true answer is "the one that best meets an individuals needs, a moving target to say the least.
  • pluto5pluto5 Member Posts: 618
    These threads are just a way for Edmund's to get people to look at their site so Edmund's can sell more advertising.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    No way! I thought Edmunds did this stuff as a service to the community. You mean to tell me that they aren't volunteering time out of the goodness of their hearts?

    That guy must be a caravan owner; he is very smart.
  • bdaddybdaddy Member Posts: 171
    "These threads are just a way for Edmund's to get people to look at their site so Edmund's can sell more advertising."

    My guess is it's working. Not only smart, exemplary powers of deductive reasoning. Definitely DC.
  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    An Odyssey lately, a very handsome looking van. I have had the opportunity to look at the DC vans, they are also well appointed and handsome, though I might avoid the Voyager.

    Had an interesting van related mail this week. During the week, I received recall notices on 3 vehicles. What makes it interesting is that I only have two vehicles. Ford apparently never got the word that my Windstar was sold last December
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    I got a recall notice on my 96 DC well over a year after I traded it in. Maybe it is still on the Honda lot.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    It's hard to get accurate registration data. The manufacturers go to R.L. Polk who in turn has to go to each state individually for the data. The real kicker is that many states will only provide this data every six months. So if you figure the time it takes to process a title transfer, the time it takes to get in Polk's database, the time it takes to query this info for a particular recall, and the time it takes to send notices out, one year isn't so bad. I'm sure both Ford and DC (especially their product liability depts.) would love to have a 100% accurate customer database, but it will never happen.
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Checking the Edmunds boards reveals the following; DC minivans over 14 million sold, Edmunds Chrysler Dodge Plymouth Minivans problems board 1366 posts since Oct 99. Honda Odyssey less than 1 million sold, Edmunds Honda Odyssey problems board 2225 posts since Nov 2000. Hmmmmm?
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Thats because the DC people spend so much time at their dealer getting them fixed, they don't have time to post. Also the typical Honda owner takes more pride in their vehicle and if they even think something is wrong they will ask questions. DC people know things are going to go wrong and just take it with a grain of salt.
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    And as usual, your facts are based on.......???????
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Since my post 1571 6 more posts on Honda Odyssey problems board. DC vans 0. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Did you read each Odyssey post to see if it was a different problem/person or just a whole lot of interested Odyssey people trying to help out the person who was having a problem. Since it don't happen very often, Odyssey people care. DC people expect problems and through the years they were right.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    There are over 5000 posts on Odyssey compared to about 2600 on DC and Town & country combined. So it is fair to say that with a 2 to 1 number of positive posts, one might as logically say that with 14 million to ! million in sales, that there is not much positive to say about DC.vans. It as logical to infer this as it is that the number of problems posted has any meaning.
    Odyssey owners post more than DC owners for whatever reason
    BTW a more interesting statistic is that DC is losing market share .
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Again your reasoning has nothing to back it up. Yes, I have read all the Odyssey and DC posts and I find that on both boards there are some repeat posters with the same problems and posters trying to help them out with their experiences. Pat84 As to losing market share, when you are number one, and DC still is after all these years, as more and more manufacturer's copy your design and offer different features, you will lose share. Perhaps the growth of the minivan and SUV segment is over.Have you gone back and counted All the Edmunds boards, archived and present posts before making your statement?
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    I posted in the Odyssey boards older than the current archived boards. I made posts in the old forums that Odyssey owners were always more prolific. Edmund's at one time could only have forums of about 1000 posts. They then would continue with a Roman numeral. So the Odyssey posts could get to XXIII while the DC board lagged behind.
    I offer no reason, just that it has always been that way. Interesting, that there were Odyssey posts about the then new 99 model before it was generally available.
    BTW most people wore flame suits and asbestos gloves back then. There were many more inflammatory posts. Chryslervan1( then Carlton1) I am sure remembers that as well. He has been around as long as I have, I believe. We have mellowed out quite a bit.
  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    The only decent and meaningful Ody comparison discussion was the now archived comparison of the Odyssey mockup to the Yugo.

    The Odyssey Mockup won but it was close.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Do a search for "Odyssey" in the left navigation bar if you want to look around the archives - most of the old topics are still around. No eta, as usual, on when (if?) the old boards will be searchable.

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • xafxaf Member Posts: 37
    After pricing the Ody, my guess is that the Honda owners are all sitting at home, unable to afford the gas to drive their vans. This gives them lots of time to send out lots of notes about how great their vans are ;?
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    Now is that a fen shui post ? I have never observed the ";?" punctuation at the end of a declarative sentence before.
    "Can't we all just get along ?" - Rodney King
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    You're right buy you forgot to as Paul Harvey would say "Here is the rest of the Story."
    All the Yugo was is a rebadged DC van.
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    That some Honda posters have no facts only opinions, and not very clever ones at that.
  • whambamwhambam Member Posts: 37
    ... regardless of car allegiance, think only in sterile factoids and fail to get any enjoyment out of basic social intercourse.

    Stop and smell the roses, while you're still able.
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Roses, I love to smell the Roses, and take the road less traveled, but stinky posts irritate me! Humorous enough?
  • 4aodge4aodge Member Posts: 288
    pat84 would like to see the DC minivan market shrink more and more, but it certainly isn't shrinking fast enough. As of July 2002, Chrysler has sold more vans this year than they sold during the same time in 2001, according to www.autosite.com.

    I can't wait to see the 2005 Honda Odyssey. If they design it after the new 2003 Accord sedan it will without a doubt easily take the title of the ugliest minivan on the road.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Roses, I love to smell the Roses, and take the road less traveled, but stinky posts irritate me!

    Yea me too. Yours are at the top of the list.
  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    You're right buy you forgot to as Paul Harvey would say "Here is the rest of the Story."
    All the Yugo was is a rebadged DC van.


    No, in fact the Yugo was a Yugo. Made in Yugoslavia and everything. Yuri the Snitch was a prime conduit to information on the YUgo models.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    I couldn't care less about DC vans selling more than last year. At least the Odyssey isn't a Ford Windstar clone like the DC van.
    But most importantly, Edmund's does not allow refereces to competitor's sites .
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    How anyone could accuse DC of being a Windstar clone is beyond me.

    Anyone with any knowledge of minivan history knows Chrysler invented the minivan in the mid '80s and everyone has been playing catch up to this day. Ford Windstar is a DC minivan wannabee, and would love to have half DC sales.

    Odyssey is probably the only one out there who has an offering comparable to DC, but will also only grab a small share as long as they keep supply tight and prices high, so they only skim the customers who think Honda walks on water.
  • steelengsteeleng Member Posts: 71
    Congratulations Odyssey owners, you now have one more board on Edmunds. It is the "Honda Odyssey Transmission Problem" board. The surprising thing about it is it was started by someone with a 2002 Odyssey with the new 5-speed tranny.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    As you may have noticed, the original DC vans were built like little square boxes and have been re- designed several times. The latest redesign looks very similar to the previous Windstar. Drive behind or beside either one. They are indistiguishable. the only differnce is in the front. The emblems. Both are retro though.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    As we owned an '85 for twelve years and now a '96.

    The current generation I think went a little more conservative than the '96 redesign, but I see little resemblance to the Windstar, which has seen only very slow evolutionary styling changes.

    I stand by my point, however that DC vans wipe the competition in having both short and long wheelbase versions, four engine sizes available, All wheel drive option, and models ranging from the basic economy oriented Voyagers/Caravans to fully equipped Town and Country, to cover just about anyone's price range.

    From a pure styling sense, the current Odyssey is about the boxiest minivan now available, except for maybe the GM triplets.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Except for the sliders, I prefer the DC SWB body style up through the 96 major change more than anything else out there. I'm partial to those real rain gutters too. The last time I shopped vans ('99), the multitude of DC flavors made it hard for me to figure out which model met my needs, and naturally the one you think you'd like isn't on the lot. Most other vans only offer 2 or 3 flavors, and I like that better, esp. when even the base models are well equipped.

    I don't know who's copying who, but I have lots of trouble distinguishing one MV from another. But I have a worse time with sedans.

    You were a real early adopter, Badgerfan!

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Obviously, you are not very read about the automotive market. The advertising that came out with the 99 Odyssey showed the outline of the 96 DC vans as the model for their design. My sole purpose in posting is to challenge the accuracy of some uninformed posters. I will not attack any Odyssey owner who does not post inaccuracies.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    You sure have an interesting vue of the Odyssey. I have the original brochures and remember the 99 Honda web site. No where was there any mention of a DC van as a model for the Honda.
    Can you give the web site of your reference ?
    BTW attacking other posters is against the Edmund's user agreement.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Yes, we have had a Caravan in the family a long time. The '85 developed it's share of problems toward the end, and unfortunately most of them soon after we were contemplating upgrading to a new one and then decided to keep it one more year! But it still was a very useful vehicle. So we bought another one. The '96 has been perfect at 60K miles until this summer when the AC went and cost a lot (evaporator which means disassembling the whole dash.)

    Like hyneldan, I don't post often, only when I see blatant erroneous facts. I am also not one to knock the Odys-I am sure they are good vehicles, just in such short supply that they are overpriced and lack all the choices of DC minivans (we like the short wheelbase DC because of better manuverability, which Ody doesn't have, for instance)

    And, Pat84, Caravan has been the standard for all competition to attempt to match since way back in 1984, whether Honda publicly acknowledged it in '99 or not. I will agree that the current Ody probably comes closest. A lot of competitors are crowding the market these days.
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    The ads I refer to appeared in Time Newsweek and the magazine sections of the Chicago Sunday papers. They were full 2 page ads with the Odyssey shown in profile,with the outline of a 96-99 Grand Caravan behind it. In Motor Trend 98 comparison between Sienna and Caravan they mentioned that Honda was coming out with a "DC clone" to replace the current poor selling version. Their words not mine. It's tough being #1 selling minivan for 19 years.
  • whambamwhambam Member Posts: 37
    Am I correct recalling that the Ody turning radius is exceptionally small?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I don't have the specs in front of me, but it was much better than my Quest. I haven't noticed it being much of an issue but U Turns do turn into 3 point turns. I did a few U Turns in the Odyssey I test drove and only once did I have to do a 3 pointer, and that was on a substandard city street.

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    Pat, you don't know your styling history. Both the 1995 Windstar and 1996 DC van got their inspiration from the same place. According to the Car Place website, both designs were inspired by a farm in the Detroit area that raised Pot Bellied Pigs. Yes, both vans are inspired by the Pot Bellied Pig. All else is history.
  • pluto5pluto5 Member Posts: 618
    DC should have given you some help on the A/C failure, at least paying for the evaporator coil, over $300 as I recall.
  • 4aodge4aodge Member Posts: 288
    The Ford Windstar redesign a few years ago was a total copy of the 1996-2000 DC models. Everything from the dash to the door handles were coppied. Too bad DC still sells twice as many vans as Ford does.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    So the Windstar does look like the DC van, my whole point.
  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    The Windstar AND the DC both look like a pot bellied pig. My whole point
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    And to some of us Odyssey's look like slab sided school buses. Thats why they wont paint them yellow! I'm adding fuel to the fire!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "Stylish Minivan" is somewhat of an oxymoron. Maybe you'd like a VW Bus better?

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • maple49maple49 Member Posts: 66
    My opinion on looks (you know what they say about opinions). Odyssey best looking van hands down. Looks aggressive and sporty especially with splash guards. Mazda MPV is a close second. Could improve by making a little wider (looks top heavy from the back). T&C is nice looking but a little boring. Dodge very boring (looks like a jelly bean). Windstar looks OK in solid colors (two-tone looks tacky). Sedona is not bad looking (looks like the older Windstars). GM vans are ugly and I won't even comment on the Toyota
  • 4aodge4aodge Member Posts: 288
    That's the funnies thing I've heard all week. The Odyssey looks like big box. Plain and simple. The front and sides are ok but the back is hideous. Too bad 240 horses has to be put under such a boaring, lifeless design.

    Pat, Ford did copy much of the design of the 1999-2000 DC minivans but I've never had a hard time telling a Windstar from a Caravan. Yes, Ford coppied, but not that much.
  • xafxaf Member Posts: 37
    Check out the ugliest one in the world, coming soon to north america


    http://www.olderdriver.com/new_page_5.htm


    If you want styling and smooth ride buy a car, if you want to haul kids and stuff buy a van.


    All the minivans look basically the same (except the Multipla). You can't create a great look with a box on wheels. All you can do is buy the color you like.

  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    Yes, the early VW busses ruled, especially those with the clerestory windows. The more modern ones are slab sided monstrosities
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    You mean they are still in business? They have came to America a few times and left since all they make is junk.
This discussion has been closed.