Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans

leebea · January 2003

Wow!! Not your mother's minivan.
Lee B.

pat84 · January 2003

Oh lets not go down the tax incentive path again.
What States, and how much per state was given Japanese car builders ?
BTW Chrysler is now a foreign car CO. Daimler bailed it out a second time.

kgardonia · January 2003

I bought the Honda for two reasons.

First: Honda's legendary quality. I have not been disapointed. 58,000 miles and still on the original set of front brake pads. Not keeping score, but it seems Ford and Chrysler are constantly recalling vehicles for warranty campaigns.

Second: Honda's loyalty to it's customers. Huh, you say? Honda does not sell vehicles to Commerical Fleets, Car Rental companies ect. So when I go to trade it in, I will get a substantially higher trade in percentage because the market is not flooded with used Honda vehicles. Everybody and their brother is driving DC's and Windstar's. Just be prepared to be shafted come trade in time. The Blue Book, Black Book prices for these vehicles are inaccurate by a wide margin if you decide to trade when a fleet or rental car company unloads their used vehicles in your market.

pat84 · January 2003

You didn't say what year Honda you had. Maybe you have an 00 or later on which Honda extended the warranty on their transmission to 100K miles. It amounts to an admission that their transmissions are not up to the Honda reputation for reliability. I got 68 K on my 99 Odyssey before the transmission failed catastrophically. I traded in a 96 Grand Caravan with 72 K miles on the 99 Odyssey because the transmission was failing on the DC. The DC at least got me to the Honda dealers and it still had reverse. Not much difference in reliability between the two in my book.
BTW my 99 had 3 recalls. They also extended the warranty on the throttle body because of many owner experienced problems. Legendary Honda Reliabilty my rosy red.

jackiejuno · January 2003

I find this all very interesting - we are currently analyzing if we will keep or sell our 01 Odyessy. I love the van's drive/feel/look, but find the $500/mo payments really hard to swallow and not sure if we are getting $500 a month enjoyment out of it. Thinking we can get a decent used DC, and a warranty, for around $300/month.. Our Ody. has NOT been perfect - one door handle has completely fallen off, the power doors are "phantoms" and grind, particularly when it's cold, the power lock system does NOT assure you that all the doors will lock - or come UNLOCKED and BEST OF ALL - the power door system pinched me and my 16-month old daughter so hard that it scraped skin off my arm and ankle. It was SCARY!

kgardonia · January 2003

By its very nature any automobile is not perfect. Designed and assembled by imperfect humans. Yes Honda extended the warranty on my 01 Odyssey to 100,000 miles. But I go back to the loyalty issue. Crysler would wait until NTSB orders them to recall the vehicles! Your arm isnt long enough to write down all the Crysler recalls in the past 15 years! Proof is in the recall numbers. Also, why is it there are no Crysler products in the top 10 best sellers list????????

hayneldan · January 2003

Checking the nhtsa.dot.gov site reveals the following for 2002 models. consumer compaints Honda Odyssey 53, Chrysler and Dodge combined 21. recalls Honda 1, Chrysler and Dodge combined 2. Sales figures, Damlier Chrysler, Dodge and Chrysler minivans YTD November, No 1 377,477 sold, Honda Odyssey 118,503 sold. Source autosite.com/editoria/asmr/svvan.asp By the way it's CHRYSLER not crysler.

stockdox · January 2003

I have driven most every minivan out there now. I am a loyal Honda fan. I own 2 Honda products with 200,000 miles on the odometer. When it came time to get a minivan it was logical that I would go with the Odyssey. I am very pleased with the quality of the Honda products. Before I made my purchase, I rented a GC for about a week and I borrowed my friends Odyssey when I could. The bottom line is that all things being equal the Honda Odyssey is the better van of the two but not by much. The Odyssey has the superior engine and transmission and reputation for reliability and high resale. The DC/TC is more comfortable to ride in and is quiet and smooth. I really didn't consider other minivans because in my opinion because the above two are the ones to beat. The best Japanese design against the best American design. In the end it came down to price. I was put off by the Honda dealers sticker price take it or leave it attitude. Although I could have bought a brand new TC for about 3,000 less than a comparable Odyssey, I decided to buy a used TC which is a tremendous value. I got a one year old TC for almost half of what a brand new Odyssey cost to buy. It is pretty hard for me to imagine that the Odyssey is that much better. If you want the best buy the Honda. If you want the best value pick up a used TC or GC and laugh all the way to the bank.

steeleng · January 2003

I too purchased a used GC and the savings was substantial. Yes, mine had been a rental in its previous life but it was in great shape and only had 14000 miles. I have had it for 7 months and haven't had any problems (other than that somebody had installed the crossbars on the roof rack incorrectly). It is unfortunate that the number of DC vans sold to fleets drags the resale value down for those that buy new but it sure makes for a great bargain for those of us willing to buy used.

bscrivener · January 2003

I am trying to decide between used versions of the DC Limited and Ody EX-L. I like them both a lot but have concerns about the Limited's long term reliability. I drove a 1999 model with 86K miles on it to see what it is like at this point in its life. I was blown away!!!! This van drove as if it were nearly brand new. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't even considered something with such high miles but with a price of less than $12K, and another $2K for a 3/36 bumper to bumper extended warranty from CarMax, I am seriously considering it.

Something else interesting happened today as well. After driving the Limited, I saw a 2001 Ody EX with leather on the lot. I sat in it and it seemed downright spartan when compared to the Limited. I must like the white gages, the wood grain dash and the suede accents more than I thought. I had heard others talking about that but had never experienced it. I never put much stock in those statements until today.

Am I crazy??? Will a TC Limited fall apart at 120K miles? What kind of miles have some of you seen put on yours?

molliedollie · January 2003

I have a Chrysler Town and Country LX with more than 132,000 miles. It does still ride like the day I bought it...save for the fact that I currently have Bridgestone Blizzaks on it for winter. It is a 1997 and I bought it new. I was considering a Honda Odyssey, but have decided to keep what I have, it's worth more to me than what I'd get on trade in. As for things that have gone wrong: front brakes have been replaced (twice, I believe) some heater switch up front that runs the wiper blades as well went out about a year ago, and other than that - I just had the EGR value replaced because I failed the Wisconsin emissions test.

All in all, I've been very happy with the vehicle...hope this helps.

feldmanbd · January 2003

I was able to purchase a 99 T&C LXi with 95,400 miles last month for around $9000, which included a $540 3yr/45K powertrain warranty from Penn Warranty off of eBay. (they offered to extend the warranty to 6 years and unlimited miles for another $545). It's been flawless in the month that I've had it. There's a 99 LXi on there right now with 94,700 miles for $8999. I also test drove a 2000 Limited with 120K, local Chrysler dealer is selling it for $9900 on autotrader.com. They originally wanted $12400 for it but I offered them $9000 and they wouldn't take it. That also rode like it was brand new on the test drive. I was also able to contact the former owner of my T&C and he took meticulous care of it - he was going to drive it to 150K but his favorite dealer gave him a deal he couldn't refuse on a 2003 T&C. The engine runs incredibly well, suspension is very smooth, and it feels like it has 30,000 miles on it. Just be sure to put new platinum plugs in it and a K&N air filter. That's all I've had to do to mine so far except for oil changes and washing and waxing. I'm expecting it to go to at least 200,000.

quandivoom · January 2003

When our '00 Ody had about 4K miles on it, I noticed a loud squealing noise when I started it up one morning. I immediately shut off the engine and checked under the hood, where I found that part of the alternator bracket had apparently snapped off, leaving the alternator hanging at a precarious angle. I was able to gently nurse the Ody to the dealer, where the van stayed for the next five days while a new alternator bracket assembly was ordered from Canada (at least they gave me a loaner car). We also had several problems with the power sliding doors that required three separate trips to the dealer (not including the recall), and the power driver's seat also kept blowing fuses untill the dealer discovered a short in the wiring, and... the climate control system developed a glitch that caused the A/C to cut out mysteriously, for no apparent reason, on 90+ degree days the first summer we owned the van (this problem corrected itself when the Ody was about a year old -- go figure that one out).

BTW, all this stuff occured during the first year of ownership. During the second year, the rear window wiper quit (burned out motor), and the CD player stopped working (the radio head unit was replaced, under warranty of course).

In spite of these problems, I still enjoyed driving the Ody and the dealer was very understanding and sympathetic, always offering me a loaner car while the Ody was in for repair. If you recall my previous post, I was considering buying another Ody when ours was totaled last April. My neighbor has had her '02 for about a year and she has only had two minor problems (sliding door and battery replacement).

BTW, my '02 T&C just turned 12K miles (9 months old) and I have not had A SINGLE PROBLEM with it. It might be that my Ody was a particularly bad one and that I've just been lucky so far with the DC van, but so be it (I think I'll quit now so I don't jinx the Chrysler).

bdaddy · January 2003

One consideration should be the trade off in safety for lower purchase price. Check the crash test records of a used MV you might be contemplating and determine if the $$ savings are worth the less than 5 star safety rating.

pluto5 · January 2003

The latter is more fun to drive IMO.

saveri · January 2003

I would like to know why the public and automotive journalists have such a love affair with the Odyssey ? Just gathering opinions with no intention of starting a war of which is better than which.

The TC as far as my opinion goes has a much nicer ride than the Odyssey The engine is smooth (3.8L)and the transmission responsive under the conditions a minivan would be used under. The TC has lower wind and road noise. The interior is fairly well designed with nice materials being used in most places. The build quality could be better as margins are not always uniform.

The downfall of the TC is the lack of a "magic" 3rd row seat and long term reliability. The second factor being of major importance to most consumers. DCX claims to have have made improvements in this area.

Most reviews by major magazines indicate that the Odyssey is the clear winner though in my opinion besides the trick 3rd row seat the TC is actually a nicer vehicle to drive on a daily basis.

Chime in with your opinions.

BTW I have owned Honda cars all my life. I have a 1998 Accord with the 3.0L VTEC. It is a smooth engine but lacks torque off the line. I believe that this same engine has been re-sized for application in the Odyssey.

molliedollie · January 2003

I think you've pretty much hit it on the head. The third row seat is pretty much magical. However, it's not magical enough for me to switch from a TC with 132,000 miles that has been pretty much trouble free and part with $29,000 for a comparable equipped vehicle.

There is no doubt that the Honda has a stiffer ride, and the TC is just a more cushy ride. I'm sure for some people it will just come down to what ride they prefer for thousands of miles, but of course people are also counting on the reliability of a Honda vehicle. I'm personally hoping to get 200K out of my vehicle, but I've been forewarned by my mechanic (independent) that the Chrysler/Dodge minivans oftentimes experience failed transmissions around 125K. I've also heard from some that around 125K the vehicle starts nickel and diming you to death. I do like the looks of the Honda. I too have previously owned a Honda (1989 Honda accord coupe) and was very happy with it. I've also had a Mercury Villager, but needed a larger minivan. I guess I've pretty much decided to wait and see what Toyota brings out in August.

bdaddy · January 2003

I looked at DC and Honda before purchasing the Ody. For me it was the fact that my wife (the primary driver) liked the Honda better. She was happier with the layout of the van - the spaciousness and driving position. I too preferred the driving position in the Honda. I'm 6'4" and the roof pillar was right against my temple in the DC. The ride in the Honda is tighter, but not so to offend. I'm used to it - it rides like a Honda. I can see how others would find it not to their liking. The engine is great - very strong throughout the powerband but impressive when the VTEC kicks in at about 3,200 rpm. The van is large, but it turns very tight and is pretty easy to maneuver.

At the time of my purchase, a Dodge Grand Caravan EX went for about the same as the Honda - dealers were not moving from MSRP on either vehicle. Resale value was the final determinant.

quandivoom · January 2003

My sister-in-law's '94 T&C's tranny went out in a rather spectacular way, right around 70K miles. Apparently, a seal in the torque converter blew out while they were driving on the freeway, causing a huge, dense cloud of smoke as ATF spewed onto the hot exhaust manifold. I was surprised the van didn't catch on fire!

I realize that there is another forum for this topic, but I am curious as to the mileage interval at which DC owners are performing the transmission service. I think every 30K seems about right, but the owner's manual recommends 48K for "severe use" and no service at all for "normal use".

Also, how about the service available from the dealer that claims to suck every drop of old fluid out of the trans., as opposed to simply performing a drain/refil/filter change?

Any comments /feedback would be most welcome.

deepan · January 2003

Heard from a fairly reliable friend i met over the holidays.

saveri · January 2003

Appreciate the replies. I think both vehicles are competent and well designed with Honda getting the edge in it's reputation for reliability and resale value. In my mind the differences between the 2 vehicles are not truly significant. I do not believe their is a clear winner. Ultimately individual preferences/priorities are probably what count.

molliedollie · January 2003

Like I mentioned earlier, I have 132K on my TC...and I should probably knock on wood, haven't had transmission problems yet, and have NEVER had transmission service done. I have been real lucky with all new vehicles I've purchased. I've had three new ones, and never any mechanical problems up to 95,000 miles in them (except for the front brake replacements, EGR valve and heater switch on the TC).

The only thing I faithfully do is have the oil changed every 3000-4000 miles and put gas in it! I might add I've always used the same oil in all three of these vehicles (though it probably doesn't really matter!)

pluto5 · January 2003

My trans service was as follows:

replace trans at 40K
replace trans at 60K

As far as sucking out the fluid the whole thing sucks!

My next trans replacement will include the whole van which I will donate to Goodwill or any other charity that will tow it off my property!

quandivoom · January 2003

in post # 2223..."the interval at which DC owners are REPLACING the transmission".

BTW, I know of someone whose tranny went south at only 18K miles (it was a '98 Grand Caravan), but... it was because his sixteen year-old son "accidentally" shifted the transmission into reverse at 60 MPH!

Can you believe the dealer replaced the trans. under warranty??? They actually did.

Go figure.

dmathews3 · January 2003

Can you believe the dealer replaced the trans. under warranty???

As I understand it most auto trans won't go into reverse while going forward after a certain speed, even thought the gear shift will. Maybe thats why.

molliedollie · January 2003

As I have been informed by my sister, the going in reverse (which shouldn't happen - as was just stated above) is a SERIOUS fault by Dodge/Chrysler. My sister said she watched a special (20/20 or Primetime...) and you can actually disengage the car in any direction even when it is not on. This apparently holds true for a Dodge truck we own as well (same year - 1997). I haven't actually tried this on my vehicles, but I believe it has since been corrected on new models.

Like I said, I haven't tried doing it, and maybe she has it wrong, maybe you can just shift it in drive and it will roll, I'm not certain about reverse.

I'm hoping she has it wrong!

mwaddo · January 2003

I currently own a Chrysler minivan, and I am shopping for an Ody. I think why the public has such a love affair with the Honda is due to the large number of people getting burnt buying the Chryslers.

Let's face it, most people who bought the Honda never even test drove one..there were none on the lots.

The fact that so many people bought an expensive minivan without a test drive (or in many cases ever seeing one) has to be due to Honda reliability/reputation vs. Chrysler reliability/reputation.

Chrysler makes a very nice minivan, they are just not designed to last. Maybe,, as some have suggested, things have changed at Chrysler. Maybe now the vans are better, since they have been redesigned. However, in 1996, I was told by many sources that Chrysler had solved all of their reliability problems (tanny, electrical, etc.) with the new redesign. Well, they didn't. Only time will tell, and I'm not willing to take that gamble on my next purchase.

We were very happy for about 75-80K miles (~5 years), then things went downhill fast. Our mechanic has finally told us to get rid of the van (it's a 96 btw) and buy a Honda.

I still think the design is very nice. It's a well thought out mini, with lots of options.

However, our next will be a Honda.

pluto5 · January 2003

Don't forget to test drive the Ody; I did and didn't buy one. It is very utilitarian but not very comfortable or pleasant to drive IMO.

If everyone thinks it's so reliable why do they buy a pricey extended warranty?? Maybe Honda hasn't solved all it's reliability problems, either!

mwaddo · January 2003

Good point about driving the Ody first. My wife and I really like the feel of the Caravan. It is comfortable and well laid out. In fact, I did remind my wife (who is very adamant that we buy the Ody) that she may not like the way the Ody "feels", and she may want to consider something else.

Concerning the warranty, I'm not sure if you can draw a lot of conclusions. Many people will buy warranties for the peace of mind they deliver. When buying a +$30K vehicle, another ~$800 is not that much more per payment.

I wish I would have bought the extended warranty on my Dodge. Between power window motors (4), various bits and pieces of the engine, and the transmission, I would have come out way ahead.

bscrivener · January 2003

All,

I think I have finally decided on which minivan is best for my family. I want to get the following:

Make/Model: 2001 T&C Limited
Miles : less than 30K
Color : Gold
Options : Split rear bench, TV/DVD system

Now all I need to do is find one. I had an idea and thus am posting here for advise. Does anyone know how to get information on leases that will be returned this year? I would love to talk to someone that is planning on returning the van I am interested in and buy it from them at a fair price (more than what the dealer says the residual is but less than what it will be marked up to in the retail market). I would be willing to pay between the trade-in and private party price as described by Edmunds TMV. I hope this turns into an easy win/win for both parties.

If anyone has any leads for me, please let me know.

Thanks,
Bo

pluto5 · January 2003

Don't forget DC has spent millions on out of warranty, customer satisfaction repairs. And some of the 7/70 warranties were still running up to a couple of years ago. I haven't regretted not buying an extended warranty on any product including numerous autos.

quandivoom · January 2003

Chrysler gives you a comprehensive roadside assistance program for the first 36K miles/3 years plus a limited ($100 deductable, I believe)powertrain warranty for 70K/7. Honda offers neither of these, but I would think that most of the "bugs" should be worked out of the Ody by now, being in its 5th year of production.

My '02 T&C has been completely trouble-free so far (13K miles), whereas my '00 Ody (totaled last April) had numerous problems during the first year that required repeated visits to the dealer for correction. The reason I didn't buy another one, however, is because the dealers in my area are still selling them at "full gouge" whereas DC offers huge discounts on their vans.

Having experience with both vans in a relatively short time, I honestly can't recommend one over the other. If you're going to spend $30K on either of these vehicles, check each one out thoroughly, buy the one that suits you best, and enjoy it. That's what I did. If my T&C falls apart at 100K miles, I'll worry about it then - not now.

bowke28 · January 2003

has corrected ALL issues with ANY vehicle. they are all machines built by imperfect humans. that being said, you have a greater likelihood of a problem-free vehicle with honda rather than DC. the reason resale value is better with honda is the fact that people aren't scared off by 100k-150k miles. would anyone here buy a DC van with 150k for ANY price??? doubtful.

pat84 · January 2003

In all fairness, if Honda supplied rental car fleets to the same degree that DC does, do you really think Honda resale wouldn't suffer ?

saveri · January 2003

At 100K even Honda's are getting long in the tooth. Cars are designed to perform to about 150K miles. Honda's are great work horses but buying any car with high mileage (>=100K) other than for reasons of affordability/2nd or 3rd car is not the best course of action for most people. If you are mechanically inclined and able then the story changes.

I have till date owned 3 Honda's and have a Nissan Maxima closing on to 100K. I hope to take it to 200K but expect wear and tear related maintenance costs along way.

bowke28 · January 2003

average life expectancy of honda powertrains is around 260k miles. as long as you keep the rest of the car in decent shape, you should at least get close to that.

maltb · January 2003

where did that figure come from?

bowke28 · January 2003

can't remember where i read it, but i'll find it soon. had something to do with the reported mileage on an engine block core return. all averaged out, it came to a little over 260k miles.

granted, these figures are on older 4-cyl. engines, the upper end probably being man. trannys and the lower end prob. being autos. i dont know if that included any 6-cyl.

saveri · January 2003

I work for an automotive company, I don't want to get specific, and our standard target for life expectancy of a component/system is 10 years in service or 150,000 miles. To statistically pass this requirement we test systems to beyond the 10YIS/150,000 mile limit. The actual duration/severity of the test depends on the sample size tested. This gives us confidence that the system will meet the target life goal in the field.

bowke28 · January 2003

they were just going by engine core returns, since mileage has to be reported with the VIN and the engine #. not by lab test results or any kind of conjecture or prediction. this was from real-world statistics. i just gotta find where i saw it! ; )

pat84 · January 2003

Isn't the engine just part of the power train ? My complaint is with the transmission part of the power train. BTW I performed my own small sample experiments. on power trains.

maltb · January 2003

I was going pick at his choice of nomenclature, but the data set is still speculative.

spruchman1 · February 2003

I have my 2003 Ody 3 months now. I had my heart set on a Dodge Sport but my wife like the fact that the Honda had a better repair reputation. The car lists for 30,360 and the longer I own it the more I feel I picked the wrong car.

For this price there should be more substance like
lights on the drive window and lock controls, leather steering wheel. Leather seats that give you more support, better radio and speakers. My biggest complaints are that there is no middle storage for anything and the gas milage is very poor. The tray is a waist. Anything let on it goes flying when you start or stop. On the whole, I think the ergonomics of the car stink.

I only hope is that I dont have the problems that DC vans seem to have.

stever · February 2003

You don't say how many miles you have on your 3 month old Ody, but most people report that their mileage gets better over time. Plus it's winter and that's hard on mpg anyway.

The real question is - is your wife the primary driver and does she like it? If the answer is yes to both, then my .02 is to grin and bear it :-)

Steve, Host

marine2 · February 2003

If your wife is happy you will have a better experience!

And if she isn't happy, you'll have no experience. They never let you forget.

spruchman1 · February 2003

I have about 2000 miles on my Ody van. I have been averaging 12-15 MPG in city driving. The estimates are 18 to 24. I would be happy with that.

I have been driving the van during the week, my wife on the weekends getting the kids to ball games. She is still fixed on the perceived Honda quality. I have owned many cars during my life This is the costliest car I have owned and the one that I have the least happy with.

maltb · February 2003

as with most cars, you won't see optimal mileage until you get past 5-10k on the odometer.

bowke28 · February 2003

one thing that seperates honda from DC is the "simplicity" factor. hondas tend to stay reliable because they dont lavish the bells and whistles. besides, if it really comes down to a point where you have to get rid of it, you'll find a FAR better return on your investment with the odyssey. you may spend less money on a DC (i dont think thats the case) but you pay for the bells and whistles upon resale.

bill1000 · March 2003

Went out shopping to buy a 2004 Sienna or 2003 Odyssey. Decided to look at 2003 T&C just for fun. I own or have owned all three makes of vehicles. Ended up with the T&C. Here's my decision tree summary (aka my opinions):

2004 Sienna
*best features of the three (best of the other two combined)
*worst pricing
*worst ride (relative to the other two, still a nice ride though it just rode like it was bigger, I prefer a more sporty ride)
*better gas mileage than the other two
*best reliability (so I read)

2003 Odyssey
*least amount of bells and whistles,
*stark interior (compared to the other two)
*great ride
*great engine (best of the three)
*ugliest appearence
*no split seats in third row
*can't manually close power doors
*2nd best reliability (so I read)

2003 Town & Country
*best interior
*great bells and whistles (close second to the Sienna)
*great ride (at least equal to the Honda)
*split third row, but no hideaway
*good engine - 3.8liter
*worst reliability (so I read)

So, just based on ride and pricing we eliminated the Sienna. For value reasons, we picked the Chrysler - Honda was a close second, but for $30,000 I just wanted a more luxurious feel and look to a minivan. If it wasn't for the supposed reliability issue, the Chrysler would have been a no brainer for me. To overcome that concern, I took $1000 of the savings and bought a 100,000 mile extended warranty to give me peace of mind. Frankly, all three were fun to drive for different reasons.

palmer · March 2003

Great comparison on the 3 vans! I am sure alot of people are comparing those exact 3. Sounds like you thought the T&C rode the best. What about noise, did you think they were all comparable or was one better then the other in your opinion? Interested to see what model T&C you chose and your price with the current Chrysler rebates and competition out there.

Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles