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Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans
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I'm not sure exactly what you meant, something was missing in the sentence.
I guess DC will now market their great crash test scores, to answer any safety doubters.
Most of what is sold today is based on marketing.
About the only minivans I ever see advertised(t.v/magazines) are the Honda Ody and the Dodge Caravans.Nissan Quest rare. Kia Sedona only on the radio(constantly it seems). G.M's minis...rare.Toyota Sienna...a few magazines...never on t.v. Mazda MPV...never.
Right now it may be that Chrysler isn't selling the steak...it's selling the sizzle. This time next year we will have the answer.
While the Honda has a new body on it, it's not quieter nor does it run smoother than the Dodge. Nor does the air conditioning run colder. The Dodge has a much better sound system in it and doesn't rattle like the Honda. The Dodge is also not plagued by doors that won't close as many of the Honda's are.
So even though you Honda owners would like to believe your van is the greatest thing since apple pie, it just isn't so. Even though you see a lot more people complaining about Chrysler made vans, you must remember that there are millions more of them on the road than Honda's or Toyotas. If honda had sold as many as Chrysler, I would guarantee you would see a lot more people complain about Hondas. There are enough people complaining about them now, and they are brand new.
The 3.5L V6 and the 5speed from the 300C (MB tranny) would make it much more "drive train" competitive...although the price may go up (probably).
Meanwhile there were 24,753 Caravan sold in March and 57,665 YTD with T&C selling more than either the Odyssey or Sienna. (16,262 T&C March and 43,849 YTD).
DC minivans are INCREASING sales in 2005 while the Sedona, MPV, and Sienna sales are DECREASING for both the month of March 2005 and YTD 2005.
Fortunately for Honda, the Odyssey sales have increased for both the month of March 2005 and YTD even though more T&C were sold in March 2005 than Odyssey.
Mazda could have easily shown the MPV. Maybe, having it full of the New England Patriot cheerleaders or something....waving their pom poms and singing the Zoom Zoom song. I don't think I knew the MPV even existed until I started my minivan search. People can't buy it if they don't know it's out there.They may be saving their advertising dollars for the Mazda 5 and the new Mazda MPV if and when it comes out.
I agree that the older and proven DC/T&C engine/design has fewer bugs at this point than the brand new model Honda Ody. That's logical.
The real test will be in five years, when one considers 1) reliability and 2) resale value.
You must be one of those 5 percent of American car seat parents who can put them in properly each time. More than 90 percent of the time, car seats are incorrectly installed, according to car seat material info.
We have a newborn and a 3.5 year old (who uses a full car seat because he hasn't yet hit the 40 lb. point for a convertible seat) and installing even one seat is 20-30 minutes of sweating and grunting.
If I want to haul something that requires the second row of seats to do down, I use a different car.
The Odyssey has ALWAYS had harder (firmer) seats than the DC minivans until the 2nd and 3rd row for Stow N Go were introduced with a new, firmer foam. I like the 1999-2001 Odyssey seats best of all minivans because they are hard (firm) and have little curvature in the seat and the seat back. Better yet were the bench seats of full size American sedans before rear wheel drive was abandoned.
Of course, these forums are a magnet for people who want to complain.
I rode in the 2nd row seats coming back and it wasn't as good as the fronts, but was more comfortable that the front seats in the Ody I sat in.
I am not complaining about the Odys seats, some people take an observation the wrong way. My next van will have the Sto-N-Go arrangement.
It also probably depends a lot on the model. Good luck trying to find an EX-L with NAV/RES here in the DFW area -- this is apparently the most popular model currently. You'll have a lot less trouble getting any of the non-NAV/RES models.
ETA
So we need a replacement van soon. After checking out the minivan market we are down to a choice between a 2005 T&C Touring with DVD, and a 2005 Ody EX with leather. Big difference in price for us -- at a time we didn't expect to be purchasing new. However, I want to take the long term view since we put on lots of miles each year with 3 sons in sports and keep our vehicles usually until they die.
Wish I had a crystal ball and could predict which van would live a longer life. For cars we have a Honda Civic (early 90s) and a 2004 Toyota Corolla. Something tells me the long life we get on these types of cars won't translate to long life in an Ody...? Any ideas on which vehicle is more likely to see healthy, old age???
Two years ago, I told him he was tempting fate. At this point he's determined to see just how long it's going to last!
I disagree about batteries not lasting as long as they used to but after four-five years I just replace them...on MY terms!
I know people who had 170,000 trouble free miles on a used Caravan before they sold it to get a used Ford Explorer to tow their large trailer. (Their Taurus transmission failed at 130,000 miles so they got a used Camry). Their worst vehicle was a Chevrolet Vega (the ONLY vehicle they purchased new).
As for batteries not being as good today, not sure. But I noticed outside of a few like the Diehard, most will not offer three year, full replacement anymore. With most, it's only 18 or 24 months. But as replacement costs go, a new battery has to be about the cheapest thing to replace on any vehicle.
heh...
The AMC Eagle was the AWD/4x4 version of the Concord.
For instance both my friend's Toyota Sienna, my Honda Accord, and my wife's Chrysler Pacifica have the alternator, fans etc made by the same manufacturer, Denso. It's funny, but Chrysler's alternator is made in Japan (by Denso) and Honda's and Toyota's alternator are made in US (by Denso too). You would expect the other way round, right ??
At this time I think we should buy what we like, because anyway we have no clue where the parts of those cars are made. They should be closer and closer to each other, quality wise. That's why we bought our Pacifica. We liked it.
Chrysler Builds Minivan #11,000,000
Chrysler Group says it has sold its 11 millionth minivan, after 21 years of assembling the family vehicles. Chrysler introduced the minivan to Americans in the early 1980s, and has built four generations of the vans, now outfitted with fold-flat Stow 'n Go seats and DVD entertainment systems. Chrysler says it passed the milestone in March of this year; the company also adds that it still holds on to about a third of the entire minivan market in the U.S. "Chrysler Group is proud to be the inventor of the modern minivan, and prouder still to be the segment leader for 21 years," said Darryl Jackson, vice president of Dodge marketing. "We are thrilled that 11 million Chrysler and Dodge minivan customers choose our vehicles by more than a 2-to-1 margin versus our nearest competitor
My wife and I also prefer DC minivans with the most important feature: Separately controlled temperature for driver and front passenger. I am surprised that this feature is not available on every quality vehicle.
The Odyssey EX is now one of the acceptable minivans since Honda added separately controlled temperature for driver and front passenger...MANY years after it was available on almost every DC minivan.
# 1. Odyssey EX (cloth)
# 2. GC SXT with no extra options.
# 3 T&C Touring with no extra options.
All 3 are now available with nice discounts.
I've also heard of noises due to the sunroof / moonroof.
ETA
Town and Country 61,156 vs 2004 38,333 over a 59% increase.
Odyssey 55,566 vs 2004 45,169 a 23% increase
Sienna 47,914 vs 2004 56,348 a 15% decrease
Odyssey gaining ground which understandable with a new model replacing one that had been around since 1999.
Sienna losing ground-- reasons?????
Chrysler version of the DaimlerChrysler twins is really zooming in sales with Dodge slightly increased. Stow and Go seems to be gaining traction.
Likely overall minivan sales have increased due to people switching out of their SUV's to get better mileage, so not all the gained ground by the hot sellers is at the expense of the others, though why the Sienna sales rates are slowing is a bit puzzling.
As an owner of a 2002 T&C LX, I prefer the 2nd row buckets with 50/50 split fold and tumble 3rd row seating to the 2005 Stow and Go. The 2nd and 3rd row seats of my 2002 T&C LX are more comfortable than the 2nd and 3rd row Stow and Go. The 2002 has more space for the feet of the passengers in the 2nd and 3rd row than does the 2005 Stow and Go.
The Odyssey has the most comfortable seats for me in all seats. I also prefer the location of the Odyssey spare tire to the DC minivans spare tire in the Stow and Go minivans. However, the Odyssey still lacks the nice complete overhead console of DC minivans with compass/outside temperature and trip computer even though the Odyssey finally offers separately controlled temperature for the driver and front passenger. One has to pay over $31,000 MSRP to get the separately controlled temperature for driver and front passenger in a Sienna. :confuse:
I really could care less about where the spare is mounted, but DaimlerChrysler, please stay away from expensive run flat or those high tech and overpriced Michelins run flats that Honda is putting on their top of the line models. At most all I would like to see implemented is a full size spare rather than the space saver spare.
Flat tires are so rare these days that it is more important to be able to get an inexpensive replacement tire if one fails, rather than pay for an expensive run flat that may not even be available in an emergency.
Seating comfort? Well the marketplace seems to be giving Chrysler the nod on Stow and Go, willing to compromise perhaps a small bit of comfort (perceived or real) for the flexibility and ease of use of Stow and Go.
As badgerfan stated, no SWB Caravan and NO SWB T&C have Stow and Go available.
Stow and Go may be increasing T&C sales but at present, the Stow and Go will cause me to get an Odyssey for my next minivan even though I am well satisfied with my 2002 T&C LX with 2nd row buckets and 50/50 split fold and tumble 3rd row.
I do NOT like the spare tire location on Stow and Go vans. The 2nd and 3rd row seating of Stow and Go is not as comfortable as the seating in my 2002 T&C although the seating in the Odyssey is more comfortable than my 2002 T&C.
I do NOT like the spare tire location on Stow and Go vans. The 2nd and 3rd row seating of Stow and Go is not as comfortable as the seating in my 2002 T&C although the seating in the Odyssey is more comfortable than my 2002 T&C.
I have the 2005 with Stow and Go. Although the middle seats are a little more firm, they are not uncomfortable at all.
While I don't like where the spare tire is on my van,(under & between the two front seats) it really isn't any worse than changing a tire on a pickup truck.
I love the stow and go feature of those seats. I usually only carry three kids home from school and that allows me to stow one of those seats. I could stow them both, but I don't. That one bin holds a furniture pad, tools, flash light, umbrella and battery cables. Nothing sits out to mess up my van. The one stowed seat gives me plenty of room getting the kids in and out and gives the dog some place to lay down or to carry stuff like I did last week, when I took my air compressor over to my brothers house.
I never worry if I go to Lowes or some place else and buy something big, that I have to go home first and take the seats out to carry it. I'm always ready no matter what it is. Stowing those seats was the only reason I sold my 2001 Dodge Dakota truck. I didn't need it anymore and I have a heck of a lot more room.