Toyota Sienna Future Models

steveb84 · March 2003

The ones I posted are Toyota Financial residuals for a 5346 XLE with FE & GJ.

Toyota uses the base MSRP then adds set amounts for each additional option package.

steveb84 · March 2003

Every dealer in the country is supposed to have at least one 2004 Sienna on March 14th. I wouldn't be surprised if a few show up on the 13th. But they are embargoed from being delivered to dealer until the 14th.

Your best bet is to surf here and elsewhere on the net to see what you can find. Several reviews have already been published and they are very positive.

Steve

overtime1 · March 2003

The info is appreciated. My wife and I will investigate

.

OT

bearpamplin · March 2003

Live in Southern Indiana 15 miles from the plant, saw one this last saturday on the road beside the Toyota dealer, and on on US 41 driven by engineers tooling around and going back to the plant.

vahomemom · March 2003

I like what you are writing about Toyotas (I have always hankered for one but thought they were too expensive to buy and maintain)but want one car to go for 10 years, I'm tired of putting new transmissions in my Chryslers (one Voyager, two GrandVs, three transmissions)although I have loved my living room on wheels. I have no image issues, SUVs do not tempt me, I don't think minivans look like boxes on wheels but comfort for my WHOLE family and safety for my WHOLE family really do come first. We LIVE in our vans, we live in the country and drive a lot. Sometimes the inside of the van looks like we have no other home

}

I really have a tight budget and I really want this van. I want an LE with the BW package. Do you think the Kelley's invoice prices are more accurate than the ones that are posted elsewhere on the Internet? I have researched on the net and driven everything out there and this van has all the features that I could have chosen off other vans, and it is a Toyota, and the prices are reasonable, and articles say that Toyota wants to get van marketshare back so wants to get a lot of these on the road. (The only thing not perfect is I want the package BW but without the one sliding door. They seem like something for lazy people, another gadget to break, etc. Just my opinion, no experience with a slider, so I am uninformed.)

I live between Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia so have lots of dealers to tap onto. I want to make an offer like the one you plan to. I just put a new trans in my '95 , so I have no immediate need for a new car, and would probably freak out the first time sand or chlorine got in my new vehicle, so I have no problem waiting till fall if the price is right. Do you mind sharing how much over invoice you feel is fair to offer? Is is reasonable to go to dealers and offer $200 over invoice, offer to take the van whenever they chose to order it (say by Sept. hopefully) thinking they can put in my order to make any month's quota they want look good, I can pay cash, they will have a guaranteed sale? Should I throw in the trade at KBB as a neccessary? I don't mind selling it myself to make a little more $$. I just cannot manage the thought of paying MSRP for anything. Am I dreaming?

Thanks for any advice you can give me!

alpha01 · March 2003

harry: I believe you may be correct. Note that I didnt say dual POWER sliders, just dual sliders. vahome: I would completely agree with you, save for those with disabilities, I dont see a need for power operated doors or hatches.
~alpha

momtobeagain · March 2003

Alas, I live in N.Y.C. and have not been too impressed with the few dealers I have spoken with(pretty slimy actually). Has anyone had good dealings (or at least know of someone who has) with a dealer in New York City (Manhatten/Bronx preferred) or even in Northern N.J.? Looking to buy the '04 pretty soon.

bargamon · March 2003

Try James Toyota in Jersey.

nofeer · March 2003

In order for me to get these, i have to go
xle ltd i wonder as time goes on that these will be available on the other models. i really don't need the moonroof or laser cruise. i like the parking assist, dual power doors and hatch, indash cd changer and leather.
I won't be buying till 12/03 or1/04
what do you think, will option packages change?

jimmymke · March 2003

We decided to save a few thousand and go with a CE with HX and tow for $21K and change. A good buying experience. The dealer we bought from gave my wife a quote over the phone and nobody else we tried could get close enough to that, or there was too much extra junk on models they had that we didn't want to pay for. The extra $500 off that came through Tuesday from Toyota helped, too. Thanks for all the input. Need help now with hitch and wiring from anyone who's done it.
Jimmy

danhirsch · March 2003

As far as what is reasonable to offer to a dealer for a sale - I think it would be tough to get a dealer to sell you a recently released Sienna for just $200 over invoice, depending on the factory dealer incentives. I think that to figure out what is "fair", one must compare the MSRP and the Invoice prices and figure out the built-in margin and work from there. For instance, let's say I am looking for a base XLE . The MSRP on this is $28260, the invoice is 26188, for a difference of $2072 of markup, or about 8%.

Now, we know that a certain fleet company was willing to "drop ship" the Sienna for just 2% over invoice, we most of us agree is a very good deal. This is equal to $523.76 over the $26188, for a total of $26711.76. Would it be "unreasonable" to expect Toyota to meet in the middle (of 0 and 8%) at 4% - or should that be in the middle of (2% and 8%) at 5%. At 5%, the cost for the base XLE is $27497.40 ($27,500 for all intents and purposes), for a very nicely equipped vehicle. 4% is approximately $27250. 3% is about $27000 even, and makes for a nice start at negotiating.

The problem comes with the vehicle on the lot coming with "options" you don't want to pay for. This is where you can negotiate down a percentage point or two.

The main thing is to go to the dealer well informed and willing to say no if you're not 100% comfortable. As I always say - "Another day, another Dealer"

and the price is bound to come down as time passes...

Good Luck.

danhirsch · March 2003

I have bought from three different Toyota dealers in New Jersey, but have shopped at several others:

I bought my 1994 Tercel and 1998 Sienna from Route 22 Toyota in Hillside, NJ. This is a depressed area economically, so when someone comes in eager to buy, they are more willing to move to close the sale, although they can be slightly high pressure - I was there negotiating for 6 hours when I bought the Sienna and started to walk away twice...

I bought my 1992 Corolla from Dayton Toyota. This was my first new car purchase and although I got a good price, I felt I could have done better - my in-laws buy all of their cars from them and I felt some sense of loyalty. When I shopped for the Camry, they were very obstinate in negotiations..

I bought my 2001 Camry from Brunswick Toyota in New Brunswick for under invoice, because it was one of the last of the 2001's on the lot. They were very professional and very polite. This is where I am going to give them the first chance to sell me a car.

I have also shopped at Autoland on Route 22. They are high pressure and if they gain a sense that you know what you are doing, they politely ask you to leave, or at least, they did with me when looking for the 1998 Sienna. More or less, at that time, they quoted me sticker price and said that that was what everyone was going to pay. I proved them wrong, of course. I will not even visit them this time around.

I also shopped at Sansone Toyota on Route One for both the Sienna and the Camry. They are high pressure - In 1998, they asked for my driver's license "to run a credit check" and then wouldn't give it back so I couldn't leave... They changed their tune when I began to call the local police.... Now I know to bring a copy of my driver's license.... I returned to them in 2001 for the Camry and they only wanted to sell me a 2002 for MSRP+.

I've also dealt with Freehold Toyota in 1994 but got a much better deal on the Tercel in Hillside.

Hope this helps.

alpha01 · March 2003

We were very pleased with our purchase of a 2002 Camry at Brunswick Toyota in NJ. Fair price, good negotiations, we worked with a great guy who I gladly recommend- gentleman named Mike (Anyone who cares for his last name can email me, I will have to look it up). But recently went shopping there with a friend, was not impressed by the sales staff (Mike wasnt in).

I REALLY liked how we were treated at Dayton Toyota, but they didnt have the Camry we wanted in stock (LE 4 cyl, ABS, alloys, pwr drivers seat, keyless, floormats in Stratosphere Mica)so we did not wind up purchasing from them>

Hudson Toyota on 440 in Jersey City should be avoided at all costs, as should Freehold Toyota (interesting, because it is owned by the same company as Brunswick). Terrible experiences with rude, uninformed sales staff at both places.

~alpha

hetheride · March 2003

Hi All,

I live in Ft Wayne, IN and have been calling around to find out allocation etc. on the 04 Sienna, what a joke. We have 2 dealers in town, both are without a clue. Has anyone dealt with a fair dealer w/ some knowledge in Indianapolis, Detroit area, or Toledo area? All are a short drive away and at this point welcome the idea of speaking to someone.

I asked about allocation and they said there is no way of knowing, even better they said it would be 3 or more months to actually get a van...Oy Veh!

Can anyone help?

warde · March 2003

For those of you who are Costco members, check out their auto buying program. The 2004 Sienna is listed in their Vehicles.

dyh555 · March 2003

warde have you tried???

I had tried their service last year for odyssey and got MSRP ...
I decided not to buy the Van...

Luzer · March 2003

Autoland - just like their radio ads.
Bait and Switch all the time. 3 hrs to negotiate back in 1989 - Bought once, never went back.

Bob Ciasulli's in Little Falls, near Rte 3 and Rte 46 - okay, gotta watch, sale staff and sales managers don't give a crap after you sign. Also took 6 months to give me back the part of the registration fee they didn't use - 3 phone calls. Wonder if they would return it without a call - doubt it. One hour to haggle.
Also charged with something about lying - do not remember outcome, maybe settled without admitting guilt.

Crestmont in W Caldwell(?) Smaller, gave a no haggle higher price than BC. May be okay.

Green Brook Pontiac (Vibe) Gave okay pricing on phone, asked for better and they said to show up.
Got a little better, but their doc fee was $299.
Decent service, and the registration check showed up in two weeks, no calls.

Honda - Rte 46, or something else in Pompton Plains - 20 min for an ad car, ad deal, back in 1991.

Doc fees -
Other doc fees were $150 or less.
Had a Nissan quote of $95 for doc fee and @invoice for an Xterra three months ago.

Doc fees = dealer profit.
But at that point, most people do not want to negotiate.

James Toyota advertises as a good place with no haggle prices.
Never went there though - yet.

overtime1 · March 2003

It looks like some dealers have them in inventory already. Mods - I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do this but this sight also has some nice pics in a pop-up window:

http://www.carsontoyota.com/html/2004sienna.html

Don't mean to break any rules here but that dealer shows the car as being in inventory. If so, other dealerships might have them available for evaluation.

OT

bearpamplin · March 2003

$36,700 for a mini van seems like a lot of money judging by the window sticker.

What's the invoice on that?

warde · March 2003

No I have not tried, We are waiting until August to buy. I did fill out the form for the Ody., Pilot, and the Sienna. It said only the Sienna was offered and I would get a call with in 24 hours. I did call one of the dealers that works with Costco and they said that the Sienna SHOULD be on the list and it SHOULD run from 250 to 750 over invoice, depending on demand and stock. But nothing was very definite. But I thought it was worth a try. I have also been told that each region negotiates separately in vehicles and price, so that information might be different depending on where you live.

dyh555 · March 2003

from what I observed .. only Le 8 are presold..
maybe thats going to be the most popular model...

hexn · March 2003

I can understand Toyota charging some advertising fee to each vehicle, but what's the usual amount?

I got quote from dealer that has 800 dollars of "Add" fee, sounds off too much. A couple of hundred dollars is alright, but 800??

Ken, what's the going number for add fee these days?

Thanks a lot.

toyotaken · March 2003

I honestly don't recognize the listing of an "Add" fee as something that is from Toyota. However, I am in the NY region, so there may be differences in other regions, although I don't think so. The only legitimate advertising fee assessed by Toyota (which is truly assessed by Toyota to the dealer and has to be paid by us) is TDA. This differs by region and sometimes districts within a region but is always listed on the factory invoice. What I would suggest is to request a copy of the factory invoice and base your pricing on that. If they want to add additional fees, that's up to them, but base the price you're willing to pay on "x dollars over" or "x %" over factory invoice. If they want to include their own fees to that pricing, that's fine as long as the total price to you is the amount that is the specified dollar over factory invoice.

Hope this helps.

Ken

andrewtran71 · March 2003

This discussion forum has been fun lately.
I really think the 2004 Sienna looks pretty good from the side view and top view.
Yes, I think the Sequoia is a lot cooler than any minivan, but I think DVD Navigation system is the coolest! I like the way Honda/Acura puts these babies on a lot of their vehicles. I wouldn't buy another vehicle without DVD Navigation system. WHY? Because it looks cool and it's fun to play with--not because I can't find my way around town. To be quite honest, I may be buying a larger vehicle for my growing family (4 of us now), but since I'm the one driving it, it better have exactly what I want at the right price.
Oh yeah, this is a Sienna Future Model discussion so I better talk about it.
I just bought a 2003 Odyssey EXL with NAVI for $2000 off MSRP, but maybe in about 5 years, I may want to experiment with a new Sienna unless they are still charging $36,000 for one with Navigation system! Toyota needs to copy Honda's pricing strategy as well as their Odysseys! Toyota should have a Sienna XLE+Leather+Navi for $30,400 MSRP and keep their destination fee to $460 instead of $535 in Oklahoma and some other states.
Oh, and since I love my wife more than any vehicles, I wouldn't want to upset her by buying a Sequoia.
About the new 2004 Sienna, my wife thinks there will be a few bugs with this very first year model. I can't blame her thinking that way.
Bearpamplin, I think you already know the power of a woman on your car buying/leasing decision.
But next time, go all the way with Navigation system! It's really cool.
I just saw an MDX with Navigation system yesterday--parked next to my LS400. The NAVI alone makes it look so much cooler than my LS400.
Toyota, I hope you are reading this: Make a Sienna XLE+Leather+Navigation system for $30,400.
The economy sucks right now so most of us are very careful with our money these days.

deg856 · March 2003

I want to have 3 doors on each side - perhaps suicide doors for the third row. Well, if not on both sides, at least the passenger side. Wouldn't that be awesome? Wonder who's gonna do that first. ;-)

San Jose, CA

nofeer · March 2003

Is that true an ody with nav/leather is 30k, and to get the sienna with nav is 36k wow!!!!
Does ody have hid
i want nav/leather/hid/power liftgate/autodim rearview mirror,parking assist. I think the nav on the sienna gives you a rear camera.
see i feel sienna should share the nav with other models and more flexibility with options, see i dont want the moonroof, but that's the package.

coolguyky7 · March 2003

Toyota is now advertising the 2004 Sienna in its spring sales event.

apd969 · March 2003

I had my name on a list in the DC area. All dealers in the area are selling for sticker. They are supposed to be getting the first shipment in next week. I am getting the LE. I was hoping to go through the United Buying Service but because of the demand dealers did not anticipate having discounted vehicles available for a few months.

andrewtran71 · March 2003

No, the Odyssey does NOT have hid/power liftgate/autodim rearview mirror,parking assist, but it has standard Traction control, Electronic brake distribution, dual front side airbags, and HEATED front leather seats.
But for now, you would have to pay $36K for a Sienna with Navigation with rear view camera and pay $28,860 for an Odyssey with Navigation without rear view camera.
If I were rich like some people, I wouldn't
I think Toyota tries to please most people, except for the weirdo people like me who has to have DVD Navigation but don't care about the other stuff.

nofeer · March 2003

Why buy when the demand is high and your bargaining position low?????? wait a while and you will be able to get a bette deal. as i said before the early bird gets the high priced worm since the only competition is the ody and as ody starts to repond to sienna, there price comes down., now you don't compare ody at full msrp but less 2k therefore the sienna costs an additional 2k!!!!! apples to appples. ody won't be at msrp anymore as sienna comes out, the sienna will do the same. remember that extra $$$$$ can't be deducted from IRS as a donation so don't make one to the dealer.

I bet the ody for 04 will come close to the features of the sienna and other minivans coming out SO I WILL WAIT.

danhirsch · March 2003

Now this is a funny story! I went to my local NJ Toyota Dealer, where I had purchased a 2001 Camry from, and asked if they had any information on the 2004 Sienna. I was told that they would have them in stock in the next few weeks and I should stop by then. I was also told that at first, they would be looking for $2,000-3,000 OVER MSRP!!!! and that I would be better off waiting six months. I told them I already spoke to Dayton Toyota and was told that they thought that anyone demanding over MSRP was wrong and that at first, they would only sell for exactly MSRP. So I left the dealer, got to my car and I heard the dealer call after me - I turned around and he asked me if I offered 7.5% over invoice, would I buy the van today! I told him no, but I would at 4% over invoice (1200 on a 30,000 van). He took it to his manager who approved it. I can still bust the deal if I'm not happy with the deal we work out for my trade or if I simply don't like the van, which leaves me able to "negotiate" with other dealers in the meantime. The market is down - no matter what the dealers say, it is a buyer's market.

nofeer · March 2003

honda and acura made a mistake of arrogance when selling "hot" products demanding this and that--arrogance alienates your customers. toyota wants to build a customer base and market share. ifthe above attitude is common toyota will overtake honda and others. market share rules. honda knows this that toyota can make the market and they will respond with lower prices--honda took advantage of the market with no competition but now.....it's toyota's time and they have a class leading van...LET THE GAMES BEGIN.....

huskerfan2 · March 2003

I have been visiting this board for the past couple of months. We have been researching a minivan purchase for quite a while. We decided that the Sienna was going to be it. We visited the car show in kc this weekend and our decision was firmed up. Prior to the show, we put a deposit on a van with a local dealer, the color we wanted (silver), xle,etc. The dealer found the van we wanted at another dealership and set up a trade. After going to the auto show, we saw some features we'd like to have (leather, sunshades). We went back to the dealer today and was told that we would have to wait a while (as opposed to Wednesday of next week). We were offered a decent trade-in for our 99 Windstar and told he would take off 2-300 off msrp as well. Not bad, we thought, but we wanted to see if our van was out there (with all the features we wanted). We decided to visit another dealership and success! We told the dealer about our other "deal" and they beat it! They offered us $700 off msrp, gave us more for our trade and waived the registration fee. Our van is expected to be delivered next weekend. We are really excited-we even got our sunshades!

Oh, and we are getting our initial deposit back without any problem from the original dealer.

jmjbrtw · March 2003

Danhirch
What dealer in nj did you get the deal with. The 2 dealers in my area are giving no information or acting DUMB.I don't plan to buy msrp.

danhirsch · March 2003

I got the deal at Brunswick Toyota. I spoke with Ron Raval - be sure to mention my name, which is of course, Dan Hirsch.

I know - they all act dumb even though they have gone to the classes. Don't pay MSRP - "Just Say NO".

hst1 · March 2003

Hi Dan,
Quick question, did you have a trade factored into that? We are on a very strict budget, and I am hoping to trade in my 93 Honda accord and get a couple thousand off even the 4% invoice price... Am I dreaming? All these dealers seem so slimy and I can't get a straight answer out of them... Thanks!!!!

danhirsch · March 2003

I will be trading in our 1998 Sienna and this fact can still be the deal breaker. One of our friends recently traded in a 1999 Honda Ody for a new Ody and got 16k for theirs. My wife wants me to get at least that for the Sienna, but I am more realistic and hope to get the amount halfway between KBB and NADA, the low and the high. Simply put, if I don't get that, I go to the next dealer.... and simply comparison shop for the best bottom line. However, at this point, I know I'm sitting with a contract at 4% over invoice in my pocket and can use that to negotiate with other dealers. The trade can actually become a negotiating point for the DEALERS to compete on.

For example, let's say I go to Dealer #1, with whom I have the 4% deal, and they say - we'll give you 10k for the trade, which is less than KBB.com says its worth and way less than NADA.com says it is. Assuming that is the best they can do, I go to dealer #2, and tell them, listen, Dealer #1 has offered to sell me the van for 4% but only offered to give me 10k for the trade - what can you do for me? And listen as they compete. Some dealers won't listen, but some are certain to do so, especially in this economy. Remind them that every week that a van is sitting on their lot, they are paying for it...

lapvn · March 2003

Sorry Toyota, I could not wait for your 04 Sienna. I was given an offer that to us was a fair deal, and could not justify spending 5K more for our minivan. The 5k would actually put us over out budget, so this weekend we signed on an order for a Ody. EX.

hst1 · March 2003

Thanks Dan!!!! I am very nervous, we have never purchased a new car and I am afraid I am going to be ripped off, your message is very helpful!!!

canuck13 · March 2003

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nofeer · March 2003

KNOWLEDGE!!!.get a consumer reports mag, at a library april seems to be there auto issue, and use those skills and info from edmunds, understand the concept of holdback, know all the "numbers" the dealer uses to steal money from you, know before you go into the dealer your price you want the interest rate you want, and the value of your trade. after doing your homework. WAIT A WHILE, at least till the honda ody update comes. and use my most powerful weapon other than knowledge....BE WILLING TO WALK AWAY. You should be able in the first 15 minutes know if it's a go or no go. don't waste your time and move on. I do most of my work over the phone to save ME time. Let the dealer know you are Looking for the best deal. and don't accept the first deal a dealer makes till you check out the competition. You should have a goal as to price, interest rates, tradein and hold your ground. they want impulse purchases. Use the market to your advantage, with the ody it was tough but there were things you could still negotiate--interest, down, dealer add ons etc.
Realize that service can be provided by any factory dealer, if you buy from them what do you gain. They will realize soon that they want to sell vans, Honda is now "making deals" i wonder why. My previous post have giving my opinion of "when to pull the trigger". I have a feeling as the summer rolls on and honda info comes out, maybe the 04 honda is better i won't know till then, but i do know that ody and sienna deals will start blooming.

I got my wifes cousin a high demand honda civic lx silver for 400 over cost and 2% below dealers interest rate. they tried to switch interest rates on her at he last minute, till i reviewed the paper work. some dealers can be sneaky ALWAYS CHECK OUT YOUR DEAL, and know what interest rate is reasonable--use your own bank or edmunds for comparison. remember that the dealer gets a big profit for financing and extended warranties.
I love buying cars,I love the deal making, I love the look on there face when they realize I'm a knowledgable buyer, and edmunds, and the net have empowered buyers. if our tax system in KY was like FL I'd do it more often

HAPPY HUNTIng

Part II
Runflats--from what i have gathered when you blow a runflat and drive on it it has to be REPLACED something about the bead. and side wall integrity. HAVE YOU PRICED RUNFLATS--250 apiece!!!! That's why i decided against AWD unless you can make a deal with thE dealer about a set of runflats at their costs. Chysler has AWD and a spare but no flat 3rd seat. dOES anyone have experience with runflats!!!!!

winedogs · March 2003

Nofer your advise is well taken. Does anyone know when the 2004 Odyssey is to arrive? I'm looking to make a purchase in August.

What percentage over invoice should I be paying on a 2004 Sienna XLE with DVD and leather by late July, early August?

andrewtran71 · March 2003

It's funny to see how some people like lapvn and myself end up buying an Odyssey when we were initially planning on buying the 2004 Sienna.
What does this mean? For those who have the patience to wait for at least 6 months or more (like nofeer and others), they will get a good deal on either Odyssey or Sienna. But for those who are a little more impatient, it seems like the local Honda dealers are doing a very good job persuading us to join their party by giving us a very good deal while Toyota is being perhaps a little unwise to not compromise on a good deal.
Someone has already mentioned this, but perhaps those Honda people are smarter business people than Toyota.
By trying to do too much, Toyota will possibly accomplish too little in the end because perhaps a lot of us will have already bought a new Odyssey.
I have been a very loyal Toyota person, owning 4 Toyotas in the past and this will be my first experience with Honda in the Odyssey.
I too got a nice deal----$2,000 off MSRP on my Odyssey.

impact01 · March 2003

Isn't it fantastic that we have competition?. While you may say that Honda dealers are smarter, it also suggests that demand for Odyssey has fallen significantly (due to the arrival of 04 Sienna?). For me though, I am not sure I'll be able to handle Ody interior noise on a regular basis, even if I were to get it for invoice.

andrewtran71 · March 2003

Come on, man. I will agree with you that the Sienna is quieter than the Odyssey, but the difference is not night and day!
Does anyone out there have the exact decibel measurements for the Odyssey and Sienna?
That would be really interesting to see.
I agree that the demand of the Odyssey is less now than before--but mostly because it's been out for a while now. Most people don't even know that the new Sienna is out yet because they haven't even advertise it yet because Toyota still wants to sell the 2003 models.
But like you said, impact01, competition is great. I really believe that if the 2004 Sienna were not coming out, there's no way I could have gotten $2,000 off MSRP!
But I really want to find out the exact noise level measurement for the Odyssey and Sienna.
The Sienna is quieter than the Odyssey, but the difference is not as significant as comparing the Sienna to a Dodge Caravan or Windstar, etc.
If it were that significantly different, there's no way I would have bought the Odyssey even if it were $3,000 cheaper than the Sienna.

nofeer · March 2003

If your buying timeframe is august, by that time ody for 04 features will be out, but no o4ody till fall. that seems to be the usual. 04 ody leaks will start coming out just like the sienna. So little info is available (none) that the speculative board has been dormant. It took 1-2 years for acura to address the noise issue. when it first came out it was noisy...now it's quieter but when you sell everything you build less motivation to improve. Untill people started to complain that acura is a luxury brand and it's not up to par. probably embarrassed acura into improving. we'll see. Toyota has traditionally been quieter than honda and others but DVD ex being 4-6k less than the cheapest sienna with DVD makes heads turn to ody.

TOYOTA ARE YOU LISTENING--get those features on lower models to compete. we will see. I"m not paying for an XLE LTD when an ody ex with nav and leather works for my family. honda may be the better deal i'll still wait.

jchan2 · March 2003

Anyone know a Toyota dealer willing to sell a LE 8 passenger Sienna for 4% above invoice? (In Ohio)

bdkny2001 · March 2003

Does the LE 8 middle seat remove in the second row thus leaving two captains chairs? If so, does the right side seat still slide to the left to create a bench? The Toyota mini site seems to show variations where the middle seat cannot be removed without first removing the right side second row seat.

Sorry but my dealer inquiries were unsuccessful.

-Brian

vahomemom · March 2003

I have carfully scrutinized the seating in every article and asked one dealer and this is what I think the answer to you question is:
You can configure your middle row of an 8-seater three ways: 1.three seats, 2. two captain's chairs with no arm-rests, 3. one captain's chair and the small middle seat left in to create a bench for two. The dealer was a knowledgeable guy who didn't think that enough bolt-tracks could be made in the floor for what he called 35/30/35 and one article I've read calls 40/20/40 split of the seats. I really eyeballed the high resolution pictures on the Tundra Solutions web-site to try to get a feeling for the sizing, etc. I was not happy with having no arm rests on the captain's chairs till another poster pointed out that the small, middle seat lowered to a table was a better demilitarized zone for siblings than an empty space. My biggest concern is that the wonderful(?) disappearing seat in the third row is not going to be very comfortable (MPV and Ody are padded board-like in comfort). I've read all the articles about Toyota "sparing no expense in seat comfort" but will have to judge myself when we test-sit, test-bounce, test-drive this vehicle.

Hope this helps!

andrewtran71 · March 2003

It doesn't make any sense to me, but according to the Option packages I saw on this post, they did not even list any Navigation system available for the Limited Edition. The Navigation system is available on the XLE model for a little over $7,000.
Even thought I just bought the Odyssey with Leather, heated seats, and Navigation for $28,860, I am still very curious to see how the navigation fits into the dash of the Sienna.

So if you want heated Leather seats and DVD RES, the Odyssey is $30,360 (and you should get $2,000 off MSRP now which brings it down to $28,360) and the 2004 Sienna is $33,770 (and you won't get $2,000 MSRP for a while).
If you want heated Leather seats and Navigation, the Odyssey is $30,860 ($28,860 with discount) and the Sienna is $35,810 because you have to also get DVD RES.
With the Navigation system, I think you need to get the in-dash unit because it looks so much better than installing an after-market unit. The Odyssey (as well as Acura's) is an Alpine DVD navigation unit.
As far as the DVD RES, I think the after-market is at least as good and it will look just as good and you will save about $500-$1000.
For example, Pyle has a 17" LCD Widescreen Monitor for $885. Add a Pyle DVD player/TV Tuner for $145. Then add labor cost for installation and it's no more than $1,430. But you get a 17" Widescreen compared to a 7" widescreen factory installed.
If you want a combined DVD player+TV Tuner+7.8" Widescreen LCD monitor from Pyle, it's $818 plus labor cost for no more than $1,200 and you get about one extra inch of LCD screen at a lower price than dealer or factory intalled. I saw an add from Best Buy a few months ago for a Rosen unit with DVD player/monitor (I believe 6.8 or 7" widescreen) with 2 wireless headphones installed total price of $1,000.

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