What's the mini-van counter part to a 3rd gen 4 runner?

What is your minivan budget? Surely you won't keep forever. I'd look hard at cars than can haul under $10k that also have 3rd row seats AND good re-sale. You might be able to drive for low cost year over year. (Older land cruiser, Lx470, gx470). Minivans are sweet for moving more than 5 people all the time, but I don't know anyone that genuinely wants one.
 
frodiesel said:
I understand there was an issue with early ody transmissions, but not the newer ones. Ody is heavy vehicle, so if you tow your boat with a fully loaded cargo area and you dont add extra cooling it has the same Achilles heal of not enough trans cooling stock.

And assuming you NEED a van, you've likely already used you manhood and could not care less about style/form over functionality and space.
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Honestly, I still see these Honda transmissions failing earlier on average than a Toyota counterpart. I like the cars from Honda better overall, though. I just change the fluid often if I own one.
 
T4R2014 said:
Honestly, I still see these Honda transmissions failing earlier on average than a Toyota counterpart. I like the cars from Honda better overall, though. I just change the fluid often if I own one.
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When I run into a 2nd gen Ody owner the question comes up 'When did your transmission fail?'

Ours was replaced free at 74k miles. Other than that it has been a good vehicle.
 
gmv4k said:
So I'm in a situation where a used mini-van might be in my future. Ive been doing some research and just assumed a Toyota Sienna would be my default but I figured I would would ask for suggestions, I'm guessing another another would be the Honda Odyssey. What year/gen?

I've been trying to search for buyer guides like the one we have but no luck. At this point I could probably write the book for a 3rd gen buyer guide, so maybe I was hoping someone might share their experience with a mini-van.

Criteria:

- inexpensive, inexpensive parts
- reliable
- good online community like ours for info
- looks good, for a mini van

Basically a counterpart to our 4runner.

Thanks.

(Hopefully the mods don't move this because I only check the 3rd gen section)
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Toyota Highlander.

great rigs. some come with the 3rd row seats also. and still AWD.

not a min-van, but should be able to pull that duty just as well...
 
family-car.jpeg
 
7echo said:
When I run into a 2nd gen Ody owner the question comes up 'When did your transmission fail?'

Ours was replaced free at 74k miles. Other than that it has been a good vehicle.
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What year?

Seems like Honda has certain years that the tranny was hell for most models.
 
My in-laws have a 97 Sienna that I wrenched on a little bit. It's got more miles than my 3rd gen.

My 3rd gen - 230k miles.

Their Sienna - 240k miles.

See if you can find one. Toyota reliability/easy find for parts/Toyota Nation is a good forum/etc.
 
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You need to Google search what year trans were bad on the Honda's. I had an 01 Accord Coupe 4cyl. Great car. Same trans in the 6cyl & 4cyl. The 4cyl never had an issue but the 6cyl had problems. Probably not strong enough for the extra hp/torque.
 
To back up the sequoia some more: I'm only 18 and I was raised in my moms sequoia. It could fit 7 passengers easily, great for road trips, and also great for hauling wood and supplies from home depot.
 
For a second vehicle, the 2001-2002 Sienna.

'98 - '02 are all the same body style, but the 3.0 VVT engine was introduced in '01. It's a fantastic engine: smooth, powerful, efficient -- a pleasure to drive. (wish I had it in my '02 4R Sport) I wouldn't turn my nose up at a '98-'00 if it was well maintained and the price was right, but if you can find an '01 or '02, the 3.0 VVT is nice.

Pros: dual sliding doors. Get the captain's chairs for the middle row. It's so comfortable to ride in, it will become your go-to vehicle for traveling. 4 adults seated comfortably in bucket seats. Mid-20s mpg. If you can find an XLE version, they're very nicely appointed. Leather, nice stereo, etc.. And at this point, they're pretty cheap.

Cons: no "stow and go" seats. It's a pain in the ass to remove/store the seats. Online community sucks. The Sienna forums are filled with questions surrounding windshield wiper and headlight bulb replacement threads.

I researched Honda Odyssey and Siennas when I was looking for a van. The transmission issues with the Hondas are very real. The Sienna powertrain is just so much more robust.

You're in NY, so look out for rust. It's no worse than any other vehicle (and better than most) in this regard -- and MUCH better than a Chrysler product. (I wouldn't take a Caravan if it was given to me for free... seriously, they're that bad.)

Just my 2-cents. After adjusting for inflation, still arguably worth that. :-)
 
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