Sold my 2004 Sienna with 230,000 miles to an old man for $3,000. He was so grateful for this affordable and reliable purchase -- and I still see him driving around in it!
We traded our ‘04 in ‘16 with a slipping transmission at 182k (towing a camper wasn’t my best idea) In ‘20 the same van passed me on interstate doing 80. Somebody fixed it!
I'm a former NYC cab driver. If the Sienna can handle taxi abuse and upfitting from some less than reputable wheelchair upfitters, it can handle whatever the average person can throw at it. My 2011 wheelchair Sienna taxi made it to 432k miles before a sanitation truck wiped it out while parked.
The use in NYC as Taxis was a huge selling point when we bought our first Sienna in 2008. Ran it up to over a quarter million miles before it was rusted to the point that it wouldn't pass inspection and we were forced to retire it.
My father in law had a 2005 Dodge Caravan with 388,000 miles and the 3.3L V6 had a light tick in the valve train and once in a great blue moon the transmission will have a harder shift than usual, they had to junk it due to the front end falling apart from rust but man that van was reliable.
@@inouterspaceman couldn't be more accurate. My parents had a 1997 Grand Caravan with the 3.8 and the transmission shit itself at 147,000 miles but I saw another Grand Caravan with the same drive train somewhere around 280,000 miles. I'm guessing a lot of these vans were either assembled by lazy people on a Monday or by people who cared about their job lol 😆
We are driving our 7th Dodge/Chrysler van. We usually purchase them with 60/80k and drive them until 180/200k. We have never replaced a transmission or engine on any of them. Did have the crazy wiper, horn, sliding door issue on a 2010 T&C, quite the ordeal. Had a head gasket on the 2018 Pacifica, 3.6, but it had 186k on it at time. Now have a 2021 Pacifica, love the stow&go, the room for 7 people and the 28 mpg driving 75/80. I know the Toyota has the best durability, but for my money the Chrysler is the one for me. Keep it serviced, fix things when they fail and you can drive them for a very long time. Thanks wizard, love your videos.
I have a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan that I bought new. 11 years and counting absolutely no issues at all. I service it myself. One of the best and most reliable vehicles I have ever owned. I can recommend this one highly. So convenient and super strong. I have used mine to transport my refrigerators and stoves from the store to my house. They fit in their easily. Amazing.
Yeah but with you being the original owner that can be expected with no issues but when you're buying a vehicle off the web or even off the lot, without documentation on how the vehicle was maintained or even how it driven can lead into thousands of dollars in repairs
Odyssey is the only sporty handling minivan option, plus its the last to give you that vtec scream when the cam switchover happens (new pilot,passport have the new v6 that honda deleted vtec in them)👍
3 years ago bought an 04 Odyssey for $1600 from Craigslist. I put a little money in it but not much. I have driven it cross country 5 times now to pick up parts for a car I am building. It has moved my wifes kids 6 times and all the neighbors have borrowed it for various reasons. It is coming up on 300k miles on it. Has been a great vehicle.
I have always hated minivans. In 2017 my long time neighbors decided to sale the 2001 Grand Caravan that they owned since 2004. I have seen that van across the street for 13 years, they did not take good care of the exterior/interior, but they always kept up on the mechanicals, so when they decided to sale it, I was interested. I was driving a 07 Lexus GX470 and a 2005 Pontiac GTO. Both were mint and I was always worried about them when I drove them, I did not want them to get hurt LOL So the neighbors GC had practical appeal as a vehicle I would never have to worry about, and I could drive and park anywhere without hesitation. The GC had 89k on the odometer and drove like a new car…very tight, smooth and it was also very easy to drive. They were asking $800 and I got it for $600. A year into owning it, two vehicles crashed in front of me at a intersection and one of them coasted over and hit my drivers side front fender. I pulled the damaged fender out enough so I could drive it normally. They guys insurance paid me $2300 for the damage. At that point I had zero dollars in my beater with a heater/AC LOL I took that money and purchased another van with a bad motor and put my 01 motor in it and it’s been my daily every since. I went from full on hating minivans to absolutely loving them now. I drive a 02 Chrysler Town & Country LXi, it’s got 165k on the body and about 95k on the motor. I have next to no $ in the van. It’s turned out to be very reliable, easy to drive and actually easy to work on. Full disclosure…I have done a lot of work to the vans, but I do all my own work and most of the parts I have had to replace, I got from my original 01. I try to buy mostly used parts from a pull a part yard. This van’s generation was built from 01-07, so the yards always have parts. The motors are not interchangeable however. 01 motor will not work in a 04, so research is critical when doing repairs. It’s hard to find a more practical vehicle for me than a minivan.
Yep I despised em before now I love em so good for long distance driving, I go back n fourth from Arkansas to Florida pull over sleep in the back 21mpg. Going into my 4th one now, total grey man vehicle.
My Dad's 2001 Sienna has somewhere around 550k miles (yes, miles) on it from driving all over the country. Still runs like a champ with just basic/typical maintenance and keeping on top of things. He still daily drives it, but he did buy a different car for his super long trips, something more modern just for comfort on 8-9 hour drives. I bet if I asked him he'd be 100% sure it would make the 9 hour drive between my place and his with 0 issues.
Yep, we have a 2011 Ford Flex with 250,000+ miles. Never a major issue, only replaced some dual-air-conditioning part in the dash one time. Still runs like a top, all the electronics work, seats have held up, etc. If you take care of 'em, a Flex will take care of you.
@@thehoteldeveloper The cars are more complicated, but they also visit the dealership for stupid stuff like radio concerns, consumer reports doesn't look at the content of the repairs but instead how many times the car visited the dealership
I have a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan and it’s been absolutely great. The stow&go seating makes it so that I can covert it from a passenger van into a cargo van within minutes. When I purchased it brand new in 2015, Dodge was still offering a lifetime MOPAR warranty for it (the dealer told me that they were in the process of phasing those warranties out)-so I bit the bullet and purchased it. The van still looks clean, runs strong, and I’m going to drive it until the wheels come off because I have the lifetime warranty.
just got rid of my 2018 dodge grand caravan sxt. the only gripe i had about it was the gas mileage. (11mpg in town, 22-26.5 mpg hwy) not one ounce of trouble with it. rented an outback while on vacation and fell in love with it and so, traded for brand new 2025 outback (first brand new car in my 65 years) and it's getting 19-22mpg in town and about 28-30mpg hwy. yes, i have a lead foot!
@ good luck finding a 2015 Sienna XLE AWD with less than 100,000 miles for $10k 😂 (mine had 97,000) I just bought a 2015 Honda Accord Sport 6sp with 150,000 miles for $10k.
@@user-FTRU6GJ in today's car market used car prices are through the roof. And used Toyotas are expensive,.they're usually marked up during the worst of it in 2021 dealers were marking up Tacomas over brand new prices over 50k for a used small truck.
It seems to me that the reputation of the Chrysler minivans is still holding from the 1990's era. Those transmissions were terrible. I had a 1993, with transmission failure. However, I have had three after that one. 2006 had ac go out with 215,000 miles. Traded for 2007, which went 235,000 miles before engine began to knock. Bought 2013 Town & Country next, which still drives great with 257, 000 miles on it. No transmission issues with the mid 2000's minivans and later. Bad reputations are hard to overcome!
I tend to agree. The main problem with the 62TE transmission is not the tranny itself, but rather the torque converter. When they start to shudder at stopping, or you get a lock up solenoid code, DON'T WAIT! Change the torque now!! It's a rather expensive job, but if you wait too long, the torque converter WILL come apart and send all kinds of garbage through the whole tranny, at which point it's cooked. In the shop where I work, I've changed more TC's than I care to count. Still cheaper than a whole tranny though.
I agree as well. Been driving Chrysler/Dodge minivans since 2001, and never had any major mechanical problems. I don’t think they are as good as Toyota/Honda as far as ride quality/quietness, but the generally lower price of Chryslers (until recently) made up for it, and they were cheap to fix. Stow and go is the major reason I stick with them, as well as (again until recently) price. I’ve always liked Chryslers styling the best also. Absolutely hate the massive black plastic grill on Toyotas. I’m on my third Chrysler minivan since 2001, and living in a snowy/salty area, rust is the reason I’ve had to buy new ones. I’ve wised up though, and get my current one oil sprayed every year.
We had a 04 Sienna growing up, and that thing was an absolute TANK. GREAT car. Only got rid of it when us kids grew up and had our own cars, and our family didn’t need it anymore. One of the techs at the Toyota dealership ended up buying it, and he’s still driving it today
I purchased a 2012 Kia Sedona 3.5L in 2012 for only about $14k. We drove it for almost 300,000 miles before it finally went out. Up until then, it was mostly problem free. We must have gotten one of the good ones.
As the owner of a 2011 Sienna, I can testify it is very good. 168k miles and I have done spark plugs(preventative), belt (squealing in cold last winter), and I just did the front blower motor. Soon I will be doing the dampers all around, still on originals and work,no leaks but a little tired out. Edit: I also have a TPMS senor dying, not annoying on this model since it is just the light, but will replace the whole set next time I do tires, not worth it before then to me.
We had a 2011 Toyota Sienna LE 16:03 and in 2017 decided to get a 2014 Honda Oddysey EX-L with 27k miles. At 29k the cam journal broke on bank 1 and the engine had to be rebuilt. Since then it has been “fine”. Currently have 122k and getting ready to replace the plugs, coils and Valve cover gaskets. The one thing to remember with Hondas is for some stupid reason they don’t use chains. So every 100k expected to pay 1500 for a timing belt replacement.
Labor to do a timing belt on any FWD V6 engine is going to be pricey as the space is tight in the engine bay. Meanwhile a timing belt replacement on my 95 Acura Integra or Subaru was about $600. Timing chains might last longer but all it takes is a bad guide or tensioner to require a replacement. Timing chain replacements can be even pricer depending on how cramped the engine bay is and how complex the chain design is.
I have a 2012 Odyssey EX-L with 135k miles, TB was done at 100k-ish. Alternator went at 120k and AC compressor had an issue at 125k. $500 to fix both. Love my minivan.
I got lucky with an extremely reliable 2008 Kia Sedona. Bought it used at 20k miles, sold at 165k miles after 10 years, zero issues except for the power sliding doors which became manual. Only oil changes and other regular maintenance items needed. It drove great and had ample power and space.
same, there was a time long ago in the mid 2000s when even hyundai and nissan made fairly reliable cars; however even back then the owners treated their cars like trash and never changed the oil, and ever since then the drivetrain quality has fallen off a cliff. Toyotas are great cars whom usually have great owners who don't treat oil changes like a superstition. I love my 2019 Corolla Ascent.
I own an Odyssey and 3 other cars including a classic Supra and BMW e90. Minivan is my go to vehicle all day everyday. Too convenient, comfy and reliable with kids, parents and all our junk.
@@burntnougat5341Hyundai Kia is offering more gadgets and glitter to attract consumer attention, but the corners are cut in the internals below the skin and drivetrain components that avarage joeblow consumer doesn't see until it needs an engine outside of warranty. Plenty of kiakoolaid to go around. I've wrenched on a couple to know.
My wife has owned multiple Dodge Grand Caravans. (stow n go is the killer feature) While they aren't as reliable as Honda and Toyota, they are generally easy to work on. The only repair that had me seriously cursing the engineers that designed it was replacing the rear catalytic converter.
We went through multiple Town n Country vans. The Stow n Go was a huge factor. Nicer interior too. Mechanics and longevity aside, some of those Toyota vans are just plain and boring.
I had a 2004 Freestar and I LOVED it. Had 220k on it when I bought it and drove like new. Best vehicle I ever owned, without a doubt. It was fantastic. I still miss it. Michigan salt rotted out the subframe and wheel wells and I got rid of it, but the old 4.2 still ran, and accelerated WAY faster than you'd think. Interior was super nice as well.
My grandaughter at 32yrs is about to make her first purchase of a vehicle--he first car she inherited the family 2000 Mazda mini van, it has now died well past it's lifespan. Her challenge is overwelming both in financial and the number of choices available to her. Myself and my son are trying to steer her towards Honda and Toyota. This all is like herding cats as to the immence amount of "Shiny Things" out there. I will press on to encourage her in the proper direction. Thanks for all your teaching via your videos------Mikey, Belfair, Wa
The plug in hybrid version of the Chrysler Pacifica is junk. Consumer Reports says don’t buy the Chrysler Pacifica plug in hybrid. The regular Chrysler Pacifica minivan and the Voyager can be reliable but it’s middle of the road as well.
Spot on as usual. I’ve been sporting the 2011 Toyota sienna for a while now and I’ve had no issues whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I still, to this day see the second gen siennas on the road. 2004-2010 era. Most of these owners go to my church and say the exact same thing. They love their sienna.
You're way wrong on the Kia's power rating with the V6. And of the people I've asked concerning the Carnival over the last few years, I haven't heard a single owner proclaim a single issue. I know Kia/Hyundai haven't made the most reliable/dependable vehicles, but I'm am sure they're much better than they used to be. My wife bought her 2021 2.5t Santa Fe and has yet to have any issues. Her vehicle currently has 98,900~ish miles. My sister in law owns 2 Hyundai products, a 2012 Accent and a 2005 Tucson, the Accent has 120,000, and the Tucson has 180,000 miles. Neither have had any issues. Of course they've been properly maintained and looked after. Maybe that's a key to durability and reliability, maintenance.
1/2 ton trucks with V6 engines... Toyota Tundra (2004-2015). Not that the 3.4 V6 that came before are bad engines, but the 1GR-FE will give you more power.
And I will make a correction on the Kia Carnival. They still have a V6 making 287. Only the 1.6T hybrid is 242hp which is an option for 2025. But to me their V6 are OK but the 4 Cylinder especially their turbos I stay away from it.
My company has a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan with 335,000 miles and my neighbor has a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan with 298,000 miles. They keep them maintained and they both have the original engine and transmission. Great vehicles! Best part is the going rate for these vans in my area is $600-$1200.
I have a 2017 kia sedona thats had 0 issues in 115k+ miles. Other than one related to a crash before i purchased it. But i agree get a sienna if you can.
I bought a '24 Carnival V6. Consumer Reports gave it a good mark for reliability and it's a bit bigger than the other options. I know some Kia 4 cylinders have had issues, but everyone I know with a carnival has been happy
My mom had a 1998 Toyota Sienna. She traded it in when it had 240k miles. I think it had 5 oil changes throughout its life and it still ran great when she traded it in.
If you get a chrysler minivan check for rust. That rear fender rust is a chrysler minivan trademark from 1984 to today. Once a coworker offered to sell me his dodge caravan. It drove good so I took it for a pre purchase inspection with my coworker. It was on the lift and it was TOTALLY ROTTED underneath. I didnt buy it and he sold it to the junkyard cuz it was too dangerous to be on the road. So always always always get a pre purchase inspection.
@@Steve_Smith_141 the cast and request matter, the van could be anything and it wouldn't change the situation in any meaningful way. You'd still help the person out.
My favorite part is where he confirms I was correct in buying a 2017 Sienna last year with 55k miles. My parents have a 2010 Caravan and have replaces the transmission and engine multiple times.
I had a couple of Odysseys as loaners, and if you drive with a light foot and keep the cylinder deactivation active as much as possible, you will get mid 30s. EASY. But they will absolutely suck gas in the city. Excellent highway cruisers.
We are on our second Sienna. 2007, 144,000 miles. We have spent quite a lot of money on it in the last two years, but I think it is worth it. Rear blower motor, Alternator, steering rack, TPS sensors, front suspension / fwd issues, cruise control (spiral cable). One mystery is the front brakes have been glazing. We've never had that problem before. We are making plans for our next Sienna when this one gets close to its 20th birthday.
A friend has a Sedona in that year range. The only good thing he says about it is that it is easy to fix most things. He had an oil leak from the valve covers that leaked onto the alternator and caused the alternator to fail. He said that it was straightforward to repair, but it is a dumb design. He also has to fix things every few months, so it's always letting him down, but he gets it back on the road.
My car is a 2014 Toyota Camry LE. I do wish it was a XLE, but oh well. It was my Aun'ts car, who passed away. I had to put some repairs in it first couple years I owned it, now its just maintenance. Car works perfectly, and people think it is much newer.
I had a colleague who was quite proud of getting a Kia. He loved that it had the big warranty, didn't say much about the rest of the car. We nodded and hoped he wouldn't need the warranty and that he'd enjoy owning the car. Fast forward a bit, the car broke, he needed the warranty, it turned out to be absolutely worthless (like most warranties). Better to have the quality in the car instead of being taken in by a marketing device.
Wizard, I like your channel but your information is not always right. The Kia carnival actually has more HP than the oddessy. The carnival has 287hp and oddessy is 280hp. Also, Kia's are not all bad. Alot of european cars are not great either
My Olds Silhouette went 220K with no issues - had the 3800 in it, the engine that wouldn't die. My kid now drives my 2001 Buick w/3800 and that it still running no issues!
Both our vans are Sienna’s, 2004 awd with just over 500,000 And our 2011 awd that just hit 300,000 and they are fantastic! Just regular maintenance items and no other major problems! Just do yourself a favor and get a Toyota 🤷🏼♂️
Totally agree! 2005 Sienna owner since new, 200000 miles+. Running strong, no major issues. Beware of rust, specially in the rust belt. Maintenance is key as always!
Wizard, I guess I was the lucky one. I’ve owned a 2006 Kia Amanti (V-6). A 2013 Kia Optima (4 cylinder), a 2014 Kia Cadenza (v-6) and a 2017 Kia Cadenza (V-6). All were purchased new. The 2014 Cadenza was my favorite, Napa leather, electric rear window shade, heated and cooled seats, sunroof, etc. Had one recall on the 2006 Amanti. No recalls or issues with the other ones.
YES. I think the minivan will be my next vehicle. Thought about an SUV but I get more space with a minivan. I also don't need to haul people so can easily gut out the rear seats and keep the fronts
I have my middle row out, and I leave my 3rd row in for just in case. Benefit over a SUV is the load height…my side doors bottom is lower than my knees, lifting anything into my minivan is a breeze. Getting in and out is super easy, seating position is perfect height for visibility….so many positives to owning a minivan.
Depending on seats, my brother loved his Torago. It was also a 4x4 7 seat GXL. Now have an 8 seat Torago GLi and they love it. Cheap to run and great on the highway. And because it's a 4 banger it's cheap to register and insure.
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.
I own a taxi business and haul Amish in Ohio. I only drive used Kia mini vans. I scrapped one with 350,000 miles and another one with 260,000 miles. Currently I have one three on the road. 80,000 miles, 160,000 miles, and 145,000. Never had any problems other then typical maintenance items.
My thoughts exactly. Typical kia buyers aren't exactly maintenance forward people. They'll drive it 30k miles without an oil change then cry when the engine dies. I think their dependability reputation is skewed to say the least
This video wasn't out when I bought a van in 2024, but I bought the Sienna because I knew you would have recommended it. My wife liked the styling of the Kia Carnival and I flat out refused to look, test drive or go near a Kia dealer. I was interested in the Chrysler Pacifica, but my wife didn't like it and the price difference didn't sway her. Test drove the Odyssey, but we wanted AWD because we have a farm that can get muddy. After owning and driving the Sienna, we had a Pacifica as a rental and I did come around to knowing that the Sienna, while more expensive was the better van. I strongly suggest that people take any new vehicle for an extended test drive. Many rental companies have Pacifica's and most Toyota dealers have a rental program. The around town test drive didn't convince me of the Toyota, but renting one for four days and a 300 mile road trip did.
I had a Sienna when my daughter was young and I loved it. Never had any problems. Nothing better for driving from Arizona to Disneyland with a load of kids in the back.
I have both a 2004 and 2015 Sienna. Both, AWD LImited. Absolutely LOVE them. Originally bought the 04 used in 2019 after I had twins. Had 70k miles on it and after my truck got totaled, it hadls become my daily driver. Everyone who imrides in it is impressiled by how many features are in it for a 2004. Took my insurance money and bought the 2015 with 70k miles on it a couple of years ago as the new family vehicle. I plan on driving them both for many years.
Excellent decision. If you are planning to go on a road trip, the 2015 model is the better one to drive than the 2004 model, due to its age and odometer reading.
I have found that the 3.3 and 3.8 offered in the earlier dodge caravans are much more reliable than the 3.6 pentastar in the later ones. I believe 2010 was the last year for those with the 3.3 and 3.8. The 3.6 pentastar had issues with cracked heads and camshaft/lifters getting worn down.
The later 3.6 are fine. Those first few years were rough. But they've been using that engine for so long and have made so many that they sorted out most the issues
The one consistent issue still is the oil cooler/filter housings leaking and needing replaced. I’ve had 2 go bad at around the 10 year point. Also depends on how much gorilla force is used when oil changes are done on the filter.
I had a 2012 Kia Sedona and it was a tank. I finally sold it at 220k miles in perfect running condition, the only repairs were an alternator and a leaking oil pressure sensor seal under the intake plenum. It wasn't even treated nicely, it ran a couple of 20k mile oil change intervals, and I only changed the transmission fluid once. You can lay down sheets of drywall flat in these. They are FAST.
one night i was scrolling through my phone, feeling like i’d never figure out why some people just seem so magnetic. then i came across this book, Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, and something about it caught my attention. reading it was like turning on a light in a dark room. it’s not about pretending to be someone you’re not; it’s about unlocking the energy you already have. trust me, this book is worth every page
Every time i was ever in or driving my moms 2008 Nissan Quest it broke. Literally every time. Crazy part is my mom would drive that clunker back and forth across the country and it never broke on her
I own a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country (my second one - I found one with 75,000 fewer miles and the video entertainment system and jumped on it), and so far they have been pretty good to me. I'm totally sold on the Stow and Go, because my wife and I volunteer at a cat rescue and we haul rescue cats in it pretty regularly. When we're done. we can put the seats up and haul around our granddaughter. That thing is also a rocket ship - it has it where it counts. Like with everything else, just keep up on the maintenance and you'll be fine.
The Sienna van was ruined when they removed the ability to remove the second row seats in 2021 when they made them look their current ridiculous. Unfortunately it is one of only two AWD minivans. So we hang on to our 2019 AWD Sienna.
Plus no 8 passenger seating? It's a minivan, I don't want to have to stuff a 5th person in the 3rd row. If I wanted 7 seats with not super practical cargo, I'd get a durango, explorer or cx90
A 20 yr old Caravan with retractable seating and a 3.8 is a van and mini pick up with a 9 ft bed. The seats fold into the floor in a couple of minutes and will carry 4x8 sheets of drywall, wood, ect. It will tow up to 3500lb. A 7 passenger van, 2 minutes later a pick up.
I totally understand the Kia and Hyundai bashing. HOWEVER, The V6 in the Vans are pretty good. I have a 2007 Hyundai Entourage that just turned 200K today. I have zero complaints with it. I change oil every 4-5K. Runs like a top. Has MINOR rust but EVERYTHING works on it. AC/Heat, Power everything still works, heated seats etc etc. I dont have a shop that sees a lot of them but to me they get a bad rap. I also have a 2004 4Runner with 250K that I put about 150K on and a 2003 Silverado with 225K of which I put probably 125K on. All great vehicles that are still great. I just drove the truck from Long Island to Tennessee last month. I'm a firm believer in if you take care of it it will take care of you.
Have to stick up for the Nissan Quest here. I bought one new in 2004 as our family vehicle and drove it for 18 years with the only major repair being the ABS control module. I could have kept it going longer, but it needed tires and some emissions work and I really had no need for it anymore, so I donated it to Goodwill. Like most things, if you maintain them, they last. But I can understand that since they were less expensive to begin with, probably a lot of them were neglected.
Interesting that you skipped the 3rd gen Kia Sedona. It's what we have and it's been...ok; bought it used and had to repair it once (melted harness at the radiator fan area). Wonder if the 3rd gen are the better generation of the Sedonas/Carnival line. We absolutely hated the Dodge Caravan though, felt super cheap and engine did not feel good when we test drove it. For the money at the time we were looking for a used vehicle (2019), the Sedona felt the better buy than the Caravan, and we couldn't afford a Honda or Toyota even used/older.
My mom has owned a 2012 grand caravan crew. It has the 3.6l pentastar. I LOVE it. I learned to drive in it. Its infotainment system is the absolute worst thing ever but aftermarket stereos are really easy to install. I will any that it’s got a lifter tick going on at 92k. It’s on the list to get done.
I don’t have a minivan but I have a 98 Camry got it for free 358,592 miles when I bought it all highway miles now it has 367,888 no issues all I did was timing belt spark plugs oil changed
I had a Plymouth Voyager, SE, 1994, and drove it right across Texas to VA on trips and to work and back every day for 2 hours each way. It had 350,000 miles. It never had any tranny problems or engine problems at all. Probably the only one to be on its factory tranny from 1994. Got caught in a hurricane, and it got flooded, or I would still have it. Even then it ran and drove when getting junked. I will always miss it..
My comment will be deleted but here goes: The koreans&chinese have very similar group think. Wow and dazzle the consumer with cheap tech gadgets and flashy lights and make it last till warranty ends. Nothing more.
Here in the Midwest Caravans are all over the road; IN PIECES! These vehicles were never made to stand up to the winter weather & salted roads. They start to rust out in the first year. Rustbucket by Chrysler.
Your best bet is a probably a Chevy Astro/GMC Safari or a pre 2014 Transit Connect if you want something smaller. If not then go with an Express/Savanna (or G20 van) as they’ve been around forever and are relatively reliable. Obviously avoid Nissan and Chrysler products as they tend to be well…terrible. From what I’ve heard the newer (full size) Transits are iffy in terms of reliability so it’s best to stick with an E-Series.
I specialize in Honda and Toyota vehicles, the sienna will be the most reliable no doubt. The odysseys tend to burn oil, and leak it too from the oil pump/valve covers/spool valve. But I must say I would still rather have an Honda because I drive both of them daily and the Honda is just more comfortable and fun
I've got a 2004 Chevy Venture with the El Dorado disability conversion (lowered floor and side ramp). It has the 3400 engine which has been dependable because it's only got 80,782 miles. I bought it with 52,000 miles and it had the maintenance records showing it to be well maintained. I flushed the radiator and put in fresh Dex Cool after I bought it since the coolant starts turning acidic near this point. Most of these engines have the lower intake gasket fail due to acidic coolant, but with maintenance they can go 400,000 plus miles. Access Paratransit had a fleet of these vans in the 2000s and they still ran along with 500,000 miles.
My uncle bought a new Transit back in ‘18 for some light property management work. I don’t think he managed to put 10K on it before trading it for a ‘19 Ranger; he couldn’t keep it out of the shop. Even outside of that I haven’t heard great things about them.
I've said similar things for years about Chrysler minivans. Are they the best driving, have the best features or even the most reliable? No, probably not.... but they make up for it by being cheap to keep running simply because they made millions of them. Parts are cheap and easy to find, and any corner garage has worked on hundreds of them.
In 2005 we brought a new Toyota sienna the tires in one were gone,we have so many electrical problems and in 2010 the transmission broke ,we brought a Nissan Quest 2011 no problems just a air compressor and the rack and pinion and still have the van with 180,000 a real war tank
I'm on my third Odyssey. Each one made it past 300,000 miles. My currant 2011one has 346,000 miles on it and engine and transmission are still running strong. I'm a service tech and drive all over the USA. I have to say that I drive it easy to minimize wear and tear, the only breakdown was a failed alternator. Since I disabled the cylinder deactivation with the "VCM Muzzler" it uses no oil to speak off and it eliminated droning, spark plug fouling and wear on motor mounts. It has tons of room for tools and luggage, cooler, and is so much easier to load than a pickup truck. I would recommend it to anyone driving a lot of miles.
3.4 is kind of a dog of a motor in a minivan. They had gasket issues. In the early ones. The 3.9 was a big improvement for gm. On my '03 venture the headgasket went at 140k. I did like the van, but liked the '08 3.9 chevy uplander better.
I always love the ‘Buy this not that’ vids. Car Wizard is articulate, knowledgeable, and straight to the point. The only negative is that he’s made so many of them now, he’s running out of content 😅
Wizard's info is a bit incorrect for the 2025 refreshed Kia Carnival. The brand new hybrid model makes 242 hp. The 3.5L V6 still makes 287 hp which Is comparable to the Honda Odyssey or Pacifica V6's.
Bro he was talking out of his ass on the carnival. Yes the Sedona is hot garbage, we all know kia of yesteryear was awful. The carnival is a completely different story. That v6 isn't the best but it gets the job done and the powertrain in those and the 3 row crossovers is alright. Considering a carnival is about 15k cheaper than a sienna on average, I'll take the cheaper up front cost and deal with the problems later
@@james2042EXACTLY. Out the door cost was $16k more for the Sienna which still had market adjustment vs the Carnival which I bought for well under MSRP. Invest that $16k and buy a new van when the warranty is up.
I have a 2014 Town & Country minivan with about 120,000 miles. Watching another mechanical repair show I saw some of the plastic parts around the engine failing because they are plastic. Since at the time we drove it 400 miles or so very often I just changed the oil filter adaptor just because. Mine was starting to fail, so the metal version was a good choice. It had been changed before as well. The same with the thermostat when it brought on a check engine light. I will have the transmission serviced shortly and expect to keep this van for a long time without a hitch or any attempt to pull a trailer to help protect the transmission. Thani you for your review. It was good, and my first choice was the Toyota, but it was out of my budget at the time.
The Toyota Sienna vans are no joke. We bought a 2001 new, at 75k miles it was totaled out. Tried a Honda Odyssey as a replacement. It was okay, more truckish than carlike. When it got to 100k miles it was time to part ways. Every repair/maintenance bill was a thousand dollars. After 4 of those in 3 months we said nope. My wife now has 155K miles on a 2013 Sienna Limited AWD. It is without a doubt the best of the mini vans. Wizard as always right on point.
You never mentioned the Mazda 5. Had one. Loved it. It IS a minivan, some people don’t realize it has sliding back doors and 3 rows of seats. You can even get them with a manual transmission!
Sold my 2004 Sienna with 230,000 miles to an old man for $3,000. He was so grateful for this affordable and reliable purchase -- and I still see him driving around in it!
We traded our ‘04 in ‘16 with a slipping transmission at 182k (towing a camper wasn’t my best idea)
In ‘20 the same van passed me on interstate doing 80. Somebody fixed it!
my 04 has 335k it’s been great
@@mawelshdon't let Scotty hear ya he claims sienna transmissions are robust 😂 makes sense somebody fixed it they can be reliable way past 180k
My parents have 2 siennas. 1 they bought brand new in 04 and now has over 300k and has its issues but runs, drives, has a radio and AC works lol
My ‘04 Highlander that’s mechanically identical has 338k miles now. It’s bulletproof!
I'm a former NYC cab driver. If the Sienna can handle taxi abuse and upfitting from some less than reputable wheelchair upfitters, it can handle whatever the average person can throw at it. My 2011 wheelchair Sienna taxi made it to 432k miles before a sanitation truck wiped it out while parked.
@@mastermind2032 A 2004 Toyota Sienna was used in the game show Cash Cab for years until that show ended.
You think you will get 432,000 miles off that new hybrid engine I have a bridge to sell you.
@@BigjohnZ06 I loved that show so much
That mileage number is especially impressive given the amount of city driving.
The use in NYC as Taxis was a huge selling point when we bought our first Sienna in 2008. Ran it up to over a quarter million miles before it was rusted to the point that it wouldn't pass inspection and we were forced to retire it.
My father in law had a 2005 Dodge Caravan with 388,000 miles and the 3.3L V6 had a light tick in the valve train and once in a great blue moon the transmission will have a harder shift than usual, they had to junk it due to the front end falling apart from rust but man that van was reliable.
Totally preventable
They are great especially 2002-2007
Some of those caravans were either complete trash or ran forever
@@inouterspaceman couldn't be more accurate. My parents had a 1997 Grand Caravan with the 3.8 and the transmission shit itself at 147,000 miles but I saw another Grand Caravan with the same drive train somewhere around 280,000 miles.
I'm guessing a lot of these vans were either assembled by lazy people on a Monday or by people who cared about their job lol 😆
We are driving our 7th Dodge/Chrysler van. We usually purchase them with 60/80k and drive them until 180/200k. We have never replaced a transmission or engine on any of them. Did have the crazy wiper, horn, sliding door issue on a 2010 T&C, quite the ordeal. Had a head gasket on the 2018 Pacifica, 3.6, but it had 186k on it at time. Now have a 2021 Pacifica, love the stow&go, the room for 7 people and the 28 mpg driving 75/80. I know the Toyota has the best durability, but for my money the Chrysler is the one for me. Keep it serviced, fix things when they fail and you can drive them for a very long time.
Thanks wizard, love your videos.
I have a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan that I bought new. 11 years and counting absolutely no issues at all. I service it myself. One of the best and most reliable vehicles I have ever owned. I can recommend this one highly. So convenient and super strong. I have used mine to transport my refrigerators and stoves from the store to my house. They fit in their easily. Amazing.
Yeah but with you being the original owner that can be expected with no issues but when you're buying a vehicle off the web or even off the lot, without documentation on how the vehicle was maintained or even how it driven can lead into thousands of dollars in repairs
I miss a good old station wagon ! Still cart 8 people and tow like a 1/2 ton pickup
If GM brought back the Roadmaster I'd explode
I like station wagons but they can’t tow as much as a half ton truck or large SUV. What are some tow ratings I can look up? Maybe I am wrong.
@ both my old 1978 Impala wagon and 1974 Plymouth Satelite wagon could pull 10,000 with weight distribution hitch
my 1996 Buick roadmaster wagon can tow 7500 lbs I love it
@@EnthusiastCarHangarthose big full sized wagons from the 70s used to tow boats and campers all the time
Odyssey is the only sporty handling minivan option, plus its the last to give you that vtec scream when the cam switchover happens (new pilot,passport have the new v6 that honda deleted vtec in them)👍
3 years ago bought an 04 Odyssey for $1600 from Craigslist. I put a little money in it but not much. I have driven it cross country 5 times now to pick up parts for a car I am building. It has moved my wifes kids 6 times and all the neighbors have borrowed it for various reasons. It is coming up on 300k miles on it. Has been a great vehicle.
The odyssey disparagement doesn’t match with anything I’ve heard from my friends.
I have always hated minivans. In 2017 my long time neighbors decided to sale the 2001 Grand Caravan that they owned since 2004. I have seen that van across the street for 13 years, they did not take good care of the exterior/interior, but they always kept up on the mechanicals, so when they decided to sale it, I was interested.
I was driving a 07 Lexus GX470 and a 2005 Pontiac GTO. Both were mint and I was always worried about them when I drove them, I did not want them to get hurt LOL
So the neighbors GC had practical appeal as a vehicle I would never have to worry about, and I could drive and park anywhere without hesitation.
The GC had 89k on the odometer and drove like a new car…very tight, smooth and it was also very easy to drive.
They were asking $800 and I got it for $600.
A year into owning it, two vehicles crashed in front of me at a intersection and one of them coasted over and hit my drivers side front fender. I pulled the damaged fender out enough so I could drive it normally. They guys insurance paid me $2300 for the damage. At that point I had zero dollars in my beater with a heater/AC LOL
I took that money and purchased another van with a bad motor and put my 01 motor in it and it’s been my daily every since.
I went from full on hating minivans to absolutely loving them now.
I drive a 02 Chrysler Town & Country LXi, it’s got 165k on the body and about 95k on the motor. I have next to no $ in the van. It’s turned out to be very reliable, easy to drive and actually easy to work on.
Full disclosure…I have done a lot of work to the vans, but I do all my own work and most of the parts I have had to replace, I got from my original 01. I try to buy mostly used parts from a pull a part yard. This van’s generation was built from 01-07, so the yards always have parts. The motors are not interchangeable however. 01 motor will not work in a 04, so research is critical when doing repairs.
It’s hard to find a more practical vehicle for me than a minivan.
Yep I despised em before now I love em so good for long distance driving, I go back n fourth from Arkansas to Florida pull over sleep in the back 21mpg. Going into my 4th one now, total grey man vehicle.
My Dad's 2001 Sienna has somewhere around 550k miles (yes, miles) on it from driving all over the country. Still runs like a champ with just basic/typical maintenance and keeping on top of things. He still daily drives it, but he did buy a different car for his super long trips, something more modern just for comfort on 8-9 hour drives. I bet if I asked him he'd be 100% sure it would make the 9 hour drive between my place and his with 0 issues.
Damn, that's incredible.
Yep, we have a 2011 Ford Flex with 250,000+ miles. Never a major issue, only replaced some dual-air-conditioning part in the dash one time. Still runs like a top, all the electronics work, seats have held up, etc. If you take care of 'em, a Flex will take care of you.
We have a 2016 oddessy. The only problem I have is explaining why I drive it more than our corvette
Lol. I have a 13 and same here. People think I'm nuts when I can't pick my favorite between that and the C8.
Consumer reports says Toyota isn't as reliable as it used to be. I hope that's not true.
@@thehoteldeveloper
The cars are more complicated, but they also visit the dealership for stupid stuff like radio concerns, consumer reports doesn't look at the content of the repairs but instead how many times the car visited the dealership
I have a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan and it’s been absolutely great. The stow&go seating makes it so that I can covert it from a passenger van into a cargo van within minutes. When I purchased it brand new in 2015, Dodge was still offering a lifetime MOPAR warranty for it (the dealer told me that they were in the process of phasing those warranties out)-so I bit the bullet and purchased it. The van still looks clean, runs strong, and I’m going to drive it until the wheels come off because I have the lifetime warranty.
You do realize a "lifetime" warranty doesn't actually last forever, right
@TheScrubmuffin69 They last for the original owner, but you're too dumb ti understand 😂😂😂
@ the MOPAR warranty I have lasts as long as I own the vehicle.
just got rid of my 2018 dodge grand caravan sxt. the only gripe i had about it was the gas mileage. (11mpg in town, 22-26.5 mpg hwy) not one ounce of trouble with it. rented an outback while on vacation and fell in love with it and so, traded for brand new 2025 outback (first brand new car in my 65 years) and it's getting 19-22mpg in town and about 28-30mpg hwy. yes, i have a lead foot!
The Wizard with the minivan tips! Bring back the minivans!
Picked up a 2015 Toyota Sienna AWD 3.5L V6 with 100,000 miles for $20k. It is an awesome vehicle. Carries family, my e-bikes and tows my dirt bikes.
100k vehicle for $20k? Shouldn’t that be more like 10k?
@ good luck finding a 2015 Sienna XLE AWD with less than 100,000 miles for $10k 😂 (mine had 97,000)
I just bought a 2015 Honda Accord Sport 6sp with 150,000 miles for $10k.
@ long gone are the days when you could pick up a top-of-the-line, 10 year old mini van, with less than 100k miles, for $10k
You are correct sir!
@@user-FTRU6GJ in today's car market used car prices are through the roof. And used Toyotas are expensive,.they're usually marked up during the worst of it in 2021 dealers were marking up Tacomas over brand new prices over 50k for a used small truck.
It seems to me that the reputation of the Chrysler minivans is still holding from the 1990's era. Those transmissions were terrible. I had a 1993, with transmission failure. However, I have had three after that one. 2006 had ac go out with 215,000 miles. Traded for 2007, which went 235,000 miles before engine began to knock. Bought 2013 Town & Country next, which still drives great with 257, 000 miles on it. No transmission issues with the mid 2000's minivans and later. Bad reputations are hard to overcome!
I tend to agree. The main problem with the 62TE transmission is not the tranny itself, but rather the torque converter. When they start to shudder at stopping, or you get a lock up solenoid code, DON'T WAIT! Change the torque now!! It's a rather expensive job, but if you wait too long, the torque converter WILL come apart and send all kinds of garbage through the whole tranny, at which point it's cooked. In the shop where I work, I've changed more TC's than I care to count. Still cheaper than a whole tranny though.
I agree as well. Been driving Chrysler/Dodge minivans since 2001, and never had any major mechanical problems. I don’t think they are as good as Toyota/Honda as far as ride quality/quietness, but the generally lower price of Chryslers (until recently) made up for it, and they were cheap to fix. Stow and go is the major reason I stick with them, as well as (again until recently) price. I’ve always liked Chryslers styling the best also. Absolutely hate the massive black plastic grill on Toyotas. I’m on my third Chrysler minivan since 2001, and living in a snowy/salty area, rust is the reason I’ve had to buy new ones. I’ve wised up though, and get my current one oil sprayed every year.
We had a 04 Sienna growing up, and that thing was an absolute TANK. GREAT car. Only got rid of it when us kids grew up and had our own cars, and our family didn’t need it anymore. One of the techs at the Toyota dealership ended up buying it, and he’s still driving it today
I purchased a 2012 Kia Sedona 3.5L in 2012 for only about $14k. We drove it for almost 300,000 miles before it finally went out. Up until then, it was mostly problem free. We must have gotten one of the good ones.
Only 14k , that's a lot
As the owner of a 2011 Sienna, I can testify it is very good. 168k miles and I have done spark plugs(preventative), belt (squealing in cold last winter), and I just did the front blower motor. Soon I will be doing the dampers all around, still on originals and work,no leaks but a little tired out.
Edit: I also have a TPMS senor dying, not annoying on this model since it is just the light, but will replace the whole set next time I do tires, not worth it before then to me.
Imo Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan between 2002 and 2007 were great, I had several go over 300k with very little maintenance
Wizard is the type of guy who recommends a Toyota, but buys a Land Rover.
Because he can fix and maintain the land rover
Because we ain’t weezards lol
What’s the fun in a car that never needs work? It would make for boring videos
Wizard has all that Hoovie money to blow 💸💸💸
He can get his mechanics to fixi it
We had a 2011 Toyota Sienna LE 16:03 and in 2017 decided to get a 2014 Honda Oddysey EX-L with 27k miles. At 29k the cam journal broke on bank 1 and the engine had to be rebuilt. Since then it has been “fine”. Currently have 122k and getting ready to replace the plugs, coils and Valve cover gaskets. The one thing to remember with Hondas is for some stupid reason they don’t use chains. So every 100k expected to pay 1500 for a timing belt replacement.
Labor to do a timing belt on any FWD V6 engine is going to be pricey as the space is tight in the engine bay.
Meanwhile a timing belt replacement on my 95 Acura Integra or Subaru was about $600. Timing chains might last longer but all it takes is a bad guide or tensioner to require a replacement. Timing chain replacements can be even pricer depending on how cramped the engine bay is and how complex the chain design is.
@ agreed but Toyotas tend to hold up very well. A Jag on the other hand hand. . .
I have a 2012 Odyssey EX-L with 135k miles, TB was done at 100k-ish. Alternator went at 120k and AC compressor had an issue at 125k. $500 to fix both. Love my minivan.
I got lucky with an extremely reliable 2008 Kia Sedona. Bought it used at 20k miles, sold at 165k miles after 10 years, zero issues except for the power sliding doors which became manual. Only oil changes and other regular maintenance items needed. It drove great and had ample power and space.
I love a minivan as primary car, they can do anything. I second your opinion,Toyota or nothing.
They can't corner at breakneck speed. Which is the only fun I have in my daily commute. Taking a corner that has a 50km/h recommended speed at 90km/h.
same, there was a time long ago in the mid 2000s when even hyundai and nissan made fairly reliable cars; however even back then the owners treated their cars like trash and never changed the oil, and ever since then the drivetrain quality has fallen off a cliff. Toyotas are great cars whom usually have great owners who don't treat oil changes like a superstition. I love my 2019 Corolla Ascent.
Hyundai offers more for the money new for new now. Toyota is resting on its laurels and isn't innovating much
I own an Odyssey and 3 other cars including a classic Supra and BMW e90. Minivan is my go to vehicle all day everyday. Too convenient, comfy and reliable with kids, parents and all our junk.
@@burntnougat5341Hyundai Kia is offering more gadgets and glitter to attract consumer attention, but the corners are cut in the internals below the skin and drivetrain components that avarage joeblow consumer doesn't see until it needs an engine outside of warranty. Plenty of kiakoolaid to go around. I've wrenched on a couple to know.
Bought a Toyota Sienna to haul around some visiting relatives, it was so good, we kept it! Many cross USA trips and runs to Home Depot, camping etc.
Did you keep the Sienna or the relatives? Just kidding.
Lol the postal service uses the Mercedes Metris. They swap out the Mercedes emblem on the grille with a postal emblem.
And the USPS is having issues with them as well. They may sue Mercedes in the future if they haven't already.
My wife has owned multiple Dodge Grand Caravans. (stow n go is the killer feature) While they aren't as reliable as Honda and Toyota, they are generally easy to work on. The only repair that had me seriously cursing the engineers that designed it was replacing the rear catalytic converter.
We went through multiple Town n Country vans. The Stow n Go was a huge factor. Nicer interior too. Mechanics and longevity aside, some of those Toyota vans are just plain and boring.
5:07 The KIA Carnival has 287 horsepower, 242 horsepower that you are talking about is the Kia Carnival hybrid.
I had a 2004 Freestar and I LOVED it. Had 220k on it when I bought it and drove like new. Best vehicle I ever owned, without a doubt. It was fantastic. I still miss it. Michigan salt rotted out the subframe and wheel wells and I got rid of it, but the old 4.2 still ran, and accelerated WAY faster than you'd think. Interior was super nice as well.
My grandaughter at 32yrs is about to make her first purchase of a vehicle--he first car she inherited the family 2000 Mazda mini van, it has now died well past it's lifespan. Her challenge is overwelming both in financial and the number of choices available to her. Myself and my son are trying to steer her towards Honda and Toyota. This all is like herding cats as to the immence amount of "Shiny Things" out there. I will press on to encourage her in the proper direction. Thanks for all your teaching via your videos------Mikey, Belfair, Wa
Unfortunately when we're young sometimes we have to learn some hard and costly lessons, but hopefully wisdom will prevail.
HOW are there no comments on the Chrysler Pacifica? I challenge anyone to try and drive five miles without seeing one? Not even a mention?
Real junk
The plug in hybrid version of the Chrysler Pacifica is junk. Consumer Reports says don’t buy the Chrysler Pacifica plug in hybrid. The regular Chrysler Pacifica minivan and the Voyager can be reliable but it’s middle of the road as well.
@@arriagada1957 so many on the road. It would’ve been helpful to include it. I’m sure he would have said more than that!😂
cause they are garbage
ya why no metion of it
Spot on as usual. I’ve been sporting the 2011 Toyota sienna for a while now and I’ve had no issues whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I still, to this day see the second gen siennas on the road. 2004-2010 era. Most of these owners go to my church and say the exact same thing. They love their sienna.
The Carnival comes with either a 3.5L V6 with 290hp or a 1.6L Turbo 4 cylinder hybrid with 242hp.
HYUNDAI -KIA....... TRASH
You're way wrong on the Kia's power rating with the V6. And of the people I've asked concerning the Carnival over the last few years, I haven't heard a single owner proclaim a single issue.
I know Kia/Hyundai haven't made the most reliable/dependable vehicles, but I'm am sure they're much better than they used to be. My wife bought her 2021 2.5t Santa Fe and has yet to have any issues. Her vehicle currently has 98,900~ish miles.
My sister in law owns 2 Hyundai products, a 2012 Accent and a 2005 Tucson, the Accent has 120,000, and the Tucson has 180,000 miles. Neither have had any issues. Of course they've been properly maintained and looked after. Maybe that's a key to durability and reliability, maintenance.
Wizard can you please make a video about Buy and Not Buy about:
3/4 and 1 Ton trucks with gasoline engines and 1/2 Trucks with v6 engines.
Thanks sir.
1/2 ton trucks with V6 engines... Toyota Tundra (2004-2015). Not that the 3.4 V6 that came before are bad engines, but the 1GR-FE will give you more power.
I love my single cab long bed v6 2004 Sierra
One correction. Only the 2021 and newer Sienna is available as a hybrid. The 2011-2020 never had a hybrid system, even as an option
And I will make a correction on the Kia Carnival. They still have a V6 making 287. Only the 1.6T hybrid is 242hp which is an option for 2025. But to me their V6 are OK but the 4 Cylinder especially their turbos I stay away from it.
The 2011-13 Sienna did have a four cylinder option but the V6 is a better option.
My company has a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan with 335,000 miles and my neighbor has a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan with 298,000 miles. They keep them maintained and they both have the original engine and transmission. Great vehicles! Best part is the going rate for these vans in my area is $600-$1200.
Grand caravan is the best basic people hauler. AC problems have been the only recurring issue for me I’m at 150K no transmission problems for me.
I have a 2017 kia sedona thats had 0 issues in 115k+ miles. Other than one related to a crash before i purchased it. But i agree get a sienna if you can.
I bought a '24 Carnival V6. Consumer Reports gave it a good mark for reliability and it's a bit bigger than the other options. I know some Kia 4 cylinders have had issues, but everyone I know with a carnival has been happy
My mom had a 1998 Toyota Sienna. She traded it in when it had 240k miles. I think it had 5 oil changes throughout its life and it still ran great when she traded it in.
If you get a chrysler minivan check for rust. That rear fender rust is a chrysler minivan trademark from 1984 to today. Once a coworker offered to sell me his dodge caravan. It drove good so I took it for a pre purchase inspection with my coworker. It was on the lift and it was TOTALLY ROTTED underneath. I didnt buy it and he sold it to the junkyard cuz it was too dangerous to be on the road. So always always always get a pre purchase inspection.
Either The A-Team Van or The Scooby-Doo Van, no other van matters.
Those shows would still be on air if only they'd bought a Toyota Sienna
Yep they don't come in minivan configuration
How about a person that's loading a couch in a panel van, has a cast, and asks for my help?
@@Steve_Smith_141 the cast and request matter, the van could be anything and it wouldn't change the situation in any meaningful way. You'd still help the person out.
@@Gamefreak8112 After I saw that movie, probably not.
My favorite part is where he confirms I was correct in buying a 2017 Sienna last year with 55k miles.
My parents have a 2010 Caravan and have replaces the transmission and engine multiple times.
I had a couple of Odysseys as loaners, and if you drive with a light foot and keep the cylinder deactivation active as much as possible, you will get mid 30s. EASY. But they will absolutely suck gas in the city. Excellent highway cruisers.
Love love my 2010 Odyssey exl .
We are on our second Sienna. 2007, 144,000 miles. We have spent quite a lot of money on it in the last two years, but I think it is worth it. Rear blower motor, Alternator, steering rack, TPS sensors, front suspension / fwd issues, cruise control (spiral cable). One mystery is the front brakes have been glazing. We've never had that problem before. We are making plans for our next Sienna when this one gets close to its 20th birthday.
A friend has a Sedona in that year range. The only good thing he says about it is that it is easy to fix most things. He had an oil leak from the valve covers that leaked onto the alternator and caused the alternator to fail. He said that it was straightforward to repair, but it is a dumb design. He also has to fix things every few months, so it's always letting him down, but he gets it back on the road.
My car is a 2014 Toyota Camry LE. I do wish it was a XLE, but oh well. It was my Aun'ts car, who passed away. I had to put some repairs in it first couple years I owned it, now its just maintenance. Car works perfectly, and people think it is much newer.
We have a 2022 Toyota Sienna...best van we have ever owned...and we have owned a bunch of them..surprised you did not mention the Pacifica
I had a colleague who was quite proud of getting a Kia. He loved that it had the big warranty, didn't say much about the rest of the car. We nodded and hoped he wouldn't need the warranty and that he'd enjoy owning the car.
Fast forward a bit, the car broke, he needed the warranty, it turned out to be absolutely worthless (like most warranties). Better to have the quality in the car instead of being taken in by a marketing device.
Wizard,
I like your channel but your information is not always right. The Kia carnival actually has more HP than the oddessy. The carnival has 287hp and oddessy is 280hp.
Also, Kia's are not all bad. Alot of european cars are not great either
My Olds Silhouette went 220K with no issues - had the 3800 in it, the engine that wouldn't die. My kid now drives my 2001 Buick w/3800 and that it still running no issues!
Both our vans are Sienna’s, 2004 awd with just over 500,000
And our 2011 awd that just hit 300,000 and they are fantastic! Just regular maintenance items and no other major problems!
Just do yourself a favor and get a Toyota 🤷🏼♂️
Totally agree! 2005 Sienna owner since new, 200000 miles+. Running strong, no major issues. Beware of rust, specially in the rust belt. Maintenance is key as always!
LOL...that new hybrid will never see 200,000 miles
Man van!
Had a 2000 pontiac Montana van that went to 214k before recently selling it. Original engine and transmission. We were lucky ahahaha
Wizard, I guess I was the lucky one. I’ve owned a 2006 Kia Amanti (V-6). A 2013 Kia Optima (4 cylinder), a 2014 Kia Cadenza (v-6) and a 2017 Kia Cadenza (V-6). All were purchased new. The 2014 Cadenza was my favorite, Napa leather, electric rear window shade, heated and cooled seats, sunroof, etc. Had one recall on the 2006 Amanti. No recalls or issues with the other ones.
YES. I think the minivan will be my next vehicle. Thought about an SUV but I get more space with a minivan. I also don't need to haul people so can easily gut out the rear seats and keep the fronts
I have my middle row out, and I leave my 3rd row in for just in case. Benefit over a SUV is the load height…my side doors bottom is lower than my knees, lifting anything into my minivan is a breeze.
Getting in and out is super easy, seating position is perfect height for visibility….so many positives to owning a minivan.
Depending on seats, my brother loved his Torago. It was also a 4x4 7 seat GXL. Now have an 8 seat Torago GLi and they love it. Cheap to run and great on the highway. And because it's a 4 banger it's cheap to register and insure.
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.
I own a taxi business and haul Amish in Ohio. I only drive used Kia mini vans. I scrapped one with 350,000 miles and another one with 260,000 miles. Currently I have one three on the road. 80,000 miles, 160,000 miles, and 145,000. Never had any problems other then typical maintenance items.
My thoughts exactly. Typical kia buyers aren't exactly maintenance forward people. They'll drive it 30k miles without an oil change then cry when the engine dies. I think their dependability reputation is skewed to say the least
This video wasn't out when I bought a van in 2024, but I bought the Sienna because I knew you would have recommended it. My wife liked the styling of the Kia Carnival and I flat out refused to look, test drive or go near a Kia dealer. I was interested in the Chrysler Pacifica, but my wife didn't like it and the price difference didn't sway her. Test drove the Odyssey, but we wanted AWD because we have a farm that can get muddy. After owning and driving the Sienna, we had a Pacifica as a rental and I did come around to knowing that the Sienna, while more expensive was the better van.
I strongly suggest that people take any new vehicle for an extended test drive. Many rental companies have Pacifica's and most Toyota dealers have a rental program. The around town test drive didn't convince me of the Toyota, but renting one for four days and a 300 mile road trip did.
I had a Sienna when my daughter was young and I loved it. Never had any problems. Nothing better for driving from Arizona to Disneyland with a load of kids in the back.
I have both a 2004 and 2015 Sienna. Both, AWD LImited. Absolutely LOVE them. Originally bought the 04 used in 2019 after I had twins. Had 70k miles on it and after my truck got totaled, it hadls become my daily driver. Everyone who imrides in it is impressiled by how many features are in it for a 2004. Took my insurance money and bought the 2015 with 70k miles on it a couple of years ago as the new family vehicle. I plan on driving them both for many years.
Excellent decision. If you are planning to go on a road trip, the 2015 model is the better one to drive than the 2004 model, due to its age and odometer reading.
I have found that the 3.3 and 3.8 offered in the earlier dodge caravans are much more reliable than the 3.6 pentastar in the later ones. I believe 2010 was the last year for those with the 3.3 and 3.8. The 3.6 pentastar had issues with cracked heads and camshaft/lifters getting worn down.
The 3.6 is a decent engine
@@jonathangattoIt is now. Not when they first came out
Those have the timing belt engines and possibly interference engines
The later 3.6 are fine. Those first few years were rough. But they've been using that engine for so long and have made so many that they sorted out most the issues
The one consistent issue still is the oil cooler/filter housings leaking and needing replaced. I’ve had 2 go bad at around the 10 year point. Also depends on how much gorilla force is used when oil changes are done on the filter.
I had a 2012 Kia Sedona and it was a tank. I finally sold it at 220k miles in perfect running condition, the only repairs were an alternator and a leaking oil pressure sensor seal under the intake plenum. It wasn't even treated nicely, it ran a couple of 20k mile oil change intervals, and I only changed the transmission fluid once. You can lay down sheets of drywall flat in these. They are FAST.
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Every time i was ever in or driving my moms 2008 Nissan Quest it broke. Literally every time. Crazy part is my mom would drive that clunker back and forth across the country and it never broke on her
lemme guess:
to buy: Sienna. Only Sienna.
not to buy: everything else...
LOL
I own a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country (my second one - I found one with 75,000 fewer miles and the video entertainment system and jumped on it), and so far they have been pretty good to me. I'm totally sold on the Stow and Go, because my wife and I volunteer at a cat rescue and we haul rescue cats in it pretty regularly. When we're done. we can put the seats up and haul around our granddaughter. That thing is also a rocket ship - it has it where it counts. Like with everything else, just keep up on the maintenance and you'll be fine.
The Sienna van was ruined when they removed the ability to remove the second row seats in 2021 when they made them look their current ridiculous. Unfortunately it is one of only two AWD minivans. So we hang on to our 2019 AWD Sienna.
Plus no 8 passenger seating? It's a minivan, I don't want to have to stuff a 5th person in the 3rd row. If I wanted 7 seats with not super practical cargo, I'd get a durango, explorer or cx90
A 20 yr old Caravan with retractable seating and a 3.8 is a van and mini pick up with a 9 ft bed. The seats fold into the floor in a couple of minutes and will carry 4x8 sheets of drywall, wood, ect. It will tow up to 3500lb. A 7 passenger van, 2 minutes later a pick up.
I totally understand the Kia and Hyundai bashing. HOWEVER, The V6 in the Vans are pretty good. I have a 2007 Hyundai Entourage that just turned 200K today. I have zero complaints with it. I change oil every 4-5K. Runs like a top. Has MINOR rust but EVERYTHING works on it. AC/Heat, Power everything still works, heated seats etc etc. I dont have a shop that sees a lot of them but to me they get a bad rap. I also have a 2004 4Runner with 250K that I put about 150K on and a 2003 Silverado with 225K of which I put probably 125K on. All great vehicles that are still great. I just drove the truck from Long Island to Tennessee last month. I'm a firm believer in if you take care of it it will take care of you.
I agree with you. I have a 2008 Kia Sedona with a little over 304,000 miles on it, and it's still runs and drives fine. It just leaks oil.
Have to stick up for the Nissan Quest here. I bought one new in 2004 as our family vehicle and drove it for 18 years with the only major repair being the ABS control module. I could have kept it going longer, but it needed tires and some emissions work and I really had no need for it anymore, so I donated it to Goodwill. Like most things, if you maintain them, they last. But I can understand that since they were less expensive to begin with, probably a lot of them were neglected.
Interesting that you skipped the 3rd gen Kia Sedona. It's what we have and it's been...ok; bought it used and had to repair it once (melted harness at the radiator fan area). Wonder if the 3rd gen are the better generation of the Sedonas/Carnival line. We absolutely hated the Dodge Caravan though, felt super cheap and engine did not feel good when we test drove it. For the money at the time we were looking for a used vehicle (2019), the Sedona felt the better buy than the Caravan, and we couldn't afford a Honda or Toyota even used/older.
My mom has owned a 2012 grand caravan crew. It has the 3.6l pentastar. I LOVE it. I learned to drive in it. Its infotainment system is the absolute worst thing ever but aftermarket stereos are really easy to install. I will any that it’s got a lifter tick going on at 92k. It’s on the list to get done.
I don’t have a minivan but I have a 98 Camry got it for free 358,592 miles when I bought it all highway miles now it has 367,888 no issues all I did was timing belt spark plugs oil changed
Got it free or bought it?
I had a Plymouth Voyager, SE, 1994, and drove it right across Texas to VA on trips and to work and back every day for 2 hours each way. It had 350,000 miles. It never had any tranny problems or engine problems at all. Probably the only one to be on its factory tranny from 1994. Got caught in a hurricane, and it got flooded, or I would still have it. Even then it ran and drove when getting junked. I will always miss it..
I love the hate for kia/Hyundai. The only thing they can do is shine a turd, and people keep buying them.
My comment will be deleted but here goes: The koreans&chinese have very similar group think. Wow and dazzle the consumer with cheap tech gadgets and flashy lights and make it last till warranty ends. Nothing more.
Here in the Midwest Caravans are all over the road; IN PIECES! These vehicles were never made to stand up to the winter weather & salted roads. They start to rust out in the first year. Rustbucket by Chrysler.
Can we get a work van edition
A lot of work vans are beat to hell. I have one and it’s beat to hell but somehow the engine is still good.
Your best bet is a probably a Chevy Astro/GMC Safari or a pre 2014 Transit Connect if you want something smaller. If not then go with an Express/Savanna (or G20 van) as they’ve been around forever and are relatively reliable. Obviously avoid Nissan and Chrysler products as they tend to be well…terrible. From what I’ve heard the newer (full size) Transits are iffy in terms of reliability so it’s best to stick with an E-Series.
@@whatamisupposedtoputhere yeah my ex-girlfriend had the 2014 transit connect with the 1.6 ecoboost... cylinder went kaput within 120k miles
Had Dodge caravan and had zero problems and moved up to Chryslers Pacific and its been wonderful van.
The Honda Odyssey will forever be associated with Deadpool & Wolverine in my mind.
Yeah I had no doubt that van wouldn't start after that fight.
Thanks for the spoiler. I'm still catching up on films from the 80's 🤣
The wonders of product placement.
It’s a Honda F**king Odyssey
@@mundotaku_orgmovie THE SITTER immortalized the 1999-2004 odyssey😂
I am a minivan hoarder, lol. 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan and a 2010 Sienna. All of them run forever as long you maintain them.
I specialize in Honda and Toyota vehicles, the sienna will be the most reliable no doubt. The odysseys tend to burn oil, and leak it too from the oil pump/valve covers/spool valve. But I must say I would still rather have an Honda because I drive both of them daily and the Honda is just more comfortable and fun
Love my 2010 Odyssey exl. 😅
I've got a 2004 Chevy Venture with the El Dorado disability conversion (lowered floor and side ramp). It has the 3400 engine which has been dependable because it's only got 80,782 miles. I bought it with 52,000 miles and it had the maintenance records showing it to be well maintained. I flushed the radiator and put in fresh Dex Cool after I bought it since the coolant starts turning acidic near this point.
Most of these engines have the lower intake gasket fail due to acidic coolant, but with maintenance they can go 400,000 plus miles. Access Paratransit had a fleet of these vans in the 2000s and they still ran along with 500,000 miles.
A suggestion for the buy or don’t buy: vehicles with these specific features (I.e, sunroof, push start stop ignition, etc)
My 2004 Sienna with 136k on it. It is a good buy and is very reliable. Never uses any oil between oil changes.
What is your opinion of the Ford Transit or any other cargo vans you like to have for running a business?
I would buy that over the Sprinter van. MB Sprinters are too expensive to fix.
The bigger transits are horrible to work on especially even just doing the brakes..
@@atx-cvpi_99 I hear express vas are very reliable too and they hvae lots of parts
My uncle bought a new Transit back in ‘18 for some light property management work. I don’t think he managed to put 10K on it before trading it for a ‘19 Ranger; he couldn’t keep it out of the shop. Even outside of that I haven’t heard great things about them.
What you should have said (with a proviso) Is to keep on top of the regular maintenance if they want any vehicle to be reliable.
I've said similar things for years about Chrysler minivans. Are they the best driving, have the best features or even the most reliable? No, probably not.... but they make up for it by being cheap to keep running simply because they made millions of them. Parts are cheap and easy to find, and any corner garage has worked on hundreds of them.
How about the GM 3.8 V6 powered Oldsmobile Silhouette @Wizard? I figure this might be your favorite of all time.
If you can find one in decent shape, buy it.
Yeah if there's any left, sure.
3800 was offered from 1992 to 1995. 1996 had the first 3.4 V6. 1990 to 1991 had the anemic 3100.
In 2005 we brought a new Toyota sienna the tires in one were gone,we have so many electrical problems and in 2010 the transmission broke ,we brought a Nissan Quest 2011 no problems just a air compressor and the rack and pinion and still have the van with 180,000 a real war tank
Well, in our country the Carnival (Sedona) proved to be quite reliable with mostly body problems.
Buy this not that Mazda.
Don't buy any Mazda besides Miata there done
@jesusramos-my2qr Mazda3?
I don’t know if there are any reliable Mazdas
@@jesusramos-my2qrThe B series mini trucks get a pass too, but that's it
@@jesusramos-my2qrfunny the Miata is their lowest selling vehicle there SUV are very high in demand
I'm on my third Odyssey. Each one made it past 300,000 miles. My currant 2011one has 346,000 miles on it and engine and transmission are still running strong. I'm a service tech and drive all over the USA. I have to say that I drive it easy to minimize wear and tear, the only breakdown was a failed alternator. Since I disabled the cylinder deactivation with the "VCM Muzzler" it uses no oil to speak off and it eliminated droning, spark plug fouling and wear on motor mounts.
It has tons of room for tools and luggage, cooler, and is so much easier to load than a pickup truck. I would recommend it to anyone driving a lot of miles.
What was your first model? I still have a 1996 Odyssey in my driveway.
what are your thoughts on chevy venture with 3.4.
Don’t bother buying them, the crash test results alone is a hell no unless you’re on a suicide journey.
3.4 is kind of a dog of a motor in a minivan. They had gasket issues. In the early ones. The 3.9 was a big improvement for gm. On my '03 venture the headgasket went at 140k. I did like the van, but liked the '08 3.9 chevy uplander better.
I always love the ‘Buy this not that’ vids. Car Wizard is articulate, knowledgeable, and straight to the point. The only negative is that he’s made so many of them now, he’s running out of content 😅
Wizard's info is a bit incorrect for the 2025 refreshed Kia Carnival. The brand new hybrid model makes 242 hp. The 3.5L V6 still makes 287 hp which Is comparable to the Honda Odyssey or Pacifica V6's.
The Odyssey and the Chrysler are JUNK
Bro he was talking out of his ass on the carnival. Yes the Sedona is hot garbage, we all know kia of yesteryear was awful. The carnival is a completely different story. That v6 isn't the best but it gets the job done and the powertrain in those and the 3 row crossovers is alright.
Considering a carnival is about 15k cheaper than a sienna on average, I'll take the cheaper up front cost and deal with the problems later
@james2042 your money, you'll find out that the WIZARD is right
@@james2042EXACTLY. Out the door cost was $16k more for the Sienna which still had market adjustment vs the Carnival which I bought for well under MSRP. Invest that $16k and buy a new van when the warranty is up.
@@Vincent-ke5zn You don't need to be the wizards white knight.
I have a 2014 Town & Country minivan with about 120,000 miles. Watching another mechanical repair show I saw some of the plastic parts around the engine failing because they are plastic. Since at the time we drove it 400 miles or so very often I just changed the oil filter adaptor just because. Mine was starting to fail, so the metal version was a good choice. It had been changed before as well. The same with the thermostat when it brought on a check engine light. I will have the transmission serviced shortly and expect to keep this van for a long time without a hitch or any attempt to pull a trailer to help protect the transmission. Thani you for your review. It was good, and my first choice was the Toyota, but it was out of my budget at the time.
The Toyota Sienna vans are no joke. We bought a 2001 new, at 75k miles it was totaled out. Tried a Honda Odyssey as a replacement. It was okay, more truckish than carlike. When it got to 100k miles it was time to part ways. Every repair/maintenance bill was a thousand dollars. After 4 of those in 3 months we said nope. My wife now has 155K miles on a 2013 Sienna Limited AWD. It is without a doubt the best of the mini vans. Wizard as always right on point.
You never mentioned the Mazda 5. Had one. Loved it. It IS a minivan, some people don’t realize it has sliding back doors and 3 rows of seats. You can even get them with a manual transmission!