Hi Scotty and everybody. I am looking for a minivan for hauling stuff and people as I have to move a lot. I also would like to turn it into a simple camper van in the future. The year I was looking for is between 2004 to 2008 with around $5000 budget. Is the Toyota Sienna or the Honda Odyssey better in terms of reliability and practicality?
Get the Sienna from the later years of what you mentioned. The Odyssey had all kinds of transmission and electrical problems especially back then.
The '04-'06 Siennas are perfectly fine. Those 3.3L engines were solid. But they do have a timing belt. The '07-'10 Siennas have the 3.5L with a timing chain which is better. But both engines are equally reliable. One is just more annoying.
@minivanmom1990
I know they are still great vans! The powertrain is solid. The reason I said so was because for the new generation they intially in 04 had problems with the dashboards cracking/melting especially in hotter climates as a result of cheapened material quality for that generation of many Toyota/Lexus models. You really can't go wrong with any of them as long as they have been maintained but I just wanted to put that out there as an issue is an issue. Powertrain wise the 3.3 engine seems solid and Sienna transmissions virtually are bulletproof.
Shoot, my dash on my '06 is cracked. I use JB leather weld on it. Haha. They recalled the dashboards in the '04s though and replaced them. And you can still get them replaced at any time.
@Kerem I never heard about the problems in the Siennas that the Odysseys have which I mention in the comments below. I'm not talking about the transmission, AC, or the engine itself.
@MinivanMom1990 The Siennas have less problems in the Odysseys that I mention in the answer I posted.
You might be able to get the Odyssey cheaper but the Sienna is definitely a better van.
Toyota Sienna is better in reliability AND practicality. Those Honda Odysseys were (and still are) notorious for transmission problems the Sienna has no issues.
I have an '06 Sienna XLE and it can haul 4x8 sheets of plywood or sheetrock with the 3rd row folded flat, and the 2nd row seats removed. A lot of folks LIVE in their 2nd gen ('04-'10) Siennas full time and have made them into conversion vans, you can even get custom made rooftop pop up campers added onto the 2nd gens. The world is your oyster with Siennas. They're SO customizable.
Please, come join my group Toyota Sienna Owner's Club on Facebook.
The Siennas are reliable vehicles and decent practicality. The Odysseys are good for the way the drive, comfortable seats, and decent practicality. I don't think you're going to care for those factors in the 2007 Odyssey. One time my dad and I fixed the sensor for the fuel door which makes the left slide door not open around 140,000 miles in the Odysseys. Also, my mechanic fixed the left slide door where the wheels broke. The wheels are used for moving the slide door. I'm not sure the Siennas have those types of problems. My dad never had problems with the engine or the AC, but he did have problems with the transmission.
I'll give you guys an update on my dad 's 2007 Odyssey. He told me he's going to drive until the wheels fall off. I think it's not a good idea, but it's his choice.
For the sensor, it's a pain in the butt to do since you have to remove the whole piece near the spare tire and the left slide door
Go with the Sienna.
Get the sienna. The Odyssey had transmission problems. As with any other used car have it inspected before you purchase.
@Matt.1 If you were keeping the Odyssey, you will have more problems ahead of you which I mentioned in the answer I posted.
@alvin I know it has other problems but it has a lot of transmission problems too. That's why I think it is better to go with the Sienna. Rebuilding or replacing a transmission is not cheap that's why its best to avoid it in the first place.
@Matt.1 I know that in the first place. I guess my dad loves driving the Odyssey while having transmission problems lol.
Pretty much you spend more money in the Odysseys than the Siennas probably besides the transmisssion which also has a lot of problems.
@alvin I agree there are many other components that can fail on the odyssey and it starts to become expensive. Sounds like your dad really likes his odyssey after all it is quite comfortable.
@Matt It gives me an advantage, so I can give you guys an update on it. I really doubt that his Odyssey is going to last even before I go to college which is 2025 lol.
a friend didn’t buy Sienna in the first place, after 5 years he traded his odyssey for a Toyota Sienna.
I would go with the Toyota Sienna.
