Toyota Mini-Vans

I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new or up
to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van owners
their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans. Any particular problem
areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes)
and intermittent ABS light, with Toyota mini-vans?

Thanks for your time and information.

"Ford Driver" <wingnut@invalid.net> wrote in message
news:12ho9td2s9i7n24@corp.supernews.com...[color=blue]
>I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new or up
> to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van owners
> their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans. Any particular problem
> areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem (OBD-II P0171 and P0174
> codes)
> and intermittent ABS light, with Toyota mini-vans?
>
> Thanks for your time and information.
>[/color]

We have an '01 and it has been perfectly reliable. We know, oh, at least 6
other families with the same van and they have had no problems whatsoever.
It's squeak- and rattle-free at 66K miles and the engine remains very, very
quiet in operation. There are no whirring, ticking, grinding, clanging or
other noises from under thood until the A/C compressor clutch engages or the
radiator fans start up. A friends' brand-new Chrysler van makes much more
mechanical noise.

There are persistent rumors of sludge buildup in the earlier 3.0L V6 engines
but I don't know anyone who has such a problem. Conclusion: change your oil
and filter regularly and don't worry about it.

Test-drive one. If the new ones are anything like the '01's, I think you'll
be impressed with the power. That's primarily why we bought ours, I was so
surprised at how lively it was getting away from a stoplight. I'd
test-driven a few other vans and then went to look at the Toyota. I was
thinking I'd probably get a Chrysler at the time but the Toyota interior was
very nice. Then the light turned green ahead and, when I hit the gas, we
rocketed away. Right then, I told my wife, "we're buying this one."

Three things could stand improvement on the '01s...
- They have more understeer than I like (OK for a minivan, I suppose).
- Traction on snow could be improved.
- I don't get a lot of wear out of tires; I'm on my second set and I haven't
got a lot of tread left.

All three of these things could be result of my poor tire choices, though,
as the other people I know with these vans seem to be perfectly happy with
their handling, snow performance and tire wear. It could also be the way I
drive but I haven't had tire wear issues on most of my other cars (well - I
had trouble with tire wear on my previous mini-van - maybe it's the way I
drive mini-vans).

The three things I like best are:
- The power.
- The very quiet ride. You don't have to crank the stereo way up to hear it
over wind and road noise at 70mph. Of course, this can be a bad thing, I
once found I was doing 90 in a 70 zone when I wasn't intending to speed at
all. I now use the cruise control religiously.
- The pleasant, comfy interior.

It's a nice cruiser for long trips; we usually put in 2400+ miles on driving
vacations once or twice a year. Everybody in the family likes this car for
long trips.

Oh, the fourth thing I like: I'm on my original brake pads, front and rear,
with something like 50% left in the front.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from [url]http://www.teranews.com[/url]

Ford Driver, 9/28/2006,3:48:09 PM, wrote:
[color=blue]
> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new
> or up to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota
> mini-van owners their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans.
> Any particular problem areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem
> (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes) and intermittent ABS light, with
> Toyota mini-vans?
>
> Thanks for your time and information.[/color]

I bought a used 2000 Sienna with 72K miles a year and a half ago. It
now has 100K miles and is still in great condition. It has good power,
quiet ride, decent ergonomics, and excellent reliability. The one
thing I am dissapointed about is the gas mileage. I get around 18-19
MPG all around and 23 MPG on the highway. I expected more than that,
but I have not changed any plugs yet.

"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:xn0errijf2kfzp8000@news.readfreenews.net...[color=blue]
> Ford Driver, 9/28/2006,3:48:09 PM, wrote:
>[color=green]
>> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new
>> or up to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota
>> mini-van owners their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans.
>> Any particular problem areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem
>> (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes) and intermittent ABS light, with
>> Toyota mini-vans?
>>
>> Thanks for your time and information.[/color]
>
> I bought a used 2000 Sienna with 72K miles a year and a half ago. It
> now has 100K miles and is still in great condition. It has good power,
> quiet ride, decent ergonomics, and excellent reliability. The one
> thing I am dissapointed about is the gas mileage. I get around 18-19
> MPG all around and 23 MPG on the highway. I expected more than that,
> but I have not changed any plugs yet.[/color]

A friend was complaining that he only gets 13 ~ 14 MPG in suburban driving
in his Windstar. His wife like the Windstar, although the friend was not to
happy about the $2,500 they have spent in the last 2 years for repairs for
something in the dashboard, a no-start condition, power door actuator, fuel
pump, and now the AC needs a new compressor. Other than the need for those
repairs and the poor fuel mileage, they have been happy with the van.

Another friend has a GMC Astro, they are also getting around 13 ~ 14 MPG in
suburban driving. AFAIK, it has not needed any repairs other than visits to
the body shop.

I guess I shouldn't feel so bad about the 13 ~ 14 MPG we get around town in
our Sequoia :-)
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
news:9b20c$451c40b3$44a4a10d$14017@msgid.meganewsservers.com...[color=blue]
>
> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:xn0errijf2kfzp8000@news.readfreenews.net...[color=green]
> > Ford Driver, 9/28/2006,3:48:09 PM, wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> >> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new
> >> or up to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota
> >> mini-van owners their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans.
> >> Any particular problem areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem
> >> (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes) and intermittent ABS light, with
> >> Toyota mini-vans?
> >>
> >> Thanks for your time and information.[/color]
> >[/color][/color]
[snipped][color=blue][color=green]
> > I get around 18-19
> > MPG all around and 23 MPG on the highway. I expected more than that,
> > but I have not changed any plugs yet.[/color]
>
> A friend was complaining that he only gets 13 ~ 14 MPG in suburban driving
> in his Windstar.[/color]
[snipped][color=blue]
>
> Another friend has a GMC Astro, they are also getting around 13 ~ 14 MPG[/color]
in[color=blue]
> suburban driving. AFAIK, it has not needed any repairs other than visits[/color]
to[color=blue]
> the body shop.
>
> I guess I shouldn't feel so bad about the 13 ~ 14 MPG we get around town[/color]
in[color=blue]
> our Sequoia :-)
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)[/color]

I get 17 in town and 25 on the road in my Windstar. The Ford 3.8 engine has
a history of problems; two of which I mentioned in my original post and a
head gasket problem. Thankfully, I have not yet experienced the head gasket
problem.

>> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new[color=blue][color=green]
>> or up to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota
>> mini-van owners their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans.
>> Any particular problem areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem
>> (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes) and intermittent ABS light, with
>> Toyota mini-vans?
>>
>> Thanks for your time and information.[/color]
>
> I bought a used 2000 Sienna with 72K miles a year and a half ago. It
> now has 100K miles and is still in great condition. It has good power,
> quiet ride, decent ergonomics, and excellent reliability. The one
> thing I am dissapointed about is the gas mileage. I get around 18-19
> MPG all around and 23 MPG on the highway. I expected more than that,
> but I have not changed any plugs yet.[/color]

That's the problem, assuming the previous owner didn't change it. My 2000
Sienna had very bad mileage and very "heavy" to drive. After replacing the
spark plug and air filter, it drives like new.

Newby wrote:[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
> > >
> > >> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new
> > >> or up to 2 years old mini-van.[/color][/color][/color]

Saw your same note to the Honda newsgroup.

I own a Toyota Sienna and prefer it over the Honda minivan (but I like
the Accord better than the Camry so I'm not a Toyota bigot).

IMHO, the Sienna features better comfort features whereas the Odyssey
features better handling. Since I don't drive a minivan as I do my
sports car I'm not too concerned about handling (although with a tire
upgrade the Sienna does fine). The layout of both vans is good (but
somewhat different) so your preference will determine which is best for
you. Used Odysseys, more than a couple of years old, have suspect
transmissions. Unless Honda has recently upgrade their brakes, you will
find Sienna brakes are more durable and provide very good performance
when matched with decent tires.

After your Windstar a new Sienna will seem luxury-quiet. For 2007 I
believe Toyota will use their very powerful but economical 3.5L engine
in the Sienna. Siennas are available with all wheel drive if you care
to pay extra for that feature.

I've got about 180,000 miles on my '98 Sienna and just recently had to
put some repair dollars into it when an O2 sensor went up (I elected to
replace all 3). Had to replace a sliding door latch (hold-open feature
failed) a few years ago. Few other repairs, just routine maintenance
(had to replace the bulb - a freebie from my dealer - for the center
brake light yesterday). Best family utility vehicle I've ever owned. I
will probably buy another when I retire this one; perhaps at 230K
miles. Replacement would be certain if the new Sienna weren't quite so
big, I prefer the smaller size of the original Sienna.

YMMV

Ford Driver wrote:[color=blue]
> I .. am looking to purchase a new or up
> to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van owners
> their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans.[/color]

All of the replies so far have been relatively positive, so let me add
my opinion on the other side of the coin.

I like the ride, I get the mileage posted (25 and 20) except in the
winter (02 Sienna XLE), most everything works flawlessly. But my
rotors warped at 20K (and we do not do a lot of stop and go driving or
hard braking) and although the rotors themselves were covered under
warranty, the dealer pulled a fast one and I wound up paying for a
complete brake job ($550) when only the pads should have been charged
to me and the rest to Toyota. Both oxygen sensors (2 of 3) went out at
around 55K, $230 each for the parts. Another dealer tried to hit me up
for another $500 to replace the manifold, claiming the O2 sensor was
siezed. My service station removed the "siezed" sensor, cleaned the
threads and put the new one on for $50 labor. A recent replacement of
two plastic panels (rt. sliding door and piece in front of rear tire)
over $700, no metal body work required. The original tires
(Bridgestones, IIRC) were crap and the minivan slid on wet pavement.
Problem fixed when I put on Michelin Harmony tires at 30K. The selling
dealer charged Toyota to repair a tranny leak at 25K. Funny, there was
never a drop of any oil or tranny fluid on my concrete driveway where
the minivan is parked every day.

Unless you use a bra, there is no way to keep the front hood from
getting dinged. (Which reminds me that the clip that holds the hood
support rod in place has broken twice because it is inflexible in cold
weather. It is now jerry-rigged with a home-made clip) But I guess
the front hood dinging is a problem with any vehicle that has a hood
that slants down to the bumper.

Would I buy another Toyota? No. Because parts are too expensive, and
I can't find an honest Toyota dealer in the MD suburbs of DC. But then
again, I'd never touch a Ford :>)

Lena

"Lena" <lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1159552013.863492.211480@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>
> Ford Driver wrote:[color=green]
>> I .. am looking to purchase a new or up
>> to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van
>> owners
>> their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans.[/color]
>
> All of the replies so far have been relatively positive, so let me add
> my opinion on the other side of the coin.
>
> I like the ride, I get the mileage posted (25 and 20) except in the
> winter (02 Sienna XLE), most everything works flawlessly. But my
> rotors warped at 20K (and we do not do a lot of stop and go driving or
> hard braking) and although the rotors themselves were covered under
> warranty, the dealer pulled a fast one and I wound up paying for a
> complete brake job ($550) when only the pads should have been charged
> to me and the rest to Toyota. Both oxygen sensors (2 of 3) went out at
> around 55K, $230 each for the parts. Another dealer tried to hit me up
> for another $500 to replace the manifold, claiming the O2 sensor was
> siezed. My service station removed the "siezed" sensor, cleaned the
> threads and put the new one on for $50 labor. A recent replacement of
> two plastic panels (rt. sliding door and piece in front of rear tire)
> over $700, no metal body work required. The original tires
> (Bridgestones, IIRC) were crap and the minivan slid on wet pavement.
> Problem fixed when I put on Michelin Harmony tires at 30K. The selling
> dealer charged Toyota to repair a tranny leak at 25K. Funny, there was
> never a drop of any oil or tranny fluid on my concrete driveway where
> the minivan is parked every day.
>
> Unless you use a bra, there is no way to keep the front hood from
> getting dinged. (Which reminds me that the clip that holds the hood
> support rod in place has broken twice because it is inflexible in cold
> weather. It is now jerry-rigged with a home-made clip) But I guess
> the front hood dinging is a problem with any vehicle that has a hood
> that slants down to the bumper.
>
> Would I buy another Toyota? No. Because parts are too expensive, and
> I can't find an honest Toyota dealer in the MD suburbs of DC. But then
> again, I'd never touch a Ford :>)
>
> Lena[/color]

And I might add that Lena's problems appear to be mostly related to the
dealer she chose - and possibly her driving style - rather than inherent to
the vehicle itself.

Oxygen sensors are a service item, requiring periodic replacement. I can't
address the condition of her brakes nor the necessity of any work required
but brakes are a service item as well. Warped rotors could be a design flaw
and I've heard a lot of complaints in this regard with Toyotas in general,
but I've never experienced this with my Tacoma (also rumored to have this
flaw). The problem could also be in part due to driving style and
conditions (eg driving through a puddle while the rotors are hot). Likewise
tires, and 30K is about right for OEM so her traction problems might have
been due to simple wear, possibly exacerbated by her driving style.

Again - and before she flies off the handle at me - I have no way of knowing
what her driving style is nor whether it was a factor in the problems she's
had. For all I know she's the World's Best - but viewed strictly from the
standpoint of possible causes for the mechanical problems she's described it
must be considered as a possibility.

I'm not exactly sure how a slanting hood causes dings to appear so I can't
address that. The only experience I've had with hood damage is when I ran
into a crackhead a few months ago and that would have damaged the hood
regardless of its angle.

It's probably safe to say that genuine factory OEM parts are more expensive
than ditto for Ford. It's also probably safe to say that you will be buying
them less frequently than with your Ford.
--
Mike Harris
Austin TX

Mike Harris wrote:
[color=blue]
> And I might add that Lena's problems appear to be mostly related to the
> dealer she chose ....[/color]

Dealers (plural). Screwed by the selling dealer, another dealer tried
to rip me off on the manifold thing. The third Toyota dealer in this
area has such a bad reputation, I wouldn't even try them.
[color=blue]
> and possibly her driving style[/color]

You have absolutely no idea what my driving style is, do you?
[color=blue]
> rather than inherent to the vehicle itself.[/color]

It is obvious that you are so imbued with Toyotas, that you cannot
accept the fact that others may think the vehicle is less than perfect.

[color=blue]
> Oxygen sensors are a service item, requiring periodic replacement.[/color]

At 52K miles? Two within a month? A defect, IMO.
[color=blue]
> I can't address the condition of her brakes ....The problem could also be in part due to driving style[/color]

Of which you know nothing.
[color=blue]
> tires, and 30K is about right for OEM so her traction problems might have
> been due to simple wear, possibly exacerbated by her driving style.[/color]

You don't know a damn thing about my driving style; why do you keep on
harping on it? Can't you accept the fact that the OEM tires were
garbage? I stated that the Michelins fixed the slipping problem.
[color=blue]
> I have no way of knowing what her driving style is[/color]

Then your whole post is a supposition. Accept the fact that Toyotas
are not perfect.
[color=blue]
> I'm not exactly sure how a slanting hood causes dings to appear so I can't
> address that.[/color]

Then don't. Crap flies up from the road all the time. On a truck like
yours, it hits the grille and causes little or no damage. On a vehicle
with a slanted hood, the stones and debris hits the paint on the hood
and causes dings.
[color=blue]
> It's probably safe to say that genuine factory OEM parts are more expensive
> than ditto for Ford. It's also probably safe to say that you will be buying
> them less frequently than with your Ford.[/color]

Another supposition. Unsubstantiated. But you really want the OP to
buy a Toyota, don't you. So say whatever you want.

Lena

"Lena" <lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1159561459.277966.149460@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>
> Mike Harris wrote:
>[color=green]
>> And I might add that Lena's problems appear to be mostly related to the
>> dealer she chose ....[/color]
>
> Dealers (plural). Screwed by the selling dealer, another dealer tried
> to rip me off on the manifold thing. The third Toyota dealer in this
> area has such a bad reputation, I wouldn't even try them.
>[color=green]
> > and possibly her driving style[/color]
>
> You have absolutely no idea what my driving style is, do you?
>[color=green]
>> rather than inherent to the vehicle itself.[/color]
>
> It is obvious that you are so imbued with Toyotas, that you cannot
> accept the fact that others may think the vehicle is less than perfect.
>
>[color=green]
>> Oxygen sensors are a service item, requiring periodic replacement.[/color]
>
> At 52K miles? Two within a month? A defect, IMO.
>[color=green]
>> I can't address the condition of her brakes ....The problem could also be
>> in part due to driving style[/color]
>
> Of which you know nothing.
>[color=green]
>> tires, and 30K is about right for OEM so her traction problems might have
>> been due to simple wear, possibly exacerbated by her driving style.[/color]
>
> You don't know a damn thing about my driving style; why do you keep on
> harping on it? Can't you accept the fact that the OEM tires were
> garbage? I stated that the Michelins fixed the slipping problem.
>[color=green]
>> I have no way of knowing what her driving style is[/color]
>
> Then your whole post is a supposition. Accept the fact that Toyotas
> are not perfect.
>[color=green]
>> I'm not exactly sure how a slanting hood causes dings to appear so I
>> can't
>> address that.[/color]
>
> Then don't. Crap flies up from the road all the time. On a truck like
> yours, it hits the grille and causes little or no damage. On a vehicle
> with a slanted hood, the stones and debris hits the paint on the hood
> and causes dings.
>[color=green]
>> It's probably safe to say that genuine factory OEM parts are more
>> expensive
>> than ditto for Ford. It's also probably safe to say that you will be
>> buying
>> them less frequently than with your Ford.[/color]
>
> Another supposition. Unsubstantiated. But you really want the OP to
> buy a Toyota, don't you. So say whatever you want.
>
> Lena[/color]

(rolls eyes) Happy with the car you owned before the Sienna, were you?
Been wrenching for very long? Do you, in short, have a clue about the
mechanical issues you experienced?

It's pretty clear that you have reading comprehension difficulties, I might
add.
--
Mike Harris
Thankful he's not a mechanic for that Harpy
Austin TX

I purchased a new 06 Sienna a month ago after seriously considering the
Honda and Chrysler/Dodge. I've had the Chrysler/Plymouth Voyager as my
last two vans. I still think the Chrysler mini has a better interior
design, but the Honda & Toyota are clearly superior in terms of
reliability and resale value (Chrysler sucks). The prices of comparably
equipped models were really very close (Honda was a little higher), so I
went with the Sienna. The Chrysler clearly has the largest stow space,
and the Toyota has about 5" more than the Honda.

We drove the new Sienna on a 3000 mile trip and mileage was 24.8 usually
driving about 75mph. The manual hints that you might need plus fuel in
the Sienna, but after 3000 mile using regular, I can't see why. The
ride is quite (more so than my Chrysler was), handling is average plus,
and it has plenty of power. I've had no issues yet, but didn't expect
any. After 3000 miles the oil is still pretty clear. And, no more
lugging seats in and out to carry our tandem bike!!

I had pretty good luck using Consumer Reports price data and playing
five dealers against each other when negotiating.

Arthur (buying a new car is worse than going to the dentists) Hass
Reston, VA

Ford Driver wrote:[color=blue]
> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new or up
> to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van owners
> their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans. Any particular problem
> areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes)
> and intermittent ABS light, with Toyota mini-vans?
>
> Thanks for your time and information.
>
>[/color]

On Sat, 30 Sep 2006 16:35:30 -0400, Arthur Hass <ed@ridersite.org>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>I purchased a new 06 Sienna a month ago after seriously considering the
>Honda and Chrysler/Dodge. I've had the Chrysler/Plymouth Voyager as my
>last two vans. I still think the Chrysler mini has a better interior
>design, but the Honda & Toyota are clearly superior in terms of
>reliability and resale value (Chrysler sucks). The prices of comparably
>equipped models were really very close (Honda was a little higher), so I
>went with the Sienna. The Chrysler clearly has the largest stow space,
>and the Toyota has about 5" more than the Honda.
>
>We drove the new Sienna on a 3000 mile trip and mileage was 24.8 usually
>driving about 75mph. The manual hints that you might need plus fuel in
>the Sienna, but after 3000 mile using regular, I can't see why. The
>ride is quite (more so than my Chrysler was), handling is average plus,
>and it has plenty of power. I've had no issues yet, but didn't expect
>any. After 3000 miles the oil is still pretty clear. And, no more
>lugging seats in and out to carry our tandem bike!!
>
>I had pretty good luck using Consumer Reports price data and playing
>five dealers against each other when negotiating.[/color]

The standard NET low price to you remains $19,900 for the std CE.
Is that what you got?




[color=blue]
>
>Arthur (buying a new car is worse than going to the dentists) Hass
>Reston, VA
>
>Ford Driver wrote:[color=green]
>> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new or up
>> to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van owners
>> their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans. Any particular problem
>> areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes)
>> and intermittent ABS light, with Toyota mini-vans?
>>
>> Thanks for your time and information.
>>
>>[/color][/color]

What's NET?

MO full name wrote:[color=blue]
> On Sat, 30 Sep 2006 16:35:30 -0400, Arthur Hass <ed@ridersite.org>
> wrote:
>[color=green]
>> I purchased a new 06 Sienna a month ago after seriously considering the
>> Honda and Chrysler/Dodge. I've had the Chrysler/Plymouth Voyager as my
>> last two vans. I still think the Chrysler mini has a better interior
>> design, but the Honda & Toyota are clearly superior in terms of
>> reliability and resale value (Chrysler sucks). The prices of comparably
>> equipped models were really very close (Honda was a little higher), so I
>> went with the Sienna. The Chrysler clearly has the largest stow space,
>> and the Toyota has about 5" more than the Honda.
>>
>> We drove the new Sienna on a 3000 mile trip and mileage was 24.8 usually
>> driving about 75mph. The manual hints that you might need plus fuel in
>> the Sienna, but after 3000 mile using regular, I can't see why. The
>> ride is quite (more so than my Chrysler was), handling is average plus,
>> and it has plenty of power. I've had no issues yet, but didn't expect
>> any. After 3000 miles the oil is still pretty clear. And, no more
>> lugging seats in and out to carry our tandem bike!!
>>
>> I had pretty good luck using Consumer Reports price data and playing
>> five dealers against each other when negotiating.[/color]
>
> The standard NET low price to you remains $19,900 for the std CE.
> Is that what you got?
>
>
>
>
>[color=green]
>> Arthur (buying a new car is worse than going to the dentists) Hass
>> Reston, VA
>>
>> Ford Driver wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new or up
>>> to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van owners
>>> their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans. Any particular problem
>>> areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem (OBD-II P0171 and P0174 codes)
>>> and intermittent ABS light, with Toyota mini-vans?
>>>
>>> Thanks for your time and information.
>>>
>>>[/color][/color][/color]

According to CR Honda has most cargo space followed by Sienna and then
Chrysler.

Honda is cheapest unless your Honda dealer is a crook and adds to list
price.

Honda has a cheap model with leather which is an incredible bargain.


"Arthur Hass" <ed@ridersite.org> wrote in message
news:LMSdnbSMyuaNSIPYnZ2dnUVZ_vudnZ2d@comcast.com...[color=blue]
>I purchased a new 06 Sienna a month ago after seriously considering the
>Honda and Chrysler/Dodge. I've had the Chrysler/Plymouth Voyager as my
>last two vans. I still think the Chrysler mini has a better interior
>design, but the Honda & Toyota are clearly superior in terms of reliability
>and resale value (Chrysler sucks). The prices of comparably equipped
>models were really very close (Honda was a little higher), so I went with
>the Sienna. The Chrysler clearly has the largest stow space, and the
>Toyota has about 5" more than the Honda.
>
> We drove the new Sienna on a 3000 mile trip and mileage was 24.8 usually
> driving about 75mph. The manual hints that you might need plus fuel in
> the Sienna, but after 3000 mile using regular, I can't see why. The ride
> is quite (more so than my Chrysler was), handling is average plus, and it
> has plenty of power. I've had no issues yet, but didn't expect any.
> After 3000 miles the oil is still pretty clear. And, no more lugging
> seats in and out to carry our tandem bike!!
>
> I had pretty good luck using Consumer Reports price data and playing five
> dealers against each other when negotiating.
>
> Arthur (buying a new car is worse than going to the dentists) Hass
> Reston, VA
>
> Ford Driver wrote:[color=green]
>> I drive a 99 Ford Windstar mini-van and am looking to purchase a new or
>> up
>> to 2 years old mini-van. I would like to hear from Toyota mini-van
>> owners
>> their likes, or dislikes, about Toyota mini-vans. Any particular problem
>> areas, such as the Windstar manifold problem (OBD-II P0171 and P0174
>> codes)
>> and intermittent ABS light, with Toyota mini-vans?
>>
>> Thanks for your time and information.
>>[/color][/color]