Honda Odyssey vs Toyota Sienna

bermuda said:
Well, after some major due diligence, hundreds of emails with dozens of dealers, and eventually visiting dealers where snakes and weasels play shell games, and bait & switch is still alive, I found a dealership that said they'd meet my out the door price... and they actually did! In fact the entire process was fast, easy, no pressure, it was suspiciously painless. After a genuinely enjoyable purchasing experience, I drove home last night in my new Odyssey!

odyssey.jpg


Thanks again for all of your input, I kinda knew at the start that it was gonna be the Honda! :)

Bermuda
Click to expand...
What? It didn't come in WMP!!! That looks like White Cortex :)
 
JustJames said:
Bermuda, you're out there living the rock dream. This gives you certain responsibilities which you have failed miserably.

As befits your position, this post should really have been titled:

Porsche GT3 vs Ferrari 458 Speciale.
Click to expand...

But I didn't have a problem choosing between those.


I got both!
 
Congrats on the new Honda Bermuda. Last week I was telling my girlfriend the benefits of a mini-van, she quickly informed me "that can be your car to drive." She'll understand the real reason I'd like one when she sees it full of gear.
It seems just about every choice we make in life revolves around our drums, no?
 
bermuda said:
Not sure if they're overpriced, but the dealers are certainly not giving them away or dealing very aggressively. Hondas are coming in at about 15% off sticker, but the Toyotas are consistently only 9% off.

Bermuda
Click to expand...
Congratulations on the new car Jon, but I can't help noticing (& especially with drums) the American buyers focus on discount rather than net price paid.
 
keep it simple said:
Congratulations on the new car Jon, but I can't help noticing (& especially with drums) the American buyers focus on discount rather than net price paid.
Click to expand...

For me it wasn't the amount of the discount, it was the fact that they were different, which brought the final prices closer together and made the Honda more attractive for the the money. I'm more about value, and in the case of the car, I also had a limit as to what I was willing to spend.

Bermuda
 
Jeremy Bender said:
It seems just about every choice we make in life revolves around our drums, no?
Click to expand...

Definitely in the case of this car purchase. Actually, my 2 previous new car purchases were a complete deferral to the fact that I would need to haul drums - a Mazda mini-truck, and Toyota T-100 (with full size bed.)

This time around, cargo and loading deck height remained prime considerations, but I also knew that I needed the capability to carry multiple passengers, and improved mileage was a must. So, another truck just would not do.

If I didn't need to move drums, I wouild have had a lot of other choices, and undoubtedly sought a car that's more fun to drive.

Bermuda
 
Does your new Honda have the built in vacuum? I just saw an add for that a couple days ago and think that's a brilliant idea for a van.

Dig the van BTW.
 
No vacuum, that comes on the more expensive trim packages. My LX is the base model, and already well-equipped. Electric driver's seat, bluetooth, usb input, rear camera, tinted windows (the base Sienna didn't have any of these) and a 7 speaker stereo (Sienna has 4 speakers, no sub.) The Honda is also rated about 10% better fuel economy.

There were other reasons I didn't choose the Toyota, perhaps its only advantage is that it had a slight power advantage. But the Odyssey has a pushbutton D3 gear that gives it more torque for hills and towing, and also makes it quicker off the line. So really, the power is pretty close, the final cost was pretty close, but the Honda has more features and better ease of use.

Bermuda
 
Last edited:
My first drum transport since getting the Odyssey: a 4-pc kit and roller cart, with room to spare (and to stack if needed.) Not that I had any doubts!

odysseydrums.jpg


I'm really digging it! Thanks again to all who helped steer me in the right direction!

Bermuda
 
Bermuda, what's that flat case on the right with a shoulder strap? It looks kinda big for a stick bag.
 
Last edited:
That's part of my stands bag, actually a mic stand bag from Sam Ash, and only about $32.

Bermuda
 
Bringing this thread back to life.

Bermuda,

So how about an update after 2.5 years of use? I'm currently in a similar situation: looking for 2nd vehicle for gigs. My daily driver is a no-go for hauling gear. So I'm looking at possibly picking up a used mini-van. I am considering other options (full size van, cargo version of mini-vans, Astro/Safari) since this would be a secondary/utility vehicle but for now would like to hear about your experience w/ the Odyssey.

Thanks in advance.
 
Lee-Bro said:
Bringing this thread back to life.

Bermuda,

So how about an update after 2.5 years of use?
Click to expand...

My 2013 Sienna:

Driver's side sliding door opens at random (while driving) about twice a year. It's been in for service several times and they cannot reproduce the issue. When the door opens in this manner it is impossible to close without unplugging the battery or pulling a fuse to reset the latch.

Constantly battling the tire pressure sensors, which go off at random. The pressure indicator is illuminated almost constantly as I get tired of resetting it every time I drive.

One coil died. One O2 sensor died. One suspension spring broke on a speed bump at 7mph.

Out of the 2.5 years of ownership, the check-engine light has been off for approximately 3 months, which makes the vehicle unable to pass inspection at any place other than the dealer. When the CE light comes on, it disables traction control and gives horrible fuel efficiency (~17 mpg).

AC leaked, had to pay to have it charged twice before warranty took care of the issue.

Vacuum return hose to air-filter busted off because it's a POS extruded plastic fitting that is torqued every time the air filter is checked.

2WD handles horribly in NE snow. The traction control kicks in frequently and disables the accelerator entirely. Holding speed up a slippery hill is impossible.

Pneumatics gave up on the rear door, requiting me to bring a stick to wedge the door open so I can load/unload groceries.

Horrible, horrible product. Run, don't walk, to another manufacturer.
 
Bermuda can comment on his experiences with his Honda Odyssey. I have a first generation Odyssey (1995) that has over 280,000 miles on it. It has been an outstanding vehicle.
That being said, having owned five Hondas over the past 33 years I wouldn't purchase another Honda again, primarily due to engineering shortcuts that Honda has taken, especially
in their electrical systems and a fairly significant rise in their preventative maintenance costs.

I'm replacing my Odyssey with a Ford Transit Connect cargo van. If you need your van to function as a family vehicle, the Ford Transit Connect also comes in a wagon with plenty of seating.
 
So far so good with mine! There have been only 2 'issues' - a rear shock (strut?) broke, and egr valve went bad, both replaced under warranty and neither caused any real inconvenience. My wife was driving the van when the check engine light came on, stopped into the nearest dealer, and was on her way in about 90 minutes.

I purposely avoided electric doors, just because problems/repairs are inevitable.

Performance is still excellent, although I'm sure with 32,000 miles, my first tune-up is due soon. Mileage is also great, I still get 27-29mpg highway. With oil changes, a tranny flush, and new wiper inserts, I'm averaging about $18/mo on maintenance.

I'm still very happy with my purchase!

Bermuda
 
bermuda said:
With oil changes, a tranny flush, and new wiper inserts, I'm averaging about $18/mo on maintenance.

I'm still very happy with my purchase!

Bermuda
Click to expand...

Isn't that a bit early for flushing the gearbox? On my 2004 Toyota Tundra, I had the tranny flushed at 100,000 miles.
 
Fluid exchange was done at 29,000, they were running a special so I fell for it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top