Hello,

Besides Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey, what van will you recommend in terms of its reliability and good gas mileage?
Thanks.

Eric

My 2000 Honda Odyssey suffered from chronic power sliding door problems, and was on its 4th warranty replacement transmission by the time it hit 100,000 miles. So much for the overhyped Honda reliability - I dropped it like a Led Zeppelin and picked up a 2005 KIA Sedona. Price was almost exactly half ($17,000 with everything, and I mean everything, taxes, delivery, etc. out the door). So far, in 11,000 miles of driving since July, there hasn't been one problem. Even if the problems came out to the same, I'd be quite happy given the pittance I paid.

Interestingly, I opted to install my own overhead DVD player which allowed me to buy the base model (you usually can't get DVD without first purchasing the EX Leather, and then it's an additional $2000 option). At least interior-wise, the van appears to be built with almost identical methods to the Odyssey (I installed the DVD in the Odyssey too). Connectors, the way the panels interlock, etc. - was like deja vu, just like the Honda. I think the Koreans bought an Odyssey and purposely ripped it off.

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

For luxury - the new Buick Terraza is a good choice. Chevrolet and Pontiac models similar, but a little lower in price. Saturn now also makes a van with this body style.
Here are the crash results/some additional info.


http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=232

Mazda 5 too small?

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82 300D....went to MB heaven
90 350 SDL....excercising con rods

Nissan will do anything to sell a Quest, early ones had some small quality control problems, but I always found Nissan drivetrains to be robust.
2007 models have been or are about to be redesigned with a less funky interior and other sundry improvements.

But after reading the review above of the KIA it sounds hard to beat.

We've had a 1993 Mercury Villager (same as Nissan Quest) since new. 133m carefree miles on the V6 engine and transmission. Besides regular timing belts and water pumps and recent valve cover gaskets, the engine has been flawless. I understand that this is the well regarded engine from Nissan Supras. Tranny untouched except for fluid changes. Nothing out of the ordinary for the rest of the car, new wires, one fuel pump, one set of shocks, front brakes don't tend to last too long. The only disaster has been the AC. Typical perfect Japanese AC for 120m, but I think suffered from black death, threw a lot of money at it but gave up on it.

glenmore
1991 300CE
2000 C280
1990 LS400
1993 Villager

Why are you avoiding the Sienna? It has a reputaion as the best-in-class -- and has the best crash rating of any vehicle ever tested.

What's the deal with the Odyssey? Is it actually made by Honda?

When it was first introduced, I believe it was made by Isuzu. As were Honda's two sport utility offerings. The Isuzu Trooper was re-badged and sold as an Acura. The Isuzu Rodeo was sold as a Honda Passport.

The Honda Odyssey and the Isuzu Oasis are the same vehicle. So is this a Honda product or an Isuzu product?

Sorry for the semi-highjack... but I've been wondering about this.

Jeff Pierce

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Jeff Pierce

Current Vehicles:
'92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver)
'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk)
'99 Kawasaki Concours
Gravely 8120
Previous Vehicles:
'85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon
'53 Willys-Overland Pickup
'85 Honda 750F Interceptor
'93 Nissan Quest
'89 Toyota Camry Wagon
'89 Dodge Raider
'81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport
'88 Toyota Celica
'95 Toyota Tacoma
'74 Honda CB 550F

I also had a 1993 Nissan Quest, and it was a very reliable vehicle. The 3.0 liter engine and tranny were from the Nissan Maxima. I think the Supra had the straight six, not the V6. The engine never ran hot, even in Las Vegas and 115 degrees. Changed the timing belt and water pump every 60,000 miles. The engine never used a drop of oil between oil changes.

I sold the van with about 165,000 miles on it for $5,500. It was immaculate. The only problem I had were broken exhaust manifold studs, which I was told were a problem with the engine on all Nissans, including the Maxima and Pathfinder.

What is interesting is that the owner of the Nissan independent garage that I had the car serviced at owned a 1990 Nissan Maxima. He was the original owner of the car. It had about 450,000 miles on it, and he couldn't get rid of the car because it ran so well. It was using oil between oil changes. It had the original head gasket on the motor. How many M103 and M104 engines can you say that about?

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Yes, the first generation Honda van did have an Isuzu "twin", and to answer your question, it was actually made by Honda. The Isuzu was actually the Honda in disguise, but at a lower price. On the flip side, the Honda SUV at the time - the "Passport" was actually an Isuzu Rodeo, but with Honda badges.

When the Honda van was redesigned (around 1999?), there was no Isuzu equivalent.

I am extremely surprised in the responses about the Mercury Villager. In June of 1995, my aunt purchased a brand Mercury Villager GS minivan. It was the base model, but she had it loaded with options, so it was as well equipped as the "LS". The exterior was the only noticable difference, but she even had the alloy wheels added. The only difference was the trim was not color-keyed like it was on the LS.

Whats strange is that she had NUMEROUS problems out of her van. Around 9K miles, starting having problems with the taillights- repaired under a recall of some sort - shortly after, the bulbs in the grille starting going out. Around 28K miles, the sliding door panel started falling off. It was taken to the dealer 3 times to repair, but they NEVER got it right. She finally gave up and just let it flap around. The radio cassette player went on the fritz around 20K miles. They had to remove it, send it off, rather than replacing with a new unit, which I thought was crazy. She had to drive with a hole in her dash for days. Then the rear blower motor stopped working around 36K miles, just after the warranty went out. I suppose the worst thing was at 32K miles the engine had a knock. Seems there was a recall on this and her van was one of them. Instead of a new engine, they installed a "rebuilt" unit, which I thought was unacceptable, as did my uncle, but they did extend the powertrain warranty to 100K for this. Around 41K miles, one of the dash cluster illumination lamps went out. By this time, it was plagued with rattles. It had also developed a slight power steering leak, problems with the brakes, peeling paint from the windshield trim and mirrors, bowing rear wiper, and a "check engine" light problem, all before 55K miles (in early 2001). Then I cannot recall exactly, but there was something else going wrong with it. It was out of warranty by this time and they decided to trade it in @ 56K miles. They traded it in on a brand new 2001 Nissan Altima SE in June of 2001. The supposedly got $7800 trade-in for it, but I do not believe it. The Altima has about 38K on it now and really no problems to speak of, except for the hail damage in May of 2002 from a hail storms we had, but that was not the cars fault. She also has a 98' Plymouth Voyager, with 89K that she drives often, so the miles stay low on the Altima. The Voyager was reliable until recently, but now it will not start. Its going to the shop this week.

It may not have seemed to bad if the car traded in on the van was not as flawless as it was. The car that she traded in on the van in June of 1995 was her 1991 Honda Accord LX 2dr that they bought brand new in December of 1990. The ONLY problem it ever had was a problem with the cassette player in late 1991. I remember this well, because I was in high school at the time and was about to turn 16. I went with her to the Honda dealership for the repair and remember how bad I wanted the "all-new" 1992 Honda Prelude. What an awesome looking car. I think that even today, the 92-96 Preludes are amazing looking cars, but not as nice to me as they were in the 90s. I also wanted a 90-93 Celica. Trying not to stray away from the topic here. The only reason she traded in the Honda was that by this time (1995) they had two children and it was difficult to get them in and out of the Accord.

Anyway, the Honda had 80K when traded in 1995 - still running like new.

Perhaps her Villager was simply a lemon? I think the only difference between the 1993 and the 1995, is that the 1995 has a driverside airbag and the 1993 does not.

Honest to say my 96 Caravan with the 3.3 V6 has been really good to me. It has 122km and still going strong with original engine and drive drain (knock on wood) . The only few things I had to do to the van so far are EGR valve, Oxygen sensors, and of course the normal maintainance of tear and wear. I still have not replace any parts in the suspension department yet and what a suprise, I guess because it is a sport model it has a better suspension then other models.

Now, if you looking for power then look else where because this van only has 158 HP and 170 flb of torque.
The only thing I don't like about this van is I wish it has traction control, although it is a Front wheel drive it is very weak in the snow especially up hill.
Parts are very cheap and you can almost get them from any where, the ride is terrific for a van.
Would I buy them again? No, I would get a Sienna XLE, because it has all the things I want in a van like safety, power, looks, quality built.

have you considered the new dodge (a mercedes).

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1994 C280
2009 VW Tiguan
1993 Toyota X-tra Cab SE-5


1973 220D ... Gone, but not forgotten
1991 Alfa Romeo 164L Gone, wife MADE me forget it

2006 Hyundai Tucson... just straight out FORGOTTEN!