Went to trade the Sedona on a new Pacifica...
05-16-17, 08:59 AM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
No quite sure I follow you on this one, Steve.....did you mean access to the third-row seats? 
(you mentioned, in a worst-case scenario, having to have your Mom crawl in through the rear hatch).
That reflects what I was saying earlier, in other threads.....Hyundai and Kia products aren't getting the respect on the used-car market that they deserve, thus the relatively low residual values. That's not necessarily the vehicle's fault....that's the car-buying public, in their attitudes towards Hyundai and Kia, being a decade or more behind the times.
The Odyssey, though, doesn't seem to be the reliability staple that it once was. If you look on the Honda forums, many owners are reporting problems and early failures.
(you mentioned, in a worst-case scenario, having to have your Mom crawl in through the rear hatch).That reflects what I was saying earlier, in other threads.....Hyundai and Kia products aren't getting the respect on the used-car market that they deserve, thus the relatively low residual values. That's not necessarily the vehicle's fault....that's the car-buying public, in their attitudes towards Hyundai and Kia, being a decade or more behind the times.
The Odyssey, though, doesn't seem to be the reliability staple that it once was. If you look on the Honda forums, many owners are reporting problems and early failures.
In retrospect, I probably wouldn't have wanted to buy one, but I truly liked renting them. And, not that long ago, I jumped on cars.com and searched them, and quite a number are over 200k, which is nice to see....have to admit, the warranty doesn't sell the car for me, my bro' had one and there was a lot of denials as far as claims go on his Elantra....rather have a car where you never use the warranty (that's not gonna be your Germans lol).....Godfather is selling his '09 RAV4, has never had a warranty service in its service life, but yikes he wants $7k for it!
05-16-17, 09:23 AM
#17
Out of Warranty
My wife is in love with the new Pacifica minivan, but we're going to wait until they start appearing in the used market in a year or two. We've found, having gone through a couple of MoPar minivans, that the prices collapse after a couple of years . . . although the product is outstanding, they don't seem to hold their value too well. For me, that's great, I'll take a carefully used vehicle and dodge (ahem!) that $3K - $5K bullet anytime! Then I'll drive the wheels off of it. 
05-16-17, 09:59 AM
#18
The only car in traded in clean before end of lease was my 11' Sienna after 1 year. I might be checking out the new Odyssey later as well since my lease ends right after yours lol!!! But wife wants a full size SUV this time, so a MB GLS is top choice for now.
05-16-17, 10:40 AM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
I rented a T+C (brand new) 2 years when we took a trip to Florida.
That was the biggest issue I had with it. I cursed that damn thing every time I took it out.
I couldn't wait to get back into my sienna when we got back
Hopefully the pacifica's transmission is not lazy like these older caravan/T+C.
That was the biggest issue I had with it. I cursed that damn thing every time I took it out.
I couldn't wait to get back into my sienna when we got back
Hopefully the pacifica's transmission is not lazy like these older caravan/T+C.
05-16-17, 02:08 PM
#21
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
The Pacifica is actually a 9 speed. The upcoming Odyssey is a 10 speed!
05-16-17, 03:30 PM
#22
Lexus Fanatic
Perhaps one more reason to maybe (?) think twice about a Pacifica. That ZF-sourced 9-speed has been problematic in a number of both Chrysler and Honda vehicles it has been installed in, and the source of a number of customer complaints. I hope GM and Ford do a better job on the 9 and 10-speed automatics that they jointly co-developed for both transverse FWD use (9-speed) and longitudinal RWD use (10-speed). GM did most of the work on the 9-speed, and Ford on the 10-speed....each will share the units in their products.
05-16-17, 03:36 PM
#23
Perhaps one more reason to maybe (?) think twice about a Pacifica. That ZF-sourced 9-speed has been problematic in a number of both Chrysler and Honda vehicles it has been installed in, and the source of a number of customer complaints. I hope GM and Ford do a better job on the 9 and 10-speed automatics that they jointly co-developed for both transverse FWD use (9-speed) and longitudinal RWD use (10-speed). GM did most of the work on the 9-speed, and Ford on the 10-speed....each will share the units in their products.
05-16-17, 03:54 PM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Yeah I agree with pbm, in fact many reviewers go out of their way to point out that the Pacifica is the first implementation of that 9 speed they don't find problematic.
In any event, I really only have two choices, the Pacifica or the Odyssey, since the Sienna and the Sedona don't have the third row access I want. The Odyssey will be $50k loaded im sure which the Pacifica is, but the Pacifica has so much trunk money the Odyssey will sell way closer to MSRP.
In any event, I really only have two choices, the Pacifica or the Odyssey, since the Sienna and the Sedona don't have the third row access I want. The Odyssey will be $50k loaded im sure which the Pacifica is, but the Pacifica has so much trunk money the Odyssey will sell way closer to MSRP.
05-16-17, 05:03 PM
#25
Lexus Fanatic
In any event, I really only have two choices, the Pacifica or the Odyssey, since the Sienna and the Sedona don't have the third row access I want. The Odyssey will be $50k loaded im sure which the Pacifica is, but the Pacifica has so much trunk money the Odyssey will sell way closer to MSRP.
One excellent feature we used to see on Chrysler-designed minivans, that also went extinct, is the built-in, DOT-approved, fold-down child seats (I think that Mercedes also offered them as an option on the old R-class). That would have been an ideal feature for your wife with small twins. Just pull the seat down out out of the larger setback, set Junior down, buckle up a single Y-strap, and that's it....no fumbling with the child seats or attaching/detaching them in lousy weather, or when your arms are full of packages. I just wonder if that system lost its DOT-approval for some reason.
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-16-17 at 05:14 PM.
05-16-17, 05:33 PM
#26
Super Moderator
It drove great except for the expectedly unnatural feel endemic to almost every FWD vehicle--not a mark against it, just is what it is.
05-16-17, 05:45 PM
#27
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Well, I sympathize with you here, at least to some extent. The auto manufacturers, at least here in the American market, are clearly neglecting minivans (perhaps because of the never-ending craze with SUVs). GM and Ford dropped all of theirs entirely, years ago. At Chrysler, the ever-popular Voyager, Caravan, and Town & Country are gone, leaving only the Pacifica and Grand Caravan...and the Grand Caravan is probably on short notice. Hyundai dropped the Entourage, leaving only the Sedona to represent the Koreans. The European manufacturers never offered them here at all, save for the short-lived VW Routan, which was actually a rebadged Voyager/Caravan. And the Sienna is the only one in the American market currently offering AWD as an option.
As for AWD, I'm a big fan of AWD, but not on a minivan unless there were no drawbacks. For instance here to get an AWD Sienna you have to order one, and they don't even stock FWD crossovers here. Buyers just don't really want AWD minivans. They could do it...the Pacifica could be AWD, the new Odyssey is on the Pilot platform and could certainly be AWD...they don't make them because theres not enough demand.
One excellent feature we used to see on Chrysler-designed minivans, that also went extinct, is the built-in, DOT-approved, fold-down child seats (I think that Mercedes also offered them as an option on the old R-class). That would have been an ideal feature for your wife with small twins. Just pull the seat down out out of the larger setback, set Junior down, buckle up a single Y-strap, and that's it....no fumbling with the child seats or attaching/detaching them in lousy weather, or when your arms are full of packages. I just wonder if that system lost its DOT-approval for some reason.
Other issue is comfort. We need kids to sleep in carseats. Kid aint sleeping in that lol.
When I was a kid and the age and size my kids are now, I just sat in the seat. I remember riding in the middle on the bench seat of my Dad's Oldsmobile. Times are different now, in MD kids need to be in carseats until they're 8 and 4'9" tall.
The reason why these aren't around is parents didn't want them, and/or they weren't deemed safe.
I haven't read the reviews, but agree with the assessment. I had one for the better part of a week in the hill country of upstate NY in the winter (February), and had no complaints whatsoever about the transmission--I even got used to the goofy-*** ****. It drove great except for the expectedly unnatural feel endemic to almost every FWD vehicle--not a mark against it, just is what it is.
It drove great except for the expectedly unnatural feel endemic to almost every FWD vehicle--not a mark against it, just is what it is.
05-16-17, 05:52 PM
#28
Lexus Fanatic
A good alternative, IMO (and this basic idea goes back to the electro-mechanical dash push-buttons on the early-60s Chrysler products and late-50s Edsels) are the vertical PRNDL electronic push-buttons, to the left side of the dash-screen, that new Lincolns are using today. Unlike some other new designs, this one kills three birds with one stone...the need to free up more space on the console, eliminate the bulky mechanical linkage, and do it in a manner that is simple, straightforward, and simple for people to use.
05-16-17, 05:53 PM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I would much rather have a joystick than the rotary **** lol
I just want a damn gearshift.
I just want a damn gearshift.
05-16-17, 05:57 PM
#30
Lexus Fanatic
Well, if you get a Pacifica, looks like you won't have much choice. But, hey, you'll be like me when my new Lacrosse comes in LOL.........having to put with a less-than-ideal shifter for the love of the rest of the vehicle.