Keep our 2004 Sienna with 88K miles or buy a new minivan--WWYD?

[justlearning]

Looking for some input to help us make our decision...

-- We've had our 2004 Sienna LE AWD for 9 years and have 88K miles on it. We've done very little maintenance on it, so it's been a good vehicle for us. It'll cost about $1000 to get everything done that it needs at 90K miles (including new timing belt, water pump, etc.).

-- There likely will be further repairs needed down the road (e.g., the power sliding door seems like it's slowing down).

-- We can comfortably afford to pay cash for a new 2012 Sienna or Odyssey. If we did that, we'd pay about $27-28K for the model we're looking at (without any trade-in).

-- Right now we could probably sell our Sienna on CL for about $11K.

-- DH can't work on cars so we have to take it into a shop for any repairs.

So if you were in our shoes, would you keep the Sienna for many more years or sell it now and buy a new minivan? Or would you buy a newer model but used vehicle?

It's not important to me to drive a newer car (I'm perfectly happy with my Sienna), but I'm wondering if it's smarter to sell it now than to hang onto it and have costly repairs down the road.

[BillK]

If I could comfortably afford to pay cash for a new car every year I would! But I'm a car nut.

That said your Sienna is almost 10 years old now and will likely run another 5 or so without any major issues however if there are any they'll probably be costly and you're getting to the point of cost to repair vs value becoming close.

I'd consider a new Sienna (personally i HATE the new Ody styling and that's why'd I'd rule it out entirely and I can barely look at the new Nissan style without throwing up in my mouth a little). ;)

[twowhat?]

That's a tough one! I think I'd be tempted to go with the new minivan if you can comfortably pay cash. Agree with BillK that I don't like the new Odyssey styling - glad we got ours when we did. They also changed dumb things in the new Odyssey like lightened the steering and that would've driven me nuts. That being said, I think the Odyssey is now more comparable to the Sienna in terms of driving feel (you know, light steering, soft, floaty boat) whereas in the past the Odyssey had more road feel, stiffer suspension, tighter steering. So I don't think you can go wrong with either.

[jjordan]

It sounds like you are in a great position, because either way you're fine. There is no "wrong" decision here, IMO. :)

As you're factoring in cost, remember to figure sales tax and so on.

Maybe what I would do is have in your mind what you'd need to get for your Sienna in order to make selling worth it, and then list it on Craigslist for a little more than that and see if someone is willing to pay what you want to get out of it.

Cost-wise, figure that the original invoice price was $25k, and so you've basically spent $14k (assuming you could sell it for $11k) + oil changes and such for these past 9 years/88k miles of use. That averages to about $1500-$1600/year. If you keep it another 5 years and put $3k of repairs into it, then sell it for $7k (I totally made up that number), you're still averaging around $1500 per year.

So basically what I'm saying is that at this point, you can spend quite a bit of money in repairs and still not be increasing your overall cost, if that makes sense.

Honestly I'd say that if you're happy with it, then stick with it. :)

[hillview]

We just sold our 5 year old Sienna and got a new one with 0% apr. I am happy with this decision so you can guess my vote :)

[lhafer]

If you can comfortably get a new car, then I would. New cars have better/more safety features now days.

[mom2khj]

If you can comfortably get a new car, then I would. New cars have better/more safety features now days.

:yeahthat:

[justlearning]

As you're factoring in cost, remember to figure sales tax and so on.



Yes, I should have put that in my original post. The base cost would be $27-28 K but taxes, dealer fee, etc. add over $3k more to that.

[MommyAllison]

We were minivan shopping this spring, and IIRC the side curtain airbags were added to Siennas midway through the 05 model year...so I'd probably buy a newer one since you can comfortably afford to. As a shopper, the further under 100k miles, the more attractive the van.

[justlearning]

We were minivan shopping this spring, and IIRC the side curtain airbags were added to Siennas midway through the 05 model year...so I'd probably buy a newer one since you can comfortably afford to. As a shopper, the further under 100k miles, the more attractive the van.

We purchased the option in 2004 to have the side curtain airbags, so our vehicle does that. I believe that the only air bag difference is that the 2012 Sienna has knee airbags (at least for the driver).

But yes, I think that our resale value could be maximized now because our mileage is in the 80K's instead of 90K or 100K.

[BeachBum]

We decided to sell our van when it hit that amount of miles because the amount that you get resale after you hit 100K miles decreases exponentially. For me I knew that I'd either be driving it into the ground or getting new now. I knew that we wouldn't keep it another year or two then trade...

I definitely think that there is a good potential for saving $ if you keep driving it (and you don't have many problems). But I do like driving a newer car and having the bells and whistles.

We traded our '06 Oddy touring for a '12 touring and I really love it.

[hellokitty]

If you can afford it, I would sell it now and get a new one. In our area, used cars, esp minivans are selling like hotcakes. Ppl WANT to buy used minivans, but they are so hard to find. One of my friends shopped for over 3-4 months before finally being able to find one. She said that every time they saw a listing, by the time they wanted to go see the car to try it, it had sold. We sold my 2001 honda ody last yr with about 80K pretty painlessly. Our 1998 subaru legacy sedan sold in less than 24 hrs, ppl were fighting over it! Also, since your DH isn't handy with cars, I think that it would be another reason to consider a new car now if you can swing it.

[kijip]

You will get way more for a used 8 year old van with less than 90K on it than your will for a 10+ year van with 100K+ on it. Since you can afford it, I would say go ahead and get the new van. I have found that minivans don't depreciate as rapidly as many other types of cars so you won't save much getting a 1-2 year old minivan instead of a new one. I would see what kind of deal you can negotiate and enjoy the new van.

[AngB]

I would go new, but I agree with the others who think the new Ody's are pretty hideous, so I'd avoid that one.

[justlearning]

I would go new, but I agree with the others who think the new Ody's are pretty hideous, so I'd avoid that one.

We can get a Sienna LE (not AWD) for about $1300 less than an Odyssey EX. But DH and I actually like the new Ody more than the Sienna, and I'd like a change after having a Sienna for 9 years. But reading some of your comments about disliking the 2012 Ody styling is making me question if its later resale would be lower than a Sienna's.

[lhafer]

We can get a Sienna LE (not AWD) for about $1300 less than an Odyssey EX. But DH and I actually like the new Ody more than the Sienna, and I'd like a change after having a Sienna for 9 years. But reading some of your comments about disliking the 2012 Ody styling is making me question if its later resale would be lower than a Sienna's.

I see more Odys than Siennas where I am. I wouldn't worry about resale value regarding it's looks. Honda has their stout followers and it would be fine for resale.

[StantonHyde]

We don't get rid of anything with less than 100K miles on it. As long as the money you put in is less than a new car etc. We pay cash for all vehicles. I would keep it till you got to 100K.

[belovedgandp]

I tend to drive vehicles into the ground - 12-16 years and 150K+ miles before we're finished. If you were willing to drive the vehicle that long, then I'd make the repairs and keep on moving. But if you see yourself upgrading in 2 years instead of 8, I'd do it now. Especially with the ability to do so for cash.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I get a new car itch pretty easily. If there isn't a new car screaming your name, and your family needs don't dictate that you need a new one, I'd stay put in the one you have now. If you go on long family trips in your van and don't want to risk needing to get something replaced on a vacation, then, I'd maybe consider replacing it proactively.

When I look at the cars of elementary aged families, they seem to have minivans, but when I look at middle and high school aged families, they don't seem to have minivans anymore. My thought is that we'd likely keep this one van until it croaks, then move toward something a little more exciting, perhaps.

On the other hand, if you love having a van and see yourself driving one for another 6 years or so, I'd bless another family with your 88K bargain minivan and get yourself a new one to last well through the rest of your minivan years.

[lhafer]

I get a new car itch pretty easily. If there isn't a new car screaming your name, and your family needs don't dictate that you need a new one, I'd stay put in the one you have now. If you go on long family trips in your van and don't want to risk needing to get something replaced on a vacation, then, I'd maybe consider replacing it proactively.

When I look at the cars of elementary aged families, they seem to have minivans, but when I look at middle and high school aged families, they don't seem to have minivans anymore. My thought is that we'd likely keep this one van until it croaks, then move toward something a little more exciting, perhaps.

On the other hand, if you love having a van and see yourself driving one for another 6 years or so, I'd bless another family with your 88K bargain minivan and get yourself a new one to last well through the rest of your minivan years.

This is a very good point.

We had a 2006 Nissan Quest that we got brand new when DD1 was born. We now have 2 kids (ages 6 and 2). I put alot of miles on my minivan because I commuted a long distance to work. It had about 105,000 miles on it when I traded it in for a new 2012 Quest this past January.

I was ready to get something more exciting (SUV), but DH didn't think we were out of the minivan needs yet. So we leased my new van. I don't work now (am a SAHM), so I don't rack up the miles now like I did before. It's a 3 year lease, so we should be out of strollers, into less bulky car seats, etc by the time my lease is up (the girls will be 9 and 5). Then I will get something funner, and less...momish. But I love the van, love the storage, etc. I am just finding that we don't need all the extra space quite as much any more. And we aren't having more children.

[justlearning]

On the other hand, if you love having a van and see yourself driving one for another 6 years or so, I'd bless another family with your 88K bargain minivan and get yourself a new one to last well through the rest of your minivan years.

Good points in your post. I'd love to drive a sportier vehicle in the future, but I don't think we would ever want to give up all the benefits of a minivan. We use it as a truck, hauling stuff in it, and we also pack it full when going camping. Most importantly, we're all very tall and our boys likely will grow up to be at least 6'2" so it's nice to have the extra legroom. We also like the gas mileage it gets (compared to a large SUV) so I think we will end up driving a minivan for many years.

[Gracemom]

We just sold our 2004 Sienna! I was sad to see it go, but it needed about $2K in repairs, and we had over 100K miles on it. I got less for it than I was hoping, but it wasn't it great condition due to a fender bender my DH had.

The most important aspect for me (beside repair cost) was the time it was going to need to be in the shop for the repairs. I have 2 very active kids, my DH travels for work a lot, and I just couldn't spare the time to take it in. If you can afford the new van, I say go for it!

[pastrygirl]

I was in a similar position with my Subaru Forester a couple of years ago. Almost 90k miles and 9 years old, facing the first of many costly repairs, could pay cash for a new Forester much upgraded from the one I had (leather, turbo, etc.).

I bought the new one and have no regrets! (Well, except that I would've loved a minivan. I just didn't like my options at the time. I need AWD.)

[*myfoursons]

This is funny, we're in the exact same position, except the automatic door on our 05 Sienna just broke. Instead of paying to fix the door, we're planning on getting the new Sienna. We have the cash, and I really want the rear-view camera as an added safety feature. In my mind, that feature alone tipped the balance for us from "fix" to "buy."

[mom2khj]

I'll dissent and say I adore the way the new Odyssey looks! I'll admit when I first saw it, I wasn't sure. But I just got a 2012 and now I LOVE that it doesn't look as mini-vanish as the other vans. LOL. Most of my friends/family who've seen it say it looks a little more like a cross-over than a van. The only color I don't like it in is black.

I also preferred the interior looks (I'm not a huge fan of faux wood trim), as well as the larger 8th seat and the "wide" mode" in the second row.

I also agree as kids get older the van "needs" won't be as high. I anticipate we'll keep this one for 10 years (we drive our cars to the ground, LOL) and then I can go back to something more "fun", though I do enjoy driving the van! By then, two of my kids will be driving age. YIKES! :rotflmao:

[WatchingThemGrow]

Good points in your post. I'd love to drive a sportier vehicle in the future, but I don't think we would ever want to give up all the benefits of a minivan. We use it as a truck, hauling stuff in it, and we also pack it full when going camping. Most importantly, we're all very tall and our boys likely will grow up to be at least 6'2" so it's nice to have the extra legroom. We also like the gas mileage it gets (compared to a large SUV) so I think we will end up driving a minivan for many years.
See, I think I'd be on the lookout for something that gets good gas mileage, fits your cargo needs, and would be good to hand down to boys as a first car. That's kinda what our plan would be for our next car purchase, I'm guessing...something we'd feel okay about sending our DC out in.

[hellokitty]

My issue with the new ody compared to the old one is how low it is. I noticed it as soon as we drove into the lot to test drive, and my DH thought I was crazy, until the sales woman basically confirmed my observation. They said that they made this, so it's easier for old ppl and young children to get in and out of the vehicle. I get that, BUT I found myself hitting my head. The styling looks odd to me, but I am getting used to it. I would have preferred to have try a sienna too, but my DH felt that since we were happy with our 2001 ody, that we should just stick to honda again (I've had bad CS issues with toyota in the past, so that doesn't help either). I opted for a used 09 ody, instead of the newest version ody.

We also thought about the elementary vs. high school aged kids when we got our 09 last yr, but my issue is that I have 3 kids and they fight a lot. Even if we are out of the carseat phase, honestly I do not think I would want them sitting 3 across due to all of the bickering. Third row seating for a lot of these SUVs sucks, as far as I am concerned. Have you ever try to sit back there before, we tried it when we were car shopping and it was easy to decide to do a minivan again. I sat in the 3rd row of my honda last wk and had lots of leg room and didn't feel cramped, I hate sitting in the 3rd row of suvs, it's a joke. Plus, having come from a 3 kid family myself, I HATED sitting next to my brothers and when my mom got a minivan when I was in jr high, we thought it was awesome (my parents had a volkswagon station wagon prior to that, so we sat three across and we were constantly doing the, "MOM, he's touching me" thing). So, I know that we will probably be a minivan family for at least another 8-10 yrs, which is close to when my older two will be headed off to college (by then, I still think we'll need a minivan to haul stuff to and from the dorm, lol). My 2009 ody is most likely my last minivan, unless I total my minivan anytime in the next 5 yrs or so.

[AnnieW625]

If I had the cash and knew I could get a good amount of money for my current car then I would definitely sell. I might also make the repairs if I knew it was going to guarantee me profit.


We can get a Sienna LE (not AWD) for about $1300 less than an Odyssey EX. But DH and I actually like the new Ody more than the Sienna, and I'd like a change after having a Sienna for 9 years. But reading some of your comments about disliking the 2012 Ody styling is making me question if its later resale would be lower than a Sienna's.
I would not worry about resale at all. I would go with the car you like the best. When the new vans first came out I thought I preferred the new Sienna, but now less than 2 yrs. later the only color I like the Sienna in is black. Everything else looks boring and old now. In regards to the Odyssey styling I thought it was fugly, but now 2 yrs. later and after having 2 friends have one They are really starting to grow on me. I like that they are easy to find in a parking lot. In my area the Sienna is king.

I would start getting quotes and test driving both brands. Honda's model year end clearance is coming up and because I see more Siennas than I do Odyssesys I would be thinking you might be able to get a good price one.


I tend to drive vehicles into the ground - 12-16 years and 150K+ miles before we're finished. If you were willing to drive the vehicle that long, then I'd make the repairs and keep on moving. But if you see yourself upgrading in 2 years instead of 8, I'd do it now. Especially with the ability to do so for cash.

:yeahthat:


........
When I look at the cars of elementary aged families, they seem to have minivans, but when I look at middle and high school aged families, they don't seem to have minivans anymore. My thought is that we'd likely keep this one van until it croaks, then move toward something a little more exciting, perhaps.

On the other hand, if you love having a van and see yourself driving one for another 6 years or so, I'd bless another family with your 88K bargain minivan and get yourself a new one to last well through the rest of your minivan years.

Agree with this as well. If something were to happen today to my Pilot I would probably push for an Odyssey EX knowing that I would only want or need to keep it for about 5-10 yrs. In 10 yrs. the van would be DD1's first car or we'd sell it and use the profit to buy DD1 her first used car (Civic, Corolla, or small pickup truck).

[Tanya]

Hmmm, I'm not sure what I would do if money wasn't an issue.

I have a 2003 Odyssey with almost 120,000 miles on it. I just had it in for a couple repairs totaling about $900, but before that, it's been things like cleaning the door track or cleaning leaves out of the blower.
As it gets up in miles, I wonder when we'll need to get a new one, but I hate to spend that kind of money especially when we're looking into moving.

With that said, there is a part of me that dreams of some of the newer features.

[MommyAllison]

We can get a Sienna LE (not AWD) for about $1300 less than an Odyssey EX. But DH and I actually like the new Ody more than the Sienna, and I'd like a change after having a Sienna for 9 years. But reading some of your comments about disliking the 2012 Ody styling is making me question if its later resale would be lower than a Sienna's.

I wouldn't worry about the styling affecting resale. I think what is weird-looking now will seem normal 5-10 years down the road when there are lots of them out there. (I don't care for the new styling either)

[urquie]

With that said, there is a part of me that dreams of some of the newer features.

Does anyone know the major changes, or cool added features, between the 2004 and 2012/13? Has Toyota redesigned them recently... or plan to do so soon?