2008 Toyota Sienna CE

[milwaukee]

I finally bit the bullet and bought a new mini van. We have three small kids and usally have a minimum of 5 in the van at all times.

We started out looking at a Nissan Quest due to a very low price advertised in the paper. We looked at a base model that was 16995 before taxes. We researched online and found out the Quest had questionable reliability. Nissan also recommends premium fuel. For a minivan? Who ever came up with this should be fired. The Nissan dealer experience was horrible. At three different stores we ran into nothing but jerks and morons.

We considered a Dodge/Chrysler van but passed because of the horrible resale value and that the purchase price was close to a Toyota Sienna that has very good resale.

We ended up with a 08 Sienna.

It has great MPG with a motor that is not a dog. I think it has the best MPG in class with @265 hp. The van drives nice but the best part is the interior room. It seems way roomier than the other vans we looked at. My only complaints are poor dash materials and a few rattles. Several of the Toyota's I have been around have cheapy interiors and lots of interior rattles. My Dad has a Tundra that has a noisy interior worse than anything ever made by the big three. We had a 05 Camry that did not have the rattles but 08 Sienna has them.

We are happy with the van. We most likely would have strongly considered a Ford minivan due to our previous Ford Windstar being a great vehicle and being pleased with the other previous Ford vehicles. But Ford got out of the minivan business.

IMO the newer Ford interiors are much better than Toyota and that might have swayed our decision. Too bad Ford quit making vans.

I would recommend the Sienna to ohters. I wished the minivan market had some better options. The mazda is not large enough. Ford and GM are not making or designing new vans.

Your only true choices are Toyota, Honda(local dealers wanted MSRP), Chrysler/Dodge, Nissan, and Kia.Hyundai. That is really just 5 vans.

 

[Hermann]

Sad to say that Crossover Utility Vehicles are taking over the market. IMO they are just not a family friendly.

 

[simple_gifts]

does it require premium gas?

 

[milwaukee]

The Sienna? Nope. 87 only.

 

[milwaukee]

Originally Posted By: Hermann
Sad to say that Crossover Utility Vehicles are taking over the market. IMO they are just not a family friendly.


I could not agree more. The van style sliding doors are the greatest feature of a minivan IMO. A crossover is NO substitute for a minivan when it comes to comfort and ease of use for a family.

 

[friendly_jacek]

I almost bought sienna in 06. The deal breaker was low towing hitch. I ended up with 7-passenger RAV4 (with the same monster 3.5 V6 engine that is fun to rev up).
My friends with Toyota and Honda minivans keep raving about them.

 

[Aldaris]

Windstars are awful vans, you must have purchased a ringer to have had a good experience with them.

 

[milwaukee]

Yeah ours was very reliable. Still had a lot of miles left bu the single door (98 model) was not cutting it. It had 180K when we traded for the Sienna.

 

[BearZDefect]

milwaukee, will you tell us how much your 2008 Sienna CE cost you before taxes and financing? Was it 7-passenger or 8?

 

[milwaukee]

It was a 7-pass

Selling Price $22,370




Jim Barkley Toyota (asheville nc) is the best place in America to buy a Toyota. They are 'no haggle' and were $1100 cheaper than the next best price I was able to get at a "regular" Toyota dealership. It was well worth the 60 mile drive to purchase.

 

[milwaukee]

An update on an old post:

Had to have a cat converter replaced before the first oil change. Quite the kick in the nads to start getting check engine lights on a "reliable" Toyota. First dealer visit was nothing more than clearing the code. Light came back on on the way home. Cat replaced on 2nd visit.

Mysterious thump from rear of vehicle that can't be found.

Popping in the drivers seat.

Heavy tire wear.

Cartridge oil filter totally sucks.

We are overall pleased with the van @ 20K miles.

My biggest complaint is the very cheap interior and the myriad of squeaks and pops that come from various areas of the vehicle.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: milwaukee
An update on an old post:

Had to have a cat converter replaced before the first oil change. Quite the kick in the nads to start getting check engine lights on a "reliable" Toyota. First dealer visit was nothing more than clearing the code. Light came back on on the way home. Cat replaced on 2nd visit.

Mysterious thump from rear of vehicle that can't be found.

Popping in the drivers seat.

Heavy tire wear.

Cartridge oil filter totally sucks.

We are overall pleased with the van @ 20K miles.

My biggest complaint is the very cheap interior and the myriad of squeaks and pops that come from various areas of the vehicle.



I would not be happy in this Sienna if this was mine...This just shows you how Toyota is not the way it was a few years back.

 

[JTK]

Milwaukee, if it's any consolation, our 2008 Honda Odyssey LX isn't without annoyances either. Lots of squeeks around the doors. This can be quieted with a good silicone wipe down, but it comes back. An intermittent heavy ping when in certain light throttle conditions. The ping is not always there and some owners have had it go away with a new knock sensor. Others, not so much. A HORRIBLE constant power steering whine that comes and goes- like the system is air bound and cavitating. Again, some owners have had luck changing out the PSF reservoir per a TSB and the noise went away, others? It didn't work. We're at 14Kmi. It's leased so I don't sweat it too bad. That and with 3 little kids it's almost impossible to be without the van.

Joel

 

[milwaukee]

Let me clarify. I am pleased with the van in the respect that is is comfortable and drives well.

I will NOT buy another Toyota van. I wouldn't have bought one this time if Ford was still in the mini van market.

The main reason I purchased the Toyota was it was a similar price for a similar dodge caravan with much better resale and purchasing experience.

If Ford would make an econoline with dual sliding doors I would buy one.

 

[JTK]

Oh I hear ya. Overall I do like the Ody. Thing is, if you need a minivan, your choices are limited these days. My basic Ody LX could be purchased for around $22K. I'd be much more angry had I paid up a model or two like most peopke do. If they're still around, I may seriously consider a Kia Entourage for my next go around.

Joel

 

[VeeDubb]

My 07 Sienna has had the following issues at about 36K:

1. Windows malfunctioned and wouldn't close properly.
2. dead battery.
3. Oxygen sensor went bad.
4. Have had to replace two 6 CD changers.
5. Right sliding door starting to squeak and stick. Probably won't be long before that goes.

A surprising number of problems for a Toyota. I just bought a 6 yr 75K extended warranty last week before it hit 36K. I figure for $474, the warranty will easily cover a malfunctioning sliding door (up to $1800 to repair) and probably more CD changers down the road.

What is ironic is that my 07 VW Passat has had zero problems.

 

[LOLVO]

kind of similar to my 04 tundra that I used to own.
squeaky rear suspension since 5000 miles
leaking battery since 10,000 miles
orange peel on driver's door since 10,000 miles
squeaky clutch pedal since 15,000 miles
tie rod thread worn at 35,000 miles, so it loosened off while driving (fortunately did not lose control.)

traded in at 40,000 miles.

 

[milwaukee]

I looked at a used Ford 2005 Freestar yesterday and it is way nicer than my sienna.

Maybe Ford will get back in the minivan business with the uncertain future of Dodge.

Judging by the new F150, the fusion, edge......a new Ford minivan would be a [censored] nice van.

However by the time I replace my sienna I am thinking of a 3row suv. My kids will be old enough to do their own seatbelts so access won't such of an issue. I'm thinking the Expedion L would fit the bill and would be far more durable and reliable than ANY minivan. It seems minivans are the most unreliable vehicles for ANY brand.

I don't care what any crash numbers say. I would rather my family be in a large, full frame, truck based vehicle in a crash than any minivan. Due to my line of work I see lots of bad wrecks and the bigger vehicle wins everytime.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: milwaukee

I don't care what any crash numbers say. I would rather my family be in a large, full frame, truck based vehicle in a crash than any minivan. Due to my line of work I see lots of bad wrecks and the bigger vehicle wins everytime.


You are absolutely correct!!!!!!.You wouldn't believe the crashes I see down here everyday of the week...Its caused mostly by people texting while going 80MPH or texting while driving in bumper to bumper traffic...Thats how I got rear ended 8 times in 5 years.

 

[firemachine69]

A few winters ago, when I was first starting out the bus gig, I got to see a "large, full frame, truck based vehicle" (a Silverage 2500HD Crew Cab, actually) and how it's "awesome" frame saved the accident scene.

It contained the block engine... Which was pushed right into the REAR SEATS of the cab when the driver fell asleep, and crossed the median into an oncoming eighteen-wheeler. From the bits I gathered the trucker barely had time to jump on his brakes before the collision.

Needless to say, nothing saved the guy in the Silverado, although I have a sneaky suspicion he believed his "full frame truck" was invicible to severe damage, of which he's now sitting in another world kicking himself for his ignorance.