Minivans models and known problems

Hi there
I am planning to buy a new minivan to replace my 2000 GM venture.
It has been a problem since day 1. My ABS does not work and GM is
not honoring the warranty, the head gasket is leaking, etc...

Anyhoot. I am researching minivans and reliability for me is top
priority. However, I am discovering that each manifacturer have
their own problems. Would it be possible to know what are the
major problems (known) for the following contenders? Thanks

Model and Known problems:

Grand Caravan (model year 2004 and more): ???
Venture/Montana (model year2004 and more): Head Gaskets, fit and
finish, etc...
Honda Odesey (model year 2002 to now as I am considering a used
Ody): Tranny (???)
Toyota Sienna (model year 2002 to now): Engine (Is this true)
Ford Freestar (2004 to now):
Nissan Quest (2004 to now):

"Frank" > wrote in news:d-adnWZcwt9jeNTfRVn-
:


> Toyota Sienna (model year 2002 to now): Engine (Is this true)


Not if you change the oil once in a while.

Biggest knock against Sienna is the purchase price. It's expensive, like
the Odyssey. You have to really like Toyotas to pay that much.

--
TeGGeR®

See if you can get a copy or the Lemon Aid Used Car Buyer's Guide.
Published anually in Montreal for Canadian readers, available in many public
libraries, covers specific problems, recalls, warranties, etc. on cars,
vans, and light trucks.

Front wheel drive vans had a history of problems due to too much stress on
front end components. Don't know how they hold up now as I haven't been
reading the reports on them.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned

Frank wrote:


>
> Model and Known problems:
>
> Grand Caravan (model year 2004 and more): ???
> Venture/Montana (model year2004 and more): Head Gaskets, fit and
> finish, etc...
> Honda Odesey (model year 2002 to now as I am considering a used
> Ody): Tranny (???)
> Toyota Sienna (model year 2002 to now): Engine (Is this true)
> Ford Freestar (2004 to now):
> Nissan Quest (2004 to now):

All the manufacturers have some problems. Its always been true, and it
always will be true.

I'm not a big minivan proponent, but everything I ever read and all the
people I know who own them and tell me about them seems to indicate that
Chrysler still, as from the beginning, has the best overall package with
their minivans. They got a bad rap on transmissions for early problems
with their 4-speed electronic automatic, but I've seen very little
complaint with late model Chrysler minivans. The engines (except for the
no-longer-offered Mitsubishi 3.0) are rock-solid. Honda has had way more
transmission trouble in recent years than Chrysler. The whole Toyota
engine sludge "issue" is interesting to me. It can probably be
controlled by aggressive maintenance and synthetic oil, but it does seem
to be an inherent problem with many modern engine designs, especially a
couple of Toyota engines and the Chrysler 2.7L v6 (which is NOT used in
any minivan, by the way).

Will do. I am from Ottawa and go to MTL quite often.

Cheers

"William R. Watt" > wrote in message
...
>
> See if you can get a copy or the Lemon Aid Used Car Buyer's
> Guide.
> Published anually in Montreal for Canadian readers, available
> in many public
> libraries, covers specific problems, recalls, warranties, etc.
> on cars,
> vans, and light trucks.
>
> Front wheel drive vans had a history of problems due to too
> much stress on
> front end components. Don't know how they hold up now as I
> haven't been
> reading the reports on them.
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free
> community network
> homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
> warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or
> it's returned

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
> Frank wrote:
>
>
>>
>> Model and Known problems:
>>
>> Grand Caravan (model year 2004 and more): ???
>> Venture/Montana (model year2004 and more): Head Gaskets, fit
>> and finish, etc...
>> Honda Odesey (model year 2002 to now as I am considering a
>> used Ody): Tranny (???)
>> Toyota Sienna (model year 2002 to now): Engine (Is this true)
>> Ford Freestar (2004 to now):
>> Nissan Quest (2004 to now):
>
> All the manufacturers have some problems. Its always been true,
> and it always will be true.
>
> I'm not a big minivan proponent, but everything I ever read and
> all the people I know who own them and tell me about them seems
> to indicate that Chrysler still, as from the beginning, has the
> best overall package with their minivans. They got a bad rap on
> transmissions for early problems with their 4-speed electronic
> automatic, but I've seen very little complaint with late model
> Chrysler minivans.
(snip)

I have heard of odd problems. Two neighbords had their rear
wheel seizing solid once. These were recent
models (2001-2002-ish). Also there is this guy on the highway
that has a Chrysler and signs all over it about it being a lemon,
chrysler not honouring its warranties... So I am a little
hesitant, yet the sto and go seems ideals for my family (4 kids
and a dog: we need room!)

On 30 Mar 2005 13:26:05 GMT, (William R.
Watt) wrote:

>
>See if you can get a copy or the Lemon Aid Used Car Buyer's Guide.
>Published anually in Montreal for Canadian readers, available in many public
>libraries, covers specific problems, recalls, warranties, etc. on cars,
>vans, and light trucks.
>
>Front wheel drive vans had a history of problems due to too much stress on
>front end components. Don't know how they hold up now as I haven't been
>reading the reports on them.

Most mechanics I know shudder when they hear the name of that book.
Seems that it's not as accurate as it could be.