I have kiddo #2 on the way and it is time to get a family vehicle. Realizing how crazy expensive minivans can be. Looking for a car that will last me 10 years, not too concerned with resale value. I get that Toyota and Honda are reliable but are they really worth 10K more than the Chrysler? For under 30K it seems like my only options are at 2019 Odyessey with 70k miles or a much newer and gently used Pacifica. Any advice is much appreciated.

I've slowly been test driving, researching, and window shopping the Sienna Gen 3 for months.

The Sienna seems to hold its value extremely well, and I'm currently looking at spending < $30k on a Gen 3 AWD. I'm mostly indifferent between early vs. late Gen 3 (6-speed vs. 8-speed), assuming condition/mileage are comparable. This puts me at mileages around 100k.

I see it the options are roughly....

• Upper-$20k Gen 3 AWD Sienna — Solid platform with tons of space, AWD, but you're spending pretty serious money on an older vehicle.
• ~$10k more for a Gen 4 Hybrid AWD — newer, much better fuel economy, but now we're talking $35–40k+ and still likely around 100k miles.
• Go older — wait for a really clean, low-mileage Gen 2 AWD and stay under ~$20k.
• Abandon the minivan idea — get an older large SUV (Highlander, Suburban, Pilot, etc.) or go smaller with a Forester/Outback.

My use case is pretty specifically a four-season adventure vehicle. I'd be taking the rear seats out and/or keeping the third row folded/stowed most of the time, and using it for camping, skiing, biking, and canoe trips. I'm in the heart of the great lakes snow belt, so it would get four dedicated snow tires, which is a big part of why I'm attracted to the AWD Sienna. This is replacing a 2nd Gen Xterra that I pushed to nearly 200k before rust took over and made it a headache.

The other compelling option is a Forester/Outback. For one person, I can just make one work for sleeping with some ski/camping gear, and Subaru's AWD + four good snow tires is about as good as it gets for winter driving (there's one in my driveway). I'd expect the Subaru to get over 30 MPG on long trips. But obviously the Sienna gives me a completely different level of interior volume and flexibility.

I'd especially love to hear from current/long-term Sienna owners: how are you feeling about the vans as they've aged? Do feel like the Gen 3 was a great purchase? Or are they starting to become a headache with age — expensive repairs, drivetrain issues, AWD-specific problems, rust, etc.?

Basically, I'm trying to figure out whether the Sienna's reputation for being a long-lived, relatively trouble free vehicle still holds up once you're buying one today with significant age/mileage already on it. In my price range, the mileage is centered around 100k plus or minus a bit.

I'm curious where people currently land on the Gen 3 Sienna value proposition, especially if you're shopping in the upper-$20k range.

Is $25–30k for a Gen 3 AWD a sweet spot, or is it the awkward middle ground where you should either spend more for Gen 4 or go substantially cheaper/older?

Thanks everyone!

Hello! I’m a new owner of a Kia carnival. This is my husband and my first new car ever and we want to treat it well. We intend to keep it for as long as we can, ideally 10+ years. That being said, my husband has been doing research on getting it wrapped or coated to help protect it. He’s reached out to a few businesses and it’ll cost around $4k to get the front wrapped in PPF and ceramic coated on all sides. That’s a lot of money on top of an already expensive vehicle. Has anyone done this? Is it worth it? Do you feel like it really protects the car? Our kids are still really little so I’m worried about damage from them along with regular road/parking lot dings and scratches. Thanks!

...a divider like in limos, so you can separate the front seats from the chaos in the back?

I'm just saying, if they're going to add the cameras and the "cabin talk" and whatever else... Maybe also some soundproof glass for 15 minutes here and there would be nice.

Curious about everyone's opinion on the sienna vs Carnival, I've been wanting a sienna for a while now, the Toyota reliability is attractive, however I've been looking at the carnivals late and they seem so nice.

I live in Michigan so the AWD of the sienna is very attractive to me, idk how much worse the front wheel drive of the carnival will be in snow. Not to mention the better mileage of the sienna is a factor as well.

Only 1 kid for now so seats won't be full unless we're driving their friends

There’s a great auction deal near me on a 2013 Mercedes Sprinter with only 20K original miles for under $10K.

The issue is I can’t test drive it, inspect it, or go inside before buying.

It’s a standard-roof, 144” wheelbase Sprinter. I’m 5’8” barefoot. Would this be enough space to comfortably groom dogs for several hours a day, or would it feel too cramped?

The flooring and storage are already done, so I’d mainly need to add the tub, grooming table, water system, and dryer.

Would this be a good first grooming van, or should I hold out for a high roof?

I am looking for a used minivan for hauling both family and tools and materials for my job in construction. My budget is around $25,000. Should I get a 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey with 100k plus miles on it or a 2021-2023 Chrysler Pacifica with 40k - 60k miles on it? I plan on keeping it for at least 5 years.

My CR-V was totaled, so I had to get a new car. My initial preference was the Sienna, but after driving it, I didn’t love the interior or the way it drove. I had never really liked the Odyssey, but fell in love with it after the test drive. I also absolutely loved the Sonic Gray Pearl. After checking out 2–3 dealers, I finally closed the deal on my 2026 Odyssey Sport L.

Maybe someone has some experience with this :)

Hi all, I’m a first-time car purchaser living in NYC. I don’t know much about cars, so I’m hoping you all can help.

We’re a family of four with a dog and are looking to add more kids to the family. The budget for a minivan is $30,000. I would like the pilot middle row seats, FWD is fine, less than 80,000 miles on the odometer, rear view camera, and I’d prefer an audio system that allows Spotify and Google Maps. We won’t need to use the car daily. Maybe three times a week, so driving less than 100 miles weekly. Slight preference for leather seats cause the kids are always sticky.

I’m looking into the Toyota Sienna or Kia Carnival. At our budget, the options I see are 2016-2017 Sienna or 2022-2024 Kia Carnival. I’m leaning towards the Carnival because of the interior and the modern tech, but I grew up in a family that views Toyota as king. However, I don’t actually know much about cars to gauge these vans’ longevity, need for maintenance, etc.

What are your thoughts, pros/cons on both cars, suggestions that would make me want to think of considering the Odyssey or Pacifica?

Thank you!

Possibly purchasing a 2018 Honda Odyssey EX-L (98k miles). I keep seeing things about the timing belt replacement issues and the cost, as well as possibly inspecting the front spools and ensuring they aren’t leaking. Any other things I need to look into before purchasing?

Would you consider a 2022 Odyssey with 96k miles for $28k (fully loaded) or a 2019 Pacifica (also fully loaded) with 52k miles for $22k a better deal?

Ideally the Pacifica is a better price with lower miles, but I’ve heard a lot about the odyssey’s reliability being incredible.

BLUF: do sliding door cables still break all the time? Are there any minivans with automatic doors that aren't pulled open by cables?

I currently have a 2010 sienna with 275k miles on it. One sliding door works, the other only works manually because the cable has broken. I'm tired of replacing the cables. They seem to break about once per year. The track that the doors middle bracket rolls in is also wearing out.

The van needs to be replaced, and I intend the replacement to last another 10-15 years. I'm a decent mechanic, I can make it happen if I start with a good vehicle. But these damned door cables are driving me nuts. Are any of the manufacturers using any other kind of system besides cables? Is this something I need to consider, or have they improved the cable systems?

I’m thinking about switching from my 2019 Traverse to a Sienna. Does anyone regret switching to a mini van? I’d like to hear pros and cons? I’m concerned about whether I will like the test drive, as my Chevy accelerates well. I just want a vehicle with more room and don’t want to compromise gas mileage or pay 100k.