After narrowing down to an Odyssey or Suburban/Yukon XL and in order to stay within our budget, our choice is to either by a newer Odyssey with 40-50k miles or an older Suburban/Yukon XL with closer to 85-100k miles. My wife would prefer to not drive a minivan but she is willing to at least test drive an Odyssey. I too would prefer to have a Suburban/Yukon XL but have a hard time justifying the purchase of a car that is older and with double the miles. Would love to hear your thoughts/input on pros and cons to each vehicle.
Newer/lower mileage Odyssey VS older/higher mileage Suburban/Yukon XL
15,494 Views |
73 Replies |
Last: 9 yr ago by schmendeler
I'm a 32 yo male and I drive an odyssey and I freaking love it. There. I said it. I got it when kiddo #1 came along, knowing that much of the next 10 years would involve car seats and cargo. Sliding doors are the best part of it,imo.
Honda Minivan:
Cheaper operating expenses - gas, repairs, insurance, tires, brakes, etc
More third row legroom
slightly less cargo volume behind third seat
more total cargo volume
automatic sliding doors
car-like driving feel
Suburban:
Higher driving position
towing
looks (subjective, but many prefer)
ground clearance/off roading
can LS swap
My thoughts - if you have very young kids, the Minivan just makes too much sense. If your kids are older, or gone, then it's just a matter of personal preference and budget.
Cheaper operating expenses - gas, repairs, insurance, tires, brakes, etc
More third row legroom
slightly less cargo volume behind third seat
more total cargo volume
automatic sliding doors
car-like driving feel
Suburban:
Higher driving position
towing
looks (subjective, but many prefer)
ground clearance/off roading
can LS swap
My thoughts - if you have very young kids, the Minivan just makes too much sense. If your kids are older, or gone, then it's just a matter of personal preference and budget.
Suburban: falling apart at 150,000 miles
Oddy: still going strong at 250,000
Oddy: still going strong at 250,000
quote:
Suburban: falling apart at 150,000 miles
Oddy: still going strong at 250,000
Well that will about do it folks.
quote:
Suburban: falling apart at 150,000 miles
Oddy: still going strong at 250,000
Our 97 burb has 310k on original engine. Has rebuilt transmission and rear end.
In laws has an odessy, maybe a 02/04 that had 250k on it when the head gasket went.
Both have had little things repaired but both good in general. The use of both was impressive. Van could haul people great and get better mpg, but the burban could haul more stuff and higher up (safety) and handle bad weather better being 4x4
You are going to find outliers on either one. What impresses me on the Honda is how the interior and subsystems hold up. I guarantee your drivers seat is trash. Not so in a Honda.
And front wheel drive is very good in bad weather. Four wheel drive can handle worse weather, but adds weight and complexity and hurts mpg for those 12 miles in 100,00 where it is truly needed.
Besides, for bad weather, what you really need is braking, not 4wd.
And front wheel drive is very good in bad weather. Four wheel drive can handle worse weather, but adds weight and complexity and hurts mpg for those 12 miles in 100,00 where it is truly needed.
Besides, for bad weather, what you really need is braking, not 4wd.
Who is your wife trying to impress saying she doesn't want to drive a minivan?
Can't put a price on being able to look yourself in the mirror
Appreciate all of the replies and I agree that the Odyssey seems so practical. We have two small kids with one on the way so it makes sense to get an Odyssey now and as they get older and need a little more space then a Suburban/Yukon XL might be a better fit. Growing up, our families had Suburbans and never owned a minivan so I think it's more of my wife and I getting used to the idea of owning/driving a minivan.
Bought 2001 Oddy in 2000 when daughter was 1 year old. Traded in POS 1995 Tahoe. Tahoe was so bad that I wrote GM an email from my AOL account that I would never buy another GM vehicle. And I kept the promise.
Then bought a 2nd Oddy, 2011 model with 35,000 miles.
If you have kids, it just makes sense.
Around town, Oddy gets 19 mpg. HWY at 70+ mph, between 25 to 28mpg.
Do people think you're cool because you drive an SUV? No. And why should you care?
If you need 4x4 and/or tow, sure, I guess a large SUV makes sense. But realize, a young family getting started with young kids, a minivan makes sense.
I have no shame driving a minivan, honda element, prius, avalon, truck...whatever. But for child rearing and recreation, minivan works for my family.
Then bought a 2nd Oddy, 2011 model with 35,000 miles.
If you have kids, it just makes sense.
Around town, Oddy gets 19 mpg. HWY at 70+ mph, between 25 to 28mpg.
Do people think you're cool because you drive an SUV? No. And why should you care?
If you need 4x4 and/or tow, sure, I guess a large SUV makes sense. But realize, a young family getting started with young kids, a minivan makes sense.
I have no shame driving a minivan, honda element, prius, avalon, truck...whatever. But for child rearing and recreation, minivan works for my family.
quote:
Appreciate all of the replies and I agree that the Odyssey seems so practical. We have two small kids with one on the way so it makes sense to get an Odyssey now and as they get older and need a little more space then a Suburban/Yukon XL might be a better fit. Growing up, our families had Suburbans and never owned a minivan so I think it's more of my wife and I getting used to the idea of owning/driving a minivan.
How much space do you think you will need? And how much more use able space do you think you will get with a suburban?
You will be amazed how much you can store in a late model Oddy.
Btw, where is the spare tire in a suburban?
I recall my buddy struggling about a month ago when he realized he had a flat and his escalade doesn't cone with a spare tire.
quote:
Who is your wife trying to impress saying she doesn't want to drive a minivan?
Mrs. Joneses around the neighborhood.
Lots of minivan insecurity projecting going on in here...
quote:
Lots of minivan insecurity projecting going on in here...
Nah... it takes a secure man with confidence to drive a minivan. No need to compensate. Get it?
Odyssey or Sienna
rent a suburban when you need it, they do fall apart at around 150k esp the 07+ models.
rent a suburban when you need it, they do fall apart at around 150k esp the 07+ models.
How about a Pilot instead?
At the point in time in our lives we started having kids we moved to minivans. Minivans rock - space, seating, convenience, mileage, maintenance. It was primarily driven by my wife, but I used it several times when I needed to haul 6 + people at work for meetings.
Like I really give a **** what my neighbor thinks about what I drive. This isn't high school...
We starting in 1998 with a Chrysler Town and Country LXi - then moving up to an Odyssey in 2005 while the kids were growing. Finally sold the minivan when my oldest child began driving.
I always enjoyed watching one of our neighbors struggle ever time she had to put two small kids in their suburban/car seats. A much more involved process than punching the power sliding door keyfob and putting the kids in the minivan. Step back, punch a button, doors close. All is good.
We've owned both minivans and larger SUV's - Unless you need the towing/offroad capacity of a "truck" the minivan wins hands down for a suburban family vehicle.
Like I really give a **** what my neighbor thinks about what I drive. This isn't high school...
We starting in 1998 with a Chrysler Town and Country LXi - then moving up to an Odyssey in 2005 while the kids were growing. Finally sold the minivan when my oldest child began driving.
I always enjoyed watching one of our neighbors struggle ever time she had to put two small kids in their suburban/car seats. A much more involved process than punching the power sliding door keyfob and putting the kids in the minivan. Step back, punch a button, doors close. All is good.
We've owned both minivans and larger SUV's - Unless you need the towing/offroad capacity of a "truck" the minivan wins hands down for a suburban family vehicle.
My dad drove a VW Bus in high school & college. The transition to minivan was second nature for him. He's a handy guy with tools & crap. If you don't need the ground clearance a minivan is almost better than a truck. You can fit a 4x8' sheet of plywood in them, the sliding doors on both sides allow for all kinds of crap.
functional car that is purposely designed for a family with small children and will last for a very long time
or
a massively less functional chick car that won't last half as long and cost twice as much to operate.
tough call
or
a massively less functional chick car that won't last half as long and cost twice as much to operate.
tough call
quote:
How about a Pilot instead?
I recently drove a brand new Highlander and a 2013 Pilot. They both lack the functionality of a minivan by far.
We just traded my wife's 07 Yukon Denali XL for an Odyssey. I still can't believe how useless the huge Denali became when a third car seat entered the equation. An Expedition EL with a second row bench might have been a little better because i think its second row slides fore and aft to allow more third row room. But you're still going to miss: (1) low step-in height that lets toddlers scramble in on their own; (2) sliding doors that create huge openings to access rear seats and get infant carriers in, even in tight parking; (3) seating flexibility, including tons more room for adults (e.g., grandparents) that occasionally ride in the rear; and (4) cheaper to buy, operate, and maintain.
quote:
Appreciate all of the replies and I agree that the Odyssey seems so practical. We have two small kids with one on the way so it makes sense to get an Odyssey now and as they get older and need a little more space then a Suburban/Yukon XL might be a better fit. Growing up, our families had Suburbans and never owned a minivan so I think it's more of my wife and I getting used to the idea of owning/driving a minivan.
Umm, the odyssey has more space.
Cargo volume odyssey: 148.5 cu. Ft.
http://automobiles.honda.com/images/2016/odyssey/downloads/2016-odyssey-specifications.pdf
Cargo volume suburban: 121.7 cu. Ft.
http://www.gmfleet.com/chevrolet/suburban-suv/features-specs/dimensions.html
The suburban just makes you think it has more space because it's using it so inefficiently.
quote:Probably Silvy.
Who is your wife trying to impress saying she doesn't want to drive a minivan?
quote:The owner can't spell for crap?
Piggybacking this, any thoughts on this Odyssey?
link
Seriously, looks good to me. I don't know how the value compares to KBB. But you should be able to take that out to 200K miles, no problem.
quote:Weren't the transmission issues fixed by 2006?
I would get the transmission checked out.
I have a recent perspective on this.
We had a 2010 Odyssey and traded it in on a 13 Tahoe. 2 months ago we traded that tahoe in on a 16 Odyssey. The minivan is so much more functional it's not funny.
The ONLY reason you could justify a Tahoe/Suburban, IMO, is if you need the towing. As far as a people and gear hauler, the Odyssey can't be beat. Period. My youngest is now 11 and the third row seat in the Tahoe was a joke. It had no leg room and was incredibly uncomfortable. Not to mention, there was virtually no storage behind the third row. While I didn't HATE my Tahoe, I'm now now realizing just how impractical they are. A suburban will give you more storage space, but the third row is still the same. Pathetic.
It's also so much more economical.
Folks need to get past the childish vanity of not wanting to drive a minivan.
We had a 2010 Odyssey and traded it in on a 13 Tahoe. 2 months ago we traded that tahoe in on a 16 Odyssey. The minivan is so much more functional it's not funny.
The ONLY reason you could justify a Tahoe/Suburban, IMO, is if you need the towing. As far as a people and gear hauler, the Odyssey can't be beat. Period. My youngest is now 11 and the third row seat in the Tahoe was a joke. It had no leg room and was incredibly uncomfortable. Not to mention, there was virtually no storage behind the third row. While I didn't HATE my Tahoe, I'm now now realizing just how impractical they are. A suburban will give you more storage space, but the third row is still the same. Pathetic.
It's also so much more economical.
Folks need to get past the childish vanity of not wanting to drive a minivan.
I've tried to figure out the minivan hate. My guess is that so many of today's 20 and 30 somethings grew up in one, they are rebelling against driving "mom's car"
quote:quote:Weren't the transmission issues fixed by 2006?
I would get the transmission checked out.
2007 is when they upgraded ******, I think. Definitely better than 99-01.
quote:I felt the same way driving both of my WRX wagons. Why are people still diving sedans when there's a better 5 door option?!
Folks need to get past the childish vanity of not wanting to drive a minivan.
My wife and I were anti-minivan until we found out we were having twins resulting in 4 kids under 4. We needed more room and kept trying to be cool by looking into SUVs, but after looking at minivans it wasn't even close. We fell in love with Honda Odyssey and haven't looked back.
quote:
My wife and I were anti-minivan until we found out we were having twins resulting in 4 kids under 4. We needed more room and kept trying to be cool by looking into SUVs, but after looking at minivans it wasn't even close. We fell in love with Honda Odyssey and haven't looked back.
Yes, and with little one's, the sliding door are a godsend.
quote:quote:I felt the same way driving both of my WRX wagons. Why are people still diving sedans when there's a better 5 door option?!
Folks need to get past the childish vanity of not wanting to drive a minivan.
Well, Avalon doesn't have a wagon option...
Featured Stories
See All
21:37
8h ago
3.7k
Swarming defense paves the way for A&M to advance
by Olin Buchanan
5 Thoughts: #10 Texas A&M 63, #7 Saint Mary's 50 (NCAA Tournament)
by Luke Evangelist
8:13
9h ago
2.6k
6:49
9h ago
1.7k
BetterNotBeChipKelly
Bucky already achieved everything Buzz did.
in Billy Liucci's TexAgs Premium
26