Buying a minivan

[Decapolis]

Anyone here recently gone from an older generation to a new (2018 or 19) odyssey? Is the New Honda sense safety technology worth it? Im spending way too much time and effort searching for our next minivan but I’m torn between new and used which both seem really expensive. I saw recently that the 2019 was the safest minivan available but you pay for it. We are coming from the most basic 2010 model available so no advanced safety tech(not even a back up camera). My options are

2019 ex-l 35k

2019 ex(basically the same as the ex-l except cloth seats)32k

2016 ex-l(19k miles) 30k

2015 ex-l(35k miles) 26k

Looks like as of 2019 all the safety tech is standard on all trim levels except for the LE. Earlier years got more tech as you move up. Forward collision mitigation and active braking sensing seem like the biggest upgrades over the last couple years. My wife thinks it’s crazy to spend 35k on a minivan but I think it’s crazy to spend 30k on a used one. We put about 20k miles per year on our current van.

[Craigy]

Agree I would spend $35k on the new 2019 before spending $30k on the 2016.

Is the 2010 dead?  If it still runs reliably I'd rather keep the current 2010 than spend $26k on that 2015, for example.  If your wife is still happy with the 2010 the most frugal thing to do would be to keep it going until it doesn't.

Just don't go too crazy on the extra features and it makes sense to buy new.  Especially if you shop far and wide and get an aggressive deal.

 

[Decapolis]

Craigy wrote:

Agree I would spend $35k on the new 2019 before spending $30k on the 2016.

Is the 2010 dead?  If it still runs reliably I’d rather keep the current 2010 than spend $26k on that 2015, for example.  If your wife is still happy with the 2010 the most frugal thing to do would be to keep it going until it doesn’t.

Just don’t go too crazy on the extra features and it makes sense to buy new.  Especially if you shop far and wide and get an aggressive deal.

 

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Thanks craigy. 2010 is not dead but I would describe it as “beat”. My kids refer to the color as beater blue. It’s lots of cosmetic stuff after 140k miles...tons of dings and scratches that we never fixed including a basketball sized one in the back end. Stereo has stopped working and we were told that new head unit “may” fix it. Glove box won’t open and the interior(cloth) looks and smells about how you would expect it would after 4 kids have lived in it. It now makes a strange clunking sound when you turn left at slow speeds. My wife is the definition of frugal but I think she’s a little embarrassed to drive it even though she won’t admit it! So the option is buy a new one with cash or spend some money to fix up the one we have. Blue book value is between 2700-5100 depending on condition so I’m not sure how much I want to spend.

[Peds]

not 2016 ex-l(19k miles) 30k

 

why would you buy a 3 year old used car for 6% off????

[RDB]

On the new ones, have you emailed multiple dealers? Maybe the prices have gone way up, but we got our 2015 ex-l/w RES for just over 31K brand new. I would just make sure you know the true prices before deciding.

[Decapolis]

Peds wrote:

not 2016 ex-l(19k miles) 30k

 

why would you buy a 3 year old used car for 6% off????

Click to expand...

I agree. Found 3 very similar 2016 models and the cheapest any dealer would go was 29k but it had almost 40k miles.

[Decapolis]

RDB wrote:

On the new ones, have you emailed multiple dealers? Maybe the prices have gone way up, but we got our 2015 ex-l/w RES for just over 31K brand new. I would just make sure you know the true prices before deciding.

Click to expand...

Wow. I emailed 5 dealers. Msrp on a ex-l without navigation is 38605 and the best offer I got was 34900.

[Dreamgiver]

Wow these prices are ridiculous. Just fyi, the new one will look just like the old one in a few months so I'd just spruce up your old one. It sound like the stereo is the only thing that doesn't actually work in your old one. They are $200 on Crutchfield for a new decent head unit that is way better than OEM radio. Get a steamer and clean the interior or pay someone $100 to recondition it nicely and give you back that new car smell. Get that clicking sound fixed, do not take it to the dealership, find a good independent mechanic and you'll pay a lot less. I don't get all the new extra features. The rear view camera is the only thing that matters in case a toddler is behind the car. All the other stuff is electronic wizardry that is expensive, long term reliability is unproven, and is just trying to make up for a lack of attention on the drivers side.

[AlexxT]

You should have that clunking sound checked out.  It sounds like a wheel bearing, and if so, needs to be fixed right away.

If you decide to buy a new car, I suggest you buy new rather than used given the prices you found.

If you decide to keep your old car, you should install your own backup camera ASAP.  You can buy one at Costco or Amazon and install it yourself.

I have a 2011 I bought new.  It was a touring elite, and has blind spot indicators and a backup camera, but no other newer technology.  It has 72,000 miles on it and i plan to keep driving it indefinitely.  If I ever replace it, it will be with another Odyssey.

[Decapolis]

AlexxT wrote:

You should have that clunking sound checked out.  It sounds like a wheel bearing, and if so, needs to be fixed right away.

If you decide to buy a new car, I suggest you buy new rather than used given the prices you found.

If you decide to keep your old car, you should install your own backup camera ASAP.  You can buy one at Costco or Amazon and install it yourself.

I have a 2011 I bought new.  It was a touring elite, and has blind spot indicators and a backup camera, but no other newer technology.  It has 72,000 miles on it and i plan to keep driving it indefinitely.  If I ever replace it, it will be with another Odyssey.

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From my google search a wheel bearing was what I was worried about too. I think I would go new too. Based on our kids ages this should be the last minivan we ever need to buy.

 

[Craigy]

Decapolis wrote:

Craigy wrote:

Agree I would spend $35k on the new 2019 before spending $30k on the 2016.

Is the 2010 dead?  If it still runs reliably I’d rather keep the current 2010 than spend $26k on that 2015, for example.  If your wife is still happy with the 2010 the most frugal thing to do would be to keep it going until it doesn’t.

Just don’t go too crazy on the extra features and it makes sense to buy new.  Especially if you shop far and wide and get an aggressive deal.

 

Click to expand…

Thanks craigy. 2010 is not dead but I would describe it as “beat”. My kids refer to the color as beater blue. It’s lots of cosmetic stuff after 140k miles…tons of dings and scratches that we never fixed including a basketball sized one in the back end. Stereo has stopped working and we were told that new head unit “may” fix it. Glove box won’t open and the interior(cloth) looks and smells about how you would expect it would after 4 kids have lived in it. It now makes a strange clunking sound when you turn left at slow speeds. My wife is the definition of frugal but I think she’s a little embarrassed to drive it even though she won’t admit it! So the option is buy a new one with cash or spend some money to fix up the one we have. Blue book value is between 2700-5100 depending on condition so I’m not sure how much I want to spend.

Click to expand...

Thinking of how much wear and tear your family put on your van over the past years, do you really want to buy someone else's old minivan?   :lol:

Given the value, it doesn't make a lot of sense to put any money into the 2010.  Headunit should be cheap, but paint and bodywork is expensive, so is reupholstering/recarpeting the interior and even that might not  get the smell out, etc.  Let alone whatever other maintenance you might need, possible wheel bearing or CV joint, etc., probably due for tires soon, you name it.

2010 to 2019 is probably a meaningful increase in safety, and you and your wife would enjoy driving it a lot more.  Given how long you've driven the 2010, a 2019 should easily last you another decade, so if you break it down over your use it's much easier to justify the purchase.

I'd encourage you to broaden your email list a bit and go for at least 10, maybe even 20 dealers to see who really wants to play ball.

[AlexxT]

Decapolis wrote:

. Based on our kids ages this should be the last minivan we ever need to buy.

Click to expand...

I will eventually stop driving mine for everyday use, but I will keep it around for trips to Costco and Ikea.  Everything fits in that vehicle.  Based on my age and the mileage I put on every year,  my Odyssey should still be working around the time I should stop being allowed to drive.

[Decapolis]

For those of you that went with leather interior is it a lot easier to keep clean? I followed craigys advice and emailed more dealers and there is about a 3k difference for leather in an otherwise identical car.

[WCInovice]

Go with the 19 EX-L. The leather and Apple CarPlay or Android CarPlay are great.

We have a ‘17 odyssey and love it, but the 19 is a step up and worth it IMO.

[treesrock]

Another vote for the 2019. I had a similar decision when getting my 2018 Subaru, and the newest generation, complete with Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, etc, were totally worth the slight premium.