Going to go van shopping on Friday

"BaconSandwich is tasty." (baconsandwich)
06/13/2018 at 21:53 • Filed to: Toyota, Sienna

I got a surprise call this evening - an older sounding gentleman called me about a posting for a 2008 Toyota Sienna for sale. I wasn’t even sure had had gotten my message. Given how long the post had been up, and the very reasonable price given the mileage, I was surprised it was still for sale.

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(Keep in mind the price is in CAD). Is there anything I should be looking out for in particular with it? If it’s had regular maintenance, I think it could be a very reasonable family hauler.

DISCUSSION (22)

dogisbadob > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 22:21

120k miles is not bad at all. Toyota is awesome and reliable, but I’m not a fan of transverse V6 engines, and minivans are the worst at this! The good news is that Toyota did offer a 4-cylinder Sienna for a couple years.

So, you should also consider the Transit Connect, Mazda 5, and Kia Rondo, as well as the 4-cylinder Sienna.

And sorry, but I have to do this: “bumper dimple” = Camry dent :p

Nibby > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 22:23

Kinja'd!!!

GLiddy > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 22:23

I’d check out ToyotaNation.com and read the Sienna forum to see what the common issues are for this generation. Friends of mine had an older Sienna and that thing was a typical Toyota and just ran and ran.

I will say that I just bought a Corolla of a little more age and mileage and found that it has a failing catalytic converter. That can be a pricey repair if I lived in an inspection state. I’d also check for timing belt/chain and water pump replacement has been done yet. Just your regular items for a car with over 100k miles.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 22:26

There are many more interesting family haulers than a van that hasn’t had oil changed for 14,000km.

Like a Joypop. https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/lethbridge/1990-turbo-joypop/1327659162

Or an s10 Bravada. https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/lethbridge/1999-oldsmobile-bravada-suv-crossover/1358358123

Or an STD. https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/lethbridge/subaru-v5-sti/1359523550

Or all this gorgeous patina. https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/lethbridge/1981-jeep-laredo-4-door-4x4/1355821940

Beige minivan is beige.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > dogisbadob
06/13/2018 at 22:26

I totally pictured a Camry dent as well. :P

In this neck of the woods, there’s no Transit Connects for sale. A Mazda 5 seems okay, but I don’t think it’ll give us enough room. We need at least enough room to fit 3 car seats and a double-wide jogging stroller, minimum. If we went for a Mazda5, we’d have to drop one of the rear seats all the time. There’s also no 3 row Rondos for sale anywhere near us. :(

dogisbadob > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 22:41

I found this 3-row Rondo in the same town as your Sienna, but it is a V6. (Both the Sienna and Rondo were available with fours, but not in your price range or area, sorry)

But, I found something even cooler! Again, same city, there is this 2012 Chevy Orlando with 3 rows of seatd AND a manual transmission! Plus, it is a 4-cylinder engine. For only $5000

3 rows of seats, manual transmission, 4 cylinders, and you have the cool factor of something we didn’t get down here. I think it’s awesome when Canadian oppos/obbos buy the cool Canada-only shit we don’t/didn’t get down here (which, BTW, also includes the 2nd-gen Rondo)

Yes, whenever possible, I try to steer Canadians towards an Orlando, B-class, X-Trail, Micra, Rondo, 5 (especially from the years after they stopped selling them down here), Echo hatchback, or 323 Neo :o)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 22:55

My MIL has one wife 260k mikes still going strong. Even after a Walmart oil change left it with no oil for about 20 miles. Some one forgot to tighten the drain plug to spec.

Cash Rewards > dogisbadob
06/13/2018 at 23:02

I’ve heard the 5is absolutely horrible in a crash.

M.T. Blake > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 23:02

Eighty-five hundred loonie?! That’s not bad. We love our 2017 Sienna SE. Gold isn’t the best color but color be damned if the numbers are right.

RacinBob > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/13/2018 at 23:32

If it drives well and the current owner changed oil and maintained it, kept it clean. Ask yourself this, what are the chances of getting a better one for the same price. Probably slim to none. Buy it and don’t look back. 120k miles is the old 60K miles. Sure it will need shocks or ball joints but even with expenses like that, these are cheap miles if you put another 5 years on it.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > M.T. Blake
06/13/2018 at 23:38

At this point I don’t think we can be picky about color. I’m refusing to spend $30K or more on a minivan. Today I was searching around and was blown away that they were asking $60k for a Pacifica Hybrid. Who in their right mind has that kind of money? Not most families with 3 kids.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > dogisbadob
06/13/2018 at 23:40

The other problem with the Rondo is no sliding doors. Mrs. BaconSandwich would really prefer something with sliding doors, which limits it. That Orlando does look interesting though.

M.T. Blake > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/14/2018 at 00:11

We somehow came to the conclusion that new was best. Toyota’s hold their value and we had difficulty finding anything clean, low miles, and affordable. I was on the other side of the coin. I refused to pay 15 grand for a beat up minivan. We stretched the finances and found ours new for 34k out the door. Sticker was 41k. ..

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Cash Rewards
06/14/2018 at 00:25

I’ve heard the front overlap test. I’ve heard that it was built on the same chassis as the Mazda 3, which might explain it. Could be rumour, though.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
06/14/2018 at 00:27

Ha ha - believe me, I tried pitching the JoyPop. It was a no go. Same with a 1950-ish GMC delivery van that supposedly seats 6. That was also a no-go. I was hoping to recreate a Rutledge Wood style van, but it wouldn’t have been ready to go by the time baby #3 arrives. :P

BaconSandwich is tasty. > M.T. Blake
06/14/2018 at 00:29

I can’t blame you for it. There’s not many used ones around here. I think there were maybe 3 Siennas listed, and a dozen or so Odysseys. Our original plan was to check out a used Odyssey on Friday in a nearby town, but then I got the call out of the blue. I had pretty much written off the post, as it had been up for a long time, the price seemed very reasonable given the age and mileage.

M.T. Blake > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/14/2018 at 00:32

If you can find a good used one, buy it. I couldn’t find any worth the money here in Northern Cali.

Long-Voyager > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/14/2018 at 07:24

Why get a boring rolly appliance van when you could have turbo manual goodness:

Kinja'd!!!

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Long-Voyager
06/14/2018 at 08:28

Because reliability?

I know, I know...

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/14/2018 at 09:50

If it ever comes to it my ZJ will baby pretty well. Maybe not if a number three comes around, but I’ll burn that bridge if I come to it. Heck I’d baby in the Niva if it’s only one... although I’d address the engine volume issue first. Life is too short for beige minivans. But if it’s not up to you, there’s not much you can do I guess.

Long-Voyager > BaconSandwich is tasty.
06/14/2018 at 10:07

All of my 2nd gens vans have taken close to or over 200k with nothing outside of regular maintenance.

How much more reliable do you need?

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Long-Voyager
06/14/2018 at 13:06

That sounds pretty good to me!