I have been patiently waiting for the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Minivan to come out this Spring to replace my Caravan. This week a friend of mine is replacing their 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite w/ 15,000 miles on it and offered it to me for $34,000. Considering it was almost $46,000 when new the price is reasonable. The 2014 was the first year of the facelift and is absolutely identical to the 2016 model on sale now. Would it be worth a lesser cost to buy a used Honda or would the better deal be to wait and get the brand new Pacifica?
2014 Odyssey Elite vs 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Van
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$34k is dealer retail for that Ody van. Its a few thousand less in a private sale.
I always try and avoid the first year of a new model, regardless of the manufacturer. I'm guessing the vehicle will have the pentastar mated to a ZF tranny. The pentastar is solid and so far (knock on wood) my ZF has been fantastic. I'd just be leary of the other components.
Although, I won't recommend you to buy the Honda either. Long story short, I'm pretty upset with them and will be for a while.
Best wishes in whatever decision you make.
Although, I won't recommend you to buy the Honda either. Long story short, I'm pretty upset with them and will be for a while.
Best wishes in whatever decision you make.
Too bad it will be a "first year" for the Pacifica. I agree with Mantooth's comments on buying the first year of a new model. I'm not a fan of Honda mini vans, so I'd probably take my chances with the Pacifica, or hold off another year if possible and grab the Pacifica then.
Good luck!
Good luck!
I ran some numbers on KBB and the full dealer retail on the Honda is $37,524 and private party is around $34,202. The low mileage gives it a boost. Ive been reading horror stories about the Chrysler XF 9 speed Automatic transmission. Ive experienced it in a couple Chrysler 200 rental cars and it didn't seem bad to me at all. Ive had some quality glitches on my Caravan, but Chrysler really stood behind their product and made it right. Id be willing to give them another try. I also considered a Nissan Pathfinder SUV, but not sure I am ready to give up a van quite yet.
What is driving you to replace your Grand Caravan? You will take a bath on depreciation unlike that Honda.
I have had a lengthy service history of some electrical glitches. Chrysler granted me a 6 year 60,000 mile MaxCare extended warranty that expires in 13 days. Since I don't feel like paying out of pocket for any future repairs on it I would like to replace it before it turns into a money pit. Its at 55,000 miles now. Im being offered $11,500 for it on trade or selling outright for $13,000, considering the fact I paid $24,996 after discounts and rebates, long term depreciation hasn't been terrible.
I think you are correct on liquidating the Caravan, unfortunately that was a very bad model run (08-10), the 2011+ are nowhere as badly engineered.
I also think you would be better served with a Toyota Sienna, it does not have the nonsense issues with the V6 (see truedelta).
I also think you would be better served with a Toyota Sienna, it does not have the nonsense issues with the V6 (see truedelta).
The new Chrysler is nice but also risky. Also you'all pay closer to msrp at product launch.
I really love my Caravan but waiting for the new van probably means mine will depreciate further when the new one hits and pricing will probably be steep since the "Touring-L Plus" is the package with the same goodies my van has. Probably going to be over $40,000. Ive looked at the Sienna, the XLE Premium is an appealing package. I like the look of the Odyssey a little better, TrueDelta seems to show the 14 Odyssey and Sienna to be about the same in terms of repair frequency. Thinking the used Odyssey might be the way to go and see how the Chrysler roll out goes and maybe get one in a few years to make sure the bugs are out.
You first, friend second. Don't settle. If you've been waiting and want the new Pacifica, then just wait. Plus, the B2B warranty on the Honda ends next year. I used to say the same thing about avoiding the first year of a new model until I bought my '12 Impreza. I haven't been disappointed.
I'd wait for the Pacifica. Its not a great deal on the Odyssey, and while the Pacifica may be a "first year," its not really mechanically anything new. It would be different if it were, for example, like the 2011 Grand Cherokee where it was a new chassis, new engine, new everything. The drivetrain of the Pacifica is going to be pretty mature.
Originally Posted By: carguy996
I ran some numbers on KBB and the full dealer retail on the Honda is $37,524 and private party is around $34,202. The low mileage gives it a boost. Ive been reading horror stories about the Chrysler XF 9 speed Automatic transmission. Ive experienced it in a couple Chrysler 200 rental cars and it didn't seem bad to me at all. Ive had some quality glitches on my Caravan, but Chrysler really stood behind their product and made it right. Id be willing to give them another try. I also considered a Nissan Pathfinder SUV, but not sure I am ready to give up a van quite yet.
My son has a Pathfinder. The CUV transmission is trouble prone and at 28,000 miles a wheel bearing went bad on one of the the front wheels. I cannot recommend a Pathfinder.
I ran some numbers on KBB and the full dealer retail on the Honda is $37,524 and private party is around $34,202. The low mileage gives it a boost. Ive been reading horror stories about the Chrysler XF 9 speed Automatic transmission. Ive experienced it in a couple Chrysler 200 rental cars and it didn't seem bad to me at all. Ive had some quality glitches on my Caravan, but Chrysler really stood behind their product and made it right. Id be willing to give them another try. I also considered a Nissan Pathfinder SUV, but not sure I am ready to give up a van quite yet.
My son has a Pathfinder. The CUV transmission is trouble prone and at 28,000 miles a wheel bearing went bad on one of the the front wheels. I cannot recommend a Pathfinder.
Brand new cars are risky just as used cars are. You don't necessarily pay out of pocket, but the down time is very frustrating. I know what you're dealing with on your Grand Caravan. We had a similar experience with a 2007 Town & Country. That should have been the most reliable option out there -- mature generation of chassis, etc. We dumped ours with 45k miles on it because of too much downtime. So I sympathize with you.
I would press your friend on the reason they're trading out of their Honda so soon. If it's been unreliable for them, it'll probably be unreliable for you as well. But the converse is probably true -- if they haven't had any issues with it, odds are you won't either, at least for a while (it's still just a year old). A bird in the hand beats two in the bush...meaning, something you know has a good track record has value over something that could potentially be good if everything goes right.
I would press your friend on the reason they're trading out of their Honda so soon. If it's been unreliable for them, it'll probably be unreliable for you as well. But the converse is probably true -- if they haven't had any issues with it, odds are you won't either, at least for a while (it's still just a year old). A bird in the hand beats two in the bush...meaning, something you know has a good track record has value over something that could potentially be good if everything goes right.
I think you can get a new Caravan for $20k all in minus the trade in = about $9k. You will pay close to sticker on a new Pacifica when they come out which will probably leave you with a balance of $25k. In the end both vehicles are minivans with four black tires. FIve years from now no one will be saying, oooohhhh look at him with the Pacifica.
My friend is selling the Odyssey since his Wife is more comfortable driving an AWD Crossover, they have already bought a 2016 Honda Pilot Elite AWD but they weren't happy w/ the dealer trade in allowance so they are selling outright. I figure buying a Pacifica when they first come out means I pay close to retail and in 2 years they will have $4000 rebates on the hood and then I get laughed at as the guy who paid retail for a Pacifica
I've been in touch w/ the local dealer that the Odyssey was bought from, the only things ever done to it were oil changes and tire rotations, my friend and his wife concur it was extremely reliable. If anything I can go with the Odyssey and drive it for 2 years and trade it for a used Pacifica down the road. In November one of the power sliding doors opened while I was driving at 50mph, fortunately it was just me in the car but its issues like this that concern me w/ my current van. Its different when Warranty picks up the tab and provides the rental car.
I'm a big fan of buying as much of a known quantity that I can. I've bought a number of vehicles from friends and family. Our Acura and Honda came from family. The Dodge Dakota I used to own was bought from a work colleague. Regardless of brand (Dodge, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, etc), if I know and trust the current owners to tell me the true story about the vehicle, and it's a good story, that adds a lot of value to me.
If I were in your shoes, I'd probably buy the Odyssey and drive it until you can't trust it anymore. And not because it's a Honda, but because it's a known quantity. As I said, I bought a Dodge Dakota from a colleague, and it was a great little truck.
If I were in your shoes, I'd probably buy the Odyssey and drive it until you can't trust it anymore. And not because it's a Honda, but because it's a known quantity. As I said, I bought a Dodge Dakota from a colleague, and it was a great little truck.
Originally Posted By: carguy996
I figure buying a Pacifica when they first come out means I pay close to retail and in 2 years they will have $4000 rebates on the hood and then I get laughed at as the guy who paid retail for a Pacifica
Outside of a few performance vehicles, nobody pays sticker for a Mopar, especially not a minivan. Chrysler has the highest incentives in the industry.
I figure buying a Pacifica when they first come out means I pay close to retail and in 2 years they will have $4000 rebates on the hood and then I get laughed at as the guy who paid retail for a Pacifica
Outside of a few performance vehicles, nobody pays sticker for a Mopar, especially not a minivan. Chrysler has the highest incentives in the industry.
Wait. The Honda is a known to have a lot of unresolved issues and the other is too new to know.
The Touring has every bad idea Honda ever dreamed up in it except for the PAX tires they thankfully did away with. Honda refuses to do away with the iVTEC system even though they have been sued over it (and lost), they keep trying to reconfigure it and now they are messing around putting the original VCM 1 back into use on some models.
Engine mount failures are common under warranty and out of warranty can cost upwards of 2K when they fail again. VCM 1 had sludge issues and VCM II blew the rear cylinder rings and burned oil like mad.
If you are dead set on the Honda buy a kit to disable the VCM, a guy on another forum sells them it will save you endless aggravation and engine mounts as the thing ages.
Better yet just buy a Toyota Sienna.
The Touring has every bad idea Honda ever dreamed up in it except for the PAX tires they thankfully did away with. Honda refuses to do away with the iVTEC system even though they have been sued over it (and lost), they keep trying to reconfigure it and now they are messing around putting the original VCM 1 back into use on some models.
Engine mount failures are common under warranty and out of warranty can cost upwards of 2K when they fail again. VCM 1 had sludge issues and VCM II blew the rear cylinder rings and burned oil like mad.
If you are dead set on the Honda buy a kit to disable the VCM, a guy on another forum sells them it will save you endless aggravation and engine mounts as the thing ages.
Better yet just buy a Toyota Sienna.
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