Thank you JMJNet.
Yes, my buddy is ready to put in some money in this Sienna as the chassis is in impeccable condition for a northern vehicle. He is however, starting to have some repair issues but, he drives the snot out of the Sienna and takes it on long trips regularly.
His Dad gave it to him(~2-3 yrs ago) w/100K miles on it. And today, there is nary any rust to be found on this minivan. But, it's still a 15 yr old vehicle and repairs are inevitable at this point. I just don't know if he should just get rid of the Sienna for new car payments.
Yesterday my buddy also had his Sienna into a reputable shop which(other than the broken front spring), gave the overall condition of the vehicle an A+. So, he's still uncertain whether to keep repairing the Sienna as the needed repairs occur or get something else.