Any idea the price ranges on these? I want a new one, and my only real 'need' is captains chairs in the second row. They ALL have dual side doors which open with remote, correct? Or at least, they ALL open with the push of a button, instead of wrenching your shoulder manually sliding it back and forth?

Is there a site where I can price it all out with the options I want ahead of time before visiting the dealership?

Thanks!

By Andi on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 08:30 pm:

www.toyota.com

By Sunny on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 11:35 pm:

The basic model is the CE, with the XLE being top of the line. I have the LE which has a passenger side sliding door (only) w/remote and is a 7 passenger, so it has the captain's chairs in the middle row. I'm not sure if the CE has the power door as an option.

Edmunds.com

Also check out the message board to give you an idea of others' experiences.

I need to add that I love my Sienna and have been very happy with it.

By Colette on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 06:39 am:

I have an XLE. I love it. I'd go to edmunds to check out a good price in your area w/the options you want.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 06:59 am:

We have an '04 Sienna LE AWD. It has captains chairs in the middle row but only one power door (passenger side). Different models have different standard features but there are options packages you can pick from. You can do your research and decide what you want ahead of time at Toyota.com. However, keep in mind they may not have exactly what you want on the lot. They had one AWD on the lot with the features we wanted but not a preferred color. We chose to take it instead of waiting 6-8 weeks. Color isn't all that important to me. We LOVE IT!!

By Conni on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 09:22 am:

We have the '03 XLE which has leather, sunroof, spoiler on back above back window, luggage rack on top, 6 disc cd player, heated seats, running boards to step on, power sliding doors on both sides that work from remote on my keychain, capt's chairs in middle row, power everything, compass on mirror, tells you outside temp, has gold pkg, auto dimming rear view, etc... It is Desert Sand with tan interior.

We paid (in Nov. of '03) $31,000.00 and something for it. At the time we had looked at *used* ones (many of them) and figured out that for just a couple thousand more dollars we could get a brand new one all decked out with no miles. We really wanted to buy a used van tho in the beginning of our search) I remember we were shopping at the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri and 2 diff dealers kept calling us trying to beat the others price. They both had the same van on their lot! lol It was fun. We were wanting to spend $30k so we did pretty well considering they were asking on the sticker $34,484.00 for our van (i just went and got the sticker out of my glove box). Their *no haggle* price was $32,693. But we haggled anyway because thats what we do and they took another $1000.00 off. I am wondering if they could have gone even lower on it?

If you are looking into the AWD- my guess is you are looking at upper 30's. I saw one in the paper a while back for $40k I believe, but it had TV and everything on it...May have even had Navigation on it???

Anyway, I hope this helps. Have fun shopping!! You will love a Toyota Sienna! I am the wierd Mom that now wants a 3/4 ton crew cab pick up with a diesel engine. Drove the Ford last weekend.

By Amecmom on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 09:35 am:

Kate, if you don't need AWD, check out the Nissan Quest. It's power everything, DVD, navigation - captaian'c chairs - and really cool looking. We got one in December and I love it. We also got a great deal! The Toyota dealers know the Sienna is huge and were not willing to work any kind of deal here. With the Nissan we got it for below dealer invoice.
Good luck on your hunting.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 09:37 am:

Our '04 LE AWD didn't cost in the upper 30s when we bought it one year ago. In fact, we paid the same as Conni. Although we don't have all the bells and whistles we do have what I consider the most important (lap/shoulder belts and head rests in ALL seating positions, side curtain airbags, ABS, Vehicle Stability Control...). The XLE AWD costs a lot more, which is why we didn't get it. LOL!

By Kaye on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 09:58 am:

Our honda has the middle row that moves, you can either have captains chairs or a bench by moving them. I thought the sienna did too?

By Conni on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 10:08 am:

You know I think the new Sienna does have that Kaye?? Mine doesnt-- mine is not the new body style either. The new Sienna's are bigger too- so have more room. And dont they have the back seat that folds down into the floor now Trina????

Amecmom, I have seen the Quest and they are really sharp! We have looked at Nissan vehicles online lately. They are all nice looking and seem to cost less!!

By Andi on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 10:30 am:

I have the 05 Honda and I love it! It has the captains Chairs and a removable middle seat that goes between them.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 10:38 am:

Kaye, my old Sienna ('98) didn't have the movable row option and neither does my '04. The new body style ('04 +) has the 3rd row that folds down into the floor. The captains chairs can be removed easily for extra cargo space. There is an 8 passenger option (middle, center row seat) but not available in AWD.

By Kate on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 01:28 pm:

Thanks, everyone, for all the websites and advice. I've wanted the Sienna since 1998 when the Highway Institute safety results came in. Unfortunately, EVERYone wanted one then and the waiting period was over three months. There were NONE on the lot you could even see to get a feel for them! So, we gave up and had to settle for a Ford Windstar, which got the second highest safety rating at that time. This time around I want my Sienna!!!

The Odyssey's for 2005 now equal Sienna's safety rating, but do the rear headrests still need to be removed before stowing the seats underneath?? That is one hassle I refuse to deal with, LOL!

I want the Sienna solely for the safety issues, but it doesn't hurt that it's a reliable car and a good company. I want the headrests and shoulder belts in all seating areas, too, and I'd also like little pop up seats that can take the place of boosters and big loops in the sides of the seats for adjusting the shoulder belts like boosters, all for my field trip kids with the clueless parents!!!! Wouldn't that be a neat feature?? I should invent it and patent it.

By Conni on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 01:33 pm:

May I ask how reliable your Ford was?? Have you had any trouble with it?

I like the headrests in all the seats. We dont have that either! Would be nice.

By Kaye on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 01:38 pm:

Yes in the honda you have to remove the headrests from the third row before you store it. There is a netted compartment to store them in though. I don't stow my very much, i have three kids and need the seating space. My wish would be to have the ability to have three in the middle row, BUT my van is paid for an hasn't died yet, so no new one for me!

By Kate on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 04:12 pm:

My Windstar has been fine, I still have it. It's a 1998 and we bought it new and two weeks ago the battery died. They said a battery lasting for seven years was amazing. Two years ago I began having issues with the rear heating/air though. There must be a flap that is sticky or something because when I change from heat to air it won't change in the back. So what ends up happening is that each spring and fall I have to play with it and like just recently I had to run the 'air' in the back, but all that came out was heat. You have to do this for daaaays before it finally switches over and then DON'T TOUCH IT!!! LOL!! Right now it's finally working for air so we don't EVER put it on heat until about Sept/Oct when we again put it on heat, get freezing cold air, for days until it decides to switch over. It's a pain and I don't know how involved it would be to fix it as the problem could be simple, but lie buried underneath tons of stuff.

ANYWAY, it has definitely been reliable.

By Andi on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 04:20 pm:

NO, in the 2005 Odyssey you don't remove the headrest in the third row when you lower it. They redesigned the 2005 and it is awesome! The back folds flat and it's very easy to do.