Someone tell me I made the right choice!

Jillian

Active member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #1

I am totally freaking out! I finally got my Sienna!

It's a 2004 LE with side curtain airbags, leather, DVD, 1 remote sliding door, and all that stuff, with 71k miles. It was $12900.

We were going to keep my 2005 Corolla S (59k miles) but they offered me a great amount for the trade in so I took it! ($7500)

I owe $4950 on the Corolla so $2550 goes toward the van, essentially making it $10350. I've actually LOWERED my car payment and insurance payment. (Around $100/month, even though the van loan is only 48 months and the car loan was 60 months.)



I'm having a semi anxiety attack about it all, it all happened to quickly! So someone please tell me I made the right choice, that my son will be safer...and I've done all this while SAVING money.

I know I'm going to have to defend myself because I'm young (22) and my parents are going to say I didn't NEED the van

 

J

Joddle

New member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #2

Definately, sounds like you've made an awesome choice and gotten a great deal! Enjoy it

 

Jillian

Active member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #3

Joddle said:

Definately, sounds like you've made an awesome choice and gotten a great deal! Enjoy it

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Thank you so much! I think I'll be picking it up today, they had to detail it! This will make my life so much easier and keep my son safe at the same time! I just hope the gas prices aren't too much of a shock coming from the Corolla

 

luckyclov

New member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #4

My friend had an '04 - I think it was an XLE. They just traded it in. But, you should find confidence in that they beat the CRAP out of that thing, had several fender/bumper taps, backing into objects, and well over 100K miles and it still ran like a champ.

 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Staff member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #5

Congrats on the new to you wheels. 6+ trouble free years and counting driving our '05 Sienna, just regular maintenance things like oil changes and replacing the OEM tires and battery on it so far. I do hear you on the fuel economy compared to the Corolla, though, and wish the Sienna was more of a fuel sipper with gas over $4/gallon. Ours gets about 25-26 mpg for all highway driving (our most recent spring break road trip was 1100 miles round trip, some of it over hilly, mountain region highways) and around 18 mpg in the city.

 

K

KelliBella

New member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #6

Congrats! We have the 2004 XLE, and we love it. Even van hating DH. I love all of the safety features, and the conveniences built into the Sienna... well, I may never go back.

 

lynsgirl

New member

• Apr 26, 2011

• #7

Jeanum said:

Congrats on the new to you wheels. 6+ trouble free years and counting driving our '05 Sienna, just regular maintenance things like oil changes and replacing the OEM tires and battery on it so far. I do hear you on the fuel economy compared to the Corolla, though, and wish the Sienna was more of a fuel sipper with gas over $4/gallon. Ours gets about 25-26 mpg for all highway driving (our most recent spring break road trip was 1100 miles round trip, some of it over hilly, mountain region highways) and around 18 mpg in the city.

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:yeahthatlove: I have the exact same van as Jean and still have great love for it. True, the fuel economy isn't the same as a Corolla, but hey, it's a heavy minivan. Our van has been all over the country, and I don't wish for a different one. Congrats on your "new" van *and* on lowering your car payment!

 

Jillian

Active member

• Apr 29, 2011

• #8

Thanks everyone!

I found a "nick" in the second row driver side seatbelt :thumbsdown:
I'm making them replace it, since that obviously compromises the integrity of the seatbelt.


Quick question,
Do the outboard seats move together if the center seat is removed?

Right now DS is there in his CA

 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Staff member

• Apr 29, 2011

• #9

Bummer about the seatbelt and hoped it's fixed soon for you hassle-free. Is your '04 Sienna an 8-passenger or a 7-passenger model? It's possible to move the second row outboard passenger side vehicle seat closer to the center in the 2004-2010 7-passenger model Siennas, but it's not possible to move either second row outboard seat toward the center in the 8-passenger model.

 

Rebelnicky04

Active member

• Apr 29, 2011

• #10

:thumbsup: Yay you made a good choice. Lowering payments is always good especially when you get something that you need or have really wanted

 

G

Guest

New member

• Apr 30, 2011

• #11

It's quite possible your insurance payments go slightly down as well. Minivans have incredibly low insurance rates. Honda/Toyota sedans tend to have relatively high rates because there are so many claims due to the vast numbers sold.

 

Jillian

Active member

• May 3, 2011

• #12

codex57 said:

It's quite possible your insurance payments go slightly down as well. Minivans have incredibly low insurance rates. Honda/Toyota sedans tend to have relatively high rates because there are so many claims due to the vast numbers sold.

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Yup, down $10 a month! My premium is a little high due to an accident 12/31/09 (I was 9 months pregnant ) Slid on snow and hit a curb in the Corolla.

I've been looking for something bigger/safer since then! (16 months ago, which I think is plenty enought time to ensure I didn't make a rash decision and I'm feeling more and more comfortable with my choice every day.)


I have the 8 passenger. So I can't move the seats. They are replacing that belt, no questions asked. I just don't seat anyone there until the part comes in.


Any other cool nifty things I should know about the van? I found the sliding door opener button on the above console and the button on the first column behind passenger front seat. Anything else?