Thanks for the tips. The car now has 25,000 miles on it and the tires
are the original. They're showing wear and they'll need replacing soon
if only due to their age (2007-8). I haven't checked to see where the
cross bars are. I'll try moving them to the back or maybe I can even
remove them as I have no need of using the roof rack.
I did drive the Chrysler T&C about 25 highway miles at 70 mph. I don't
think it was really much quieter than the Sienna (and much louder when
you punch it) but it surely was more comfortable to ride in the driver's
seat. As to handling I didn't meet any curves sharper than a 35 mph
exit ramp taken at 45 mph. Nothing untoward noticed but that's hardly
emergency maneuvers land. At the RV park where I live in the winter
there are numerous mini-vans. I don't recall the total number but my
wife and I counted them up one night and some 80% of the minivans were
Chrysler T&C and Dodge Caravan with most being T&C. I've spoken to some
of their owner who seem to love them. But most of them are from Michigan.
But what I'd really like to do is ditch the mini-van altogether and get
back to a very large sedan. The problem is even my Buick Lucerne wasn't
large enough. Maybe a Buick Enclave? :-)
Chuck Norcutt
On 10/10/2012 6:21 PM, Ken Norton wrote:
> Chuck, you hit the nail on the head regarding the road noise. The
> stock tires that Toyota ships with most of their cars are usually
> pretty horrid in regards to road-noise. I'd change to a high-grade
> Goodyear. The roof-rack is another known issue with almost every
> vehicle that has them. Take the cross bars and move them to the far
> rear.
>
> We've test driven multiple Siennas and find them to be decent, but not
> great vehicles. As to comfort and drivability, we love the Mazdas.
> They're the smallest of the breed, but boy do they handle nice. Sports
> car like handling was the way we could describe one MPV we drove. The
> Honda Oddity is possibly the best overall minivan on the road today.
> As to the Chrysler minivans? Never ever again. I'd personally avoid
> them like the plague. With the exception of the Mazda, they all handle
> like salted slugs.
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