Sienna versus Caravan Tranny Problems

[HeadlessHorseman]

I'm a '96 Dodge Grand Caravan LE (GC) owner and I've had it with Dodge. I've been through three transmissions including the one that came with my GC when I bought it new. Enough is enough. I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it up the tailpipe anymore.

Here's the thing... I'm going to look at Honda and Toyota this time around and I am just wondering if Toyota minivans suffer from the same transmission failures that I have had on average every 68,000 miles or 3 years, whichever comes first.

I'm sick and tired of replacing transmissions at $2,600 a pop every three years. Would anyone care to speculate whether or not I might do better with a Toyota? I've seen a few posts here about Toyota trannys but not on the same scale I've seen on the Dodge board.

Got an opinion? I'd love to hear what you have to say.

[jzchen]

I'm a firm believer in warranties. So, since you have one company offering 5 yr/60000 mi. vs. 3 yr/36000 mi. you can guess what I would pick.
Argument: The car companies are smart. They offer you a warranty based on what their testing and engineering says that their product can last without trouble. And even if there was some kind of flaw they could not predict, at least in the case of the longer warranty you have a shot at it being covered. (You said you get 68000 mi. or 3 years each transmission, so at least with the Sienna you'd have a possibility that the first repair would be covered!)

[chillen]

I own a 1999 Sienna, last 2002 at 39k+ miles the transmission onced experience a "slipping" or failure to engage condition. One call to the dealer and Toyota picked up and replaced the transmission -free. I never heard any transmission problem from other Sienna owners. And last year, Toyota sent a letter extending warranty to 8 years/100K miles to all 1998-2000 Sienna. [email protected]