Sienna owners

Considering a Sienna for a future purchase. Does it have a timing chain or a belt for '05? I lurk here often but don't see many mention this vehicle. Are there any owners here? And if so , how do you like your vehicle?

CP

Reply to
Charles Pisano
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It has a belt for the 04, I suspect there is no changes with the 05. I love mine. Good ride, only been to the shop for oil changes and radiator recall, mine was not leaking. Lots of power and I get 19 city and 28 on a trip, not bad for a 4400 lb vehicle. Go for it.

Reply to
Dbu-^

Hmmmm...that's what my Supra weighs! If it DOES have a belt, DON'T let it break! You don't want to have to PUSH this thing!!!!

And I wouldn't get the Power Door option...

Reply to
hachiroku

CE for me. I can pay for tinting later. No power doors. I agree. How many new unnecessary options do we need. And it just makes things more expensive to fix. The only add on I would get would be cruise and a roof rack. The salesman said it had a timing chain but I've read posts on edmunds that said belt.

I'm several months away from pulling the trigger and it looks like if I buy an 06 it will be the last year of that style...Maybe I'll get a 3 or 4 year old one and up grade in 08 after the bugs are worked out of the new series.

I looked at the Dodge caravan. I can't believe I even considered it. The short version of that one is the one I like. But I got burned transmission-wise on every chrysler product I've ever had. The 'tude' of the after the sale encounters I've had with chrysler people was no better.

For 3 grand less it's not worth the gamble though. I've already lost money at that casino. And the gas mileage is not good on those ...I've read. Amazing how Toyota can get better gas mileage out of a heavier and longer vehicle.

Reply to
Charles Pisano

I would get the power door option. At first I didn't like the idea, but after using the power sllding door I love it, especially in the winter. You don't have to worry about the belt. They last a long time and they're quieter. Besides chains break too and they're more expensive to replace.

Reply to
Dbu-^

Belt... great ride, the mileage sucks on the AWD model but would buy it again without thinking twice.

Reply to
Dan J.S.

Wait till they break...and they WILL!! Maybe not now, maybe now. But they WILL screw up...

Reply to
hachiroku

Power anything also adds more weight and cuts into your fuel economy. And of course they quit working. I'm sure it has a manual override like the Dodge Caravan I looked at but I'm not handicapped yet so I don't need it.

When was the last year these mini vans were imported from Japan?

Reply to
Charles Pisano

Haven't had the Sienna long enough to worry about the timing belt (02,

48K), but had the belt replaced on a 90 Honda Accord after 7 years and 80K miles (recomendation was 6 yrs, 90K). The old belt looked brand new; no cracks, no wear. Had I kept the Honda, I wouldn't have done it a second time until at least 200K.

Had a timing belt break on an old Ford Fairmont 4 cyl. No damage to the engine even after daughter repeatedly tried to restart it.

Lena

Reply to
Lena

02, XLE, bought new, now 48K miles (timing belt)

Love the vehicle, hate the dealership I bought it from and all the other Toyota dealerships I've tried in my area (MD). Warped rotors at

30K, supposed to be replaced under warranty, dealer insisted front brake job, necessary because of the warped rotors, were my expense, padded bill so much that I essentially paid for the rotors. Check engine light at 47K, a different dealer said O2 sensor was "seized" and wanted to replace exhaust manifold, another $500. Stopped work and took it to a gas station, where sensor was removed, threads cleaned, new sensor installed, not necessary to replace manifold.

Like the power doors, wish the tailgate had power. Leather interior holding up well. Nice ride, good mileage. Don't use the sunroof, and wish it was optional, because I'd never order it. Like all the other bells and whistles.

Lena

Reply to
Lena

When that belt breaks in a Honda, you'll need a engine rebuild (interference engine). I know someone who had his CRX belt break at ~50K, just before the scheduled maintenance and out of warrantee, pretty rare, but saving 200 bucks by stretching the replacement is not worth it. The Sienna is at least a non intererence engine.

BTW I thought the VVTI engines used a chain. I know VVTI engine in my echo has the chain.

Reply to
ToMh

Have you needed the roof rack on a minivan before? Our Sienna CE came with it and we have never used it. The Sienna has plenty of room inside

- for us (family of four). The roof rack would be handy if you carried boats or bicycles up there, but it does have a weight limit. If you wanted to carry two canoes, you better have light weight models.

The cruise control is nice!

Reply to
ma_twain

I thought the cruise and roof rack came together. Not sure if I'd be able to get one without a RR (haven't seen many that way). But you're right, I had a chevy blazer with one and never used it.

Aren't they rated at 150 lbs?

Reply to
Charles Pisano

Yeah, all Hondas, Acuras, Nissans and most Mitsubishis are Interference. Of the two Subaru engines, one is and one isn't, and I can't EVER remember which one it is! The rule of thumb with Toyotas is, single overhead cam is Interference, dual overhead cam isn't. Here's my theory why: something about an interference engine is a good way to wring out more HP. Look at the engines that ARE interference, as mentioned above. Now, why is that? Perhaps Ray or someone more educated than I can answer. My guess would be longer valve timing; using (mostly) a SOHC with long valve times gets you better air flow, and more HP. Toyota attacked the 'problem' or wringing out more HP by adding another cam, thereby increasing the amount of air flow by actually inreasing the open area and was able to design the cams to allow room in case someone like me bought a GTS and failed to replace the belt on time...THREE times! Thanks, Toyota! If I had bought that Mitsu

3000GT in 1989, I'd have had a pretty expensive piece of JUNK!
Reply to
hachiroku

I think it's 100, evenly distributed. I may be confusing that with a Kia Sadonna...we sell a lot of those, too...

Reply to
hachiroku

LOL! You mean a Sedona? The way you speeled it, it made me think of Madonna, unhappy. :)

Reply to
Buck Frobisher

I think the advantage of an interference engine is valve travel - the valves open deeper into the cylinder for better flow. The relief in the top of the pistons is a way around some of the interference issues but the irreguglar shape then makes the piston more prone to hot spots, opening another can of worms.

I don't think there is a connection between VVTI and chains/belts. My '00 LS 400 has VVTI and a belt.

Reply to
Ray O

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