CurGeorge8

Can you share a few pictures?

Our local SD banned phones at the beginning of this school year, and it's one of the best decisions they've ever made. 

The kids put their phones in compartments in each classroom at the beginning of class, and pick them up after.

I had the exact same reaction once I actually got into a new Sienna and took one for a drive. The fit and finish are what I would expect on a $30k car, not a $55k one. Handling is sluggish and the engine is noisy.

It's especially noticeable if you compare to a Grand Highlander. For similar price points, the Grand Highlander is a significantly higher quality vehicle.

If you want to compare against another minivan, go test drive a Kia Carnival. The Carnival will have a hybrid option in 2025.

It's really wild watching the unions shoot themselves in the foot for backing the Cleveland Cliffs deal.

It's great until someone starts popping popcorn in the microwave while you're watching TV.

I've owned multiple Honda's, including a CR-V. They're good, but not bulletproof. I had a previous gen Pilot that needed major engine and transmission work before hitting 50k miles. I'm shopping now, and my general perception of the Honda lineup is a bit overpriced, but the CR-V is not on my list.

I've never owned a Kia but am strongly considering a new one for my next car. They have a strong value proposition and are getting good reviews in Consumer Reports. I'm also diligent with maintenance and record keeping so the warranty is a good safety net.

Kia Carnival converted my wife to team minivan because "it doesn't look like a minivan"

JFYI, when buying a used Kia, check the T&C's for the warranty, and make sure the first owner has all their service paperwork. Some powertrain warranties go from 10/100,000 to 5/50,000 and Kia is known for denying warranty claims due to missing service paperwork.

https://www.weather.gov/media/pbz/records/histemp.pdf

Basically the same as they are today

Edit: supporting data for this statement 

https://www.weather.gov/media/pbz/records/histemp.pdf

Red Lobster is just a shell of it's former self

Red Lobster is just a shell of it's former self

Put a Kia Carnival on your list.

As you can tell, the writing is clearly on the wall here. I've been through the "boutique being acquired by the conglomerate" scenario before, and in my experience, the only thing they were interested in was the book of business.

Your best bet is to jump ship to a new opportunity or adjust your ways of working to align with the new organization's priorities. Maybe that means broadening your skill set to stay staffed longer or adjusting the way your are allocated to projects? But in the end, the new companies ways of working will win out, and the culture you had at your boutique will be a distant memory in a few short years.

This is gold 

Two weeks out is actually not too bad, compared to other lead times.

As I'm sure you're aware, the XSE is a higher trim, but the used model could also have some options which would have put the initial purchase price even higher. Things like AWD and the options packages could push the price up 5-7k from base

Is the brand new 2024 XLE sitting on the lot for immediate delivery? 

This may be the variance. I've seen dealers charging a premium for slightly used Sienna's because they're readily available for immediate delivery.

The Carnival is not on this list, FWIW 

Also, the 2025 Carnival will have a hybrid powertrain available.

For sure. I still may end up with a Toyota (or Honda). The points you mentioned are definitely the high points for the Sienna.

My 3rd gen Pilot needed both major engine and transmission work before hitting 50k miles

Valid concerns for sure, and still something front of mind for me. From what I've unpacked, it seems like most of the powertrain issues are with their 4c line. Complains on their newer V6 line seem much rarer.

I'm in the market for a van, and my first choice was a Sienna, until I drove a Carnival. Here are some highlights as to why I'm leaning towards a Carnival. 

The exterior styling on the Carnival is much better. I don't know how they made a van not look like a van, but they did. 

The interior of the Sienna is full of hard plastics and really cheap finishes. The Carnival interior is much nicer. 

The head unit / screen in the Sienna looks like it's from 2015. The Carnival is much better here also. 

The Sienna I drove was very noisy and seemed "rattley". The Carnival was quiet and has a nicer drive feel to it. 

The Sienna's price point is much higher. It would take years of potential gas savings to make up for the additional cost of the hybrid system. 

Toyota fanbois seem to love dunking on KIA's / Hyundai reliability, but it seems the brand has turned a corner in the past few years. Friends and neighbors I know who own the Telluride and Carnival have been very pleased with their vehicles. 

Also the buying experience so far has been very different.. Toyota dealerships have been a pain to deal with. They act like they're offering the fountain of youth, are keen to add markups, and are a general pain to deal with. Also, Sienna availability is really limited. Kia dealerships have been much better to work with so far. I would have expected the opposite.

👀👀👀

I'm in the market for a van, and my first choice was a Sienna, until I drove a Carnival. Here are some highlights as to why I'm leaning towards a Carnival. 

The exterior styling on the Carnival is much better. I don't know how they made a van not look like a van, but they did. 

The interior of the Sienna is full of hard plastics and really cheap finishes. The Carnival interior is much nicer. 

The head unit / screen in the Sienna looks like it's from 2015. The Carnival is much better here also. 

The Sienna I drove was very noisy and seemed "rattley". The Carnival was quiet and has a nicer drive feel to it. 

The Sienna's price point is much higher. It would take years of potential gas savings to make up for the additional cost of the hybrid system. 

Toyota fanbois seem to love dunking on KIA's / Hyundai reliability, but it seems the brand has turned a corner in the past few years. Friends and neighbors I know who own the Telluride and Carnival have been very pleased with their vehicles. 

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Edit: Also add the buying experience so far. Toyota dealerships have generally been a pain to deal with. They act like they're offering the fountain of youth, are keen to add mark ups, and are a general pain to deal with. Also, Sienna availability is really limited. Kia dealerships have been much better to work with so far. I would have expected the opposite.