Faults:

Battery.

Ball joints.

Calipers.

Air conditioning.

General Comments:

Great mini van, had it for 10 years, still runs dependably.

Air conditioning went recently, not worth fixing on a 10 year old car, but it runs very well, very little costs to keep running. Drinks a lot of gas.

Faults:

Normal wear and tear, brakes etc.

Back up sensors were always a problem.

General Comments:

I would buy an 8 year old Sedona over a new Grand Caravan any day of the week.

Faults:

Starter failed at 70,000 km. Replaced with a used one from a wrecker's for $80.

At 75,000, the right front coil spring snapped (while parked for 1 week!). It cut the tire when it was inadvertently moved. When repaired, it was discovered that the left rear coil spring was collapsed as well.

At 85,000, the right door mirror has come loose due to corrosion of its folding / swivelling mechanism.

General Comments:

I'll be the first to admit, I never thought I'd purchase a van. I like big station wagons, preferably covered in fake wood panelling. They don't make those anymore, so when my wife and I discovered we were having child #3, we decided to go with a van. With a low budget, I knew a 5 year old used van was the best I could do. I take issue with minivan design practices. Most 'people-movers' are essentially a car platform with a bigger, heavier body dropped on it. (e.g.: Ford Windstar is Taurus based, Honda Odyssey is Accord based, etc) The Sedona shares its platform with nothing else. The engine is shared with assorted Hyundai / Kia sedans and SUVs.

I found the purchase price to be quite reasonable, and I'm a resourceful auto shopper. Mine is a base model (steel wheels, cloth interior, no DVD, no power assisted doors). I paid $9888 for it with 64,000 on the clock.

I will not complain about any dealer servicing issues, I've never been back to see them. I have a couple of reliable, reputable, local mechanics I deal with, but most mechanical issues on a vehicle I can fix myself.

The only complaints I have so far are the lack of aftermarket (non OEM-supplied) parts, and the steep cost of OEM (dealer) parts.

When my starter seized, re-builders had none available. I was told mine could be rebuilt for $350. The dealer wanted over $500 for a new one. I purchased a used one at a wrecking yard for $80, and installed it myself.

When the springs failed, there were no aftermarket parts listed for this van. The dealer prices were astronomical. I acquired the parts needed from a wrecker's for $175, and paid $150 to have them installed.

I won't go on about the front tire being cut by the damaged spring; I needed front tires anyway.

Mechanical parts suffer fatigue and fail. It's a 6 year old van. Overall I enjoy its driveability, its towing capacity, and interior spaciousness. I like to 'keep' my vehicles, so with regular oil-spraying to prevent rust, I intend to get many years of motoring out of this van!

Faults:

The AM band didn't work out of the box. I talked them into giving me a loaner (also an 06 Sedona) while they worked on it.

There was a minor cosmetic issue, which was never resolved.

The vehicle was excellent well into the 80 to 90k mileage range; then the front left turn signal light blew. I replaced it, only to have it act up again. I let it go after replacing the bulb twice, and it's still not working. Eventually it started working on its own.

Eventually the air bag light came on, and it's on now, and the windshield washers don't spray. I replaced the fuse and it worked for a few days. I am waiting for that to come back too.

General Comments:

As I said, the performance has been exceptional. I drive at least 30k miles per year, and all I do is get the oil changed every 5k.

I went to the dealer for the transmission fluid replacement. Do not let them pressure change your transmission fluid. Leave the filter alone. I have had two crazy mishaps when the van stayed in gear and made a noise when it shifted.

Speaking of performance. I have surprised many a driver when shifting manually from a standstill. 8.6 seconds 0 to 60 seems a little slow to me. On the hwy, I have calculated mpg above 27. Typically in mixed driving, I am always above 20 mpg, and I calculate mpg every fill up.