Faults:

Both power sliders inoperable, radiator replaced, A/C compressor, struts, shocks, headlight leak, catalytic converters, slider door lock mechanism.

General Comments:

This has been the best vehicle we have ever owned. We typically got 150-200K miles out of our Dodge minivans. This one will more than double those with less problems. At close to 400,000 miles we still have not touched the engine or transmission internals. This van uses no oil between 5-10K mile changes-mobile 1. It starts and runs well, has plenty of power and the transmission shifts fine. It still has the original starter, alternator, PS pump and a host of other items that we normally have to replace on high mileage cars. Every one of the windows and the sunroof works fine.

We have changed the timing belt and water pump twice, and it is due again. Of course brakes and tires when needed.

The power slider door cables broke at about 150K miles, but we never fixed them - the doors open and close with two fingers without the cables. The passenger sliding door latch broke and I replaced it myself.

The van drives well still. I find the driver's seat very comfortable. It will cruise all day at 75mph and still get 22 MPG.

The check engine light has been on for over 100K miles due to the bad catalytic converters, but we will not repair due to cost and no inspection in our area.

I rarely use the laser cruise control, but it still works.

We have towed our 19 ft. boat with the van several times, but I note that this really taxes the drive train.

We plan on keeping this van for the unforeseen future. It is not worth much on trade, and for our purposes it is fine. Our kids are grown and gone, but we have 5 grand kids, so the seating positions do get used sometimes.

Faults:

Very little during the eight years we owned it. The biggest problem at 143,000 miles was that the cable on the automatic passenger sliding door broke due to rust, and the repair would have been expensive. Decided just to trade it in at that point. Otherwise it was still a solid, reliable vehicle.

General Comments:

Just said goodbye to this beloved vehicle, so I am writing this review in the past-tense.

Purchased this car in Denver, CO at 55,000 miles. It was in excellent condition, and was quiet, dependable, and a great riding vehicle. The XLE version had many amenities, including triple-zone climate control.

The best thing about it was the roominess. Plenty of head room, even with a sunroof. In fact, there was ample head room in all three rows. The seats were incredibly comfortable. The road, wind, and engine noise were well muted, making it a very quiet vehicle. Reliability was excellent, unlike my 1994 Dodge Intrepid.

Another good thing about the Sienna was the low-beam headlights. Great visibility, even on a rainy night in the middle of nowhere, traveling at 80 mph. Almost never had to use the high beams.

The worst thing about the Sienna, is that it was a tire-eater. These vans use passenger car tires, yet they weigh 4,000 to 5,000 pounds! As a result, the Siennas have a reputation for wearing through tires quickly, even with proper inflation and rotation. Some buyers got the XLE Limited edition, which had run-flat tires. The run-flats were just terrible, and many people replaced those with standard tires.

A minor complaint would be the quality of some of the interior materials. Too many hard plastics. In Toyota's defense, there was a whole lot of interior to cover, and the hard plastics were placed about as well as they could be.

The rear wiper blade was hard to service.

According to many recent reviews, the latest (3rd generation) Siennas are not as refined in some ways as this 2004 (2nd generation) Sienna. I hope Toyota can remedy that problem, as I would be open to getting another similar Sienna in retirement, as minivans are very safe and versatile.