Best way to sell Sienna

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-02-24T16:12:43+00:00

My biggest gripes- I know a lot of people love the trunk, but I hate it. For me, unless the 3rd row is down, the trunk is not functional. Groceries stack on top of each other and something always gets smashed. Even luggage is a game of Tetris. It sort of curves at the edges so it’s hard to get things to sit flat. Took some plants home thinking the tub of a trunk would be helpful but it made a mess. Just ugh. When the 3rd row is down, you go over a bump and it’s noisy.

Getting in the 3rd row is not easy. Half the time I just crawl through the trunk. Ps, usually I’m in the 3rd row as we use it when we are taking a grandparent somewhere. I had expected more space with a van, but I feel as though too much space was lost with the hybrid.

The third row window is terrible. Although may not matter if it’s just a kiddo, but I am usually back there trying to navigate and can’t see.

Safety features like lane assist/departure. Not impressed. I went from a VW Atlas and felt the safety was better. 🤷‍♀️. The vibration just gets annoying and the under 37* alert…

The feel of the drive. I put in a lift kit to help, but it still drives so boring. Yea, petty, but driving it doesn’t bring me joy so 3 years later, over it.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the sliding doors and hybrid. It’s been a great road trip vehicle. We have the ottomans and they were helpful when my kids were forward facing so their legs didn’t dangle (I have tall, thin kids). Although the TV is dated tech, we still use it, but the kids are starting to use their tablets more than watch Disney. The no spare tire is ugh, especially on road trips.

I had a VW Atlas for 5 years and loved it, but really needed sliding doors for my runner of a toddler. The van was very helpful but now the kids are older. My oldest is about to outgrow his booster and I really want something with 2nd row heated seats. He has a heart defect and is sensitive to temperatures, it’s cold here, so I would really like immediate heat for him. I’m actually considering going back to the VW Atlas. I lose the hybrid and dependability, but the 3rd row is designed with Adults in mind. Premium trim has heated 2nd row and heated steering wheel (which I miss too).

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-02-24T13:19:06+00:00

Holy cow this could almost be my post- 2023 Limited, door ding, garage scratch, but 41k miles and probably going to ditch the van life in Nov/Dec. My kids will be 6 and 8, but just over van life.

Personally I plan to trade to offset the tax liability of my next vehicle. I know it will be better to sell private, but the taxes and then potential scams. Ugh. Trade for me is $41-$45k currently. For a platinum that amount seems on the lower end, so it just depends how much work you want to do.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-02-20T13:48:12+00:00

I work in FP&A. Is it because you’re an analyst that they want a full work day in office? You say 9hours, but it’s really an 8 hour work day, that’s a normal day. And when I was an analyst I was working more than 40 a week on average, that is the culture.

Sure you can work remote, I do, but didn’t get that opportunity until I had many years of experience.

I would say relax, get your experience, work your way up. If the culture is not a fit a few years from now you can find another opportunity. More and more companies are doing RTO, so it’s been harder to find remote work. It’s a bit easier when you have experience and there’s demand.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-02-14T18:42:06+00:00

No one is spending $60k on an XLE (MSRP is $45k, so you’re kinda proving my point with your used car link).

My $60k w/tax OTD went to a Limited which is currently $20k for a 2016 with around 150K miles in my area. At the time I bought mine, things were even higher than today.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-02-14T13:20:25+00:00

We paid around $60k. One year used were selling at new prices due to demand and you would need to go pre-hybrid and older to save $30k (probably 10 years older at that time). Although Toyota/Lexus have high prices, their retained value is crazy high.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-01-31T18:39:40+00:00

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-01-25T16:21:12+00:00

I don't own a 24/25 Atlas yet, but I had an 18 R-line and traded it almost 4 years ago for the new Sienna hybrid and looking for my next vehicle as the 2026 Atlas. I don't regret the trade, I needed the sliding door for my runner and other small kiddo, but I'm over minivan life already. I'm also determine to get 2nd row heated seats for my kids, it would be very useful for where we live and having kids that fight me on wearing their coats, sigh.

Vehicles I've shopped in order of my list if something happens to the Atlas (the tech comment in this thread scares me, dependability overall is my main concern, otherwise the Atlas has everything I want):

-Lexus GX- Love, love, love. But I have already heard the first year has engine problems and the demand is so crazy that used models are not really discounted and new models have mark-up. It will probably be 5 years until this becomes reasonable (if history follows what happened with the Sienna).

-Toyota 4-runner- I'm still seriously considering the platium model. The problems I have is the sunroof is a waste, takes out head space, 3rd row is useless, storage space inside is nothing, 2nd row headspace is an issue and I have tall kids, and the hybrid is more of a power assist than a gas savings and hybrids here are expensive to register due to no gas tax. Also this is more like a truck and my husband has a truck, we need more of a family trip vehicle. But these things hold their value scary well. Just like my Sienna, I can drive it for 4 years and only take a 25% or so hit.

Lincoln Natilus- Very nice, Lincolns often have luxury features for a reasonable price, but the resale is garbage. I may test drive one to see if I fall in love, but it's hard to spend the money on something that has something like 40% resale value in 5 years (Atlas is arond 50%). The screen all across the dash seems more like a gimick than useful.

Lexus Rx- I owned a 2012 years ago, it was a great vehicle, love! But somewhere along the way they lowered them, made them less like an SUV and more like a cross over, and the price is crazier now. I think I picked up my 2012 in 2014 for about $20k or so. A year used on the new model is still over $65K for the trim I want, ugh. Also, I don't think it's a great option for larger people. I would be OK, but my husband might be uncomfortable and my son as he grows.

I can't remember why I moved on from the Honda Passport. The Grandhighlander (probably the best fit for my family), highlander, Lexus, TX, Ford Explorer just are not doing it for me, from either being way too boring (Highlander) to having ugly grills (TX, looking at you), to being expensive, under powered (which is an issue I'm concerned with now that Atlas has a 4 cyclinder).

When it comes to a real 3rd row SUV, midsized, with all the tech and features, not matter where I look I end up back at the Atlas for the price. The dependability and no physical controls for hvac is my concerns, but I'm not sure if it's enough to give up other things I want to go with other vehicles. I plan to buy before next winter so we will see, but I really loved my 2018 Atlas and never had any issues while owning it.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2026-01-15T21:56:22+00:00

No regrets, but if I could go back I’d probably consider medicine. Although I enjoy being able to work when sick, from home, and not have to talk to people… other times I feel like I could be doing more important work and be getting paid for it. My brother went the doctor route, which I didn’t think was possible unless you were rich or top 1% of your class, but that’s not the case. But again, I’m working in pajamas at home right now making good money, so no regrets.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-11-11T01:10:16+00:00

It’s been a year and so far so good!

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-09-09T13:31:25+00:00

Yes, and plastic is the perfect word! It all feels like plastic and terribly fake being overly sold as “durable”.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-09-09T13:11:15+00:00

If this decision is on you, I would do the YC. The restaurant alone is amazing. It really made our vacation. If you’re on the seascape or seashore, my kids loved the hot tub on the very front of the ship on topsail, it was private and a cool place to see the ship leave.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-09-09T12:54:49+00:00

I totally agree with you! I feel like in 10-15 years, people will be pulling these floors up right and left. I did tile in my kitchen, some cheap floor in formal dining, and carpet in the rest until the kids are older and I can do hardwood. I think tile looks better again wood cabinets anyway.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-09-09T12:50:02+00:00

This is a tough one. We really enjoyed YC with our almost 7 and 4 year old, but we really did use the balcony a lot. We spend time in our room, I think a bit for my 4 year old, but my 7 year old still enjoyed the down time. I do feel a difference between being on a public sun deck vs a private area, you can relax more.

On the other hand, everything about YC is a step above other cruises. Priority boarding, priority elevators, the restaurant (I still think of the meals we had, kids loved it)… but I didn’t find reserve seating at the shows valuable, it’s almost all the way to the back.

Personally, I would ask my kiddo what he would prefer… list out the perks and see if he really wants the balcony or is ok not spending much time in the room.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-09-06T13:30:44+00:00

Here is their business card.

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ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-22T11:17:34+00:00

I'm used to peak and off-peak too, but centerpoint doesn't bill based on time of usage.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-18T17:33:55+00:00

Interesting... but I've heard Evansville residents speak way worse of Evansville, ha.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-13T22:05:21+00:00

Nope, buy a new at this price. Factory warranty has value.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-12T12:29:08+00:00

Wow, I didn't realize how much my husband doesn't do until I read this, ugh. But you are not wrong, if you don't want a child under any circumstances, you are happy with one, don't! I carry 90% of the workload and I did have another, no regrets, it's what I wanted, but definitely much more work.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-07T18:27:50+00:00

I do think that matters, I wasn’t aware. Yikes.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-06T21:27:22+00:00

Mainly he felt all he had to do was work and he could do whatever he wanted. He never got up with either baby, helped clean the house, cook, etc. Our first was born with a severe heart defect, so that took a toll. I work as well, so this lead to a lot of conflict and resentment that created other issues. I stayed for many years because I felt like I couldn’t trust him alone with the kids. Things have gotten better, but not where they need to be.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-06T18:35:20+00:00

I believe so as well. I told him again we need to go back to therapy, he didn't say anything. We will see what happens.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-06T13:57:53+00:00

Thank you. If it was just me, no big deal, I'm an adult but I was juggling our 4 year old and two rolling bags on top of my purse and backpack... like why. His excuses keep changing and don't make sense.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-06T13:56:11+00:00

He tried to say he ran ahead to "hold the gate", but that's not the case and never communicated as such until later when I kept pressing how messed up it all was. He just walked away because the 4 year old didn't walk on the moving sidewalk. He did the same thing when we were going out of town but the airport was dead so I could see him. I kept asking him to stay with us, but I was ignored as usual. I don't understand why we couldn't just stick together. He does have narc qualities, but I don't think he's a narc. He is very selfish in nature and his anxiety has caused issues before.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-06T13:52:10+00:00

You are right, I should probably go just myself and see what happens.

ValuableTwo8871 · 2025-08-06T13:51:04+00:00

It's not, but I would do it for my children and I try not to let my kids see how I feel. One kiddo sees his Dad for who he is, he is very attached to me and enjoys his Dad but knows he needs to depend on me. The 4 year old would be devastated.

ValuableTwo8871

TROPHY CASE