Sienna | Toyota Sienna Minivan | A Mom's Dream Machine

I know, I know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, my eyes behold a minivan that is as beautiful as they come.

The silhouette is sleek and elegant with a fearless and "in-charge" look. More specific, she has a somewhat rugged, solid quality appearance that is usually attributed to pricier makes.

I'm not going to recite the sales brochure here. These are some features that I find particularly useful:

• Dual sliding doors
  It's hard to imagine that there are still vans out there with only one sliding door. Also, both doors have power windows which I took for granted until I learned that they're by no means a standard minivan feature.
  
• Sliding Doors
  Yes, I know I'm repeating myself. Just the fact that the rear doors slide makes them a perfect choice for rambunctious kids. There's no danger of them slamming the door into someone else's car.
  
• Foot pedal parking brake
  This is not really a biggie but I enjoy it particularly because it reminds me of my Mercedes-Benz days.
  
• Comfortable seats everywhere
  Especially the second row has superior seating over most other minivan models. Adult people can actually travel in full comfort with ample support for the back and the thighs.
  
• 60/40 Split & Stow 3rd Row seats
  One of my most used features; the seats completely vanish into the floor. Or, when in use, the space becomes additional cargo area.
  
• Removable second-row modular seating
  If you have 8 seats, the middle seat of the second row can be positioned forward to make it easier to attend to a baby, I guess. All seats are foldable and removable. I also like the fact that I can position the 2 rear seats apart to minimize sibling quarreling. For some, it may work better when the seats are next to each other. It's great to have a choice.
  
• Folding tray table between front seats
  Since the automatic transmission shift is on the dashboard the floor is flat between the seats. The sturdy tray folds down and out of the way if you want to access the rear from the front.
  
• 10 to 13 cup holders and 4 bottle holders
  With small kids, a family can never have enough cup holders in the car!
  
• Separate A/C and Climate Control for the rear zone
  Very useful so the passengers in the back can have their own comfort settings.
  

I bought my Sienna used and with a limited budget. However, if I could have been able to choose these are some features and options I would definitely want to have:

• Power Rear Door(s)
  I don't care so much about the passenger doors, but the back door or hatch is a bit too hard for me to close. Every single time I have to use it I wish it were powered. If I could choose only one option, this would be on the top of my wish list!
  
• Rear-seat DVD entertainment system
  My kids have been bugging me about this; it's probably a good investment when you travel with kids frequently. As an alternative to a built-in system I'm considering a portable, dual screen DVD player when they become more affordable.
  
• Fog Lamps
  They're only available with the higher priced trim packages but I think they should be standard on every car. I don't like the idea that safety is optional. Thumbs down for Toyota on this one!
• 
  Navigation System with Backup Camera
  Sure, I've lived without it and will continue to do so but this is one gadget that would be fun to have. The backup camera is a cool idea.
  
• Sunroof/Moonroof
  Maybe it's just me, but I really miss having the option to open up the roof on nice days. If you've never had one before you're not going to miss it much, I guess.

If you're in the market to buy a brand new Sienna you're in luck. There has rarely been a better time to buy a new car: Dealers are hungry, commodity prices have come back down, interest rates are falling and credit is already more available than people might think.

Before you hit the showrooms you need to be armed with knowledge of the current pricing and available dealer or factory incentives. The easiest and most convenient way is to get several quotes from dealers in your area through some of the established automotive networks like Yahoo! Autos or Edmunds.com. Once you have multiple dealer quotes you can negotiate like a pro and get the best possible deal.

If you already know that your credit is considerably less than perfect you might want to check out DriveTime - The used car dealership for those with bad credit. Apply online.


On the other hand, if you have a great credit score you may be able to save a bundle by financing with up2drive.com, which looks unspectacular at first but is really the BMW Bank of North America. Their competitive rates are also available if you buy from a private party or just want to refinance an existing auto loan. But as I mentioned, you need to have a reasonably good credit score to get approved.