Honda, the Gauntlet Has Been Thrown....part 1

You may recall that I have vented about our 2007 Honda Odyssey before (see here, here, and here).  Alas, you're in for a treat, because that.... was... nothing.  Oh no, those issues and vents are like mere drops in the pool of problems that our mini-van has become.

Let's preface all this by rewinding back to the summer of 2007 when were started looking for vans.  We knew we were expecting our third child, and needed a car that could carry our family and all the mounds of stuff that comes with children.  We looked at Toyota, we looked at Hyundai, we looked at Chrysler, and we looked at Honda.  We test drove them, we researched them, we crunched the numbers (anyone who knows Chris can appreciate the number of excel spreadsheets that were involved in making a purchase of this magnitude), we did more research, we talked to friends.  We did everything we possibly could to make an informed, educated decision that would best meet our family's needs.

We decided on the Honda for a few reasons:

1. It's a Honda.  The reliability and dependability ratings for Odysseys are top-notch.  We planned on having this car for 10 years so we needed something that would last that long with minimal issues (cough, cough, snicker, snicker)
2. We liked the idea of having a car that could fit eight people.  Take out the middle seat in the second row, and store it in the floor.  If you need the eighth seat, just pull it out and install.  Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom.
3. Did I mention the reliability and dependability ratings that Odysseys get?  We were torn between the Odyssey and the newer Hyundai Entourage, but opted against the Entourage because it was such a new vehicle with Hyundai. 

So, we went with the tried and true - the workhorse Honda Odyssey.  And that's when everything went wrong.....

Fast forward to today, only three and a half years later, and our cherished Honda is now the bane of our existence.

Stay tuned... there is so much involved with this saga that it will require multiple posts.