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Another alternative with a fold-flat third row and possible power doors is the Mazda MPV from 2004 or so... I would only buy one with the upgraded HP and a fifth gear. I owned both and the older one was a real slug... not that the new one was a Corvette, but it is a minivan.
Mazda's resale tends to be a bit lower than Honda or Toyota but they still make good cars.
You don't want the 2.4! The Chrysler 3.3 or 3.8 are fantastic engines, and have the power (especially the 3.8) to move 7 people and the heavy minivan wherever you need to go. The 2.4 is underpowered for these vans. The 3.3 and 3.8 are probably the best part of these vans.
I would really hunt for a Sienna, even if you had to drive a distance to get one. They are very good vehicles, and much more reliable than the Chryslers, since they don't have the squeaks and groans that just about every Chrysler I have driven has had. Then again, I have driven rental Chryslers and they do tend to get more use/abuse than a single owner would normally give a vehicle, but it can be a good barometer for judging the vehicle's durability.
With the newer Odyssey, you really have to get the Touring to notice a difference in the ride, though unlike the Sienna, there is no AWD. There were also some transmission issues with the previous generation Odyssey, and while it was functional, it didn't have the creature comforts of the competition. It's still a reliable van, overall, if a bit bland.
The previous (1st Gen) Sienna did come in AWD, but they're not as popular as the FWD. And, the Sienna is made in the US, so it might not attract as much negative attention in Detroit. Check Auto Trader, since a quick search shows some lower mileage and/or verified one-owner vehicles in the preferred price range, some with the upgraded leather interior. The downside is that you might have to go to Chicago to get the van.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
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