We did some research and loved the Toyota Sienna, but got an awesome deal on a Honda Odyssey (used, of course) so "settled" for the price difference. We haven't regretted it...it gets good mileage, the third seat is easy to fold down and it's easy to get our 4 little ones in and out (2 youngest are 19 months and 3 months).
We love our Chrysler Town and Country. It's the third T&C we've owned. Each has had about 230,000 on them when we finally gave in and got a new one and the last one we retired only because we were in a bad accident and it was undriveable. We were planning on using it forever! I have to say, though -- seeing how it performed in that accident sold me again on the van. It crumpled exactly where it should and really saved our lives, I think.
The Town and Country we have now is a 1996 with the two sliding doors. The two sliding doors have made a huge difference for us! It's very nice to be able to access the back seat so well and get kids in and out quickly. The only thing I'd caution is to make sure the seats are comfortable. Friends have the Stow-n-Go seating and like it, but trips have killed them because the seats are so uncomfortable! We drive a lot, long distances so flexibility in seating is not as important as comfort.
I'm not sure about maintenance. My husband is an engineer and can fix about anything, so we've only paid for parts in fixing them and he's done all the work himself. That would be something to check.
My mother has a 2001 Town and Country and she absolutely loves it and has had NO maintenance problems in the last two years. My dad has a Cadillac and takes the Town and Country on his big trips because he likes the way it rides so much.
I'll stop gushing now. Can't wait to see what you find out.
We have a Dodge Grand Caravan, which I love. It had built in child car seats on the middle bench which was awesome (until we outgrew it and replaced that two-seater bench with a three seater from a junkyard).
My advice: pick a model that is popular (parts will be easy to find)
Go on various car repair boards/mechanics board and search the van you are looking for, you'll pick up if there are any chronic problems.
Our Caravan apparently has a problem with airflow to the AC compressor, which shortens it's life. We've had to replace it once already (had the van for 7 years.)
...and, dual climate control is such a Good Thing! LOL
Just.say.no.to.minivans! haha. We have one and I hate it. It costs a small fortune to drive it to the grocery store, it is impossible to park and frustrating to drive in 5:00 traffic.
Ok, now that I got that out of my system. ;) If you do get a van, buy American. It costs a lot less to fix. If you end up with a foreign one and you need repairs, find out if American parts can be used. We had a Mazda and found out after spending thousands on a transmission that Ford makes the transmission and I could have saved about $1000.
If you buy used.. GET 2 SLIDING DOORS. Ours has only one and it works for us because my oldest can buckle himself in but if you have to reach and buckle in more than 1 child, you will WANT 2 sliders.
If you buy new, don't go for all the extras like the DVD player. How often will you REALLY use that? On trips to the park? I doubt it. For the few long road trips you can get (or borrow.. hint, hint) a portable player and save the interest you would have paid on it over the 5 year car financing schedule.
We had the Toyota Sienna and loved it!! Ours was seven years old and had over 100k miles on it, but still ran like it was brand new. We had to sell it recently because we are outgrowing it with baby #6 :)
Now your frugality is paying off as you need a car and it looks like the kids have saved quite a bit toward getting one. :) Sounds like much more fun than a yard sale. Vicky
We have a Plymouth Voyager (now called Chrysler Voyager--it's the Town and Country without the bells and whistles) and we have been very happy with it. We got the extended one, with more cargo space.
I never want another car now that I have my Dodge Grand Caravan. It's three years old now and I love it! A friend of mine was in an accident in one and it saved her life...the safety rating is 5 star. PLUS...I LOVE MY STOW n GO! Don't get anything that makes you take the seats out! (Kia) We use it for everything...even camping and posh accomadations at the drive in! Congrats! Mere
I've got a basic 2002 Toyota Sienna. A few more bells and whistles, like automatic sliding doors would be nice, but it only had 42,000 miles and was a great deal on craigslist. I like it. I was afraid I'd feel like I was driving a bus after my Avalon, but it is great and easy to handle.
I really like my Honda Oydessey. We got it used from Carmax this summer; it's a 2004 with 40,000 miles. We looked at used Sienna's as well, but the price break wasn't as good. We could get one new for about the same price with that mileage. I really like the Honda interior better anyway. I would recommend getting something with less automatic stuff to break on you, if that's possible.
I heartily disagree with the recommndation to buy an American minivan. Everyone I know who bought one has had multiple problems with them, small stuff, big stuff, you name it. Those with Toyota and Honda minivans have had far less to go wrong. There's a reason they're rated as well as they are; they're just good, solid, reliable cars.
That being said, the gas it takes to run a minivan is not something to sneeze at. If we'd had a car for me to drive, we would've waited until we had more than one child to buy one. You don't need one, in my opinion, until you have more than 2 children... but that's you! =) Just keep in mind that the gas mileage for most standard size minivans is about the same as an SUV. I wasn't aware of that, and when I became aware, it made me sad. It makes me sad whenever I have to fill up that big ol' tank. But minivans are great, and for three kids, there aren't a lot of other good options. Maybe a Volvo station wagon? I don't know... Good luck!
We have an Odyssey (sp?) and we really, really like it. We did get one of the nicer ones that has the economy cruise and it gets quite good minivan millage. I'm not sure where we stand exactly but I know we usually run various errands most days and only have to fill it up about once every 2-3 weeks. It shuts down half of the pistons if you are at a cruising speed (which seems to be most of the time if you aren't going up hill or accelerating quickly). Honda says it averages 28 mpg.
We got a minivan mainly because we take a number of trips to see relatives that are 4-5 hours away, have 2 dogs, and were tentatively planning on 3 children (currently working on number 2) so it made sense to go ahead and get one when we needed to replace a car. However, if circumstances had been different, I would have really liked to go with something along the lines of a Subaru Forrester.
We have 4 kids - 3 are 4 and under, a ds11, and another baby due in May. We bought a used 2002 Honda Odyssey right before #3 came along. I did research on minivans and Odysseys were consistently highly rated by both owners and the insurance institute for safety, comfort, and reliability. Yes, American minivans tend to be at least $10k less, but there were so many complaints about their reliability.
Before we bought the Honda, I tested a Suburban, too and didn't like the cramped feel. I'm only 5'1" and can easily move around in the Honda to take care of everyone. I love the amount of cargo space in the back. I love being able to fold down the 3rd row to haul stuff. The 2 sliding doors are perfect for getting kids out of both sides of the car and for keeping little guys contained as I strap everyone in.
I love having a minivan, however I would NOT recommend a Ford Windstar. It was fine at first, but once it hit $75,000 miles, it has been nothing but problems. They don't make them anymore, but if you are buying used, don't buy that.
My next car, hopefully, will be a Honda Odyssey, althought the Toyota Sienna is nice too.
We had to buy a new vehicle after our car accident last spring and opted to get a crossover vehicle rather than a van.
I'm only 5 feet tall and could not manage the in/out of a van easily - I tried it at the dealer - what a pain! (Note: I might suggest doing this - it is work to move the carseats over to the test drive vehicle, but oh-so-worth-it!)
Anyway, we ended up with our first choice - a Ford Freestyle (now sold as a Ford Taurus something or other) it has enough room to seat seven, we keep the back row folded down for stroller and storage. And, have three car seats across the entire row of the back seat. Yes, it is still a bit tricky to get the middle girl in her seat - but, it is better than climbing in the back to buckle someone in.
We get about 25 mpg around town which we think is great for a vehicle that size. I love it that it is car-like but with the room of a van and my husband likes that it doesn't look like a van which he was adamantly against.
We also like that the first row of seats is a 60/40 split and the back is 50/50 - so there are lots of seat combinations we could use if we wanted to.
Looks like Odyssey has lots of positive comments too - I don't have experience with that.
I like being frugal, but when it comes to cars, I look at the safety records. I have heard that Volvo is the safest, and that there is even a club for "survivors" who own Volvos. I also read an article about cost per use, and my neighbor has had his Volvo for 300,000 miles, he showed me the certificate! Southeastern Mom
I researched for months before we went in to the dealer. We got a great deal on our Kia because of it! The manager figured out I knew to much and finally caved in ;-)
We love our van... it is great and has been improved upon since the earlier Kia vans so I wouldn't go younger than a 2006 but ours is a 2007 and perfect for us... nothing lemon about it...YEAH!!
I would also have to disagree with the person who said to buy an american car. I am all about being patriotic, but when it comes to cars, for reliability, resale value, and generally just getting the most bang for your buck, you can not beat a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. Yes, they will be more expensive to buy outright, but when you look up the cost of ownership over several years, you will see that you are actually spending less. I would personally rather buy a Toyota or Honda with 100,000 miles, than a Ford or Chevy (or Dodge, or Chrysler) with 50,000 miles. They (Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna) are both the top ranked minivan, according to kelly blue book and edmunds....for many, many years in a row. We have always owned either Honda's or Toyota's...my last honda had 275,000 miles on it and drove great. We ended up choosing the Toyota Sienna (I have a 2004), because I really liked the power doors and back hatch (soooo nice, when holding multiple kids and groceries!), as well as being able to fold the backseat completely into the floor, not having to take it out. I believe the Hondas have that too, but the particular I was looking at didn't. I believe my minivan gets around 18 city, 22 highway. Not great, but definitely better than an SUV. While I hate the stigma of being a "minivan mom", the convenience and ease it brings to my life is worth it! Sorry for the super long post...I am very passionate about vehicles. Between us, my hubby and I have had 16 vehicles, ranging from Jeeps, Hondas, Mercedes, Toyotas, Chevys, and Fords...and hands down, we agree that you just can't compete with the Toyotas and Hondas. :)
We have a 2000 Toyota Sienna that has run like a dream for the eight years we've had it. Someone else here commented that foreign cars are so much more expensive to repair. However, if you get a Toyota, you are nearly guaranteed that you will have very few repairs if you take good care of it. Our only repairs so far have been things that wear out: battery, brakes, oil, etc. We have made eight trips from southern Arizona to northern Idaho, a number of trips to Oklahoma, California, and Montana. It is a dream to drive on road trips. We have put almost 180,000 miles on it in these eight years. You just can't beat a Toyota for longevity and retaining their value a little better if you want to sell it again.
we have a honda odessey & a toyota sienna. the toyota is much more roomy in the cargo area. getting the power sliders & power back are worth it -- they are heavy to close, especially when pregnant.
I understand from friends that Odysseys are nice - everyone I know who has one likes it. My sis, on the other hand, bought a 3 year old Kia whateveritscalled and, for its price and operating cost, has done well. She's had it three years now and while it's not the sexiest or even the most perfectly reliable vehicle they have such poor resale that at the price she paid it's been a good value. Since she doesn't intend to have it much longer she's not dumping money into it and her cost per mile has been consistently lower than "better" minivans.
If you don't find a minivan you like, you might consider looking for a newer Volvo wagon (and I say this as a driver of a '92 model, which *was* an upgrade for my family!) - not only can you fit three car seats/boosters across in most models up to I think 3 or 4 years ago but you get cargo room that is just a good as most minivans or SUVs and mileage that can beat anything else of its size and utility.
Love my Sienna ... I love the way it drives, it will make sharp turns beautifully, and the sliding door is fab ... We got the 8 seater (6 in back, two in front) and have the 3- and 2-year old in the back, one seat out and the baby in the middle row. Open the door, the "big" kids climb up into their seats while I load the baby, then turn and hook them up. Works great for us!
We had a Ford Windstar and really liked it. What I'm really posting about is how I remember back to the time your son saw a commercial for the Kia Sedona, and was talking intelligently with your husband about it. What a cutie. Remember that? It was one of the first times I had read your blog. Here's the link: likemerchantships.../2006/05/effective-marketing.html (I've deleted some, hoping it will all show up in the box...)
We have a 2001 Mazda MPV. It isn't fancy, but works well. It is a smaller size van and now that my kids legs are getting longer, it is feeling a little cramped (they are 3 and 6). I think if we were to replace it, I would go for something slightly larger.
We have a 1999 Town and Country Limited. We chose leather seats because they are so much easier to clean from our personal standpoint.
We did have a little misscommunication when my dh drove two states away, here it was not AWD as it was stated and here it had traction control.
So the owners took money off. Our 4th baby was due very soon prior getting it and my dh called to see what I wanted to do. Of course our honda passport was not going to cut it with my older son already squisshed int he middle between two car seats.
We have yet to have a thing go wrong with it. Bummer that it is not AWD as we live in snow/ice Pa state, and live on a mountain.
Another thing that I would have liked was the middle seat for the extra room and it seems like wasted space to me. But there are no vans out there with AWD that seat 8.
We love it though and are very grateful! And we got the charcoal gray/black color. The seats are very comfy and people comment this when they drive and always want to drive our van before there's.
Thre are a lot of great vans like the Sienna and the Honda Odyssey. But the money was an issue and this was a deal for us we could not give up.
Minivans rock. We got a new 07 Odyssey about 1.5 years ago. If you are looking for a used van, I think it's more about finding an individual vehicle that is in good shape and runs nicely. I test drove a few used Odys and they varied considerably, some drove nice, others not.
I also liked the Sienna and the Dodge minivans. I would suggest getting an 05 or later or going new, just to get the latest safety bells and whistles. And hang onto your van a long time. :)
We purchased a used 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport and have been very pleased. We took it to our trusted and reputable mechanic who said it was sound and that he believes they are the best model. He said to beware of Ford Windstars--he works on them quite often! We use this van to drive 9 hours each way drives to visit family twice a year. It also does a number of mini-trips (2-3 hours) and all the daily work. We've had nothing more that regular maintainence, inlcluding tires. My brother and sister-in-law have a 2000 GC and drive similar distances and have only had regular maintainence as well. It almost seems to good to be true. Ours currently has around 120,000 miles on it.
I agree that sliding doors are a must, especially with tight parking and sidling the cart up to the van to load the kids in on cold days. Then again, we live in Michigan. A mini-van was also the best thing we ever purchased as far as helping my back. Reaching to the middle is a killer even when you're healthy. Minivans feel like a boat at first but soon you grow accustomed.
Good luck as you shop. May you get a good deal on a healthy, long-lived vehicle!
We have an 05 Toyota Sienna that we purchased new and have loved it. The cargo area is very deep and has lots of storage. The seats are easy to fold down. Ours came with a built-in dvd player which has been wonderful for our frequent long road trips to visit family. The automatic door is great for unloading my kids at the school drop off line. We have had absolutely NO problems with the van at all.
I should note that our 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan has over 150,000 miles on it and has never been in for a major repair, except for the air conditioning.
I didn't even know they made minivans without two sliding doors! They are DEFINITELY a must.
I also have an old Pontiac station wagon, but it guzzles more gas than the minivan.
Whatever you do, DON't buy a Ford Windstar. We replaced both the engine and the transmission in ours, and know of other people who have had to do the same thing...they're very unreliable!
We did something that worked so well for us and was great for our budget:
- We took Dave Ramsey's advice and committed to buying a car that we could pay for in cash.
- Rather than focus on one particular model, we did some Consumer Reports research and made a list of a wide variety of years/models that were acceptable to us.
- We then got on Craigslist (in both our city and the next major city a couple hours away) and just started making offers left and right. We made the lowest offers we could respectably make. One lady with a 2003 model minivan that was on our approved list replied with a counter-offer that was acceptable.
- We ended up buying her 2003 minivan with leather interior for $4,200. It had some scratches and wasn't my top choice model, but it's perfectly fine, safe and meets all our needs. Because it was so cheap we figured that some repairs would be needed and, sure enough, a $2,000 repair came up shortly after we got it (we'd figured that into our budget ahead of time). But our mechanic says it should be good for another 100,000 miles now, so in the end we paid $6,200 and have no car payment. We're so happy we did that!
Just thought I'd share that experience in case that's helpful at all.
We have a 2006 Honda Odyssey. This is our third Odyssey. I love it. It drives so smooth, is very comfy and has lots of space. I have two sons 11 and 17, and really don't need the space anymore. I will be getting a CRV soon. It is also an awesome vehicle. Good Luck!
We just recently got a "new to us" 2001 Honda Odyssey. After hubs car died, we decided to pay out a little more for a family vehicle that should take us down the road a ways. After some research and several test drives, we couldn't pass up the Odyssey. So far, I love it! It's very smooth, has the LATCH system, auto sliding doors, and is great for our (almost) two kids. And a bonus for us, it even came with a VCR player with hook-ups for a DVD system.
With your growing family, I'm sure Andrew would be a pro at getting in the back by himself.
No one else has mentioned my van, so I feel compelled to add it to the list: the GMC Safari/Chevy Astro. Great price, especially used, and, while just a little bigger than a typical minivan, it seats 8 and has more cargo space.
More "trucklike" but a super value.
Our other car is a 1986 Ford Crown Vic Station Wagon... I love it and it's been so reliable. Bought it used, and the previous owner was a granny "Sunday driver." It's so comfortable too, like driving your couch. :-)
I have two friends who have bought vans because they are pregnant with their third and one of them is already complaining about the increased cost of gas. It makes me happy that I fit three car seats in a sedan. The only bad part is getting kids in and out when its raining. I'll take a wet backside to save that money.
We bought a 2004 Toyota Sienna new {gasp}. We love it!
It gets amazing gas mileage, is one of the biggest minis on the market and has gotten some of Consumer Reports highest ratings for safety and maintainence.
We'll drive this one until it dies, but would definitely buy another.
I have an 07 Odyssey. I love it. I also have to disagree with buying American-I won't buy anything but Honda or Toyota- ever. Mine has all the bells and whistles too- that dvd package is great. My kids listen to their own music cd's as well as being able to watch a movie. While wearing headphones. So I don't have to hear it. So I can talk to my husband. For ten minutes of uninteruppted conversation. It's worth it's weight in gold. :o)
My sister had a Honda Odyssey when her family lived in the States. I drove it once. It was nice, for a minivan. I know they found it very reliable.
My 2 cars are Hondas, and they are fabulous. My Civic is 12 years old, and still going strong. The CRV will be 8 this summer. Same thing. Hondas are extremely reliable, fuel efficient, and are all-around great cars. If you buy one, try to find a mechanic who specializes in Honda. Our mechanic is fabulous, and he's kept our cars in tip-top shape. Do all regular maintenance, and a Honda should last you a LONG time!
When we looked at minis we found the Honda Odyssey to be the most awkward model to fit a family of 6 into. The back bench is hard to access. We have driven a Grand Caravan and really liked it. Few problems. Now we have a full sized van that we purchased for long road trips with teens with long legs. The kids are growing up and leaving the nest and hubby and I will probably be looking for a mini van soon.
One option if you are not sure of the jump to a minivan is to look at the Honda Odyssey from 1998 and prior. These were made on the Accord body, so they are not much longer than a sedan. In my area one with reasonable mileage goes for about $4500 from owners and $7000 from a dealer. The main drawback is that it does not have latch. (I think that 2001 is the first one that has LATCH on it and the size jumps up quite a bit after 1998.)
I love my Civic, but we are actually looking at getting one of these older Odysseys as a third vehicle after #2 shows up. I need to crunch the numbers for expected need vs. cost insurance wise, but it may be worth it for us.
Because of the smaller size, the 1995-1998 Odysseys have great gas mileage too!
We absolutely love our Honda Odyssey 2001! Admittedly, it does take more gas than our Toyota Corolla (1986) but with three kids, we can definitely use the added room. We got ours with a blessing of a deal $8995 and we put $1000 down. We have not had any issues with it AT ALL. Definitely go with two sliding doors rather than one. There is nothing more annoying than NOT being able to get your kiddos out of the vehicle due to someone's parking ineptitude (notice I did not mention someone ELSE'S...LOL). With double sliding doors, you don't have to worry about access to the kids! My best advice...PRAY before you buy! Carfax is not God and does not know all the things that could go wrong with a vehicle once you drive it away. Plus, prayer ensures the best deal because you are listening!
I can tell you what NOT to buy--a Chrysler Town & Country. We brought one a couple of years ago, and kept it long enough to buy a tag (300 miles or so). The seats were like park benches they were so hard and uncomfortable. We have a 1991 mini van that we have 247,000+ miles on it and the seats are soooo comfortable. We were so disappointed with the new van.
I understand the Toyota vans are very reliable, but they sure think a lot of them--they are rather expensive, even the used vans--anything Toyota holds it value.
We love our Honda Odyssey! We just had to replace the transmission in December, but if we had been living in the country of purchase - Canada - they would have covered parts and labour. Since we imported it to the U.S. when we moved 3 years ago Honda USA did not cover the warranty. Bummer. We researched vans for a while and prayed about the decision - God definitely provided in a big way with our van! Honda Odyssey is my vote!
I will tell you another one NOT to buy and that is a Ford Windstar. Piece. Of. Junk. We bought a 2000 in 2001 and have nothing but problems. A new transmission BEFORE 100,000 miles pretty much sealed the deal for us!
We are purchasing a new (to us) Suburban in the next few weeks (we have #6 on the way) and may I say that I wish it were legal to set your vehicle on fire because I would love nothing more than to torch the Windstar. I'm quite certain if cars had souls, our Windstar would most definitely be in hell.
Meredith, I'm mostly a lurker but have 2 cents to add here. I would NOT recommend a Pontiac Montana. We have one (2000), and while it is comfortable to drive and ride in for the most part, it is very difficult to change the oil in because the filter is difficult to reach and get out yourself. My husband does do it, but it is an exercise in frustration every time. In addition, some of the parts that require a real mechanic to fix when broken are also quite difficult to get to. More difficulty means more time, which means more dollars spent on labor.
We've had several mini vans over the years, but my absolute favorite is the Chevy Venture. It is spacious and comfortable, and it gets excellent gas mileage. The last year this van was made was 2005, but there are some excellent used ones available. Ours is a 1998, and it is still going strong. If I bought another van, it would definitely be a Venture.
Meridith- we just traded our '03 Chevy Venture (Warner Bros. ed) for something w/ more ground clearance, but I actually LOVED the van while we had it(even though I'm a truck girl at heart...) it had the 2 power doors, DVD, and seats that could be switched all around depending on what I was hauling at any given moment, AND it seats 8. It was dealer maintained, and we traded fairly locally to you if you're interested. It's at Wriker Chevy in Winchester. Good luck!! PS- I LOVE your blog.
We love LOVE our Sienna. We made a huge study of it all and got a great deal on a 2005 used Toyota Sienna AWD (which is important where we live) with low mileage! Keep us posted on what you decide! Blessings! Renee
I love my (used) Honda Oydessey. And while Honda is a Japanese company, they employ thousands in the US (Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama to name a few) and use numerous suppliers in the US. Not to mention all of the $ that they invest here for education etc... Just my two cents. :-) Good luck in your search!
We bought a used Mazda MPV. It's small-ish, no frills at all,but I can still fit all four kids and their stuff in it. It's the only van I drove that didn't feel like it was going to flip over. Love, love, love it.
Love, Love Love our Toyota! If you look at my site there is a picture at the top. Toyotas keep their resale value for sure. My Hubby had a total wreck in one with over 265,000 miles. It is for a family with a long range driving in mine.
55 comments:
We did some research and loved the Toyota Sienna, but got an awesome deal on a Honda Odyssey (used, of course) so "settled" for the price difference. We haven't regretted it...it gets good mileage, the third seat is easy to fold down and it's easy to get our 4 little ones in and out (2 youngest are 19 months and 3 months).
We love our Chrysler Town and Country. It's the third T&C we've owned. Each has had about 230,000 on them when we finally gave in and got a new one and the last one we retired only because we were in a bad accident and it was undriveable. We were planning on using it forever! I have to say, though -- seeing how it performed in that accident sold me again on the van. It crumpled exactly where it should and really saved our lives, I think.
The Town and Country we have now is a 1996 with the two sliding doors. The two sliding doors have made a huge difference for us! It's very nice to be able to access the back seat so well and get kids in and out quickly. The only thing I'd caution is to make sure the seats are comfortable. Friends have the Stow-n-Go seating and like it, but trips have killed them because the seats are so uncomfortable! We drive a lot, long distances so flexibility in seating is not as important as comfort.
I'm not sure about maintenance. My husband is an engineer and can fix about anything, so we've only paid for parts in fixing them and he's done all the work himself. That would be something to check.
My mother has a 2001 Town and Country and she absolutely loves it and has had NO maintenance problems in the last two years. My dad has a Cadillac and takes the Town and Country on his big trips because he likes the way it rides so much.
I'll stop gushing now. Can't wait to see what you find out.
We have a Dodge Grand Caravan, which I love. It had built in child car seats on the middle bench which was awesome (until we outgrew it and replaced that two-seater bench with a three seater from a junkyard).
My advice:
pick a model that is popular (parts will be easy to find)
Go on various car repair boards/mechanics board and search the van you are looking for, you'll pick up if there are any chronic problems.
Our Caravan apparently has a problem with airflow to the AC compressor, which shortens it's life. We've had to replace it once already (had the van for 7 years.)
...and, dual climate control is such a Good Thing! LOL
Just.say.no.to.minivans! haha. We have one and I hate it. It costs a small fortune to drive it to the grocery store, it is impossible to park and frustrating to drive in 5:00 traffic.
Ok, now that I got that out of my system. ;) If you do get a van, buy American. It costs a lot less to fix. If you end up with a foreign one and you need repairs, find out if American parts can be used. We had a Mazda and found out after spending thousands on a transmission that Ford makes the transmission and I could have saved about $1000.
If you buy used.. GET 2 SLIDING DOORS. Ours has only one and it works for us because my oldest can buckle himself in but if you have to reach and buckle in more than 1 child, you will WANT 2 sliders.
If you buy new, don't go for all the extras like the DVD player. How often will you REALLY use that? On trips to the park? I doubt it. For the few long road trips you can get (or borrow.. hint, hint) a portable player and save the interest you would have paid on it over the 5 year car financing schedule.
I'll come back if I think of anything else.
We had the Toyota Sienna and loved it!! Ours was seven years old and had over 100k miles on it, but still ran like it was brand new. We had to sell it recently because we are outgrowing it with baby #6 :)
Blessings,
Now your frugality is paying off as you need a car and it looks like the kids have saved quite a bit toward getting one. :) Sounds like much more fun than a yard sale.
Vicky
We have a Plymouth Voyager (now called Chrysler Voyager--it's the Town and Country without the bells and whistles) and we have been very happy with it. We got the extended one, with more cargo space.
I never want another car now that I have my Dodge Grand Caravan. It's three years old now and I love it! A friend of mine was in an accident in one and it saved her life...the safety rating is 5 star. PLUS...I LOVE MY STOW n GO! Don't get anything that makes you take the seats out! (Kia) We use it for everything...even camping and posh accomadations at the drive in! Congrats!
Mere
I've got a basic 2002 Toyota Sienna. A few more bells and whistles, like automatic sliding doors would be nice, but it only had 42,000 miles and was a great deal on craigslist. I like it. I was afraid I'd feel like I was driving a bus after my Avalon, but it is great and easy to handle.
I really like my Honda Oydessey. We got it used from Carmax this summer; it's a 2004 with 40,000 miles. We looked at used Sienna's as well, but the price break wasn't as good. We could get one new for about the same price with that mileage. I really like the Honda interior better anyway. I would recommend getting something with less automatic stuff to break on you, if that's possible.
I heartily disagree with the recommndation to buy an American minivan. Everyone I know who bought one has had multiple problems with them, small stuff, big stuff, you name it. Those with Toyota and Honda minivans have had far less to go wrong. There's a reason they're rated as well as they are; they're just good, solid, reliable cars.
That being said, the gas it takes to run a minivan is not something to sneeze at. If we'd had a car for me to drive, we would've waited until we had more than one child to buy one. You don't need one, in my opinion, until you have more than 2 children... but that's you! =) Just keep in mind that the gas mileage for most standard size minivans is about the same as an SUV. I wasn't aware of that, and when I became aware, it made me sad. It makes me sad whenever I have to fill up that big ol' tank. But minivans are great, and for three kids, there aren't a lot of other good options. Maybe a Volvo station wagon? I don't know... Good luck!
We have an Odyssey (sp?) and we really, really like it. We did get one of the nicer ones that has the economy cruise and it gets quite good minivan millage. I'm not sure where we stand exactly but I know we usually run various errands most days and only have to fill it up about once every 2-3 weeks. It shuts down half of the pistons if you are at a cruising speed (which seems to be most of the time if you aren't going up hill or accelerating quickly). Honda says it averages 28 mpg.
We got a minivan mainly because we take a number of trips to see relatives that are 4-5 hours away, have 2 dogs, and were tentatively planning on 3 children (currently working on number 2) so it made sense to go ahead and get one when we needed to replace a car. However, if circumstances had been different, I would have really liked to go with something along the lines of a Subaru Forrester.
We have 4 kids - 3 are 4 and under, a ds11, and another baby due in May. We bought a used 2002 Honda Odyssey right before #3 came along. I did research on minivans and Odysseys were consistently highly rated by both owners and the insurance institute for safety, comfort, and reliability. Yes, American minivans tend to be at least $10k less, but there were so many complaints about their reliability.
Before we bought the Honda, I tested a Suburban, too and didn't like the cramped feel. I'm only 5'1" and can easily move around in the Honda to take care of everyone. I love the amount of cargo space in the back. I love being able to fold down the 3rd row to haul stuff. The 2 sliding doors are perfect for getting kids out of both sides of the car and for keeping little guys contained as I strap everyone in.
I love having a minivan, however I would NOT recommend a Ford Windstar. It was fine at first, but once it hit $75,000 miles, it has been nothing but problems. They don't make them anymore, but if you are buying used, don't buy that.
My next car, hopefully, will be a Honda Odyssey, althought the Toyota Sienna is nice too.
We had to buy a new vehicle after our car accident last spring and opted to get a crossover vehicle rather than a van.
I'm only 5 feet tall and could not manage the in/out of a van easily - I tried it at the dealer - what a pain! (Note: I might suggest doing this - it is work to move the carseats over to the test drive vehicle, but oh-so-worth-it!)
Anyway, we ended up with our first choice - a Ford Freestyle (now sold as a Ford Taurus something or other) it has enough room to seat seven, we keep the back row folded down for stroller and storage. And, have three car seats across the entire row of the back seat. Yes, it is still a bit tricky to get the middle girl in her seat - but, it is better than climbing in the back to buckle someone in.
We get about 25 mpg around town which we think is great for a vehicle that size. I love it that it is car-like but with the room of a van and my husband likes that it doesn't look like a van which he was adamantly against.
We also like that the first row of seats is a 60/40 split and the back is 50/50 - so there are lots of seat combinations we could use if we wanted to.
Looks like Odyssey has lots of positive comments too - I don't have experience with that.
Good luck!
I like being frugal, but when it comes to cars, I look at the safety records. I have heard that Volvo is the safest, and that there is even a club for "survivors" who own Volvos. I also read an article about cost per use, and my neighbor has had his Volvo for 300,000 miles, he showed me the certificate!
Southeastern Mom
I researched for months before we went in to the dealer. We got a great deal on our Kia because of it! The manager figured out I knew to much and finally caved in ;-)
We love our van... it is great and has been improved upon since the earlier Kia vans so I wouldn't go younger than a 2006 but ours is a 2007 and perfect for us... nothing lemon about it...YEAH!!
God bless,
Sallie
I would also have to disagree with the person who said to buy an american car. I am all about being patriotic, but when it comes to cars, for reliability, resale value, and generally just getting the most bang for your buck, you can not beat a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. Yes, they will be more expensive to buy outright, but when you look up the cost of ownership over several years, you will see that you are actually spending less. I would personally rather buy a Toyota or Honda with 100,000 miles, than a Ford or Chevy (or Dodge, or Chrysler) with 50,000 miles. They (Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna) are both the top ranked minivan, according to kelly blue book and edmunds....for many, many years in a row. We have always owned either Honda's or Toyota's...my last honda had 275,000 miles on it and drove great. We ended up choosing the Toyota Sienna (I have a 2004), because I really liked the power doors and back hatch (soooo nice, when holding multiple kids and groceries!), as well as being able to fold the backseat completely into the floor, not having to take it out. I believe the Hondas have that too, but the particular I was looking at didn't. I believe my minivan gets around 18 city, 22 highway. Not great, but definitely better than an SUV. While I hate the stigma of being a "minivan mom", the convenience and ease it brings to my life is worth it! Sorry for the super long post...I am very passionate about vehicles. Between us, my hubby and I have had 16 vehicles, ranging from Jeeps, Hondas, Mercedes, Toyotas, Chevys, and Fords...and hands down, we agree that you just can't compete with the Toyotas and Hondas. :)
We have a 2000 Toyota Sienna that has run like a dream for the eight years we've had it. Someone else here commented that foreign cars are so much more expensive to repair. However, if you get a Toyota, you are nearly guaranteed that you will have very few repairs if you take good care of it. Our only repairs so far have been things that wear out: battery, brakes, oil, etc. We have made eight trips from southern Arizona to northern Idaho, a number of trips to Oklahoma, California, and Montana. It is a dream to drive on road trips. We have put almost 180,000 miles on it in these eight years. You just can't beat a Toyota for longevity and retaining their value a little better if you want to sell it again.
we have a honda odessey & a toyota sienna. the toyota is much more roomy in the cargo area. getting the power sliders & power back are worth it -- they are heavy to close, especially when pregnant.
I understand from friends that Odysseys are nice - everyone I know who has one likes it. My sis, on the other hand, bought a 3 year old Kia whateveritscalled and, for its price and operating cost, has done well. She's had it three years now and while it's not the sexiest or even the most perfectly reliable vehicle they have such poor resale that at the price she paid it's been a good value. Since she doesn't intend to have it much longer she's not dumping money into it and her cost per mile has been consistently lower than "better" minivans.
If you don't find a minivan you like, you might consider looking for a newer Volvo wagon (and I say this as a driver of a '92 model, which *was* an upgrade for my family!) - not only can you fit three car seats/boosters across in most models up to I think 3 or 4 years ago but you get cargo room that is just a good as most minivans or SUVs and mileage that can beat anything else of its size and utility.
Whatever route you take, good luck!
Love my Sienna ... I love the way it drives, it will make sharp turns beautifully, and the sliding door is fab ... We got the 8 seater (6 in back, two in front) and have the 3- and 2-year old in the back, one seat out and the baby in the middle row. Open the door, the "big" kids climb up into their seats while I load the baby, then turn and hook them up. Works great for us!
We had a Ford Windstar and really liked it. What I'm really posting about is how I remember back to the time your son saw a commercial for the Kia Sedona, and was talking intelligently with your husband about it. What a cutie. Remember that? It was one of the first times I had read your blog.
Here's the link:
likemerchantships.../2006/05/effective-marketing.html
(I've deleted some, hoping it will all show up in the box...)
We have a 2001 Mazda MPV. It isn't fancy, but works well. It is a smaller size van and now that my kids legs are getting longer, it is feeling a little cramped (they are 3 and 6). I think if we were to replace it, I would go for something slightly larger.
We have a 1999 Town and Country Limited. We chose leather seats because they are so much easier to clean from our personal standpoint.
We did have a little misscommunication when my dh drove two states away, here it was not AWD as it was stated and here it had traction control.
So the owners took money off. Our 4th baby was due very soon prior getting it and my dh called to see what I wanted to do. Of course our honda passport was not going to cut it with my older son already squisshed int he middle between two car seats.
We have yet to have a thing go wrong with it. Bummer that it is not AWD as we live in snow/ice Pa state, and live on a mountain.
Another thing that I would have liked was the middle seat for the extra room and it seems like wasted space to me. But there are no vans out there with AWD that seat 8.
We love it though and are very grateful! And we got the charcoal gray/black color. The seats are very comfy and people comment this when they drive and always want to drive our van before there's.
Thre are a lot of great vans like the Sienna and the Honda Odyssey. But the money was an issue and this was a deal for us we could not give up.
Renee :)
Minivans rock. We got a new 07 Odyssey about 1.5 years ago. If you are looking for a used van, I think it's more about finding an individual vehicle that is in good shape and runs nicely. I test drove a few used Odys and they varied considerably, some drove nice, others not.
I also liked the Sienna and the Dodge minivans. I would suggest getting an 05 or later or going new, just to get the latest safety bells and whistles. And hang onto your van a long time. :)
Have fun!
We purchased a used 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport and have been very pleased. We took it to our trusted and reputable mechanic who said it was sound and that he believes they are the best model. He said to beware of Ford Windstars--he works on them quite often! We use this van to drive 9 hours each way drives to visit family twice a year. It also does a number of mini-trips (2-3 hours) and all the daily work. We've had nothing more that regular maintainence, inlcluding tires. My brother and sister-in-law have a 2000 GC and drive similar distances and have only had regular maintainence as well. It almost seems to good to be true. Ours currently has around 120,000 miles on it.
I agree that sliding doors are a must, especially with tight parking and sidling the cart up to the van to load the kids in on cold days. Then again, we live in Michigan. A mini-van was also the best thing we ever purchased as far as helping my back. Reaching to the middle is a killer even when you're healthy. Minivans feel like a boat at first but soon you grow accustomed.
Good luck as you shop. May you get a good deal on a healthy, long-lived vehicle!
Cindy
We have an 05 Toyota Sienna that we purchased new and have loved it. The cargo area is very deep and has lots of storage. The seats are easy to fold down. Ours came with a built-in dvd player which has been wonderful for our frequent long road trips to visit family. The automatic door is great for unloading my kids at the school drop off line. We have had absolutely NO problems with the van at all.
I should note that our 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan has over 150,000 miles on it and has never been in for a major repair, except for the air conditioning.
I didn't even know they made minivans without two sliding doors! They are DEFINITELY a must.
I also have an old Pontiac station wagon, but it guzzles more gas than the minivan.
Whatever you do, DON't buy a Ford Windstar. We replaced both the engine and the transmission in ours, and know of other people who have had to do the same thing...they're very unreliable!
We did something that worked so well for us and was great for our budget:
- We took Dave Ramsey's advice and committed to buying a car that we could pay for in cash.
- Rather than focus on one particular model, we did some Consumer Reports research and made a list of a wide variety of years/models that were acceptable to us.
- We then got on Craigslist (in both our city and the next major city a couple hours away) and just started making offers left and right. We made the lowest offers we could respectably make. One lady with a 2003 model minivan that was on our approved list replied with a counter-offer that was acceptable.
- We ended up buying her 2003 minivan with leather interior for $4,200. It had some scratches and wasn't my top choice model, but it's perfectly fine, safe and meets all our needs. Because it was so cheap we figured that some repairs would be needed and, sure enough, a $2,000 repair came up shortly after we got it (we'd figured that into our budget ahead of time). But our mechanic says it should be good for another 100,000 miles now, so in the end we paid $6,200 and have no car payment. We're so happy we did that!
Just thought I'd share that experience in case that's helpful at all.
We have a 2006 Honda Odyssey. This is our third Odyssey. I love it. It drives so smooth, is very comfy and has lots of space. I have two sons 11 and 17, and really don't need the space anymore. I will be getting a CRV soon. It is also an awesome vehicle. Good Luck!
We just recently got a "new to us" 2001 Honda Odyssey. After hubs car died, we decided to pay out a little more for a family vehicle that should take us down the road a ways. After some research and several test drives, we couldn't pass up the Odyssey. So far, I love it! It's very smooth, has the LATCH system, auto sliding doors, and is great for our (almost) two kids. And a bonus for us, it even came with a VCR player with hook-ups for a DVD system.
With your growing family, I'm sure Andrew would be a pro at getting in the back by himself.
Let us know what you guys decide!
No one else has mentioned my van, so I feel compelled to add it to the list: the GMC Safari/Chevy Astro. Great price, especially used, and, while just a little bigger than a typical minivan, it seats 8 and has more cargo space.
More "trucklike" but a super value.
Our other car is a 1986 Ford Crown Vic Station Wagon... I love it and it's been so reliable. Bought it used, and the previous owner was a granny "Sunday driver." It's so comfortable too, like driving your couch. :-)
I have two friends who have bought vans because they are pregnant with their third and one of them is already complaining about the increased cost of gas. It makes me happy that I fit three car seats in a sedan. The only bad part is getting kids in and out when its raining. I'll take a wet backside to save that money.
Look at the Mazda 5. It's not a mini-van but it will seat six adults three rows. It is based on the a European design of super mini vans.
The third row of seats fold but it gets the milage of a sedan. It is divine!!!
We bought a 2004 Toyota Sienna new {gasp}. We love it!
It gets amazing gas mileage, is one of the biggest minis on the market and has gotten some of Consumer Reports highest ratings for safety and maintainence.
We'll drive this one until it dies, but would definitely buy another.
Reading back through the comments, we get over 25 mpg fuel average with our Sienna.
I have an 07 Odyssey. I love it. I also have to disagree with buying American-I won't buy anything but Honda or Toyota- ever. Mine has all the bells and whistles too- that dvd package is great. My kids listen to their own music cd's as well as being able to watch a movie. While wearing headphones. So I don't have to hear it. So I can talk to my husband. For ten minutes of uninteruppted conversation. It's worth it's weight in gold. :o)
My sister had a Honda Odyssey when her family lived in the States. I drove it once. It was nice, for a minivan. I know they found it very reliable.
My 2 cars are Hondas, and they are fabulous. My Civic is 12 years old, and still going strong. The CRV will be 8 this summer. Same thing. Hondas are extremely reliable, fuel efficient, and are all-around great cars. If you buy one, try to find a mechanic who specializes in Honda. Our mechanic is fabulous, and he's kept our cars in tip-top shape. Do all regular maintenance, and a Honda should last you a LONG time!
Man, Honda should pay me for this advertisement!
When we looked at minis we found the Honda Odyssey to be the most awkward model to fit a family of 6 into. The back bench is hard to access. We have driven a Grand Caravan and really liked it. Few problems. Now we have a full sized van that we purchased for long road trips with teens with long legs. The kids are growing up and leaving the nest and hubby and I will probably be looking for a mini van soon.
One option if you are not sure of the jump to a minivan is to look at the Honda Odyssey from 1998 and prior. These were made on the Accord body, so they are not much longer than a sedan. In my area one with reasonable mileage goes for about $4500 from owners and $7000 from a dealer. The main drawback is that it does not have latch. (I think that 2001 is the first one that has LATCH on it and the size jumps up quite a bit after 1998.)
I love my Civic, but we are actually looking at getting one of these older Odysseys as a third vehicle after #2 shows up. I need to crunch the numbers for expected need vs. cost insurance wise, but it may be worth it for us.
Because of the smaller size, the 1995-1998 Odysseys have great gas mileage too!
Something to think about....
We absolutely love our Honda Odyssey 2001! Admittedly, it does take more gas than our Toyota Corolla (1986) but with three kids, we can definitely use the added room. We got ours with a blessing of a deal $8995 and we put $1000 down. We have not had any issues with it AT ALL. Definitely go with two sliding doors rather than one. There is nothing more annoying than NOT being able to get your kiddos out of the vehicle due to someone's parking ineptitude (notice I did not mention someone ELSE'S...LOL). With double sliding doors, you don't have to worry about access to the kids!
My best advice...PRAY before you buy! Carfax is not God and does not know all the things that could go wrong with a vehicle once you drive it away. Plus, prayer ensures the best deal because you are listening!
Blessings!
Mrs. Q
I can tell you what NOT to buy--a Chrysler Town & Country. We brought one a couple of years ago, and kept it long enough to buy a tag (300 miles or so). The seats were like park benches they were so hard and uncomfortable. We have a 1991 mini van that we have 247,000+ miles on it and the seats are soooo comfortable. We were so disappointed with the new van.
I understand the Toyota vans are very reliable, but they sure think a lot of them--they are rather expensive, even the used vans--anything Toyota holds it value.
We love our Honda Odyssey! We just had to replace the transmission in December, but if we had been living in the country of purchase - Canada - they would have covered parts and labour. Since we imported it to the U.S. when we moved 3 years ago Honda USA did not cover the warranty. Bummer. We researched vans for a while and prayed about the decision - God definitely provided in a big way with our van! Honda Odyssey is my vote!
I will tell you another one NOT to buy and that is a Ford Windstar. Piece. Of. Junk. We bought a 2000 in 2001 and have nothing but problems. A new transmission BEFORE 100,000 miles pretty much sealed the deal for us!
We are purchasing a new (to us) Suburban in the next few weeks (we have #6 on the way) and may I say that I wish it were legal to set your vehicle on fire because I would love nothing more than to torch the Windstar. I'm quite certain if cars had souls, our Windstar would most definitely be in hell.
Congrats on the new blessing!
Meredith, I'm mostly a lurker but have 2 cents to add here. I would NOT recommend a Pontiac Montana. We have one (2000), and while it is comfortable to drive and ride in for the most part, it is very difficult to change the oil in because the filter is difficult to reach and get out yourself. My husband does do it, but it is an exercise in frustration every time. In addition, some of the parts that require a real mechanic to fix when broken are also quite difficult to get to. More difficulty means more time, which means more dollars spent on labor.
We've had several mini vans over the years, but my absolute favorite is the Chevy Venture. It is spacious and comfortable, and it gets excellent gas mileage. The last year this van was made was 2005, but there are some excellent used ones available. Ours is a 1998, and it is still going strong. If I bought another van, it would definitely be a Venture.
Love my Sienna. Totally getting another when this one dies. (It's a 2002.)
Meridith- we just traded our '03 Chevy Venture (Warner Bros. ed) for something w/ more ground clearance, but I actually LOVED the van while we had it(even though I'm a truck girl at heart...) it had the 2 power doors, DVD, and seats that could be switched all around depending on what I was hauling at any given moment, AND it seats 8. It was dealer maintained, and we traded fairly locally to you if you're interested. It's at Wriker Chevy in Winchester. Good luck!!
PS- I LOVE your blog.
We love LOVE our Sienna. We made a huge study of it all and got a great deal on a 2005 used Toyota Sienna AWD (which is important where we live) with low mileage! Keep us posted on what you decide!
Blessings!
Renee
We have a used Odyssey and are loving it! There is plenty of room, lost of places to put stuff and it gets good gas mileage for a minivan.
Good Lord Meredith how do you have time to read your comments?!?
I don't have a minivan but everyone I know who has a Honda Odyssey LOVES it.
Btw, the post your brother will make in a couple of days is kinda funny.
I love my (used) Honda Oydessey. And while Honda is a Japanese company, they employ thousands in the US (Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama to name a few) and use numerous suppliers in the US. Not to mention all of the $ that they invest here for education etc... Just my two cents. :-) Good luck in your search!
We bought a used Mazda MPV. It's small-ish, no frills at all,but I can still fit all four kids and their stuff in it. It's the only van I drove that didn't feel like it was going to flip over. Love, love, love it.
Love, Love Love our Toyota! If you look at my site there is a picture at the top. Toyotas keep their resale value for sure. My Hubby had a total wreck in one with over 265,000 miles. It is for a family with a long range driving in mine.
Post a Comment