So the wife wants a Minivan.....

[Nufy]

Last one we had was a lease with warranty so i didn't have to worry about stuff breaking.

This one will be used.

Looking around 2000 - 2004 ish in years.

Just wondering what you (or your family) has for a minivan and what to look out for when shopping used.

Leaning towards Caravans or Windstars but will consider others.


TXS in advance.

[Destinova403]

with the way the new ones are priced you may be able to take a look at one of them... i mean they start at 25 grand and you could probably talk them down, and get some good rates because of the way chrysler is bleeding money.

[Soren1989]

odyssey vtec!!!!

[4lti7ude]

My parents got a windstar and they LOVE it.
Nice smooth ride and lots of cargo room.

[benyl]

Windstars, Freestars, etc... are junk.

Chrysler will leak oil after about 5-6 years and their transmissions are the first things to go.

I would look for a low mileage Sienna. Not the prettiest, but likely the most reliable.

The 2nd Gen Odyssey has issues with the power doors and the transmissions.

[djayz]

I have a 96 windstar if youre interested. Interior is in mint condition exterior is good condition...just a few dents here and there. Low kms...I believe around 160k and fully loaded.

[Proboscis]

Honda Odyssey x2. The one minivan that I'm not embarrassed to drive.

[kevie88]

Originally posted by Soren1989
odyssey vtec!!!!

Perfection in a minivan form..

Seriously. :thumbsup:

[dj_rice]

Odyssey x3

[Team_Mclaren]

holy fanboys, Odyssey has pretty serious transmission problems.
go get a Sienna. Reliable + good finish

[kevie88]

ok Sienna too! :D

My sister had an Odyssey for 185000 km's and no tranny problems. :dunno:

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by kevie88
ok Sienna too! :D

My sister had an Odyssey for 185000 km's and no tranny problems. :dunno:

seem to be hit and mis, my dad's friend had one, less than 100K and it needed to be replaced. Look up "Odyssey transmission problems" on google, they are not uncommon

[Hakkola]

When I saw the thread "So the wife wants a Minivan....." I was expecting to read, "suggest some cool station wagons which she could live with" or "how do I tell her no, without upsetting her."

:D

[rage2]

R63 AMG. Nuff said.

[Destinova403]

the thing is for the price of a used sienna/odyssey you can get a much newer/lower milage domestic... and the new domestics arent even that bad for reliability.

[Antonito]

Originally posted by Destinova403
the thing is for the price of a used sienna/odyssey you can get a much newer/lower milage domestic... and the new domestics arent even that bad for reliability.

But absolute shite for resale. I could barely give away my 2001 Pontiac Montana a couple years ago, best offer I got was $1500, with the 20k of mileage over the accepted black book value for the year, most dealerships wouldn't even take it for scrap...

[BerserkerCatSplat]

If you really need to haul people, but don't want to look like you've given up on life, screw the minivan and get a Volvo V70R.

[Proboscis]

Originally posted by Destinova403
the thing is for the price of a used sienna/odyssey you can get a much newer/lower milage domestic... and the new domestics arent even that bad for reliability.


Astro and Safari vans are mechanically solid. Interiors I'm not too crazy about. Nufy, you should check out a 2004 Astro or Safari, the resale is not that bad on these vans (compared to their FWD GM counterparts). My parents bought an Astro over 20 years ago and still hasn't let them down. Sadly its been reduced to the eyesore parked on the street that no one drives.

[Destinova403]

Originally posted by Antonito


But absolute shite for resale. I could barely give away my 2001 Pontiac Montana a couple years ago, best offer I got was $1500, with the 20k of mileage over the accepted black book value for the year, most dealerships wouldn't even take it for scrap...

hes buying used anyway... so he will be able to get a much better deal on one of those than a japanese van, the initial buyer is going to eat the depreciation... just saying but it seems to make sense.

[finboy]

look into wagons :thumbsup:

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by Proboscis



Astro and Safari vans are mechanically solid. Interiors I'm not too crazy about. Nufy, you should check out a 2004 Astro or Safari, the resale is not that bad on these vans (compared to their FWD GM counterparts). My parents bought an Astro over 20 years ago and still hasn't let them down. Sadly its been reduced to the eyesore parked on the street that no one drives.

Yes but the problem with those boxes is that the driving experience is absolutely shit in those. The longer you spending driving that box the more you want to kill yourself. At least that's the experience i have when I drove one around for a few days. They drive like a fucking bus, interior is horrible.



Originally posted by Destinova403


hes buying used anyway... so he will be able to get a much better deal on one of those than a japanese van, the initial buyer is going to eat the depreciation... just saying but it seems to make sense.

Wrong, they sell new for less, resells for even less, resell again and you'll likely get nothing for them. Depreciation on used domestic mini-vans is huge no matter how "new" it is or how many times it has change hands.

[Ihatetowait]

"I want a divorce" :dunno:

Seems simple.

[Destinova403]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren

Wrong, they sell new for less, resells for even less, resell again and you'll likely get nothing for them. Depreciation on used domestic mini-vans is huge no matter how "new" it is or how many times it has change hands.

yeah i know that but if his options are:

2001 Montana with say... 120000 for 1500 bucks... as per 2 posts above me... or a Sienna with much higher milage for a higher price... hes getting more for his money with the domestic. of course resale later on is going to be less but wouldn't it cost much less out of pocket in the end? assuming he is planning on keeping the van for a few years atleast.

[Hash_man]

My family used to have a 2000 Sienna XLE ... got it new and had it for a few years, until there was no more need for a family hauler. Was a great vehicle, very reliable, good on gas, and really nice to drive. Not overly huge too. My uncle had a 2003 as well I believe, and again was a fantastic and reliable vehicle.

Only issues we ever had with it was the power sliding door, but mostly because my friends liked to reef on it instead of letting it do its job.

Would be my top recommendation for a used minivan for sure.

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by Destinova403


yeah i know that but if his options are:

2001 Montana with say... 120000 for 1500 bucks... as per 2 posts above me... or a Sienna with much higher milage for a higher price... hes getting more for his money with the domestic. of course resale later on is going to be less but wouldn't it cost much less out of pocket in the end? assuming he is planning on keeping the van for a few years atleast.

i wouldnt want to drive a domestic minivan that's out of warranty, doesnt matter how much it is. Newer Domestic minivan is not better than an older Import minivan. So no, you are not getting more for the money. May be newer, but not more.

Unless you are buying one that's less than a year old with very low miles, go and invest more in a reliable "car". Go and buy a Sienna.

my mom absolutely loves her minivans. We used to have a Grand Caravan, and now an 02 Sienna XLE. So i do know a thing or two about them..:devil: I also had a chance to drive around in a brand new Pontiac SV6 (montana) around last year, and its in no way better than my mom's 02 Sienna

[Proboscis]

A bit off topic, but those Toyota Previas in the movie the Last Action Hero are the best lookin minivans ever.

[turbotrip]

everyone seems to hate on caravans/winstars but my family has had a few domestic minivans, and in the past 10 years we havent had to spend a penny on any of them, so for us theyve been great

[dino_martini]

I would not buy a Windstar or Caravan. The Sienna in 2004 is a far superior minivan to both the Windstar and Caravan.

The third gen Odyssey didnt come out till 2005, if you can get a third gen thats the one to buy. Its the most thoughtout van on the market. If you want comfort, the Caravan with Stow n Go is out because Chrysler put such an effort on Stow N Go that the second row of seats has no padding so that it will fold into the floor. Its really really uncomfortable for any length of time like 1 hour +

2004+ Toyota Sienna
2005+ Honda Oyssey

Those are the ones you want to buy.

[HRD2PLZ]

I know 6 families who have Sienna's ranging in years from 2003 - 2008. All of them absolutely love the Sienna, one family I know even has 2 of them.

Odyssey's are hit and miss (maybe the new ones are different) but our old MDX and TL both had serious transmission issues...

I wouldn't touch a domestic minivan with a 10' pole... warranty or not.

[teknical]

Nissan quest :thumbsup:

[300zxfairlday]

sienna FTMFW

[Nufy]

Originally posted by Ihatetowait
"I want a divorce" :dunno:

Seems simple.

Cheaper to get her a Minivan.



I want someting reliable who cares
what it looks like....I won't be driving it.

[old&slow]

Originally posted by benyl
Windstars, Freestars, etc... are junk.

Chrysler will leak oil after about 5-6 years and their transmissions are the first things to go.

I would look for a low mileage Sienna. Not the prettiest, but likely the most reliable.

The 2nd Gen Odyssey has issues with the power doors and the transmissions.

Every thing he said is true in my opinion!

[topmade]

Originally posted by 300zxfairlday
sienna FTMFW
:werd: Bought a new one last year. Found it quieter then the odyssey with better gas mileage. I love driving it, thing does 0-100 in like 8 seconds :clap: :clap:

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by finboy
look into wagons :thumbsup:

+1

I don't have much of a family yet (Wife, and dog), but I LOVE our wagon. So much space, so much comfort. Traded in my mustang for it because I was planning for the future (have a nice wagon paid off by the time we have kids).

I've had it up for sale a couple of times (mostly because of my debt load right now), but every time I think about putting it in the paper, I don't because I love it so much.

[TheOneAndOnly]

Dude we owned a 1998 Windstar, and it had ZERO PROBLEMS TILL WE OWNED IT 2 MONTHS AGO. we bought it brandnew in 1997 and she is still going iwth her new owner who is a freind of mine.

200,000 clicks APPROX

highly suggest this vehicle.

[mekeni]

a used Sienna or Odyssey, just check the history on whichever you pick

[euro_racer]

they are all pretty good in their own way with the sienna being on the top and the odyssey being the very bottom of the line as the most un-reliable of them all

also the safari and astro vans are as solid as a tank, if you can get past the looks of it you will absolutely love it. we had one and sold it to a friend who does construction with it, the van now has close to 400k on it and still drives like new :thumbsup:

[canuckcarguy]

the domestics have a bad reputation, but it's not entirely deserved. They're decent for reliability / fuel economy, they just don't hold their value from new for very long. The main reason they depreciate so fast is that the domestic manufacturers bend over backwards to sell them new, with huge rebates and financing packages, employee pricing, etc. But dollar for dollar, you can't get better value than a used Caravan or Windstar. A friend of mine last month bought a 2007 Caravan with 23,000 km for $12,500. Okay, it had no options other than A/C, but so what? His family's taken care of now, he's got ample room for the hockey gear, and lots of remaining warranty.

Okay, I know we don't normally look to MacLean's Magazine for car-buying advice, but they had a great article on finances a few months ago, and recommended the used Caravan as the ultimate if you're a financially-aware consumer looking for a vehicle - I'll post the link to the article below.

You could buy 2 or 3 used Caravans for the same price as one used Sienna or Odyssey. don't get me wrong, if money's no object, I'd be buying the Toyota or Honda product. But value for money? 2-3 y.o. Caravan, all day long.

The MacLean's article is a 6 pager, here's a link to the page regarding the Caravan...

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20071114_114034_114034&source=srch&page=3

[inline6turbo]

Our company has a fleet of ford windstars. And we will very surely say, we will never ever buy them again. They are always in the shop, have continuous computer problems, after 120k they almost completely fall apart. Sure they ride nice and have lots of room.... but they are terrible in all other aspects. Toyota Sienna's and Honda odyssey's are by far a way better and way more solid vehicle imo.

Happy hunting!

[Jfro962]

I'd go with a mazda mpv 1998 - 2006 Mazda Mpv pref 1998 i know its not ur 2004 year range with a 1998 but there very roomy 8pass seating VERY RELIABLE! I think thats why mazda discontinued them in 1998 for a few years! if you could find one with 100,000 kms or under for about $5000 you'd be getting a good bargin for your $ I bought a 1992 mazda mpv RWD wish had 4WD bt hey its not too bad ... Anyhow I payed $800 and it's prob the best $800 i'll ever spend on a car in my life! i bought it with 212,000kms on it and it now has 259,000kms and has only been in the shop for oil change, tune up, breaks, tranny flush, and all the simple regular maintance you should do to any car if you want it to last, But the engine still runs smooth and it shifts so nicely like I can picture keeping this thing till it his 400,000kms no issue, I HIGHLY recomend the 1998 mpv if i did not own my 1992 i'd buy one Today! as its 4door has ample room more of an suv type styling and a 3.0v6 which is far better on as than any suv & All wheel drive!, if you dont wanna get nickled and dimed to death stay away from the ford windstar!!!
go to edmunds.com and read some reviews on the 1998 mpv too!

http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mpv/1998/consumerreview.html?mktcat=used+style+consumer+ratings+page&kw=1998+mazda+mpv+10340+style+consumer+ratings+page&mktid=ik16231730

[Donmega]

SIENNA!! My parents are considering selling theirs, its a little over 200K tho.

I think its a 2000 LE White and Gold in color.

other than that its an amazing van that never gave them any issues.

[hampstor]

After briefly considering a minivan - I can honestly see why people buy domestic minivans. You are DEPENDING on the fact that the resale value is low so you can afford one that is 3-5 yrs old.

Not a lot of people can afford a New/Used Sienna/Odyessy. A lot of the people who buy the Windstar/Caravan etc. may not have pockets as deep as they would like.

A minivan is the most inexpensive vehicle to move lots of people and equipment around - not a status symbol. Good luck on your hunt :)

[Fcuk]

Sienna is definately the #1 choice no question about it.

[Oz-]

We are in the process of minivan shopping, pre-kids we thought that an SUV/Crossover would fit our needs. It does to a certain extent but nothing is a positive when the biggest negative are the doors. Attempting to get a bucket into the base of a standard (non-sliding door) and a screaming 2 y/o, when someone decides to park very close to you is not fun.

We are looking at the Sienna/Odyssey but also at the Hyundai Entourage. Might be something else to consider.

[Ihatetowait]

Originally posted by Nufy


Cheaper to get her a Minivan.



I want someting reliable who cares
what it looks like....I won't be driving it.

Sorry, "I need some time to think"

haha.

[analbumcover]

Check out K.O. Cars - 714-7257 - He has a lot full of vans only, his name is Owen, nice guy!

[Moe Man]

the guy says he wants a windstar or caravan....

i have an 2005 caravan 90K $9900

PM me

[VeilOctane]

i say go for toyota sienna.


one word reliability.

quietest ride. smooth tranny, fastest mini van on the market 240hp:eek: :eek: :eek:

[legendboy]

I have an 04 Sienna LE.

I er like it haha

Its pretty nice tho, rides nice, lots of power, looks decient, wasn't cheap tho.

[rusich]

Originally posted by Oz-
We are looking at the Sienna/Odyssey but also at the Hyundai Entourage. Might be something else to consider.
We bought a 2007 Entourage and been very happy with is so far. 5 years bumper to bumper and a great dealership service.

[Moe Man]

Originally posted by VeilOctane
i say go for toyota sienna.


one word reliability.

quietest ride. smooth tranny, fastest mini van on the market 240hp:eek: :eek: :eek:

if he wants a 2000 - 04 minivan and leaning towards a windstar or caravan his price range is probably 6-10K.

and your not going to get a 240hp sienna for 10k

guys seriously read the thread, and think just a little bit.

automaticaly everyone jumps on honda and toyota. caravans last just as long, for a quarter of the price.

i have a honda stupidseey with 190k and the engine is ticking, right next to it is a 96 caravan with 245k and runs 100 times better.

leave the van thing to ford and dodge. its like trying to make a ford 500 european, it just cant be done. toyota and honda should just stick to making civics and camerys.

[whiskas]

It's hilarious seeing what people are recommending and then relating it to what they drive themselves.

All I see is a sweaty fan boy circle jerk.

[dino_martini]

Originally posted by Destinova403
2001 Montana with say... 120000 for 1500 bucks... as per 2 posts above me... or a Sienna with much higher milage for a higher price... hes getting more for his money with the domestic. of course resale later on is going to be less but wouldn't it cost much less out of pocket in the end? assuming he is planning on keeping the van for a few years atleast.

Dont buy a 2001 Montana. Search the crash test ratings of the GM minivans from that era and you will see how unsafe they are

[Destinova403]

Originally posted by dino_martini


Dont buy a 2001 Montana. Search the crash test ratings of the GM minivans from that era and you will see how unsafe they are

ok then change my post to a 2001 caravan, i was just trying to make a point.

[Team_Mclaren]

OP never mentioned how much he wants to spend.... of course reliability comes with a price. Are you willing to take that chance? It all depends

[gd3_kid]

if you don't need the 3rd row and just a lot of hauling room, have you looked at the honda fit?

[Nufy]

My budget will be 10-15K Max...

[legendboy]

Originally posted by Nufy
My budget will be 10-15K Max...

your kinda fucked then

you might be able to find a 1999-2000 mazda mpv for that price....not sure :dunno:

[Jfro962]

if your budget is 10 - 15k then MPV or Caravan

STAY AWAY FROM WINDSTAR!

[Aleks]

Dodge Caravan it is then. You could probably get an 05-06 with warranty left.

[Jfro962]

if its caravan tho stick with 2002 - 2007

for 2002 you could get one for $5000 if you look around

And for 2007 you can get one for $10,000 - $12,000 probly close to new with under 30,000kms with dodge tryiong to clear all the 07's out

[Moe Man]

i am going to be at adesa dealer auction, there is a million vans, let me know what type of van you want i might be able to put you something for cheap. give me 500 on top and its yours.

[CRXguy]

Originally posted by Oz-
We are in the process of minivan shopping, pre-kids we thought that an SUV/Crossover would fit our needs. It does to a certain extent but nothing is a positive when the biggest negative are the doors. Attempting to get a bucket into the base of a standard (non-sliding door) and a screaming 2 y/o, when someone decides to park very close to you is not fun.

We are looking at the Sienna/Odyssey but also at the Hyundai Entourage. Might be something else to consider.

I just got a Saturn Outlook and it works for me. We have 3 girls. One 2 year old, and newborn twins. I got the second row captains chairs instead of the bench. Makes it easier for the toddler to walk to the 3rd row, and to set the rear facing seats in the middle row. Like all my cars, I just park far away so I don't have to rush, and avoid door dings. :D

We would've picked up an '06-07 Odyssey from the U.S., but I couldn't sell my WRX so we had to settle to with the Outlook which was the 2nd best choice for our family.

[legendboy]

if you get a caravan its pretty much guaranteed your gonna do a tranny sooner or later

[Destinova403]

Originally posted by legendboy
if you get a caravan its pretty much guaranteed your gonna do a tranny sooner or later

my family has had 2 caravans when i was younger, a Grand Caravan SE and just a regular caravan years 1997 and 1991 respectively and never had a problem with either... had them up to almost 150,000k. i dont see where all the hate for those cars comes from... as far as what they give you its the same as any of the other brands... a good practical hauler. if they had a honda badge people would be all over them but for the price you cant argue.

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by Destinova403


my family has had 2 caravans when i was younger, a Grand Caravan SE and just a regular caravan years 1997 and 1991 respectively and never had a problem with either... had them up to almost 150,000k. i dont see where all the hate for those cars comes from... as far as what they give you its the same as any of the other brands... a good practical hauler. if they had a honda badge people would be all over them but for the price you cant argue.

look up reliability history of the Caravan and Odyssey. They both have tranny problems. You cant argue with facts. I sure as hell hope whatever I buy can last longer than just 150K...

As for the OP, if you do want a Caravan, get one thats 1 or 2 years old with warranty. They are not as refine/well design as the rest but they'll do. And with warranty, you dont need to worry about it costing you money for repairs. Dont some of the 06 or 07 come with 10 year powertrain?

[Aleks]

How can Chrysler offer lifetime warranties in US if these trannies fall appart all the time? :nut:

[autosm]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat
If you really need to haul people, but don't want to look like you've given up on life, screw the minivan and get a Volvo V70R.

You still look like you have given up on life and you like a car with squeaks and rattles.

[Moe Man]

Originally posted by legendboy
if you get a caravan its pretty much guaranteed your gonna do a tranny sooner or later

last time i checked the honda was the one with the tranny recall. it is the same issue with the 3.2 TL.

the only reason you think caravans have tranny issues is because there is alot that get replaced. did you ever check how many caravans are on the road???? do a search based on tranny replacement per 10000 caravans, and do the same for honda.

you will be shocked. honda probably has i higher ratio of tranny problems per 10000 vans.

[Jayson]

personally i would go with a toyota sienna... those vans are awesome... kinda pricey, but well worth it in my opinion

[pome902]

Id say Odessey
my moms thinking about buying one,
her friend at work has it and she fell inlove =D
doors open and close themselves , dvd all kinds of goodies

[pome902]

oooppss that 08 im talking about,
go for the sienna .. ! =DDD