Another Vehicle Dilemma Thread - Family Hauler Edition

[brucebanner]

Okay folks:

Wife drives 2014 ford edge with 16xkms and overall its been pretty reliable but we're looking to move her into a van now that we're done having kids (toddler and infant). We had a van on rental in the spring and really liked it as a family hauler.

The only thing the wife wants is awd, which limits options big time. For new(er) options, Toyota or Chrysler and the Sienna's are not available for around a year. The Pacifica is available and it's what we had for a week on rental. The plan would be to drive this thing into the ground but I'm having some hesitation about long term ownership, if you could imagine.

Used market, tough to justify a few year old Sienna for almost new price.

WWBD? Pass on the Chrysler product? Buy extended warranty and hope for the best? Call Ryan back and order a Sienna and wait a year or whatever it is? Pony up on the used market for a Sienna?

Obviously we don't NEED to make a vehicle change but.. Want to now that we've been bouncing it around for a little bit.

[ExtraSlow]

Order the sienna in either case. Like right away. It's the best awd van. Then think about it for a few weeks.

[Darell_n]

What specifically does you wife like about a minivan? I think many of the SUVs out there have available 2nd row captains chairs, if that's one of the reasons.

[brucebanner]

Been working through this for a little while now as is. I don't like to wait for things once decided, I don't want to wait a year

We both like the idea of the van. Captain chairs, sliding doors. For the week we drove one, it was very functional we thought. I always said if we had more than 1 kid, a van made too much sense not to get one.

[AndyL]

You answered your own question...

A 2 year old chrysler minivan has almost no resale value, a 2 year old swagger wagon is barely cheaper than new.

Its a toyota you don't run it into the ground, you run it until it rusts to a point you're unwilling to drive it - and then flip to someone with lower standards. The chrysler will be on it's 20th set of front wheelbearings and a few transmissions into your ownership by then

[rage2]

Talk to Ryan at red deer, order sienna at various dealerships, and hope you get one in a year. If you don’t need one right away just order anyways and hope you get the lottery win quickly.

Why minivan over suv? Kids will fucking ruin the thing, and it’s cheap enough where I DGAF. I stressed daily with kids in my various family cars and suv is expensive enough where I’d care. Dog puked in the van? DGAF.

Bonus with sienna, it’s dirt cheap to run. Fucking thing has better mileage than my Miata.

[GT.....O?]

If Ford or GMC offered sliding doors in the mid-large SUV, they would have my attention.... hate the van body style, but can see the benefit of a sliding door.

[nismodrifter]

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Why minivan over suv? Kids will fucking ruin the thing, and it’s cheap enough where I DGAF. I stressed daily with kids in my various family cars and suv is expensive enough where I’d care. Dog puked in the van? DGAF.
.

Damn this forum/members have changed so much lol. Never in a million years would I have expected this kind of a post from boss man IIRC you used to have a shoes off rule for kids? Also no food rule?

[rage2]

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Damn this forum/members have changed so much lol. Never in a million years would I have expected this kind of a post from boss man IIRC you used to have a shoes off rule for kids? Also no food rule?

Still do. In my car. Minivan is the wife’s car.

I have been a little more open with no food rule in my car but only on long trips. Like driving to mohagany.

[killramos]

But have you considered a G Wagen?

[ExtraSlow]

Van is best family vehicle unless you are incredibly insecure in your self-image.

[tirebob]

Trackhawk…

End thread.

[Doozer]

In 2012 we bought an 8-month old loaded Grand Caravan with ~15K kms for a touch under $30K. The closest Sienna/Odyssey was over $40k.

We drove that GC into the ground for a decade and just got rid of it last summer. Did things break? Yes. Did I put $10K+ of repairs into it? No way. We got $5K on a trade in, probably could've done better if we'd sold privately but wife didn't want the hassle.

Honestly, Rage is right - our minivan was nearly a disposable item. Camping supplies, kid puke, crumbs, lumber, junk to the junkyard - it did everything. I didn't want something I'd be afraid to breathe on. I found that a lower cost of entry really helped me use it like it was meant to be used, and it did a good job.

[loweg]

We have a 2012 sienna Se And I can say that even without the awd, the weight makes it an absolute tank in the winter . It’s required so little in the way of maintenance over the years we have owned it. I usually just throw in a new set of blizzaks every 3 years and it is unstoppable in the snow. Might not actually need to wait for an awd .

[corsvette]

My cousin bought a Pacifica AWD in top trim. I have to admit it’s a extremely nice van. They’ve had it over a year now and haven’t had a single issue with it and they don’t regret the purchase. Out the door price was way less than the Sienna he cross shopped.

[mr2mike]

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Van is best family vehicle unless you are incredibly insecure in your self-image.

You could get a lift kit for it.

[killramos]

It seems to me that most of the items in favour of a minivan would be better served by a pickup truck.

[max_boost]

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We have a 2012 sienna Se And I can say that even without the awd, the weight makes it an absolute tank in the winter . It’s required so little in the way of maintenance over the years we have owned it. I usually just throw in a new set of blizzaks every 3 years and it is unstoppable in the snow. Might not actually need to wait for an awd .

Oh the memories I use to drive around in a ford windstar and that thing was just a tank
Miss the simplicity of those days
This thread makes me want to get a minivan lol

[jutes]

Yukon AT4

[ThePenIsMightier]

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You answered your own question...

A 2 year old chrysler minivan has almost no resale value, a 2 year old swagger wagon is barely cheaper than new.

Its a toyota you don't run it into the ground, you run it until it rusts to a point you're unwilling to drive it - and then flip to someone with lower standards. The chrysler will be on it's 20th set of front wheelbearings and a few transmissions into your ownership by then

This is probably 65% accurate and still worthwhile advice.