questions for minivan owners

[IndianaJones]

I am looking to buy a used minivan.

1. What do you drive and do you like it? Would you recommend it?

2. I can usually find a similar year and mileage U.S. minivan for quite a bit less than the Japanese models. Is there a significant quality difference to justify the large difference in price?

I'm kind of leaning toward Honda, Toyota or Mercury (Nissan) right now.

[Taverner]

1. I'm waiting for the Toyota Sienna Hybrid, personally

[SarahB]

9. That'll be nice.

I remember reading awhile back that they have some hybrid minivan models in Japan, but it's pretty impossible to get them here despite demand.

p.s. thanks for the birthday wishes :hi:

[Taverner]

12. Yeah Toyota makes an Estima and Alphard Hybrid Minivan there

But because of left-side drive, they aren't certified for US highways :(

They do look cool though - and they get a whole FREAKIN' 45-50 MPG!!!

[fight4my3sons]

2. I have a 2001 Town & Country

We have two kids in car seats and one in a booster seat. The seats are easy to take out and move around. We are happy with the T&C it is AWD, which is necessary in our area (Maine) with the winter snow and ice, especially with our driveway that goes basically straight up. There was something that went with the air conditioning last year. It was something that had been recalled. I can't remember exactly what it was, but I'm sure you could find it online somewhere. My husband would remember. It was easily fixed at the dealer. I really like the new Town & Country with the swivel seats and pop up table for the kids to play games on. Our family lives in NY and it would make travel so much easier! My sister has the Honda Odyssey and loves it and I also have a friend that has the Toyota Sienna and she loves that.

[Fran Kubelik]

3. We've got the new T&C with the swivel seats

It rocks.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. Do you like it? I have last year's model with the stow and go

and love, love, love it.

If I were buying today, not sure which model I would choose.

[Fran Kubelik]

5. Really like it a lot.

Had the stow and go before, and it was great, but the swivel seats are really fantastic. We keep them turned around most of the time. My son loves drawing, so he's able to use the table for that even on short trips. Plus kids are safer backwards-facing anyway.

The seats are more comfortable than the '05 I had previously. I also love that there's now a button for the rear lift gate, so I don't have to go fumbling for my key fob to close it. Also new to me is the tire pressure sensor. Takes something off my mind that I used to worry about all the time.

So far, I can't come up with a single thing about this car that I don't like. Well, except next time I am springing for the heated seats. :)

[Midlodemocrat]

6. LOL. I have the heated seats. They are the BEST!

I have a button for the rear and sliding doors on the overhead console as well. I love this car. It drives like a dream and it is so versatile. I keep saying it will be my last minivan, but I'm not so sure. We are getting a lot of use out of it.

[Fran Kubelik]

8. Do your back windows open?

This is the first minivan where I was able to open the windows on the sliding doors. Can't tell you how much I love that.

I seriously never thought I would be excited about a minivan. :blush:

[fight4my3sons]

10. that is such a nice option

my kids are forever complaining about their windows not opening. I really love the new minivan. If we could afford it right now we would get it tomorrow! When the twins go to school and I go back to work we are going to get it :)

[Midlodemocrat]

11. No. Mine's a 2007 and I think that is new on the 2008.

In all honesty, though, unless I could lock them shut, I fear BabyMidlo would end up on the highway courtesy of her brother.

:rofl:

I hear you. I can't believe how much I love my minivan. And, it's my fourth one. :blush: I'm just not the SUV mom type. I can get everything I need in the van without the horrific gas mileage.

[SarahB]

7. I think there's a difference in quality.

I had always owned Toyotas or Hondas and several years back needed a minivan (i.e. breeding). I had a 2000 Grand Voyager (same as Grand Caravan though the Plymouth line is now defunct) until last Summer. I did regular maintenance and upkeep, but got rid of it last year at 90,000 miles due to repeated major system issues (including a new transmission in early 2006). I only have one kid left in a car seat (booster), but with a blended family of 5 kids, we definitely needed room. I got a Honda Pilot SUV that was a couple of years old. The gas mileage is the same as my old minivan and no problems. Hopefully, I'll have the thing another 10 years (at least). I'm found of driving cars until the are too worn to drive, but I cannot recommend American (I also had one serious piece of crap Oldsmobile when I was really young) because they fall apart on me every time before 100K miles and my Toyotas and Hondas get me to 150K+ consistently.