Author Topic: Family vehicle suggestions (Read 1596 times)

LePaul · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2008, 10:15:11 PM »

We're in a similar situation. Right after my girlfriend paid off her Dodge Caravan, all the warning lights pop on monthly. This month its brakes. Last month we noticed an advanced case of rusting around where the front strut mounts into the driver side frame. The thing is dying and fast.

The Honda's are clearly the best of the bunch (and well reviewed)...but like all Honda's, they keep their value for quite some time.

In our travels lately, we've been renting for our weekend getaways for longer trips. The Chevy Trailblazer we liked initally. The gf read up on them and noted the value drops on them quick...anything that gets sold to the rental companies falls into this trap. But that just convinced us that if we did find one we liked in the future, shop used. You'd be a fool to buy new then see the huge value drop.

The kids are 6 and 9 so we've still got one in a booster seat.

Being in the Northeast, we want something that's good in snow, miserly on the fuel yet ample room for beach days, robot hauling and camping trips.

I don't think we'll do new. Captain makes an excellent point...lightly used is a good market to shop in.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2008, 10:51:32 PM »

Four adults AND two children is NOT a comfortable package in a mini van, the longer the trip the worse it is. The more "stuff" in the van the worse it is. A full sized van (doesn't have to be huge, like a 10 or 14 passenger van) is a better choice, they're better on fuel than they used to be. A decent sized SUV is not a bad choice IF it has 3 rows of seats. Again, with the right package they're better on fuel than they used to be. I don't think minivans are safe when you put more than two adults and two children in them. Just my opinion, from 3 decades in the automotive business.

SteveBailey · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2008, 11:07:12 PM »

Yup, you'll be safer in a full sized van than any minivan.

Chairboy · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2008, 11:10:03 PM »

If you go with a full size van, you need a full sized paint job:

Speed55 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2008, 11:26:05 PM »

72' duster with bench seats.. seats 6, with enough room for 3 bodies in the trunk.

Or you can convert to buckets up front but you'll still have enough room for 3 bodies in the trunk.

Matador · « **Reply #20 on:** February 24, 2008, 08:32:23 AM »

yea go with the oddesy my parents got one in Dec of 05' and its really comfortable and spacious dont look to bad either, and you might get a sports car feeling on, on ramps it can accelerate pretty good for a van, we drove all the way to montreal (5 adults if i consider my self one and one kid my tiny little bro) and back and it was fine it was a total of like 1200 miles. we also drove to the obx bout a 7 hour drive and it was fine. Nice 3rd row folding seats and 1st and 2nd row seats are great they are pretty much the same seats. Its a great van but if you dont want a van just get a station wagon they have nice room and its not a van or and suv

Ripsnort · « **Reply #21 on:** February 24, 2008, 08:35:13 AM »

Swager · « **Reply #22 on:** February 24, 2008, 08:59:15 AM »

Toyota 4 Runner

Halo · « **Reply #23 on:** February 24, 2008, 09:00:41 AM »

I just rented an Uplander for week in Los Angeles and liked it a lot. But always start any vehicle search with whatever Toyota and Honda make in the category you're interested in.

I really like high seating positions with max forward visibility. Otherwise you're dwarfed by all the two-story vehicles dominating the roads.

Fulmar · « **Reply #24 on:** February 24, 2008, 09:49:05 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Chairboy
If you go with a full size van, you need a full sized paint job:

Winner.

lazs2 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 24, 2008, 10:18:05 AM »

For all the evil I have done...

When I die the devil will make me drive a green or silver minivan.

lazs

eskimo2 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 24, 2008, 10:24:19 AM »

With six or more people you really do need a minivan. I agree that Honda has the best vans out there. There really are a lot of good reliable vans out there for under $10K. Most likely you will need more repairs and maintenance the older you buy, but saving over half on the initial cost/payments usually will offset this. One mistake that people make is assuming that new or near new makes a vehicle 100% reliable and maintenance free. Nothing is 100% reliable and you have to spend a heck of a lot more money to get a vehicle that stands a 1% chance of breaking down/needing repairs versus a vehicle that stands a 3% chance of breaking down/needing repairs.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 24, 2008, 10:25:19 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
For all the evil I have done...

When I die the devil will make me drive a green or silver minivan.

lazs

With six car seats and toddlers…

SteveBailey · « **Reply #28 on:** February 24, 2008, 04:32:48 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by eskimo2
With six or more people you really do need a minivan.

again, 6 people in a minivan doesn't really work.

Reschke · « **Reply #29 on:** February 24, 2008, 04:57:41 PM »

With 5 people in a minivan it doesn't work. We had one up until recently (Ford Windstar) and it was a monstrous POS!

Now my wife is driving a 2004 GMC Yukon XL with the 5.3L engine and gets around 20mpg in the city and we can get 27-28mpg on the interstate.

We have the captains chairs in the mid passenger seating area and a bench in the back. We can pack 3 kids (11, 4.5 and 1) with all their associated junk into it and still have room for 2 large suitcases, a large cooler and my mother-in-law gets strapped on the roof. No we can shift our second into the back seat with the oldest and my mother-in-law can ride next to our little girl.

I think we ended up paying around $24,000 for it with 42,000 miles on it and still have plenty of factory warranty on the vehicle. The original warranty was for 6 years or 100,000 miles.

I echo the previous statement though....DO NOT BUY A MINIVAN! It was the worst time of my life and unless you get a Honda the value falls about 100% the second you sign on the dotted line to take possession.