Um_2_4 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 So, we are shopping for a new to us minivan. Any suggestions??? In our area, Hondas and Toyotas are selling for $1000-$2500 OVER kelley blue book value :blink: ... so that leaves us looking at : Kia, Mazda, Town & country, etc. DH will NOT pay over KBB for a car. We had an Aerostar and I DO not want another one (bad memories LOL)! What do you have and what do you like/dislike about it..... :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We rented a Town and Country in L.A. Last year and loved it!! I couldn't believe how much I liked it. It was super roomy and got great gas mileage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Every person I know with a Town and Country has a countdown until they can get rid of it. Electrical issues are known with them and that is exactly what my friends have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Every person I know with a Town and Country has a countdown until they can get rid of it. Electrical issues are known with them and that is exactly what my friends have. Wow! Good to know because based on our rental experience (one month) I would have bought one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have been very happy with our Kia van. It is almost two years old, and has about 60k miles in it, no problems at all so far. We had major issues with our prior van, a Toyota Sienna. We got huge $$$$$ on it as a trade in on the Kia (which was a bargain to start with) and I really couldn't believe that anyone would pay close to what we got for a completely crapped out van with 125k miles and in need of 5k in repairs, but I guess they must really hold their value! We got something like 10k for that crapped out van. It was shocking. We had expected maybe 2k, lol. So, anyway, IME, the Kia would be a good option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Lava Mama Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 My sister-in-law has a Kia and she hates it. She has had nothing but problem after problem. She said if feels, acts and is very cheap and poorly made. She lives in another state, so I can't speak first hand. Good luck. We bought a Honda and I LOVE it! It was expensive, though. Hot Lava Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Felt the same way about Hondas and siennas. Dealers acted like we should be thanking them for bothering to speak with us. We bought a Kia going on 2 years ago. It's been cross country 3 times, and we literally had no problems with it. At the time, it was right with the Honda and sienna on safety ratings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 http://www.edmunds.com/ This website is my best suggestion for reviews. Despite Kelly Blue Book numbers, we always have chosen cars based largely on the safety ratings, rather than solely on the price. Our vans were Toyota Siennas, along with good sales and maintenance service and good vehicle performance. If buying a van again, I would shift to a Honda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Does Mazda make a mini van now again? We had a MPV for 10 years previous to the KIa and it was great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 I would love to just pick a van, but we are limited by price, so it has to be a consideration. And I figure with all the govt regs about safety (air bags, seat belts, etc, etc), we are fairly safe no matter which van we pick. Not like I am picking a van up from another country that has no safety requirements and shipping it here. Traveling around the world, I have seen that we have it pretty cushy here with regards to safety mandated in cars. Heck most places I travel, they look at me funny when I look for seat belts LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 I found a mazda mpv from 2005 on craigslist, that seems to be the "newest" one I can find. My BF had one and I drove it a couple times and liked it. We are looking for cars 2002-2007. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have a 2008 Kia and are very, very happy. No maintenance issues. We had a Caravan before, and I like how the Kia handles much better--tighter steering, more responsive, more get-up-and-go. I know some folks have had issuses with *older* Kia vans, but ours has given us no problems. One review we saw online said that the Kia was like the Honda, only not as "se#y". ;) After driving my in-law's Honda, I would agree. That's not a drawback for me--the Kia is great (for us), without the price of the Honda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bug's Mom Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have a 2000 T&C that is finally on it's last legs....at 213,000 miles. We bought it in 2003. Struts had to be replaced once. Had trouble with plugs or something once. Other than that, no trouble. It's rusting out now, and we are waiting for some business deals to come through this year so that we can replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We bought a 2007 Town and Country a few months ago. We bought it from a dealer and got it below Blue Book because of a sale they had going on. So far we really like it. It has the Stow-and-Go seats in the middle and back row which will be awesome on our next road trip. Gas mileage is pretty good, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We bought a new Toyota Sienna 9 years ago. We are absolutely not "new car people" , but re-sale value on Siennas were so high we figured we might was well. I'd do it again. ,I love my Sienna. It drives well, gets decent gas mileage, is reliable, comfortable on long trips, lots of cargo room if you need it. It's an awesome car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I have a 2006 T&C that I love. No countdown here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have a 2007 Town and Country and love it. (We were tWe use the stow and go seat option a LOT. The only negative about it is that it seems to burn a lot of oil, and auto shops have told me this is common among T&C's. We bought it when it was new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I have a 2000 T&C AWD I've really enjoyed. (sadly, they stopped making the AWD) bought new, and at 113K miles, I'll be driving it awhile provided nothing happens to it. (dh has totaled three cars in the last 10 years. they were not his fault. but it has got me thinking about what I might want to replace it with.) Kelly blue books does NOT take into account market forces varying in different parts of the country. (they do allow for variance in condition) some places, cars will go for less. some places more. Keep in mind, just becasue someone is *asking* a certain price, doesn't mean that's what they'll accept as an offer. (I also married a man who hagels. he walked out of a dealer because they guy wouldn't drop one last $100. the guy chased him out and dropped that last $100. a buyer who is willing to walk away holds the cards.) in jan we bought a used car for dh, and almost all of the ads for the specific car we looked at were asking above kbb. (what they sold for, I don't know. private sellers, no dealers) there were quite a few of this particular car available, as it's popular around here. the car we bought, we think the guy expected to be hagled down (apparently), because even though it was a run-don't-walk at the price he was asking car (taking into account condition, features and KBB), when we asked how much he wanted for it, he dropped $500 below his posted price. sold. toyota is generally very reliable. My sil's EE dh won't buy anything but toyota and they've had both a previa and a sienna (which they sold to their son, who has three small children). I didn't want a sienna because it was smaller than the grand caravan (held 4 x 8 sheet of plywood lying flat) I was replacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 DH does not like to haggle. If you are asking a price he is comfortable with, he will pay. If not we will look elsewhere. KBB does asks for zip code to take into account the area. Like where I live, public transport is far and a car is NEEDED, which I am sure drives up prices. HE is an EE and the ford aerostar had so many electrical problems which is why we sold it. I also learned to be very careful when buying a used car with after market electronics installed. Sometimes it can really mess up a car. A new car is not in the books right now. We can not add a monthly payment right now, but we have some cash to buy one out right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weaver_67579 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have a used Honda Odyssey and love it. We would not buy from a dealer due to them having higher prices and got it from an individual selling through Craigslist. You may be able to get a better price that way than trying to go through a dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose in BC Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We went from an Aerostar to a sienna. We love our Sienna. It gets a lot of use and has done many long distance trips. We're at 180000km and have no issues except regular maintenance. If we were in the market for van Sienna would be what we'd buy. (Btw we bought it used) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 We are only looking at individual sellers for the same reasons. We don't need financing, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have a Dodge Grand Caravan and have loved it. It hasn't had any issues at all, it's roomy, great cargo room, etc. (We're probably getting a Suburban next because we have five kids and they are getting BIG!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We've had 2 Dodge Caravans (which are basically the same as the Chrysler Town and Country) and really enjoyed them. We also had a Kia Sedona that was great on gas mileage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have a 2008 Dodge Caravan (this was the year it came out with the newer look). I enjoy it and have no issues with it. It is basically the same as a Towne & Country except not as expensive. In regards to the poster who mentioned all of the electrical issues, our dealer told us to NOT buy a minivan with all of the bells and whistles (electric side doors, hatch, etc). The less electrical gadgets on the minivan, the less stuff that could break!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 maybe but ours is 10 yrs old and aside from a new rad last yr and a new rack we have done nothing major. 130,000 miles and I still love it. Its actually a grand caravan, but they are the exact same car with different names. well, except for the bells and whistles ;) In regards to the poster who mentioned all of the electrical issues, our dealer told us to NOT buy a minivan with all of the bells and whistles (electric side doors, hatch, etc). The less electrical gadgets on the minivan, the less stuff that could break!! I've liked my bells and whistles. :001_tt2: my most frequent complaint is the break light. they're fine, but the light is schizophrenic. yeah, we've had work done, nothing horrendiously major, but it is a 13 yo car so that is to be expected. our kid car, a 90 tercel is the one that eats oil. even though my kids are moving out and I don't need the passenger room anymore (except on rare occasion), I want the haul-stuff factor. I also like being up higher off the road with a better view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Another grand caravan owner here, I know most people I talk to love to hate caravans, but ours has been great. We are at about 210,000 miles on our 2004 with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We bought a Grand Caravan last fall, to replace the Ford Freestar which I absolutely loved but they don't make anymore. We looked at used, 2-3 years old with 10-20K miles, and it ended up being cheaper to buy new. So we got a warranty too, for less than we planned on spending (we save up to pay cash, so knew our limits). It's been about 6 months, 10K miles (yes, we really rack em up), and so far I'm very happy with it. We got a base model, no dvd player or backup cameras, which is actually harder to find than you'd think, but I don't want all that stuff in my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plateau Mama Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 OP, personally I wouldn't buy any minivan that wasn't a Toyota or a Honda. Every person I know with a Town and Country has a countdown until they can get rid of it. Electrical issues are known with them and that is exactly what my friends have. Same here. Not to mention I've known at least two to catch on fire for no reason. Apparently this is not an uncommon problem. We bought a new Toyota Sienna 9 years ago. We are absolutely not "new car people" , but re-sale value on Siennas were so high we figured we might was well. I'd do it again. ,I love my Sienna. It drives well, gets decent gas mileage, is reliable, comfortable on long trips, lots of cargo room if you need it. It's an awesome car. I am on my 2nd Sienna. I absolutely love my Sienna. I've never had a problem that wasn't covered under warranty. The only reason I got rid of my first one (after 6+ years) was I needed AWD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diann Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We own two Dodge Grand Caravans, a 1997 and a 2008. The '97 was bought new and has given us no trouble. The '08 was bought used just over a year ago and has been great. I love how the Caravan rides and am always amazed at how much stuff we can get in it. Diann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 My sister-in-law has a Kia and she hates it. She has had nothing but problem after problem. She said if feels, acts and is very cheap and poorly made. She lives in another state, so I can't speak first hand. Good luck. We bought a Honda and I LOVE it! It was expensive, though. Hot Lava Mama Newer Kias are of a much better quality. I'm wondering if she had either a lemon or if it's pre-2007. Newer Kias or, better yet, Hyundai, are a great option for people who want quality but not a Toyota price tag. Hyundai doesn't currently have a minivan though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeeMommy Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We have had two used/new to us Town and Country minivans. First was a 2008? One we have now is 2011 (would still have older one if I hadn't wrecked it! :glare: ) Did have minor electrical problem on older TC with radio controls on steering wheel and heated seat getting hotter after it was turned off. Other than that, we were pleased with it. New one gets decent gas mileage, about 19 mpg. Husband went through a perosn who goes to the auto auctions - he gave the gentleman a list of what we wanted, they both were able to go the day before the auction and look over the selection, and then that gentleman bid on the ones we were interested in. Wish I remembered how much the newer one cost, but husband is EXCELLENT about pricing and getting a good value for our money. I'd check out these sites: http://www.autotrade...under-20000.jsp, http://usnews.rankin...sed/minivans-1/. Any brand/make of vehicle, even a reliable one, can have the occasional lemon. Look while you're driving and see what other people are driving vs what's not on the road. Something that might cost more money might save you more in the long run if you have less maintenance and problems with it. EDIT: Backup camera on new van is WONDERFUL...and how do I know this? Because the day after we brought it home, I was pulling it out of the garage for the munchkins to see. The mini-toddler somehow got out of the door and I would have backed over him if it hadn't been for the backup camera!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 My next car will likely be a Ford Transit Wagon. Seeeeeeexy. You're jealous of me. Admit it! Have you tried looking 30-60 minutes away from where you live? Prices could be different and it would be worth a one-time drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizzyBee Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 We have a Nissan Quest. At about 139,000 miles, it's still running great. Dh recently replaced some bearings, but other than that, we haven't done anything except routine maintenance. Two of my sisters have Hondas, and they both had body issues when brand new. One of them was fixed fine, but the other one wasn't right even after the repairs were completed. The Quest is much much roomier than the Honda van, which is nice because my dh is 6'4" and my teens are fairly tall also. We looked at a couple of Dodge Caravans, but once we test drove the Quest, we didn't like the Caravans at all. Not to mention, we had one in the past, and it was pretty much a piece of crap by 120,000 miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Double owner here, we have a 1998 Dodge Caravan and a 2006 Town and Country....250,000ish thousand miles and 170,000 miles. I would never, ever, ever consider another brand (the Dodge and Chrysler are the same). Our 1998 still rides as nice and comfortably as it did new, and the only thing we have done other than regular maintenance is a timing belt. It will literally probably give us another 100,000 without any major issues. Our 2006 is just as good, and no timing belt yet :-) Gas mileage is impressive for us on our 2006, even when loaded with 7 bodies and luggage we are getting 22+ MPG on the highway. Truth is, even when we are done with kid hauling, we have already decided we will stick with the mini-van! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenangelcat Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I would never buy a mini van again. As soon as i pay off the loan for our kia sedona, it's going on the market or to the dump. We have an extended cab silverado and it's a million times better. It fits all three kids (dh says it seats 6) plus there is lots of storage space. There was hardly any in the van. It's also a much sturdier vehicle. When i get my license i want a kia rio. We had one before and it was awesome. Hopefully i can fit three kids in the back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamatohaleybug Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I have a Dodge Caravan and ADORE it. It's a 2005 with 185000 miles and no problems. Just replaced the alternator and that's one of only two repairs it's ever needed (other repair was minor, too). Rides great, very comfartable seats, cute, plenty of room. It's the second one I've owned in the past 13 years (my 1996 Caravan had 190000+ miles but we damaged the transmission towing too heavy a load with it). I only have one child so it seems silly to purchase another Caravan someday but I still might. I love them that much. Highly recommend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted March 17, 2013 Author Share Posted March 17, 2013 Thanks everyone. DH is currently with our mechanic seeing a Town & country... we'll see. We have another possible one if this one doesn't work out. We are looking at the Limited or Touring edition. I thought about SUV, but we need seating for 7 (I wish there was a minivan for 8) as most likely we will have long term company for the next few summers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Just another vote for a Town and country. Prior to our current one, we had a 2002 Grand Caravan (basically the same vehicle) that we bought new. We put 115k miles on it with just one $1500 repair outside of maintenance. Our sleep deprived college student fell asleep at the wheel early one morning and rolled it a couple of times on the highway. She woke up upside down hanging from the seatbelt with all the windows blown out, but the cage was entirely intact. She walked away with a nasty head bruise and nothing worse. Needless to say we went out and bought another one. So we have a 2010 Town and Country touring swivel and go with 65k miles on it. No repairs yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Wow! So glad she was alright! :eek: Thanks, you and me both. Pulling up to my van upside down in the median surrounded by emergency vehicles was the most terrifying sight of my life. :::shudder::: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 The Sienna and Odyssey both have the option for 8 seaters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Another pleased Dodge Grand Caravan owner. We have a 2004 with 120K miles on it, and it's going strong. We purposefully did not get any electrical upgrades - not even power doors. My thought is that more electronics = more repair bills on any vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 We have a 2004 Dodge Gran Caravan. It's been one of the best cars we've ever owned. Love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I would get a kia van but do not think they will come out before I am forced to buy a new car. But who knows? Maybe it will. We have hadsuch a positive experience with Kia I would buy a new one in a heartbeat. we rented a kia on a road trip. NEVER, NEVER, EVER again. I had back problems from their seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Ford doesn't make Freestars or Windstars any longer but they're out there on the used market. We've had major issues with ours: transmission replaced which was eventually paid by Ford due to a recall, multiple repairs for heater/AC (over $1200 and AC still isn't working), cruise control, replaced control unit for dash display, multiple switch and sensor replacements (including doors for +$200) etc. Outside of the transmission, there actually have been few engine problems. The interior workings are a mess. A few weeks ago my son pulled on the handle to lift up one of the back seats and the whole handle pulled out of the rear seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Older Dodge Grand Caravans with a 3.3L engine instead of a 3.8L engine are fairly reliable and very nicely priced. All of the people I know who hate their Dodge/Chrysler minivans have 3.8L engines or nearly new ones. My brother and my dad each have 3.3L models for 6-7 years now and have had great experiences. My dad's van is still tooling around at past 200K. My brother's is at 120K and doing great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 For what it's worth, Chrysler announced last spring that the T&C is going to be discontinued in 2014. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjand6more Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Just traded in our 2006 Town and Country for a 2013 Honda Odyssey. Loved that T &C! We had to do a little work to it, but not what I would consider unreasonable. All electronic stuff(and it was a Limited) held up great! It did not have a very high value though. I noticed the Siennas and Odysseys had a MUCH higher used car value. I was really sad to see the T&C go, but we have our 6th child on the way and could not fit us all in the T&C. I really like the Honda. I think it will be a great van, but only time will tell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Just traded in our 2006 Town and Country for a 2013 Honda Odyssey. Loved that T &C! We had to do a little work to it, but not what I would consider unreasonable. All electronic stuff(and it was a Limited) held up great! It did not have a very high value though. I noticed the Siennas and Odysseys had a MUCH higher used car value. I was really sad to see the T&C go, but we have our 6th child on the way and could not fit us all in the T&C. I really like the Honda. I think it will be a great van, but only time will tell... When we were buying our last vehicle, we considered a second van and the used Dodge Grand Caravans were the same price as the used Town & Country vans. We were surprised since the new sale price is significantly higher for the T&C, but I guess it makes sense since the T&C is the same as the Grand Caravan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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