Thread Number: 35673
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Minivans |
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Post# 383129   12/26/2017 at 10:51 (2,283 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)   |   | |
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I've always liked minivans because I feel like you get a lot of space/features for the money compared to SUVs and trucks.
The jellybean models are my favorite though, I'd love to find a 2005-07 one with stow and go and the Limiteds of those years had a lot of features for the time, for instance you can get them with curtain airbags, navigation (which I probably wouldn't use), and UConnect. So I'd like to find one of those with low miles, or one of the newer box shaped ones. I'm sure it's hard to find an 05-07 with low miles unless it was someone that just drove it a couple of times a week. But the 05-07 can be had fairly cheaply now regardless but I don't know how well they have held up, I would guess the electronics may need work. Otherwise, I'd like a truck, but spacewise, I'd want a crew cab and they are way more expensive than vans for some reason, especially when you start adding options. |
Post# 383130 , Reply# 1   12/26/2017 at 11:33 (2,283 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)   |   | |
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This my favorite color combo on these vans, green with tan/brown and woodgrain/silver trim interior. I also like the black and the sea blue exterior colors.
Also my favorite trucks are the late 07-12 Silverado and Sierra crewcabs. Especially again this similar green and lightgray/tan. |
Post# 383133 , Reply# 2   12/26/2017 at 13:09 (2,283 days old) by Hank (Cali)   |   | |
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I owned a minivan for a little while. It was ok for most things but a cargo van would be a better choice. Body on frame instead of unibody and front wheel drive on a mini van. More durable especially if you are using it to haul stuff and tow a lot more than a minivan. For me a cargo van is a better choice. Ymmv
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Post# 383141 , Reply# 3   12/26/2017 at 18:08 (2,283 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL)   |   | |
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Post# 383142 , Reply# 4   12/26/2017 at 18:12 (2,283 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL)   |   | |
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Post# 383143 , Reply# 5   12/26/2017 at 18:14 (2,283 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL)   |   | |
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How did that picture get in my post???
This is the Honda |
Post# 383144 , Reply# 6   12/26/2017 at 18:14 (2,283 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL)   |   | |
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Post# 383193 , Reply# 8   12/28/2017 at 09:26 (2,282 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 383197 , Reply# 9   12/28/2017 at 10:40 (2,281 days old) by vacerator (Macomb Michigan)   |   | |
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but their automatic transaxle is not benign to clutch pack wear out, and they've had the same front wheel bearing trouble as some GM products. The last generation Dodge Grand Caravan is still in production and is a transportation bargain. |
Post# 383211 , Reply# 10   12/28/2017 at 14:31 (2,281 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)   |   | |
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My parents have a 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette (clone of the Pontiac Montana and Chevy Venture) that's been the family truck practically since it was new. These days, it's been sitting with a dead battery at the retirement community where they live for a good eight or nine months. Dad's driving days are pretty much behind him since he had a stroke a couple of months ago and Mom prefers her Buick LaCrosse (2013 model with 8,600 miles on it) for what little driving she does. Nobody's yet been able to make any decisions about the van, even just to replace the battery and get it running. Having it in a disabled state was a good ruse before Dad's stroke when we didn't want him driving and he was unwilling to give that up, but that's now a moot point.
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Post# 384323 , Reply# 14   1/15/2018 at 21:02 (2,263 days old) by Dustin (Jackson, MI)   |   | |
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I've owned two Dodge Caravans, a 1987 and a 2005. The 87 was my first car, and it was alright for what it was, a $400 running and driving vehicle. It had plenty of issues, but it was 20 years old and had a lot of miles on it. The 2005 had no excuse. It was a total and complete POS. I bought it with low miles, pretty good condition and one owner. I had more trouble with that van in a year than I'd had with any vehicle before or since. It had engine problems (coolant leak we could never find), problems with the suspension and brakes, and the last straw, electrical problems. If I put on my turn signal when the headlights were on, the opposite signal would blink at about 1/4 brightness. I was once driving in the rain, and my check engine light came on. No big deal, have it scanned next time I'm by an auto parts place. Next intersection, hit the gas and it started jerking and hopping, no power at all, foot flat to the floor I had to put on my hazards so I didn't get hit. It continued on like that until I stopped (I did eventually get up to 55) and turned the car off. When I started it again, it ran fine but the check engine light was still on. I had it scanned and the code that came up indicated that the van should not have even been running. This happened multiple times, always different codes (but all said it shouldn't have been running) but same symptoms. The light would magically go off the next day, and would reappear just as magically. I had bought the van so I'd have a reliable vehicle and it was far from that. I ended up trading it in before I even paid it off, so I paid for a car for over a year that I no longer had.
I now drive a 2004 Toyota Prius and honestly couldn't be happier! It's been the most trouble free, reliable car I've ever had, and although I've had to do some normal maintenance, I'd have no reason to not buy another one when the time comes. In the meantime, it's still running great and getting 45mpg in the summer, 37ish in the winter, and only burns about half a quart of oil in 5000 miles, with 213,000 miles on the original engine and transmission, Never had a screw turned on either. I've never seen the check engine light, or any other warning light. It's been a great car in every way possible. I've heard very good things about the Toyota Sienna, and had a chance to drive one once, seemed like a very well put together and comfortable vehicle. I wouldn't touch another Dodge/Chrysler product with a 10 foot pole. |
Post# 384424 , Reply# 16   1/18/2018 at 08:05 (2,261 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 384871 , Reply# 17   1/26/2018 at 12:30 (2,252 days old) by Dustin (Jackson, MI)   |   | |
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I've always been on top of maintenance almost to the point of being ocd. I've never gone overdue on an oil change and always use the best quality parts I can afford. If I hear a noise or see a drip, smell a smell or anything, it's getting checked out asap. So any problems I had with the van were not related to lack of maintenance, just a poorly built vehicle with electrical problems.
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Post# 385854 , Reply# 18   2/11/2018 at 21:41 (2,236 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)   |   | |
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Speaking as an actual mechanic myself, Caravans are really the cream of the crop if you're looking for a minivan. Despite some nay-sayers, they are actually sturdy, reliable vehicles, and rarely have any abnormal problems. Not to say that they are overwhelmingly better than the competition, just... generally better.
Ford's products weren't terrible. GM's minivans were... odd, but alright. Honda transmissions are stupid (I'm a transmission mechanic), but they'll do the job as long as you don't pull too much weight (had a guy once, towed a literal ton of bricks and burned up his Honda trans). Later Nissans were too big on the outside, and too hard to work on. Any others were ok. If you buy a VW Routan, you're just buying an overpriced Caravan :P (I actually have the exact van you're looking for. 07, stow-n-go, upper trim package. For sale in Chicago.) |