My wife and I were those people who said we'd never get a minivan. In the end, we got one, and we love it. The space is a huge plus, they're great on trips, and I don't have to worry about the kids opening the doors and slamming them into the car in the next parking spot. With 2 or more young children, a minivan is often the right tool for the job...
codrus wrote:irish44j wrote: Odyssey. But don't pretend that new minivans aren't huge. The Odyssey is damn near the same size as the Sequoia. They are not a 1st gen Plymouth Voyager, that's for sure.They drive a lot more like a car than a Sequoia does, and they're easier to load kids, car seats, strollers, etc into.
not disagreeing. I was just commenting on an earlier comment about garage space.
(btw, my parents have owned minivans since the original Caravan/Voyager came out....I'm QUITE familiar with them, lol. Even my first high school ride was a Voyager LX with the cool gray/red/white trim package and gray basketweave wheels!).
Ranger50 wrote: In reply to irish44j: The problem "we" have is one booster seat, one rear facing seat, and three adults plus the flea bag if we all go out of town. So, a third row is "needed".
no need to be snippy....I was just asking since you didn't specifically say that earlier in the post. ;)
turboswede wrote: Jesus. Just get a berkeleying minivan and shut the berkeley up. So berkeleying tired of this BS about wanting to haul kids and their E36 M3 and their friends and their E36 M3 with reasonable mileage and comfort, but I can't have a minivan because someone might think I'm a parent with half a brain or something. Also, rear seat DVD? Buy a cheap portable DVD or maybe interact with your kids on the road and keep them off the boob tube and let them use their imaginations a bit to keep themselves occupied. The other option is to get a jacked up station wagon aka SUV that you have climb into, has less usable room in it and will likely be just as bad in the snow and ice as a minivan with similar towing capacity and worse mileage thanks to poor aero and huge, heavy tires. It's a tool. Get the best tool for the job. In this case, that is a minivan. Choose the one you like best and has the best reliability. Done.
well said. If you don't need to tow over 3k lbs, and don't live down a woodland dirt road, there's really no reason whatsoever to buy an SUV (any SUV). A minivan is better in every respect for everything EXCEPT those two things, really. And to be honest the Odyssey looks cooler than most of the SUVs out there anyhow.
If I didn't have to tow the racecar, there would be an Odyssey parked in my driveway right now. A black one, of course. Alternately if someone would make a minivan that could tow 6k safely and reliably, I'd trade in the truck for that pretty quick.
Also regarding rear-seat DVD. We have one in the Sequoia. It has never been used. We have a portable one that is more convenient and that the kids like better. But for the most part they just read books on long trips.
In reply to irish44j:
I wasn't trying to be snippy. Just explaining what you asked. 
Ranger50 wrote: In reply to irish44j: I wasn't trying to be snippy. Just explaining what you asked.
The quotation marks threw me off. Probably because I just was reading this earlier today:
http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/
lol...
My 07 Explorer Limited 4.6 has done everything we need it to do for us - me, wife, almost 6 and almost 2 and crated big dog. Tows a 17' boat like it isn't there. 3rd row is great to use to add the in laws and save taking 2 cars. Wife drives it daily solo. Bought it in 09 w 18k for half of new sticker. Now has 130k. Coils are my only complaint. It is a truck though, and a same gen. F150 might even ride better. I'd look new/newish Explorer if it needed to be replaced (staying away from the 1st year of the redesign and its infotainment problems).
irish44j wrote: http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/ lol...
This has been a pet peeve of mine "forever". Awesome website. Thank you.
I have no "further input" on this thread.
ProDarwin wrote:irish44j wrote: http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/ lol...This has been a pet peeve of mine "forever". Awesome website. Thank you. I have no "further input" on this thread.
your "welcome"
(and yes, I know it's "you're")
As a lover of both Minivans and Prii, this "i want a minivan that isnt a minivan" thread and the "I want a prius that isnt a prius" thread are totally making my day. 
For my part, i want Ford to put the Cmax drivetrain in the Transit Connect so i can ogle some hybrid minivan!
It's a weird world. When I worked at the Mazda dealer we almost couldn't stock enough cx-5s even though people could get the 14' Mazda 6 for the same price if not cheaper with more equipment, better ride, better gas mileage... And I'm sure they hardly ever needed what little space and whatnot the cx-5 had over the 6.
I don't have any suggestions to add but as far as mini vans I really liked the Mazda 5. The new odyssey rode really nice as well but it is massive. The cx-9 was also one of my favorites from the dealership. Tiny 3rd row and not good mileage but it was the best driving SUV by far. Also it has a ford engine so it is domestic technically 
From my experience, if the third row seat is optional, it sucks. What I mean is, if you can buy that vehicle without the 3rd row, the third row will suck for anyone that cannot remove their legs and stow them in a suitcase.
I know others have said it, but just do the minivan. I didn't want one, but they are way too useful to rule out for some unreasonable bias. My wife's friend refuses to buy a minivan to haul three kids around. So they bought an Excursion. Now, instead of getting about 20 mpg or so, they're pulling down a whopping 8 mpg and can't park easily in any parking lot.
spitfirebill wrote: She has no idea what really is and isn't made in the US. I know I don't. I know a lot of people who still hate on the "imports". It's carry over thing from WW II. But I got over it after a whole string of POS 'Murican cars, mostly (but not all) from the General.
It is pretty simple. If the VIN starts with a 1, 4, or 5 it is at least 51% made in America. 2 is Canada and 3 is Mexico if she supports the North American alliance. Most of the Big 3 aren’t made in America and quite of a few of The Japanese cars are.
Mazda 5....if you can, an Acura MDX or Honda Pilot are awesome people movers....sounds like you need a minivan though....unfortunately.
I don't/won't have kids but I do want an Odyssey. Sharp looking cars with room to camp in the back.
Toyota Sienna. I believe it's 100% US made. parts/labor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Sienna
Grtechguy wrote: Toyota Sienna. I believe it's 100% US made. parts/labor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Sienna
Nope, 75% US/canadian and 20% Japanese according to their monroney label information for 2014. Their transmissions are from Japan. (then again, Mustangs have Chinese transmissions!)
Noone claims more than 80% US/canadian content.
I was gonna go with the Mazda 5 crowd...until I read the bit about needing to sport an American badge..
My next best offer: Chevrolet Astro. Yeah, it's a minivan...but it really isn't. Full frame, Beefy V6, 20 mpg highway, tows whatever you attach to it, and hauls whatever you throw in the back. I had one as a field service vehicle for a few years. Put 75,000 miles on it- and never had a whimper of mechanical problem. One day I'd be piling 100 20 pound electric motors in the back, the next I'd be hauling 5 guys to a meeting. The modular seats weren't as convenient as the stow and go stuff, but they worked well enough.
Used Astros seem to go pretty cheaply, too. They built them up to about 2010 IIRC.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Astro-Medium-Grey-Metallic-Immaculate-2005-Chevrolet-Astro-Van-Well-Maintained-3-Row-/141250642245?forcerrptr=true&hash=item20e331c145&item=141250642245&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
These guys are local, you should see if they will sell... 
My wife also said NO to a minivan. Then she saw an R Class Merc, said it was not a minivan and that is what we got. They were made in Alabama, are really a minivan with regular doors and can be had for a lot less than 60K. And if you can find an R63 for sale you can hit 60 mph in 4.6 sec in it.
We went from a Sienna to a CX-9. Fun to drive, sweet drivetrain, averages 20 with AWD and 20" wheels. Same platform as Ford Edge, but seemed better in terms of reliability. The Grand Touring gives you some great stuff, and they drop in value like crazy for some reason; we picked ours up slightly used for mid 20s.
Interesting to see someone finally mention the Mercedes R-Class. I was briefly toying with the idea of getting rid of my wagon and replacing it with an R. They seem like they might be the ticket for a lot of folks who can't handle the minivan scene. The interiors look pretty nice. Anyone have any comments on what they are actually like to drive?
In the end, I decided to upgrade my refrigerator white Volvo 940 T-wagon--with nothing but some paint. Like this:
Because, I mean, why not? My $1,500 car will now be worth $1495.
I agree with turboswede. We as an open-minded and educated auto enthusiast community need to remind people that if they have a large family, a minivan is probably the best vehicle for them. Especially for boring people that really don't give a berkeley about a car and don't do anything interesting like towing a race car or hauling construction equipment, etc.
In reply to AaronBalto:
The one we got is not too bad to drive. Ours has the Airmatic suspension and it firms up as you go faster so it feels more planted than I would have guessed. Other than getting used to the slow steering I like it. Last year I took my dad and my two boys to Sebring from Ohio and the R was a nice place to sit for hours on end.
Is there anything specific you want to know?
Only thing I am being told about the R is avoid the 06-07's by my friend at the Merc dealer, but hasn't said why.
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