What to buy - That long 7 passenger tall station wagon looking thing edition

The time has come in my life. That time every dad looks for. when he gives up his 2 door car, and upgrades to a 4 door car, and than upgrades to the wife's SUV so we can get her a minivan.

Im buying this bumper sticker as soon as we find it.

Ideally, I want a Sienna. Unfortunately, the selection for sale is limited. I've been looking for a month now, and haven't gone to look at any. I've expanded my search to Odyssey recently. Why are 2 out of 3 odyssey's salvage title? Are the drivers that bad? I've never come across any other search with such a high ratio of salvage.

Are there any gem's (2006+, under 100k, under $12k) that I'm missing? I'm partial to the japanese for obvious reasons. Im against anything with the name "town and country", just because that is the stupidest name for a vehicle ever.

I had a town and clown as a rental and thought it was great. Go for the dodge version

I want my MPV!

I see them for sale, some in nice condition, all well below your budget. Mine has 125k miles on it, and still runs and drives nicely. The last one was 2005 model year, so older than what you're looking for. Seven in the MPV is a bit of a stretch, but theoretically possible.

It's all but inevitable I'll end up in a Sienna when we wear out the MPV.

I want that sticker

Edit: Maybe this one found on fleabay

Ex rental GC/T&C. Typically 1 year, 30k miles. Dodges run $15k, Chryslers $18K.

Skip the minivan and get a full size. GM van with a 4.8 will get decent mileage, more room than you will ever need, and has proper RWD.

My parents have had various minivans for going on 30 years now. Even with the kids long, long gone they still always have one for road trips and antique-hauling (hell, they even brought one with them when we lived in Italy back in the 90s!). They just picked up a new T&C last year and say it's their favorite yet. They've had at least 4 or 5 Chrysler minivans over the years and have never had any real problems with them other than usual wear&tear stuff. Hell, my first car was a hand-me down plymouth voyager LE Turbo :)

I'm a big fan of the Odyssey, but the T&C has basically all the same features for like $10k less with all the Chrysler rebates and deals that are always going on. Not quite as stylish though. If a minivan can be stylish.

When we were looking a couple years ago we drove all of them. I didn't really like the Sienna that much for some reason. Odyssey feels huge when driving. T&C actually "fit" best (though I think it's ugly). In the end we got a SUV though since I had to tow the racecar trailer.

you all are missing how much I hate that name.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Skip the minivan and get a full size. GM van with a 4.8 will get decent mileage, more room than you will ever need, and has proper RWD.

3 car seats has the minivan on the win side. No one wants to climb over the back to buckle a kid in.

lnlogauge wrote: you all are missing how much I hate that name.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Skip the minivan and get a full size. GM van with a 4.8 will get decent mileage, more room than you will ever need, and has proper RWD.

3 car seats has the minivan on the win side. No one wants to climb over the back to buckle a kid in.

so....debadge it. Or put a Caravan or Voyager badge on it for cool retro points, lol.

Go Chrysler. Save some money over the Honda and put some jazz on it:

[URL=http://s265.photobucket.com/user/derekrichardson/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_35.jpg.html][/URL]

This one is pure factory equipment I believe:

[URL=http://s265.photobucket.com/user/derekrichardson/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_36.jpg.html][/URL]

Kia Sedona ain't bad

How about that Ford Flex thing?

RossD wrote: I had a town and clown as a rental and thought it was great. Go for the dodge version

This - 100% Get a Dodge with the "Blacktop" package and you'll get the blacked out grill/wheels/etc. and no roof rails.

"Town and Country" is not as dumb as "Sport Utility". What bloody sporting thing happens in a "Sport Utility"? Mom drives to soccer practice?

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Kia Sedona ain't bad

They aren't great either, in the van compartment either.

I bet for much less than you'd spend on that Honda, you could find a fairly nice and clean supercharged Toyota Previa. Preferably with a manual and or AWD. Then you would have no need for that sticker. You Might just be cooler than you are now

Vans were created to punish mechanics.

Yukon XL or Ford Excursion. Let your wife keep the SUV.

Pbw wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Kia Sedona ain't bad

They aren't great either, in the van compartment either.

Totally disagree. I've had two of them, and to me the Sedona ('06-'13 generation) is the best minivan value on the market, bar none. Dead nuts reliable, even the base model comes packed with features, good towing capability, plenty of room for the kids and all their stuff...including a stupid number of cupholders. It doesn't have the Stow-N-Go that the Dodge does, but in 8+ years of Sedona ownership I can't think of more than once or twice where I wish I would have had it...if that many. It's subjective, but I also think they drive better than the Pentastars.

We bought our first one brand new in early 2007 and just sold it a few months ago. Beat the snot out of it. We replaced it with a 2010 that had 19k miles on it. Paid under $12k for it. You can find a 2010-2012 with less than 50k for around $10k.

I own two T&C now (please, shoot me) and have to say they've been pretty reliable. as in 180,000 miles on the 05 with extremely minimal maintenance. A family of 6 makes them a necessity.

now the original T&C I would actually enjoy owning.

Harvey wrote: How about that Ford Flex thing?

Whatever you do, don't use the Googles to find out how fast you can make an EcoBoost Flex. It ain't right.

Klayfish wrote:

Pbw wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Kia Sedona ain't bad

They aren't great either, in the van compartment either.

Totally disagree. I've had two of them, and to me the Sedona ('06-'13 generation) is the best minivan value on the market, bar none. Dead nuts reliable, even the base model comes packed with features, good towing capability, plenty of room for the kids and all their stuff...including a stupid number of cupholders. It doesn't have the Stow-N-Go that the Dodge does, but in 8+ years of Sedona ownership I can't think of more than once or twice where I wish I would have had it...if that many. It's subjective, but I also think they drive better than the Pentastars. We bought our first one brand new in early 2007 and just sold it a few months ago. Beat the snot out of it. We replaced it with a 2010 that had 19k miles on it. Paid under $12k for it. You can find a 2010-2012 with less than 50k for around $10k.

Reliable as far as transportation but lots of stuff goes wrong with them. I bought a 2008 about four years ago with around 20-30k miles for around 12k including tax and have had all similar issues as three other people I know with them. All replaced under warranty but still, front sub frame bushings, three a/c compressors, two steering racks, steering shaft needing lubed twice, several sets of sway bar end links, strut top mounts, rear spring insulators and couple of outer cv joints.

Pbw wrote: Reliable as far as transportation but lots of stuff goes wrong with them. I bought a 2008 about four years ago with around 20-30k miles for around 12k including tax and have had all similar issues as three other people I know with them. All replaced under warranty but still, front sub frame bushings, three a/c compressors, two steering racks, steering shaft needing lubed twice, several sets of sway bar end links, strut top mounts, rear spring insulators and couple of outer cv joints.

I guess that's a YMMV thing. We put nearly 120k very hard miles on ours. Lots of towing, hauling, kid carrying, snow driving, and general overall beat down. Our list of items replaced...tires, brakes, wipers, fluids/filters, battery. That's it. I will say when we sold it, the alternator was starting to whine and it had a bushing rattle in the front end, but nothing that any other hard used 7 year old car wouldn't need.

I would rock one

For what it is worth I was working on a Chrystler mini van last weekend with a power steering leak. Who at Chrysler thaught it was a good idea to put the power steering cooler down below and behind the motor? IT is completely exposed to anything that goes under the vehicle?

Something to look for is the rubber lines from the PS cooler to the hard lines are down there and completely exposed to water salt etc. The connection between the rubber line to the hard line is in a vertical position allowing water to be trapped beterrn the rubber line and the nipple of the hard line and it rusts out the line where the rubber line attaches. Carefully inspect these on any mid 2000's Chrysler you are looking at. Oh and these steel lines and the cooler are very expensive and usually not in stock (at least around my area).

This is the unit.

And it in position under the vehicle.

Sorry, but refusing to buy the class-leading vehicle because you don't get/understand/like the name is silly.
We just sold our '05 T&C with 175K. The heat and A/C (front and rear) has never been serviced, the rear shocks are just feeling like they need to be replaces, trans fluid and filter were changed twice. It's been reliable with two exceptions. One taken care of under warranty, the other beiythe ledt side sliding door.