Minivan owners

soxfan74

How do you like your minivans? We are looking at cars right now and I know the minivan is the logical choice, 3 on the way, but I am having a hard time wrapping my head around driving a minivan! Any thoughts or help !

Brewtowngrl

The doors and storage.  That was about it.  The dealership wreaked my van last week while it was in for maintenance.  They had to buy it from us.  I got an armada instead of another mini van.  

Aimathy

We had an a large SUV and thought we'd never like the transition to a mini-van.  I don't think anyone WANTS a minivan...but there comes a time where practicality wins.  We have three kids (16, 12 and 4) and we need space.  We got a Honda Odyssey and we love it!  It has tons of space, plenty of storage in the back...even with all three rows in use and it rides like a dream.  My 4 year old can get in and out by herself if needed and everyone is very comfortable.  I know mini vans aren't "fun"....but I wouldn't fear them!

kpips20

I never ever thought we'd get a minivan but now that we have it I can't believe we didn't do it sooner. We bought the Toyota Siena and I really love it. It has a ton of storage and space. Granted the model that we bought doesn't have the bells and whistles that my SUV had but I told DH we're at a point where what we want and what we need don't always match! I still don't love the idea that I'm driving a minivan, but I do love the van.

brettsmama

Check out the working moms board. There is a post from 3/1 titled "Minivans: Thoughts..." That has 60 replies.
I have never been a minivan fan, but at this point in life, convenience is winning I really want one.

ToBeMrsT

We love ours.  I've always been fine with minivans though.  

soxfan74

Thank you for your responses!

neverblushed

I've owned 3.  The first was a Chevrolet Venture.  We had it for about 9 years, and it was a great family vehicle.  But as it aged, there were "fit and finish" issues.  When it finally died (at around 200K miles!) we did not buy the Uplander, which is Chevy's current minivan.  

Instead we bought a used Toyota Sienna, and I absolutely LOVE it.  Sadly, the first one was totaled in an accident (we were all fine; didn't even need an advil, which is really a testament to the safety of the vehicle) in which we were rear-ended by a kid who was texting and driving.

We replaced it with the exact same year and model Sienna. It's a huge van, very comfy, every detail is thoughtfully designed.  There's loads of cargo space.  You can get a full sheet of plywood in it.  The seats fold down easily enough that my 12 y/o daughter can handle them herself.  Our original was an 8 passenger.  When we got the new one, we switched to the 7 passenger model so each kid has a bucket seat in the back instead of sharing a bench.  

When we were shopping for a van after the accident, we test drove an Odyssey, and liked many things about it.  The only problem was that I'm almost 6 feet tall, and the driver's seat felt cramped.  The Sienna feels roomier and has more cubic feet of cargo space.  But the Odyssey tends to have better resale value, if you plan on selling it instead of driving it into the dirt.  We always drive our vehicles until they die, so this isn't a concern for us!

GL! 

MNgirl326

I have a 2004 Town and Country and I  LOVE It. Yay for mini-vans!!

lite-bright

We got an awesome deal on a used 2005 Honda Odyssey with less than 20K miles on it, and all the bells & whistles. 

I freaking love my minivan. Not having to open each side door outwards is a huge convenience. I can open and close everything automatically (including the rear door) from my key fob, which is nice for loading/unloading groceries and whatever we have. The back seat is super easy to fold down and leaves enough open space to haul an enormous amount of stuff (like furniture-sized things, etc.). When we have visitors like my parents, we can actually all fit in one vehicle now. 

Someday I'll happily drive a sedan again, but this is the most practical car for us right now and I'm very glad we have it.  

 

soxfan74

Thank you all for your input!

Mama-Bear

ToBeMrsT:

We love ours.  I've always been fine with minivans though.  

This.  I honestly don't understand all of the minivan hate.  So what if it's a mom-mobile, guess what, we're all mom's!

bridetobe920

We have a HOnda Odyssey (2012), and we love it!  The sliding doors and liftgate are so helpful, and we love all of the safety features.  

We opted for the top of the line model, knowing it was an investment, so ours also has:

Split screen DVD, individual climate control, back up camera and sensors, blind spot indicators, cool box for drinks, etc.

One other thing I love is how the middle seat of the middle row pulls forward so that the child/baby can be within reach while still strapped in.

It gets great mileage, and we are very happy so far.

echowysp2

Love.  I'd panic if I had to downgrade.  As the kids get older, we're going to need more room for their stuff, friends, vacations, etc.  So, it's a no brainer for us. 

Dh is getting a new car this year and we are considering a smaller hybrid to help with our footprint. 

PhilsWife07

Mama-Bear:

ToBeMrsT:

We love ours.  I've always been fine with minivans though.  

This.  I honestly don't understand all of the minivan hate.  So what if it's a mom-mobile, guess what, we're all mom's!

PhilsWife07

Mama-Bear:

ToBeMrsT:

We love ours.  I've always been fine with minivans though.  

This.  I honestly don't understand all of the minivan hate.  So what if it's a mom-mobile, guess what, we're all mom's!

 I love my mom mobile!

headgear03

We bought a minivan last year when traded in our SUV . We love our van . Even though my hubby would prefer an SUV he understands at this time I. Our lives we need the features a van brings. We have three kids now 5,3,1 and an baby on the way so the storage is invaluable . Our van is the 2008 town and country with swivel and go seats and storage under the seats in the floor we also have the atomatic doors which are awesome . We plan on getting a different car when the kids are much bigger but right now this is the type of vehicle we need .

mgrulke

Love it and we only have one.  The extra storage, extra seats!  I told myself that I couldn't drive a van, now I don't want anyother kind of car unless it is a topless little number with leather seats and no carseats in the back