Discussion Minivans, why all the hate?

[KMFJD]

I kinda want one of these.

Kinda.

View attachment 73818

Electric VW Bus would be cool

 

[igor_kavinski]

at some point also have been on active duty.

I think it's the proud playboys who don't want to be caught driving a minivan. It reduces their appeal to the hot girls but I think if their "needs" are really insatiable, they can fit more girls in a minivan

 

[WelshBloke]

Electric VW Bus would be cool

That just a 5 seater one, the longer wheelbase 7 seater comes out next year. I think that's the one they will base the camper version on.

 

[WelshBloke]

Gets pretty good reviews. There's a few things I don't like about it though ( the range is a bit meh)

Volkswagen ID. Buzz Review 2023 | Top Gear

An uplifting electric van that's fun to be in and around. Could it break the SUV mould?

www.topgear.com

 

[Braznor]

A woman driving a minivan with 7 hyperactive kids gets pulled over for running a red light. The cop says “Don’t you know when to stop?” The woman says...



They’re not all mine.

 

[Kaido]

Gets pretty good reviews. There's a few things I don't like about it though ( the range is a bit meh)

Volkswagen ID. Buzz Review 2023 | Top Gear

An uplifting electric van that's fun to be in and around. Could it break the SUV mould?

www.topgear.com

My friends are getting one, I'm excited to try it: (supposedly 2024 as the release year for North America)

 

[Torn Mind]

In brief, it's about sex and youth, and the loss thereof. To the American, it's in essence a badge with the words "MOM" imprinted in massively conspicuous sight.

 

[WelshBloke]

My friends are getting one, I'm excited to try it: (supposedly 2024 as the release year for North America)

I think that you guys are just getting the long wheelbase version (which is he good one). Please let me know how it is!

 

[purbeast0]

We borrowed our friends Honda Odyssey 2 years ago to drive to North Carolina on a beach trip since we have a smaller sedan and had an extra kid, and I came back wanting to buy one. It was fantastic with all of the space we had and how comfortable it made the trip for everyone.

Our next car is either going to be a minivan or a midsized SUV.

 

[Captante]

We borrowed our friends Honda Odyssey 2 years ago to drive to North Carolina on a beach trip since we have a smaller sedan and had an extra kid, and I came back wanting to buy one. It was fantastic with all of the space we had and how comfortable it made the trip for everyone.

Our next car is either going to be a minivan or a midsized SUV.

For a family "vacation-mobile" the Odssey and the very similar Toyota Sienna are pretty much unmatched IMO.

You might not enjoy it as much as a daily-driver though depending on what you're used to.

 

[purbeast0]

For a family "vacation-mobile" the Odssey and the very similar Toyota Sienna are pretty much unmatched IMO.

You might not enjoy it as much as a daily-driver though depending on what you're used to.

I'd be going from an Infiniti G37S manual coupe to whatever my next car is lol. So yeah, will be a huge change.

 

[Captante]

I'd be going from an Infiniti G37S manual coupe to whatever my next car is lol. So yeah, will be a huge change.

I'm thinking you can scratch out the "might" lol!

"Huge change" = a serious understatement IMO.

Much as I enjoyed my relatives Sienna while hauling my daughters stuff around, I was THRILLED to get back in my little Honda when finished.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I used to drive a 1985 Volkswagon Vanagon. It had a queen size bed in the back which was pretty cool when taking road trips. You could pull over and nap pretty easily without drawing too much attention to the vehicle. The downsides to the vehicle was the engine was in the back and under the back where the bed unfolded. Even though it had a decent seal and screws to compress the seal to the engine hatch, it just plane got hot back there. There was a really weak air conditioner and the upholstry inside that thing had a ton of static. You would scoot across the seat and instantly have your hair stand up. The van was underpowered, but I still enjoyed taking it on a road trip through Virginia all the way to Maine and back.

The only other van I've owned is our Honda Odyssey. It's got a third row that will fold down and stow. You can remove the second row seats and the back of the van is 4'X8'....which is bigger than most truck beds. It's hard to beat the configuration of a van because they have lower clearance than an SUV and as a result, have more interior room for storage or seating. Ours is a special edition with a built-in wet/dry vac, DVD, and powered sliding doors on both sides. You can do without the vac, but having a DVD and power sliding doors on both sides is mandatory these days. Speaking of doors...sliding doors allow you to load kids and other things a lot more easily to the van than traditional car doors. If you had a cake business or anything where you needed to load/unload more easily, a van is the way to go. I think Ford Transit may be the most configurable these days if you don't go with a Dodge Sprinter.

Last year, we rented a car from National and the kids picked out a Chrysler Pacifica. I thought it'd be junky, but we really enjoyed the drive we took from Miami to Orlando in that thing. It cruised really well, the seats were comfortable enough that the family slept, and the technology included was spot on. I was able to link my android phone using Google maps and it's making me consider getting a Chrysler based on how well they designed it to work. Unfortunately, many car companies screw up those interfaces. My wife and I were joking for months that were were going to trade in our van and get one....of course, we don't want a car payment and we know how those vans and brand depreciate.

Vans have a purpose and as long as you don't overpay for one, they can be a good value. You should expect them to depreciate faster than an SUV and some brands lose value way faster than others. Do market research and expect that most used vans get abused by kids. If you're embarrassed about vans and think they're stupid, then don't buy them. They're a niche market, but work great for road trips and car seats.