p0ndering a minivan

[spaceman]

need something with good mpg
and comes in manual
3rd vehicle so i only looking at a few k
ones to avoid?
im not geting a sienaa or a odyssey for what i wanna spend
how about windstars?freestars/mpvs/

 

[SandEagle]

heh. i'll be trading my balls in for a minivan too. ended up googling 'minivan stigma', 'minivan for guys' , 'is my life over',etc etc

http://www.divinecaroline.com/22115/68532-overcoming-psychological-stigma-buying-minivan

 

[mvbighead]

I am having a hard time finding 1 minivan with a manual transmission.

Mazda 5 is the only one according to this:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/automotive/1229159-minivans-2000-newer-witha-manual-transmission.html

Seems 2006 is as old as that gets, so you won't be finding it for a few thousand.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Manual minivan?

I think your only choice is the Mazda5. Too bad the first couple years of the model (the only ones that would be cheap enough) are so unreliable.

I don't know if there were any older minivans with manual transmissions. The Mazda5 is literally the only one I am aware of.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Yeah unless you want to go back into the early 90s there aren't many options for manual minivans.

 

[waggy]

Wtf would you want a manual minivan?

i love minivans. i loved mine and hate it that i went back to a car. thinking of getting a town and country

 

[spaceman]

id prefer manual for maitenance/lots of hills winter driving here
as for the van, ilve always had a thing for wagons/minivans
the utility of them
dont want fullsize as 13mpg isnt appetizing most seems to hit 20mpg
the mazda 5 ive looked but it seems closer to a fit than a minivan
hard to categorize it
so
auto is ok

 

[zoiks]

Shouldn't you be buying a spaceship? Although the latest offerings from Nissan, Honda and Toyota do look like one.

 

[SyndromeOCZ]

Manual minivan?

Could go back to the 1989 Dodge 2.5L I4 Turbo with a stick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rmj1zY1itA

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Manual minivan... Why... Just get an auto dude. It's a minivan.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

How about an exploder or blazer, or something like that?



Pick two:

Cheap
Reliable
Good MPG

 

[bigi]

How about an exploder or blazer, or something like that?



Pick two:

Cheap
Reliable
Good MPG

There is no room in any SUV compared to a minivan.

 

[manimal]

There is no room in any SUV compared to a minivan.

The lower load in height helps with getting kids and their stuff in and out without killing your back. The extra square footage in the back means strollers + groceries etc.


The ability on some minivans to drop the armrests and console and walk to the back on the inside.


We tried a 2004 Denali with our triplets and it just didnt work with loading and unloading. Sucked too cuz it was sweet compared to the Sienna we have now.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

There is no room in any SUV compared to a minivan.

Yeah well minivans aren't manuals, cheap,and don't get good mpg.


He's going to have to give on something.

 

[spaceman]

there are plenty of cheap minivans out there
sedonas/windstars/freestars/ventures/caravans
early00s
comparatively they get alot better than my siera 1500@13mpg
manuals not a deal breaker
maitenance isnt either aside from drivetrain bs i dont wanna deal with

 

[RavenSEAL]

Why not get an SUV instead of a Minivan? At least you get to keep your mancard.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Why not get an SUV instead of a Minivan? At least you get to keep your mancard.

Because they're less practical, more expensive to maintain, and get worse fuel economy?

 

[rh71]

Because they're less practical, more expensive to maintain, and get worse fuel economy?

and they don't have sliding doors... they are a god-send if you have kids. In the past I've had to drive out of the parking spot before I could put my infants into the back seats of the SUV. Then I realized it's another good reason to park far away from anyone.

 

[jlee]

If I recall correctly, Tanner Foust had a RWD manual Ford Aerostar on Top Gear USA.

 

[ElFenix]

Because they're less practical, more expensive to maintain, and get worse fuel economy?

i have to wonder how buying based on emotion instead of logic and reason is the manlier thing to do.

 

[MovingTarget]

need something with good mpg
and comes in manual
3rd vehicle so i only looking at a few k
ones to avoid?
im not geting a sienaa or a odyssey for what i wanna spend
how about windstars?freestars/mpvs/

I was going to suggest a Ford Transit Connect, but I don't see the manual option for the US.

 

[DrPizza]

Why not get an SUV instead of a Minivan? At least you get to keep your mancard.

I had a Grand Caravan... now I have two. Prior to the Grand Caravan, I had a Jeep Cherokee, and Nissan Pathfinder. I did enjoy getting to one of my hunting spots in the Jeep - abused the heck out of it. Having owned the Caravan, I'd gladly buy a 3rd one before I'd touch an SUV. 10 sheets of plywood? You're not getting even 1 in the Pathfinder. I've had a Yamaha 250F in the back of the van, I regularly load it with a ton of coal (in bags, fairly short trip.) It hauls our boat (18.5 foot Glastron I/O) with ease. I can toss 4 kayaks in the back and a few more on the roof. It'll haul just about anything a truck with a truck cap will haul, with more comfort than a truck.

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[AstroManLuca]

If I recall correctly, Tanner Foust had a RWD manual Ford Aerostar on Top Gear USA.

Haha, I had an Aerostar a few years ago. AWD automatic, but the transmission stopped going into overdrive not long after I got it, the shocks were shot, and the rear axle was leaking on the brakes. This was at 80k miles. That said, most of the issues were probably because the previous owner had no idea how to care for a car and he would tow his boat in overdrive.

 

[natto fire]

Why not get an SUV instead of a Minivan? At least you get to keep your mancard.

Not sure if serious, but using the right tool for the job is much more manly than caring what people think of what you're driving. :thumbsup: