If anyone's unclear on the difference between SUV and crossover, come back after you've taken the RX330 off-roading... if you ever make it back. Crossovers are SUV-style bodies on a car-based chassis with some light-duty AWD hardware.
If anyone's unclear on the difference between SUV and crossover, come back after you've taken the RX330 off-roading... if you ever make it back. Crossovers are SUV-style bodies on a car-based chassis with some light-duty AWD hardware.
many of the kids on this forum will change their tune after they get married and have kids...
but there will always be a few hold outs that either get an SUV or try and keep their sporty cars and cram child seats and luggage into them
cKGunslinger
Lifer
- Nov 29, 1999
- 16,408
- 57
- 91
From my research the Honda Odyssey is the best value around, even though it is the pricest of it's class. I'll have to save a bit more before we purchase.
Don't be discouraged by MSRP. If you're shopping MSRP you won't find one under 30K, but you can find big discounts and rebates on the less popular models. One good place to look is carsdirect.com. They'll give you their price right on the webpage.
I just checked for you:
Kia Sedona EX with leather and power sliding door is $27,369.
If you can live with cloth seats, a Mazda MPV or Dodge Caravan with power sliding door are $22K.
Even the Toyota Sienna with leather and power sliding door is just under $30K after discounts and rebates (pick XLE package #6).
You couldn't open the doors manually?
My parents' Venture's automatic sliding door will open manually if needed.
doesn't work like that with the newest sienna's. i just test drove one, he had to give the battery a charge tho because someone left the door open he said. anyway, the power side doors opened without juice, no problems. the rear hatch however would not open.
OP,
I bought a new 04 Ford Freestar SEL with all bells and whistles (less DVD system) for $24000 out the door including taxes, title & dest. The sticker was $33000. I looked at used Odyssey's and Sienna's, and would have gone that way easily, but the peace of mind of having a new vehicle compared to a used one, won out. This was Janaury of 2004, so I'm sure prices will have gone up a bit. So far, I can't complain about anything on the Freestar. I do remember trying to find low mileage used Honda's and Odyssey's was not easy, YMMV.
I bought a new 04 Ford Freestar SEL with all bells and whistles (less DVD system) for $24000 out the door including taxes, title & dest. The sticker was $33000. I looked at used Odyssey's and Sienna's, and would have gone that way easily, but the peace of mind of having a new vehicle compared to a used one, won out. This was Janaury of 2004, so I'm sure prices will have gone up a bit. So far, I can't complain about anything on the Freestar. I do remember trying to find low mileage used Honda's and Odyssey's was not easy, YMMV.
never buy new, buy nearly new, or like used 1-2 years old
hell if you want power doors im sure its not that hard to get them done third party, or do it your self.
hell if you want power doors im sure its not that hard to get them done third party, or do it your self.
If it was the last generation maybe, but certainly not the new model. The sliding doors do open even if you lose power. You can also open the rear hatch although you have to do that from the inside.
Plus, I believe with exceptions for sport SUVs like BMWs or Porsches, most minivans perform emergency manuvers better.
We looked at buying 1-3 year Hondas or Toyotas, and there wasn't enough of a price difference to justify used.
i've been looking at fords, chevy's and chryslers and i've never purchased a japanese car in my life, but this time i'm considering it.
to be honest, the domestics just don't feel as nice. with my last car i ignored all those things and just bought a ford because i always buy fords. this time, i'm not so sure.
i am seriously considering the Kia Sedona tho. if you guys go out and check one out, you'll be shocked at how much they out and out copied the sienna.
cKGunslinger
Lifer
- Nov 29, 1999
- 16,408
- 57
- 91
Are Kia's much better now than when they first began production? I know my hair-brained sis-in-law bought a "cute" Kia Sportage when they first came out. She had the engine replaced 3 times, the transmission replaced twice, and the entire electrical system rewired before she dumped that POS 2 years later. She said when she waited for warranty service, there was like a 3-week waiting list at that particular dealership.
i think if your going to get a fully loaded kia for 30k you might as well get a nicely equipped sienna or ody instead.....
My mom had a 1996 Town and Country, purchased new. The only thing that ever went out on it (not including damage done when we were rear-ended) was the transmission and the CD compartment latch. The transmission is a well known trouble spot on those vans.
Was still running perfectly at 148k when my parents gave it to my brother (and they suck at the maintenance - I mean like 6 - 10k miles between oil changes). It finally died when a radiator hose sprung a leak, it ran dry of coolant, and my brother, for some reason, kept driving it. :roll:
Although, they got it fixed (stupid, I know, but they wouldn't listen to me) and it's still going great now. Think it's at about 160k or so.
I just picked up a 2005 town&Country Touring (Loaded power everything) with 16000 miles for 18k. Very happy with it. The stow and go is the best. I can go from 5 people in the back to a 4x8 sheet of plywood laying flat in about 3 min.
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
If you really want a new vehicle, go for it. That's not what I would do - I would buy a 1 or 2 year old vehicle as others suggested - but the decision is yours, based on your own reasons.
As far as the SUV vs. mini-van debate... I drove a Jeep Cherokee for years. Absolutely loved the vehicle. It went anywhere I wanted it to go. (I went off-road quite a bit, especially during hunting season). Then, I got a Nissan Pathfinder. Far less room inside; absolutely worthless as far as "utility vehicle" goes; and as I needed to use it for those purposes, it sucked majorly. A year or so ago, my wife got a Grand Caravan. Best vehicle for utility purposes we've ever had. It's hauled 50 4x6x8 landscape timbers for a fence... it's hauled an alpaca, dirtbikes, tons of wallboard, plywood, etc. I regularly load it up with 1000 pounds or so of coal. It's hauled everything that most people would relegate to a pick-up truck, except for a freezer (won't stand up-right in the van
) And, it's pretty good at towing our boat and/or our trailer. (Towed both at the same time last year - put the boat on the trailer , plus 2 kayaks on the roof of the van)
As far as handling, I'd have to say that it's far better than either the Pathfinder or Cherokee with the exception of when I had either SUV in 4-W drive on roads covered in slush. In regular snow, it handles great.
And lastly, for the people calling them 2 ton vehicles, check the stickers on the door... Grand Caravan is right around 3 tons. 3 1/2 a lot of times when I load it up
As far as the SUV vs. mini-van debate... I drove a Jeep Cherokee for years. Absolutely loved the vehicle. It went anywhere I wanted it to go. (I went off-road quite a bit, especially during hunting season). Then, I got a Nissan Pathfinder. Far less room inside; absolutely worthless as far as "utility vehicle" goes; and as I needed to use it for those purposes, it sucked majorly. A year or so ago, my wife got a Grand Caravan. Best vehicle for utility purposes we've ever had. It's hauled 50 4x6x8 landscape timbers for a fence... it's hauled an alpaca, dirtbikes, tons of wallboard, plywood, etc. I regularly load it up with 1000 pounds or so of coal. It's hauled everything that most people would relegate to a pick-up truck, except for a freezer (won't stand up-right in the van
) And, it's pretty good at towing our boat and/or our trailer. (Towed both at the same time last year - put the boat on the trailer , plus 2 kayaks on the roof of the van)As far as handling, I'd have to say that it's far better than either the Pathfinder or Cherokee with the exception of when I had either SUV in 4-W drive on roads covered in slush. In regular snow, it handles great.
And lastly, for the people calling them 2 ton vehicles, check the stickers on the door... Grand Caravan is right around 3 tons. 3 1/2 a lot of times when I load it up
KK
Lifer
- Jan 2, 2001
- 15,903
- 4
- 81
Originally posted by: DrPizza
If you really want a new vehicle, go for it. That's not what I would do - I would buy a 1 or 2 year old vehicle as others suggested - but the decision is yours, based on your own reasons.
As far as the SUV vs. mini-van debate... I drove a Jeep Cherokee for years. Absolutely loved the vehicle. It went anywhere I wanted it to go. (I went off-road quite a bit, especially during hunting season). Then, I got a Nissan Pathfinder. Far less room inside; absolutely worthless as far as "utility vehicle" goes; and as I needed to use it for those purposes, it sucked majorly. A year or so ago, my wife got a Grand Caravan. Best vehicle for utility purposes we've ever had. It's hauled 50 4x6x8 landscape timbers for a fence... it's hauled an alpaca, dirtbikes, tons of wallboard, plywood, etc. I regularly load it up with 1000 pounds or so of coal. It's hauled everything that most people would relegate to a pick-up truck, except for a freezer (won't stand up-right in the van
As far as handling, I'd have to say that it's far better than either the Pathfinder or Cherokee with the exception of when I had either SUV in 4-W drive on roads covered in slush. In regular snow, it handles great.
And lastly, for the people calling them 2 ton vehicles, check the stickers on the door... Grand Caravan is right around 3 tons. 3 1/2 a lot of times when I load it up
You put coal inside your van to haul it? Also a dirtbike in the van?
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