Calgary Jeep Association
General Forums => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: raf2379 on October 07, 2012, 05:14:58 PM
-
well its that time already, its time to buy a minivan. it looks like a choice between Toyota, Honda and Chrysler.
nice thing about Toyota is that its AWD and none of the others have it. Odyssey is just as expensive as Toyota, but now AWD.
I priced out the sienna XLE AWD limited with all bells and whistles at $59,000. frack me its expensive. I didn’t bother pricing out the Odyssey as it would be in the 50's for the fully loaded limited model.
but then I priced out the Chrysler town and country limited, which comes with all the same safety features as the sienna minus AWD, its has mode gizmos such as heated steering wheel, second row heated seats, second and third row dvd standard, power 3rd row foldable seats. and few other options which are standard in the limited edition as oppose to an option on the limited sienna. all this fully loaded with every option possible for $43,000. that’s one hell of a deal
at only 43k this leaves me more money to spend on a tow rig. even though I would love the AWD system in the sienna for my wife when driving in winter time, do I really need it? does it justify spending extra 10K + on a Toyota?
any input from you guys in choosing between the Toyota and Chrysler? dodge grand caravan does not compare to any of these even though its same as the Chrysler its interior quality is crap compared to Chrysler, this might be the last year the town and country is offered in Canada.
car and driver picked Chrysler in second place and Toyota in fourth, Chrysler has a lot quieter interior as well. its hard choice, but i think Chrysler is the way to go even though AWD is superior
any minivan owners? (besides JK's) chime in what are your thought experiences?
-
1000 bucks on an astro van... Done. No but seriously, Id do the caravan myself, is the awd really worth 17k to ya? What's do to your payments? Questions I'd be askin myself.
-
Suburban would go lots of places and double as a tow rig.
we had a 04. Grand caravan. It lasted 6 months. If you re used to a truck or suv they re not one of those by a long shot.
-
Two things.
First would be asking if there's something that can handle minivan chores and tow rig chores at the same time. Yukon? Suburban? Excursion? Do they even make those things anymore? I guess the other question with that is will Ina want to drive something that size. It won't be an issue for you, but for people that are not used to driving larger vehicles, anything bigger than a minivan can be a bit much. I know a guy that traded in his F150 crew cab because his wife just couldn't get a handle on how to drive the thing through a parking lot without rubbing up against every single shopping cart.
Second would be looking at used minivans. I haven't priced them, but it seems to me that minivans lose resale value VERY quickly. You might be able to find something that's just been turned in off a 2 or 3 year lease. Maybe even a "certified pre-owned" minivan that has tons of warranty left?
Just thinking.
As far as AWD being worth it...it does make a BIG difference in the winter. My GF's Audi is unfreakingbelieveable in the snow and ice. You don't even have to think about it - it's almost like cheating.
-
I had an 03 ford escape for about a year before my jeep,
other than the electrical problems with the ignititon that they couldnt figure out, ( reason for selling ) it was awesome,
in 06 they swapped engines and gave it an extra 60 hp, bringing it up to 268 I think,
Mine had 4wd, a little cooler than the mini van, and could still do calgary to kelowna on a tank of gas,
I would never buy another ford, but there are some decent suvs out there that still haul the family, with out the "soccer mom" look, for alot cheaper than 60k
-
suburban 2500 was my main choice as it would town my jeep, but now I'm more concerned about safety, reliability and comfort for my wife to get the kids in and out. minivans fit the picture. and a dodge truck for a tow rig. the reason the town and country is cheaper is because Chrysler has some type of consumer discount $7k. I've been reading reviews all day. payments seam to be $150 more a month for the Toyota which is substantial. there are some suv's and crossovers i'm looking at as well, but the wife prefers the sliding doors. why do automakers make minivans so uncool lol
-
We picked up a 2007 Toyota Sienna LE AWD last year all in for $24500. If you check out the forums, alot of folks feel the 04-10 Siennas were nicer in feel and such. I kept away from everything else because I wanted to pull a small trailer for the family and both the Honda and Dodge products were notorious for tranny issues. I sat in every seat of an 03' Honda and it was super comfortable. I then sat in a 2011 Dodge Caravan with stow and go seating, and I couldn't see taking a 10km trip in those seats. Very uncomfortable. The Toyota got the 276hp engine in 07'. I didn't really care about getting AWD, but I didn't want GPS or DVD since they get outdated pretty quick, I'd rather get something aftermarket. I do love my Sienna, its a great people mover. I don't regret the AWD either. I only get about 17/22 mpg. Close to the same range as a Tahoe. My brother in law has a Tahoe, and it opens alot of options for towing, but it is bigger to driver. I think my interior space kicks on his though. Just make sure you go through your options.
-
How many kids do you have? For $53K you can get a pretty nice mega cab Dodge truck and tow with it. Or a 7 seater Durango or Commander.
I wouldn't spend $53k on a minivan. Pick up something used.
Before we moved to the acerage we had a 1998 Plymouth Voyager AWD. Used it for commuting to Calgary and hauling family around. I bought it simpply because we needed an AWD commuter and family mover and was super cheap to buy, under $2K. Unfortunately it didn't have enough ground clearance for the snow drifts on the acreage on got swapped out for a Dakota. The wife loves it for hauling "farm" stuff around but every now and then we want to take our kids AND their friends somewhere and it takes two vehicles. Miss the van those days but for those few days its not a big deal.
-
Don't rule out GM, they have these CUV type deals instead of the traditional Minivan, Check out the terrain, as much room as a minivan with out the minivan. at 40K they are loaded, touchscreen, reverse camera and heated and power this and that AWD, and a 266hp 3.0 V6. Oh and the fuel economy is down right decent.
-
i though about a dodge truck megacab, but my wife is tiny, she would have a hard time getting her self into the truck let alone the kids, we have a 5 year old and baby on the way. I'll be getting a used truck for a tow rig, a 2500 diesel crew cab can be had for cheep that will do the job towing my xj. we did fall in love with the new durango, test drove it and it was great, but we realized that it has just a little bit more room than our caliber, no different than a journey that my parents have. I wish someone would offer a diesel option in a minivan. even though toyota relaibility and resale value is considared one of the best I think its overpriced for what you get. merc R class looks like a great crossover with blutec diesel, and the ford flex with ecoboost looks like a fun car. i'll be sticking to minivans and crossovers for my choices dont want to buy anything older than 2010.
-
Know a few people with Mazda CX-9s and they love them.
-
If you want to do a motor swap or some head gasket work Tony that gave you the counter top has a minivan in his driveway he may be motivated to move ;)
-
We have 2 kids and an 80 pound bowling ball (dog). We opted for a truck. It was cheaper to get a new truck than a decked out suv or minivan. Mind you we got a pretty sweet deal on the truck. My wife likes having it and it has more than enough space for camping, road trips, taking garbage to the dump, picking up dirt or gravel, and you can haul around dead deer without worry of staining anything. Get your wife to test drive one and see how she likes it. We opted for the Ford because of the back seat space and knew a guy at one of the dealerships. The trade-off will be fuel economy.
If you do go with a van, we thought about getting one, and my sister and husband has one and swears by it (Toyota).
-
buy an old AWD Previa!
(http://image.4wheeloffroad.com/f/16672603/131_0902_06_z+february_2009_4x4_trucks+1995_toyota_previa.jpg)
-
My wife likes having it and it has more than enough space for camping, road trips, taking garbage to the dump, picking up dirt or gravel, and you can haul around a dead badger without worry of staining anything.
Noel?
-
I have had three minivans for work in the past five years. The GM crossovers are junk and have had many unresolved issues. Not to mention they have no space in them compared to a minivan. The caravans lose their value so fast you will have a 2012 worth 40 new with rebates end up worth 20 in two years. They are notorious for trans issues and, really are not a great fit and finish. We had two Siena's for company vans and they are more expensive but bulletproof. I agree that 50 grand for a minivan is steep but take a look at the resale value and the true cost of ownership.
If you really need a minivan my vote is for a mid trim sienna and for 2 grand you can add leather in all three rows.
-
General rule of thumb with minivans is that they are disposable. Everyone I know that runs them buys used for 2-3k and runs them into the ground for a few years and then grab another one.
They go down in value so fast, they really arent worth buying new unless you have money to burn, or can lease as a business expense.
-
General rule of thumb with minivans is that they are disposable. Everyone I know that runs them buys used for 2-3k and runs them into the ground for a few years and then grab another one.
They go down in value so fast, they really arent worth buying new unless you have money to burn, or can lease as a business expense.
Or if you spend the money on the Sienna they will last and hold their value.
-
whatever
You can buy a complete used van for what it cost to do a brake job on an import. Unless you are running a warrenty, imports never pay. They eat the gap in maintenance costs every time. Specially toyota. And their wearables like brakes, struts and bushings wear out just like everyone elses. Only difference is the parts cost three times as much.
-
lol, a quick auto trader search shows most 05 and 06 siennas going for 15k. An 07 caravan goes for 5......................
-
Well I guess if you want to take your chances on a used one that's the chance you take. I have seen plenty of grand caravans with moderate mileage grenade the transmission and its a 3000 touch.
It's all in what you can afford and are willing to pay. Some guys drive brand new rigs and some drive clunkers. Neither is really wrong but it just comes down to what you can afford I guess.
-
And ya don't take your chances with a new vehicle? Personally Id rather take my chances with 15k then 50k. And just because people ask a high price, doesn't mean its selling for it. Especially for Toyota these days. Can afford and should afford are two different things. Common sense seems to get checked at the door when it comes to buying vehicles most of the time.
My advice Raf, and I'm being honest and genuine here. Go used, let someone else take the new car hit. Get it cheap enough you can cover the "chances" without it hurtin your feelings if they ever do actually happen and just bank the rest. How many years would that difference pay down your mortgage? How many years would that difference pay for your kids school? Renovations on your house with that money add money back in your pocket? Get my point? Sure the flashy new minivan is fun and cool, it wears off a lot faster then the payments will, we all know that.
I know its the American dream to owe as much money as humanly possible, thank god we aren't Americans... Sometimes we need to remember that.
-
We have a 08 GMC Acadia, bought brand new and have a tick over 170k on it now. Its been dead reliable and still feels tight. We looked at several minivans before purchacing this, in fact we traded in our 02 Honda Odessey for the Acadia shortly after spending close to $4500 on a new tranny for the Honda at 130,000kms. One of the biggest reasons I bought that Honda was for resale value, at the time it was close to $7 grand more than the Grand Caravan we were going to buy. In the end It cost me quite a bit more for the Honda, more maintence ($1000+ timing belt replacements) much more costly for repairs. Was not worth it in the end.
I find the large crossover has just as much utility as the van did in a cooler package that I dont mind driving. When we lived in Red Deer my next door neighbour was the service manager at a Toyota, he said the reliablity really took a dive from 07+. I have a family member with a 2011 Toyota Venza thats a huge pile thats allways in the shop. I no longer think the imports have much edge over the domestics, times have changed.
-
Went thru something similar when I bought our Dodge Dakota. I looked at the Tacoma as an alternatives and liked it better but when looking at the prices for 2008 models the Taco was $10K more, had less options and more milage. However when you compared the truck's prices brand new the Taco was only $4k more than the Dakota. They Toyota held its resell WAY better than the Dodge. If I had been buying new I would have bought the Toyota hands down but used that $10K hit was too much.
Being a mechanic I'm just fine with buying used and personally would be hard pressed to buy new and take that hit driving off the lot. I can see why others would be attracted to it, you know its not been abused and have the warrenty. If you can afford it, why not? My wife sister and her husband lease a new vehicle every 2-3 years. No idea what they pay per month but they've never had a breakdown, or unexpected repairs. Just oil changes/brakes that were done on their respective schedule and then returned and a new lease. No surprises. For them its just a people mover and they don't want hassle. I imagine they pay a premium for it but thats their choice.
-
They Toyota held its resell WAY better than the Dodge.
I remember reading last year that the Tacoma holds its resale value better than any other vehicle in the world.
-
Just buy an Aztec and be done with it ;D
-
I remember reading last year that the Tacoma holds its resale value better than any other vehicle in the world.
still made in the same factory as a GM/Ford/Dodge with the same north american parts, materials and............. labour.
you pay a premium on toyota/honda crap only because there are import quotas on these said brands (yes, even though they are produced domestically) and the resale has nothing to do with quality or value, but for a lack of supply due to the import quota's.
thats why people have to PAY YOU to take an XJ off their hands........ there's millions of them around......
-
thats why people have to PAY YOU to take an XJ off their hands........ there's millions of them around......
Resale Value ;)
Unlike your ZJ ;)
-
xj with fulltime option? we looked at buying newish JK rubi's and decided what that will depreciate in one year equals the whole value of a XJ. i wouldnt want to pay more for a vehicle thats full toys and food crumbs anyways.
dont you know a thing or 2 about xj's?
-
I know that xj's are poop on fuel economy, and I will have the urge to do a lift and 31's and that will again hurt fuel economy. its coming down to few options, 2010 or newer Explorer, flex, chrysler or toyota minivans, grand cherokee possibly a liberty, merc R-class. 3rd row seating prefered. will be testdriving all of these in november. at the end its what the wife is comfortable driving in, its for her not me. I have my toys 91 Probe GT for the summer and will be buying a good used truck to tow the xj.
-
We had a Flex for a couple months. That thing drove really well... but it's long... but with small kids, I would have bought it on the spot. Good on fuel. Lots of room. And it's not a caravan. DO IT!
-
All these vehicle recommendations and people forgot to say it...
Congrats to you and your wife on the new baby on the way! Do you know if it's a boy or a girl ?
-
you are getting all squishy in your old age, Noel.... stop it.... all nice AND a horse... frack...
Congrats Raf...
-
All these vehicle recommendations and people forgot to say it...
Congrats to you and your wife on the new baby on the way! Do you know if it's a boy or a girl ?
Thank you we are keeping it a surprise.