bigfoo Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 My wife is interested in getting a minivan.. I was wondering if any of you had an opinion on which one is best and most reliable, etc. One thing, i refuse to drive anything that has a 4 cylinder engine unless it's a motorcycle or it has a turbo or supercharger Anyway, if anyone has any input on this, I'd be glad to hear it. Looking for something used, probably late 90's less than $9000 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 My wife is interested in getting a minivan.. I was wondering if any of you had an opinion on which one is best and most reliable, etc. One thing, i refuse to drive anything that has a 4 cylinder engine unless it's a motorcycle or it has a turbo or supercharger Anyway, if anyone has any input on this, I'd be glad to hear it. Looking for something used, probably late 90's less than $9000 Thanks! I've driven a lot of minivans since I drive for a body shop part time. I found the Toyota Minivans to be the best. They seem to have the nicest ride and offer creature comforts. Fast, peppy, good on gas, reliable. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjtjwdad Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 I have a Windstar and have owned a Caravan. But if I were to get another one I would look at the Toyota and the Honda. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed blaq Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 For around 9k you can get into a nice Chrystler Town and Country 1999-2000. or a GMC Safari... Check ebay. my bro-in-law is a auto wholesaler and has had very good transactions buying and selling there. We shopped reciently for new kid hauler and drove a bunch of pre-owned vans......all ok with V-6....ended up buying a 2001 GMC Yukon XL (spent more than we wanted but love the truck) V-8 Lots of room can drive over vans ....good luck! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msilva954 Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 I myself prefer Mazda MPV's because they are smaller then the average minivan but still have newer convienences like rear roll down windows....they also are pretty peppy for a van and handle exceptional on the van level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoo Posted July 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Thanks so far! Some pretty good comments.. I have a 98 ford expedition, similar to the yukon and it's just too big.. I don't need something that big any more ( i used to haul a lot of big boxes for work so that's why I had it). It get like 10mpg and takes up a whole lotta space in the garage Minivan or something similar would be better. Also something easy to work on as I do a lot of the car repairs myself...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Geeze - 10 MPG from the Expedition???? What engine is in that pig - the V-10? A Yukon/Tahoe would get around 15 MPG. Vans are a PITA to work on....at least any of them that have half of the engine covered up/buried behind the firewall.... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regis Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Remember those small school buses that no one wanted to ride on because every kid thought that they were only for the special needs kids? Envision this bigfoo.... metal flecked black with chrome trim, low rider kit, dual Peterbuilt truck exhaust stacks, ram bar, oversized wide slicks in the rear and slightly smaller in the front. Of course no airbags but there won't be a need and 30% black window tint. I almost forgot..... and complete undercoating. Now that's a "minivan". -kg "Burns" rubber " I've never considered myself to be all that conservative, but it seems the more liberal some people get the more conservative I become. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy_W Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 My wife bought a 2000 Montana, short wheelbase Sport package, new. Very peppy, over 30 mpg highway. It now has close to 90,000 miles with no repairs at all, just routine mantainance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rllovett Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Our 97 Windstar is up to 123k with routine parts replacement: brake pads, front rotors, front struts, cv joints...the engine runs like a champ--200 horses is peppy enough to get it out of its own way, even loaded up. I'm nervous about the tranny cuz I think it's the same as Taurus and they eventually die...Perhaps most impressive is the totally rust-free survival of the body (tho I've seen a few with lower body edge rot). We drove a 2003 rental this year and its virtually identical to the 97. We chose it over Caravan for a more car-like ride, also quieter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoo Posted July 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Hmm..... decisions decisions.. I like the expedition though but it's pretty big.. it has a 4.6 engine in it i think it's DOHC but i'm not sure. 10mpg or so in city and maybe 15-17 on the highway.. Friend has a 2005 umm.. ya grand caravan, it's real neat but way out of my price range What's the easiest one to work on.. has at least a 3.8 6 cylinder in it (i can't stand driving slow vehicles) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Hmm..... decisions decisions.. I like the expedition though but it's pretty big.. it has a 4.6 engine in it i think it's DOHC but i'm not sure. 10mpg or so in city and maybe 15-17 on the highway.. Any 4.6 Northstar minivan's milage will beat that! Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msilva954 Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 You could also look at PT Cruisers......not very fast....but because of the early market saturation they are everywhere for not so bad prices. Not really a minivan.....but it is mini..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msilva954 Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Cant believe I forgot this.....how about a 2002 Kia Sedona......I know...its Korean but they are getting really good at the quality issues....and from what I have read everyone that owns one loves them...they are also built really tuff using all steel components. Ive seen 2002's with 30-50k on the odo go for anywhere from $8,000-13,000. Which is the cheapest you can get a van for. They also have that 100,000 mile warrenty. I too like the GMC Safari....but do not know the quality of them.....my mother had a rental one in 1997 and itwas really roomy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoo Posted July 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Thanks for the replies! I'm checking into some.. It would be great if I could get one for 3000$ or so maybe a 95 or 96 and fix it up myself.. of course it would have to be something that has parts readily available.. is the kia 3.5L engine or the ford 3.8L engine actually made by anyone else or are they standard for lots of cars so parts are everywhere? (Just an example of something i'm worried about) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msilva954 Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 The Kia is used along alot of the Kia line and Hyundai too....the Ford 3.8l is plentyful too. Look into this......needs some work though but way under your limit. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...0&category=6159 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoo Posted July 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 Ahh.. now THAT is a MINIVAN I think I'll have a chat with the guy.. I'd LOVE to have a minivan with a v8.. that would be so sweet. wonder if my wife would kill me if i said.. WELL Here's your MINIVAN! and he has 300HP lolololo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 I'll give you my opinions as well, because my wife and I are currently in the same situation (contemplating a minivan). I wouldn't personally consider anything with a timing belt. That excludes a few, especially the Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager from the 1990s because they had the Nissan VG30E V-6 engine. I think I read your price budget of near $3000? That will exclude anything newer than about 1998 probably. We're concentrating on the Mopar minivans as having the best equipment for the price. We're not considering anything from Japan, and that includes all those smoky Chryslers from the 1990s -- those minivans that smoke are equipped with Mitsubishi OHC V-6 engines and I've never seen one that didn't smoke. The Chrysler OHV engines are absolutely bulletproof. I had a chance to drive my grandpa's '99 Grand Caravan with the 3.3L OHV V-6 and it was creamy creamy smooth. Felt like a slick DOHC engine. Very nice. By comparison, a 200-hp 3.8L Windstar and 3.4L Pontiac Transport we drove felt very coarse and grainey. I haven't fell in love with any recent Ford product, and it's usually because the drivetrain is just so rough...in every one I've driven. Anytime I rent a car for business, I hope and pray they don't give me a Taurus -- even the newer ones feel very very cheap. A recent article about the new Ford Freestar said the same thing...a very rough drivetrain. I think the OHV Mopars are going to be the best choice for you, depending on what options you're looking for. Most in the late '90s had the dual sliding doors, and many had the Quad Seats (which is something we also want). Good luck in your search. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoo Posted July 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 Thanks How do you tell which engine it has? Would all caravans have the good engine or just certain ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgr7 Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 I used to be an avid minivan guy, I bought my first one in 84 when the Caravan first came out. Great little van kinda ugly but I had 3 kids and an 81 challenger not a good thing. I ran that one till it had 138k it had a 4cyl mitsubishi ran good, no problems. Next was a 90 Caravan 3.0l v6 mitsu. valve guides gone at 90k but no other problems. Next went to an 93 Toyota Prieva 4cyl pancake engine under the front seats lucky it was bullet proof replaced the starter at around 40k but never had any other problems I'll get back to this one later. We became a 2 minivan family when I bought a 89 plymouth gran voyager used with 78k and it had the trans replaced at 58k, this was common. This van was great but did have the valve guides go around 150k also I changed both axels and PS rack but nothing else except the regular items like brakes, rotors and tires. Traded it in at 179k, only got $1200. but hey I only paid $7200 and drove it over 100k miles. Got a Honda C-rv for the wife and I got the Toyota prieva back. Ok now for the list of things done to the Toyota, starter already mentioned, plugs at 90k and tranny fluid same time only changed the fluid didn't even have to drop the pan, drain plug . lots of tires and brakes, rotors once, struts and shocks once, can't remember but I think the struts and shocks were at around 140k. Second set of plugs at 200k did wires too this time cause I broke one. This car was cool in the oil department as it had an oil reservoir under the hood with 2L of oil and when the oil would get a little low it would pump some it untill it was up to proper level, never ran low, just keep the reservoir full and change the oil every 15k or so. I totaled it in 2001 with 216k miles on it and it still had the original Battery. I had planned to run this one till it died but some dumbass made a u-turn in front of me on a one lane each way hwy I plowed into him at 50 and rolled him over lucky for him it was the passenger side I hit and he had no passenger, the pass door was almost to the driver seat. I also had an areo star as a company car for awhile it was an eddie bauer nice but kinda noisey. I liked the dodge and plymouth best but the toyota was by far the most relable. The toyota was kinda cheap feeling on the inside but all in all was a very good minivan, it also wasn't a fancy model, not with 3 kids LOL. Just my .2c or was that .25c Jeff/jgr7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill K Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 According to my used car dealer friends, brother-in-law & a co-worker, if you get a Chrysler be sure to set aside some $ for a transmission. That seems to be a weak point on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 According to my used car dealer friends, brother-in-law & a co-worker, if you get a Chrysler be sure to set aside some $ for a transmission. That seems to be a weak point on them. Yeah - It's not if but when as far as the transmissions on Chrysler products go.... You can almost bet on the transmission failing between 70,000 and 75,000 miles. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 BTW - My Mom traded her Chrysler convertable 2 years ago on a GMC Envoy. The dealer asked her how many times the transmission was replaced...... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Thanks How do you tell which engine it has? Would all caravans have the good engine or just certain ones? The 3.0L OHC engines are the Mitsubishi-sourced engines, and the ones to stay away from. The 3.3L OHV and 3.8L OHV engines are the "good" ones, and ones that will last you a LONG time. Regarding the transmissions, failure can almost always be traced to using the improper transmission fluid. Even the owner's manual says you can use Dexron III type fluid, but you really can't. Use ONLY Chrysler ATF +3 or +4 fluid. LOTS of information on these Mopar powertrains can be found here: Chrysler 3.3L V-6 engines Chrysler 4-speed Auto Transmissions Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Yeah - It's not if but when as far as the transmissions on Chrysler products go.... You can almost bet on the transmission failing between 70,000 and 75,000 miles. I continue to believe that the bad rap Chrysler transmissions get are the result of rumors being spread unnecessarily. To be sure, some have had problems, but it's certainly not a guaranteed thing. Look how many Chrysler minivans are running around out there running great. Very similar to the Northstar head bolt deal. It happens to some, and after rumors get spread, all of a sudden happens to "them all". I've yet to find someone with a Chrysler who actually HAS had transmission problems. We've owned 4 Jeeps ('88, '89, '96, '03), and have towed with all but the new Liberty. None have had tranny problems, and all are in the targeted range of rags like Consumer Reports advising to stay away from them. We know lots of satisfied Jeep and Chrysler owners. I've also heard plenty of the "well, my brother's best friend's fiance's sister's Dodge had a problem" stories, but as usual (at least in my experience), you can't verify any real epidemic....just some smatterings of problems here and there that get blown out of proportion. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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