The Search, it continues

"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw) 07/01/2015 at 12:45 • Filed to: fatherhood, minivans

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I admitted that I’ll be buying a minivan. That particular example did not check out as represented. The paint, while original, was not in great shape, the tires were all much too small, and it had multiple fairly large oil leaks underhood. The AC took quite some time to get cold and it looks like there may a leak near the receiver drier, and the left automatic slider didn’t work (this isn’t the end of the world, but still...). It also had an almost imperceptible whine from the transmission that I suspect was in the differential because it correlated to road speed. Needless to say I passed, so I’m still looking for a good van. I’m willing to accept cosmetic flaws if the mechanicals are good, but this van just had too much of both because I don’t want to buy something I have to work on right away.

And so the search continues. There will be a purchase,

fhrblig > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 12:48

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Price range?

jkm7680 > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 12:49

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pls no

RallyWrench > fhrblig 07/01/2015 at 12:50

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Preferably $6500 or less, because that’s about what I can get for our 325iT. The one I looked at yesterday was $4k, which seems about average for a 150k-ish 1st-gen Sienna around here. Blue Book value is meaningless.

fhrblig > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 12:54

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I wish I could recommend my generation of Caravan, but I can’t unless you get a very robust extended warranty on the transmission. It’s not that it drove or shifted badly, it just was fragile. And a bit noisy and kinda slow, but that was because I got the 4-cylinder. Still, it routinely got 25-27 mpg.

Tohru > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 12:58

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Grand Wagonner

AMC Eagle wagon

Ford Country Squire/Mercury Colony Park

Buick Roadmaster wagon

hell, even a Ford Flex

just no minivan. That this one was bad was your sign to get something else.

RallyWrench > fhrblig 07/01/2015 at 12:59

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I”ve driven several and worked on a couple, and just never came away happy with the build quality, and I know about the transmission issues you allude to. That said, the race team I work for rented some new ones last weekend, and they’re very nice. Far, far, out of my price range, but very nice.

RallyWrench > Tohru 07/01/2015 at 13:01

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I actually got my wife to admit that she likes the Flex. I’d have one of those, but she wants sliding doors. I also absolutely love Roadmaster wagons.

My citroen won't start > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 13:04

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Volkswagen…

Ta-Fucking-da

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 13:10

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Mazda5.

Sliding doors

good gas mileage

available manual

same chassis as Maz3

Reliable

Cheap. Good examples with ~100k miles can be had under 10k

RallyWrench > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 07/01/2015 at 13:18

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Believe me, that was my first and only choice until I showed one to my wife, parked right next to her 325iT. It really didn’t seem to have a big space advantage other than height, and even then it seemed her 6’6” dad would have a hard time in it, and he’s with her all the time. They’re also nearly impossible to find with a manual, let alone with a high spec and a stick.

RallyWrench > My citroen won't start 07/01/2015 at 13:21

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I work on them, all the time. I cannot describe the burning hatred I have for Eurovans. VW has sworn them off parts wise. All kinds of parts are already NLA. I live near GoWesty, and while they have some helpful stuff, it’s not everything. And of all the minivans with transmission problems, the Eurovan is the grandaddy. They suck . Good engines, awful vans.

My citroen won't start > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 13:26

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I love them (granted I have never owned, driven or worked on one), especially the meaty bumpered ones. How about a Westfalia?

MarcusBrody > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 13:26

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I’m in the same boat (though with a higher price range - 10-20,000, depending on year/miles). I’m trying to decide between a 2014 LWB Transit Connect and a 2011 or so Sienna/Odyssey. Any advice from research you or others have done already?

RallyWrench > My citroen won't start 07/01/2015 at 13:37

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Eurovan Westy? Even worse, and much to heavy to DD. Plus, all the camping shit eliminates the Eurovan’s only positive, interior space. I do have in irrational love for Vanagons though, I own an ‘82 that I grew up with. But they have no safety, no brakes, no power, and no reliable parts supply, and basically require extensive modification to be reliable so I’m not putting my family in one.

RallyWrench > MarcusBrody 07/01/2015 at 13:47

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The Transit seems a really nice little van, I’d love to have one if we could justify a newer car and payment. From everything I’ve read, the newer Sienna and Odyssey are equals for all intents and purposes, though I’d give the Odyssey extra points for styling, particularly in Touring trim.

My citroen won't start > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 14:03

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The Vanagon I meant, those are awesome but yeah, not entirely safe.

MarcusBrody > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 14:22

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I drove the Transit Connect a couple of days ago and really liked how it drove and the visibility. I wasn’t super impressed by the finish and there were some unfulfilled opportunities for clever design. I still like it a lot, but a few more touches (better designed folding seats, accessible cargo tie down points, less flexy plastic) and I’d definitely have bought it.

Now it’s a bit of a toss up between it and slightly older, larger vans.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 14:48

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Come live in Europe. We have way too many of these vans driving around. Oh, they’re also pretty unreliable. But who can resist triple sunroof?

Now serious: I say go retro, Chevrolet Lumina, Chrysler Voyager/ GMC Safari

Chevrolet Lumina is amazing because it looks like a spaceship, and the GMC Safari can look real neat when clean.

I have an idea, what about a Chrysler Voyager , badge-swapped it to make it a Lancia Voyager?

RallyWrench > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 07/01/2015 at 14:53

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The Lancia Voyager idea is actually quite tempting, because I own a proper Lancia...

As to the old school “Dustbuster” vans, they’re pretty much all gone now, having been run into the ground long ago. I like Safaris a lot, they’re a great and reliable van, but I think my wife would like something a little more car-like.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 15:18

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Thats an even better reason to get a Voyager then!

Other vans I thought of were maybe the Previa or Odyssee, Chevrolet Trans Sport (It has ‘Sport’ in the name, thats cool right?) I saw a Ford Windstar for the first time a while back, two-tone red and beige, actually looks pretty neat.

Ford Galaxy/S-Max/C-Max, Kia Carnival/Hyundai Highway Van, Mazda 5/MPV, but I don’t know if they are available to you.

Dodge Caliber looks pretty cool, there is a SRT-4 version of it too. You could go full ‘old person’ and buy a HHR.

I spent 20 minutes thinking about minivans.... yeah..

AM3R shamefully returns > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 15:24

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Price range? Wanna buy a 2005 Honda Odyssey with 92k on it? 100% mechanically solid, loaded but not touring trim so no dumb runflat system. Now that all the kiddos are grown up my mom doesn’t need her minivan. Actively looking for a replacement.

RallyWrench > AM3R shamefully returns 07/01/2015 at 15:45

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$6500 or less, because that’s about what we can get for her wagon, but might stretch for a good van. That Odyssey has got to be worth over 10.

AM3R shamefully returns > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 17:42

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Ah okay. I’d hook you up if the prices were a little closer. We’re hoping to get $10k out of it, we’ll see what a dealer offers us trade in wise. Its got a few small blemishes. Nothing serious.

boxrocket > RallyWrench 07/01/2015 at 23:49

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I came across a V8 XC90 with 101k for $6500, and I’m very tempted to pull the trigger, even though I just bought a car in April.

RallyWrench > boxrocket 07/02/2015 at 12:07

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I cannot recommend XC90s. While they’re nice when new, they do not age gracefully in my experience.