Is there any new improvement coming that we should wait to buy a new minivan (probably Honda or Toyota)?
Nope. Have you looked at today’s minivans? What could you possibly be waiting for? Both Honda and Toyota’s minivans are quiet, safe, reliable, comfortable and can be bought with just about any option you could want.
LOL, hopefully that is very dry sarcasm.
I’m in the same camp as bloody_knuckles. (Though the only minivan improvement I’d like to see is better gas mileage).
A poster mentioned the other day thet Honda is due to put a diesel engine into the Odyssey in 2010. I wouldn’t wait, though. I suspect that as many new diesel cars and trucks ply the roads, it will put significant pressure on the cost of diesel fuel. It already is a lot more expensive than gas, and you barely have better fuel cost per mile despite 25% better mileage. That’s an opinion, though, and it may not happen. If you want a diesel, wait. Or get that funky Dodge Sprinter with the caverneous interior and the Benz CR diesel. It seats 12, you can walk inside fully erect, and it gets about the same mileage as the Honda or Toyota. It’s really a Mercedes Benz; a holdover from when they were married. Dodge got custody!
Honda & Toyota vans, good choices.
The only improvement for domestic minivans would be for the bis 3 to discontinue them. I believe domestic cars are better then what people believe but the van are poor.
It’s really a very good machine, but somewhat ugly, in my opinion. Mercedes sells this vehicle around the world as an airport/hotel shuttle vehicle, a company personnel transporter, or a tourist tour vehicle.
Every parcel delivery service I’ve seen lately uses them, too.
I’ve owned 3 domestic minivans–a Ford Aerostar, a Ford Windstar, and a Chevrolet Uplander. The Aerostar did have an engine replaced under warranty, but I had no major problems after that. I sold the Windstar to my son and it has traveled over 100,000 miles with no problems. The Uplander has had no problems so far–it is a 2006 with 42,000 miles. The Honda and Toyota minivans are probably better, but I couldn’t justify spending $10,000 more for one of these than I paid for the Uplander.
“The Honda and Toyota minivans are probably better, but I couldn’t justify spending $10,000 more for one of these than I paid for the Uplander.”
I passed that way, too. In 2003 we needed a new van. I looked at the Olds Silhouette and ended up buying it. It did everything reasonably well even if it was built at the end of it’s generation. And I really couldn’t say no when I got it for 2/3 the MSRP. It took 2 years before the depreciation caught up with the price I paid. OK, it needed a new transmission, but that was paid for by the 60/60 extended warranty that GM provided as an incentive to by an Oldsmobile.
I picked up a gently used 2004 Toyota Sienna this year (the new larger style) for $12,500. You can get a good late model domestic minivan for $2500? Wow, I must have missed those in the newspaper. The big price difference is a myth unless you are not a savvy shopper.
It seems to me that I remember the Honda minivans having transmission problems about the time you bought your Oldsmobile Silhouette. My problem with the Chevrolet Uplander is that it isn’t a Mazda Miata. I’m always hauling people and musical instruments. I just wish that some company would make tympani that would fit the trunk of the Miata. As far as I’m concerned, if you’ve seen one minivan, you’ve seen them all.
I was talking about new minivans back in 2006. The Toyota and Honda minivans had a much higher price and not much discount. The difference probably wouldn’t be as much on used minivans.
Maybe you need 2 cars…
Good advice! I’ve argued this with my wife for a long time. I keep pointing out the money I would save driving a Miata when I don’t need to take the Uplander. Of course, she has figured out how much gasoline I could put in the Uplander for the cost of a Miata, the insurance, registration, etc.
I do have a vehicle that runs on water–it’s a Raleigh 10 speed. That’s probably as close as I’ll come to an open air sports car.
What you really need is a motorcycle, or at least the threat of one. Once you take her shopping for a motorcycle, she will let you get the Miata…either that or she will increase your life insurance.
This is a great idea! At my age (66), I need something to give me a youth image as opposed to a geezer image. Unfortunately, the money I would spend on a motorcycle has gone to the dentist for crowns, root canals, etc. and to the podiatrist to keep me on my feet. My doctor diagnosed my condition as “hoof and mouth disease”.