My antique 1989 Plymouth Voyager (converted covered pickup) finally got hauled off. I need to replace it, but can’t decide whether or not to get a used truck, like a Ford F150 or something like a Windstar Mini of around 2001 to 2003. It’s not as easy a comparison as I thought. Aside from the truck having more verticle space and easier to get things into and out of, the van offers a covered storage space like the old van and a temporary storage space until I want to load it. The Van’s appear to be cheaper to purchase too. Anyone have some other +'s and -'s they feel passionate about?
I don’t like most mini vans because of their uni-body construction, which limits their load capacity and towing. I believe pick-ups are much more versatile, and will give you more options. You could always find a cheap topper for the bed of the truck to give you that covered storage. Or, leave it open and have much more space.
To me it depends on how the vehicle will be used. You can easily put a cap on a truck, and they tow better, but if you like the people-carrying versatility of a van than a truck wouldn’t work.
I have owned 3 minivans–a 1990 Ford Aerostar, a 2000 Ford Windstar and presently own a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander. Of the three, the Ford Aerostar was my favorite because it was built on a truck platform. It was also taller which made it easier to load bulky items. Unfortunately, Ford quit making the Aerostar about 1997. However, I think that Chevrolet made the Astro and GMC made the Safari minivans as recently as 2004. These minivans are tall and ride on a frame as opposed to unitized construction. Maybe one of these would be a good compromise.