I have narrowed my minivan search down more help please =)

Momto3Divaz

New member
My previous thread I was pretty lost on what I could get with 5k. Well i have my choices narrowed down. What would you all reccommend among these good and bad please share. I have 4 kids and have decided to change carseats around i also have 1 stepson with us only 4 days out of the month atleast 3 need to be harnessed all ff two will be in boosters probably a older parkway and the new parkway sg.

Ford Windstar limited 2002 136kmiles
Honda Ody 2002 SE miles unknown right now
Kia Sedona 2002 loaded with dvd =) 86k
Chrystler T and C 2005 base 118k
Mercury villager 2002 base 95k

whew im not looking for resale values just safety and good gas milage since i will be driving the kids to school 20 mins each way lots of stop lights. All of these have bucket 2nd row seats which i tracked down lol. I put the miles on each van to see if that would sway opinions also thank you so much this has been a stressful situation with no car n 2 wks left to find one with cash
 
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Momto3Divaz

New member
I am going to see the ford today at 3pm =) and the kia is a 3 hour drive from me. I am depending on rides to see these vans so if I can cross any out that would be great.
 

Chely7425

New member
Personally I would probably avoid the ones with over 100K miles on them but I think for a lot of it you need to see the condition of the vehicles before you can decide.
 

jourdysmom

CPST Instructor
Ford Windstar limited 2002 136kmiles would definitely be a no-go for me, we had a 2000 and HATED it! high $$ maintenance and hard to get to the 3rd row as the 2nd row seats folded weird. (Just my :twocents: )


Honda Ody 2002 SE miles unknown right now They have great mechanical reviews IMO I would take this with over 100,000 miles

Kia Sedona 2002 loaded with dvd =) 86k 3 hour drive each way just to see it??? YIKES!

Chrystler T and C 2005 base 118k that is really high mileage! seats are angled weird and deep, can be a PITA to install, remove headrests if possible with your seats to help this (some seats must use head rests).

Mercury villager 2002 base 95k very small if I remember correctly


I would go between the Kia and the Honda if it were me...then the T&C Good Luck!
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
The Odyssey would be tops on my list due to Hondas' longevity/reliability. Current Sedonas are great, but I seem to recall they had LOTS of issues prior to 2006(?).
 

Melanie

New member
I'd get the VIN #s and carfax them before you even see them. I think it's $30 for 1 month of unlimited reports. Don't want to drive 3 hours if carfax shows something you're not ok with.

If it was me, I'd probably be most comfortable with the Ody. As long as it doesn't have a lot more miles than the others. Second might be the Kia.

A couple things with the Kia. I just got rid of my 03-same style. Gas mileage isn't great. I usually got 14 in town and the best I'd get was 18 on the highway going downhill. I'd stay away from the Kia if you drive in severe mountain areas. The brakes aren't quite big enough for the weight of the vehicle (from what I've read) so it extreme conditions they can get hot and easily warp the rotors. Mine was fine on normal mountain stuff. But we frequently do a trip that it didn't handle well. It's a long very steep climb/decent at high speeds and in the middle of the summer with high temperatures. We really really had to be careful with the brakes and use the transmission to slow the vehicle a lot. I warped 2 sets of rotors before 50k miles. This was the only vehicle I've driven up the mountain that had braking problems. I wouldn't worry about it if you aren't doing extreme mountain driving though.
 

Momto3Divaz

New member
I really want the Ody have been emailinng the seller for a week now =\ and he has not told me the miles I emailed him today and asked to see the van for the 3rd time waiting for a reply. The sedona is my next choice. The ford is nearby which is why I was going to check it out. We live in nw indiana (south bend) our winters is my main concern the roads get very icy and slippery no hills really. Last year the kids rode the bus this year i am their bus so we will be spending a whole lot of time in the van. All of the vans are in good used shape and non smokers =) thank you ladies you have really helped me today
 

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