bobandjess99
Senior Community Member
So. If you needed a new used minivan, and had no money, what would you do?
In the $4k and under price range. But in that price range, I'm looking at a bunch of crappy choices.
Here's sort of what i have figured out..maybe someone can help think it through, or give add'tl info?
I'm looking at maybe 97-2002 ish model years.
Which means that any dodge, etc brand vehicle is going to have gen 3 seatbelts. i am exceptionally not okay with this, especially since i now have a full time booster rider, and that seat belt is the only damn thing keeping her in the car. If it fails/unlatches, etc...... So dodge, etc is out.
So, moving on..i cant get a new gen sedona for that, and im not interested in the much less safe, less reliable pre-06 models. So kia is out.
I was looking hard at the fords, but there are so many windstar recalls, plus after looking online, i can barely find a GOOD review...the reliability is apparently crap, .almost everyone (including my stepson) says that they had serious mechanical issues and had to sink thousands in major repairs - and we absolutely will NOT be able to pay for thousands of dollars in repairs should something happen. So ford out.
the montana/transport/silhouette/venture....well..we all know the crash test results on those. it makes me a tad ill to think about putting my family in one. IIHS "worst performing vehicle" is NOT the award I want my car to have, ya know? SAme thing with the astro/safari...horrific crash test results. Chevy, et all, out.
Ody's..not a lot in my price range, if any..and those that are have 200K+ on them, plus some model years that far back had serious tranny issues.
Siennas...hahahah again, rare in that price range, and if they are, it's because they've been crashed or have 200k + on them, etc. And even for a toyota, chances are crap is going to start falling apart after 200k miles.
So...what? Suck it up and finance a newer nicer van, going even further into the murky pit of debt? Live with just one 5-passenger vehicle? (we're a family of 7 with 3 in school, and both dh and i work..this would be HELLISH to try and do for any amount of time). Give up the idea of a van, and just get a cheap older car, so we would at least have 2 vehicles, even if neither would seat the whole family? Option D ? (i dont know what that might be lol, you have to tell me. )
In the $4k and under price range. But in that price range, I'm looking at a bunch of crappy choices.
Here's sort of what i have figured out..maybe someone can help think it through, or give add'tl info?
I'm looking at maybe 97-2002 ish model years.
Which means that any dodge, etc brand vehicle is going to have gen 3 seatbelts. i am exceptionally not okay with this, especially since i now have a full time booster rider, and that seat belt is the only damn thing keeping her in the car. If it fails/unlatches, etc...... So dodge, etc is out.
So, moving on..i cant get a new gen sedona for that, and im not interested in the much less safe, less reliable pre-06 models. So kia is out.
I was looking hard at the fords, but there are so many windstar recalls, plus after looking online, i can barely find a GOOD review...the reliability is apparently crap, .almost everyone (including my stepson) says that they had serious mechanical issues and had to sink thousands in major repairs - and we absolutely will NOT be able to pay for thousands of dollars in repairs should something happen. So ford out.
the montana/transport/silhouette/venture....well..we all know the crash test results on those. it makes me a tad ill to think about putting my family in one. IIHS "worst performing vehicle" is NOT the award I want my car to have, ya know? SAme thing with the astro/safari...horrific crash test results. Chevy, et all, out.
Ody's..not a lot in my price range, if any..and those that are have 200K+ on them, plus some model years that far back had serious tranny issues.
Siennas...hahahah again, rare in that price range, and if they are, it's because they've been crashed or have 200k + on them, etc. And even for a toyota, chances are crap is going to start falling apart after 200k miles.
So...what? Suck it up and finance a newer nicer van, going even further into the murky pit of debt? Live with just one 5-passenger vehicle? (we're a family of 7 with 3 in school, and both dh and i work..this would be HELLISH to try and do for any amount of time). Give up the idea of a van, and just get a cheap older car, so we would at least have 2 vehicles, even if neither would seat the whole family? Option D ? (i dont know what that might be lol, you have to tell me. )