Do I need a Minivan? Mazda MPV????

[daisy1234]

Okay....first of all...I really have always wanted a van and my first choice is a Sienna. Currently My kids are driving me nuts in the car...kicking and bugging each other...So if anyone has any cheaper solutions...please chime in. I was thinking a van would help ...besides we could fit grandparents, other kids and relatives together. The space would be great. Now I am looking at the prices...I would like to get a great van for a great price. But I hate having a payment for very long soooo as I was searching vans it looks like the Mazda MPV 05, 06 could be a great value??? I have seen them used under $12,000 with low miles. Anyone have any thoughts on this van as a good value option???? I was also thinkiing about an 04, 05 Ody or possibly the 05 Sienna????


Thanks everyone!

 

[fatewineroses]

If I had a choice I would go for a used Honda Odyssey. I had one a while ago and almost cried when circumstances made it that I needed to sell it. I love the fact that you can move the middle row to be apart or together, as well as the automatic side doors. Honda's are so reliable and the milage is usually pretty good. They are also highly rated with Consumer Reports as one of the vehicles listed on the "reliable used cars" list that they put out every year.

 

[tchrchgo]

first off, having a minivan has not stopped my two boys from nonstop fighting and arguing in the car.

you might want to look into nonminivans that have larger seating capacity. for example, the chrysler pacifica also seats 7, but has the slim feature and gas mileage of a car, a friend of mine has it and is very happy with it.

 

[mjkacmom]

If I had a choice I would go for a used Honda Odyssey. I had one a while ago and almost cried when circumstances made it that I needed to sell it. I love the fact that you can move the middle row to be apart or together, as well as the automatic side doors. Honda's are so reliable and the milage is usually pretty good. They are also highly rated with Consumer Reports as one of the vehicles listed on the "reliable used cars" list that they put out every year.

I've had an Odyssey for 5 years, and my mom just traded in her Camry for a used one, and she's LOVING it, and regrets it took her this long to get a minivan (my parents live in town, and both drive minivans). Dd's friend's mom, traded in her Jeep for a SUV that fits 7, because of carpooling - he's an only child! With kids, cars aren't as practical.

 

[punkin]

I have a 2000 Mazda MPV with 130K miles on it. Other than regular maintenance, I have had some issues with the catalytic converter and O2 censors (this was all one problem), which cost me a little under $3K to fix. Other than that , it is in great shape.

DH just made me buy a new minivan because he is afraid to use our old one for long trips (like to WDW), but I am keeping my old one because it is a good reliable car and DD is almost 16 (God help me) and will probably go for her permit in July.

 

[fatewineroses]

Yep. I have one child, but lots of times she likes to cart her friends along. Not to mention the 75 lb dog we have.

 

[jesszac610]

I have a 2004 Mazda MPV and could not be happier with it! I love it! Great on gas, snow, fits 7 windows roll down in the back, and rides pretty good. It is a mini-mini van, smaller than the Dogde, and Honda's but we just make sure the smallest kids go way in the back.

 

[TweetyB]

We just traded our 2003 MPV for a CX-9.

Our MPV was great. We really never had any problems with it. We had the dual sliding doors which was nice when my daughter was a baby.

We decided on a crossover this time and love the cx-9. Very roomy and rides nice.

 

[nannerbadnanner]

If you only have two children, check out the Mazda5. It's a micro-minivan that seats six and has great gas milegae. It is smaller than a regular minivan, but is definitely roomy enough for 4. We just bought a used '07 for 14K.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I am on my third Sienna (1999, 2004 and 2008). I have loved them all! I can't help with your other choices since we are a Toyota family (once I got DH to come over from the Acura "dark side" ). You really can't go wrong with a Sienna. My kids do still fight some, but I can move one of them to the back row if I really need to (haven't had to do that yet, though). I like the captain's chairs in the middle row and that we can carry 6 or 7 people when we need to (or the four of us and our lab).

I do have several friends who drive Odysseys, and they are all very happy (except the ones who don't have the power liftgate like I do ). All my Sienna friends are happy too!

 

[thomas998]

Mini-vans don't bring peace between siblings... if that's part of your reason.. just cross that reason off the list.

Honestly a minivan really only makes it easier when you have kids that you have to put in the child seat yourself... otherwise they do have some drawbacks. The biggest one is that they tend to have a very loose rear-end... this is especially noticable under heavy braking. In all my life I have never had a car try to swap ends when I had to punch hard on the brakes.. until I drove a minivan. If you live in a place that doesn't have much rain I wouldn't worry about it, but in the rain those things are wrecks waiting to happen.

 

[christa112]

Just get rid of your kids and buy a new sport car!!! LOL Kidding!!!

I have 3 kids and I have owned a minivan since 2004. My kids still fight, but I can seperate them now if they are driving me nuts and my 2 boys sit in the 3rd row, so I can't hear the fighting as much as if they were sitting directly behind me. LOL.

 

[mafibisha]

Okay, I might get flamed but please try to *Buy American*.

Our country is in big trouble. We have very few manufacturing jobs left, and the jobs that feed into the auto industry are also being cut.

We as Americans need to work together to support America!

And NO, neither I nor any of my immediate or extended family work in the auto industry.

But I just heard of yet another DISSER losing their job in an industry that is used by auto makers.

And yes I know many *parts* of many foreign cars are made in America. But the American based auto companies, where the profits are American, are in deep trouble.

Ok, off my soapbox now, LOL.

And an aside, the Town & Country is what we hope to get next. They're offering some great deals and I'm trying to talk DH into getting one now....!

 

[ELLE-TN]

2004 MPV owner here. Really like it. But would prefer a little red convertible.

 

[poohfriend]

I have an older quest and am very happy with it...drives just like my Altima did. We like Nissans.

That said, I only 15-18 mpg in the city. On the highway it does 22-23.

I have 3 kids and like to be able to bring a friend or two with us wherever we go...but I've been considering other options...including the mazda 5...just not sure DH (6 foot) would fit in it!

Like others have said, the minivan won't solve your kid issue. My 4 year old is constanly kicking the back of my seat UGHHH.

 

[krystalleigh1]

I have a 04 MPV and love it! It drives really nicely-not like other domestic mini vans where it feels like you're driving a bus. Plus I like how you can fold the back seat into the floor and push the middle seats together. And the windows in the middle section roll down too. The automatic sliding doors are not standard though-my van dosen't have them and I wish it did. We've had no problems with it and I'll probablly have it several more years.

The one thing I don't like about it-it dosen't have a good anchor system for car seats in the very last row. The second row seats do but not in the back. I have a home daycare and will need to transport to and from preschool in the fall so that's important to me-to have all the car seats latched and teathered down really well. I can still install them pretty tight but not as tight and secure as a latch system would do.

 

[Bren's Mom]

We have an '06 MPV and I've been very happy with it. Mostly for the same reasons the others have posted about them...great gas mileage, they're smaller than most minivans, roll down 2nd row windows, stowing 3rd row. We have a 13 and almost 3 year old. Mostly it's me and the 3yo in the car, and I keep the sliding passenger side captain's chair (2nd row) in the middle position. I have no problem reaching him from the side but he's further from any point of impact. And that leaves a nice carpeted space for changing diapers, although that's just about a thing of the past now! LOL When both kids are in the back I push the seats apart.

Consumer Reports gives the MPV great marks as a used car, '05 and '06 I think are the best years...they got better the longer it had been on the market.

And we loved the Mazda5 also, but got a better deal on the MPV we bought off the lot. The 5s were brand new so there weren't very good deals to be had but they were phasing out the MPVs and we saved a bundle.

 

[daisy1234]

Do you have Latch in the back of your 06???

 

[cukal6]

I bought my first minivan in September. WE went with the Kia Sedona. We drove every minivan out there and this was the one that was good for us. We took a notebook with us every time we drove a different van and made a list of all the pros and cons. That way we could look back and make an informed decision.

 

[Aliceacc]

We got a replacement minivan in November. I did LOTS of homework, and we decided on an '07 Kia Sedona.

I LOVE That car!!!! I love the roominess, the way it handles, the fact that there are a zillion cup holders, the fold flat rear seats (that mean extra storage room when they're upright, everything.

I checked ahead of time and was already happy with its safety and reliablity ratings (not so for the ones prior to '06, but great with the '06 and '07.)