What kind of mini van can you recommend

[DVC-Don]

We have bought 3 new minivans over the years.
First a 92 Dodge Caravan
then a 96 Ford Windstar
and last a 00 Ford Windstar.

No problems with any of them.

We have 2 neighbors who have 00 Honda Odyssey's and like them.

 

[LuvTigger]

BF's mom just bought a Toyota Sienna this year, based on her mechanic's recommendation. She loves it. Great ride. Toyota's are very reliable too.

She HAD a '94 Grand Caravan that she took excellent care of, and it died this year because of transmission problems. She poured lots of money into fixing it prior to this, and it didn't have a lot of miles on it. Mechanic told her to get a Toyota, so that's what she did.

I also have friends with Odyssey's and really like them. However, one complained about how the doors can be dangerous with children, and she thinks the ride in the Sienna is a bit smoother.

 

[nancyj_pa]

DS and family have had a Honda Odyssey for over a year. Never had a problem with it. Great resale value, dependability, nice ride, and safe for the family!!

 

[bobcat]

I have an Olds Shilloette and I love it! I drove everything out there and did a lot of research and this was the car for me.

Like others have said research and try out everything. I thought I wanted one thing until I actually started test driving vans and then I changed my mind.

 

[msdznyduck]

We had a '93 Dodge Caravan (new) and had it for 7 years and it smoked so badly the last 6 mos or so it was embarrassing. We were told it needed lots of $work$ in addition to the air conditioning going in the middle of the summer of 2000.
We bought a 2000 Nissan Quest, and we just love it....more comfortable, and it feels like better quality than the Caravan, which I always felt like we were riding in a box. Plus the Quest came with a VCR in between the front seats for the 2nd row riders, and it has come in handy on trips with the kids.
We looked around a lot, but dh also knew someone with an older Quest, and he didn't have any problems at all with it.

 

[clutter]

Another Odyssey lover here.

Two things I couldn't live without...

1) the rear seat that folds down into the floor

2) the way the middle row can slide into a bench. Didn't want captain's chairs, and all the "luxury" (power sliders) vans had them.

Otherwise I'd have bought a Sienna.

I had a '99, sold it for almost as much as I paid for it and upgraded to the '02 because the '99 had some first year quirks.

My co-worker has a '99 Plymouth Grand Voyager. It's blue book value was $5k LESS than I traded my odyssey in for, and it cost more up front. A LOT more. And it's been in the shop constantly. For everything.