[UncleWede]

We used to have one, but thankfully the wife went for the E90. Nowadays when we need to haul a bunch of people and/or need space, I borrow my dad's Church-bus (Ford Econoline 150 with bench seat) I was able to haul 1/3 of baseball team and most of everyone's gear to games before the school season started and they were allowed on the school bus.

[Chihuahua]

Minivans are no problem where I am. Full-size trucks are a completely different story. Saw a great bumper sticker on a car the other day. It read:

"Nice truck!!! Sorry about the small penis "

sooooo fitting for this area.

[bbbbmw]

No one sets out to buy a minivan. You get to the dealer, kids in tow, and they all gravitate to the minivan. It's fun for them - and that counts a lot. Road trips are hell in a wagon/sedan/coupe (there's no difference in a wagon vs. a sedan these days folks...), but they are epic in a minivan. Conversion vans would be better, but almost impossible to drive on a daily basis. There's a season of life to drive a minivan - enjoy the ride.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by bbbbmw

No one sets out to buy a minivan. You get to the dealer, kids in tow, and they all gravitate to the minivan. It's fun for them - and that counts a lot. Road trips are hell in a wagon/sedan/coupe (there's no difference in a wagon vs. a sedan these days folks...), but they are epic in a minivan. Conversion vans would be better, but almost impossible to drive on a daily basis. There's a season of life to drive a minivan - enjoy the ride.

Leave the hubby with the kids is the best solution to these ever.

Seriously though, I drove dodge something awful for a month here, and that made me think that maybe women are not awful drivers, maybe we just rotate too much to these, and leave the fun to the men. There is no way not to be an annoyance in the highway while driving something so unstable as the one we had.

Now, if I ever get my car here, I will never drive that Audi of ours again. I'm so done with cars that try to turn me into the 48 year old man Litos pictures me as.

[Litos]

Originally Posted by bbbbmw

No one sets out to buy a minivan. You get to the dealer, kids in tow, and they all gravitate to the minivan.

I doubt for any second of any day that my kids would influence me buying a mini van....

[upstatedoc]

hater's gonna hate.

The other day we were out of town travelling in the Odyssey, I had the cruise set at 80, 2 kids were watching one show while the third was watching something else, wife was asleep in the pass side, I was listening to music in the front all while getting 27 MPG.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

hater's gonna hate.

The other day we were out of town travelling in the Odyssey, I had the cruise set at 80, 2 kids were watching one show while the third was watching something else, wife was asleep in the pass side, I was listening to music in the front all while getting 27 MPG.

But can it crush cars?

@Lups I picture you as the comic book guy in the Simpson's so Litos may not be alone in that thought pattern.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by Bobble

But can it crush cars?

@Lups I picture you as the comic book guy in the Simpson's so Litos may not be alone in that thought pattern.

Hahahaa, Cheers, I have had a shitty morning, this made me laugh!

Yeah, that's so right, I don't even get photos for passports since I can just snap a pic of that dude for the purpose.

When I come down to the orange state, I'll request for your company for coffee just so that you will know how right you were.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by Bobble

But can it crush cars?

[scalbert]

You all should be thankful for minivans with sliding doors. Otherwise, you might have more door dings from neighboring cars with swing open doors. The minivans help save door dings from kids, and parents, who do not pay attention.

In all honesty, I did not want one but love it now and would not hesitate to purchase another until my kids are driving.

I don't drive it every day but it works at the intended purpose. Yes, I would prefer a wagon. But the extra room and sliding doors are a plus to us and everyone else

In regards to an SUV, they cannot hold a candle to a minivan unless you go off road. The lower CG makes handling and loading much better.

A Honda Odyssey Touring may not handle as well as many BMW's but is not too far off a base non-sport 3-series. Turn-in is slower and with the typical FWD understwer, but it is predictable and controllable. Sill better than a Camry sedan.

All with typical historical Honda simplicity and reliability.

Taking six kids, two adults, three canopy tents and coolers to a track meet in the morning. Very few vehicles could manage that and return the mileage and stability. Yes, a minivan handles better than an SUV.

[Litos]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

hater's gonna hate.

The other day we were out of town travelling in the Odyssey, I had the cruise set at 80, 2 kids were watching one show while the third was watching something else, wife was asleep in the pass side, I was listening to music in the front all while getting 27 MPG.

here's the only other "non-car" we've had for long trips....

had an 11" TV in the back with wireless headphones....

even though it wasn't a fast car, I still fully retained my man card....

[dtwyim]

Originally Posted by Litos

Minivans are for people who are non-car-enthusiasts.

nothing wrong with them, but they are for normal practical people.....

I respectfully disagree. Different vehicles for different purposes


http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...8&postcount=15

[Litos]

Originally Posted by dtwyim

I respectfully disagree. Different vehicles for different purposes


http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...8&postcount=15

gross......

[chillbil79]

I'd rock these vans

[dmath]

Car enthusiasts buy minivans. They may not like it but they do it. Don't be too quick to say that you'll never do something. We had an Odyssey for 6 years. We didn't enjoy it but it earned its keep many times over. We were both glad when we replaced it with a Passat wagon. Very good car and great value. Then we moved overseas for a few years and when we got back, no more Passat wagon in the US. It's a shame.

Somehow, Europeans manage to survive largely without minivans. SUVs are popular (though not like here) but minivans are rare. It's amazing how much stuff you can pack into an A3 when you really need to. But I don't know how you travel with 3 kids in something small.

I'm glad that we'll never own ANOTHER minivan.

[Litos]

Originally Posted by dmath

We had an Odyssey for 6 years. We didn't enjoy it

and this is why I will never drive or own one....

eff driving something you don't like - even if it IS functional...

[pkimM3r]

wife and i have a no minivan agreement. mid to big size suv. i try to convince her on an estate car like an e63 amg but she cnt stand wagons.

[NEFARIOUS]

Personally, if I ever have kids, I'd get a crossover. It's got the MPG and certain characteristics (e.g. ease of loading/unloading passengers) of a van, but still not too far off from an SUV to hang with that crowd and still have my man card at least partially retained, although I'd almost prefer a Range Rover (minus the reliability headaches)... I've driven vans plenty of times, from a smallish MPV, Odyssey, Previa and almost every generation of Siennas all the way up to a Ford E-150 work van, so I'm not some outsider looking in... But either way: Not for me, pal.

[31 Hz]

I've owned four minivans, they were the DD vehicle of choice for me for many years. They served band hauling duty like no other vehicle could; they pulled trailers, swallowed plywood, pampered their occupants, got good gas mileage and sold for not much less than they were bought for. The 4th is one I bought for my wife, the only vehicle I've ever bought new: 2011 Odyssey Touring.

My DD is an LX470 and my weekend driver is a 335i, or one of a bunch of motorcycles. But. If I had to cover maximum interstate ground in a minimal amount of time, I'd pick the Odyssey. It drives way better than the LX and is more comfortable than the 335, is dead reliable, invisible to LEOs, and is unlikely to be targeted for road rage. It's easy and low-key, just how I like to travel.

But then again, I couldn't care less about what people might think of how I look behind the wheel -- although, it is a shame that so many in this thread are So Very Preoccupied with how other people might think about how they look. (Clue: if you ever use the phrase "man card" then you are part of that club.)

Carry on.