Minivan or SUV? - which to buy?

DVFlyer wrote: Ok, I'm trying to decide whether to buy a minivan or SUV. I currently have an SUV and will be selling it/ trading it in for whatever I buy.

Can anyone who's had both give an opinion on plusses and minuses of either? I don't plan on doing an major offroading, so 4wd is not necessary. Gas mileage is fairly important. Most important is convenience for kids, etc.

Our children are very small (i.e. no sports etc yet) so it's really just for shuttling us around.

Also, if anyone has any experience with a certain brand, that would be helpful. I'm pretty much a Toyota, Honda, Nissan fan, but would consider others. As much as I like the Chrysler Town and Country's, 15mpg is just not going to cut it.

Thanks.

PS- Even though I'm a guy, I have no problems driving a minivan. My bachelor days are over.

coasterqueen replied: my dh and i are firm believers that minivans are much much safer. I also work for an insurance association and can tell you the studies/reports that come across my desk say minivans are safer for children. we'd love to have an suv but in the interest of safety for our children we chose not to get one. I also think m.v.'s are much easier to move around in than an suv. if i wasn't typing 1handed i'd give you more thoughts why i'd put my children in a mv instead of an suv.

gr33n3y3z replied: Get what you want

I would test drive them both
And see which is safest on the road crash tests.

We have a Chev. Tahoe and I like it alot

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I have a station wagon myself and love it! 4wd, but I live in Colorado. My sister has had all three types (SUV, MV, SW) and now loves her minivan probably the best. She says SUV's are difficult to get in and out of for kids. Hard to get the carseats in too. Also, some are more like trucks and "bonk" around...you have to test drive them and see which of them you don't feel the road that much. My sister and my parents both have the Honda Odyssey. My sis has the top of the line and my parents have the basic. Both have those cool automatic doors, plus doors on BOTH sides of the car, so it makes it easy for the kids to get in and out on their own. All the seats come out, so if you ever have to haul anything, there you go. My sis also has a DVD player in hers, but I think that's going a little far. Anyhow, good car hunting!

DVFlyer replied:

I can't afford a twin turbo Porsche Cayenne, so I have to get what I can afford and what is most practical v.s. what I want.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
The VW Tourag SUV looks similar to the Porsche SUV, or am I thinking the Jaguar SUV, get them all confused. VW is much cheaper...that's what I would get if I got an SUV.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I'm an SUV girl, myself. BUT I will tell you this (since DH is a GSM for a Ford dealership and drives home anything he wants) that the minivan is safer, more convenient and gets far better gas mileage than an SUV. It is THE car for families. I've even considered getting one for my next car, but haven't found one I LOOOOOOOOVE just yet. They really are great and I think you'd be extremely happy with it. The SUV is still a little tall to make it convenient for car seats, etc, but is better/easier than a car IMO.

With all that being said, I gave up my SUV (02 Mercury Mountaineer) and I'm driving his old car (2003 Buick Regal) so I can send Maddie to private school next year. We are still debating how long I'll be driving the car. I say a couple of years...he says til Christmas. True Car guy for ya! And, he can't stop talking about what car I'll drive next...it changes daily. I would love another Mountaineer.

Are you buying new or used? If you have questions on models or prices of used cars just let me know. I've got all kinds of books around here.

ETA: the Honda Odyssey will last forever! It is a great car!! I think if you are going to buy a car to last awhile then Honda or Toyota is definetly the way to go.

My2Beauties replied: I don't know never drove neither one, but I've heard that MV's are safer as far as crash tests but oh how I love the look of those gas guzzlers

To be honest I want my next car to be a mv, a girl here at work has one and she loooooves it! HTH!

gr33n3y3z replied:
Nice Car

You are right

Hey did you get your dog?

5littleladies replied: We have a mini-van and love it! I've heard that suv's are really gas guzzlers so we don't even consider them. I would love my next vehicle to be a Honda Oddysey but I hope they get stow and go seating by then cuz' I think that is too cool!

kit_kats_mom replied: We had a 1996 Nissan Quest. It has upwards of 200k miles and was still basically sound except for some oil leaks. We traded it in on a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. I really wanted the Toyota Sienna or Honda Odessey since they are the most highly rated by consumer reports and the insurance industry but alas, my pocketbook was not ready to pay what they want for them.

I liked the SUV's but their mileage is a bit worse than most minivans. I average 21-23 mpg in my van. SUV's are usually a bit more to maintain since their wheels are larger and the insurance is a bit more per month as well.

I LOVED the pontiac Vibe, a station wagon that gets some crazy good mileage but we are a tall family and we ended up choosing the height of the van over the vibe.

Boys r us replied: Well, I prefer SUV's to mini-vans just b/c I am not a minivan mom..lol..even though our trips are so much nicer when we take the mini van...other than long trips we NEVER drive it. I have a new VW passat that I love and fits the 4 of us fine and we also have a tahoe that rick drives most of the time...and given the choice, I'd drive the tahoe over the minivan anyday of the week..I think it's more of a pride thing though for me!! I am a car fanatic..so it kind of goes against the grains to give up a good looking car or suv for a big mommy wagon!

But...since you're asking and you're not opposed to either, go for the minivan! Especially since you're looking for the conveniences for kids! the new minivans are great, they have the middle seat in the back that slides up in between the two front seats..in order to care for the baby if needed. A lot of them have the DVD systems in them and the monitor up front which displays the view behind your car to be used when backing up..just over all..they have so many options for families! Many more than SUV's!
If you get one..go for the Sienna or Odyssey! I told Rick forever, the only mini van I would ever drive was an odyssey and he was like okay..don't freak when I buy you one!
Even still when we take the van somewhere, I refuse to drive it!

3xsthefun replied: We have a SUV ours is a older one it is a 96' Suzuki Sidekick. It is really easy on gas. I had a mini van before my sidekick and I did not like it to much. But it was easy on gas and got us around. I don't think I will ever have another MV. We are thinking of upgrading to the Suzuki XL7 in a couple of years. I drove my moms and really loved it. I think the Suzuki is just as good as any of the other SUV's out there and it is cheaper more practical.

I do like way some MV look, but I am just don't like them that much. I think you should test drive and see what you like the best.

CCTandME replied: I had a 4dr GMC Jimmy when my oldest was 8mo old. LOVED it!!!. got 20 mpg. It worked great for 2 kids, but not when the 3rd came along. Now I have a Suburban. Love it, but gas is killing me. I'm not much for MV's, but if I had to get one I would want the Honda or Toyota. Also, 4Runner is suppose to be the safest made SUV.

DVFlyer replied: You are correct, it's the VW that looks like the Porsche....... minus about 300 horsepower.

We will be buying new... unless a deal comes up on a one or two year old... but the plan is for a new one.

I love the stow and go of the Chryslers, but alas the mileage is the black mark.

I'm as much a car guy as the next guy/ woman and would love a sports car but am trying to be -ughhhh- practical. In fact, we were talking about that the other night. We have an SUV and a 4 door sedan right now. We really don't need all that "space". I'd love to get a MINI Cooper S. Very affordable, good mileage and I've recently gotten hooked by them.... rent Italian Job and you'll know why I'm hooked.

Michelle is sort of in Nichole's camp. She's not really a Minivan Mom, but she admitted to me the other night that it's really because she wouldn't want her man driving a minivan. She thinks there ok. She loves my SUV since it's so fast.

Thanks for all of the responses.

Oh and no, Lisa, we didn't get a dog...... yet. Still working out the details. In that thread when someone mentioned that Michelle would do most of the dog sitting, it got me to thinking. I don't want to make her life more complicated- yet I want a dog. Got some thinking to do.

DVFlyer replied: Forgot to add that we are planning on renting one for a couple of days or a week to see how it works for us.

Jamison'smama replied: Now, I never thought I would be a minivan mama however, I was driving an '02 Passport for 2 years and have traded it in for the '05 Odyssey. I LOVED the Pathfinder, loved the SUV feeling and look but when looking at safety reports --the Honda was the way to go. There is also nothing like walking toward the car with a baby in one hand in a toddler in the other and being able to open both door with the push of a button. It may be a little "momish" but really, it has been fun. The Honda has lots of fun options--a center lazy susan for stashing all kinds of stuff, the seats move everywhere, there is just tons of room and the safety ratings are outstanding!!

Good luck with your search.

b

paradisemommy replied: we just bought a 05 toyota highlander and i absolutely love it..it's a v4 but still has a lot of power and gas mileage isn't too awfully bad..according to the sticker, we are supposed to be getting about 22mpg..

i can't stand the minivan looks..sorry..just not a minivan mom (just yet)

Celestrina replied: Since you have more than one kid, I would recommend a mv. I have an suv, and it's perfect for us since we have only one kid.

uwishucudfly replied: The new Volvo SUV is really incredible. Very safe!

DVFlyer replied: I really like the Volvo, but it's a bit out of my price range.

jcc64 replied: Reluctant SUV owner here. We live on a VERY steep mountain in upstate NY- if I want to get to my house in the winter, 4WD is not optional. We have a Nissan Pathfinder- it's ok, but truth be told, I'm much happier when driving our Subaru Legacy. Subaru makes a GREAT car.
The dream car for us would be the Toyota Sienna- a minivan with 4WD- how perfect is that?! But not in the position to be shelling out upwards of $30K for a car right now.
If image is not a problem, I'd say the decision is a no-brainer. Personally, I think people whose self image is wrapped up in the kind of car they drive are silly. I mean, does anyone really think the midlife crisis guy in the red Corvette looks cool?!!! And when I see someone driving a Hummer, all I can think of is what Bill Maher recently said- a car like that is just overcompensation for a small penis.

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
So what if it is a female that wants one?

jcc64 replied:

Well, if she's married- maybe her husband has a small penis.
If she's not, maybe she wasn't in the popular group in jr high.

chloe&tysmommy replied: me and dh are going through this same problem right now. We have a dodge durango but we are trading it this year (too many miles) and it's a major gas guzzler

My dh said he hates minivans and I don't care for the looks of them either but I'm thinking about the kids and how nice it would be to have all that room and it's not so hard on gas. I love my durango but it's not big enough for all of us. I never thought I would be a minivan mom either

The only down side for us on a minivan is, dh told me he would never be seen driving it grrreattt

DansMom replied: We drive a Dodge Caravan Sport model (its body is shorter than the regular caravan and grand). It has been a good vehicle for us, for an affordable price. DH has to tote drumsets here and there, so we only have the middle seat installed. When the third seat is in, there's not a lot of legroom for the folks in that seat---could be because it's the sport model though. Like Jeanne, I'm a huge Subaru fan and when my '92 Mazda 626 dies I'm going for an Outback if I can afford it (probably used). The other problem with the Caravan, for me, is that I'm too small to drive it safely. I have to move the seat as far forward as it will go, and then wedge my knees under the steering wheel column, in order to get close enough to the pedals. I'm 5'1.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
The dog or the vehicle?

3_call_me_mama replied: Between DH and I, we have owend almost every type car imiganible. We currently have a 03 dodge grand caravan sport, it gets about 22mpg. Which i drive, and 2 subaru legacy outbacks. which dh uses for work adn if we can't get off of our horribly maintanined road. guess they get good gas mileage casue he travels about 80 miles or so a day for work. I love my mini van and wouldn't trade it excaopt for a newer one. that has the fold down seats adn etc. (all though ourd has all the bells and whistles that the 03 came with. AThe subaru fits both carseats easily, but the can be tricky to get tightened right. We had a gmc jimmy, which was nice but did not fit carseats well. And wasn't comfortable for adults in the back.

So I would get a mv, becasue you can fit more people, and is easier to get in and out of, unless you want a something more liek a stationwagon, then go for a subaru!

DVFlyer replied: Re: Renting a dog

Funny you should mention that. My uncle and also my best friend have dogs. They've both offered to loan them to me so I could see how it goes. My mind is made up about getting one (my one character flaw ), it's just the timing that's up in the air..... as in how do I time getting a dog into the house without Michelle seeing!

If my truck (4Runner) wasn't getting a little "long in the tooth", this wouldn't be an issue since it works "ok". But since we'll be getting something to replace it- and have kids now- a MV looks like the best choice.

Oh - Does anyone know if any of the other MV's have built in child seats like the T&C?

mom21kid2dogs replied:
My best friend from the second grade has one of these!

My other best friend from grade school and I spent about 25 minutes one day in her driveway trying to figure out what the heck kinda SUV it was

Celestrina replied:
How safe are they? Personally I would rather choose my own carseat(s) rather than letting the car company choose it for me.

gr33n3y3z replied:
Thats what we were looking into BUT they are very small for a family of 6 even with the 3rd row

stanleygirl replied: I love my Chevy Venture, perfect for our family of four. Great on gas and very comfortable.

Maddie&EthansMom replied:

JessC replied: I would definitly consider a SUV I personally dont like mini-vans, actually I hate them.

So therefore, if you had any bad weather (depending on where you live) you can always get yourself outta those situations with the 4WD
I would definitly say rent a SUV and MV. See which one you like best, and then go for it.

And eventually if you dont like which ever one you decided to buy, you can always get the other one by trading?!

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
Nope! How about penis envy? I'll settle for that!

DVFlyer replied: How did this go from MV to penis envy?

Guess the fact I don't have a problem driving a MV says something.

I don't know how the built in child seats are, but I'm with you for the most part. I'd rather pick my own out. I'd definitely do some research, etc. Seemed more of a convenience thing is all.

Driving an SUV currently, I know how it is to own one. The weather isn't a concern here in So Cal.... just the housing and gas prices . It's not like getting the kids and their stuff in and out is hard, it's just that I know how much easier it would be in a MV.

Although after talking with Michelle this morning, she mentioned a new 4 door sedan she likes. I can't see having a MV AND a 4 door sedan. I'll have to see if I can convince her into getting a toy car like a MINI Cooper either now or when we're ready to replace her car

Mylilprincesses replied: We've had pretty much every type of car imaginable too but yet never a minivan! Justin refuses to let me drive one just for the soccer mom connotation, which in my opinion, is a dumb way to choose a car but whatever. There are so many great minivan options right now, I'd snap one up in a heartbeat for the mileage in some of them alone (I'm driving a gas guzzling Escalade right now as my everyday car).

I personally prefer SUV's just cause its what I'm used to driving and they've worked out really perfectly for our needs but in terms of better gas mileage and convenience sake, minivan might be the way to go.

ions_momma replied: We have an SUV and I love it! I wouldnt drive a mini-van because I dont like them and I have alwyas preferred SUVs. I would say test drive them both though and see what you want!

stanleygirl replied: Don't flame me for this, but SUVS don't have the greatest gas mileage right?
I've read a lot about them banned bc of environmental concerns.
Are SUV not also really dangerous for anyone hit by one? I read that although passengers in SUVS are very safe, the SUV is so big, that the other vehicle involved in SUV accidents tends to be extremely damaged, making injuries very, very common.
Just thought these MAY be things that are considerations when buying a vehicle.

DVFlyer replied: You're right, when a small car hit by a larger vehicle (SUV, etc), the smaller vehicle and it's passengers tend to suffer more damage.

We went out to the Toyota dealership today and test drove a Sienna XLE. It was very nice. We'll probably go buy it tomorrow. Michelle was mostly against a MV until we saw this one. We looked at a standard model first which was very nice, but didn't "do it" for Michelle. Looked at a new 4Runner next and, since I have a 4 Runner, I just couldn't get excited about it.

When we looked at the XLE, Michelle's eyes really lit up. Once she saw all of the creature comforts of the MV, she was hooked. Things like built in window shades, deep well in the rear (which would house the rear seats when folded down), fold flat seats and of course, the 800 cup holders , power doors etc really sucked her in.

I'll be sure to post a pic of it if we get it. They have a $1000 cash back deal going on which makes it very appealing and a bit easier to move up to the XLE.

mom21kid2dogs replied: I've ridden in my friend's '04 Seinna many times~it's very, very nice. Extremely easy car seat installation, too! Great choice~enjoy!!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I am partial to those, too. She will really enjoy it!!

caligirl replied: SUV!!!!! bigger and more roomy

DVFlyer replied: SUV Bigger and more roomy? Ummm not when comparing my [old] SUV to the Sienna MV we just bought.

Maybe one of the larger SUV's like an Expedition or Excursion. Unfortunately, getting 10mpg and the fact they are much bigger than I want, we didn't consider them.

Drum rolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll.

We ended up getting a Toyota Sienna XLE Limited. It's very nice and has a few bells and whistles that make it cool (if a MV can be cool )

Thanks all for the advice. The Sienna has much more room than my 4Runner did and is rumored to have more room than the Sequoia which is the large SUV from Toyota.

The Sienna is definitely not small. It's quite a bit longer than my 4Runner which made parking in the garage an adventure since we weren't used to something that long. Time to move the "parking string".

DVFlyer replied: And here's a picture of our new kid-mobile.