ARG! its time for a minivan , any recommendations for used dodge chev ford or ??

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - ARG! its time for a minivan , any recommendations for used dodge chev ford or ??

Posted: 7/30/2005 11:33:50 PM EDT

ive been domesticated the last bit of cool has been reduced to a pea time for a minivan

im on a short budget and am looking at the under $3000

so ive been looking at some 95-97 dodge voyagers and grand voyagers

and 93-94 chev Lumina

and 96 windstar

do any of you guys own any of these and can tell me if they are good or pos vans

these are all in the 125000-150000 mile range so i want to know which is going to be the least
probmental and have the longest lasting life or if anyone has any other recommendating

Posted: 7/30/2005 11:35:03 PM EDT

[#1]

Mini-van?

Get this.

Posted: 7/30/2005 11:37:48 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Mini-van?

Get this.
www.niceride.info/images/chevy_baja.jpg

I'd rather drive a soccor mom van than a suburban with a yo'd up liftkit and monster truck tires.

I drive a 95 aerostar. 175k miles and no mechanical problems to date. Except for the sliding door is messed up and won't open anymore...

Posted: 7/30/2005 11:37:59 PM EDT

[#3]

Chrysler is gonna be your best bet in that price range

Posted: 7/30/2005 11:39:39 PM EDT

[#4]

time to turn in your man card, pal......

get an SUV, unless you NEED to seat 7.....

Posted: 7/31/2005 12:01:46 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
time to turn in your man card, pal......

get an SUV, unless you NEED to seat 7.....

Hey wait . i wont be the one driving this thing , Its for the wife and kids , i'll still be driving the 4x4 pick up truck

wife baby sets my nephews so i need the the extra set of seats

Posted: 7/31/2005 12:31:20 AM EDT

[#6]

Chevy Astro or GMC Safari. They run forever. A buddy of mine has taken three of them to over 300k each and he neglected and abused them. You can get them used, cheap and in great shape. They are the only "mini van" built on a truck frame and have the most interior space in the the mini van class. They come in either rear wheel drive or all wheel drive.

Posted: 7/31/2005 12:40:03 AM EDT

[#7]

This might help

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=371785

Posted: 7/31/2005 1:01:09 AM EDT

[#8]

Chrysler vans have been notorious for transmission failures. Bill, forget the minivan....they're gay at best. Dont do it, hell anything but a minivan. You really can find a vehicle to fit your needs and still not buy a damned minivan. I'd sooner vote democrap than drive a minivan. .....well not really....

You know she's gonna make you drive it.

Posted: 7/31/2005 1:03:24 AM EDT

[#9]

Dont buy any blue late model Chrysler minivans. I crushed one just recently with my Avalanche.

Posted: 7/31/2005 1:08:09 AM EDT

[#10]

My 93 plain jane Caravan with 3.3L V6 and 3 speed auto has over 180K and the only problem I have "recently" encountered is rust. Not too bad for a Minnesota vehicle.

Posted: 7/31/2005 3:53:22 AM EDT

[#11]

93 Voyager with 175K on it, never had a problem.

Posted: 7/31/2005 9:19:17 PM EDT

[#12]

I've got a 3.3L 1997 Grand Caravan. Trans's go at 120k or so, and the 3.3L motor in particular can't be rebuilt. Something about the main bearings being pressed into the block as one piece and no way to get them out.

It's been a great van apart from the trans. Now I have a rebuilt trans that will outlast the rest of the van..

Posted: 7/31/2005 9:19:57 PM EDT

[#13]

BTW: Minivans aren't teh Ghey when your other vehicle does 106mph in first gear.

Posted: 8/1/2005 4:58:14 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Chrysler vans have been notorious for transmission failures. Bill, forget the minivan....they're gay at best. Dont do it, hell anything but a minivan. You really can find a vehicle to fit your needs and still not buy a damned minivan. I'd sooner vote democrap than drive a minivan. .....well not really....

You know she's gonna make you drive it.

I agree 100%. Due to my job, my company vehicle for the past 5 years has been a mini-van pos. I hate them! However, you almost can't beat them for practicality. From the ones we have had, this is how they faired. The Montana is a sh*t shaker, just not put together well. The Villager is just plain garbage. The one I was driving toasted a trans in 70k, and was due for another at 140k when the motor would hardly move it forward anymore. Caravans "had" trans problems. I think after '02ish those went to they wayside. We now have all Caravans and they run strong, are well built, and have only minor bs problems. Goodluck. Oh and by the way, I had to just recently buy a Ram so I didn't have to hide my head behind the B pillar any more.

Rob

Posted: 8/1/2005 5:06:53 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Hey wait . i wont be the one driving this thing , Its for the wife and kids

yeah right...........I bet that's what every other guy who is driving one also said, that has his wife in the passanger seat, with his balls in her purse, telling him where to turn.

Posted: 8/1/2005 8:23:18 PM EDT

[#16]

A lot of the latter Chrysler tranny failures are due to the wrong transmission fluid being put into them.
This is documented, shops and owners figured fluid is fluid and poured Dextron or Mercon into their trannys when it is specified that ATF+3 or +4 must be used.
They have been several TSB released from Chrysler addressing this problem so if you bring your Chrysler in for a fluid change and the shop says fluid is fluid go somewhere else.

Posted: 8/1/2005 8:44:16 PM EDT

[#17]

I have a Windstar as a company vehicle, and have put 70 k on it since Labor day last year. Other than oil and rotating tires, zero maintenence. Solid vehicle. HOWEVER the SEAT is trash. My advice is go sit in a bunch of them and let your lower back tell you which one to buy...

Posted: 8/2/2005 12:46:47 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
ive been domesticated the last bit of cool has been reduced to a pea time for a minivan

im on a short budget and am looking at the under $3000

so ive been looking at some 95-97 dodge voyagers and grand voyagers

and 93-94 chev Lumina

and 96 windstar

do any of you guys own any of these and can tell me if they are good or pos vans

these are all in the 125000-150000 mile range so i want to know which is going to be the least
probmental and have the longest lasting life or if anyone has any other recommendating

Ford-hell no. Windstars are problematic.

Chrysler-forget it. As mentioned, trannies and engines blow.

Lumina-not much known about it.

Astro's are probably your safest possible bet. My mom had an '88, made it until 122K before my dad managed to throw a rod through the block. Good van though, and the models in your year range might still be good.

Posted: 8/2/2005 2:54:00 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:

Hey wait . i wont be the one driving this thing , Its for the wife and kids

yeah right...........I bet that's what every other guy who is driving one also said, that has his wife in the passanger seat, with his balls in her purse, telling him where to turn.

Thats harsh dude. really i'll be in back behind the tinted windows. notice how most have tinted
windows well thats why. She dont like the way i drive so i dont think i'll have to drive it. but then
again i dont like the way she drives. i just take a sleeping pill and hope i wake up.

Posted: 8/3/2005 3:56:42 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:

Hey wait . i wont be the one driving this thing , Its for the wife and kids

yeah right...........I bet that's what every other guy who is driving one also said, that has his wife in the passanger seat, with his balls in her purse, telling him where to turn.

Thats harsh dude. really i'll be in back behind the tinted windows. notice how most have tinted
windows well thats why. She dont like the way i drive so i dont think i'll have to drive it. but then
again i dont like the way she drives. i just take a sleeping pill and hope i wake up.

I'm was joshing you.......

you might consider looking at SUVs also......some probably will give you better gas milage then a minivan, and come with 7 people seating. for the price you will shell out for a mini-van, you maybe want to look as those.

Posted: 8/3/2005 4:14:22 PM EDT

[#21]

Parents had a 93 lumina APV.

The good:
managed several family vacations, packed FULL (to the point where you could not see out the back window, and either my sister or I had to climb over a pile of stuff occupying the center seat's position to get out)

The bad:
wiper motor was prone to going out
bigassed-curved windshield is annoying, and very prone to chipping (just because its farking HUGE)
underpowered -- up-hill onramps were difficult for it
transmission had some issues

Thats all I can think of at the moment

Posted: 8/3/2005 5:40:00 PM EDT

[#22]

All I have to say is turbo minivan

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - ARG! its time for a minivan , any recommendations for used dodge chev ford or ??

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