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Are there wagons that will hold a 4' sheet of plywood or sheetrock (drywall)? One thing I love about minivans (most of them) is they are designed to they can hold a stack of plywood or sheetrock without damaging it. I thought most or all of the modern wagons are too narrow for that.
The rack on top is the solution to holding those types of things...
I had a minivan for years and it was incredibly practical. Just about every time I see a post here from someone asking about SUV's it's clear that they would be better off with a minivan. Better passenger and luggage capacity, most people don't need to go off road. In most cases it's an image thing to choose an SUV.
Still, unless you're doing a lot of transporting lumber, sheetrock, and other bulky items you probably don't need a minivan. You're interested in a practical vehicle that holds yourself and one or two people right now, maybe a car seat in a few years and another kid a few years after that. A Prius or other efficient sedan will do you fine for the next five years at least. Then, if your life goes the way you hope it does and you're married with a couple of kids maybe your next car should be a minivan.
How about snow? An AWD crossover will have a bit more ground clearance and, of course, AWD so it is better in the snow. Even a crossover can tow more than a minivan.
Maybe, a Honda Odyssey can tow 3,500 lbs. That't not too shabby and about the same as a Pilot (and more than a CRV).
If you do all these things a lot, a minivan is probably a good choice. But if you really only drive yourself and one or two friends, a smaller car would be a better choice. You can always buy a minivan later, when you need it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoodHombre
A minivan allows me to carry bikes, mattresses, small furnitures and up to 6 passengers.
For some reason, it's socially acceptable for a man to own a vehicle that carries roughly the same amount of stuff as a minivan but only when it isn't raining, gets worse mileage, has fewer seats, and costs more- the pickup truck.
A 30-something single guy driving a truck is a MAN, but a 30-something single guy driving a minivan is a "weirdo". These are the dumb rules we impose upon ourselves in this society.
If you get a van, get a Dodge / Chrysler. It has Stow n Go.
Then you can say you use it to haul your angle grinder, lumberjack axe, drill with 300 attachments, kegerator and other assorted manly possessions.
For some reason, it's socially acceptable for a man to own a vehicle that carries roughly the same amount of stuff as a minivan but only when it isn't raining, gets worse mileage, has fewer seats, and costs more- the pickup truck.
A 30-something single guy driving a truck is a MAN, but a 30-something single guy driving a minivan is a "weirdo". These are the dumb rules we impose upon ourselves in this society.
This is true... but it is because of what the vehicle is DESIGNED for, not who is driving it. A mini-van is designed for a larger family who needs space to haul their kids around. It wasn't designed for one person nor to haul plywood, lumber, etc... Yes it is used for that, but that wasn't the design intent. That was the purpose of a truck.
People can choose to drive whatever they want but there may be a stigma that comes with it. There is no vehicle out there that this doesn't apply to.
Rationally speaking... a person (gender is really irrelevant) who:
Needs room for 1-4 people, hauls materials, tows a trailer, goes off-road, etc... - buys a truck.
Needs room for 1-4 people, commutes to and from work, doesn't need cargo space... - buys a car.
Needs room for 3-6 people, commutes to and from work, doesn't need cargo space... - buys a small SUV.
Needs room for 4-7 people, needs a large amount of cargo space, commutes to and from work.. - buys a full size SUV.
Needs room for 4-7 people, commutes to and from work, needs some cargo space... - buys a minivan.
But again.... people can drive whatever they choose. I don't consider this dumb... but instead rational.
Your comments that attempt to downplay a truck are a tad comical though.
Cargo space isn't even comparable, so no point in going there.
They make bedcovers and toppers for trucks so rain isn't an issue. Worst case scenario, a truck can pull an enclosed trailer for more cargo room. A minivan will never be able to tow close to the weight of a rear wheel drive truck.
A minivan can seat what.... 7 people? My crew cab truck seats 6.
A 2016 GMC Sierra with the 5.3L V8 gets 19 mpg. A 2016 Grand Caravan gets 20, a 2016 Sienna gets 19, and a 2016 Odyssey gets 22. Not much of a difference.
And for costs.... a new Sierra 1500 crew cab MSRPs for around $40k. A new Odyssey MSRPs for $35k and the Sienna is about $32k. Not a huge difference in cost.
I'd suggest a 4-5 passenger cross over. Plenty of lugging space and room for friends without hauling around an extra 1000 pounds of vehicle.
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