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That explains it. The Uplander isn't a real minivan in m my opinion. It is not the same as a Grand Caravan, a Sienna, or an Odyssey. I think of that vehicle more as an attempt to cross a minivan with a CUV. They sucked. We rented one once, during a trip, and it was obvious it was nothing like our minivan. That said, I understand your preference for the big SUV.
Of all the minivans on the market at the time, the Uplander was definitely the worst one. We had ours around the same time GM had to be bailed out by the government and if the Uplander was a reflection of the quality of their work across their entire line it was easy to see why they needed help keeping afloat.
As I acknowledged elsewhere in this thread, I recognize it's a bit unfair to judge all minivans by the Uplander. I don't think we'd have ever fully embraced a Sienna or Odyssey (anything made by Dodge/Chrysler in any class of vehicle is a no-go for me and never even in consideration) but we wouldn't have hated either of those the way we did the Uplander. The funny thing is, my wife's mom and stepdad got it for us because they thought we'd need a bigger vehicle for our "growing family." They didn't ask us if we thought we needed a vehicle, what our preferences* were, etc they just went out and got this thing for us. We didn't ask for it or want a new car, but it would have been bad form to turn our nose up at it. So we gave it our best shot. The design and functionality was awful. There were also reliability problems, chiefly the sliding doors just opened themselves randomly. Sometimes while the car was moving! That happened once and a day later that car was GONE! I wasn't going to wait for it to put my kids at risk before pulling the trigger on moving it.
Now when we did trade it in, we didn't really consider another minivan. I did notice the top of the line Siennas were just as expensive as the top of the line 4Runners which is what I was hoping my wife would accept. She had her sights set on the Sequoia despite it being a good bit more. After seeing how well it drove and how much space it had (significantly more in the middle row than a Tahoe and infinitely superior 3rd row seating/storage space) it was an easy decision. Seven years later I don't regret it and never once did I miss that awful minivan.
*I feel like someone who is going out and buying a vehicle for someone else isn't really obligated to consider preferences. However if I were doing this I'd want at least an idea of what the person's preferences were because I'd not want to spend all that money buying them something they didn't like.
I'm a middle age guy who lives alone. I'm moving from a large city with good public transportation to a small city in the middle of nowhere. The fun part of driving is just not there anymore for my age. If I had the option, I would rather let someone else do the driving, or just utilize the public transportation.
Since practicality is the only consideration I have. Is minivan the best type of vehicle for me? I have zero need for off road, a SUV just doesn't make sense. A minivan allows me to carry bikes, mattresses, small furnitures and up to 6 passengers. I had owned Accord, Mazda 3 and Saturn L200 in the past. There's nothing wrong with sedans, but I'm thinking of getting married and raising kids within two years, which justifies the purchase of a minivan. However, it could be a little bit too extravagant since I won't have kids in the first year or even two. But I'll need a vehicle anyway.
Any thought?
Also, I'm primarily interested in Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey.
Thanks
Yes! They're the most practical. When I needed a vehicle to haul stuff, whether plants for the garden, furniture for the house, art and artists for cultural programs I was involved in, I got a minivan. What a great invention! So practical! And much more roomy and comfortable than an SUV. Better gas mileage in many cases, too.
Not going to read 11 pages worth, but just to share my experience. I had a Mercury Villager that I absolutely loved. We got it b/c we had 2 large dogs & each needed their own bench seat. That minivan had so many configuration options & was so comfortable & ez to adjust the seats to allow for hauling virtually anything. It was also super comfortable to drive. The only downside I found (besides how embarrassing it is to drive a minivan when you don't have kids) was that the engine was just not powerful enough. It was fine on the flat roads of MN, but I had to get rid of it when we moved to CO & I had hills to contend with.
So then I got a Tahoe. Should have been much better, right? Still comfortable to drive & the engine is a dream BUT despite being so much larger, I can hardly haul anything & even the space for grocery bags, etc is VERY limited. More importantly, maneuvering the seats & getting in/out of the 2nd & 3rd row are really, really a PITA. The 2nd doors for row 2 do not open wide enough (they can't swing far out enough) to allow you to even haul stuff that is wide & would fit, b/c you can't get it in. There's no ez way to remove a bench, though you can flip the benches, it's not ez & there's no way to push the seats very fwd, so that you can use flat space in the back. My minivan did all of that with virtually no effort at all. It was SUPER versatile! Sold it to a family that wanted something for the kid to use for band practice to haul instruments. For me, the large SUV, while handling beautifully & with a nice, powerful engine, are really for hauling people, not stuff.
If I can get over the uncool factor, I may get a minivan again for the next vehicle. I just miss all the versatility & the myriad of configurations.
ETA: FWIW, I hated my test drive of the Odyssey. The seat hit the back of my legs in a really weird spot & kept compressing a nerve in the back of my legs, that would make my legs go numb. It was super uncomfortable for me & very weird, as I test drove 14 vehicles & it's the only one that did that.
The mini-van is the most versatile, well designed multi purpose vehicle for most drivers of any age, period.
^^^This. Agreed.
One thing I've learned by reading these forums is that a lot of people seem to be concerned about what other people think about them based on which car they drive.
That's crazy. Who cares? Drive whatever suits you.
If I had to pick one vehicle it would be a mini-van. I'd select which ever one had the most comfortable driver's seat. I really don't care what other people think.
One thing I've learned by reading these forums is that a lot of people seem to be concerned about what other people think about them based on which car they drive.
That's crazy. Who cares? Drive whatever suits you.
I drive what I like and what makes me happy. Rolling wombs (minivans) aren't it.
But I also don't go out in public or to work dressing like a slob. Do you? Why or why not?
I also dress well. But what does that have to do with anything?
Simple: You don't dress like a slob because of appearances. You don't want to be perceived as a slob or homeless person. So you care what other people think when you go out, otherwise you could dress in ratty sweats, as it's practical and comfortable. Cars are no different. And insulting others that don't want a stigma attached to them for what they drive is hypocritical on your part.
Oh, and for me, the most practical vehicle has to carry people and stuff AND be able to tow at least 7500 lbs, preferably more, and go in all weather conditions.
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