We are considering getting a used minivan when we move to calgary in a couple of weeks.We have looked on Autotrader.ca and have narrowed it down to

1.Dodge Grand Caravan
2.Dodge Caravan
3.Ford Winstar

Any opinions?

Cheers

Hired a dodge grand caravan before lovely to drive, quite pokey for its size but plenty of room to move around in.

Steve

We`ve had both in the last year -

Grand Voyagers are a little underpowered (3.3L) and have less extras for the money, whether a late 90`s model or younger.

Ford Windstars are slightly wider (2/3") and up to 2004 a 3.8L engine.

Renamed Freestar in 2004 and given an old push-rod 4.2L engine, they are ideal if you want that feeling of riding along on a great lounge settee!
Also if you have 6/7 adults on board - you will still be first off the lights!!!

My advice is - go for one of the first 2004 Freestars - the third row fold right down into the floor (most minivans, including the older Windstar, third rows take two people to remove it out the back door!) best for when you want to carry a big load in the back.

Personally i go for the Grand caravan, drove one in Vancouver a couple of years ago couldn't fault it. The hire company told me i'd get a Chevy astro ( reminds me of scooby doo ) got there and it was a dodge, great fun.

Hi, we have a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport.....very roomy (for 4) but also did us well last year when we had rellies visiting and then there were 6 of us, not bad on gas consumption too. We've heard many a warning from friends and mechanics alike here to steer clear of the Windstars because they're well known for transmission failures (but there again, so were the earlier Dodge Caravans!!). I will probably receive a fair bit of flack from some Windstar lovers out there but i'm only going off what we were advised. We love our Dodge minivan, hope its good to us for years to come!!

Jaycee

I don't think you should get any stick just for liking your Dodge instead of the Ford. I've driven a few mini vans in the UK/Europe including the Ford Galaxy which is the closet thing to the Windstar in Europe. Yet for all it's gadges and power i still prefer the Dodge. It was good on fuel and had a fair turn of speed when needed

When we arrived in Canada, my hubby's first words were " Stay away from American cars, I don't want to try it, it is cr&p"

So we end up with a Toyota minivan, no problems yet

I read in the Globe and Mail auto section that a three year old GM, Ford and Chrysler were equivalent to an 8 year old Toyota and a 2 year old Volkswagon. We drive a Windstar,this is our second one, and I don't like it really. They are easy to find used as no one wants them. Get a Honda or Toyota.

To my very great shame and embarassment I am no longer driving a Ford but a Honda Element. The Ford had nearly 400hp and yet I find the cost of running the Honda to be gobsmacking, a tank of gas is $55 and we get about 200 miles from it. Windshields are about US$300 and last about three months before cracking. I hadn't had a Honda before, lots of Fords, a couple of Caravans and am rather at a loss to know why people like Hondas. I guess it's the interior, the rubber floor instead of carpet and the very many bins, pockets and cup holders are very nice but, still, for a lot less money one could buy a Ford and take the carpets out. And, with a Ford, passers by shout out "nice car buddy" rather than snickering.

I don't think that the Honda Element is directly comparable to the Ford Windstar. But people are so personally attached to their cars and car choices I will leave it there and not suggest that other Honda's and Honda minivans come with carpet just like the Windstar. I think my Windstar is just fine, but it is only just over four years old and practically worthless while if I had bought a Odessey, it would be worth so much more in the resale market.

Yep great for holding all the spare parts you need to carry.

Rich.

Honda Odysseys are the best minivan out there right now; I have one and I absolutely love it. You may pay more for it initially but as mentioned it'll hold its resale value and will be more reliable and not as prone to needing repair.

go and take a test drive in a honda oddesy or nissan quest or even the kia sedona .. better than all the american sh1t..
and more reliable .. but maybe you know that alraedy..
as for depreciation all you have to do is look in the buysell ot trader mags to see tha value of the impoted vans high..
why you ask

well they are simply better..

I suppose it depends how reliable you need. In the way of domestic vans and SUVS, over the past fifteen years or so I have had :

Caravan 4 years
Caravan 3 years
Villager 3 years
Villager 2 years
Explorer 4 years
Escape 3 years
Escape 2+ years

all of them for more than 50,000 miles. The Explorer and one Villager for more than 100,000 miles. The air conditioner in one Caravan has a problem with mould growth causing smells and the Villagers used a lot of brake pads. That's it for problems.

Over the same period I've had :

Vitara 3 years
Sidekick 5 years
Element 1 year

nothing went wrong with the Suzukis either (except minor trim falling off). The Element uses a lot of windshields, presumably because it's not very solid, but nothing major has gone wrong with that either.

All in all, reliablity is not a compelling argument for one brand of boring van like thing over another. Warranty and service intervals might be though. The Honda needs servicing every month which is a bother.

the villager is japnaese ..bulit in canada
it is a nisssa quest disguised as a mercury villager,, thats they were good..