VW shuttle bus driver today on the Routan (the shuttle vehicle), "it's ok, it's still going at nearly 50,000k, but everyone complains about the lack of headroom and to fit anything you have to take the seats out. Better get the Chrysler, it's cheaper, same engine and transmission and it has Stow and Go"

The thing with the Caravan (and dodge/ chryslers in general) is that some are good and reliable, some are awful. You pays your money and takes your chances. You also have to consider that any vehicle you hire is unlikely to be more than 6 months old. Owning one as it ages is going to be a different experience.

If hell freezes over and I end up needing the space, then Honda and Toyota will be top of the van shopping list, the reputations are not entirely created by marketing people, and neither is that of the Dodges. If AWD or 4x4 was a must have, then that leaves only the Sienna.

Hi

We had a Dodge Journey when we first came over in November last year. I had insisted we didn't get another full size seven seater as I was so fed up with always having one, (we have four kids).

For us it really didn't work. The car is basically nice but wasn't a great drive and was much too small for us. We had the issues with moving seats back and forth and when the rear row of seats were down the boot was tiny and no use at all. We also found that with all the rear seats down the space was pretty small for moving items of furniture bought from shops.

We sold it after four months and bought a Honda Odyssey which I love!! We lost $10k on it which was a bind but I was glad to get shot of it.

I think maybe that if we'd had a maximum of two kids and had not wanted to be transporting bits of furniture around it could have been an ok car to keep but for our family it was totally impractical.

What do you need the 7 seats for? If its for daily use then a van would be best, if its for very occasional trips then maybe an SUV would be fine, but 'not too big' and 7 seats doesn't always tally or fit your price tag. If its to just fit the inlaws in when they visit- then its much cheaper to get the car you want and then hire a car for when they are here.

We have a mazda 5 (six seats, fab car) and a mistibushi outlander (with the 2 occasional seats fitted). Love both.

I hired a Journey and I could not get it off the drive, they are less than useless without decent winter tires. IMHO

I think that there is some good points here and have decided that we will hire a mini van if and when required for visitors.

I favour a Subaru Outback now - - looks a real nice car (comments ?)

I will also price up a Honda CRV but I think that the price with the remote start and heater block will be far higher because it only seems to be on the higher spec models.

Lastly just to give a 3rd option is the Chevrolet Equinox. Looks pretty good and lots of options....but again remote start only on higher specs...or so it seems.

JET

I have owned 2 ford Edge's AWD (07 & 10 model) and I suspect my next suv will also be a Edge. VV Happy.

HH

Remote starts are not expensive to fit as an after market option, maybe a couple of hundred for a fairly decent one...

Save $5k and buy a Legacy Wagon instead. Basically the same vehicle with less "make up" and slightly better road dynamics due to thinner tires and lower ride. As Piff Poff says, like sat nav, a remote starter is a cheap aftermarket fit, $200 plus tax. Easier to install on an Automatic I think?

{edit} Looking at the website aparantly there are no new legacy wagons. When did that happen?!

I know it's verging on the "do I need a block heater" debate, but what's the point of a remote start? Other than unnecessarily pumping exhaust gases into the atmosphere for a few minutes to save the hassle of putting on a hat and gloves? Is this the same mentality that maintains it's sensible to sit for ten minutes in a line-up of idling vehicles for a drive-through window at Tim Hortons rather than to park up and go inside - or am I missing some vital nugget of automotive engineering genius?

I'm with you. However if you do feel the need to idle your car for 5 minutes to warm it up, then don't be bloody lazy and go outside to start it up in the first place. Or get a block heat.......oh no.

Means the heater will actually be blowing warm air on the windscreen when you get in on a cold winter day, without having to go out to start the car in person.

Electric seat warmers are all very well, and I suppose you could slum it and have a cold bum too, but until you can see where you are going, unless you are dbd then you arent going anywhere, you are just sitting in a cold car anyway.


But yes, its lazy, and while it warms up you could be clearing the snow off the car, or off the driveway, anyway. I had one on the old car, and I wont pretend it wasnt nice to start it up from my desk and get in it once it was nice and warm, act of environmental vandalism or not!

It's true that I drive for the first twenty minutes without being able to see very much at all. I find this a bother as well as being potentially dangerous but I don't see that a remote starter would make very much difference, unless it had a timer to start the car before I get out of bed. The 10 minutes from bed to driving isn't enough to warm the car significantly. Perhaps a remote starter wired to the coffee machine timer would be worth having.

Well, you did venture into getting snow tires, so maybe a block heater on a timer is next That would solve the problem, as long as you remembered to disconnect it before heading off...

Maybe a house near transit would be a better resolution.