My tyres are on - I trollied up seymour today - no probs

Great stuff If I may be as bold to mini hijack your thread to ask for advice

I have had call over the last couple of days to request help from a friend to move some stuff (no i'm not leaving hubby while he's away!). Said friend has a minivan which the rear seats are taken out of (she doesn't need them but does need the space for her job).

This vehicle was awesome (for its "I can fit pretty much anything in the back of here and its easy to get to with the sliding doors and rear hatch thingy")

So much as it pains me to say - I am really leaning toward getting an AWD minivan (obviously it will need to be black with tinted rear windows and some killer alloys so I don't look too much like a soccer mom) due to the fact that it can carry sooo much stuff with the seats out / people with em in.

(I'm getting old! ) But do all minivans have the sliding side doors, was looking at a 2007 Chrysler Pacifica just now and it looks as though that just has four normal opening doors - I want the sliders???? Plus the pacifica is a minivan without looking like a minivan if you follow.

Any suggestions must be under $15k

I had a GMC Safari van back in the UK, it had been lowered and was a Starcraft conversion van, so had a fold down (into a bed) seat at the back and captains chairs too. It was a really cool van, I loved it to pieces, I relented into selling it when I was told 'You can have a Spitfire, if we sell it!'

Don't know anything about doors and stuff though - sorry.

I think the only AWD "proper" minivan currently being produced is the Toyota Sienna.

Having said that, I think there are older AWD versions of the Dodge Caravan and there's also those older GMC Safaris and Chevy Astro vans (that look like the mystery machine from scooby doo).


Ooo - here you go: http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ232944581

The Chrysler Pacifica would more rightly be called a crossover. It does not have sliding doors. I have had Chrysler mini-vans for some years now because of my disability and, despite all disparaging remarks about them I have always found them to be very good. For $15k you should look for a 4/5 year old Dodge Caravan with Stow and Go seats. All the rear seats fold into the floor so no need to remove seats. With seats folded the van will hold a 8'x4' sheet of drywall.

You should be able to do a good bit better than that. I bought a 9-month old ex-rental Grand Caravan SE (with the Stow & Go seats) with 30k kms on it and that was only $17k. 3 years later it's given us no problems whatsoever - a really dependable, great value workhorse.

Shame VW shelved this.

VW Microbus

I saw one of these the other day - I wanted one - OH said no

http://www.subarusambar.co.uk/

When I needed a new ride 1 1/2 years ago I went shopping with a tape measure because I needed room for a 6'6" fishing rod holdall and the little 1/4 ton trucks w/toppers were too short so I wound up getting a minivan. 2000 Ford Windstar - not AWD but that's all right. I don't do any stunt driving and still manage to get down to the river with it. The dual sliding doors are great! I took the seats out the day after purchase and left them out. It holds all my gear and overall I'd say it's the best ride I've ever had for dependability, comfort, and utility. I bought it last May for $2000 at 317k and now it has 365 :-). 3.8l v6 goes Winnipeg - Vanvouver return for under $500! If I smashed it up I think I'd buy another one . When I was young I had an Austin Gipsy 4WD and drove it through swamps, gravel pits, up and down hills, through snow drifts, etc, and I believe 4WD is a waste of money for most people. Unless you live in the bush with poor access roads or go ice fishing and have to push a foot and a half of snow your SUV is just for show and status. A 5 year old Windstar with 130k or so should be around $5 - 6,000 and if they're maintained even minimally can run another 5-10 years. And besides, some of those soccer moms are hot!

Husbands can be real spoil sports can't they?

I know - ppffffft

Right...that's you two off my Chrissy list.

mmm yes the dual sliding doors is a must.

We do live in the boonies off a gravel road but as long as I get a 6" lift 18" rims and some 35's on her she'll be good (just kidding)

I don't think my hubby wants me to get a minivan (other rig wives drive big deisel SUV's ) so I told him other husbands of British ladies drove Aston Martins and were millionaires so whats your point???????

(I'm going to take PiffPoff with me when I look for a car - she knows what shes talking about lol!!!!!)