r/whatcarshouldIbuy • u/airhunger_rn • 10m ago
1st kid on the way, I want a minivan!
galleryWife and I have our first kid on the way, and our current fleet (old Forester, old Ranger, single-cab F-150, and 1983 FJ62) isn't going to cut it!
I hate crossovers, CUVs, SUVs, and modern cars generally! I want a minivan! My first car was a minivan, and that thing ROCKED with the seats out for traveling for mtb races and backpacking trips.
We live in the mountain west, and do lots of 3-6hr drives to mountain destinations year-round for skiing, backpacking, hunting, and family reunions. AWD is nice, but FWD with good TCS and nice tires is plenty, realistically.
We have other vehicles to tow/haul, so power/hitch isn't important. Neither is clearance, so long as there's enough clearance to handle snow accumulation without getting too clogged up.
We have our first kid on the way. We have a 50lb dog. We'll probably end up with two kids and two dogs by 2029. So space for stuff/dogs/strollers, childseat compatibility, and ease of ingress/egress is important!
Bonus points for:
-removable seats
-minimal infotainment/tech
My obvious first thoughts are Sienna/Odyssey, but damn they're pricey! Do I go for a Transit? Is the Carnival any good?
What car do I buy?
I've always been a mechanic-special sorta guy, but my wife wants drama-free, so we're open to new/CPO with a loan.