Out of the blue my ILs have offered to help buy a van for us (the locks went out and that was the straw that broke my FIL's back as he is the one who fixes our cars). He wants us to find what we want with about 60,000 miles on it and a year 2000 or newer. I know he won't want to spend an arm an a leg so I have to keep that in mind. In our home safety comes *first*.
So what would you pick and why? Is there a van you wouldn't pick?
For safety ratings I am using http://www.iihs.org/

We have a Honday Odyssey and LOVE it!!! It's safe and it's a great vehicle. Ours is a 2003, but I've heard great things about them for a long time so I'm sure an older one would b e great too.

with 57000 miles on it for $4600 cash. It runs great and has not needed any expensive repairs. The rear seat folds down to be a bed and it's roomy so an adult can stand in the middle hallway as I call it unlike in a minivan. (Ours is a shorty.) It also has room to haul stuff and load groceries. It holds 7. It's a conversion van so it only get 16 mpg however. You may prefer the look of a minivan to a conversion van but you can't beat the price!

We bought this van when my fourth was 1 month old since we couldn't all fit in our 5 passenger wagon anymore!

Best wishes! Consumer Reports said the Honda Oddessey and the Toyota are the best minivans safety wise but they are also very expensive.

Honda or Toyota....

Those cars will run and run and run!!

Honda or Toyota, definitely.

Stay away from Fords. :rolleyes: Actually I think they are made better now. We joke that the Freestar was so named because their tagline should be, "Get a Freestar, and be FREE of all the problems of your Windstar."

We had a lot of issues with our 98 Windstar and we were one of the lucky ones. They are rated very poorly in Consumer Reports for reliability.

I'm really happy with our Sienna. It's 3 years old, has about 70,000 miles on it and runs perfectly. My IL's have a Honda and love it, but I like my toyota a little better;) .

I think they are both rated very highly for safety and longevity.

Kaight

Toyota will have (or may already) the first hybrid van!!! Won't help you though as it will be pricey I am sure!

I also vote for a Honda or Toyota!

Ty mamas!

We have a 2001 chrylser town and country. I :heart: it.

Not a day has gone by when I've gotten into it and wished we had a different car/van.

When this one poops out, I'd love to get a newer one.

Best of luck to you, mama.

I really like our Pontiac Montana. It's much better on gas than some of the other American-made minivans I've driven. I think it rates pretty well too. And alot cheaper than a toyota or honda.

kerri

We bought a 2000 Toyota for $11500 a year ago and sold it for $10500 last Nov.
It was a great van. We loved it and only sold it because we got the opportunity to get a car with no monthly payment.

I second or third the Toyota or Honda suggestion.

Hi

I have a Mazda MPV that we bought second hand. I don't know much about cars/vans but I love it.