I agree with you 100%. The van just makes it easier for sure. When we pack to the cottage or wherever for a few days we have tons of space left.
Mind you the first camping trip we literally filled the van to the brim.
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Mind you the first camping trip we literally filled the van to the brim.
Roof rack solves most of that and then some. I have one on the 9-3. With my set-up I can carry five bikes (including the trunk mount carrier) and five people plus all the gear.
agreed. even the wife and tons of other couples with kids that I know of would never get a minivan for the looks.
only reason we wouldn't is because I still haven't driven a minivan that I would enjoy to drive. some SUVs and trucks do give me fun through acceleration or handling.
For us it comes down to three things well over stigma.
Size, we live in the city and we really don't want some big for the sake of big vehicle that is just harder to park etc. I see it like housing, too many people think they need 4000 sq.ft.....
Fuel economy, 95% of the time (likely more) there is one person in the vehicle (commuting), why be always paying more for gas just so there is lots of room for the other 5% or less (and even then we do not need that space,)--this is a big yearly savings BTW.
Handling, people say they are great, I have driven many including the new ones, ironically named sports packages, etc., they ALL suck but are maybe better than some SUVs, But this all comes down to expectations of course, I am sure most get use to the handling and then think it is great....
Other consideration, beyond the three above, historically the domestic ones had terrible IIHS crash results. One of the worst was the older Montana, the testing comment was at 40 MPH there was little survivable space inside the vehicle! Don't want to haul kids in that! Results in higher insurance also! The Japanese ones did/do typically have good results though.
Then, yes stigma.....
Size, we live in the city and we really don't want some big for the sake of big vehicle that is just harder to park etc. I see it like housing, too many people think they need 4000 sq.ft.....
Fuel economy, 95% of the time (likely more) there is one person in the vehicle (commuting), why be always paying more for gas just so there is lots of room for the other 5% or less (and even then we do not need that space,)--this is a big yearly savings BTW.
Handling, people say they are great, I have driven many including the new ones, ironically named sports packages, etc., they ALL suck but are maybe better than some SUVs, But this all comes down to expectations of course, I am sure most get use to the handling and then think it is great....
Other consideration, beyond the three above, historically the domestic ones had terrible IIHS crash results. One of the worst was the older Montana, the testing comment was at 40 MPH there was little survivable space inside the vehicle! Don't want to haul kids in that! Results in higher insurance also! The Japanese ones did/do typically have good results though.
Then, yes stigma.....
If I can ever justify/afford it…I’m getting that BMW 330 wagon. Love those things.
There’s a stupid sexy blue one with a lowered suspension cruising around here. Gorgeous.
Sex on wheels right here..
Robbo
Well-known member
Whatever works for you that gets you out and enjoying the outdoors. That is what’s important. I see some great setups with cars/SUVs. People get pretty creative
.I like the utility of a minivan. I put a 10ft fishing kayak in my van along with all my gear. No lifting it onto a car-top rack…no strapping/unstrapping to the rack…no tying down the front…no time spent worrying if I’ll lose it at speed on the hwy.
I’m unloaded and on the water while most are still untying.
Heck, I’ve even put two kayaks in the van and squeezed a passenger in the back seat.
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I had mini-vans for years. Of course, I also had 4 kids, so it was kind of necessary. But, even after the kids were grown I had one and used it for everything. Hauling deer out of the woods, hauling lumber and building material, pulling the trailer to get logs out of the woods. They were great. The stigma never bothered me. I remember loading my Dodge up with drywall at the HD, all inside the van, covered and enclosed. The guy next to me trying to secure his load of drywall in his "truck" couldn't believe how much I could fit in. Then I told him my gas mileage and he was converted. His was twice mine.
Robbo
Well-known member
Grand Caravan. All the seats down and the front passenger seat is as flat as it will go.
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Traveling friend has 330 BMW diesel wagon , with w roof rack and tuile box its awesome . IF YOUR the driver. worst backseats ever , your arse is pretty much on the axle.
I drove a Dodge minivan for yrs. great vehicle , actually dirt cheap. But my vanity no longer allows.
4dr F150 with all the duffle bags piled in the back seat with the dog in the middle
I drove a Dodge minivan for yrs. great vehicle , actually dirt cheap. But my vanity no longer allows.
4dr F150 with all the duffle bags piled in the back seat with the dog in the middle
I'm going to try owning station wagons as long as i can, both me and wifey don't like the feel of crossovers/suvs they don't feel as planted on the road and we also both drive standard lol
We go camping 2-3 times per year and for that purpose i bought a thule softbag that goes on the roof because with 2 kids and a dog we kinda were running out of space, its perfect to put fluffy/light stuff like the sleeping bags, pillows, life jackets, etc. Otherwise we never are short on space. Heck i can put my road bike in the car without any problems with the 2/3 seat down.
You still get great handling and decent gas/mileage. The death of the affordable sportwagen in north america really saddens me.
And we've managed to keep it at a single car family for now and i'm really happy about it!
Actually the death of all small cars. Compact and subcompact segment is getting destroyed here. It just makes the roads that much more dangerous for anyone not in an SUV/Pickup, etc
We go camping 2-3 times per year and for that purpose i bought a thule softbag that goes on the roof because with 2 kids and a dog we kinda were running out of space, its perfect to put fluffy/light stuff like the sleeping bags, pillows, life jackets, etc. Otherwise we never are short on space. Heck i can put my road bike in the car without any problems with the 2/3 seat down.
You still get great handling and decent gas/mileage. The death of the affordable sportwagen in north america really saddens me.
And we've managed to keep it at a single car family for now and i'm really happy about it!
Actually the death of all small cars. Compact and subcompact segment is getting destroyed here. It just makes the roads that much more dangerous for anyone not in an SUV/Pickup, etc
I needed to borrow my wifes suv as I havent bothered to install a hitch on my wagon yet. She didnt want to give the wagon back.
My wife loves the Odyssey but I’ve caught her using the Volt much more often.
1. Much easier to park when she’s going to see clients
2. Literally never goes down to using gas as her drive is always within EV range
1. Much easier to park when she’s going to see clients
2. Literally never goes down to using gas as her drive is always within EV range
Mine is the opposite she usually takes the full size van.
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Hack
Well-known member
4x8 sheets of drywall and the bloody carcass of the deer you shot...
Although... I do know I guy who just puts a tarp in the trunk of his Audi for deer season... 'Has to drag the body to the road though 'cuz that A4 ain't gonna make it through a farm field
D
Deleted member 50930
Guest
Prices keep going up 
And they're going to keep going up. JT is convinced that more taxes saves the baby seals. Moron (him, not you).Prices keep going up
Eh…there’s only the two of us and we like driving the (new to us) Highlander more than the CRV. No kids so I could drive a hummer everywhere and still save more of the planet! We like the space…last road trip to Quebec we found some luggage on sale and bought two 100L semi-armoured duffel bags for when Covid goes away. Having lots of room was very useful then.
While his argument for increase gas prices in the city makes some sense... once you go rural, its kinda stupid and ridiculous.
In-laws in newfoundland have to pay 1.60+ now
Most of them live in small communities, so the big busy centers with proper groceries and hospitals and wal-mart and whatever are over 1 hour to 2 hours away.
The roads aren't great so most drive pick-up trucks especially with the winters they have. Then i thought about 'why don't they have subarus there, all wheel drive is great and they get better gas mileage than a lot of SUVs/trucks' well turns out that to own subarus there you need to have a dealer that's ideally not 7-8 hours from your place.
So you've got a province that makes about 10k less on avg than us in ontario, paying on gas 10-15 cents more per litre, for vehicles that generally need to work through harsher conditions with a population that is less than Mississauga itself, in the whole province; where there's basically no transit for most of the population (outside of st-johns and corner brook area).
I can concede to having higher gas prices for someone who lives in a city center where public infrastructure (transit, cycling, carpooling) can be improved for their needs (which would probably cover 80% of the population in Canada or so) but for the rest of the people that still exist in a completely different reality and lifestyle in this country, this type of taxing just hurts them.
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