I have a Town & Country, top of the line, for a week as a rental car. Power sliding doors, power tailgate, stow and go seats, DVD player, etc etc etc. I can't think of a vehicle better suited to the needs of a family than this thing. It will tow 3600 pounds, so that's a A-Mod on a trailer right?
+1
And you should get 22-25 mpg on the highway, doing 75-80, through mountains, loaded with 6-people and all their crap.
We rented one for vacation and it was phenomenal for the task. I'd own one if we had any use for it in our daily lives.
Wish the wife was on board to get a minivan instead of the Suburban/Excursion gas hog..... 
I towed a 944 on a tow dolly with a crotch rocket IN the van, from SC to MI. I averaged 21 mpg. I'd say that's pretty good for an old 2005 with the 3.8 gas hog. I was doing 70 the whole way.
We got the funniest looks from a group of Japanese tourists at a rest stop when we stopped to check the straps.
I don't want a minivan, but I really don't have anything negative to say. They were built for a purpose and they do it well.
DrBoost wrote: I towed a 944 on a tow dolly with a crotch rocket IN the van, from SC to MI. I averaged 21 mpg. I'd say that's pretty good for an old 2005 with the 3.8 gas hog. I was doing 70 the whole way.
I am planning to do pretty much the exact same thing from CA to OH in a month: 944 pulled by tow bar with Triumph in an Astro.
Any particular reason for putting the bike in backwards instead of forwards? Did you use a ramp, or just get several guys to muscle it up? Did you put the bike in gear or not?
My wife abhors minivans but for toting around extended family they can't be beat. As my parents get older and can drive less it will be harder to involve them in family stuff without taking two vehicles.
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: They were built for a purpose and they do it well.
Exactly. It's a damn shame so many of the general population are so wrapped up in their "image" and would rather drive an SUV that has less space, handles worse, less versitile and uses more fuel. But SUVs looks better in the mall parking lot...parked next to the 27,000 other SUVs with it. So that counts for something, right??
We LOVE our Caravan. Stow and Go is the best thing ever invented for cars for people with kids.
It's easier to get the bike out if you put it in backwards. 
I needed to pick up some parts for the MPV today and took a look at what the Mazda dealer had to offer. The CX-7 is gone, the 5 is waaaay too small, as is the CX-5. I need a third row, and only the CX-9 has it. I dunno. I need to look at the Chrysler minivans, but even if I find that I love the vehicle, I don't know if I can overcome my prejudice against Chrysler vehicles, which is that they are all ticking timebombs due to their poor engineering and poor construction. And their paint flakes off the day after the warranty expires!
Hey, I said it was a prejudice, I didn't say it was a rational one!
But yeah, I love the minivan. As a family vehicle, it is unsurpassed.
EastCoastMojo wrote: It's easier to get the bike out if you put it in backwards.
Yeah. But isnt it harder to put in?
Beer Baron wrote:DrBoost wrote: I towed a 944 on a tow dolly with a crotch rocket IN the van, from SC to MI. I averaged 21 mpg. I'd say that's pretty good for an old 2005 with the 3.8 gas hog. I was doing 70 the whole way.I am planning to do pretty much the exact same thing from CA to OH in a month: 944 pulled by tow bar with Triumph in an Astro. Any particular reason for putting the bike in backwards instead of forwards? Did you use a ramp, or just get several guys to muscle it up? Did you put the bike in gear or not?
We put it in backwards because there were only two of us putting it in and that thing is heavy! Here's the reason, expanded a bit. The height inside the van was tall enough for the bike, but the ceiling slopes down quite a bit in the rear, before the liftgate opening. The handle bars are the tallest part so if we loaded it front first we would have had to pick the bike up, tilt it at about a 45° angle and basically carry it in the van far enough to clear that slope. That was TOUGH!! Putting it in backward meant we could lift it up with the bike 90° to the ground, much easier. Then set the back tire in the van and roll it backwards 'till the handlebars had to go through the opening. THEN we could tilt the bike 45° and only had to deal with the bike at an odd angle for about 18 inches; or so. Does that make sense?
We didn't use a ramp and did put it in gear.
Minivans, the best reason for birth control ever invented.
DrBoost wrote: We put it in backwards because there were only two of us putting it in and that thing is heavy! Here's the reason, expanded a bit. The height inside the van was tall enough for the bike, but the ceiling slopes down quite a bit in the rear, before the liftgate opening. The handle bars are the tallest part so if we loaded it front first we would have had to pick the bike up, tilt it at about a 45° angle and basically carry it in the van far enough to clear that slope. That was TOUGH!! Putting it in backward meant we could lift it up with the bike 90° to the ground, much easier. Then set the back tire in the van and roll it backwards 'till the handlebars had to go through the opening. THEN we could tilt the bike 45° and only had to deal with the bike at an odd angle for about 18 inches; or so. Does that make sense? We didn't use a ramp and did put it in gear.
Well, I'm glad my Astro is taller and that the roof is pretty much flat. I think I'm going to buy a ramp (my tail gate is taller) and enlist the help of at least two other people. Wasn't sure about the trans. I see the advantage of keeping it from moving, but I wasn't sure about the potential strain on the mechanicals. I am planning to zip-tie the front brake handle on.
I've had a couple, and miss them. I had an Aerostar and a Voyager, both took some abuse and mileage.
Could've had a CHERRY loaded, low mile MPV instead of the 5, for half the price. Sadly, mama said it was "too mini-van." Fortunately, I negotiated a deal that included a "REAL" car for me in the next year...and some other...stuff.
Beer Baron wrote:DrBoost wrote: We put it in backwards because there were only two of us putting it in and that thing is heavy! Here's the reason, expanded a bit. The height inside the van was tall enough for the bike, but the ceiling slopes down quite a bit in the rear, before the liftgate opening. The handle bars are the tallest part so if we loaded it front first we would have had to pick the bike up, tilt it at about a 45° angle and basically carry it in the van far enough to clear that slope. That was TOUGH!! Putting it in backward meant we could lift it up with the bike 90° to the ground, much easier. Then set the back tire in the van and roll it backwards 'till the handlebars had to go through the opening. THEN we could tilt the bike 45° and only had to deal with the bike at an odd angle for about 18 inches; or so. Does that make sense? We didn't use a ramp and did put it in gear.
As far as leaving it in gear, we didn't have to. It was strapped down soo tight it wasn't moving fore/aft at all.
Remember: roof rack.
Quick glance and I thought "That is a bizarre looking roof rack"
My parents' 2007 Odyssey was amazingly well suited for for road trips and camping. It sat 8 (six adults in comfort) while still swallowing all our gear. The flat floor made a fine overnight sleeping surface at several races I attended. I even used it to haul more than a thousand pounds of flooring from Atlanta to Virginia. Neither my wife nor I want one for our daily driver though.
nderwater wrote: My parents' Odyssey was amazingly well suited for for road trips and camping. It sat 8 (six adults in comfort) while still swallowing all our gear. The flat floor made a fine overnight sleeping surface at several races I attended. I even used it to haul more than a thousand pounds of flooring from Atlanta to Virginia. Neither my wife nor I want one for our daily driver though.
What year?
I had an '88 GMC Safari that I loved. I perfected my J turns in it, it was a drifting machine and a dependable work horse. Unfortunately a week after I bounced it off a guardrail in southern Indiana, I stuffed it head on under the trailer of an oncoming semi truck, which resulted in its early demise.
Sometimes I wish I wasn't so stupid when I was young and stupid.
Ranger50 wrote: Wish the wife was on board to get a minivan instead of the Suburban/Excursion gas hog.....
So.. we lost cool stationwagons because people hated them, we got Minivans instead. Now people hate Minivans and we get huge gas guzzling SUVs.
I am afraid to ask what is next
Mini-guns. You guys never remember the mini gun.
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