Family car

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stanthecaddy
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Family car

Post by stanthecaddy »

I’m looking to buy a family car to transport 5 people including two kids in car seats. My top contenders are Kia Telluride/ Hyundai Palisade. It’s killing me that I’m not only buying a gas guzzler, but about to drop $45k on it. I really thought my next car would be an electric car, but there aren’t any with a third row seat that I need + seems to me that the infrastructure is at least 3-5 years away.

Thoughts on what should I do? I need the car right away.

P.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
Tingting1013
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Re: Family car

Post by Tingting1013 »

Some three row alternatives to a gas-guzzler, in order or cost:

1. Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid - can drive 30-40 miles on battery alone
2. Volvo XC90 Plug in hybrid
3. Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring plug in hybrid
4. Rivian R1S (you can’t buy this right away)
5. Tesla Model X
mattsm
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Re: Family car

Post by mattsm »

Got a loaded #1 ( Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Limited ) for $33k OTD after the federal tax rebate. So far only gone a few miles on gas. Like it so far.
henry
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Re: Family car

Post by henry »

Consider 2021 Toyota Sienna AWD minivan. It's a hybrid. It's a traditional hybrid, not a plug in hybrid, but since you will be using it for road trips, plug in hybrid capability probably not important. EPA rated at 36 mpg highway even with all wheel drive.
texasdiver
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Re: Family car

Post by texasdiver »

Toyota Sienna Hybrid (only comes in hybrid). Get 36 mpg highway and city. We had an older generation model and drove it into the ground with 300,000 miles. Great family car. https://www.toyota.com/sienna/

As your kids get older you won't just only have 2 kids in the car. We frequently had a friend or two in tow with us as they got older, especially on road trips. And it is really nice to have those extra seats when the grandparents visit.

Edit: I see Henry beat me to it.
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Watty
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Re: Family car

Post by Watty »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm Thoughts on what should I do?
When buying a car safety is one of my highest priorities.

Here is a list of the top safety picks with lots of choices to choose from.

I would need a really good reason to buy a new car that is not on that list.

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/top-safety-picks
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lthenderson
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Re: Family car

Post by lthenderson »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm Thoughts on what should I do?
Consider a minivan instead of a large SUV. More room, cheaper sticker price, more versatile as they can haul more or larger items, equivalent or better gas mileage.

Our family of five has a 2017 Toyota Sienna AWD. Wouldn't trade it for the world unless perhaps getting a newer one.
Workaholic
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Re: Family car

Post by Workaholic »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm I’m looking to buy a family car to transport 5 people including two kids in car seats. My top contenders are Kia Telluride/ Hyundai Palisade. It’s killing me that I’m not only buying a gas guzzler, but about to drop $45k on it. I really thought my next car would be an electric car, but there aren’t any with a third row seat that I need + seems to me that the infrastructure is at least 3-5 years away.

Thoughts on what should I do? I need the car right away.

P.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
I would be hesitant to recommend either of those because they simply aren't that roomy to squeeze 5 people in for an extended period of time. The 3rd row is quite cramped and leaves little in the way of cargo area for suitcases and other things.

Have you considered a Suburban? I know you don't want a gas guzzler but this gives you the best combination of comfort/cargo area/and convenience features.
solarcub
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Re: Family car

Post by solarcub »

Minivan. Once you have one you will love it. While you are walking to the car, you can open the sliding doors before your kids even get there, so they're not standing around in the parking lot. It's easy for them to climb in, and easy for you to buckle them. Tons of space. 3rd row seating is actually ok for adults. Better gas mileage than an SUV.

Only real downside for us is it barely fits in the garage because it's so wide. But it does fit, and our house is from the early 80's.
Cycle
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Re: Family car

Post by Cycle »

We're going to likely get a minivan soon. Probably used. Sienna or odyssey or Pacifica. Or I've got a line on a free twenty year old one with 100k miles but would need convince my wife. Or I might just rent a van when we need it as there's a few rental places within walking of here.

The Pacifica has stow and go seats which is nice for many.

Don't worry about electric vehicles. If u want to make any environmental difference, drive less. EVs should be lower maintenance but the charging infrastructure isn't here yet and they make essentially no difference to your carbon footprint, compared to flying less or making your trips by bike. Most Americans aren't willing to make any changes to their lifestyle for the environment, and for these people an EV is probably better than nothing, but not by much. There may be a $1500 ebike credit this year (legislation drafted but pending), and you could use that towards an urban arrow or other bakfiet that is essentially a minivan for short trips (in addition to your ice minivan)
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Cycle
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Re: Family car

Post by Cycle »

The thing that has me dragging my feet on the minivan is I don't want to go big only to have a hands free on the highway version come out in 2 years, so that's why I'm planning to not spend much on our first minivan, it's just to get us to the self driving on the highway version
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Squirrel208
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Re: Family car

Post by Squirrel208 »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm I’m looking to buy a family car to transport 5 people including two kids in car seats. My top contenders are Kia Telluride/ Hyundai Palisade. It’s killing me that I’m not only buying a gas guzzler, but about to drop $45k on it. I really thought my next car would be an electric car, but there aren’t any with a third row seat that I need + seems to me that the infrastructure is at least 3-5 years away.

Thoughts on what should I do? I need the car right away.
You can probably cross the Telluride off your list due to limited availability and extremely long factory lead times. Before the pandemic we ordered ours in November 2019 and received it in February 2020, a month sooner than originally promised by the dealer.

If you haven't already done so, you should start researching availability of the other models you're interested in too. Shortages of labor and parts due to the pandemic, especially electronic chips, are currently leading to longer lead times and partially empty lots for many new car dealers. My best friend is a manager for a regional multi-brand mega-dealer and they are really struggling with this right now. So much so that they're seeing demand and prices for used cars climbing as consumers shift focus from new to used vehicles due to better availability.

Here's a link to a recent Wall Street Journal article discussing the topic.
texasdiver
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Re: Family car

Post by texasdiver »

Cycle wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:31 am The thing that has me dragging my feet on the minivan is I don't want to go big only to have a hands free on the highway version come out in 2 years, so that's why I'm planning to not spend much on our first minivan, it's just to get us to the self driving on the highway version
I would be shocked if any 100% hands-free self-driving options are available in 2 years from any car manufacturers. Especially not ones that are 100% safe and reliable in our traffic, truck, and construction-clogged freeways. The adaptive cruise control and lane guidance in my 2015 Toyota Prius works pretty well except in heavy rain. But I would absolutely NOT want to be trusting any car's computer to keep me and my family safe at 75 mph on any freeway in the US. Maybe if you are crossing Wyoming on I-80. But not in more normal urban/suburban driving like the freeways around any major cities, or heavily trafficked routes like I-35 through Texas that are continually clogged with trucks and construction.
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Re: Family car

Post by willthrill81 »

henry wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:52 pm Consider 2021 Toyota Sienna AWD minivan. It's a hybrid. It's a traditional hybrid, not a plug in hybrid, but since you will be using it for road trips, plug in hybrid capability probably not important. EPA rated at 36 mpg highway even with all wheel drive.
texasdiver wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:08 pm Toyota Sienna Hybrid (only comes in hybrid). Get 36 mpg highway and city. We had an older generation model and drove it into the ground with 300,000 miles. Great family car. https://www.toyota.com/sienna/

As your kids get older you won't just only have 2 kids in the car. We frequently had a friend or two in tow with us as they got older, especially on road trips. And it is really nice to have those extra seats when the grandparents visit.

Edit: I see Henry beat me to it.
Good ideas and recommendation. Minivans aren't 'sexy', but they're very utilitarian.
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goonie
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Re: Family car

Post by goonie »

Minivan gets my vote unless you need high ground clearance.

Sitting in the 3rd row of many SUVs is a miserable experience. The floor is up high and you're too close to the 2nd row of seats. If it's just little kids back there, not as big of a deal...but you won't want to deal with car seats back there. Space is better in minivans imo. Easier to load and unload too with those big sliding doors.

Not to mention big SUVs are generally more expensive and have worse fuel economy.
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stanthecaddy
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Re: Family car

Post by stanthecaddy »

Lots of great responses. Thanks everyone. I’ll admit I didn’t consider minivans merely for the “cool” factor. I suppose I can’t really hide the soccer dad I am.

It does seem to me that the technologies are rapidly changing and there’s some inherent unpredictability to it. I usually buy a car and run it to the ground 15 years later. But now might be a good time to lease.
YeahBuddy
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Re: Family car

Post by YeahBuddy »

Would you considered used? I see used siennas with under 50k miles going for $20k. Ours is 7 years old with 50k and we love it but once the kids get older its not really needed unless you're hauling a ton of hockey or other sports gear. It's still very dependable. I see no need to spend $45k on a family hauler.
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lthenderson
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Re: Family car

Post by lthenderson »

stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:22 am I’ll admit I didn’t consider minivans merely for the “cool” factor. I suppose I can’t really hide the soccer dad I am.
I thought this way for a time but then came to admit, that I really didn't need to impress anyone but my wife and as long as the kids get where they are going and I'm comfortable, who cares what others think of my minivan. If they give me grief, I always say lets see who can haul the most full sized sheets of drywall home in a rainstorm without getting wet from the local big box stores in their SUV vs. my minivan. I've won every time.
finfire
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Re: Family car

Post by finfire »

Minivan, Toyota Sienna....can drop a 4*8 sheet of plywood in there too!
Topic Author
stanthecaddy
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Re: Family car

Post by stanthecaddy »

Would you considered used? I see used siennas with under 50k miles going for $20k.
The last time I bought a used car was when I was in grad school and I ended up spending more on it than it was worth. I suppose I'm a little burned by that experience, but if a car ~$20k price range sounds like a really good idea to me right now
achillesheel
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Re: Family car

Post by achillesheel »

lthenderson wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 5:44 am
stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm Thoughts on what should I do?
Consider a minivan instead of a large SUV. More room, cheaper sticker price, more versatile as they can haul more or larger items, equivalent or better gas mileage.

Our family of five has a 2017 Toyota Sienna AWD. Wouldn't trade it for the world unless perhaps getting a newer one.
I heartily recommend this course of action. We have a Honda Odyssey, but I have heard great things about the Sienna or Pacifica too.
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rascott
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Re: Family car

Post by rascott »

stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:46 am
Would you considered used? I see used siennas with under 50k miles going for $20k.
The last time I bought a used car was when I was in grad school and I ended up spending more on it than it was worth. I suppose I'm a little burned by that experience, but if a car ~$20k price range sounds like a really good idea to me right now
Unless you are getting the base line Sienna. You won't find a used one for $20k with under 50k miles. More like $25-28k.

If buying new, I'd be looking at the newly designed Sienna or possibly wait for the Kia Carnival that's about to be released.

I've test driven the new Sienna.... and between the lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, etc... it's about as close to self driving a car as you'll find in this class.
wfrobinette
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Re: Family car

Post by wfrobinette »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm I’m looking to buy a family car to transport 5 people including two kids in car seats. My top contenders are Kia Telluride/ Hyundai Palisade. It’s killing me that I’m not only buying a gas guzzler, but about to drop $45k on it. I really thought my next car would be an electric car, but there aren’t any with a third row seat that I need + seems to me that the infrastructure is at least 3-5 years away.

Thoughts on what should I do? I need the car right away.

P.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
Why not buy something used.

I know minivans get knocked a lot but is was my wife's favorite to drive when we just had 1 in car seat.
Look at a CX-9 they have decent gas mileage
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familythriftmd
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Re: Family car

Post by familythriftmd »

wfrobinette wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:01 pm
stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm I’m looking to buy a family car to transport 5 people including two kids in car seats. My top contenders are Kia Telluride/ Hyundai Palisade. It’s killing me that I’m not only buying a gas guzzler, but about to drop $45k on it. I really thought my next car would be an electric car, but there aren’t any with a third row seat that I need + seems to me that the infrastructure is at least 3-5 years away.

Thoughts on what should I do? I need the car right away.

P.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
Why not buy something used.

I know minivans get knocked a lot but is was my wife's favorite to drive when we just had 1 in car seat.
Look at a CX-9 they have decent gas mileage
CX-9 is another example of poor third row clearance. If only they still had the MAZDA5...

I agree with the above about minivans being superior to 3-row SUVs for people-hauling, economy, and fuel economy.
Bradford
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Re: Family car

Post by Bradford »

Our family is similar to yours. We just bought a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse last October. With the bucket seats in the middle row its basically a minivan without sliding doors. We also looked at a Telluride. The Traverse has a lot more room in the interior. The newer model Traverses are even bigger. Not that sexy of a purchase, but its worked well for us.
goonie
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Re: Family car

Post by goonie »

lthenderson wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:02 am
stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:22 am I’ll admit I didn’t consider minivans merely for the “cool” factor. I suppose I can’t really hide the soccer dad I am.
I thought this way for a time but then came to admit, that I really didn't need to impress anyone but my wife and as long as the kids get where they are going and I'm comfortable, who cares what others think of my minivan. If they give me grief, I always say lets see who can haul the most full sized sheets of drywall home in a rainstorm without getting wet from the local big box stores in their SUV vs. my minivan. I've won every time.
Letting go of caring what people think of your car is liberating.
dukeblue219
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Re: Family car

Post by dukeblue219 »

BHers allegedly haul more 4x8 plywood and drywall than any other car buyers I've ever met :D
finfire
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Re: Family car

Post by finfire »

dukeblue219 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:33 pm BHers allegedly haul more 4x8 plywood and drywall than any other car buyers I've ever met :D
Just loaded 4 sheets, several 2*4s etc with loads of room to spare. A carpenter I hire sometimes, uses a sienna also to haul stuff around....great van!
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warner25
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Re: Family car

Post by warner25 »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pmP.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
How often are these road trips? If it's not for daily use, because you have a couple other cars, can you just rent something larger when the need arises?
goonie
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Re: Family car

Post by goonie »

stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:22 am
It does seem to me that the technologies are rapidly changing and there’s some inherent unpredictability to it. I usually buy a car and run it to the ground 15 years later. But now might be a good time to lease.
Personally, if I wanted new instead of used, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new, non-electric vehicle now. And I definitely wouldn't worry about getting a self-driving one.

Things aren't going to change overnight. It will take many years for our society to shift to the point that our overall car culture is more electric focused than gasoline focused. We have a long way to go. And even more years to shift to being more self driving focused than manual driving.
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Re: Family car

Post by tibbitts »

warner25 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:43 pm
stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pmP.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
How often are these road trips? If it's not for daily use, because you have a couple other cars, can you just rent something larger when the need arises?
I used to sometimes rent for short-duration, high-mileage road trips, but realistically the pandemic has somewhat changed the rental landscape and I'm not sure that can be assumed to be as viable an option going forward.
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Picasso
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Re: Family car

Post by Picasso »

Tingting1013 wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:28 pm 4. Rivian R1S (you can’t buy this right away)
As EV curious, do you think this car is worth a serious look as a new to market offering.
zag00
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Re: Family car

Post by zag00 »

rascott wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:58 am
stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:46 am
Would you considered used? I see used siennas with under 50k miles going for $20k.
The last time I bought a used car was when I was in grad school and I ended up spending more on it than it was worth. I suppose I'm a little burned by that experience, but if a car ~$20k price range sounds like a really good idea to me right now
Unless you are getting the base line Sienna. You won't find a used one for $20k with under 50k miles. More like $25-28k.

If buying new, I'd be looking at the newly designed Sienna or possibly wait for the Kia Carnival that's about to be released.

I've test driven the new Sienna.... and between the lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, etc... it's about as close to self driving a car as you'll find in this class.
DFW starts receiving their limited inventory next week with only a few not already accounted for. Hoping one left over has the features we are wanting.
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leeks
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Re: Family car

Post by leeks »

+1 on Toyota Sienna
either a new hybrid or a 1-3 year old used one

We were in a similar situation last summer after not owning any car for about a decade. We have two kids and no daily driving but wanted a vehicle for weekend daytrips and for road trips (and due to generally wanting a private transportation option during the pandemic - at first we had a long-term rental but it was getting expensive).

We got a 2017 Toyota Sienna for $21K - certified used from a Toyota dealership (we "shopped" online across dealerships in multiple cities). Using a dealership made the purchase easy and convenient and minimal contact and they did all the paperwork with no DMV visit required. The "certified" warranty thing made me feel it was less risky than other ways of buying used.

Cargo space was our deciding factor to go with a minivan. So far we keep the third row seats down and have been taking advantage of that huge back space for lugging stuff to a vacation home (also a pandemic purchase) and for daytrips with bicycles. It doesn't seem terrible at gas mileage - a full tank can take us from NY to VA. It has met all our needs and we have no complaints.

During our car-free years, every time we rented SUVs for road trips we were disappointed with the minimal cargo space. I feel the three-row SUVs have almost no cargo space when the third row is up. They can either transport lots of people or lots of luggage but they can't take lots of people WITH lots of luggage. I didn't really have experience with minivans in the past but the sliding doors have been really convenient and I'm glad we have them.

We would have been tempted to buy new had the Sienna hybrid already been available. But I'm actually glad it wasn't because the amount of money we spent feels much more reasonable than if we bought new. We are now considering full relocation to our vacation home which would mean a short driving commute for the kids to a private school. Having the comfortable third row available for carpools will be an advantage. And I can see it being useful for daytrips with extended family.
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eye.surgeon
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Re: Family car

Post by eye.surgeon »

Minivan of your choice is the obvious best fit for your needs. At least two great hybrid options. Superior to a SUV in just about every measurable way for families.
Last edited by eye.surgeon on Wed Mar 31, 2021 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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leeks
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Re: Family car

Post by leeks »

rascott wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:58 am
stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:46 am
Would you considered used? I see used siennas with under 50k miles going for $20k.
The last time I bought a used car was when I was in grad school and I ended up spending more on it than it was worth. I suppose I'm a little burned by that experience, but if a car ~$20k price range sounds like a really good idea to me right now
Unless you are getting the base line Sienna. You won't find a used one for $20k with under 50k miles. More like $25-28k.
As one price anecdote, in summer 2021 we bought a 2017 Sienna LE, 33K mileage for $21K.
It was certified used from a dealership, had been previously leased to one customer.
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lthenderson
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Re: Family car

Post by lthenderson »

finfire wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:35 pm
dukeblue219 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:33 pm BHers allegedly haul more 4x8 plywood and drywall than any other car buyers I've ever met :D
Just loaded 4 sheets, several 2*4s etc with loads of room to spare. A carpenter I hire sometimes, uses a sienna also to haul stuff around....great van!
My only problem with the Sienna, at least the 2017 which I own, is that the fixed center console between the front seats tilts towards the back and the angle of the rear hatch tilts towards the front limiting me to 4 or 5 3/4" sheets of plywood before I resort to having to tie the sheets down and bungie the rear hatch closed. Before when I had a 2005 Honda Odyssey, the center console was a flip up thing so I could physically put more sheets of plywood into the van than was probably safe to load on the rear shocks and drive through town.
rascott
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Re: Family car

Post by rascott »

leeks wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 4:50 pm
rascott wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:58 am
stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:46 am
Would you considered used? I see used siennas with under 50k miles going for $20k.
The last time I bought a used car was when I was in grad school and I ended up spending more on it than it was worth. I suppose I'm a little burned by that experience, but if a car ~$20k price range sounds like a really good idea to me right now
Unless you are getting the base line Sienna. You won't find a used one for $20k with under 50k miles. More like $25-28k.
As one price anecdote, in summer 2021 we bought a 2017 Sienna LE, 33K mileage for $21K.
It was certified used from a dealership, had been previously leased to one customer.
Correct, the LE is the baseline model of the Sienna. Even that is good deal today.....I swear these might be the only vehicles where I tried to buy and the more I waited the more expensive they seemed to get. The used car market is nuts right now, but particularly seems to be with minivans.

I just paid $27k for a 2018 XLE Premium with 34k miles...also from an Toyota dealer that came in on single owner trade.
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leeks
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Re: Family car

Post by leeks »

stanthecaddy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:46 am
Would you considered used? I see used siennas with under 50k miles going for $20k.
The last time I bought a used car was when I was in grad school and I ended up spending more on it than it was worth. I suppose I'm a little burned by that experience, but if a car ~$20k price range sounds like a really good idea to me right now
https://www.toyotacertified.com/warranty

We haven't had any occasion to use our warranty yet, but having it helped us be comfortable buying a "Toyota Certified Used Vehicle." The "certified used" thing may be more of an emotional benefit than a pragmatic one, but without it we probably would have bought new and that would have cost us a lot more $$.
texasdiver
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Re: Family car

Post by texasdiver »

Sienna for sure. Especially for road trips.

We bought a brand new 2003 Sienna when that new changed model year had just come out and drove it near into the ground. I finally donated it to NPR in 2017 when it had over 300,000 miles on it.

In 2014 my wife bought a brand new Toyota Highlander Limited. The top model with all the bells and whistles including leather seats all around and such. In the summer of 2015 we had to make a cross country family trip to PA from TX with stops in Washington DC and NYC for a family reunion. The kids UNANIMOUSLY voted to take the 10-year old Sienna instead of the brand new Highlander. They FAR preferred the rear seating and space of the Sienna to the Highlander Limited. I couldn't talk them into road tripping with the Highlander so we took the Sienna instead.

Awesome kid car. And it will keep you humble. You don't really need a big SUV to exert your manhood or dad cred. Honestly, no one besides you actually notices or cares what you drive.

Plus you can haul more than most pickup trucks. If you live the suburban life that involves Ikea, Costco, and Home Depot that cargo space is worth it's weight in gold.
MarkBarb
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Family car

Post by MarkBarb »

Another vote for minivan. We have a Honda Odyssey and a Genesis GV80 (somewhat similar to the Palisade). In terms of practicality, there is no comparison. The minivan has much more interior volume. It's easier for kids to get in and out of. If I could pick one to use a family car, I'd go with the minivan over the SUV.
02nz
Posts: 10476
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:17 pm

Re: Family car

Post by 02nz »

The new Sienna comes as hybrid standard, and the Highlander is available as a hybrid.
rascott
Posts: 2957
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2015 10:53 am

Re: Family car

Post by rascott »

texasdiver wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 5:12 pm Sienna for sure. Especially for road trips.

We bought a brand new 2003 Sienna when that new changed model year had just come out and drove it near into the ground. I finally donated it to NPR in 2017 when it had over 300,000 miles on it.

In 2014 my wife bought a brand new Toyota Highlander Limited. The top model with all the bells and whistles including leather seats all around and such. In the summer of 2015 we had to make a cross country family trip to PA from TX with stops in Washington DC and NYC for a family reunion. The kids UNANIMOUSLY voted to take the 10-year old Sienna instead of the brand new Highlander. They FAR preferred the rear seating and space of the Sienna to the Highlander Limited. I couldn't talk them into road tripping with the Highlander so we took the Sienna instead.

Awesome kid car. And it will keep you humble. You don't really need a big SUV to exert your manhood or dad cred. Honestly, no one besides you actually notices or cares what you drive.

Plus you can haul more than most pickup trucks. If you live the suburban life that involves Ikea, Costco, and Home Depot that cargo space is worth it's weight in gold.

+1. We just took a long road trip with the kids, and it was by far the most comfortable for everyone.. including me, the driver. Wife liked to be able to easily get back to the kids, get stuff out of cargo area, like snacks and stuff. The thing is like a rolling lounge. And the amount of stuff we were able to comfortably pack (suitcases, groceries, large cooler, stroller, etc) was amazing. Our old 3 row crossover was a joke, comparatively. We never used the 3rd row as it ate up the entire cargo area.... and packing for road trips was like playing a game of Tetris to get everything in there and accessible.

You'll notice that once people go to minivans, they never go away from them. Both my father and FIL are in their 70s and they both still drive them.
UpperNwGuy
Posts: 9446
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 7:16 pm

Re: Family car

Post by UpperNwGuy »

Get the Chrysler Pacifica. My daughter and her family like theirs.
iamlucky13
Posts: 3512
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2017 4:28 pm
Location: Western Washington

Re: Family car

Post by iamlucky13 »

If person #5 is another child, I see nothing wrong with sticking them in the middle between the 2 carseats, especially if you use some of the narrower carseats available like the Diono Radian. In such case, a 3-row vehicle is not necessary.

Personally, I have no qualms about sitting there as an adult, either. It's a matter of how nice of an experience you want to offer your passengers and how much additional room you want for cargo.
1nv3s70r
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:32 pm

Re: Family car

Post by 1nv3s70r »

Literally just went thru this. SO didnt want to drive minivan any more.

Also looked at the Kia and ultimately decided not to go that route - dealership seemed low end and jacking up prices way above MSRP to game the system during high demand rubbed us the wrong way.

Ultimately went with Subaru Ascent - a very usable third row that adult sized teenagers are happy with, great AWD, all the new safety features with the Eyesight tech, etc - very happy with that decision so far. You may want to consider that one as well.
teCh0010
Posts: 415
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Family car

Post by teCh0010 »

For 38.6k the Pilot EX-L gives you decent tech and a usable backseat for a decent price. Easy to price shop since they are all the same, call as many dealers as you want and play them against each other on price.
BalancedJCB19
Posts: 405
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 11:30 am

Re: Family car

Post by BalancedJCB19 »

How about getting a pre-owned but still considered new (i.e. something that was leased and returned).That's a steep price for something that goes down in value the minute you drive it off the lot. Let someone else take the depreciation and you still pretty much have a new car. However, take this advice where it is coming from. I never understood why people would pay more than 20K for a car, so now you know the Flintstone way my mind works, but you should also know John Bogle who had a net worth of 60 million felt the same way when it came to cars. His 12 year old Volvo was his preferred ride of choice.
FoolStreet
Posts: 1548
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:18 am

Re: Family car

Post by FoolStreet »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm I’m looking to buy a family car to transport 5 people including two kids in car seats. My top contenders are Kia Telluride/ Hyundai Palisade. It’s killing me that I’m not only buying a gas guzzler, but about to drop $45k on it. I really thought my next car would be an electric car, but there aren’t any with a third row seat that I need + seems to me that the infrastructure is at least 3-5 years away.

Thoughts on what should I do? I need the car right away.

P.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
The Tesla Model Y has a 3rd row seat and plenty of charging infrastructure.

For charging infrastructure go to http://www.plugshare.com and search on places you go to that are a couple hours away from your home. Remember, by using an EV, it’s like you have a gas station in your garage and you leave the house charged every day

Not gonna lie, the 3rd row on a Y is tight, but it seems doable for small kids or small persons.

Any other suv with a plug will drop your gas consumption/emissions considerably, so there are other plug in hybrid options available.
DoubleComma
Posts: 2033
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:23 pm

Re: Family car

Post by DoubleComma »

stanthecaddy wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:23 pm I’m looking to buy a family car to transport 5 people including two kids in car seats. My top contenders are Kia Telluride/ Hyundai Palisade. It’s killing me that I’m not only buying a gas guzzler, but about to drop $45k on it. I really thought my next car would be an electric car, but there aren’t any with a third row seat that I need + seems to me that the infrastructure is at least 3-5 years away.

Thoughts on what should I do? I need the car right away.

P.S: we plan to use it on road trips other than daily use. Not gonna use it for commuting.
Not every buying choice you make has to be the most BH friendly and still consider yourself a BH.

Buy the vehicle that makes you happy. If you don’t want a minivan don’t get one. We are a family of 5 and have suburban, previous was a Highlander, and I wound declare the suburban better for us in every way.

My wife drives it as her kid hauler daily abs we use it for family travel regularly. In fact we just made a 10 hour each way road trip in it this week.

Gas mileage is a rounding error in annual budget between most large SUV and Minivan. For example our Suburban blended fuel economy is 17, where most minivans I see reported at 26, so for 15,000 annual miles that’s less than 300 gallons of fuel. At $4/gal that’s less than $1200 a year.

I’m not letting $1,200 prevent me from buying what I want. Same with purchase price less residual value when I’m done with a vehicle. I’m not going to let net worth rounding errors impact vehicle of choice.
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