Mini-van / Routan?

Did you know the Routan is basically a Dodge Caravan with a different body? Dodge/Chrysler MAKES the Routan for VW! I used to have a Caravan, and it was okay, but I now have a true Swagger Wagon -Toyota Sienna Limited, and it's THE BOMB! Seriously -it's nicer than friends of mine BMWs, Mercedes and Cadillac Escalades! I work at a production studio, and the hip-hop "uber cool" guys here are in love with it. It's like floating on a cloud and there's never a problem! I bought mine at 4 years old and it's completely loaded -GPS, DVD w/wireless headphones, JBL sound system, electric seats, wood inlays, leather interior -there's nothing this Sienna doesn't have. I cannot tell you how much I've enjoyed it. Toyotas and Hondas will last for years with little problem -just keep that in mind.

I really like my Crysler Town and Country because of the stow n go feature. It makes the van very versitile to different needs day to day. It's great to have places to put all that baby stuff or move the seats out of the way, or lay down flat for a nap or even flip and watch fireworks or sporting events from the back.

I don't know anything about the Routan, but I just wanted to say, YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE YOUR MINIVAN. We had our doubts, but withing 5 minutes of driving my Odyssey, I knew I was in heaven. The sliding doors are the best thing in the world.

We ended up buying a 2 year old Odyssey Touring --fully loaded, everything in the world you'd ever want. Buying gently used is the way to go with these things.

I'm completely in love with my Chrysler Town & Country! The seats fold down into the floor, or you can use that space in the floor for storage. I've got all the bells & whistles with 2 DVD players, game console inputs, etc., but really I just think it's a nice, comfy car that works so well when you have kids. Good luck!

Minivans are awesome! Check Consumer Reports (try your library if you don't get it). When I was buying 4 years ago, Odyssey and Sienna were rated the best overall (and the best in crash ratings). The others all fell a little short in the crash ratings, and I wanted my family to be the safest. I ended up with the Odyssey and love it. The features are great.

I just bought one last weekend and it's PERFECT, WONDERFUL, AWESOME!!!! The deal I got was like 10K less than what other vehicles with those type of features would have cost. I also got a great warranty included. I drive mostly around town and I have 1/2 tank left after a week.

Not at all familiar with the Routan, but we bought a "mommymobile" aka mini-van in March 2004 when I was pregnant with our daughter. After much research, we narrowed it down to the Toyota Sienna and the Honda Odyssey. We ended up going with the Toyota Sienna, and we absolutely love it. Not only does it have some awesome features... my favorite by far has to be the automatic sliding doors. A must have when you've got your hands full juggling a baby, groceries, etc. Now, that the kids are a little older (6 and 4), it's still a nice feature because you can open the automatic doors w/ your key remote, they can climb in and get buckled up without your having to worry about their opening their door into the car next to them. Some of the other features that we love are the dvd player and the roomy cargo area in the back. Not only do I love the features, but the Sienna drives so well. I have never been able to park or make a u-turn in a car as easily as I do with the Sienna. Good luck with your decision.

We have a Nissan Quest and we really like it. I don't know why, but in general Nissans are cheaper than Hondas and Toyotas if you buy them used. But they are still Japanese and really great cars. Ours is a 2006 that we bought in 2008. I think we paid like 13K. It only had 22K miles and was perfect....leather, DVD, etc. Of course, 3 kids can trash anything, so I'm actually really glad that we didn't spring for the Sienna or Odyssey and pay 10K more because there would still be stains on the carpet! Also, I heard they are redesigning them this year, so you would probably get an even better deal on a used one. Good luck!

A side note here: DO NOT even waste your time looking at anything with upolstered seats! With 3 kids you MUST have leather!!

I don't know much about the routan but i love my town and country mini van. A lot of the mini van features are great with multiple young children. sliding doors are a must. This way you can open the door with your remote and those that can climb in can while you are fumbling with a baby. You also don't have to worry about them swinging doors and hitting another car. Storage will be a necessary item with strollers and all of the things you need for 3. The versitility of the seating with the minivan is great.

We recently rented a Routan and I LOVED it!!! I told DH I want one:) We've also rented a Dodge Caravan and hated it. The 3rd row seat was tiny and very uncomfortable. The Routan's 3rd seat was actually fairly comfy, and roomier than the Caravan. It was also easier to get into the 3rd row seating of the Routan.

With a VW, repairs will generally be higher. My DH is/was a mechanic and told me that about all VW's. I don't remember what kind of gas mileage we got, but we were driving all over San Diego, even drove up to Disneyland, and didn't fill up very much. We didn't actually do the math. We were there 1 week, and I think stopped for a full tank only once, and a partial tank once the day before returning it (we pre-paid for them to fill it up when we returned it).

I loved the features, and the extra storage was awesome!!! We had 4 adults and 2 car seats in it and we were very comfortable, and we managed to get all of our luggage in the back just fine. I can't say that about the Caravan. We were squished and had to squeeze all of our luggage in the Caravan.

I also have looked at (but not used) the Sienna and Odyssey's. But, I would choose a Routan. Sadly, we don't have the money now, but I can dream! We've actually decided we would prefer a Suburban, as much as I said I never wanted one. But we want a 3rd child within the next couple years, and we have 2 dogs. A suburban will be more comfortable for road trips (we do a 6 hour trip a few times a year, so we have to think about that). Right now I have an older minivan ('94), that I actually love. It's very roomy and comfortable. We've done a lot of research into what we are getting next.

I don't have experience with VW and not a minivan style familyt. We had a Suburban, then a Toyota Sequoia that seats 8, to a brand new Ford Flex that seats 7. I love it. Lots of features to choose from.

I LOVE my Pontiac Montana, unfortunately they no longer make them, not sure when the last year was. I would definitely buy another one if they still made them. We have 3 children and I have a home daycare so the third row of seating is a must. There are so many great things to be said for both Honda's and Toyota's, although personally I don't like the look of them, so at least for now, I am not interested. We have started looking as well will need to trade one of our vehicles in the spring, either my van or hubbie's truck. As of now, a GMC Acadia is at the top of my list, although still lots of time to change my mind! A mini van is great, be sure to get an extended cab, so you will have room for strollers, groceries etc behind the third row. Let us know what you decide...

Check out GM's crossovers. They are a great alternative to a huge SUV or a minivan. The Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave are all basically same vehicle, just a few different "bells and whistles". You can get the second row in captains seats, which will make the third row more accessible. I have driven ALL of GM's SUV's: Denali, Suburban, Yukon, Tahoe, Envoy and Trailblazer. Have had the Enclave for 2 years and will probably buy another this year. It is awesome.

My best advice is ALWAYS buy japanese. Please dont take this the wrong way but I would rather by a used Odyssey or Sienna than a brand spanking new VW. I own an Odyssey and its the best vehicle I have ever owned. Before this I had a pathfinder, my Odyssey is way more confortable and better on gas. Also the engine of a Honda will always outrun any VW. In the end its a much better value.