I drove a GM minivan. Maybe a 2008 Pontiac Montana? This was about 3 years ago. put 1000km on it over a weekend. power delivery was fine, automatic transmission was fine, braking was so so at best, and dynamics were horrible + unpredictable: coming around a cloverleaf at about 40km/h (25mph) the thing very suddenly started teetering on the brink of rolling + I had to correct big time to keep everything on the straight and narrow. In a c900, I would have taken the same ramp at close to double that speed! The minivan was only partially loaded (3 people, a rocking chair on its side, and a normal amount of luggage for a weekend - we rented it to move a large antique rocking chair without folding the seats - shoulda bought a hatchback saab!)...

My neighbour has a recent Toyota Sienna. It is great for hauling building supplies. I haven't driven it, but I've been in it, and the driving dynamics are poor, but probably ok for what it is... fundamentally, the raised seating position in any minvan or suv ruins the driving dynamics: center of mass is too high yet under the center of mass of the driver... it has not been as low maintenance as they had thought it might be...

But I do agree with Tim: the modern minivan is extremely well designed for its purpose, so if that is what one is looking for, it is probably going to work really well! Our inlaws always liked them (vs SUVs) because they got somewhat better fuel economy. If you're hauling massive amounts of passengers + stuff all the time, they might actually get better real life fuel economy than a sedan...

James...

posted by 69.63.60...

• buying larger vehicle, kooch, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:36:50
  • Re: buying larger vehicle, rick z, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:58:38
    • Re: buying larger vehicle, Tim, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:36:30
      • Japanese gear ratios..., James, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:09:39
        • Toyota engines have wide torque bands, Tim, Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:48:26
    • mazda 5, James, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:51:44
  • Honda Pilot, Mysaab, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:36:17
    • 4th on the Pilot, Stan, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:37:07
    • I'll 2nd or 3rd the pilot, AdamD, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:44:16
  • "broad needs...", nwas, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:03:32
  • Flex, Justin VanAbrahams , Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:34:39
    • Re: Flex, formerfordsalesschleprock, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 12:04:16
  • Re: buying larger vehicle, Simon S, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:34:30
  • Minivans, No Snaab, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 08:29:33
    • Agree!, Tim, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:39:46
      • rear seat integrated boosters..., James, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:18:20
    • Re: Minivans, James, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:14:55
      • Not all are created equal, No Snaab, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:30:38
        • Re: Not all are created equal, Bruce, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:23:15
        • Re: Not all are created equal, James, Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:21:05 <-- Viewing This Message
        • The only minivan you want..., nwas, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:06:23
  • Re: buying larger vehicle, Noel, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:23:23
  • Re: buying larger vehicle, No Snaab, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:02:28
    • pilot, James, Sun, 23 Oct 2011 07:19:30

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