This is topic Family of 5, wife wants a mini-van, Help! in forum General Talk at Northern California Ford Owners .
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Posted by BlackNGold (Member # 655) on
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Hey guys, my 02 Mountaineer is getting old and with 3 kids my wife wants something better...She really likes the new Toyota Seinna's (260+hp) and I can get one for cheap at my work...I just don't really want a mini-van...
Expeditions are cool, but they're a lot $ for a nice one and still don't offer that much more room...The new Tahoe's look great, I just worry about the "chevy" side of things, if you know what I mean......
Any suggestions???....
Posted by 1FAST89GT (Member # 5071) on
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family of 5 here we ditch the mini van and just got an 06 equinox - chevy- works great, great room and power and no problems yet with it, i heard these equinox mini suv were designed in germany or europe somewhere
Posted by iceman302 (Member # 7180) on
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It looks like you're open to imports. If she doesn't drive much, I know that Honda often has exceptional leases on Pilots. Those would have the room you're looking for.
Posted by BlowN67 (Member # 4229) on
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well u should already know that the highlander has a third row seat an also does the 4runner. highlander uni-body. 4runner full frame. we love are 4runner. does the job good
Posted by BUKSING (Member # 6594) on
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yeah i know what you mean...im totally against the mini-van soccer mom look. im strongly thinking of the new 08 tahoe hybrid...might be bank tho..
Posted by Five Decimal Zero (Member # 1251) on
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I know what you mean about minivans but I've grown to accept them. My kids love our newly used 02 Honda Odyssey and I have no complaints at all. Its got some pretty decent power for being a minivan. I already have a Suburban but we barely use that since we purchased the Odyssey. Gas prices were killing us in the SUV.
Here are some pics of VIP styled Odysseys... go ahead and flame me ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Posted by 50 Deep (Member # 6216) on
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I'd mob that van all day.
But I see minivans becoming obsolete. U can get more versatility and better handling from an suv & vans aren't all that much more gas effecient if any.
But if ur stuck on a van they had that kenny brown supercharged one on e-bay a while back......
Posted by phat_turbo_du (Member # 6699) on
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Nissan Armada FTW
Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on
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New Acura MDX...hands down. Wife and I just bought one since we're expecting our 1st child in Sept. Man, that thing has some go. 300HP 3.7L Vtecececececece'd. Comes with a lot of factory goodies, including a manual shift, leather, largest engine in it's class, safest in class, largest moon roof in it's class, Hands free link, XM raido, standard 3rd row seat, etc, etc. Comes with SH AWD as well. It's able to direct more torque not only from the front to the back, but also to individual wheels as well. I can't say enough about how smooth the ride and accelleratiion is...it's pretty awesome and I'm glad I picked it up. It's a sport enthusiasts SUV. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Anyway, you should go for a test drive. They're all the same models with "options", except the sport. The sport model has 2 ride settings. You can probably come away with the base for around 37ish, or lease for cheap now. Either way, good luck! ![[patriot]](graemlins/patriot.gif)
Posted by forced331 (Member # 1270) on
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With a family of five its just more practical! Better gas mileage than a suv and cheaper. If I had 2 or 3 kids I would consider one. Only the Honda odyssey or Toyota Sienna!
Posted by t top freak (Member # 6269) on
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ebay up a couple kids, that solves the vehicle problem
Posted by Pure Stang (Member # 7251) on
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LOL what did you do to that mini van...
Posted by solbrothers (Member # 7524) on
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dude i'd rock a VIP style mini-van.
Posted by Jdub07 (Member # 2728) on
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you may not want to here it but Chrysler Pacifica man. It's a crossover. Mini van, suv, wagon in one. The newer ones have a v8 with dual exhaust and get the same if not better mpg than the 6 cyl. pacificas.
Jenn and I love ours. Its fucking huge!!! Come test drive it, crawl through it and see how you like it. When we are done with this one we'll be geting another one hands down. Plus it's not an import or a minivan and has decent twoing compacity.
Posted by hidnn.o.s. (Member # 1219) on
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Getting a nicely equipped mini-van is nothing to be ashamed of. Some of them are VERY nice, have a lot of room etc. Really, take a day or so to go to various dealerships and check them out, you'll be shocked!
Posted by BlackNGold (Member # 655) on
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Well, thanks for the advise and ideas guys....There are actually quite a few choices....
I can tell you that 3 rows of seats will be required....Unfortunately some of the SUV's I've been in really have a crappy 3rd row...The 4Runners 3rd row is tiny, but I loved everything else about it, sporty and love the interior...
I've never sat or checked out an MDX, I think partially because they're smaller than what we got and SO expensive...
As far as mini-vans go there is only one choice, Sienna...I work for Toyota and I can get everything at cost basically....The only problem is my wife wants the XLE Limited, with navigation and power fold down seats, which are awesome but BANK not matter how you look at it...
Jdub, how many # of passengers do the Pacificas carry?...
I want a new V8 Ford Expedition or Explorer, but they depeciate so fast, and gas isn't the greatest either....After the trans problems we had with out Mountaineer and lifting a 30lb 6 month old (yes I said 30lb) in and out of a tall SUV my wife DOES NOT want one.... ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Right now I think that the Sienna will suit us best, but only if I can get my GSXR750 so I can still own my NUTS....hehe..
Posted by Pure Stang (Member # 7251) on
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thats a big baby... one of my friends doughter is 4months and she already weighs 17lbs.. and another friend of mine has a 6 month 27lbs.. its kinda funny when she rolls over
Posted by Hungry Hippo (Member # 537) on
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what about the mazda cx9? i wouldn't get a van, the wife would probably get tired of the "soccer mom" image quickly.
Posted by Jdub07 (Member # 2728) on
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There are two types. Our fits six and there are others that fit seven. The six have two front with center consol, next row is two seats with its own center consol and third row seats has two seats. The seven seater has a bench seat in the middle that seats 3.
Posted by BCINGUU (Member # 2397) on
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My F250 truck seats 6!
Posted by BlackNGold (Member # 655) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Hungry Hippo:
what about the mazda cx9? i wouldn't get a van, the wife would probably get tired of the "soccer mom" image quickly.
Too bad it's too small, plus I'd rather get the Lincoln MKX as far as a "cross over"...
Posted by LIL MZ MISCHEIF (Member # 5585) on
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for a mini-van the Chrysler Town & Country's are really nice too.. and comfortable.
Posted by N8 (Member # 6048) on
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I have 5 boys plus me and the wife. I have a 06 Durango that fits us ok. Seats 6 in the back. My next move is a excursion tho. I looked at a mini van, I forget which one but it was a pretty sick one. Mini-vans arent that bad these days. I had 2 expeditions, I loved my 97 exp. I hear good things about the Navigator too.
Posted by 50Reasons (Member # 6452) on
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i have 8 in my family and the toyota sequoia does the job well plenty of room in the third row,and after a year and half of owning it checked prices on them i could still sell mine for what i paid for it, and with the v8 plenty of power and toyotas dont have any problems gas i get 22mpg if you drive right
Posted by MustangNate (Member # 4559) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Five Decimal Zero:
I know what you mean about minivans but I've grown to accept them. My kids love our newly used 02 Honda Odyssey and I have no complaints at all. Its got some pretty decent power for being a minivan. I already have a Suburban but we barely use that since we purchased the Odyssey. Gas prices were killing us in the SUV.
Here are some pics of VIP styled Odysseys... go ahead and flame me
Van looks good, but the rear wheels need to be fixed because that completely ruins it and makes it look ghey.
Posted by FoRdGiRl (Member # 6279) on
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well i have an 06 expedition with like 80000+ miles on it and cant say i have taken the best care of it but still runs good nothing falling apart has plenty of room for people and things everyone says how comfortable it is and nice it is. The 07 are much nicer and bigger so if you want a new car Id get an 07 if your gonna get an expedition. I liked the tahoes when I first saw them thought they had a lot of room but think the expeditions have more. My old boss had a sequia(sp) that was also really big and nice and she didnt have problems with it. As far as gas its about 60 dollars to fill up my tank right now and gas is about 285 average up here right now id say. Good luck with whatever you do and if you do buy a ford DO NOT GO TO HAYWARD FORD FUCK THAT PLACE
Posted by FoRdGiRl (Member # 6279) on
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quote:
Originally posted by N8:
I have 5 boys plus me and the wife. I have a 06 Durango that fits us ok. Seats 6 in the back. My next move is a excursion tho. I looked at a mini van, I forget which one but it was a pretty sick one. Mini-vans arent that bad these days. I had 2 expeditions, I loved my 97 exp. I hear good things about the Navigator too.
NO on navigators my friend has one and she had to fix the suspension on it like 5 times and still kept fuckin up Ive heard a few others complain about that as well so I would definitly not go for that
Posted by Wolfie351 (Member # 651) on
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If the wife doesn't want an SUV and you don't want a minivan, the new Taurus X will seat 6 adults (they claim 7 adults, but I question that) has 265hp, 6 speed auto. Get one in black, tint the windows, add some nice wheels...won't be too bad to drive around.
Posted by court (Member # 6700) on
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My wife and I just had our first kid and to prepare for it I bought an Acura TL in January.
She had the kid in May and now in July I got so tired of lifting the kid and car seat out of the damn Acura TL that I bought a Suburban.
It is a 2003 suburban and the fuel mileage isnt that bad as compared to my 2000 dodge ram quad cab.
I am SOO happy with this SUV. Plus when the in laws go with us or my parents it makes taking care of the baby a sinch.
Plus with tall people the seating is very nice.
I know gas mileage is important but lets be honest so is comfort.
[ August 01, 2007, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: court ]
Posted by Five Decimal Zero (Member # 1251) on
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quote:
Originally posted by court:
My wife and I just had our first kid and to prepare for it I bought an Acura TL in January.
She had the kid in May and now in July I got so tired of lifting the kid and car seat out of the damn Acura TL that I bought a Suburban.
It is a 2003 suburban and the fuel mileage isnt that bad as compared to my 2000 dodge ram quad cab.
I am SOO happy with this SUV. Plus when the in laws go with us or my parents it makes taking care of the baby a sinch.
Plus with tall people the seating is very nice.
I know gas mileage is important but lets be honest so is comfort.
Lower your Suburban, it makes it even easier to put your kids in... well not really. But it looks a little cooler. haha!
Posted by court (Member # 6700) on
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tight but is yours 4 wheel drive?
Posted by Five Decimal Zero (Member # 1251) on
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quote:
Originally posted by court:
tight but is yours 4 wheel drive?
Thanks... 2WD. Mcgaughy's makes drop kits for both 2/4 wheel drive.
Posted by court (Member # 6700) on
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well it looks tight, but I am waiting for the kid to get a couple of years older then I am going up in the air 8-10 inches!
[ August 01, 2007, 08:16 PM: Message edited by: court ]
Posted by 5dean0 (Member # 4623) on
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Mini Van For Sale 2004 Honda Odyssey 49k miles $16,000.00 firm.
Posted by fredfifty (Member # 10320) on
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ttt
Just bought a 2013 Sienna SE and damn it i love the way it drives! Like a corolla lol
Posted by Arch (Member # 5177) on
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quote:
Originally posted by BlackNGold:
Hey guys, my 02 Mountaineer is getting old and with 3 kids my wife wants something better...She really likes the new Toyota Seinna's (260+hp) and I can get one for cheap at my work...I just don't really want a mini-van...
Expeditions are cool, but they're a lot $ for a nice one and still don't offer that much more room...The new Tahoe's look great, I just worry about the "chevy" side of things, if you know what I mean......
Any suggestions???....
Those new Siennas aren't bad. Drove one for work, super comfortable. Back up cam for the women. Decent amount of power actually.
Posted by hidnn.o.s. (Member # 1219) on
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Issue SOLVED!
Posted by fredfifty (Member # 10320) on
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The New Sienna (SE & XLE) can actually tow up to 3500 pounds, which is a good option! But its also pretty good on gas and imo seats 8 fairly comfortably...
Posted by turbo50 (Member # 6700) on
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quote:
Originally posted by court:
well it looks tight, but I am waiting for the kid to get a couple of years older then I am going up in the air 8-10 inches!
I actually upgraded to a 2013 Tahoe and couldnt be happier.
Not too bad of mileage either to be honest.
Posted by turbo50 (Member # 6700) on
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quote:
Originally posted by court:
well it looks tight, but I am waiting for the kid to get a couple of years older then I am going up in the air 8-10 inches!
I actually upgraded to a 2013 Tahoe and couldnt be happier.
Not too bad of mileage either to be honest.
Posted by adower (Member # 5955) on
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Get a toyota vienna
Posted by fredfifty (Member # 10320) on
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if anyone is buying a 2013 sienna to include towing, then they will have to go aftermarket for the hitch receivers, and toyota will not install it...for me, i wanted everything (parts/labor) to be toyota, incase anything goes wrong...then i can defer back to the dealer...but no go, atleast for the time being
[ 2013-07-16, 03:19 PM: Message edited by: fredfifty ]
Posted by swedensky (Member # 12185) on
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Well from Ford, you have the explorer which is not depreciating at all. I had a woman bring in a 2013 with 26,000 miles on it already and it only booked for 2000 less than she bought it for… Although she did get a pretty good deal on it.
If you like the flex the flex is one of the most expensive vehicles that we offer as far as third row capability and it holds value better than any other car that we offer other than raptors, Shelby's, and specialty vehicles.
If you decided you want something more similar to the minivan, look at the 2014 transit wagon. Theyre taking the transit connect and getting back into the minivan game so they will have something a lot more modern for a minivan.
Posted by Insurance Guy (Member # 8241) on
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![[burnout]](graemlins/burnout.gif)
Posted by losbadgts (Member # 4394) on
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minivans are nice and roomy. For my fam I decided to go the mdx route. Great car and lots of room.
Posted by hidnn.o.s. (Member # 1219) on
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quote:
Originally posted by losbadgts:
minivans are nice and roomy. For my fam I decided to go the mdx route. Great car and lots of room.
You're telling me you have room in the 3rd row or behind the 3rd row?!?!? We looked at those new two years ago, VERY DISAPOINTED! With the 3rd row up we coulnd't even come close to fitting a folded up "jogger" in the back. First two rows of heated/cooled seats and gadgest were awesome, but with the 3rd row up and lack or room in the back it wasn't an option!
Edit: you say you only have a family of 4 or 5 total, you dont need more room than that.... Well, your kids have friends, you need room for yours and theirs "stuff" etc. Made the MDX too small for a family of 4+
[ 2013-07-16, 04:33 PM: Message edited by: hidnn.o.s. ]
Posted by Bent70 (Member # 9694) on
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quote:
Originally posted by BCINGUU:
My F250 truck seats 6!
That's my thinking.....
Posted by BUKSING (Member # 6594) on
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Wow this is an old thread. I originally said i was looking into the Tahoe hybrid and ended up getting the GMC Acadia in 07. We then traded it in last year and upgraded to a fully loaded Denali version. The wife and kids love it.
Posted by fredfifty (Member # 10320) on
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is that the acadia or the denali? looks like the acadia...7 seater?
Posted by NEIGHT (Member # 8741) on
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I'd never own a minivan, ever. SUV yeah but minivan? ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Posted by 88cobraclone (Member # 10958) on
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quote:
Originally posted by BUKSING:
Wow this is an old thread. I originally said i was looking into the Tahoe hybrid and ended up getting the GMC Acadia in 07. We then traded it in last year and upgraded to a fully loaded Denali version. The wife and kids love it.
![[worship]](graemlins/worship.gif)
I have an 05 Yukon Denali and my wife loves it! Fully loaded 3rd row seats have 3 kids lowered on 24s rear air ride so when I tow I can raise the airbags.....but my wife wants to trade it in for an Acadia Denali, how much did you pay if you don't mind me asking? I wouldn't get a mini van unless I was 50+ years old hahaha
Posted by fredfifty (Member # 10320) on
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quote:
Originally posted by NEIGHT:
I'd never own a minivan, ever. SUV yeah but minivan?
i said the same thing...you'll eventually come to, youngling.
Posted by BUKSING (Member # 6594) on
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quote:
Originally posted by 88cobraclone:
quote:
Originally posted by BUKSING:
Wow this is an old thread. I originally said i was looking into the Tahoe hybrid and ended up getting the GMC Acadia in 07. We then traded it in last year and upgraded to a fully loaded Denali version. The wife and kids love it.
I have an 05 Yukon Denali and my wife loves it! Fully loaded 3rd row seats have 3 kids lowered on 24s rear air ride so when I tow I can raise the airbags.....but my wife wants to trade it in for an Acadia Denali, how much did you pay if you don't mind me asking? I wouldn't get a mini van unless I was 50+ years old hahaha
Acadia Denali's go for $50k. Can't really negotiate much but we got $10k for our trade in so it was like $40k.
To the OP, I've seen the features on mini vans and think they're better than suv's but I ain't ready to rock the exterior yet lol.
Posted by BUKSING (Member # 6594) on
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quote:
Originally posted by fredfifty:
is that the acadia or the denali? looks like the acadia...7 seater?
It's the Acadia Denali version. Look it up. Comes 7 or 8 seater. We went with the 7 seater cuz the 2nd row captain chairs are pimp. Plus you don't have to fold down anything for passengers to get to the 3rd row. The 3rd row is actually more comfortable for adults than the full size yukons/Tahoe/escalades.
Posted by NEIGHT (Member # 8741) on
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quote:
Originally posted by fredfifty:
quote:
Originally posted by NEIGHT:
I'd never own a minivan, ever. SUV yeah but minivan?
i said the same thing...you'll eventually come to, youngling.
No, I never will to a minivan. Especially after seeing a bunch of grown men riding around in them I can't help but feel bad for them.
Posted by Wolfie351 (Member # 651) on
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quote:
Originally posted by NEIGHT:
quote:
Originally posted by fredfifty:
quote:
Originally posted by NEIGHT:
I'd never own a minivan, ever. SUV yeah but minivan?
i said the same thing...you'll eventually come to, youngling.
No, I never will to a minivan. Especially after seeing a bunch of grown men riding around in them I can't help but feel bad for them.
Don't need you to feel bad for me. In fact, if you seriously think your ego would take a hit by driving a minivan, then I feel bad for you and your low self esteem. I'm glad to say I'm above that and had zero reservations about buying my Sienna SE. When my kids get older and can get in and out by themselves, I may eventually get an SUV so I can at least tow something. But, with an infant and two toddlers, a minivan is the only practical choice for day to day use.
Posted by Venomized93 (Member # 55) on
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Get an Acura MDX fits 7, AWD and can get a nice one for $25k or less. Look for a 2008/2009.
Posted by racsirx (Member # 1710) on
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I want the Sienna Sport, doesn't drive like a mini van.
Posted by fredfifty (Member # 10320) on
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quote:
Originally posted by racsirx:
I want the Sienna Sport, doesn't drive like a mini van.
You can say that again...drives like a car! Heres my SE
Posted by racsirx (Member # 1710) on
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quote:
Originally posted by fredfifty:
quote:
Originally posted by racsirx:
I want the Sienna Sport, doesn't drive like a mini van.
You can say that again...drives like a car! Heres my SE
That's the one I like, the Sport, if I ever get a mini van again
Posted by $icInsane (Member # 10068) on
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Toyota Rav4 2013 is a great car and has more room then the old rav4s
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