Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Non minivan, 7 seat, good mpg, some towing? 1 2 3

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  Feb. 17, 2011 11:38 a.m. mw HalfDork

  Does this exist? The vehicle must tow safely, hold 2 car seats, large dog, three adults and some luggage for trips to the cottage. My wife is concerned about fuel economy. Neither of us want to drive a minivan. I'm trying to convince her that a diesel excursion is our best bet, but she doesn't want something that big (I do). Are there any good options I may not know about? Oh yeah budget is 10-12k

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  Feb. 17, 2011 11:44 a.m. Javelin SuperDork

  Why does it need to hold 3 adults and 2 car seats all the time?

  Michael Pinto - 73 AMC Javelin / GoKart / 93 Miata STS / 01 Grand Prix GT / 06 Mazda5

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  Feb. 17, 2011 11:49 a.m. The_Jed Reader

  Cut the budget in half and that is exactly the sort of vehicle the wife and I are after.

  They look like angels when they're asleep. But when they're awake...

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  Feb. 17, 2011 11:49 a.m. ReverendDexter SuperDork

  I think diesel Excursion or diesel Suburban are your only answers, and my hat tips to the Ford.

  Until Tardis technology finally gets pulled from the hands of the Timelords, big on the inside is gonna mean big on the outside.

  --There is no turd more polished than the Ford Mustang--

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  Feb. 17, 2011 11:51 a.m. Tom Suddard SonDork

  Minivan is the answer...

  'cause we're aliens, and thats how we roll.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 11:52 a.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

  Since you are anti-minivan, big big mistake, you are stuck with a Suburban, Excursion, FS conversion van or a yellow short bus. With those you can forget about MPG's with those mostly 15mpg or so at BEST. Right now, I have an Avalanche and with one car seat, one large dog, and 3 adults, it is a berkeleying clown car when we stop somewhere.

  In the end, one of you is going to have to give up something to get to your overall goal. Wish you the best.

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:00 p.m. fornetti14 HalfDork

  Used GMC Acadia or Chevy Traverse in 2-3 years. Until then have fun with your mini-van. That's the route we're taking.

  My Venture will pull my IT car and haul the family with plenty of room. I may try to pull with my Sable wagon but not without a huge trans. cooler.

  All cars are now running. Time to go shopping for something that is broken.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:06 p.m. rogerbvonceg Reader

  ReverendDexter wrote: I think diesel Excursion or diesel Suburban are your only answers, and my hat tips to the Ford. Until Tardis technology finally gets pulled from the hands of the Timelords, big on the inside is gonna mean big on the outside.

  Ppffff. The Timelords ripped it off from Mercedes. (I assume you mean the transcendental dimensionalism. I don't know where they got the time travel part, but since they are the "Time Lords" I always assumed they worked that part up in-house. Or maybe they subbed it out to Porsche engineers)

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:07 p.m. triumph5 Dork

  Suburban's a natural, and often well under expected pricing for such a capable vehicle. But I thik Ranger 50 hit the nail on the head.

  OTOH, there's a diesel MB, 1980 wagon that was put up for sale late, late last fall. It's slowly emerging from the snow I'm going to talk with the owner in a week or so to see what's up with it. He DOES want it gone, as it was parked in his front yard. I believe it was his summer-house car. I will post when it emerges from the whiteness.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:12 p.m. 1988RedT2 Dork

  I once felt that minivans sucked. I have since seen the light. Minivans are wonderful, practical, economical, and dare I say it--fun!

  A lot of people drive what they drive purely for reasons of "image" or "style" which in my mind is pretty asinine. If you look at it from a more practical standpoint, the overwhelming virtues of minivans will strike your cerebral cortex like a bolt from the blue.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:17 p.m. scardeal HalfDork

  wasn't there some full size car that could tow 5k pounds?
  

  My thought was large wagon (body on frame?) with a 3rd row (like Buick Roadmaster I think), towing package and rooftop carrier...

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:20 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

  What you want is going to be tough even with a real van. Any of the small utes with 7 seats have token rear seats and no storage behind them for luggage OR the dog. Even the Mini-Van is going to have minimal storage behind the 3rd row and that will be overwhelmed with luggage/strollers for that many people leaving the dog to roam around with the passengers. You are looking at Suburban/Expedition/Excursion style vehicles or an extended full size van. Diesel is the only way to get slightly survivable mileage with any of those.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:21 p.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

  From your description, the mini-van is the vehicle.

  I've publicly stood firm against them.

  But when hidden away in another state, where no one could see me, I would borrow a friends minivan, and silently enjoy the incredible practicality of it.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:24 p.m. alfadriver SuperDork

  A miata driver doens't want a minivan due to image?

  Oh, the irony.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:48 p.m. 1988RedT2 Dork

  And not to sound vindictive, but consider where gas prices are going. We've already passed $3 in most parts of the country. Many experts are predicting a steady march to over $4 by Memorial Day. So consider how proud you're going to be of your big truck when a fill-up costs 100 bucks.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:50 p.m. Vigo Dork

  Get a van, be happy.
  

  What are you trying to tow? A minivan can easily tow a miata on a lightweight trailer. Trailer brakes a plus, though.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:51 p.m. Vigo Dork

  Or push your budget up a whole lot and get a passenger sprinter and REVEL in european levels of 10 years ago AWESOME.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:54 p.m. Javelin SuperDork

  1988RedT2 wrote: And not to sound vindictive, but consider where gas prices are going. We've already passed $3 in most parts of the country. Many experts are predicting a steady march to over $4 by Memorial Day. So consider how proud you're going to be of your big truck when a fill-up costs 100 bucks.

  This. Watching gas go bonkers is one of the many reasons my DD is now a N/A 4-cylinder Mazda5 that gets 22-28MPG instead of a WRX or a V8 P71.

  Michael Pinto - 73 AMC Javelin / GoKart / 93 Miata STS / 01 Grand Prix GT / 06 Mazda5

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:55 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

  scardeal wrote: wasn't there some full size car that could tow 5k pounds? My thought was large wagon (body on frame?) with a 3rd row (like Buick Roadmaster I think), towing package and rooftop carrier...

  I was just gonna say, LT1 Roadmaster is rating at 5k towing. I looked into getting one as a tow rig just for the lulz and was put off by the fact that a decent one is unobtanium in the midwest.

  Go fast or go broke.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 12:58 p.m. mw HalfDork

  I know we will probably end up with a van, I was just hoping it wouldn't happen so soon. I dOnt mind the girly car image, but don't really want the grown up image (still in the twilight of my 20's)

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  Feb. 17, 2011 1:02 p.m. Vigo Dork

  Bah, grown up my ass. Minivan's are for childish hilarity. That's why i built a turbo 5spd one and take people for rides down the street with the seats not bolted down. HAHAHA

  edit: just remembered, i also raced(and beat) a riced out eclipse on my way to high school prom in 2001 with a van full of tuxedo'd up 17 year olds. That was a high point of my street-racing/comedy career.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 1:04 p.m. ww SuperDork

  Diesel Excursion. The new 6.0L is quiet and gets excellent mileage for a vehicle that size.

  Lots and LOTS of Datsuns...

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  Feb. 17, 2011 1:09 p.m. failboat Reader

  I am under 30, engaged, and no kids (and no real plans for them), 2 dogs. I just got a minivan in december and I like it a lot. Of course my future wife tells me I am not right in the head.

  boosh.

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  Feb. 17, 2011 1:24 p.m. Scott Lear Production Editor

  Ford Flex is basically a minivan that doesn't look as much like a minivan, but they're not giving them away, don't think you'll find one in your price range for a few years yet.

  Minivans are hard to beat; the wife and I just picked up a used Odyssey and I'm all but fighting her for the keys, that thing just rocks.

  If it's a matter of nomenclature, don't call it a minivan. Call it an Extreme Versatility Cruiser, or maybe an Adventuresled.

  Scott R. Lear, Production Editor GRM/CMS

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  Feb. 17, 2011 1:26 p.m. Javelin SuperDork

  I force my wife to call my Mazda5 a "Sport Van". I am also a few years from 30 and have no current kids (though we do have 1 on the way). It hauls some serious cargo and will also haul but around town and in the twisties!

  Michael Pinto - 73 AMC Javelin / GoKart / 93 Miata STS / 01 Grand Prix GT / 06 Mazda5

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