Good morning! Today we’re going to look at a couple of old minivans. No, they’re not cool, but they are incredibly useful, and you’re probably not as cool as you think you are, anyway. I know I’m not. A cool car isn’t going to change that, so why not embrace practicality?
I confess I was surprised by the result of yesterday’s vote. I expected the much cheaper Mitsubishi Galant to win, but it lost by two-to-one to the Volvo 850. I guess the niceness and solidness of the Volvo was just worth it for most of you. And I must admit that I don’t think I’ve ever met a dissatisfied Volvo owner. To know those cars is to love them, it seems.
But I’m a cheapskate, and the $1,450 price difference between the two is not something I can ignore. In fact, I could probably fly to Portland, have a friend drive me to Richland, pick up the Galant, and drive it home to Michigan for less than the Volvo that’s only an hour away. That’s not nothing. And I bet the Galant would be cheaper to maintain, too.
Unless you’re specifically looking for a cheap car with a lot of seats, an old minivan is probably not something you’d think of buying. But maybe it should be. Compared to a cheap old SUV, a minivan is going to get better mileage, probably ride more smoothly, and offer more vehicle for less. And you still get the nice high seating position and big cargo capacity. What’s not to like? Oh right – being seen in a minivan. Let’s see which one of these you would deign to drive.
2005 Kia Sedona EX – $2,900
Engine/drivetrain: 3.5-liter DOHC V6, five-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Puyallup, WA
Odometer reading: 140,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
I still think it’s strange that I have had a driver’s license longer than Kia has been selling cars in this country. And based on the early Sephias and Sportages I saw, I wouldn’t have imagined it would turn into such a powerhouse manufacturer. This Sedona was built just a decade after those early models, but it’s as different from them as night and day. This thing is nice.
Kia almost went belly-up in the 1990s and was rescued by Hyundai, and it’s probably the best thing that could have happened to it. Early Kias borrowed heavily from Mazda designs, but once Hyundai came on board, the two firms joined forces and shared platforms and drivetrains. This Sedona is powered by a Hyundai V6 engine and a five-speed automatic, and from what I’ve heard, it’s a pretty good combo. It’s a one-owner van that has been well-maintained from the sounds of it, and it runs and drives great.
It looks clean inside, but the photos aren’t giving a good view of the driver’s seat, which is a little suspicious. All the other seats are shown clearly in the ad. Are they hiding something? I don’t like to think so, because the ad sounds so earnest. The seller does say that everything works, which is something.
Man, I miss two-tone vehicles. Does anybody make them anymore? I can’t think of any. I mean, they’re boring colors, but when there are two of them, they’re significantly less boring. It’s in nice shape, too. Someone really took care of this van.
2006 Dodge Caravan SE – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter DOHC inline-4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Mesquite, TX
Odometer reading: 160,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Long before Kia ever set foot in the US, Chrysler was changing the automobile market with its “garageable vans.” The Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager were overnight successes and set the template for the entire minivan market. Other formulas were tried early on, but eventually all manufacturers adopted Chrysler’s front transverse engine/front-wheel-drive layout. This is the fourth generation of Dodge Caravan, in its short-wheelbase configuration.
Early Caravans all had four-cylinder engines, but once a V6 became available, most buyers opted for it. The base engine remained a four-cylinder throughout this generation, however, and apparently Chrysler did move a few of them. This van has the same 2.4-liter four-cylinder and four-speed Ultradrive automatic as your neighbor’s PT Cruiser. It’s not a ton of power, but it probably gets a lot better mileage than the V6 versions. And there’s another big advantage to the four-cylinder, if you’re a DIYer: it’s a lot easier to work on than a transverse V6. It runs great, according to the seller, but that’s about all they say.
It’s in decent shape inside, with one exception: the headliner is falling down. Why does that happen to so many cars? Surely this is a solvable problem. I’ve tried gluing them back up; that never works. I’ve stuck them back up with thumb tacks, but I’m always worried the tacks will fall out over a bump and land in my lap while I’m driving. Anybody else got a good cheap solution? I’m all ears.
Outside, its biggest flaws seem to be some peeling clearcoat and cheap window tint that’s turning purple. Other than that, it looks clean. It’s a Texas car, so it probably hasn’t seen road salt, so rust shouldn’t be an issue. It’s a good color, too.
I’ve thought about a cheap minivan a few times. It makes sense as an only vehicle, because it can do pretty much everything. If you don’t need the extra seats, yank ’em out, and you’ve got as much space in back as a pickup with a cap on it. Or throw a mattress in the back, and you’ve got an instant ersatz camper. But unlike a big pickup or an RV, you can park it anywhere. You just have to not give a damn about what anyone else thinks of your vehicle choice. Which one of these looks like a better way to get into a minivan?
Default minivan vote:
Sienna
Odessey
Caravan
Anything else
My default minivan vote is as follows:
Astro/Safari
Dustbusters
2nd-gen Dustbusters with the extended schnozz
Grand Caravan/Voyagers with Stow-N-Go seats
Other Chryslers without Stow-N-Go
F*rd Deathstars (Aerostar/Windstar/Freestar)
All other Korean or Japanese models.
I love this list too!
Kia today. I’d rather have a vehicle that has lived 20 years in rainy and mild Seattle than baked in the Texas sun. It is also a nicer trim and has 4 individual rear seats instead of 2 benches. From owning a Caravan and Astro with bench seats they are a monster to wrestle in and out of the van.
The 2.4L and 3.3L Caravan have the exact same EPA fuel economy rating. 17 city / 24 highway. Even the 3.3L is slow I can’t imagine how slow it is with the 4.
I can imagine because I actually drove Caravans with the 2.4. Majority of them were slow and some base models were only equipped with a 3 speed direct drive automatic. The 2.4 liter engines also had a reputation for blowing head gaskets. The 3.3 liter Mitsubishi V6 was better suited for the Caravan’s/Voyager’s/Town & Country’s weight. Kia Sedona for me please.
Kia because seller knows how to take pictures.
Tinted front side windows on the other one are for losers.
Of which I certainly do not consider myself one of (YMMW).
I really hate transverse mounted V6s so it’s Caravan. Cut out the headliner completely, like the PO did on our 99 XJ. It doesn’t look horrible. It might for the passengers but I don’t notice it at all driving.
Tough decision, and I can’t even use my tie-breaker; they BOTH have air fresheners hanging from the mirror. I wonder why people don’t remove those when they take the pics, but, at the same time, I’m kinda glad they don’t; it’s like they’re telling on themselves.
Anyway, I like the idea of the well-optioned Kia, but if I’m buying a vehicle as an errand-runner (which is what this would be for me), then I want cheap and simple. I’m pretty familiar with early 00’s Chrysler products, so as long as everything (especially the A/C!) works as it should, it’s the Caravan for me today.
My daughter had a similar Kia. I had a similar Chrysler. Both failed catastrophically. I voted for Bill the Cat and Opus.
I voted Caravan because my family owned a bunch and while I fully expect failure soon, I’ve worked on ’em enough to know what I’m in for.
I voted for the Kia because I think it’s too old to have that stupid gasoline direct injection engine that burns all the oil once it hits 100k miles. If it has that, I’d go with the Dodge despite the headliner issue that sucks.
I’ve got experience with both and would rather have the Kia.
Kia for me. There’s something endearing and charming about that particular van that hits me just right. I know some of it is the great condition, two tone exterior with alloys and the little winglet spoiler, but there’s something about the interior of all Kia’s of this era *specifically in tan* that hit a good feeling in me.
The caravan will have managed to find a way to rust, even in Texas. Kia.
I saw the vans in the top shot and Clint Eastwood’s line from Heartbreak Ridge immediately came to mind: “The Marines are looking for a few good men. Unfortunately, you ain’t it.”
That said, I’ve vowed to never own another Kia, so the Caravan wins by default.
I want to be all gung-ho about the Caravan, and do a PT Cruiser Turbo 4 swap; but two things.
I’ll go with the Kia. I grew up with Caravans, and a super basic one with a 4-cyl is going to struggle to get out of its own way. And probably get worse real world mileage than a V6, just because the engine is not only small but likely attached to the most basic, unsophisticated transmission Chrysler had for it at the time. Fine for durability and keeping price low. Mileage? Ehhhhhhhh…
I’m not thrilled about the Kia either, since this is still in the company’s formative years, especially in the US. But it is a good deal nicer, probably gets similar mileage, might be somewhat less reliable but having grown up with crapbasket high-mileage ’90s Caravans, they weren’t terribly reliable for my family. Lots of fixing, especially the 3-speed K-Car transaxles. But they got us where we needed.
There’s a Chrysler stealership about 10 miles from me. The nearest Kia stealership is over 100 miles away.
For $2K, the Crap-A-Van wins today.
Just rip that old headliner down and recover with papier-mâché.
… and glow-in-the-dark stars!
Several full size trucks are available in two tone in certain trims. Mine is blue and beige.
I voted Caravan.
I have driven examples of both of these cars. For the Kia, I distinctly recall the driver’s seat padding was thin and the position of the driver’s seat was awkward relative to the controls. It was otherwise a decent vehicle, but an uncomfortable and awkward driver’s seat is a deal breaker.
I don’t remember much about the Caravan, although I drove vehicles like this on many occasions (my mom owned a few similar vans). Nothing about the driving experience was memorable. For a minivan, that is a compliment. As I have opined on many occasions, not all vehicles need to be fun.
I wouldn’t touch either with your ten foot pole that smells of sour milk, used diapers and desperation.
They are about the same price and at the same level of desirability to me, which isn’t very high.
So, give me the V6 and the lower mileage. I’m not working on my own vehicle, I’m too old for that crap, so I don’t care how hard a transverse V6 is to work on.
I got a good chuckle out of the Sedona still featuring a tape deck in 2005. I don’t know if that makes it a better vehicle or not, but it gets my vote.
Cassette adapter to Blue Tooth or a line in plug works great.
Seconded on the blue tooth cassette adapter! I use one in my ’05 Tundra for listening to podcasts on long drives.
Not only does it have a cassette deck, it also has a 6 disc CD changer!
Strictly on driving dynamics, the Caravan wins.
The Sedona is in great shape and well-equipped. It’s from the time when Kia’s selling point was “stuff for the money.”
The Hyundai engine is good. Ergonomics and visibility are good. It basically felt like a brand new ten year old van when I had one of that generation as a press loan.
But it felt like it had ten years of wear on the shocks. Ride was crashy and floaty. That would bug me fiercely, every single day.
Also – transverse four in the Caravan! I’m old now, I like cheap, slow cars. But they still need to ride and handle well.
I have owned a sedona of this vintage. It was fine. strong motor. minivan v-6s will always suck for plug changes but still a tiny bit better than the caravan.
This is the nicer version as it has a roof rack, the roof rack alone makes it the chioce today.
Caravan. Transverse V6s ARE a PITA to work on.
And I’ve fixed a headliner before. You take it out, strip the old material off, lightly sand it, spray it with adhesive, spray the back of the new material, let sit for a minute, then apply the new material. Reinstall.
Took about an hour on my RCSB Silverado. I would imagine it will be a bit more complicated with a minivan, but the principle is the same.
I think.
I sounded pretty confident, though, right?
I’d say flip a coin but the Kia does look nice.