The minivan: Why is so hated?

[gzilla46]

Hello, and today, I am going to talk about something that has been confusing me for a long time. A lot of people hate these for some reason, and I need explanations. I'm talking about...

The minivan.

Oh, how it is so discriminated against in the car world? Why is it that people have a real hatred for these? Because, seriously, I don't see what your problem is. People who actually have an open mind, like me, realize that these vans have almost a magical way of making life easier and is quite luxurious to ride in if done right.

Take a look at this 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan for example.

When fully loaded, the Caravan can be a very comfortable van and a very useful one, too.

If you're taking friends or family on a long trip, they can just turn on the overhead TV to watch or relax in the comfy seats. What's to hate about that? Plus, it's 2nd and 3rd row seats fold flat into the floor for full cargo space. Big plus.

But people say, "Oh, vans are not cool or sporty like a Mustang". Who cares if it's sporty or not. Sure, it's fine if a minivan isn't right for you, but you can't just hate it just because it's not sporty or stylish. Not every car has to be those things.

Something that doesn't cater to your needs and something that sucks are 2 totally different things.

So, what is with the minivan hate? Can't we give these vehicles a break and give them respect for the great, comfortable, versatile vehicles they are?

 

[Quasimod0]

I love minivans. I have one. They're really useful if you have kids or work with kids at a church or somewhere

 

[gzilla46]

I love minivans. I have one. They're really useful if you have kids or work with kids at a church or somewhere

I'm glad you think that. Or at a school.

 

[Hobgoblin]

I dont see myself ever needing one, but I really dont hate them. They are too big and need too much gas. I prefer smaller cars.

I only get irritated when I am parked next to one and I cant see around it when I am pulling out into the street.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

It's because it's seen as a symbol of getting older. People who usually buy minivans are people with families, or are planning one.

 

[Thundercrack85]

There's something incredibly unstylish and uncool about it.

It just embodies lameness, in a way that's hard to describe.

 

[redmarvel]

I love minivans. I have one. They're really useful if you have kids or work with kids at a church or somewhere

We now have two. The aqua-marine (in colour) tank and the little red lemon.

See, our tank was giving us trouble so hubby decided we needed a second vehicle we couldn't really afford, just in case.

The tank is an Astro, but it wasn't tough enough for hubby. So he put a deer catcher on the front of it, a wicked trailer hitch on the back that loves to bite my knees and a lift kit so it JUST fits in most parking garages (we scraped the caution bar at one place).

The little red lemon is a Dodge Caravan, 2006. It's had it's own share of troubles since we got it. We needed to replace the A/C about a month after buying it, among other things. If you don't put the gas cap on just right, the check engine warning light comes on.

I now get to drive the little red lemon to work... it also doesn't get much traction, so we have to somehow fit winter tires with rims into our thin budget.

Frankly, a little 4 door Toyota would have been a LOT cheaper on gas. The little red lemon needs to be filled up once a week (around $50).

 

[Burgundy LaRue]

Minivans have come a long way in terms of style. The Honda Odyssey always looks goofy to me, but the Dodge Caravan is a legitimately nice vehicle. I would have no need for it, as I have no children. But it's a perfectly acceptable ride.

They symbolize being caught in the family/getting older vortex. Got a minivan? We know your life story without you saying a word. Married, with 2-3 kids, a dog, a mortgage, one kid plays sports and another is in the band, you probably take your parents to the doctor in it, and you're church/community oriented. Nothing wrong with any of those things. But just the presence of a minivan allows for easy labeling.

At this point, you'd probably seem cooler if you drove a station wagon. Talk about something that has become almost obsolete. I actually look in awe when I see an older one driving around.

 

[Lencho01]

Do people really care about minivans say about you?

I don't love or hate minivans. There just another type of car that can serve certain purposes to me.

 

[I'm Old Greg]

I figure because theyre 6 cylinder, people end up speeding in them and manouvering around in them wrecklessly like theyre cars and not Vans.
Minivans are seen as a family vehicle so when you see some A Hole drivin one like a moron makes people angry towards the minivan.
People take advantage of it.
It pisses me off wondering if some idiot has a kid in a minivan while driving that way.
I think also people figure when they see a minivan they need to drive cautiously amongst it cause of child passengers. People can get irritated by that and even more so when a minivan cuts them off.

My sis has one and i like it, its a nice ride but she drives it safely and doesnt take it out on the road like its a civic or something.

 

[gzilla46]

Minivans have come a long way in terms of style. The Honda Odyssey always looks goofy to me, but the Dodge Caravan is a legitimately nice vehicle. I would have no need for it, as I have no children. But it's a perfectly acceptable ride.

They symbolize being caught in the family/getting older vortex. Got a minivan? We know your life story without you saying a word. Married, with 2-3 kids, a dog, a mortgage, one kid plays sports and another is in the band, you probably take your parents to the doctor in it, and you're church/community oriented. Nothing wrong with any of those things. But just the presence of a minivan allows for easy labeling.

At this point, you'd probably seem cooler if you drove a station wagon. Talk about something that has become almost obsolete. I actually look in awe when I see an older one driving around.

That's pretty interesting. But I can see where you are getting at. I mean, it'd probably be fun to go for a ride in one, that's for sure. I'm not sure about driving one because I don't have a driver's license, but still, you could fall asleep riding in one.

 

[Quasimod0]

If I was a single guy somethin, then I wouldn't have a minivan. But for families and stuff, it's totally worth it. It's a specialty vehicle i guess

 

[gzilla46]

If I was a single guy somethin, then I wouldn't have a minivan. But for families and stuff, it's totally worth it. It's a specialty vehicle i guess

Perhaps.

 

[Slushy]

Because SUVs are better.

 

[RockSP]

I would have no need for it, as I have no children. But it's a perfectly acceptable ride.

Do people really care about minivans say about you?

I don't love or hate minivans. There just another type of car that can serve certain purposes to me.

Pretty much. I have a friend with 3 kids and one on the way. He has one. My cousin with more kids than I can count has one (that mofo should actually get a full sized van or a bus) as well. Me with no kids, I don't need one.

 

[NHawk19]

They're associated with a certain lifestyle just like everyone has alluded to. They're useful, great for families, long trips, or when you need to move a group of people or a lot of stuff.

Thing is you can add all the features you want DVD, high end sound etc. but at the end of the day they're seen as family vehicle. There's nothing wrong with that, but you're never going to get people to look at a minivan the same way they see a corvette or mustang.

 

[knowsbleed]

From the viewpoint of a family with kids, it's very practical. It's roomier and more gas friendly than an SUV. They aren't built for flash. If a family wants a flashy car yet they need need more room than a car can afford, then they can get a 7-8 seat SUV like an Escalade. That's plenty of flash and can still be considered a family friendly vehicle. If you don't need all that flash and want to spend $36,000-$46,000 less, get a minivan.

 

[Figs]

I don't hate minivans, I just hate most of the drivers. I have yet to be stuck behind a minivan driver who actually knows how to drive and keeps up with the speed limit.

Most of the time I feel the vehicle is too large and too much to handle for some of the drivers.

 

[Paradoxium]

Why so hated you ask?

if you have kids or work with kids

This.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

From the viewpoint of a family with kids, it's very practical. It's roomier and more gas friendly than an SUV. They aren't built for flash. If a family wants a flashy car yet they need need more room than a car can afford, then they can get a 7-8 seat SUV like an Escalade. That's plenty of flash and can still be considered a family friendly vehicle. If you don't need all that flash and want to spend $36,000-$46,000 less, get a minivan.

This is why the minivan gets a lot of crap. It's practical, it's not the fun car, it's the utilitarian car. I see nothing wrong with it, if you're married with kids, it makes sense, there's a lot of hauling to be done.

 

[Lencho01]

Pretty much. I have a friend with 3 kids and one on the way. He has one. My cousin with more kids than I can count has one (that mofo should actually get a full sized van or a bus) as well. Me with no kids, I don't need one.

My mother has a 2005 Nissan Quest. I still laugh at the idea that of it having the same kind of engine as the 350Z. It has an interesting moonroof set up. She has a DVD player and Bose sound system. So, it was pretty nice when traveling to visit family for various holidays. Outside of regular servicing, she's had no problems with it.

 

[Darthphere]

I totally want a minivan. It would serve me very well for my....uses.

 

[Matt Mortem]

I used to have a mini-van it was a Plymouth Voyager. I loved it, it just got a little too high up in miles and I upgraded to a Kia Sorento. My friends all gave me **** for owning a mini-van, but they never had a problem asking me to drive the big bunch of them around.

 

[knowsbleed]

I totally want a minivan. It would serve me very well for my....uses.

... to go shopping for skinny jeans?