We have two-year-old twins and just found out we’re expecting another set at the end of the year. Our current family vehicle is a 2022 Subaru Outback (worth about $20k) and I daily a 2018 Nissan Leaf.
We need to step up to a minivan. I’ve been looking hard at Toyota Siennas and Honda Odysseys because they’re the only ones with a real reputation for long-term reliability. The problem is the prices. I’m seeing a lot of 8-year-old Siennas with 100k+ miles going for around $25k, which feels crazy high for that age and mileage. I’m nervous about buying someone else’s potential maintenance nightmare. The few cars I was interested in, the seller wouldn’t allow me to take their vehicle in for a pre purchase inspection.
I have $25k in savings and a tight monthly budget. We already put $1k/month toward investments/savings/tithing. I could pause that for a few months to save more, but I really don’t want to go over $25k total on the vehicle (including what we get from the Outback).
We haven’t had any debt in 10 years, and I hate the idea of financing, but with four little ones on the way I’m getting analysis paralysis. I just want something that will reliably get my wife and kids from A to B without breaking down and stranding them.
What cheap, reliable family haulers are you guys actually driving these days? Any recent Sienna or Odyssey purchases under $25–28k that have held up well? Would love to hear real experiences.