I bought a fuckin mini van.

**Beaver** · 04-17-2006, 04:45 PM

I still can't believe it.

My Camry was overheating due to a lack of coolant. The coolant was blowing out the exhaust due to a blown head gasket. If I drove it around town and trip 100km or less it never got real hot and didn't have a problem. My wife tried to take it to Calgary a couple weeks ago and it overheated so I met her on the roadside and swapped cars with her and she continued. I topped up the coolant with water (about 6 litres) and drove it home. For 2 weeks it didn't use a drop of coolant but I had decided to replace it and was actively looking.

Last Friday we drove to visit a friend in Vernon (350km) we got 80km and it overheated due to a lack of coolant. So I stopped and topped it up with water. I was thinking it was going to be a long drive if I had to stop and fill the rad every 80km. I also threw a couple eggs in the rad to plug things up a little and continued. I made the rest of the trip and only used a cup or so of coolant. Eggs in the rad work great.

Next day I went vehicle shopping. On the way I took the car to the carwash and hosed off the oil that was dripping from all the seals on the engine. I pulled out of the car wash and it died. I started it up and it ran like shit so I tok it for a blast to heat it up and dry it off. It helped, now it only ran like shit if idleing of floored.

Off we go to the Toyota dealer. Drove a couple or 3 Camrys and 3 mini vans, went and drove an accord and a Honda Oddesy (real nice van) then went back to Toyota. I really wanted to buy the '03 5spd Camry with 34000km we drove but I talked myself into the van cause 3 kids in a Camry backseat fighting all the time would suck and I can't put them in the front because of the airbag issue. On the way back to Toyota it finally begins running on all 6 cylinders. While taking to the Toyota salesman he mentions that the 3L V6 had issues with head gaskets in the '92-'93 years. And I said "Like mine" so I kinda almost told him about the big problem with the car.

So dude at the Toyota dealer askes if he can take my car and do an appraisal on it. Off he goes and I figure he'll come back and tell me it's worth $1000. He comes back 20 minutes later and points some of out the issues with the car. warped rotors, worn drive axel, cracked trim around sunroof and a missing speaker cover. He said he had a buyer for it and could offer me $4500. So I shut my trap about the blown head gasket, leaky steering rack, bad wheel bearing, the over due timing belt change and the probable cracked heads (My wife overheated it so hot that the gauge went off the scale and the car stopped running once & it was overheated not quite as bad many other times). I did an estimate to repair all it's problems and came up with a little over $5000cad.

So we get down to it and he's hardly flexible on the price of the minivan and I get him down a mere $500. He pulled up the listing online and I noticed the listing has it listed with 9000 less KM so I get him to knock $0.10 per Km. Then we get all the taxes figured out and it's $16188 and he says "How about $16200." I say "Nope how 'bout $16000." He's not keen and will not drop the $188. He's got me by the balls cause he knows I'm from out of town and want to drive a new vehicle home so I gave in.

I know I could have gotten it for less if I walked out but it would have ment staying until Monday and missing a day of work as it was 5:00pm Saturday. I am expecting a call sometime from the dealer with him swearing at me for trading in a total POS and not telling him what I knew. I'm just happy to have dumped the wagon. I don't feel bad for the salesman because the higherup who did the appraisal was sitting in on the price negotiating and calling all the shots. I might have felt bad if I had done it to the salesman cause he was a nice guy who as it turns out is friends with a friend of mine.

I now have an '02 Toyota Sienna with 70 000 km (~44 000mi) that was owned by a retired guy. It looks like it never had any onein it other than the drive and passenger. I'm sure my kids will have gum ground into the carpet in no time.

I guess my wife & I'll have to get a baysitter, leave the seats at home and go take it for a test drive.

**ak_powder_monkey** · 04-17-2006, 04:49 PM

mini vans aren't that bad

**Below Zero** · 04-17-2006, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

mini vans aren't that bad

uhhh...yes they are.

**The Dad** · 04-17-2006, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Beaver

I now have an '02 Toyota Sienna with 70 000 km (~44 000mi)

AWD or FWD?

**shmerham** · 04-17-2006, 04:53 PM

**Aldo** · 04-17-2006, 04:54 PM

Damn, far cry from the last vehicle you bought...
Don't worry you'll probably put about 125k on the clock of the Sienna before it needs a tuneup. There are some pluses.

**riderspro** · 04-17-2006, 04:55 PM

Just tint the windows and put some nice rims on it and it will look a lot better.

**Cyber Cop** · 04-17-2006, 04:56 PM

god damn I'm not gonna read all that, but ha ha. You bought a mini-van, sucker....

**Blatant** · 04-17-2006, 04:59 PM

tech......

**Danno** · 04-17-2006, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Below Zero

uhhh...yes they are.

any vehicle that you can (easily) have horizontal sex in can't be all bad.

**Blatant** · 04-17-2006, 05:00 PM

......talk

**Below Zero** · 04-17-2006, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

any vehicle that you can (easily) have horizontal sex in can't be all bad.

Yeah, I'm sure that's what everyone thinks when they see a mini van!

**Cyber Cop** · 04-17-2006, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

any vehicle that you can (easily) have horizontal sex in can't be all bad.

hmmm? good point.

**RootSkier** · 04-17-2006, 05:07 PM

So when do we see minivan related porn?

**Mofro261** · 04-17-2006, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

mini vans aren't that bad

A truely AWESOME ride for a guy your age. Chicks dig mini vans.

**Cyber Cop** · 04-17-2006, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Mofro261

A truely AWESOME ride for a guy your age. Chicks dig mini vans.

No, chicks with kids dig mini vans.

**Blatant** · 04-17-2006, 05:18 PM

......talk

**Mofro261** · 04-17-2006, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by Cyber Cop

No, chicks with kids dig mini vans.

So, you're saying the mini van is really just one big rolling Cougar trap?

If the mini van is a rockin, its just the kids squawkin ?

**mrw** · 04-17-2006, 05:20 PM

mini vans are kinda retro hip. If gas wasn't $$$$ right now, I would probably buy one. Ski gear rides in side, parking lot camping is great, bikes ride inside, outfitted right they are like a swiss army knife. If I could get an awd, V6 diesel getting 45 mpg it would be the perfect ride.Just hook yourself up with an old Miata for commuting.

**Danno** · 04-17-2006, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Below Zero

Yeah, I'm sure that's what everyone thinks when they see a mini van!

you are talking appearances, I'm talking value.

**Buster Highmen** · 04-17-2006, 05:22 PM

I bought a fuckin mini van.

Well, that's the sort of mini van I'd expect you to have bought.

**PNWbrit** · 04-17-2006, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by mrw

mini vans are kinda retro hip. If gas wasn't $$$$ right now, I would probably buy one. Ski gear rides in side, parking lot camping is great, bikes ride inside, outfitted right they are like a swiss army knife. If I could get an awd, V6 diesel getting 45 mpg it would be the perfect ride.Just hook yourself up with an old Miata for commuting.

the minivan/miata combo or if you hate sex that much just become a priest?