How To Shop For A Minivan |
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Winston Takeda
18 August 2012
Minivans are becoming more and more popular these days. They can be used for a wide variety of things, and people are starting to realize just how useful they can be. If you've got kids, then you know how important it is to be able to safely and conveniently shuttle them around from place to place. Also, if you any kind of home improvement, which is growing in popularity, it's easy to bring home supplies. However, choosing which minivan is right for you can be tricky, as there are many different kinds.
First all, there's a difference between a traditional van and a minivan. Generally speaking, vans are used for transporting equipment. Most domestic service vehicles, the kinds used by plumbers and electricians, for example, are really refitted vans. These are generally made and sold without much interiors, so they can be easily modified.
Minivans, however, are made primarily for people. That's why many minivans can seat up to nine people comfortably. However, because many people buy them not only to transport people but to transport stuff, like surfboards and lumber, most models come with the ability to maximize the storage space.
So the first thing to check when scoping out potential minivans is how easily they can convert, or how easily you can remove the seats. Some are designed so the seats can lay down flat, giving you a couple different options. If there are three rows of seats, then sometimes only the back row can be removed or turned down. Depending on how often you carry stuff around, this may be an option.
Alternatively, many minivans come with the option of taking out the third row completely, giving you a lot of extra space. One popular configuration is taking out the third row, while turning down the second row flat. This is usually good enough for most people. However, if you're going to be transporting a lot of stuff more often than people, then make sure the second and third rows can be completely removed fairly easily.
Another consideration is safety. If you're transporting people, make sure your minivan has plenty of airbags. Compared to traditional SUVs, minivans don't offer as much protection. So make sure you've got plenty of air bags for every passenger.
Because minivans generally have bigger engines, fuel efficiency is important, especially with the price of gasoline going through the roof. If at all possible, consider getting a hybrid. This will allow for the same amount of power, without guzzling all that gasoline.