https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:55:01 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922798 Thu, 04 Mar 2021 13:08:45 +0000 bhbee 2922798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: good to hear, I just saw a 2017 on Carmax near me that looks great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922779 Tue, 02 Mar 2021 22:29:13 +0000 jhd 2922779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bhbee: No experience yet but recently started following The Car Mom on Instagram and YouTube for car recs before we consider buying a new one. Every time we travel I always wish we had a bigger car! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922773 Tue, 02 Mar 2021 16:19:53 +0000 ShootingStar 2922773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica and love it. The space is great and it has some amazing features. We bought new at the time and got an electric one, and with the rebates it was cheaper than getting a different type of minivan. If that wasn't the case we probably would have also liked the Honda Odyssey. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922769 Tue, 02 Mar 2021 14:55:16 +0000 ChitownRo 2922769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just had an alert set on cargurus with a 150 mile radius. We bought certified preowned (warranty) from a dealer.... that made us feel better about buying a used car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922768 Tue, 02 Mar 2021 14:44:42 +0000 bhbee 2922768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChitownRo: I totally get it, I’m unreasonably excited about it too! :grin: Did you buy from the dealer or secondary place like car max or from the owner? I’m a bit overwhelmed by where to look. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922767 Tue, 02 Mar 2021 14:09:06 +0000 ChitownRo 2922767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We bought a 2012 Honda Odyssey back in 2018- thinking it would be the au pair car but then we loved the convenience. It became our default kid vehicle. We sold it this summer bc with covid we go nowhere and I became SAHM so we just didn’t need that many cars. But now that normal life is on the horizon (and my DH will likely return to the office post vaccine), we just bought a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica. We chose Pacifica this time bc I wanted a giant sunroof. We love it more than we even anticipated. I personally love the tech/safety (like blind spot warning)- think that’s been an optional package for years and years. I like buying a used vehicle with all of the package upgrades. Anyway, I’m still very very excited about this new to us Pacifica. Like unreasonably so. I’m so old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922764 Tue, 02 Mar 2021 13:08:52 +0000 Jess1483 2922764@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We familiarized ourselves with a few we were interested in and then regularly (at least once a week) searched locally. We ended up scoring a lightly used Toyota Sienna (I think it’s 2016 and we purchased in 2019). We love it and are quite pleased (I also have two in boosters and one rear-facing.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-owned-minivan-buying-tips#post-2922762 Tue, 02 Mar 2021 12:37:32 +0000 bhbee 2922762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a mazda5 (which is just barely 3 row) and 3 kids, two in boosters (although we harness one for long travel) and one still RF. It’s been a great budget car but after our third drive across the country in it we’re ready to upgrade space, but not ready to pay for a new minivan! We’re honestly used to not having bells and whistles, so main things we would hopefully get are more 3rd row space, more trunk/stuff space, and AC built into the back row (we have to use a noggle now). And I’d love automatic doors! Seems like all that stuff should be a given even in older models. I’m open to crossover vehicles, but our garage is tiny and sliding doors really help with that. </p> <p>Anyone who has gone the pre-owned/used minivan route, give me your tips! Make/model, where to purchase, pitfalls, anything - thank you! </p>