Trading the Kia for a minivan.

That Kia has become quite the great little car. Except that it keeps following me home. It is no longer a lemon. Of that I am sure. Z and me [not to add any doom to all this] would be getting the worse of the 2 vehicles if this does happen. Nothing is for sure yet. I am going to go over that van with a fine tooth comb that you use on fine tooth combs. I won't end up having to do as much work on it as what the Kia needed. After it meets my approval then, and only then will the trade happen.

You know, I find myself thinking about not having it anymore and I almost feel sad. ALMOST. Never in my life have I ever known a machine as I do this one. How it works and where everything is. This isn't my first car, but in way it seems like it is. Like me and this car have become close friends. Kinda funny. huh? But, I will be glad to see it go to a good family. They have lost a lot and worked so hard this year. Besides, if they ever need to know anything about it I'm here. I probably know that car better than the people that designed it... Okay I know that is impossible, but you know what I mean.

 

Sounds like a good pick to me. Minivans are practical and good in the snow. Not sure how much of that you get there.

 

you would be further ahead with a full size van...like a retired phone co van.
you can pack a mini van to the gills. but the trailer AND a loaded vans may be asking a bit much. uhaul trailers are fairly heavy to begin with. as much as it pains me to say it the weak point on domestic mini vans are the trannys. there is one mini van that was designed to tow, the Chevy Astro!
the ford FREESTAR ..not windstar, was available with the f150's 4.2 ltr v6 for more towing capacity.

 

If you have to tow with it x2 on a trans cooler and make sure the brakes are up to the task.
The trailer rating is based on the trailer's loaded weight and the weight being carried in the vehicle so it's really not much.

The Astro was designated as a mid-size van.
I had a couple of them that I bought new, the best vehicles I ever owned.
Sorry, but I wouldn't be caught dead driving a front wheel drive soccer-mom mini-van.

 

Not enough, in my opinion. I know that those of you who have spent plenty of time around snow don't care for it and I also know what snow means. I just love the snow. My wife grew up in Wisconsin and she still feels the same way I do... Bring on the snow. As for around here. We get ice mostly and then when we do get snow it turns into ice.

I would not mind having a Chevy Astro. There is one that has been floating around my brother's family (in-laws, their kids/cousins, and my mom). It has been mostly gutted on the inside, but it was one tough van. I had driven it many times... However, I don't have access to one. If I can't pull a trailer with the Windstar I will end up towing it when we move and with a setup like this

I might as well just keep the Kia. I never had a problem one with it during the blizzard earlier this year.
As I said before none of this is set in stone yet. I need to inspect the van before I will commit to anything. If we don't trade, and maybe even if we do, I am thinking about contacting the older gentleman down the street with the 1981/2 Ford Granada wagon.

He is the original owner and has kept it garaged when not in use. I got to see it a few months ago and it is immaculate. Anyways, I have been thinking about asking him if he would consider selling it to my wife and me. I would even clean my nails off and not were all black. I don't do that for just anything.

 

As much as you want a station wagon, Xavier, I'd hold out till the Kia is sold then try to get the neighbor's wagon or another nice reasonably priced wagon.
Don't know how far you plan to move but you can load a lot in the Kia if you try. Even make several trips cheaper than renting a trailer or truck and dolly.
We made seven trips over 1000 each way with a Chevy van and 18' flat bed trailer when we retarded!
A full sized van makes more sense.............But you know you really want a wagon!!!!!!!!!!!
As long as that Kia keeps following you home---and you don't have to push it home, be patient.

 

I believe it is usually a good idea.

Unless my owner's manual specifically said otherwise I would personally always lock out overdrive.

 

That u-haul setup is EXACTLY what I would do.


As far as the Kia in the snow, a front wheel drive car with a good set of tire chains is devasting in the snow.

 

We don't know for sure where we are moving to yet, just that we want to eventually end up in Akron, OH. Yes, Akron. We have thought about taking it in steps. Moving to St. Louis, then somewhere else then somewhere after that or straight to Akron. I would rather just wait till we can go directly to Akron but my wife is another matter. She doesn't believe that we can and it has nothing to do with money. It has to do with finding a place and a job for her. It takes her a while to get convinced of something. It is frustrating. I'm not too fond of St. Louis. It seems to be just as depressing of a place as Joplin. I know that I need to be patient, but it seems to me that my nearly constant efforts to make this happen, or at least what part of it is on my end, helps to change her thinking. If I do talk to the man with the wagon it wouldn't be until we either have the Kia for sale again or it has sold. And truthfully I am thinking more and more about keeping the Kia rather than trading. A van is great but if it doesn't help then what is the point; we might as well just wait. And yes I will always prefer a wagon. I am so persistent not only for myself but every time there is something that gives us, or more specifically, gives Z some kind of hope, it lifts her spirits and somehow makes all of this seem worth while even if the deal falls through. It doesn't makes sense when I say it out loud but that is just how it seems to work. When it comes to pulling with the Kia... Well lets just say that I can't afford 10 transmissions. The one that is in it now is just fine, but it is tiny. There are plenty of warnings on the car and in the owner's manual warning against hooking up a trailer to it that I know that that would just not be a good idea. Not to mention we couldn't afford the gas. One single trip is what we are going to do and that is it. Besides, we have less than we did when we met, having gotten rid of 90% of what we owned when we lost our house. If we don't sell the Kia by the time we are ready to move then we will just rent a truck and tow the car behind it. Plain and simple. Not what we want, but it will do. Patience? Patience is all we have had for years now and it has been mixed too much with stress... We want to move by April, but it is looking more and more like we are going to be here to see another tornado season...

 

Never used chains. I am not trying to sound full of myself or brag or anything of the like but I can handle a vehicle better on snow or ice better than anybody I have ever known. (Not including forum members as I have never seen any of you drive on snow or ice.)

 

Akron, Ohio? Sometimes patience and hope are all we have. You seem to be happy together so you are already ahead of many. Akron, Ohio?------------No matter where you live it's only what you make of it. There is no perfect place.

 

That's the truth. But Akron, OH just feels right to us. We are happy together. We have been through a lot and no matter what we have always been friends... What good is marriage if you aren't friends. Our relationship is everything to us. We had a lot to contend with starting out... She is actually 11 years older than me. You wouldn't know it to look at us. Most people thinkwe ar the same age. We live for each other. Besides. Marriage has only what you put into it...

 

Had 2 Windstars so will jump in.

Both vans were excellent.. I loved the way they drove and handled. I had an '02 and that was the better. It had a very nice smooth ride and transmission. Somehow it even averaged 30mpg. My second was a '00 that was nice and reliable but not as smooth riding.. was stiffer and transmission not as smooth since they upgraded them in '01 or '02 don't remember. The '02 went up to 222kmi with out any knocks or oil use... the engine in the '00 went to 78kmi with no issues before trading.

The bad: These transmissions are known for failing solenoids internally. Basically one stops working and the tranny overheats. The OD light should flash to let you know as it did in the '00 but not always as in the '02
The '02 went at 112,000 and the '00 at 78,000 when I just traded it in.

Not to scare you away as they are great vans.. just make sure to see if the tranny was rebuilt and go with the gut energy feel you get from the vehicle. Oh and if its a rust belt van check those rockers and make sure they arent soft and the rear axle mounts for rot.

 

Yes...the early ones were known for bad trannies and for lower panel rust.