Is there a reason (other than popularity of crossover SUV’S now) that so many used minivans are on the market?

I’m in the market for a used vehicle after the Altima I drove for seventeen years finally got totaled. About three years ago, every other vehicle I saw in the town we were living in (a yuppie mecca) was a minivan, like the Odyssey, Caravan or Town & Country. I liked them, and now think I’d like to buy one, primarily because of my difficulty getting into and out of higher or lower vehicles, and the rear space adequate for loading and unloading a wheelchair. I now see them advertized all over the place, and at very good prices ($7K – 10K) compared to, say, sedans of the same age. Is the low price only because there are so many used ones out there now, with people trading them in for crossover SUV’S, or have there been some specific problems with these types of minivans? For those who think they are boring, ugly or too “motherly” looking (answers I got when posting previously), I AM a mother, do motherly things, and looking stylish is the very least of my concerns right now.

Working in the Automative Sales (I currently sale Toyotas) I have noticed the same trend you mentioned. Among Dealers its a factor of reasons.

1)Minivans are/were often price leaders, ie sold for much less than the same size vehicle in an SUV, and since targetting the family on a low budget, not often filled with features. (Making resale values lower)

2) There was a =huge= push to sale minivans in the 80′s and early 90′s, making that many more of them out here and available now that nobody wants them.

3)Vans are often used as fleet or other commercial use vehicle, meaning those left on the market are not in the best shape, and its flooding the market.

4)Baby boomers who loved to use vans are now retiring and changing vehicles and the new generations are no longer interested.

That is the reason that the price is so low, due to the over flooding of the market.

It really depends upon the vehicle, to ensure that it fits what you need it to fit. Check out the history of the vehicle (dealerships can do that for free if they want your business), and the history of the manufactor. If it is a company known for getting bad test results and low resales, I would reccomend going to something that has a strong history of its vehicles lasting.

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