quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
I recently did something practical but also depressing. I traded in my beloved 4x4 TRD Sport Tacoma for a van. I’ve been wondering which is worse, having a van or the fact that I kinda like the minivan.

I know a little about what you're feeling. I traded my 2003 ZO6 Corvette to get a 2007 F-250. Now I don't have to choose which grand-kid gets to ride with me.

The good news is that you'll get over missing your truck.

We have a Tacoma long bed and a Sienna. When we moved our daughter up for college, we took the seats out and put her stuff in the minivan - we could hall more stuff in comfort and load it easier based upon how low everything was to the ground.

Perhaps you’re overselling a bit with the thread title.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
Perhaps you’re overselling a bit with the thread title.

It's sorta anti-clickbait!

Hoosier daddy...

Glad you've come to reason Stick an AWD minivan is the most practical family vehicle made, period! And if where you live gets little to no snow FWD is just as good or better.

I tried to talk my SIL into buying a minivan but he just couldn't get over the stupid "soccer mom stigma" and bought a Highlander. Now I think he wishes he'd gone for the van with it's *useful* third row.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
It’s going to look great when I’m done.

LOL there goes the functional aspect of driving it anywhere interesting, at least around here. Hell I doubt that has enough ground clearance to drive on my road!


Here's my idea. This is of course a modified van (not minivan) but I feel if Toyota would make a TRD AWD Sienna with heavier and taller suspension for exploring and camping in remote places they'd have a hit.

Ridewv, I made the same mistake, I thought a Highlander would be big enough for our family but we quickly outgrew it. I thought about getting an AWD Sienna or a Sequoia 4x4 but I didn’t want the extra maintenance and loss of MPGs. The last few times I went camping at the beach I didn’t even take my Tacoma offroad. For the kind of camp trips we’ve been going on lately this Sienna should be perfect.

The nice thing about this new minivan is that my wife got upgraded to a Highlander and knows I miss my truck. Since I sacrificed and sold my truck she now doesn’t care if I buy another motorcycle. She even mentioned how I should get a “fun convertible sports car” once the Highlander is paid off. A Porsche 987, Honda S2000 or BMW 335 conv would be suitable replacement for my Tacoma.

Posted by Dusty 78,

quote:

Can you at least tow one of your bikes around so at least people still know you’re cool.

That’s the plan. It has a 3500 lb towing capacity so it’ll work fine at transporting bikes, kayaks and ATVs on a trailer. Honestly, the bike I’m probably going to get might fit inside the Sienna’s trunk. (Honda Grom)

I am going to buy one of those bumper stickers that says “I used to be cool”.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
Now it just needs a TRD supercharger; stock for the V6 is in the neighborhood of 260hp if memory serves...

There is not a TRD supercharger that will fit the Sienna without extensive modifications.

There is however a bolt on kit from HKS that includes a Sienna specific PCM that puts down about 300whp. Runs about $6,500.
http://www.siennachat.com/foru...upercharger-kit.html

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
tatortodd, that is my plan. Apparently you have to cut a slot into the splash guard on the rear to install the better aftermarket hitches. I am going to have to look into it a bit further.

This is the hitch you want to get it gives the highest ground clearance as the crossbar is hidden behind the bumper. You do have to trim the rear plastic splash guard a bit but is easily done with simple tin snips.
https://www.etrailer.com/Trail...?vehicleid=201550718

Etrailer has a step by step video. It was on my list to do just never got around to it.

If you are not going to put the van on bags or coilovers I would highly suggest getting rear coil helpers and put them in when installing the hitch.
https://www.etrailer.com/Vehic...ehicleid=20151113073

You will eliminate the squat nicely and get a bit better ride and handling when not towing a trailer.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Ridewv, I made the same mistake, I thought a Highlander would be big enough for our family but we quickly outgrew it. I thought about getting an AWD Sienna or a Sequoia 4x4 but I didn’t want the extra maintenance and loss of MPGs. The last few times I went camping at the beach I didn’t even take my Tacoma offroad. For the kind of camp trips we’ve been going on lately this Sienna should be perfect.

The nice thing about this new minivan is that my wife got upgraded to a Highlander and knows I miss my truck. Since I sacrificed and sold my truck she now doesn’t care if I buy another motorcycle. She even mentioned how I should get a “fun convertible sports car” once the Highlander is paid off. A Porsche 987, Honda S2000 or BMW 335 conv would be suitable replacement for my Tacoma.

We love our Highlander too. 3 carseats is just a no go in them.

Check out www.vankulture.com
There are some folks doing some pretty slick stuff with these vans.

Thanks Black92LX! That’s the hitch I’ll get. 525 lbs TW will do nicely for the single motorcycle carrier I was looking at.

I doubt I’ll modify it too much. My main focus is getting decent roof racks, a tow hitch, and figuring out how to hook up a trailer electrical connector for a trailers lights.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Thanks Black92LX! That’s the hitch I’ll get. 525 lbs TW will do nicely for the single motorcycle carrier I was looking at.

I doubt I’ll modify it too much. My main focus is getting decent roof racks, a tow hitch, and figuring out how to hook up a trailer electrical connector for a trailers lights.

Plug and play kit. Just need to access the passenger side tail light if memory serves me correctly.
Of course there is a step by step video on there as well.
https://www.etrailer.com/Custo...?vehicleid=201530385

Only 4 pin kits are available as plug and play. Presuming you have no need for a 7 pin.

If no planned suspension mods I would highly suggest the helper airbags. Install is simple and you will be up in there for the hitch install anyway.

The Sienna squats pretty good with just passengers let alone with the trailer or concrete blocks in the back

Excellent! Thanks for the info. Any recommendations on good roof racks? I want something solid that will carry up to a 17ft touring kayak. I really need to look into kayak holders that attach to the roof rack.

Jokes like this aside, you can't deny a minivan's practicality.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Excellent! Thanks for the info. Any recommendations on good roof racks? I want something solid that will carry up to a 17ft touring kayak. I really need to look into kayak holders that attach to the roof rack.

I never looked into upgraded racks as I have a rooftop Thule cargo carrier that for my use would not ever come to the factory load rating and it worked for me.
If you are a FB user join the VanKulture page and ask there. Lots of them have upgraded racks because the use a rooftop cargo carrier all the time as their tanks for the airbag system take up all the rear storage or they run 20” wheels and keep the spare on the roof since it won’t fit under the vehicle.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:


Jokes like this aside, you can't deny a minivan's practicality.

Dependent upon ones needs the practicality is arguable. Hence the main reason we ditched ours.

The fun part of it all was when Henry Ford III was to approve the original design of the Ford Carousel, he said "There is no market for this vehicle." It was a good thing that Lee Iaccoca wasn't listening.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
Now it just needs a TRD supercharger; stock for the V6 is in the neighborhood of 260hp if memory serves...

There is not a TRD supercharger that will fit the Sienna without extensive modifications.

Looked into this a while back for my buddies Toyota. The TRD kit gains a whopping 6 PSI. ZZZ. Um, No.

I'm on my 2nd Sienna AWD van as a work vehicle (I do field service work on medical equipment, mainly anesthesia machines).

My first Sienna was a 2015 that I put 92K miles on in 2.5 years. Now I'm wheeling a 2018 Sienna LE AWD (miss my XLE trim on the last van). I've had it a little over 2 months and have almost 8K miles on it.

Pick on me, take away my man card, but I love these vans, especially compared to the under powered mini suv's my company offers (Escape, Equinox, etc..).

Here's my current van.

I drove a Town and Country for a while, loved it. Great ride, room for the dogs, stroller, pack and play, etc. I thought it was a very useful vehicle, and with the seats folded down held as much as a pickup.

I also don't get the stigma, I had no problem with it at all. And on long trips it was great for naps.

I had the real original minivan when I was in high school - a microbus.