Well, since NoTo claims ownership of his parents' cars, I'll do the same
Bought a 2009 Odyssey Touring, for my mom. I think she should have done this years ago (my parents raised 3 kids with just a Corolla :p)
It's a wonderful rig. I honestly don't get the hate for minivans, when all people do is get CUVs/SUVs which have the disadvantages of a van (size, steering, handling, etc), similar fuel economy, with less space. But choice is good.
Driving: It actually drives rather well. While it's a behemoth, and parking is a huge pain, you'd be hard-pressed to realize you're driving a minivan and not a car except for the ride height. Steering feedback is rather good, perhaps even better than the focus (at the very least it's close), and streets ahead of the Rondo.
Passenger experience: It's a very nice place to relax. I look forward to road trips. And even though I'm not 10, I like having a rear-seat TV. However, this feature did not play into the decision at all. 6 people can travel in complete comfort, and 8 can travel in the van and feel no more cramped than 5 in a full sized car. Cargo space is huge. I'll probably take this van on bike trips, since it's easy to just put the bike in without messing with the seat and wheels.
Flaws: There's a tailgate rust spot, and the 2nd row jump seat cushion is missing. Both will be solved eventually, though the 8th seat isn't that big of a deal. Mechanically, there is absolutely nothing to be done.
Used car purchasing experience: Being in a smaller market, it's hard to find what you like. While we considered bringing a car from Ontario (since my dad lives there and all), it adds a level of complication that didn't seem worth it. However, what was initially intended to be a $10 000 purchase doubled in cost
(partially due to lack of selection, though this van's price was competitive to others across Canada). However, I think it makes a lot of sense, since this van will be kept a while, and will be used a lot for GTA-NB road trips. The need for mechanic inspections, and potential flaws you don't see (such as the ones with this van) make the process much harder. It would have been incredibly difficult to execute this purchase if we didn't have 2 other cars.
While I still prefer having a manual transmission car, I'd rather a minivan than most SUVs/CUVs. And that's very strange for someone my age.
It was really cold outside, and it's just a minivan, so the photos suck.
