What’s the least expensive vehicle which can carry 6 passengers, including a 6 year old, a four year old, two infants and two adults?
No used vehicles–I try to only buy new ones.
I’m looking around, of course, but any tips are appreciated.
you’re pretty much stuck with a three-row crossover or a minivan. Mazda 5 maybe?
Looks like there’s no way out of paying at least $30,000 for this thing.
Okay.
Just out of curiosity, why?
A major theme of my upbringing was the complete chaos and sadness brought about by the posession of used cars.
In one case, my parents bought a used car from a new car dealership that just had like a few hundred miles on it. But it broke down irreperably after just a couple of weeks, and we were completely screwed.
Growing up, things like this always happened. So I have a lot of bad feelings on the topic.
Though not all new cars are more reliable than all used cars, nevertheless at least a warranty guarantees you won’t suffer a financial disaster.
I’m going to have to bite the bullet and get a used one in this case. But it’s going to make my heart rate rise every time I see the thing.
I think I’ve found a viable option at Carmax–a 2007 which, with extended warranty, will cost less than $20,000 (hopefully less than $17000 depending on how exactly the length of extended warranty relates to its cost). This is more doable. But augh–it’s used. Is a carmax warranty as good as a new car warranty? Please say yes. (But only truthfully! 
)
the mazda 5 starts at 19k. Sure, dealers aren’t likely to stock many low-option ones, but you can order.
ETA: the Dodge Journey is a 7-passenger xover which starts at $22k.
Looking over their policy Carmax’s extended warranty looks pretty good. The important part as I see it is:
Looking over their exclusions list it appears their warranty covers enough stuff that it’s probably worth getting. They will keep the engine running and the wheels rolling, which is about the best you could expect from a used car warranty.
I just have a few points:
Cars are tremendously more reliable than they were when you were a kid. All but the worst will easily make it to 200k miles with regular maintenance and perhaps one or two major repairs. You can safely buy used as long as you pick out a reliable model, have it inspected by a mechanic. Even if you’re buying a car with 100k miles, you might have one or two major breakdowns over the course of many years.
Perhaps a certified used car might be a good idea? They’ll cost more than what you can find at Carmax, but they typically come with a very strong manufacturer warranty.
Modern cars are vastly more reliable than… well, than any time in the past. I would not hesitate to get a used van. Look for a reliable make (read reviews) low mileage and get it checked by a mechanic. Also, after it’s yours, religiously do the routine maintenance and inspections and take care of it like you expect it to last many more miles. While I understand your fear of used cars, it’s just not rational these days. I’ve bought many used cars, and never felt like I got screwed.
Thanks for the reassurances, guys.
We’re mostly now looking at the Mazda5 and the Carmax one I mentioned upthread. I feel better now than I did this morning about buying a used car, especially one that’s not very old. But if we can swing it budgetwise, we may go for the Mazda5.
Can you remind me which website(s) it/they is/are that can give me the skinny on undisclosed dealer discounts and so on, so I can walk in when the day comes (if I go for a new one) with a take-it-or-leave-it number that makes the dealers squirm a bit? That’s how I did my last two cars and it felt good. ;)*
I thought it was at consumerreports.com but that appears to be wrong…
*The first time we walked out when they didn’t take the offer. They called us and asked for fifty more dollars. Though I had resolved to take nothing more than my original number, I weighed the fifty dollars to be fine in comparison to the $15,000 we were spending. 
I’m still surprised they would take the +$50 amount but not the original amount but I guess they had some goal to hit.
The second time the guy just immediately took the offer and said I clearly knew what I was doing–which frightens me because it makes me feel like I could have gone much lower. But I’d done my research, and I could find no error in what I’d done, and I was happy with the price so I’m okay with it.
I bought a car from Carmax recently. My previous car (bought new) ended up having the emissions system (cat, oxygen sensor) crap out and it ended up costing me about as much as the totality of all the other mechanical repairs (excluding tire replacements and regular maintenance, of course) I had ever had done to that car. Carmax’s warranty specifically excludes (or the one offered to me excluded) regulatory repairs to the emissions system. I decided not to go with the warranty.
It’s really your decision. In a sense, it’s gambling. Feel like a roll?
Have you looked at the Chrysler vans? E.g. Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan? The VW Routan is also based on the Chrysler van iirc.
You may not end up buying an American car but it’s probably worth a look. It looks like a new Dodge Grand Caravan could be had for 22k.
There’s also the Kia Sedona, which can also be had new for around $21k. The Sedona and it’s clone the Hyundai Entourage have been criticized for being boring even for minivans, but are generally on par with the other vans in terms of reliability. They can be great deals used because Korean cars still depreciate fairly quickly, which has not yet reflected the huge improvements they’ve made in quality over the last decade or so.
the sedona has a big pile of black dots in CR’s surveys up 'til the last couple model years.
Check carsurvey.org and msn auto before you buy something. If you are concerned about reliability you can get good info from other owners of the same make/model/year to find out what they have trouble with, if anything.
You say you have an aversion to buying used. But a lot of cars lose 20-50% of their value in the first 3 years, so if you are buying new you are going to pay up to twice what a used 2008 model would cost. If you are set against buying used that is your preference. But a 2009 vehicle for $19000 will be a better deal than a 2012 for $31000, even if the 2009 needs an emergency repair for a few grand.
A new Mitsubishi Outlander might be 22k or less.
but then you’re stuck owning a Mitsubishi.
My two cents, advice which is only based on my own experience:
Buying a car can be a total crapshoot. You can buy a lemon straight off the assembly line, or you can (and I often have) get a used car that turns out to be fantastic. But if you’re going to be loading four kids and various carseats in on a regular basis, go for a vehicle with sliding doors on both sides of the rear. Think minivan. Not sexy, but your back will thank you. If you can find one in your price and comfort zone, buy one with a door opener on the key fob. Trust me on this one!
I would like to chime in that I own an 2009 Mazda 5, and it has been a marvelous little van. It handles well, can store a ton of stuff with the back seats folded down, hasn’t had a single problem so far, and gets better gas mileage than anything else with three rows of seats.
I only have one kid (so far), though, and it might be a tight fit for a family of 6 - all of you will fit, and the back seats are certainly large enough for your children, but their isn’t much cargo space in the back with all 3 rows up. I normally keep the back two seats folded down to accommodate the giant strollers my wife insist that we have. Don’t ask why we have three strollers and only one kid.
I can’t recommend CarMax highly enough. I’ve bought 3 vehicles from them in the last 10 years. They don’t sell wreck/repair/flood vehicles, which is huge considering how many of those are sold by “typical” dealerships. It really helps prevent breakdowns later, and increases dependability. Secondly, if the vehicle was part of a rental fleet, it’s disclosed in the paperwork, and you can (and should) ask about that before purchasing. They will be up-front about it. The salespeople don’t work on percentage-based commissions; they get a flat rate for each vehicle they sell, so they are as motivated to sell you a $8,000 car as they are an $80,000 car. Lastly, the CarMax extended warranty is exceptional. It covers major mechanical, as well as electrical and electronics, and you can take it anywhere (there is a higher deductible if you don’t take it back to CarMax, though…at CarMax the deductible is $50 or so, anywhere else it’s $100). I like this option because I have a trusted mechanic. There are some caveats, like the warranty company needs to be notified that you’re using a third-party mechanic, but that’s not a big deal.
By all means, get the car at CarMax, if you’re considering used.