Most people think of soccer moms and family outings when they here the word minivan. Not me, it is actually the perfect American vehicle for several reasons. First, it fits in almost any space. Second, its big enough to pack almost any cargo. Third, its cheap.
The minivan can squeeze into the tight parking spots. It’s the same width and only slightly longer than most compact cars. The other day I pulled into a Walmart to find the lot peppered with SUVs and big pickup trucks. Several passed up decent spots because they couldn’t fit. I ended about three spaces from the front door on a busy day.
Although it is smaller than the big guys, it still has a tremendous amount of interior cargo space. The trick is to simply remove the back seats. I have hauled queen size mattresses, twelve-foot fence posts, couches, and bicycles in the back of my Chevy Venture. How does it accomplish this? Well, its sits low to the ground and high on top. Many full size vans have only a few more cubic feet that my little guy, but because they sit so high off the ground they appear to be twice the size.
The big guys are also twice the price. Minivans went out of style when the SUV moved in. Now you can pick up a decent minivan for a few thousand dollars and save another bundle on gas. Most minivans have a 4 or 6 cylinder engine as opposed to the V8s most SUVs and pickups are equipped with.
So save some money and haul some cargo. Go buy a minivan, America’s most practical vehicle.
