“I became very frustrated looking for vans for sale,” says Andy a New Jersey father of two boys and the owner of a successful landscaping company. “After visiting a few dealerships and searching vans for sale endlessly on Google I was about ready to give up.” Like Andy, many car shoppers quickly grow exasperated and disenchanted when they’re searching their area for great vans for sale. But it doesn’t need to be complicated. There is a better way to find the best vans for sale in your area, without endlessly driving around searching dealer inventory and falling into the bottomless pit of online searches. It’s essential to remember that finding great used and certified pre-owned vans for sale is all about using the right process from the start. “I finally figured out how to find vans for sale without wasting my time and energy,” says Andy. “And I found the perfect, low mileage van in my area at a great price. It’s a 2015 Kia Sedona in beautiful condition with navigation and all the best equipment. My family couldn’t be happier.” Here, we’ll walk you through the methods and behavior that worked for Andy and his family, and we’ll answer these important questions.
What Should I Know About Vans Before I Buy?
Before you begin shopping vans for sale in your area, it’s imperative that you know a thing or two about the different types of vans out there. Here are six important things van shoppers should know.
- Minivan has become a misnomer. Yes, the first minivans in the 1980s were actually mini, but they have grown much larger over the decades and most comfortably seat seven or eight passengers. Popular minivans include the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Pacifica and Ford Transit Connect.
- Although minivans have gotten quite elephantine, many manufacturers still sell full-size vans. This includes Ram, Chevy, GMC, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz. Some of these vans are equipped with seats, but most are sold to businesses and are used to haul plumbing supplies and deliver flowers.
- The Honda Odyssey is the best selling minivan ever. It’s now in its fourth-generation and it continues to outsell all of its competitors. All Honda Odysseys are front-wheel drive and powered by a strong V6 engine. These vans are known to be durable and they hold their value well.
- Toyota’s Sienna is also a popular minivan. Like the Honda Odyssey, the Sienna is powered by a large V6 engine and the van is known to hold its value. But the interesting thing about the Toyota Sienna is that it’s the only minivan available with all-wheel drive, which makes them popular in cold, snowy states.
- Although it was supposed to be discontinued a few years ago, production of the popular Dodge Caravan continues. The van was once extremely similar to the Chrysler Town & Country, however that was replaced by the Chrysler Pacifica in 2016. Like the Honda Odyssey, the Dodge Caravan is only available with front-wheel drive.
- Many used and pre-owned vans, both big and small, have received conversions for wheelchair use. These vans are designed to help the access and mobility of handicapped drivers and the physically challenged. If you’re shopping wheelchair vans for sale, know that the price and quality of the conversions can vary greatly. Many different companies, including Braun Ability and Rollx Vans, perform the wheelchair van conversions so do your research.
- Remember to always check the CARFAX.
How Can I Find Vans For Sale Near Me?
One of the best features of the AutoGravity vehicle finder is how clearly it displays the name of the dealership selling the van for sale and the dealership’s distance from your zip code. No longer do you need to search a dealer’s inventory for your dream van, AutoGravity does it for you with great speed and accuracy as you make your selections and design the van you want. When we tried it, there were 496 used and certified pre-owned vans of all brands, sizes and configurations within 30 miles of our location, many just a few miles away. And when we broadened our search to new and used vans, that total jumped to an incredible 2,103 vehicles. Excited, we narrowed our search to just white new and used vans for sale with V6 engines and less than 75,000 miles. Incredibly the AutoGravity tool showed us 377 vans that met our criteria, including Honda Odysseys, Toyota Siennas, and Dodge Caravans. And when we broadened our search area to 90 miles from our zip code, AutoGravity found us 1,000 low mileage vans meeting that description. The van we liked best was a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring Plus with just 41,000 miles. The dealer selling the van was only 30 miles from our location and asking only $25,499 for the vehicle. It seemed like a great deal so we clicked on the photo, which unlocked 19 additional images, the exact location of the van, the dealer’s address, phone number and business hours. Even a list of the van’s standard and optional features was displayed. Very cool.
What Are the Best New Vans for Sale?
When you’re shopping for a new van, there are five that stand out from the rest. They offer the smoothest ride, the most people space, the most features and they are reliable and well built. Here are the five best vans for sale.
- 2019 Honda Odyssey: The new Honda Odyssey continues to dominate the minivan market with its upscale styling, comfortable interior and strong performance. The award-winning Odyssey is well-built, family friendly and safe. In fact, it’s an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick.
- 2019 Toyota Sienna: Although it’s a little less fun to drive than the Honda Odyssey, the Toyota Sienna offers van buyers excellent performance, features and technology. Owners appreciate its smooth ride and cavernous interior. Plus, this is the only minivan on the market to offer the all-weather security and traction of all-wheel drive.
- 2019 Kia Sedona: Also an IIHS Top Safety Pick, the new Kia Sedona is handsome and spacious, offering van shoppers high value, impressive safety and a long list of features. Upper trim levels can be decked out with reclining captain’s chairs with footrests, and like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, the new Kia Sedona offers two power sliding doors. Prices start well below $30,000.
- 2019 Ford Transit: If you’re looking for a full size van to haul more people or things, we recommend the Ford Transit. It’s massive, but easy to drive. Many models are available, including a long-wheelbase model with 15-passenger seating and a high-roof cargo van configuration with a dually rear axle for heavy loads. It’s so tall inside you can stand up inside it.
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: Another standout in the full-size van class is the Mercedes Sprinter, which is available in a long list of configurations. Buyers can choose between cargo and crew vans in three wheelbases and roof heights. In addition, the Sprinter is the only full-size van available with four-wheel drive and a diesel engine.
What Are the Best Used Vans for Sale?
If you’re looking for a great used van to haul around your family and friends these five are the best. Although used vans have a broad range of values (Under 20,000 – Under 10,000), the least expensive new minivans have a starting price just under $30,000, so we decided to keep this selection below that price point.
- 2014-2017 Honda Odyssey: Honda sold the fourth-generation of the Honda Odyssey minivan from 2011 to 2017. It was exceedingly popular and its last few years of production are now available used and pre-owned for far less than $30,000. This generation of the Odyssey was comfortable, spacious and fun to drive. It was also available with a built in vacuum to clean up after the kids.
- 2016-2017 Toyota Sienna: Toyota has been selling and improving the third-generation of its Sienna minivan since 2010. That means its possible to get a low mileage used or pre-owned Sienna that’s very similar but much less expensive than the new model. Siennas of this vintage were offered in many trim levels with seating for 7 or 8 passengers. AWD models are less common and tend to cost more.
- 2017-2018 Kia Sedona: Kia introduced the third-generation of the Sedona in 2015 and the minivan hasn’t changed much since. The van Kia sells today is extremely similar to used and pre-owned examples from 2017 and 2018. Although very well reviewed by the media, the Kia doesn’t hold its value as well as the Honda or Toyota, so there are bargains to be found for the used van shopper.
- 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica: In 2017 Chrysler replaced the aging Town & Country minivan with the more modern Pacifica, and the model remains on sale today. This means shoppers can buy a used or pre-owned Pacifica and drive home in essentially the same van as the new 2019 model. In 2018 the Pacifica Hybrid model was introduced, and remains the only hybrid-powered minivan on the market.
- 2016-2018 Dodge Grand Caravan: Many shoppers don’t even realize Dodge is still selling the Grand Caravan, but the model remains popular, especially in the Midwest. Good condition, low mileage used and pre-owned examples can easily be found for around $15,000, which makes used Grand Caravans a heck of a value. If you like to drive, look for the sportier Grand Caravan GT model.
Hopefully this guide helps you find your dream van. Just remember, shopping for a van doesn’t have to be stressful and take up a ton of your time. The secret is out. Smart van shoppers are getting the best deals on vans for sale by searching their local dealer inventories on autogravity.com. The website is not only easy to use, it’s also fun and it’s free. Your dream van is there waiting for you.