Top 10 Used Minivans You Can Buy Under $5000

There are not many diamonds when it comes to used minivans under the $5,000 price range. However, you can find some decent reliable transportation if you do your homework and dig around a little.

You may have to give up a few creature comforts to get within your budget and be okay with driving a vehicle with higher mileage. But if you can, you can enjoy a great people-hauler for a very cheap price.

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Great deals on used minivans

Many of the minivans on this list started with a price tag of well over $25,000 brand new. Your goal is to find one that’s been well taken care of and the owners kept up with all the preventative maintenance at the required service interval times. Autobytel has sifted through their vast database and with the help of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the J.D. Powers’ Initial Quality Study, picked out the best most reliable used minivans under the $5,000 price point.

One of the best used minivans you can buy under $5,000 is the 2004 Honda Odyssey. The Odyssey is equipped with a 3.5 liter 6-cylinder and has a total of 146.1 cubic feet of space, just 2.4 cubes shy of this year’s model year.

The 2004 Honda Odyssey was awarded Car and Driver’s minivan comparison contest for the year, a 5-Star Overall Safety Grade from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and received the 2004 segment trophy in J.D. Powers’ Initial Quality Study. If you’re looking for a minivan for around $5,000 or under, make sure you keep you add the 2004 Honda Odyssey to your shopping list.

The 2008 Chrysler Town & Country is another “must-see” minivan on the best used minivan list. Chrysler was a paradigm pioneer and introduced several new features and benefits into the minivan market. The most widely known feature is the introduction of their “Stow ‘n Go” second and third-row seats.

“Stow ‘n Go” seating allows you to quickly fold up and store the second and third-row seats into cleverly hidden compartments within the cabin’s floor. Chrysler also brought “tip-forward” second-row seats to the industry. This feature allowed passengers easier access to the back row. These are all great features you can find in a minivan you can buy for under $5,000.

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Top 10 used minivans you can buy under $5,000

Here are the best minivans you can buy under $5,000.

#	Minivan	Engine	mpg
1	2004 Honda Odyssey	3.5 L V6	Up to 20 city / 28 hwy
2	2008 Chrysler Town & Country	3.3 L V6, 3.8 L V6, 4.0 L V6	Up to 17 city / 24 hwy
3	2008 Dodge Grand Caravan	3.3 L V6, 3.8 L V6, 4.0 L V6	Up to 17 city / 24 hwy
4	2006 Toyota Sienna	3.3 L V6	Up to 19 city / 26 hwy
5	2008 Chevrolet Uplander	3.9 L V6	16 city / 23 hwy
6	2007 Nissan Quest	3.5 L V6	18 city / 25 hwy
7	2007 Mazda5	2.3 L 4-cylinder	Up to 22 city / 27 hwy
8	2007 Ford Freestar	4.2 L V6	17 city / 23 hwy
9	2007 Kia Sedona	3.8 L V6	18 city / 25 hwy
10	2006 Pontiac Montana	3.5 L V6, 3.9 L V6	Up to 18 city / 25 hwy

Research used cars online first

NOTE: Always check the used car’s title history using a service such as AutoCheck. Doing so will protect you by making sure the vehicle has not been in a severe accident or has a branded title.

After you’ve made sure the vehicle has a clean title, have the vehicle inspected by an independent certified mechanic. There may be an additional cost of $50 to $75; However, it will be well worth the money it will save you if you have to spend thousands of dollars on repairs later down the road.

When negotiating a used car’s price, it’s important to have a good estimate of what the dealer’s cost is for the vehicle and what other people are paying for the same used car in your local area. Otherwise, you won’t know what’s a good price to pay for the vehicle. I highly recommend using an online referral service such as Ryde Shopper or Motor Trend to do your used car research and request a free used car quote.

Minivan FAQ’s

Why are used minivans so cheap?

Used minivans are often less expensive since they lack new amenities, families do not want to drive a vehicle with high mileage, and minivans are not as popular as other types. It’s all about supply and demand, the less popular a car is, the less money you can charge for it when it’s utilized.

Should I buy a high mileage minivan?

If you just plan to drive a few thousand miles per year and don’t put too much strain on your vehicle, a high-mileage secondhand van may be the most cost-effective option. However, if your daily activities need the usage of a van, you may want to look for a lower mileage option.

What are the longest-lasting minivans?

The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey have the title of longest-lasting minivans on the road.

How dependable is the Dodge Caravan?

Since its facelift in 2011, the Dodge Caravan has been one of the most inexpensive minivans on the market. However, its dependability is ordinary and it lags behind its competitors because it was evaluated negatively early in the decade. Since 2015, its dependability has been described as average.

About the author

My name is Carlton Wolf and I have been in the retail and wholesale car business for well over 20 years. I created the Auto Cheat Sheet to better educate buyers on the deceptive sales practices found in many dealerships across the country. Please understand, not all car dealers are dishonest. However, you never know who you will be dealing with. I’m willing to share my knowledge and experience with anyone willing to listen. Keep in mind, I’m a car guy, not a writer.