[DC-93]

The take rate for 8 passenger Pacificas is very small, hence a dealer wouldn't stock one because he'd be stuck with it.

What you are doing, rent an 8 pass when needed, works for you!

Stow and Go is a great way to go for a majority of folks. The fact that I also have AWD on my Pacifica is a bonus.

 

[movaldes]

I have twice tried to buy 8 passenger vehicles. Durango, but every one around had second row buckets. Same for Grand Cherokee L. Because they weren’t available (short of ordering one with the odd specs required) I just rent when necessary. And they are now mostly Chevys.

Sorry but no Durango after 2014 had 8-passenger seating available. The rear seat is designed for 2.
Now, you CAN get a nice Jeep W/GW with 8-passenger seating, like mine... 😎

 

[valiant67]

Sorry but no Durango after 2014 had 8-passenger seating available. The rear seat is designed for 2.
Now, you CAN get a nice Jeep W/GW with 8-passenger seating, like mine... 😎

Durango purchase attempt was not a recent thing.
Grand Wagoneer is too wide, I test fitted a Ram 1500 and the driveway and carport are too narrow.
I guess if I had to buy rather than rent I’d get an Equinox (ugh). I’ll just keep renting a larger vehicle when necessary.
Pacifica like Equinox means I’d still have Gladiator as the best tow vehicle (and it’s not the best choice). Too bad Wagoneer is just too much

 

[06PTElectricBlue]

The Stow and Go seating is a pretty cool innovation, it's a winner! It allows for the vehicle to be so versatile while still being able to maintain the security and crash worthiness that seats must go through.

My cousin has that in their Town & Country and they love it, especially for a family always on the go.

My PT has kind of a version of Stow and Go, in that the 2nd row seats fold for a flat floor, and the front passenger setback can also fold flat, for longer items.

 

[68RT]

But the larger part of the equation is having vehicles people want to rent. People don’t generally rent a minivan to haul large cargo on a flat floor. They rent a minivan to haul people.

Did a search for minivans for sale by rental cars. Did find 3 eight passenger Toyotas for sale in the U.S. by Enterprise. They had a 7 passenger Tojo too. My local sales lot has 4 Pacificas on their lot. Others companies had only Pacificas or Voyagers available.

 

[valiant67]

Did a search for minivans for sale by rental cars. Did find 3 eight passenger Toyotas for sale in the U.S. by Enterprise. They had a 7 passenger Tojo too. My local sales lot has 4 Pacificas on their lot. Others companies had only Pacificas or Voyagers available.

I guess the joke is on them. I can rent a Chevy Equinox 8 passenger a good bit cheap er than they’ll rent me any minivan. They lose revenue!

 

[68RT]

I guess the joke is on them. I can rent a Chevy Equinox 8 passenger a good bit cheap er than they’ll rent me any minivan. They lose revenue!

??? Equinox seats 5 normally.

 

[valiant67]

??? Equinox seats 5 normally.

Oops, Traverse. Sorry I’m not up on my Chevy vehicles. I had to go back to the paperwork from April and look.
I meant Traverse everywhere I said Equinox in this thread.

You really can’t let go of the fact FCA/Stellantis is failing in the 8 passenger market can you?

And before you say no one rents 8 passenger vehicles, this was a 2022 Chevy with 52k miles on it do it’s obviously being rented out.

 

[Dave Z]

That makes a lot more sense. I was thinking the Equiniox must be seriously well designed for a moment.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Not sure why all the infighting on the merits of the vans.
I have had a 2013 Grand Caravan for a year, replacing a 1992 Dakota club cab with cap.
The GC is by far superior for my needs.

The Dakota held a theoretical 6 people (in reality, 2 in the front and 2 crammed in the back with difficult access and 12 inches of legroom. It did have a bed that was wide enough for plywood, and with the tailgate down, held 4x8 sheets. Or it could hold 3 people in the cab and 3 bicycles in dry, locking storage in the rear. Or 800 lbs of paver stones. Or a bed full of soil, mulch and lime. It got 19 mpg highway, sometimes 20-21.

The GC holds up to 7 people comfortably (OK, maybe 6 Comfortably); it holds 4 x 8 plywood with the middle and back rows folded down, in dry locking storage. Or 4 people with gear, or 6, or 3 with 3 bicycles. Or same amount of pavers, mulch, dirt, etc. It gets 25 mpg average, as high as 27 on long highway trips. It also has rear climate control for what's in the back. It has better visibility, a better ride and handling, has 100 more hp while weighing only 100 lb more, and has 6 gears vs 4, for more versatile driving. It OPTIMIZES utility.

 

[Dave Z]

[cough]

Amazon.com

 

[68RT]

Oops, Traverse. Sorry I’m not up on my Chevy vehicles. I had to go back to the paperwork from April and look.
I meant Traverse everywhere I said Equinox in this thread.

You really can’t let go of the fact FCA/Stellantis is failing in the 8 passenger market can you?

And before you say no one rents 8 passenger vehicles, this was a 2022 Chevy with 52k miles on it do it’s obviously being rented out.

The Traverse specs out quite well but does have less room for bags, etc. when seats are used and does not fold totally down when cargo is needed. Does make a good people mover though. I do like being able to open and close the second row doors from my seat and with young grandkids, not having them hit the neighboring vehicle with my door. That was a frustration with my crew cab. My side doors will not open with the car in gear too. Another issue.

 

[DC-93]

The GC holds up to 7 people comfortably (OK, maybe 6 Comfortably); it holds 4 x 8 plywood with the middle and back rows folded down, in dry locking storage. Or 4 people with gear, or 6, or 3 with 3 bicycles. Or same amount of pavers, mulch, dirt, etc. It gets 25 mpg average, as high as 27 on long highway trips. It also has rear climate control for what's in the back. It has better visibility, a better ride and handling, has 100 more hp while weighing only 100 lb more, and has 6 gears vs 4, for more versatile driving. It OPTIMIZES utility.

I had a 2013 GC so I know exactly what you are talking about.

My 21 AWD Pacific is superior to my trusty 13 GC.

My 13 GC was superior to my old 1997 GC!

 

[somber]

Seating capacity is an element of utility; Stow 'n Go is an element of convenience. In having to choose between the two, utility trumps convenience for most buyers.

I have driven our 2011 Grand Caravan loaded with stuff (and seats stowed) to school functions for my daughter, then after the function is over, been asked to drive some kids home. This happened several times. Had I been driving my 1990 or 2000 Grand Caravans (pre Stow 'n Go), the seats would have been at home in my shed and I would have been unable to drive kids home. In those cases, Stow 'n Go was awesome utility.

I've said it before here on Allpar - Stow 'n Go is my favorite automotive innovation in the past 50 years.

 

[ryanov]

The only gripe I've had with so-called "minivans", especially in recent years, is that they simply just don't seem very "mini" to me.
Maybe it's just me, but they seem to be continually growing.

All vehicles really. I have a 2000 Caravan Sport. I was really surprised to feel like I was driving a small car around an F250. It’s absurd (and bad for fuel economy).

I have a house with a narrow driveway. I can fit the Caravan with one of the mirrors folded. Pacifica, forget it.

 

[DC-93]

I grew up in a house with a narrow driveway.
My dad could get his C Bodies into the garage in back with no problem.

LOL, no cameras involved, just skill.

 

[GaryS]

After owning four new Mopar vans in the past twenty years, I only had two occasions when the third seat was used for a couple of kids. Then Stow and Go arrive and now stow both seats most of the time since 95% of the time, I'm alone. When I was deciding what equipment I wanted, I asked if I could delete the third seat and use that area for covered storage or a spare tire. Of course, they said no. My need for a van is hauling things, not people and doing so in comfort and with good visibility. At least I was finally able to buy a Pacifica Limited without an entertainment system to keep the plywood and sheetrock happy!

 

[ryanov]

I grew up in a house with a narrow driveway.
My dad could get his C Bodies into the garage in back with no problem.

LOL, no cameras involved, just skill.

It's a driveway with a house on either side of it that my current van does not fit down unless I fold a mirror. I doubt the Pacifica would fit (3 inches wider without mirrors) even with both folded.

 

[Doug D]

It's a driveway with a house on either side of it that my current van does not fit down unless I fold a mirror. I doubt the Pacifica would fit (3 inches wider without mirrors) even with both folded.

That's pretty narrow. Those houses must be very close together. My cousin has a house in Tonawanda, NY (next to Buffalo) and while the houses are close together, they are not that close. My Ram easily fit in the driveway between the houses. Had to have all vehicles off the street by 9 pm or so or they would be towed.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

I have 9-foot wide garage doors, and the mirrors on my Grand Caravan nearly hit on each side.