Now that we have the Excursion we need to sell a vehicle. Decided that it would be the 2004 Expedition. 5.4 V8 heavy duty tow (not that we need that anymore)124k miles. I really love that thing. The other option is our 2002 Honda Odyssey. Minivan blah blah blah 119K. Obviously the Expedition will bring in more cash by a few grand.

Dilemma is my 16 year old will be driving soon. No, he is not yet. Not that interested, go figure. My DH thinks minivan will be easier for him to learn on and we don't care if it gets beat up a little. Selling minivan seems almost pointless as will probably only bring in $2K. We are original owners.

I've had Expedition up for almost a month with zero bites. Asked $7k and just recently lowered to $6400, and now $6k. Still no bites. Seems there's a lot of them on the market. I don't want to give the thing away and it has brand new $900 EL tires on it. Carfax says it's even worth $2K more than retail too although I'm not asking it.

Either way the Expedition or the Odyssey will be our (mom and dad's) second car. Planning for son to have a newer, safer car to be his daily driver eventually.

If we kept Expedition I would want to change tires to more comfy passenger ones and sell the ones I just bought. That sucks right there.

Appreciate any input as I trust you guys. If not Excursiony enough my feelings won't be hurt if you need to delete.

I also like the way it looks in driveway next to the Excursion better too. Something about two next to each other. Hate to take the financial hit after buying Excursion though. Decisions!

 

How does your son feel about driving the van? When my daughter turned 18 she had no problems learning in the excursion (I had more of a problem lol)... I really believe it made her a MUCH better driver.... forward fast 5 1/2 years, I trust her driving us on our mountain getaways.

Ask your son, at 16 I would have rather walked than drive something like that ( the van)...Just saying.

 

I don't care too much what he'd rather drive. He is not the too cool for school type so I don't think just learning on the van would be a big deal. We plan to help him get a better car when he has some time under his belt and a job to help buy it.

Perhaps I should of titled the thread "learning to drive in an SUV. "

In the long run I'd rather have the Excursion for towing and Expedition for my DD just question if that's the smartest way to go. Especially if gas prices go up a lot again.

Did your daughter learn on the Ex or just start driving it when she was 18?

 

My daughters first car to drive was our 2002 Ex, after 3 months I bought her a mustang GT. I really feel since she started with a much larger vehicle it made her a better driver. She can parallel park my ex better than most, she can drive the ex on winding mountain roads with confidence. She had no interest in driving until she turned 18 and needed to drive to school. Her first accident occurred a couple months ago, were she hit an abandoned car in a right lane with no lights on and it was on a rainy night. Cops even told me, there wasn't much she could have done. Today she drives everything in our household except the exotics (unless I'm with her) and when it's raining she does request the excursion. I just replaced her mustang GT with a camaro SS and she loves it.

 

My thoughts are keep what you want.

You mentioned you will get him a car, with his help, when he really starts, driving. You might as well not sell the car you like for the sake of him learning on a car you won't necessarily enjoy once he's done with it.


We have teenage boys as well as littles. We have an 04 Impala with low miles. Bought it as a run around car for my wife.

She wasn't really pumped on rolling up to the preschool in a newer Black Denali with 22's. But since she's replaced it with a minivan she never drives the Impala.

The oldest boy has been driving it periodically with his permit. I figure it's not gonna lose much value and it's a great car too. There isn't much reason to get rid of it other than space.

2 Excursions
1 Town & Country
1 Impala
Misc trailers

56 Bel Air in the garage
Plus other hot rods in misc building stages.

 

What kind of dogs do you have? I saw the plate

 

I bought my Ex at 16. I'm now 17 and licensed. I didn't have a problem learning on it and I think it made me pay more attention to the road since it used to have a wondering problem.

 

Haha, a Beagle and a Black Lab. Plate is because I train them too.

 

That's quite a lot of beast to buy for a first car! Worrying about my son driving just the Expedition which is smaller must sound silly to you.

 

Keep them all, drive the van until Son is old enough and let him take that car. You are original owners, will not get any money out of it and know the service history. Plus you can keep the miles off the Ex's. Having an extra vehicle is great.

 

Yeah I'd probably hang on to all the cars.

Honestly those Odysseys have trans problems, its a known issue. The less scrupulous part of me would unload the van while it is still running well, although the market for them and other Hondas(Accords of the same vintage mainly) is weak due to the inherent auto trans faults.

The Expedition is a good truck, I was in the market for one when I sold my 98, but the Excursion fell in my lap. That being said I would likely keep the truck in your case, gas is cheap now so your 16 year old can drive it too. If he is anything like I was when I got my license at 16, he'll be driving a LOT so you'll want him in something safe hah.

 

My oldest learned in a full size conversion van. A few extra inches or even a foot or 2 doesn't matter. Good learning experience.

I'd keep the van for him, plan on some sort of damage or wreck, better on the "beater" and more sheet metal is usually better. 5 kids plus my wife learned around here. 4 cars totaled. 2 at fault in snow which you won't need to worry about and 2 fell victim to Bambi. Mayhem really does happen!

 

We had the transmission replaced years ago when there was a recall. I worry not as much about size but cornering and rollover. He is a firstborn and I anticipate him to be the ultra careful type but once he gets comfortable who knows... It's my 13 year old that I'm more worried about! My DH has already let him drive the van in parking lots at night. He has an interest in cars and chomping at ten bit for the day he can get his license. The only car my 16 year old gets excited about are the Teslas. He's a techie.

Holding on to them both is an option too. We are just tight on space. 3 car garage that only fits 2 and the driveway. Not allowed to park on street over ight here. Gotta love HOA's. My husband also has a car that his work provides so right now we have 4 cars.

 

I defitnetly can relate to parking and HOA situation. I have 2 car garage and space for 4 outside, upto last week I had 6 cars. Just sold 1 and looking at selling another one within days....

We, play musical cars a lot lol

 

The way you rattled them off I figured you were on a farm with outbuildings!