['97ventureowner]

Not necessarily. If you do the research, you can find a van that is 1 to 3 years old and up to 1/2 off what it originally cost new. The auto industry has changed so much in the past decade with leases and trade ins flooding the market. Now there are dealerships that deal exclusively in pre owned cars, cars that have just come off lease, trade ins, program cars, demonstrators, and others. You can get a real good deal if you know in advance what options you want and what they cost originally. Take for instance my situation. Back in 1998 weppurchased a 1997 Chevy Venture minivan that the original owner had just traded in with 16,125 miles on it. We paid $19,995 for it. We replaced that vehicle last fall with a 2006 Chevy Uplander we bought after careful research for $16, 590 with about 8600 on the odometer. This vehicle has more options than the Venture did, including a dvd player for the kids. It had 1/2 the miles as the van we purchased almost 10 years prior and cost us over $3000 LESS. There are plenty of vehicles out there that are fairly new and the best part is that most of the depreciation has already been taken out by the previous owner, and the insurance can be lower because it is not brand new. You ca wheel and deal on these vehicles like you can a new car to get the best deal also.Another thing you might consider is a "crossover" vehicle. These are quickly replacing the minivan and are a cross between a SUV and minivan.