MINIVANS...ugh

So, we have a 2000 Toyota Sienna. It has overall been a good vehicle. Of course we've had problems that required putting more money than we had/have most of the time into it, but that's usually how it goes with cars, right?

We've had transmission trouble with it, brake problems (more than once) tire issues, wheel issues, window cracks, starter issues, burnt out lights, sensors mis-reading...you name it. (knock on wood, right?) But she's still truckin' along.

Then something happened that I was SO not expecting. While out to dinner one night Tim proceeded to open the passenger sliding door to let the kids out and the handle broke right off! It sounded like someone hit the van! Like a loud crunch. He stood there laughing while I got out to see what happened. I walk around the car to see him holding the handle in his hand laughing hysterically, saying "I don't know my own strength!"

UGHHHH! REALLY!?

That is the side of the van the kids get in and out of most often. That's the side that when we pull up to the school they get in/out of because its the non-traffic side of the car. Sure,  the inside handle still worked, but dang it!

So, here it is. Irritating, right!?

A few weeks later, Tim and I went out on a date in my van. After dropping the kids off at his parent's house we headed down the road to our favorite pizza joint. We pull up right next to a van just like mine, only green. As we exit the car I suddenly hear that same giggle come from Tim that I heard when the handle broke. "Babe, you've gotta see this."

I walk around the car and discover this:

 We parked right next to a van, same make, same model, with the exact same problem! It was too funny not to photograph!

Look, twins!!!

As we walked around the other side of the green van toward the pizza place we discovered that these poor people had BOTH door handles broken off and thanked our lucky stars that that wasn't us.


We had it fixed recently, and wouldn't you know it, two days after we got it fixed the other one broke!! This time the handle is still in tact, but is seriously cracked and will come off at any time. We don't have an additional $200+ to spend on it to get it fixed right now, otherwise we would.

So, yeah.

Let's just say, when we replace my van, if I get another van, we will be getting one with push button doors for sure!