We had our '05 Carnival (2.5 petrol/5-speed manual) for 2 1/2 years from new. A week after we bought it we loaded the 5 of us up & went off on our annual 2 week holiday to Queensland, driving straight through overnight from Canberra to Caloundra - about 1300 km. We did that trip twice more, the last time at a weeks notice when my 4WD blew it's radiator, which necessitated transferring 2 roof-baskets to the Carnie as baby #4 was now along for the ride. That was the biggest load we threw at it - 6 people, luggage area full, 2 baskets full. Didn't faze it at all, pulled like a train, rode like a limo, 27 mpg average, couldn't fault it. The ONLY problems we ever had were with the DVD & CD players repeatedly failing. The DVD wiring also caused the battery to drain a few times too, until fixed under warranty.
We traded Carnie just before Xmas on a new Grand Carnie which has been even better - no complaints at all so far - fingers crossed. I'd go so far to say that if we could've afforded it, I'd've traded my old Patrol & kept the Carnival, we liked it so much, but then, we wouldn't be going to Fraser Island later this year for our hol!
