Post by underwaterrhymes on May 26, 2015 19:37:27 GMT -5
We are going to sell our impractical two-door car and get a station wagon or minivan.
If we get a minivan, it will be used because we would prefer a Sienna or Odyssey. We don't want to spend more than $15,000, so it would probably be a 2011 or 2012.
We have a toddler and a baby on the way. No dogs yet, but maybe down the line.
Post by usuallylurking on May 26, 2015 19:41:11 GMT -5
I would suggest exactly what you mentioned. I drive a suburban, but we have 3 kids, plan to have a 4th, and 3 big dogs that we regularly need to put in the back along with luggage or camping gear, etc. If it weren't for the dogs we would have gone with a minivan, either of the two you're looking at!
Post by snipsnsnails on May 26, 2015 19:44:02 GMT -5
Also a fan of the Acadia, but we needed AWD for the winter and a minivan would not cut it in snowy New England. Will you have another vehicle to navigate snow in winter?
Post by snipsnsnails on May 26, 2015 19:45:47 GMT -5
Oh, before the Acadia, I have always driven Jeeps (Grand Cherokees). Great handling, reliable, long lasting and a ton of storage. And I had 3 car seats in there easily!
Also a fan of the Acadia, but we needed AWD for the winter and a minivan would not cut it in snowy New England. Will you have another vehicle to navigate snow in winter?
We also have an Elantra that we love and will keep. It's fully paid off but sadly no AWD.
Also a fan of the Acadia, but we needed AWD for the winter and a minivan would not cut it in snowy New England. Will you have another vehicle to navigate snow in winter?
We also have an Elantra that we love and will keep. It's fully paid off but sadly no AWD.
What about an Outback then? Super reliable and good handling. My good friend has driven them for the past 20 years. Loves them!
The only way to get three rows and storage is a minivan.
This is true.
Which is why I'm stopping at two kids.
One kid and a dog already makes me feel like we've outgrown our Equinox. My parents are local, though, and we like to do stuff with them and now we have to take two cars everywhere.
Except for when we went to the Pancake House and squeezed into one car. I drove, my mom sat up front because she gets carsick, and my dad and H squished in the back with the baby. Which was hilarious.
What about an Outback then? Super reliable and good handling. My good friend has driven them for the past 20 years. Loves them!
H just brought this car up tonight. I haven't had time to research it yet, but it's on the table!
I will tell you- I have 2 friends who have/had Outbacks. Both have 1 kid and 1 large dog and take many road trips.
The one family already traded it in for a minivan and the other wants to. they LOVE the car- but it just wasn't enough space to haul a kid, dog and stuff on long trips.
I have an outback and It is amazing! I had a Chevy equinox before and while it had a tiny bit more storage it did not have the comfort or safety options of the outback.
Post by cabbagecabbage on May 26, 2015 20:13:09 GMT -5
I have a Volvo XC70 wagon that we bought because used Subarus were too expensive. Not gonna lie, it's old, an 02. But it's awesome with heated seats and leather, looks great, runs like a dream and cost $8,000 with 60,000 miles at 10 years old. Maintenance costs are high but it has been reliable for two years so far.
Post by cabbagecabbage on May 26, 2015 20:23:48 GMT -5
Two more things on the Volvo. I traded in a Hyundai accent hatchback for it. Went from commuter to SAHM. I thought I'd never get the hang of a big car but I love it now and can parallel park no problem.
If I won the lottery, I would totally get a new version of my car. I adore it.
Post by CrazyLucky on May 26, 2015 20:42:02 GMT -5
We have a 2012 Sienna. To be honest, we liked the Odyssey more, but not $5k more, and the Honda dealer wouldn't budge. We really like the Sienna. It has plenty of room for the kids and the dog on road trips. And we bring a lot of crap. Less than when they were babies and needed so much stuff, but still a lot. Generally, we keep the eighth seat put away, but when we go on really long trips, we put that seat in between the kids' carseats so we can help entertain them. I fit in the space between fairly comfortably, and I am not skinny. The temp control has three zones, drive, passenger, back. There's a lot of storage space, easy to drive. We get about 22mpg. It has about 50k miles on it. We follow the recommendations for service, and we haven't had any problems yet. If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer.
Post by katandkevin on May 26, 2015 21:00:19 GMT -5
I have a Sienna. We drove both the odyssey and Sienna and I liked how the Sienna handled more. Also, the Sienna was cheaper for the same level trim package.