I am curious what sedan the poster has with three kids. We had two kids, a dog, DH (6'5") and myself in a Corolla but when number 3 was on his way we had to buy a new car. We looked at sedans but couldn't find one that would work with three different carseats, so how does she do it? We had a hard time deciding between a Mazda 5 and a Honda (used). We ended up with the Honda because we got a great price and we will never out grow it. There was concern about the storage area in the Madza 5. If we ever buy a second car, I will pick a Mazda 5. Although I don't see that happening as DH bikes to work and his brother gave us his old truck. My BIL hated that we only had one car, don't ask me why he cared so much about this issue.
I find minivans ugly but if that's your shebang, more power to you.
Oh, I never said it was visually appealing. Lol. If I were to buy a car based solely on the way it looks, I would probably buy an Acura MDX or any Audi.
Yeah, but I don't understand what "bells and whistles" you're talking about.
I hear the automatic sliding doors are simply AWESOMESAUCE. I'm told.
SBP, you'll be happy to know we sold our truck and are now both driving VW sedans, and one's even a manual. I almost feel obligated to post obnoxious bumper stickers just to make up for it.
I drive an Escape and can never figure out if it should be lumped into the "evil SUV" category when we get into the debates. My Escape really isn't that much bigger on the inside than regular sedans, but I definitely need a vehicle that has 4wd and higher off the ground to get through my neighborhood during the winter. Damn lake effect snow.
My six foot six husband and tall ass kids fit far better in our little Chevy tracker baby SUV than they would in a sedan unless I got a big ass honking sedan which directly contradicts all the reasons I love my baby SUV.
Post by bhnumbers on Sept 30, 2012 19:41:11 GMT -5
We have a Subaru Forester and a Honda Accord. We can fit a LOT more stuff in the back of the Forester than we can in the trunk of the Accord. Also, getting kids in an out of car seats in the Forester is so much easier because it is up higher and the doors open wider.
Yes, we could have gotten a minivan, but we just don't need a vehicle quite that big and having driven them before, I know that I don't like them. I admit to loving and being insanely jealous of the automatically opening doors, but other than that, it just didn't appeal to me.
SBP, I think I discussed this with you in a similar SUV debate on the old boards, but where I live gets about 4-5x the yearly snowfall that Chicago does, so you truly can't compare your winter to one of ours. Our road commission doesn't even plow on the weekends until we get 6+ inches and that happens on a fairly regular basis in the winter and during the week, my street in never plowed when I leave for work. Chicago winters and snowfall are truly laughable compared to the northern Michigan lake effect snow belt.
I am curious what sedan the poster has with three kids. We had two kids, a dog, DH (6'5") and myself in a Corolla but when number 3 was on his way we had to buy a new car. We looked at sedans but couldn't find one that would work with three different carseats, so how does she do it? We had a hard time deciding between a Mazda 5 and a Honda (used). We ended up with the Honda because we got a great price and we will never out grow it. There was concern about the storage area in the Madza 5. If we ever buy a second car, I will pick a Mazda 5. Although I don't see that happening as DH bikes to work and his brother gave us his old truck. My BIL hated that we only had one car, don't ask me why he cared so much about this issue.
If you ever get a chance to try a used Dodge Intrepid/Chrysler Concorde you will be AMAZED at the roominess of the back seat. Seriously, nothing even comes close. I don't know who else is using that cab forward design, but it made a huge difference!
SBP, I think I discussed this with you in a similar SUV debate on the old boards, but where I live gets about 4-5x the yearly snowfall that Chicago does, so you truly can't compare your winter to one of ours. Our road commission doesn't even plow on the weekends until we get 6+ inches and that happens on a fairly regular basis in the winter and during the week, my street in never plowed when I leave for work. Chicago winters and snowfall are truly laughable compared to the northern Michigan lake effect snow belt.
You just need awd, though. But, as much as I despise SUVs. I don't care enough about the people that have this issue.
Signed, former upstate NYer from city with most snowfall of any city with pop over 100k.
Post by lyssbobiss, Command, B613 on Sept 30, 2012 19:57:46 GMT -5
It took 10 pages for this to get really flameful? Boo. Fie on all of you. So, I admit I don't quite understand being ecologically conscious, but why is driving an SUV with piss poor mileage bad for the environment but driving a minivan (especially an older model) with piss poor mileage more acceptable?
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
Anecdote alert: H and I both have AWD vehicals. Mine is an SUV, his is a station wagon. Mine is a million times better on the snow since its higher up. I was able to handle the unpaved roads than he was.
BUT, I agree that you never NEED an SUV. But you never really NEED any specific type of vehicle. Mine gets around 30 mpg (highway) so not bad for an SUV.
I drove a Honda civic for 9 years in Minnesota and I loved loved that little car but it totally fucking sucked in the snow. I use d to get stuck in our driveway and in the neighborhood multiple times every winter. I have had a Honda Pilot now 2 years and that SUV is a beast in the snow and I will never drive a little car while living up here again!
When I bought the Pilot I was told it was the same size and on the same platform as the Odyssey so, I how is one more flame full than the other!?!
Post by heightsyankee on Sept 30, 2012 20:25:51 GMT -5
Just to clarify here: whether you own an SUV or a minivan wasn't the issue. bluestreet said she gets peeved when people say that an SUV is the only way they can transport children. I said I get peeved when people with 2 kids make a crapton of excuses about why they had to buy a minivan because WHAT ELSE ARE THEY GOING TO DRIVE 2 KIDS AROUND IN!?!?!11!! FFS is right.
Just to clarify here: whether you own an SUV or a minivan wasn't the issue. bluestreet said she gets peeved when people say that an SUV is the only way they can transport children. I said I get peeved when people with 2 kids make a crapton of excuses about why they had to buy a minivan because WHAT ELSE ARE THEY GOING TO DRIVE 2 KIDS AROUND IN!?!?!11!! FFS is right.
LOL
Agreed.
I remember when I sold cars this idiot lady came in blathering about how a tricked out Tahoe was THE ONLY vehicle that would possible work with her lifestyle. Lifestyle being a single parent homebody with 11 month old twins.
I had to plaster on a smile to avoid a huge eyeroll.
As an aside, I've never seen a minivan that had a decent amount of cargo space in the back. It was stroller or groceries but not both.
As an aside, I've never seen a minivan that had a decent amount of cargo space in the back. It was stroller or groceries but not both.
Well, just to prove I am not some evil minivan hater, I can tell you that the rental I had this summer fit 4 large suitcases in the cargo area with the 3rd row up. It would have definitely fit a double BOB and a few bags of groceries. That being said, I would never buy one because of the major road noise. I also have a weird thing about Chryslers. Just don't like em.
I don't care what anyone drives as long as they realize that minivans and SUVs have limitations, can't corner for shit, and limit everybody else's visibility.
The cornering depends on the SUV. The Lexus 330 stinks but the Mercedes ML 350 is awesome
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
Oh honestly. They don't have to justify them. That's the freaking point. If any car owner just said "This is the kind of car I wanted. It works for me" that would be the freaking end.
I don't think your issue is with minivan owners. It's with your friend.
I never said I had an issue with minivans or minivan owners.
I don't care what anyone drives as long as they realize that minivans and SUVs have limitations, can't corner for shit, and limit everybody else's visibility.
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I know. I like my SUV because I can see over other cars on the highway. I guess I know I am blocking other people's visibility, though. I kinda wish it was all cars or all trucks/SUVs/Vans.
And that's where my issue is, usually. People who buy SUVs always do this stuff of well, I couldn't get a rear facing car seat into the sedan, my husband is unusually large, we need AWD because we live on a hill, I own dogs and we take them absolutely everywhere with us, we wanted a safe, family car, we needed something bigger but more affordable... yada yada yada. So few SUVs actually solve those problems (and even fewer solve ALL of them), it's always like So why did you get an SUV again? Oh yeah, you like the way it looks.
A lot of parents who I talk to will say that they got an SUV because, even though a minivan would work better for their families, they "just couldn't bring" themselves to drive one.
I think it's fascinating. Our new minivan (Nissan Quest) has way better accelleration and cornering than our compact car (Scion xB). Like, by a LOT. According to Nissan, the Quest has a tighter turning radius than the Altima. ...but, you know, minivans drive like schitt, so we all should be driving SUV's.
*sigh* The fact of the matter is that minivans are, on the whole, way safer than SUV's. We go back to a "security theater" conversation here. SUV's might "feel" safe, but, they really aren't as safe as they "feel">
Post by lyssbobiss, Command, B613 on Oct 1, 2012 10:28:49 GMT -5
Nothing screams "I have too much money!' quite like a Mercedes SUV. And if you complain about how it handles turns, I'm going to smack you with your own diamond shoes.
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
Post by penguingrrl on Oct 1, 2012 10:40:01 GMT -5
I will say that the only reason I chose my SUV is that there are no 7-8 seater station wagons available (well, mercedes makes one, but as my money tree is not yet in bloom...). The Pilot is built on an Odyssey chassis, so it gets almost identical gas mileage and you don't have to pay extra for the 8th seat (you do on the Odyssey). We've had the car for a month and already had 8 people in it 4 or 5 times. Avoiding taking two cars close to weekly seems worth driving the bigger SUV, especially since a few times it was on hour+ drives. Given that FILs sedan (pontiac) gets worse gas mileage than my pilot I don't feel terrible.
As an aside, I've never seen a minivan that had a decent amount of cargo space in the back. It was stroller or groceries but not both.
Well, just to prove I am not some evil minivan hater, I can tell you that the rental I had this summer fit 4 large suitcases in the cargo area with the 3rd row up. It would have definitely fit a double BOB and a few bags of groceries. That being said, I would never buy one because of the major road noise. I also have a weird thing about Chryslers. Just don't like em.[/quote]
Yeah but if I didn't need a third row, I wouldn't give up my baby SUV or I'd have bought a sedan.
That's always been so odd to me, the Oh but you can put up the third row for more room. Dude, I'm likely to need the third row specifically when I need more cargo space. (not directed at you but at car makers.)
As an aside, I've never seen a minivan that had a decent amount of cargo space in the back. It was stroller or groceries but not both.
Well, just to prove I am not some evil minivan hater, I can tell you that the rental I had this summer fit 4 large suitcases in the cargo area with the 3rd row up. It would have definitely fit a double BOB and a few bags of groceries. That being said, I would never buy one because of the major road noise. I also have a weird thing about Chryslers. Just don't like em.
Yeah but if I didn't need a third row, I wouldn't give up my baby SUV or I'd have bought a sedan.
That's always been so odd to me, the Oh but you can put up the third row for more room. Dude, I'm likely to need the third row specifically when I need more cargo space. (not directed at you but at car makers.)[/quote]
See, mine has crazy space in the back, even with the third row up.
It has a well under the floor - - it's like the size of a trunk in a sedan. PLUS it has all the room behind the third row.
So: this under the floor (it's showing the cargo organizer, an option. it comes as one big space. the area is literally big enough to stow a body, it's definitely big enough for a large stroller. not a double.):
plus, this on top of the floor:
IMHO, big enough for a full size stroller and a costco run.
There was a great article in the Atlantic Monthly years ago about SUV drivers. All negative stereotypes confirmed. It is like an arms race- "I need a big honkin' SUV so that I can be safe from all the other big honkin' SUVs" and on and on.