Anyone have a minivan?

bananers

Or thinking about one? I always swore I would never own one, but DH was actually the one who talked me into it. I test drove a couple a few week ago and, okay, they're kind of amazing. We are getting our new Honda Odyssey tonight! I told DH I need to start wearing mom jeans now. But this will be pretty awesome when juggling a toddler, plus an infant seat. The automatic doors are sort of amazing. 

So who else is part of the dark side? 

charmedlifex3

We have the north eastern equivalent. I drive a Ford Escape. There is even three prong plug in the back seat... Pumping on the go just got easier? I need the 4wd, we live in rural VT (I have to take a dirt rd to go the short way to daycare!)

But yup, so glad I have a "Mom Mobile"

jamiesc58

I love our mini van! So much easier to get kids in and out!!!

mrsmommya

I have a dodge van and LOVE it!  My mom had one first and I fell in love with the stow and go and how roomy it is!  We have a dvd player and back-up cam....seriously my dream vehicle

cm716

I don't have one but I'm DYING for a toyota sienna with 8 seats! I currently drive an 07 Kia Sorenta with no third row option. I can snugly fit an infant, booster, and toddler seat in the back but it's going to be such a pain. I'm totally dreading it. Plus now we are at max capacity. So, when our parents come to visit from out of state, they have to take a separate car. The only thing stopping me is that our Kia is SUPER reliable and we don't have any car payments right now.

Ashers423

We just got a minivan the end of November when I found out I we were expecting again. Dd is 2 and it is so convenient with her alone already. The stroller goes in so nicely and it's so roomy. She also loves being able to see out the windows and I know it'll be convenient with a baby added too! 
I also swore we would never have a minivan and our friends give us a lot of crap for it... I just tell them to wait until baby #2 and they'll all be jumping on board

Sekerambo

I said I would never get one but I test drove a Toyota Sienna a couple months back and absolutely loved it.  We're waiting for my car to die before we get one, so I'm sure we will have one in the next year.

bananers

Allisun85 said:

We have the north eastern equivalent. I drive a Ford Escape. There is even three prong plug in the back seat... Pumping on the go just got easier? I need the 4wd, we live in rural VT (I have to take a dirt rd to go the short way to daycare!)

But yup, so glad I have a "Mom Mobile"

LOL. I traded in the Escape for the van. I never thought of it as a mom mobile. 

ericajstoner

Caving in for a Toyota Sienna 

megframe16

Honda Odyssey! Just got it this week. I too had tried to avoid the mini van.. Seriously after only a few days, I will never look back. I absolutely love it and wish I had invested earlier! So much ease with two boys getting in and out and two more on the way! Go for it momma!!!

runsoncoffee

I don't own one, but the social service agency I work for has a new honda odyssey so I've driven it a few times and told hubby it will be my future car haha. I currently own a CRV and love that, but once there are more kids mini van it will be  enjoy your new wheels!

ThisisNumber3

Love my '15 Oddy! 

I think lane assist camera is a fav feature. 

sdavis2189

I just leased a Toyota Rav4 before I got pregnant but now I want a minivan so bad! We have a 75 pound dog and that third row would make travel so much easier. We drive the three hour trip to where our parents live pretty often, and I'm not sure how we will fit all the baby stuff, dog stuff, and our stuff in the car. It's really not any bigger than a sedan. I know what I'll be getting when my lease is up!

Jenniferk08

I cried going from a Jetta to a crv. No way I could handle driving a mini van. We have enough space for 2 kids and a dog. 

LEOwife726

Team Odyssee here!!  Mines getting old though. It's a 2008 and still going strong so can't see getting into a payment. I tell people all the time if I could pick any vehicle on the road, it would be a brand new Odyssee. 

ShanRum3

I used to have a minivan and I loved it!!!  When it was time for it to go, hubby talked me into an SUV. I now have an Acura MDX, and I love it. It has third row seating, but it definitely won't be as easy to get an infant seat in it as the van was, but I'm small enough that I can still climb in the back to get the seat in the base. I have 1 kid still in a booster, so it might be a tight squeeze getting both of them side by side. I may have to make my oldest son sit in the third row, while his brothers sit in the second row. We'll just have to see.

tinkerbell11210

@cm716 have you test drive the Kia Sedona? The new model is amazing!! My husband drives a Sorento and they drive the same. We purchased a 2016 in October. Plus mine is loaded I love the heated seats, leather automatic doors and the trunk opens just by standing with the keys in the back!! Total saver when your hands are full. Plus the backup camera is standard on all models I think.  I used to have a 2010 sienna. I liked it but the seats were not as comfortable as the Sedona. Oh and it came with a removable 8th seat! 

lalalorelai

Allisun85 said:

We have the north eastern equivalent. I drive a Ford Escape. There is even three prong plug in the back seat... Pumping on the go just got easier? I need the 4wd, we live in rural VT (I have to take a dirt rd to go the short way to daycare!)

But yup, so glad I have a "Mom Mobile"

Wait, a Ford Escape is a mom mobile? I've drove Escapes off and on since high school. 

Bubblegum5586

Baby 1 is on the way and I can't wait to buy a minivan! I have 2 years left on my current loan (on my teeny Hyundai accent.. which I do love) and then hoping for another 2 years with no payments. At that point 2nd baby should be on the way so then then my dreams will come true and I can get a minivan!

In case your wondering why I have always dreamed of a minivan. There is a specific story that it all goes back to.... When I was about 10 years old my parents drove a very small compact car. I used to have to sit in the middle back sit between my 2 year old sister in a car seat and my 80lb dog on the fold down seat. My knees would hit the center console in the front and my hips barely fit! We used to drive 3 hours to our vacation house in Maine all the time in the summer. I have one particular memory of getting ready to head home and begrudgingly heading to the car for the torturous ride back. I walk by my cousins getting into their MINIVAN (it was the kind with 2 long bench seats) and they each had legit BEDS made up on them. They got to sleep cozy and soundly while I crammed between a carsick 80lb dog and a cranky 2 year old! That day I vowed I would one day own a minivan!

Stephanie7693

I couldn't bring myself to get a van. I've had suvs and trucks since my first was born, and I love them. I had a Denali with captain seats, which I loved, bUT it only sat two in the back. So a couple months ago we got an escalade esv. It was between the escalade esv and Denali xl. They are essentially the same. I love my new truck. Still has captain seats which is easy for infant seats and small kids. Lots of space in 2nd and third row, and a full trunk area. But the door and trunk buttons on a mini van almost swayed me to the dark side! It probably would have if my first two kids were younger.

tmk0325

Goodness... Do I need to get rid of my Malibu and go straight to a minivan with the twins? I think I'm going the SUV route (my mom and uncle sell vehicles so getting something reasonable has never been an issue), but I just can't pull the trigger on a minivan until after I've done the SUV thing. If we try for 3, I think I would make the switch. I have a few friends that have vans and they are really nice and roomie!

DSMLove

I actually just saw this picture on Facebook recently. Haha! I drive a Nissan Rogue now, which does have a pretty good amount of space. But, despite my resistance, I'll admit that I'm starting to see the advantages of a minivan.

kristynmac

hahaha this discussion made me think of this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4

ginger819

After we had DD we upgraded our tiny Chevy Captiva (who knew they even made an SUV that could barely hold a car seat) for our Chevy Traverse with third row seating. We knew we would be having #2 and I would start babysitting. I'm still trying to work out how I'm going to place two all in one rear facing car seats and an infant seat. Looks like I'll be crawling in back everyday to buckle DD in. 
Now I wish I had looked at minivans and not been so set on an SUV, though I do love our car (the built in DVD player kind of sealed the deal for me).

carstekj

We're thinking of a minivan with #3 coming now... I currently drive a trailblazer without a payment. DH's car still has 2yrs of payments left... so we'd have to get rid of that to keep to 1 payment. I do love my 4 wheel drive in MN winters though! 
DH and I looked at minivans before we even had children! LOL We should have just gotten one then!