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2nd Trimester
DH wants to get a mini van :(
Help! I have a 97' 2 door ford escort and we are in the market to buy a car. We were thinking a Honda Accord and then I thought well where do we put the dog? So I am thinking a SUV type of car, like a CRV. And told him of my thoughts about getting a CRV type of car, we could use it longer and put more stuff (we like to go camping) in it. He said, well instead of upgrading every few years (as we have more kids, we want 4) why not go ahead and get a mini van. 
My plan has backfired!
I really don't have anything against mini vans, I grew up with one. But they seem to be so sterotypical. Anyone have or getting one and can provide me with some positives....besides the one DH has already pointed out (good gas mileage, storage capacity, fit a lot of people). Or if you have any good ideas to talk DH out of one, that would be fantastic!
Follow me at: Nell's Niche as I tackle working-at-home, raising babies, making my life a little more eco-friendly, organized, and healthy one sleep deprived day at a time!
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Re: DH wants to get a mini van :(
We are getting one with 3 on the way at once. I think your DH's idea of getting a van instead of updating every few years is a good idea. I felt the same way as you about the mini van, but we test drove a few and I'm sold on the idea now. They have so many features that are kid friendly and will make your life a lot easier in the long run (like power doors and dvd entertainment systems, power back door gate, etc).
I am really liking the Honda Odyssey at this point. That is the one we will probably go with. I've heard good things about the Toyota Sienna too.
I can't help you - I'm really excited about getting a minivan
Car seats take up a lot of space - you'll probably be happy for the extra room in the long run. Hope you find something you like!
I think your H is being smart.
I say start with a Honda Fit. I'm like the PP - I love mine and will drive it into the ground. It has tons of space, you can stick the dog in the very back, excellent gas mileage.
If you're on the lot, it's worth test-driving.
Ok, I have a mini-van
and a CR-V funnily enough. Sorry to say I agree with your DH. I love love love my van. We got the CR-V with the intention that I would drive that with kids for a good 4-5 years (until we paid off DH's truck and saved a bit for a down payment). Well, DD#2 came along and we couldn't carpool to the zoo, couldn't pick my parents up from the airport (all our family is OOT) and were taking two cars everywhere if/when we had company. We ended up trading in DH's truck for a mini-van (Toyota Sienna) with only 4 or 5 months left of payments. 
We kept the CR-V b/c it had much better gas mileage than DH's truck anyway. DH now drives that most of the time for work and I drive it when I'm working. (I'm a wedding photog so I mostly work weekends.)
With baby #3 on the way, I'm so glad we just went ahead and got our van. I half wish we'd gotten it when we had DD#1 when we got our CR-V since it was about two years later when we got the van, but luckily DH was willing to trade-in the truck and drive the CR-V. I would have been so pissed at myself if we'd had to trade in the CR-V after only 2 years!
I love love love our van. One of my friends has a Yukon and she can't use her third row of seats b/c if the seats are up she has no trunk space - like can't even put an umbrella stroller back there. We have tons of trunk space and can fit upto 5 carseats (though hopefully not unless we're carpooling with friends) and everything. When my parents visit or DH's do, it's the easiest thing in the world to get everyone in. Plus, it's so much easier for me to the girls in and out of than my friend's Yukon or some of the bigger SUVs. I'm tiny (5'1") so it's hard for me to get them in their carseats in the bigger SUVs b/c they're up so high. Anyway, much as I know you're resisting it, (I did too - a ton.) a mini-van might not be a bad idea.
We're thinking about a new car too. We have 2 dogs (lab and bloodhound) and they usually get the back seat, but no more! I really want a car that can take us all.
We're thinking about a Subaru Forester. The trunk area is big enough for both our dogs, and we would use the back seat for LO and luggage, and later getting a roof cargo carrier. Maybe think of a similar alternative?
OK - now you get the speach....
SUV's have higher occupancy death rates. They are NOT safer. That is a total falacy. Please check iihs.org before buying anything. They only compare cars within the class (small, mid-size, vans etc) but they have great info. New CR-V's look pretty good over all.
SUV's are on truck frames which means they need to conform to truck emmisions standards so, not only do they generally use more gas than a car, for every gallon they use they are actually putting out more pollution. Let's say your CR-V and my Volvo get the exact same milage. Your CR-V is still putting out more pollution. You can find SUV's on car frames - the Volvo SUV is one of them - and they conform to car emmissions standards.
Good luck. I love the Toyota Siena and if I ever get rid of my Volvo that is what I want.
I SWORE I would never drive a minivan and now I do. I absolutely LOVE it. I have a honda odyssesy and it makes my life much easier. I had an accord when my son was small and it was such a pain leaning in to put him in the middle and to get him out. Now I can open the doors before getting out of the car and get him out without beding over. He's now at the age where he's in a booster so he can unbuckle himself and hop out.
It's super comfy for traveling too. We make a 7 hour drive one way every summer and it's WAY better to drive then the accords ever were.
If you plan to have four kids I highly suggest it. The automatic opening doors are the BEST feature on a minivan...You will never want to go back.
Ditto this. I want the power doors so bad!
Ew. I would never drive a mini van as long as they look like mini vans. I grew up riding in the back seat of '78 Camero. I think my Focus and DH's Mazda 3 both have plenty of room for baby+DH+dog. Maybe even 1 more. I'm trying to devise ways to get a 3rd car one thats a bit sexier and faster.
But then I don't want 4 kids so. . .maybe you should consider it. Have you looked at the Ford Edge? Honda or whomever probably has something similar as well if your stuck on a certain brand.
I drive a 2007 Hyundai Entourage, and I love it! It was a reasonable price (as compared to the Honda Odyssey...a lot more of the safety features were standard in the Entourage). We traded in my 1 year old Saturn Vue for the van. It just wasn't enough room. The infant car seat was too big for the backseat, and if you had it in the middle of the backseat, you couldn't really put the front seats back. The stroller took up the WHOLE back of the Vue, too.
If you are eventually going to need a van, I would just invest in one now. I love our van - especially for traveling. My 2 year old daughter and 12 year old stepdaughter love the tv/dvd combo, and we have plenty of room in the back. You can fold down the third row or half of the third row if you want. It definitely works better for us - and I NEVER thought I would drive a van - especially at 25 years old!
I am dying for a Honda Odyssey.
However, we have two perfectly good sedans that are both paid off and with just one baby there is no need to buy a mini van.
I am just laughing about everyone who says they never thought they would drive one but then they bought one. . what happened there? Hah. I mean I wouldn't even bother looking at them so how could I know what I'm "missing"?
thanks ladies for all the advice. I am not dead set on not getting one, but not a fan either. I guess the drawback for me is that I work downtown and parallel parking is a must and my little escort makes it soo much easier!
I can def. seeing the need one with 3 or 4 kids, but for one? It does make sense (financially) to go ahead and buy one. We wouldn't be getting a new one anyway, so guess I would have to look hard for power doors.
thanks ladies, you all are the greatest!
We are buying a Honda Odyssey. I tried to load a double stroller, a diaper bag, fake groceries, etc into a CRV and it didnt fit.
Don't know if anyone has commented on this, but some smaller SUV's are built on car chassis. The CR-V is on a car frame/chassis. Less prone to rollover, etc.
The Honda Pilot is on a car chassis too, we used to have that. It can fit 8 people in it if the people in the back are small, like kids. When we got it (2 years ago) it was the largest of the midsize SUVs.
We did trade it in for the Toyota Sequoia because we needed more space. We travel everywhere with our show/field dogs, they need to be in midsized crates in the back so we need to be able to fit 2 36" crates in the cargo. They fit in the Pilot, but no other midsize SUV, and there was no other trunk space.
With the Sequoia we can fit 2-3 kids, 2 dogs in crates, and still have room on top of and behind the crates for suitcases and gear. It could very comfortably fit 8 adults.
However, the Sequoia is DHs car. He is a truck guy, I wouldn't get one for myself. I LOVE it for long trips where DH drives, and I do love driving it, but it's too huge for me to be comfortable just driving around town. Nothing else would work for us as far as space though unless we went Diesel, we just have too much cargo.
I drive a Honda Civic, and I need a SUV. I have a bad back, so putting gear and babies into a small car is going to be too much for me, I can't do all that bending and lifting. I was thinking of getting a Rav4, but am also strongly leaning towards a minivan, though I know how "not cool" they are and I hate how they look. For convenience purposes they just can't be beat, they are just made for moms so perfectly, and have so many great features that I know I would love.