Choosing a car?

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Question is it really necessary when you have kids to have a car larger than a compact? If so how large? DHand I have debated this since we've meet. But he believes no, I think yes. Anyway we at least agree 4 doors are necessary. What do you think and why?

I'm curious what people's experiences have been in choosing a car? Did they move up as they had kids? Just because?

Can you fit 2+ kids in a compact car? Can you fit 3 kids in a midsize sedan?

Is it more practical to keep our compacts for a long time, and then jump immediately into something like a van if we have kid #3? Would you pick an SUV over a minivan? Why? Or station wagon?

[disneysteve]

I think it partly depends on the ages of the kids. Is one or more them in a car seat? If so, you need to factor in that space requirement. Also, what will you be using the car for? If you plan to travel, you need room for 4 or 5 people AND luggage for 4 or 5 people. So you might get 4 or 5 people into the seating of the car, but will you have enough storage space?

Personally, we've had a minivan since 1996. I wouldn't go any other way. It is spacious and I like that you can walk between the rows of seats. When DD was a baby, it was very convenient when we traveled. Now that she's older, she's got plenty of room to bring books, games, whatever. Plus, plenty of room for luggage, a cooler and anything else we might need. Also, we've used the van many times over the years to move things, pick up large purchases, etc. All stuff we couldn't have done with a sedan.

[Scanner]

Can you fit 2+ kids in a compact car? Can you fit 3 kids in a midsize sedan?

Yes, we have a Toyota Matrix and nobody is too terribly uncomfortable at 2 kids, 9 and 4. However, I think 3 kids in a midsize is getting to be a squeeze. However, that being said, how often do a family of 5 take a long trip?

I guess it varies.

Is it more practical to keep our compacts for a long time, and then jump immediately into something like a van if we have kid #3? Would you pick an SUV over a minivan? Why? Or station wagon?

I would pick the minivan and I am exactly in kind of this decisive situation with my family.

It was my family's tradition for the guy to take the beat up car as the secondary car which I have always done with my wife. It's what my father did and it's what I do.

However, I have a 1999 Ford Taurus with 78K on it and my wife has a 2004 Matrix with only 25K on it. If you do the math, she only puts about 8K/year on it and I owe about $2300 on it.

My inkling is to hang on the Matrix and buy a used minivan. . .but then that would place her in the older (ie: less reliable) car since she hauls the kids maybe 75% of the time to little league and stuff.

So. . .as usual, I just do nothing until something really bad happens and then I'm forced to make a decision.

Anyway, why do a minivan over an SUV?

Well, I owned a Rodeo for about 5 years and just got sick of the SUV scene I guess but here are thelogical reasons:

1. Minivans are generally better on gas, esp. 4 cylinders
2. More versatile for hauling family stuff and family
3. Safer
4. A little higher up for big guys like me compared to a station wagon so getting in and out of the car isn't a pain.

Downside:

A tan minivan is a chick repellant and can only be offset by a baby or a puppy

[tinapbeana]

Maybe take a look at a Subaru Forester (Forrester?) or Outback. Like a cross between a station wagon and SUV. When we visit Asheville these things are everywhere, at various stages of age and wear, and they all look they hold up well.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Scanner

how often do a family of 5 take a long trip?

I know plenty of families of 5 who travel regularly. In fact, those with 3 kids are far more likely to drive than to fly to save money.

We are a family of 3, but we often travel with some other family (my mom or MIL and/or my cousin) so we often take long drives with 4 or 5 in the van. No way would I want to do that in a car.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

A minivan screams married, with kids, boring. I think that's why DH hates the idea. He likes hatchbacks, station wagon okay, but the minivan is just big and well ugly. I'm selling the idea of a dvd player.

More people you have the less economical it is to fly anywhere. Driving with a large family is cheaper.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

A minivan screams married, with kids, boring.

Driving with a large family is cheaper.

I never bought into the minivan=boring thing. It just doesn't bother us. We'd much rather travel in comfort with plenty of space. The heck with everyone else.

Driving with a small family is cheaper, too. We drive from NJ to Disney World every year. Saves us a bundle.

[DebbieL]

Yes, it's possible. I had a Nissan Micra hatchback until my daughter was about 9 (it got rear ended and totalled at that point or I might still have it). I then went to a Toyota Corolla. There is plenty of room for 5 people in it. I would not want the expense of a minivan, nor do I need one. The corolla has plenty of trunk space too if I needed to cart luggage around. We don't make many long road trips. My family is local, and we generally fly if we are vacationing somewhere very far away.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

How many car seats did you fit in the micra? Could it fit 2 comfortable and 3 possible? I don't even know what that is. Your corolla must be new because my 99 corolla does not fit 5 people comfortably, not even 4 if they are tall.

[Ima saver]

Well we have 4 vehicles and none of them have a back seat. Obviously, we like sporty cars! Our poodle fits fine on the console!!

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

my 99 corolla does not fit 5 people comfortably, not even 4 if they are tall.

My mom had a Corolla, maybe 2002 or so. I definitely wouldn't put 3 in the back seat unless it was a really short trip and they were all small.

[Gruntina]

ha ha! You’re too funny Ima.

I personally prefer mini SUV... but that is only because it fits my lifestyle the best. I live in the Santa Cruz Mountains and it’s an extremely curvy road. Having a 4wd is a must to get up and down the hill. The cargo and the height are nice on my back when it comes to loading groceries and access to the back seat. I live a good 45 min away from a grocery store so having a surplus of space in the back is great.

We don't travel often but do a lot of commuting.

Also, we are plant people!! We love to garden and plant and often buy trees and large size outdoor plants and can stick them in the SUV with the back seat folded down. We also are fixing up our 80 year old home and it needs tons of work and to save cost, much of it is DIY projects. We make frequent trips to the hardware stores and so on. We do have a good running 1964 pick-up truck to haul things to the dump in or gather large supply of firewood.

Not only it was good for family, the small SUV just an all purpose vehicle that support our lifestyle.

[Gruntina]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

My mom had a Corolla, maybe 2002 or so. I definitely wouldn't put 3 in the back seat unless it was a really short trip and they were all small.

I have seen the Corolla have both the sedan style and the wagon style. Maybe the person was referring to a wagon corolla?

[omicron]

The "wagon Corolla" is the Matrix (more or less [$16000]). If you want a mid-size sedan, try a Camry ($18500++). Or you can try the newly remodeled 2008 Scion xB ($17000). Or a Honda CRV (23/30 MPG for about $20500) or the Dodge Caliber. Just sit in the back of the Corolla and see if you guys fit.

[smokey0066]

I don't think minivans are that bad. Ima single guy and I wouldn't mind owning a minivan if I had to. I think you really should look at what you want to do with the car, where you're at in life, and how long you plan on keeping the car.

Depending on your kids ages if might get tight for 2 kids in the back of a compact/midsized sedan. Kids these days are HUGE. If you plan to keep this vehicle for a long time and you also plan on having a 3rd child then you may want to save yourself the hassle and just go with a minivan to plan for the future. If you plan on going on road trips with the kids, again buy a minivan.

Compacts are nice if you're flying solo to and from work but for carting kids/people around I would step up if I could afford it. I'm not sure what you drive now but maybe you can keep that for the commute and then only use the minivan when you cart the family around.??

Just my thoughts on the situation. I don't know much but that is how I would handle it if I were in your shoes.

BTW I drive an SUV and I would say you will get way more room with a minivan than an SUV. I would stay away from an SUV for a growing family. Plus SUVs have crazy markups, probably close to half the crap you pay for on the SUV will never be used anyways.

[DebbieL]

I have a sedan corolla. I easily carry my daughter (14) and two of her friends in the back. She's 5'6" and 110 pounds. Most of her friends are bigger (heavier) and it works fine. It is a 2003 corolla sedan. My husband is 6'6" as I said, and he and I drive everywhere in it.

PS - I grew up in a family with 5 kids (I was the youngest). I remember taking road trips every summer. Back in those days, seatbelts weren't yet mandatory (happened here in about 1977). Depending on how many kids came on the trip (my oldest siblings were already teenagers when I was born and didn't always come), I remember having to ride on my brothers/sisters laps. I remember my brother complaining about my bony arse, lol. Good times...

[Scanner]

We drive from NJ to Disney World every year. Saves us a bundle.

I dispute that, DisneySteve.

I live in NJ and when I figure the mental institution costs for having me committed while driving my 9 year old and my 4 year old sons down, it doesn't pay to drive a minivan for 20 hours.

[poundwise]

More important than the class of vehicle is the safety rating. Some compacts are hideous and I would never plan to have one with or without children. Other cars, though small, have good crash ratings. So, my first answer is to choose safety for your family.

Secondly though, I believe the notion that a family of 4 or 5 NEEDS a SUV or minivan is ludicrous. If you WANT one, then fine. But I get sick of hearing people saying that they need one because they have 2 or 3 kids. People had kids before SUVs and minivans you know? A basic Accord, Camry, etc. will easily hold 3 children safely and comfortably.

It is just a matter of choice.

[DebbieL]

I agree Poundwise. I also don't NEED a cell phone. People get need and want confused. My corolla works just fine for carrying 5 people.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Debbie do you have a new or older corolla? I have to say carrying 5 people in my 99 corolla is not easy, nor do they fit when they are huge men. I've tried but the back door doesn't close on three men over 6' each. My uncle, two cousins, uh-uh.

I also tried three carseats, I had friends with three kids and I wanted to test out my theory in front of DH that 3 seats wouldn't work, I couldn't close the damn door.

But my corolla is the older model that is SUBSTANTIALLY smaller than the newer models.