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Since you stated finances as the reason for wanting to trade, I wouldn't get rid of the C30 unless it's financially impossible for you to continue to pay for it. You must have put $8-10k down to drive an R series C30 and only owe 20k after less than a year, and have only $350/month payments (~$3k paid so far).
You don't "need" the space because you already have a car with space, and your kids can fit in the back of the C30 no problem. You would be trading the C30 at a large loss, for a car almost identical to what you have, but with lower resale than your CRV, and worse yet, right in the middle of its steepest depreciation period. Your payments on a used car loan would probably carry higher interest, as you should be paying no more than 2.9% for your current long term financing (unless your credit blows, in which case you should probably skip financing anything else for a while). That doesn't even factor in what you lose on trading a year old car. In other words, it would probably cost you a lot more money over time, in trade for less money per month, for a car that isn't any newer. Whatever huge down payment you made on the C30, will most likely vanish into the thin air of depreciation and trade in games.
Also, in the not-so-distant future, when the new car smell of being a freshly minted daddy wears off (which it will), and you get tired of seeing your "daddymobile" with car seats in the parking lot every day (and you will), you'll wish you still had something fun to enjoy. I'm saving you the expense of buying something to replace what you'll wish you still had in a couple of years.
What I'm saying is, it makes zero financial sense, and you have little--if any--need to have a bigger vehicle for two infants, when you already have one bigger vehicle.
The one thing to consider about all of the cars being mentioned is that they are all small. This is relevant because if you ever intend to have 2 people in the front seats with two babies in car seats then the adults up front seat passengers better like their knees. My wife hated my Subaru Legacy GT because of how far up you had to slide the front passenger seat.
Buy the car seats now and see if you like the driving position with the seat behind you.
Sometimes, you just have to suck it up as a parent.
The one thing to consider about all of the cars being mentioned is that they are all small. This is relevant because if you ever intend to have 2 people in the front seats with two babies in car seats then the adults up front seat passengers better like their knees. My wife hated my Subaru Legacy GT because of how far up you had to slide the front passenger seat.
Buy the car seats now and see if you like the driving position with the seat behind you.
Sometimes, you just have to suck it up as a parent.
This is an excellent point.
Also the OP should think beyond the infant stage too. The smaller back seats put the front seatrests closer to the child in the back. By 3, that child is going to be kicking at the back seatrest if it is too close. I don't know anyone who wants a child kicking them in the back the whole carride. High energy kids, bored in a car, will do this. (I have a 3.5 y/o daughter, who will be in a carseat/booster through age 7 in NY).
I certainly feel for the OP. I love smaller, nimble handling cars. They are a compromise with kids however, and can become major annoyances.
I say, it depends ultimately on how much the OP will have the baby in the car. If it is 1 time a week, or twice, then make do for a while. If it is daily, I think he will want something else before too long.
(PS OP, it isn't always just about having a family hauler for the wife, but may depend on who gets daycare drop-off/pickup duty, etc...)
You all make some very good points! Yes, my wife drives a CRV and will probably be our main baby hauler. It really is going to depend on it we need to both take the girls to daycare daily (I would drop off and she would pickup because of our work schedules). If that is the case, then I will definitely need another car. If we can find a nanny that fits into our budget, then I may keep the C30 and see how things go.
I think part of it for me as well as trying to pay a little less per month is I feel a little guilty driving the C30 when I have two newborns...lol.
43north87west, you are right on with your numbers. I had $6K from a trade-in and have excellent credit, so that's why I'm at $20K for a car that's not even a year old.
You all make some very good points! Yes, my wife drives a CRV and will probably be our main baby hauler. It really is going to depend on it we need to both take the girls to daycare daily (I would drop off and she would pickup because of our work schedules). If that is the case, then I will definitely need another car. If we can find a nanny that fits into our budget, then I may keep the C30 and see how things go.
I think part of it for me as well as trying to pay a little less per month is I feel a little guilty driving the C30 when I have two newborns...lol.
43north87west, you are right on with your numbers. I had $6K from a trade-in and have excellent credit, so that's why I'm at $20K for a car that's not even a year old.
Nonsense. If you can manage all of your obligations there is no reason to not enjoy what you drive, or eat, or drink, or fly, etc. Too many people unnecessarily put their lives on hold when they have kids. Too many look back and wish they'd done it differently.
I have a 5 month and a 2 year old. The wife has a 2007 Durango. It's too small for a lot of outings, especially if you want to take along auntie or grandma. Sucks going on a road trip if you need to bring your double stroller.
I say keep your Volvo and get the wife a minivan or a Suburban. You are going to want an integrated DVD player or two, life saver. I'd kill for a minivan with power sliding doors.
I have a Sonata turbo with one car seat for my 2 year old. He rarely drives with me, just going to the store or other small errands to get out of the house. Kids make a mess, no thank you in daddy's car. The bus (aka Durango) can't be kept clean for more than 10 minutes.
Everyone has given some great advice..........truth be told, just kick back and wait it out. My wife had a very good job.....complications from the twins started at 22 weeks and bed rest until birth ensued. The early birth saw them staying at the hospital a month, with one coming home with a monitor. Her going back to work was not an option, daycare or a Nannie which we could easily afford is not doable when they are preemies. They just celebrated their fourth birthday and the wife is still a stay at home mom with no plans to return to work until late next year. These are our only children, I do think things would have been easier if we had a child a little older than the twins as that child could have helped my wife a lot. An extra set of hands. Taking a shower, doing laundry, dishes or anything else takes on new meaning when you have twins.
Everyone has different lives, we had reallocated and unfortunately have no support group here. Luckily the girls were born early and no c section was needed. The wife was up and running when the girls came home. A coworker just had twins and his wife had a c section and had complications......he spent the first four weeks of his twins life shuttling his wife who could not drive back and fourth to the hospital daily.
Twins are truly something special and the experiences will be unbelievable. Just be prepared for an overwhelming emotional and physical daily roller coaster.
Luckily my wife is extremely independent and did not let the girls wear her down as far as leaving the house. It did help once they started walking to be able to gather them up in the Element and just take them out one side. Going side to side would have been too much. You have to let go of one to unbuckle the other in a sedan.
Note some Volvos have a built in child booster seat option in the back seat. Those adjust to two "heights" depending on size/weight of kid. Those are GREAT for when the kids get grow out of the infant safety seat (Volvos also have "hooks" under the seats for those.)
I have a 00 camaro and the wife has a g6. Kept the cars cheap as we moved states and bought our first house. We had the kid and wanted to keep costs down.
One kid had no problem, at times I think its easier then a 4 door since the door opens so wide and is larger.
Now I have 2nd kid coming I can still use the car forward facing behind me, and regular seat on the other side.
I even managed grocery trip, me, wife and kid.
But agreed majority of the time we take the 4 door.
We
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