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We drove a minivan on vacation and please don't tell anyone but I DID like it. Tons of room and I didn't have to pull my skirt up to my toosh to climb in the darn thing lol It was also a Honda Odyssey.
My kids think it is a "treat" to get a minivan on vacation. We try to avoid it but when you have x number of people and ALL of our luggage for a week or more there is not much else that works. We do either a midsize SUV depending on what model or a minivan and then it depends on the price. With the minivan or the larger suv's we get a 3rd row seat and that is GREATNESS w/ kids on vacation.
For all those who think you are entitled to a large SUV, go ahead and spend your money. Life is about choices. If you absolutely must have all that room to store soccer balls, then I hope you enjoy all that time you spend in the car. As for me, I prefer to spend my money on the places the car gets me to, rather than the car itself. I don't think it's such a big deal if my son has to hold his tennis racket on his lap while I'm driving him to tennis lessons because I found better ways to spend my money.
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love people like this that have such uncomplicated lives that it does not matter what size vehicle they have and can get by w/ a small ride. On the other hand you have people that MUST have something larger. Or they get all high and mighty thinking your doing a huge disservice by having a larger car but then don't realize how things like aiangel said, you either get ONE LARGE vehicle or TWO midsize ones to take for family outings. Hmmm, let us think, I'll take the ONE LARGE vehicle that way mom AND dad can be in the same car TOGETHER! Heaven forbid something happened to one of them and they could not drive then your stuck w/ one little car and to try and fit in more people than legally possible at the risk of "offending" someone that thinks they are better. Get over it. For those of us that do have large vehicles like Suburbans and Yukon's there are a lot more reasons than tennis rackets and soccer balls that make them neccessary. Some of the stuff I have to carry is not really made to fit into the backseat of a car. Here sweety, will you please put this LARGE machine on your lap. Who cares if it weighs 10x MORE than you do and causes a hazard to all occupants. We don't want anyone to think we are being "gas guzzlers" if we actually bought a car that could handle IT and US.
BTW, I can well afford the large SUV AND all the things you mentioned and a lot more. My SUV takes us to the lakehouse we have w/ our SeaDoo's and the kids get to bring friends. Ice chests and all proper gear can fit in the cargo space (those things called life jackets are kind of needed and we have PLENTY to fit all sizes). Those suv's allow us to go more places besides just "tennis lessons". They allow us to take off and go to the beach for a week or two. Or the mountains or our lakehouse. We LOVE going to those places and having a large SUV affords us the chance to do such.
So drop the all high and mighty bs. It's old, very old. Besides most of the large SUV's have FlexFuel available, better mpg ratings than most realize and have a better rollover rating now than most sedans. We got the rollover stability first on our SUV's but it is not mandatory on sedans but will be soon (yes, sedans rollover too). I'd put the emissions of my Suburban up against a lot of the junk on the road that some believe is "better" for the environment anyday. Oh well, I think I'll go fire up one of the 60's muscle cars just for the heck of it You know, you don't hear anyone ripping that do ya? And they are FAR worse than ANY SUV. LOL!!!
I'm with you momo....I'm going out to start my two muscle cars.....my very old corvette and my olds 442 and I'm going to let them run and run and burn up my money ..... I like to spend money on cars. And I might also start up my trucks coz they burn gas like no tomorrow. And I might also start up my lawnmower.....and ride it around the yard for a while. I do not mind spending money on gas if I am having fun and I look good driving whatever I am driving.
So aiangel_writer, come on over, we will hunt for you a vehicle....maybe a SUV or anything YOU like....maybe you should get a corvette two seater and let those kiddies ride on the fenders.....I bet they would like it!!!! Nothing better than looking COOL when you're driving down the street even if it costs an arm and a leg.....and what the heck McDonald's has $1.00 double cheeseburgers...so it won't cost much to feed those sports kids. ROFL
I'm with you momo....I'm going out to start my two muscle cars.....my very old corvette and my olds 442 and I'm going to let them run and run and burn up my money ..... I like to spend money on cars. And I might also start up my trucks coz they burn gas like no tomorrow. And I might also start up my lawnmower.....and ride it around the yard for a while. I do not mind spending money on gas if I am having fun and I look good driving whatever I am driving.
So aiangel_writer, come on over, we will hunt for you a vehicle....maybe a SUV or anything YOU like....maybe you should get a corvette two seater and let those kiddies ride on the fenders.....I bet they would like it!!!! Nothing better than looking COOL when you're driving down the street even if it costs an arm and a leg.....and what the heck McDonald's has $1.00 double cheeseburgers...so it won't cost much to feed those sports kids. ROFL
LOL!!!! I'll be over when I'm done firing up our cars. I think I look rather good when I'm tooling around in the old convertible. I get more attention when I'm driving it than dh does. LOL!!! I know that burns him. hehehehehe
I have a plan. All of us girls will get together and bring our kids and all go w/ aiangel car shopping. Of course we have to test drive the vehicle to make sure we all fit comfortably and safely. Bring the ice chests (one for drinks and the other for sandwich stuff) and lawn chairs. Kids have to bring a pillow & blanket even though it is 100 degrees outside (heaven forbid they leave home w/o their FAVORITE pillow and blanket). Kids MUST also bring all electronic equipment they could want: ipod, portable DVD player, etc. Along w/ some coloring books and colors and books. A couple of dogs for good measure, kids and dogs go together. We will drive around town for a coule of hours stopping at a park and store along the way to see how easily everyone can get in and out w/o killing each other. How easy can we get a drink out of the ice chest in the cargo area and pass it up to the front while driving? How easy is it to get ONE thing out of a bag or ice chest in the cargo area w/o having to totally unpack the entire cargo area? MUST drive thru somewhere (I prefer Chick-Fil-A, sweet tea ) and order everyone a meal. The handout is the deal breaker. How easy is it to handout everyones drinks and meals? Can you safely drive while handing back to the 2nd row a drink? How easily can the kid in the 2nd row get it from you and then hand it back to the 3rd row? Are the cupholders deep enough to hold a large drink w/o it spilling into the floor when you turn. Turn fast? Stop suddenly? Did anyone lose a drink? How easy does a spilt coke clean up off the carpeted mats?
We also need something large enough for me to stretch out this lame leg of mine while we test drive...count me in you two! Let's go grab aiangel and all of us will help her chose her vehicle. Liz
Ok you two, I'm just about packed....I hope aiangel is ready to go vehicleshopping....we have lots of GOOD ideas from the posts on here.....
This is something funny about us purchasing SUV's ... all of our kids are gone and not long ago we bought a big ole Expedition for the two of us....it sure was fun sitting in the 3rd seat in the back if I wanted and hollering up at hubby...pass me a coke honey bunch. Of course he had to hunt among the tent, the backpacks, the luggage, the dog cages, the coats, the blankets, the pillows, the boots, the sweaters, the badminton set, the frisbee, the horseshoe set, the grill, the charcoal, the charcoal lighter, the camp stove, the camp lanterns and I forget the rest that it took for JUST US TWO PEOPLE TO GO SOMEWHERE TO ENJOY OURSELVES. roflmbo. We tried to take our little car but..... somwhow we just couldn't get it in .... duh!
So I recommend an SUV...big or little.....just so you are happy with your purchase! And maybe get a purple one so people see you coming! LOL
I wouls humbly suggest you get the best vehicle GM ever made. The 1995 Buick Roadmaster Station Wagon. Decent fuel milage, unkillable engine & tranny and very comfortable ride. Oh and it shouldn't cost more than 3 grand for a rust free example and another grand to have the thing gone over by a good mechanic and have the brakes, shocks and suspension rebuilt and get it detailed including a strip of that "new car smell" stuff.
You will have a nearly perfect car for less than one year of car payments. Put the savings into a cross country road trip and enjoy your new car.
It is amazing the amount of stuff needed even though we have the lakehouse but when you have to take stuff from home that you don't leave there, the food, etc. I was really upset a few weeks ago when I could not get a regular sized ice chest IN the trunk of my bmw. I mean this trunk ain't small either. The floor space is about as much as the Suburban BUT!!!!!! The opening is too small to get it in. My neighbor said the same thing when I ran into her that day. Her dh had taken her Suburban and left her w/ his sedan that is not "compact" at all. She had to put the ice chest IN the passanger area of the car ontop of the kids laps. GEEZ! I'd say that is a bit different than a tennis racket or soccer ball. Funny thing is for the first 2 years after they got the Suburban she hated it because she is petite and thought it was too big. Now she is saying she will NEVER get rid of it or a car that size. LOL!!!
Then those trips to the store to buy the stuff for the lake or the office....... you should see the back of my Suburban. I have to put the 3rd seat down. It is packed to the ceiling and the suspension thank goodness is good because it does cause it to sink down in the rear. I could not get 1/2 of what I have to buy for the office/business into the trunk of a large sedan much less something "more economical". THAT would be just plain scary AND unsafe.
Don't feel bad. My mom bought a Suburban a couple of years ago after she rode in my first one and fell in love with it (all of us kids are grown w/ kids of our own). She got rid of the Cadillac sedan. She has back problems really bad and it was much harder on her to have to get DOWN into the sedan and then crawl UP out of than it is to get in/out of the Suburban. She is not short so it is basically a step in or step out w/ the Suburban. I'd say it has been MUCH better for her on her back. Then when my dad drives he does not mind driving the Suburban. He is a truck driver and we always gave him heck when he was driving the car. LOL!!! He has that truck driver posture and it just don't work in a sedan.
We had an old suburban hack around vehicle we took fishing...it was a super vehicle...we gave it to the kids and they still have it.
I was pretty mad at hubby when he wanted to trade my Expedition. We got a new cadillac instead....just the opposite of your folks. ROFL We haven't done too much camping the last three years due to some illness....but we are going the last weekend of July (YAY) and taking TWO vehicles. LOL
So everyone bring your SUV's and camp with us. LOL
P>S> to gregw...you are right ... those buick roadmasters are da bomb....cool and trustworthy vehicles.
Last edited by doll lady; 06-20-2007 at 10:58 AM..
Reason: added
Now THAT was one heck of a GREAT vehicle...a friend of mine has one...she is still nursing hers to keep it running. However, thanks to the fact that she lives in NY and they Salt the roads up there, the undercarriage is shot. .she said if she could find the body of one from the south and put HER engine in it, it would be one heck of a great car. Liz
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You know, you don't hear anyone ripping that do ya? And they are FAR worse than ANY SUV. LOL!!!
I think I look rather good when I'm tooling around in the old convertible. I get more attention when I'm driving it than dh does. LOL!!! I know that burns him. hehehehehe 
