I stuck out like a sore ... minivan (Chicago, Victoria: to buy, school)

[Alacran]

Because of potholes

[dewthedru]

I don't get the potholes comment. How is a van unequipped to deal with them?

[emathias]

When I was a kid we always had small (European-sized, specifically Opel) station wagons. They were always plenty big for three energetic boys and two parents, so I'm always kinda perplexed at the love of station wagons. I've driven station wagons and I always feel like I'm barely in control of them. I'm sure they have great crash safety records, but somehow I'd rather have the control necessary to avoid a collusion to begin with.


Opel Ascona Voyage, circa when I was a kid

Prior to that one, we had the Kadett:

Pictures aren't mine, but they accurately represent - even to the correct color - the cars my family had when I was a kid.

[Vlajos]

It seems like the family vehicle of choice in Chicago is a Volvo/BMW SUV.

That being said, my family vehicle for kids is a ford, but it's not a mini van.

[Alacran]

Originally Posted by dewthedru

I don't get the potholes comment. How is a van unequipped to deal with them?

Ok go ahead and drive your minivan through potholes

[jahk]

Were your parents Frank and Betty? Are we siblings?

[Aleking]

"because of the potholes" is what yuppies too cool for a minivan say to justify an SUV used to pick up groceries and drop the kids off at soccer

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Aleking

"because of the potholes" is what yuppies too cool for a minivan say to justify an SUV used to pick up groceries and drop the kids off at soccer

Also people who previously drove a Mini and had to replace a lot of rims and didn't realize there are car sizes between small and extra-large. ;-)

[cubssoxfan]

I don't give a flip what others think of my vehicle choice. They're not making the payments and if they will judge me poorly based on my vehicle choice I either don't know them, or won't know them for long.
My mini-van is great for transporting the family, my work samples, my bicycle and a few friends (all inside away from the elements) and it pulls the pop-up camper reasonably well. It provides better mileage than an SUV and has a lower loading floor, more cargo capacity and very convenient sliding doors that one will not find on a comparably sized SUV's. To each their own. When the kids all fly the nest and if the retirement savings are bolstered enough, maybe me and the DW will treat ourselves to a fun car. Otherwise there is a real no-keeping up with the Jonse's mentality towards cars in our family. They are a depreciating asset and as long as they are safe, comfortable and meet our transport needs, nothing else matters. We also like to keep them a long time to maximize the cost benefit ratio of owning. The '02 has 150K on it and is still going strong

[Los Guys]

I think a fullsize minivan is unnecessary until you have three kids, at which time its absolutely essential. I don't know of many three kid households in the city. With that said, the lil'est minivan, the Mazda 5, is very popular in the city. It has three rows and sliding doors, and is no larger than most sedans dimensionally. I keep trying to convince my wife to get one for our two tikes.