I stuck out like a sore ... minivan

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by 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.

I know 3 kid families in Chicago. A mini van isn't necessary with three kids.

[Los Guys]

I should clarify - if you have three kids in car seats, especially if two or more are rear facing. The three row SUVs are doable, but a minivan is much easier.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Los Guys

I should clarify - if you have three kids in car seats, especially if two or more are rear facing. The three row SUVs are doable, but a minivan is much easier.

I forgot about infant car seats. Luckily they don't last long.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I forgot about infant car seats. Luckily they don't last long.

The child car seat is equally as large (if not bigger) than an infant car seat, and there are few cars large enough to hold three of them in the back seat. The recommendation is to have your kid in them until at least 50 lbs, so that's several years for most kids.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

The child car seat is equally as large (if not bigger) than an infant car seat, and there are few cars large enough to hold three of them in the back seat. The recommendation is to have your kid in them until at least 50 lbs, so that's several years for most kids.

Infant seats seemed to take up more space. Just my recollection.

[oddstray]

Back in the 70's, my sister had three young ones in car seats. She had to get a Crown Victoria to be able to fit the seats into the car. It was the only car that fit. And cars have all been downsized since then.

[almost3am]

I "tested" about 12 different sedans, pick-ups, etc to see if we could get our three car seats into the car as we have three kids within a very small range of years. In the end we ended up with our minivan, and it is super convenient for us, although I wouldn't call it particularly cool.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by emathias

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:

The key is to buy a GOOD station wagon

I rode in both of those cars growing up, and they really weren't that good (although better than an Austin Allegro, the worst car I ever had to deal with). The benefit of station wagons is that they're build on sedan platforms, and the size and handling roughly matches whichever sedan platform it's based on (vs. SUVs based on truck platforms). Minivans are also generally based on sedan platforms, but they're built to be taller than sedans so they get a little tippy, and the handling suffers. We currently have a Volvo XC and it handles pretty well, especially in snow. I've gotten it up to 130 or so a few times and it cruised along without any problems.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I know 3 kid families in Chicago. A mini van isn't necessary with three kids.

I think it kinda depends on how old they are. I have to imagine trying to squeeze 3 child seats across the back of a standard sedan, or 2 child seats and a booster or whatever, would be quite a challenge. 3 kids older than grade school... then yeah, a minivan isn't necessary. But probably still nice.

ETA: I guess others covered this.

Originally Posted by 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.

I love the utility of station wagons without the weight and size of a minivan or SUV, and if you can find a high-performance wagon, the stealth factor is unbeatable. Even without kids I had a WRX in wagon guise. Unfortunately Americans just don't do station wagons so it's getting very difficult to find high-performance wagons here any more. I think you can still get BMW wagons but not in their high performance trim. Audi stopped importing theirs, I think Mercedes did as well, the WRX went from a wagon to a hatchback, Subaru stopped offering its turbo Outback with a manual... that pretty much leaves the Cadillac CTS-V wagon.

[jwaiter]

Originally Posted by almost3am

... In the end we ended up with our minivan, and it is super convenient for us, although I wouldn't call it particularly cool.

LOL, no, unfortunately you can't look cool driving a mini van. But at some point / age I stopped caring abt what is or is not "cool." (I don't own any vehicle FYI)