Mini Van vs. CUV

[Angie]

Get one if you want one now before kids. I gurantee you'll want a 4 door soon after having them.

We have a total family-friendly car now, but it's not very fun.

Totally worthless with kids. Rear facing carseats will not fit in the back. Well it may for you since you are like 3 foot 2 inches tall .

That was the one thing we noticed when we test-drove one - it would have been fine if we always had the car seat behind me, since I had the seat all of the way up!! Not incredibly practical, though.

[Bobber]

We have a total family-friendly car now, but it's not very fun.

Unfortunatly your definition of "fun" will change after kids...

[Angie]

Unfortunatly your definition of "fun" will change after kids...

I've heard that... It sounds like a new favorite game will be "full night's rest."

[Bobber]

I've heard that... It sounds like a new favorite game will be "full night's rest."

Yeah you learn you can still have fun and not go out to the bars or for a bite to eat with friends. Bed time at 10:00 also sounds pretty good most nights. When you get your two year old giggling when you're playing with them, it makes up for it.

[isucyfan]

If you travel any sort of distance for Christmas, you almost need a van to transport all the toys home in addition to all the bulky baby stuff you'll have.

We've tried to have people cut down their spending for holidays, but when yours is the first grandchild, stuff happens...literally.

[AIT]

I've heard that... It sounds like a new favorite game will be "full night's rest."

I suck at that game.

[AIT]

We broke down when we had the twins and got rid of MrsBrianHos's bug and got an odyssey. There is no way we could all squeeze into a CUV, they are just too small. With 3 car seats the 3rd row is a requirement.

I don't agree with that. I have three kids in car seats, and I bought a Highlander thinking I'd need the third row. The three car seats fit across the second row just fine. Our kids prefer being bunched together instead of being spread apart, and I have more storage space with the third row laid flat. Our oldest is 4, so I'm sure they'll demand separation as they age, but for now it works fine.

[brianhos]

I don't agree with that. I have three kids in car seats, and I bought a Highlander thinking I'd need the third row. The three car seats fit across the second row just fine. Our kids prefer being bunched together instead of being spread apart, and I have more storage space with the third row laid flat. Our oldest is 4, so I'm sure they'll demand separation as they age, but for now it works fine.

Not when your wife buys three of these:

Britax Boulevard car seats feature dual side wings for added safety. Manufactured by Britax USA, these convertible car seats come in many colors including the stylish Britax Boulevard Shannon.


There is no way I could fit three of those in a single row of seating.

[Bobber]

I don't agree with that. I have three kids in car seats, and I bought a Highlander thinking I'd need the third row. The three car seats fit across the second row just fine. Our kids prefer being bunched together instead of being spread apart, and I have more storage space with the third row laid flat. Our oldest is 4, so I'm sure they'll demand separation as they age, but for now it works fine.

Yeah you can make that work just as I do with my 3 car seats in back of the Ford Taurus. Works fine for short trips, but when you take an extended trip the noise level just seem to be a little lower if you can seperate the little monsters a bit...

[Phaedrus]

I've driven both my parents Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country on long road trips. Unfortunately, I'm the kind of guy that needs to stretch out when driving, and within an hour of driving their vans my legs/knees begin unbearably cramping up and I'm doing everything I can to stretch my legs out, including making myself a hazard on the road by pressing my feet onto the floor so hard it causes me to stand up a little bit - which can cause me to not see the road clearly and/or turn the steering wheel unintentionally. Even driving around town on a regular basis causes my knees to cramp up. I don't complain much because it's my parents van, but I would never subject myself to that on a regular basis.

A couple of years ago on a business trip I was given a Hyundai Santa Fe rental. All kinds of "stretch-out" room and it was fun to drive. Some people will only drive vehicles based on best gas mileage, and that's fine. However, I'm not going to sacrifice personal comfort just to save 2, 3, maybe 5 mpg, and I'm not talking about something like leather seats or toys. I'm talking something that isn't going to be a literal pain for me to drive.

It's Dodge tradition to not actually have room in the front seats of their vans/minivans for human beings. It's been that way since the 1960s, at least.

Once you accept that fact, they're not bad vehicles.

[Wx4Cy]

Unfortunatly your definition of "fun" will change after kids...

Not necessarily. Kids will change you and your life as much as you let them. We have 3 and we're still having all kinds of 'fun'. Some people get consumed by their kids and forget there is still a marriage involved. Without husband and wife, there is no mommy and daddy.

Sure there are all kinds of kids things that we get/have to do now but that doesn't replace everything...it just fits in with it.

[Bobber]

Not necessarily. Kids will change you and your life as much as you let them. We have 3 and we're still having all kinds of 'fun'. Some people get consumed by their kids and forget there is still a marriage involved. Without husband and wife, there is no mommy and daddy.

Sure there are all kinds of kids things that we get/have to do now but that doesn't replace everything...it just fits in with it.

Actually I agree with you and that was my point.

Must be something in the air today.. People just want to argue.

[isucyfan]

Must be something in the air today.. People just want to argue.

Do not.

[brianhos]

Actually I agree with you and that was my point.

Must be something in the air today.. People just want to argue.

No football to talk about make hulk angry! Lets argue.

[Wx4Cy]

Actually I agree with you and that was my point.

Must be something in the air today.. People just want to argue.

Oh sorry, I misunderstood. Good, glad we agree