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[ObsessedwiththeMouse]

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[Briarmom]

OK, I have a stupid question (shocking, I know ), HOW do you see what amount other people are putting in their tanks without going over to the pump and looking? I mean, don't you have to be super extra nosy to even get a read on the price?

I have filled up my BEETLE here for $100.

 

[HelenePA]

Ya know, if I didn't have kids and car seats, I wouldn't have a problem driving a small car....But, I need the room, plain and simple.

My husband drives my old before kids car....a 1998 Chevy Camaro with 175K miles on it. It gets 25mpg and since he drives 90 miles a day roundtrip, that's awesome!

Okay I dont get this NEED for room with kids? Yes we need a van with #4 on the way but if my car held more than 5 people you bet your gas money I'd keep it. Many many many people with 2 kids still drive a car, not an SUV or minivan. I just don't get the "extra" room, its extra you dont use it, you dont "need". Anyway I dont care who puts what about of gas in their car. How we ya know they aren't just topping off? Dh likes to put 5$ in daily to keep it at just about full.

 

[ObsessedwiththeMouse]

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[talulabelle]

Okay I dont get this NEED for room with kids? Yes we need a van with #4 on the way but if my car held more than 5 people you bet your gas money I'd keep it. Many many many people with 2 kids still drive a car, not an SUV or minivan. I just don't get the "extra" room, its extra you dont use it, you dont "need". Anyway I dont care who puts what about of gas in their car. How we ya know they aren't just topping off? Dh likes to put 5$ in daily to keep it at just about full.

I can not believe the hostility on this thread toward the OP's car. Hello! It's America, if she wants to drive an Escalde it is her business! Until Hilary or OBama are elected and make it illegal for us to drive big cars, she is not committing a crime. I drive a Suburban (yes I NEED the room for the kids, I have a bench front seat and can fit 8 people, no minivan can do that) I bet that I use way less gas than any of you. We didn't move out toward the burbs and the country so we could afford a McMansion. So we don't have commutes, we don't have to drive 15 minutes to get to a grocery store, we can take public transportation to get into the city easily, we CARPOOL (again with 4 kids, if your gonna carpool you need more room than a minivan) and even with all of my carpools for kids activities, I never drive further than 2 1/2 miles at a time round trip. I think I am more consious about my impact on the environment than most people in smaller cars. So everyone get over the size of the car, you have no idea how much this person consumes unless you are keeping a log. Perhaps that is why she only needed to top off with $10 because she doesn't use much? I have done that...I can't even remember the last time I had to fill up, I use so little gas.

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

Okay I dont get this NEED for room with kids? Yes we need a van with #4 on the way but if my car held more than 5 people you bet your gas money I'd keep it. Many many many people with 2 kids still drive a car, not an SUV or minivan. I just don't get the "extra" room, its extra you dont use it, you dont "need". Anyway I dont care who puts what about of gas in their car. How we ya know they aren't just topping off? Dh likes to put 5$ in daily to keep it at just about full.

With all due respect, I have two children and an SUV. But I also have a MIL that lives less than a mile from me who has a 15 year old son and no car.

Which means that if we all need to get somewhere, there are 6 of us.

I also employ quite a number of people, and since we're way out in the boonies, I do provide them with transportation if they need it. And my SUV uses a lot LESS gas than my 15 passenger van does.

So even though there are only 4 of us in my family, a SUV is still a necessity. So even though you don't see the "need" for it, the need still exists for some of us.

I also have a car that I normally use for my everyday travels. But if I had to choose between the two of them, I'd keep the SUV, because it fits my needs better.

 

[talulabelle]

OK, I have a stupid question (shocking, I know ), HOW do you see what amount other people are putting in their tanks without going over to the pump and looking? I mean, don't you have to be super extra nosy to even get a read on the price?

I have filled up my BEETLE here for $100.

I don't know what you pumps look like in Belgium, but ours are pretty huge with huge siplays that count the amount being put in, I don't think it would be that hard to look over to the next pump and see what the pumped. Still, I don't understand why someone would care, much less takethe time to say something about it.

 

[Mkrop]

Okay I dont get this NEED for room with kids? Yes we need a van with #4 on the way but if my car held more than 5 people you bet your gas money I'd keep it. Many many many people with 2 kids still drive a car, not an SUV or minivan. I just don't get the "extra" room, its extra you dont use it, you dont "need". Anyway I dont care who puts what about of gas in their car. How we ya know they aren't just topping off? Dh likes to put 5$ in daily to keep it at just about full.

How do you do carseats in the back of a car? I dont think I would feel comfortable with more than two carseats in the back and then a third kid too. Then if I stuck the stroller in the trunk I never had room for anything else?

Plus we do a lot of carpools, I like that I have room for seven. That is five kids in the back that I can cart around bc I dont allow anyone in the front seat yet. If I just did a car, I could only cart three, and only two when I had the bigger carseat and not the booster I have now.

To each his own.

 

[Briarmom]

I don't know what you pumps look like in Belgium, but ours are pretty huge with huge siplays that count the amount being put in, I don't think it would be that hard to look over to the next pump and see what the pumped. Still, I don't understand why someone would care, much less takethe time to say something about it.

Oh, I am an American living here, but I just can't figure out how I'd see over to the other pumps. Maybe I need glasses!
Thanks!

 

[lg3]

How do you do carseats in the back of a car? I dont think I would feel comfortable with more than two carseats in the back and then a third kid too. Then if I stuck the stroller in the trunk I never had room for anything else?
Plus we do a lot of carpools, I like that I have room for seven. That is five kids in the back that I can cart around bc I dont allow anyone in the front seat yet. If I just did a car, I could only cart three, and only two when I had the bigger carseat and not the booster I have now.
To each his own.

I was wondering that too. We only have room for three in back (barely) and two adults in front, which can be tricky when carpooling. Between friend's jobs, everyone's schedules, we always try to help out, as do our friends with picking up children.

 

[talulabelle]

I can not believe the hostility on this thread toward the OP's car. Hello! It's America, if she wants to drive an Escalde it is her business! Until Hilary or OBama are elected and make it illegal for us to drive big cars, she is not committing a crime. I drive a Suburban (yes I NEED the room for the kids, I have a bench front seat and can fit 8 people, no minivan can do that) I bet that I use way less gas than any of you. We didn't move out toward the burbs and the country so we could afford a McMansion. So we don't have commutes, we don't have to drive 15 minutes to get to a grocery store, we can take public transportation to get into the city easily, we CARPOOL (again with 4 kids, if your gonna carpool you need more room than a minivan) and even with all of my carpools for kids activities, I never drive further than 2 1/2 miles at a time round trip. I think I am more consious about my impact on the environment than most people in smaller cars. So everyone get over the size of the car, you have no idea how much this person consumes unless you are keeping a log. Perhaps that is why she only needed to top off with $10 because she doesn't use much? I have done that...I can't even remember the last time I had to fill up, I use so little gas.

And by the way, once my family of six is in the car, with car seats that need their own place ot buckle, heck even if it is just me and the kids, I have a stroller in the back permanently and about 3 bins of football/or lacrosse equipment (depending on the season) where would I put groceries? There is just no storage room in the back of a minivan. We can't even rent one on trips cause once we get all 6 of in one, there is NO place for luggage. Different people have different needs.

 

[ObsessedwiththeMouse]

The gas station I was at, they have 2 pumps in a line. I was at the one closest to the door, with the Escort being in front of me. He had to pass my pump and Escalade to get to his car.

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

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[fan_of_small_world]

To each his own.

Amen to that!

 

[Briarmom]

The gas station I was at, they have 2 pumps in a line. I was at the one closest to the door, with the Escort being in front of me. He had to pass my pump and Escalade to get to his car.

Ah. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[HelenePA]

With all due respect, I have two children and an SUV. But I also have a MIL that lives less than a mile from me who has a 15 year old son and no car.

Which means that if we all need to get somewhere, there are 6 of us.

I also employ quite a number of people, and since we're way out in the boonies, I do provide them with transportation if they need it. And my SUV uses a lot LESS gas than my 15 passenger van does.

So even though there are only 4 of us in my family, a SUV is still a necessity. So even though you don't see the "need" for it, the need still exists for some of us.

I also have a car that I normally use for my everyday travels. But if I had to choose between the two of them, I'd keep the SUV, because it fits my needs better.

well see you have a NEED for a bigger car. You transport other people around. My friend who is done with 2 kids NEEDED this minivan so much, she said it was the worst purchace of her life.She was paying almost 600$ a month and then driving 45min to work each way everyday! She got rid of her 4door car. I just didn't understand it? After awhile either did she. She had double the car payment and double the gas money. My dh work near where she use to live and she works near were I live. She has since moved down the street from me but we were spending 1/3 of the money she was. Again I just dont get this need for a bigger car with 2 kids to me its more of a want.

 

[HelenePA]

How do you do carseats in the back of a car? I dont think I would feel comfortable with more than two carseats in the back and then a third kid too. Then if I stuck the stroller in the trunk I never had room for anything else?

Plus we do a lot of carpools, I like that I have room for seven. That is five kids in the back that I can cart around bc I dont allow anyone in the front seat yet. If I just did a car, I could only cart three, and only two when I had the bigger carseat and not the booster I have now.

To each his own.

You need to do some research and find the safest car seats that fit 3 in the back of your car. (google narrow carseats) There are many that are very safe in the back of a 3 row car. I personally dont like huge strollers. ours folds very flat and I can store it longways in the trunk of my car and its not an umbrella. Lots of room back there! This year my oldest dd can go carseat less I dont have to deal with carpooling school bus trasportation around here is free to everyone. Even those who live close to the school I know some of you have to pay or schools dont offer bussing at all (which just blows my mind to be honest) I really dont care what people drive. And I'd never put my children in harms way, Me and dd#1 were in an awful car accident when she was 17months old, I was pregnant with her sister. I am all for saftey in cars.

 

[ObsessedwiththeMouse]

My daughter is 6 and she's in a Britax Regent...definitely no "skinnier" alternative to a car seat!

 

[HelenePA]

My daughter is 6 and she's in a Britax Regent...definitely no "skinnier" alternative to a car seat!

http://shop.happymothers.com/shop/p...mpaign=SK18530&ci_src=13736960&ci_sku=SK18530 5pts to 80pounds

narrow boster seat made by britax is the parkway

 

[jenm2878]

We have a small SUV that gets the same gas milage as my crappy Kia Rio did. I only have a 10-12 mile commute now, but I bought it when I was driving 70 miles a day for work. Winters here can get brutal and my DH all but insisted I get a bigger/safer car with all that driving. I love my SUV and am only filling up the gas tank every week and a half now - it used to be every three days.