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[nataliela]

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.

I don't think the car size really has to do with the monthly note...I could easily pick out a more expensive car if I wanted to, or a cheaper suv?

I have an average priced car, and I know that there are smaller suvs that are cheaper than mine

 

[fan_of_small_world]

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.

Your suggestion are good, but it's also worthwhile to keep in mind that while there are narrower car seats, they (1) may not be the safest on the market and (2) depending on the size of the child, may not be at all comfortable. My son has always been big for his age, and anarrow car seat would not have been comfortable on the long car rides we took to visit family.

As for strollers, different people have different needs. A smaller stroller may work for you, but not for others.

Quoting Mkrop again, "To each his own."

 

[Mkrop]

Your suggestion are good, but it's also worthwhile to keep in mind that while there are narrower car seats, they (1) may not be the safest on the market and (2) depending on the size of the child, may not be at all comfortable. My son has always been big for his age, and anarrow car seat would not have been comfortable on the long car rides we took to visit family.

As for strollers, different people have different needs. A smaller stroller may work for you, but not for others.

Quoting Mkrop again, "To each his own."

I love being quoted for good stuff

We are kids separated at birth. I have big boys too. Mine out grew carseats pretty quickly so we needed safety and comfort. Same with strollers. Plus I think it depends on where you travel and with what. Before our SUV, if we went to the shore on vacation we had to take two cars to haul all the stuff we needed. Now btw DH's packing prowness and the more room, we only need the one car. I also would not want my kids on top of each other, I dont need to hear "he is touching me for a two hour drive to my MILs".

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

The problem with the world today is people are more free with their mouths, and the things that are coming out of them aren't nice!!!

I think the man was just jealous, and instead of just turning the other cheek and not saying anything, he had to make his opinion known. Like the saying goes, opinions are like butt holes, everyone has them, and they all stink!

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything, I am big on this, the world would be a much better place if people would just shut up!

(this was not directed to anyone on here, these threads are here for debate and most of the time everyone tries to be respectful, this is for the man who felt the need to say something rude about the escalade to make himself feel better)

 

[luvsJack]

As has been repeated "to each his own". I just wanted to add this though: a lot of "need" comes from "want". I mean we all tend to begin thinking we "need" something when it really started out as a luxury. My parents moved themselves, 4 kids (2 older, 1 baby, 1 toddler), a collie and a cat from Plattsburg New York to Southern California in a small sation wagon. (Daddy was in the Air Force) Now I give you that it was larger than a compact car but it was much smaller than a SUV. I was the baby so I don't know how comfortable everyone was, I was just pointing out that it can be done without a car the size of a small apartment. And as I posted earlier, I have always driven my kids around in a car. You make it work. As a society we have made these huge vehicles a necessity when if any of you absolutely had to you could get by in a smaller vehicle. Families did it for years and years.

 

[Mkrop]

As has been repeated "to each his own". I just wanted to add this though: a lot of "need" comes from "want". I mean we all tend to begin thinking we "need" something when it really started out as a luxury. My parents moved themselves, 4 kids (2 older, 1 baby, 1 toddler), a collie and a cat from Plattsburg New York to Southern California in a small sation wagon. (Daddy was in the Air Force) Now I give you that it was larger than a compact car but it was much smaller than a SUV. I was the baby so I don't know how comfortable everyone was, I was just pointing out that it can be done without a car the size of a small apartment. And as I posted earlier, I have always driven my kids around in a car. You make it work. As a society we have made these huge vehicles a necessity when if any of you absolutely had to you could get by in a smaller vehicle. Families did it for years and years.

Yes families did it for years and years but you also didnt have carseat/seatbelt laws so you could shove as many kids and gear that you wanted into a car.

Did the baby sit on your mom's lap as you made your way cross country?

The carpools my DDad did involved fitting as many 8th grade girls into a AMC Matador as humanly possible. We sat on laps and squished everywhere. Fit two of us into the front seat. It was like the clown car at the circus pulled up in front of the CYO dance. We liked it when the dads with the station wagons drove.

I dont think in all due respect you can compare then to now.

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

You make it work. As a society we have made these huge vehicles a necessity when if any of you absolutely had to you could get by in a smaller vehicle. Families did it for years and years.

Again, so untrue. If you read my earlier post explaining WHY I needed something larger, you might understand that I would not be able to do what I do in a car.

I cannot drive 8 people to town in a car, or even a station wagon. Well, not legally anyway, and I wouldn't think that you'd suggest I break the law, would you?

And yes, I do drive that many people around, mostly my employees, getting them to and from work.

But aside from my very real need for a larger vehicle, why should people have to "get by"? Why should they have to cramp themselves up in a smaller vehicle when they could be more comfortable in something larger?

 

[kt_mom]

I have an 2005 Escalade, bought it used. I love it. I drive it becasue I like the big trucks. Before that I had a 2005 Armada and before that I had a 2003 Tahoe. Before that was two pathfinders.

I like to drive a big SUV. I spend about $60 - $75 a week in gas. I don't have a long commute, probably 10 miles to DD school and then back to work. Same in the evenings.

I feel safer in it, but I know that I may or may not necesarily be any safer. I like it in the snow, when we get snow, which we haven't really for the last two years.

I have one DD. So its not that I need the room, although when we go to the beach we fill it up with all the stuff we take.

I drive it because I like it. I can afford it and I like it. And I don't really care what anyone else thinks. I also sometimes only put $10 in gas in. Just to get where I need to go. I either fill it up later or wait for DH to do it.

My DH drives an acura four door sedan for work. If we go out we usually go in the Escalade, its more comfortable. I have had smaller cars. My first was a CRX, and I loved it. But at this point in my life, I like being one of the big guys on the road. Just my personal taste.

And I don't buy the whole environmental or money saving ideas about the hybrids. For the extra you pay for the hybrid, it would take you quite awhile to reap the benefits of the saved gas money. And what it takes to build them and all that is no better for the environment than just driving the Escalade to begin with.

You personally with your hybrid may be helping the environment, but the manufacturers sure aren't.

Just my .02

 

[lg3]

A funny/weird thing happened to me on the same vein. About two weeks ago I was in dd's school office, waiting in line to ask a question about something when another mother kept staring at me very pointedly. I had seen her before and she was never very friendly toward me, but I don't know her. She kept giving me a kind of dirty look, and I didn't understand why. She finally said in a huffy voice "You drive that black Hummer, don't you?" "I HATE those things, and don't understand HOW people could drive them!" She said it with such venom, I was completely taken aback. The funny thing is, we don't have a Hummer (nor would we be able to park one if we did! LOL) I told he "No, that's not mine." with a puzzled look. She said "Oh, I thought it was." No apology for being so rude or anything. She still isn't very friendly toward me... guess she either still doesn't believe me or is to embarrassed to admit it.

You have great self control!

Quite frankly, I might have reacted differently if I weren't surrounded by all the school administrators, and other parents. dd is only in pre-k, and I didn't want to start an infamous scene to be re-told for years in the office.

 

[allison443]

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 live in NJ, land of no-self-service gas stations...I never even get out of my car at the gas station, much less could I see how much someone's putting in their car! We are not allowed to pump our own gas!

 

[Kath2003]

Wow, so because I drive a small, cheap car I shouldn't be able to afford to fill up the tank (which costs $80)?!

I put $31 in yesterday at 7am, a good move because by 3pm it was 25 cents a gallon more expensive

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I really don't get why it's anyone's business what anyone else drives, or how much gas they use, or don't use. I know my mom thinks anyone who drives an SUV is an a**, but I don't get what difference it makes to her.

 

[luvsJack]

As I said, I was the baby. I was not in a car seat, but not in Mom's lap. They had some type of portable bed that strapped in the seat. And everyone else was in a seat. DB (toddler) may have been in some type of booster seat. No, this would not be ideal for today. But I did it with first the car seats and then baseball, football, soccer and whatever season equipment plus team mates going from ball park to ball park WITH A CAR. We go on vacation, take everything we need WITH A CAR. Its a matter of choice. And driving an SUV, for some, IS a choice.

And I was not saying that someone driving their employees to work do not need a larger vehicle. That's different than saying you "need" the vehicle to get little johnny and jane to ball practice and ballet. Many companies have large vehicle to get employees to work.

The fact is the bigger and better thing are made the more we convince ourselves that it is a NEED not a luxury. We ALL do it with something. I mean this is kind of like the arguement that some people "need' a room at a deluxe resort when others say that all they need is a room at a value. (of course either of those are a luxury or that some people "need" a huge house and others only "need" just enough space to live in.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

I really don't get why it's anyone's business what anyone else drives, or how much gas they use, or don't use. I know my mom thinks anyone who drives an SUV is an a**, but I don't get what difference it makes to her.

ITA!

I don't care what kind of cars other people drive - I just want them to drive them safely and not get in an accident with me!
And all I care about my car is that it's in good running order and gets me where I need to be when I need to be there.

Debbie <--- Proud owner of a Ford Focus (Previous owner of a Ford Escort)

 

[Fitswimmer]

I really don't get why it's anyone's business what anyone else drives, or how much gas they use, or don't use. I know my mom thinks anyone who drives an SUV is an a**, but I don't get what difference it makes to her.

Probably because gas is $3 something a gallon now and will likely be $4 something a gallon this summer-all because of demand.

Back in the 70's we had a gas crisis-we could only buy gas on odd/even days, and everyone who could dumped their big cars and got compacts. Demand reduced, prices came down and there was great rejoicing. Gradually, people forgot about what that was like and bought bigger and bigger cars, and demand increased. (then of course there was that little matter of war where they get the oil..but I digress)

Oil is a finite resource, we can't just go out and make more, so we've got to learn to conserve.

I drove SUV's for a long time and I LOVED them. I LOVED my 4 runner, but I really didn't NEED it. So, I'm driving a Matrix now, but I may still be using more gas than some SUV owners if they drive less than I do.

Nobody has to give up that SUV, but if we don't want to be paying $7 a gallon in a couple of years, we're all going to have to find ways to use less gas.

 

[talulabelle]

As has been repeated "to each his own". I just wanted to add this though: a lot of "need" comes from "want". I mean we all tend to begin thinking we "need" something when it really started out as a luxury. My parents moved themselves, 4 kids (2 older, 1 baby, 1 toddler), a collie and a cat from Plattsburg New York to Southern California in a small sation wagon. (Daddy was in the Air Force) Now I give you that it was larger than a compact car but it was much smaller than a SUV. I was the baby so I don't know how comfortable everyone was, I was just pointing out that it can be done without a car the size of a small apartment. And as I posted earlier, I have always driven my kids around in a car. You make it work. As a society we have made these huge vehicles a necessity when if any of you absolutely had to you could get by in a smaller vehicle. Families did it for years and years.

My family did this too in the 70's when kids were not required to be in safety seats or belts! There were 6 kids and 2 of us had the permanent position of the "way back" (cargo area) laying down and unfastened! It is impossible today. Everyone needs to be in a seat with a belt. As you said "to each his own"

 

[talulabelle]

I live in NJ, land of no-self-service gas stations...I never even get out of my car at the gas station, much less could I see how much someone's putting in their car! We are not allowed to pump our own gas!

gasp! You are kidding! I haven't seen full serve gas lanes since about 1978!!! Wow! i'm movin' to Jersey!

 

[talulabelle]

As I said, I was the baby. I was not in a car seat, but not in Mom's lap. They had some type of portable bed that strapped in the seat. And everyone else was in a seat. DB (toddler) may have been in some type of booster seat. No, this would not be ideal for today. But I did it with first the car seats and then baseball, football, soccer and whatever season equipment plus team mates going from ball park to ball park WITH A CAR. We go on vacation, take everything we need WITH A CAR. Its a matter of choice. And driving an SUV, for some, IS a choice.

And I was not saying that someone driving their employees to work do not need a larger vehicle. That's different than saying you "need" the vehicle to get little johnny and jane to ball practice and ballet. Many companies have large vehicle to get employees to work.

The fact is the bigger and better thing are made the more we convince ourselves that it is a NEED not a luxury. We ALL do it with something. I mean this is kind of like the arguement that some people "need' a room at a deluxe resort when others say that all they need is a room at a value. (of course either of those are a luxury or that some people "need" a huge house and others only "need" just enough space to live in.

Ok , will you do me a favor and tell me just what car I should drive? Since apparently I don't NEED a Suburban? On Mon. when I drive carpool for dance class (you know, so we can save time and GAS) I will have my 4 children (3 in carseats) and I will be picking up 2 others. Please remember that none of these chilren are old enough or tall enough to sit in the front seat with an airbag. Please tell me what car will accomadate me since apparently I just WANT the Suburban and it is such a luxury to have to find parking spaces big enough for it.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Ok , will you do me a favor and tell me just what car I should drive? Since apparently I don't NEED a Suburban? On Mon. when I drive carpool for dance class (you know, so we can save time and GAS) I will have my 4 children (3 in carseats) and I will be picking up 2 others. Please remember that none of these chilren are old enough or tall enough to sit in the front seat with an airbag. Please tell me what car will accomadate me since apparently I just WANT the Suburban and it is such a luxury to have to find parking spaces big enough for it.

Keep the Suburban if you really need it. But realize that for every one of you out there that really does need the large vehicle there are probably 4 or 5 people who don't need it and just want it-and they're buying tons of gas too.

When I had the 4 runner, I tried other ways of conserving. I worked at home one day a week and I combined every possible thing I could think of into each trip. I quit going places just to go-like down to the shore for the day or into the city. Finally, I had to come face to face with the reality that I just wanted the truck, I really didn't need it.

I think, like the 70's-more and more SUV people who are Want owners rather than Need owners are going to have to face that same reality.

 

[luvsJack]

My family did this too in the 70's when kids were not required to be in safety seats or belts! There were 6 kids and 2 of us had the permanent position of the "way back" (cargo area) laying down and unfastened! It is impossible today. Everyone needs to be in a seat with a belt. As you said "to each his own"

As I said, it wouldn't be ideal today. The dog and the cat were in the "way back", so that is not where anyone rode. Again, I was the baby, so I can't tell you how we did it. I just know everyone sat in a seat, because my mom said there was no way she could have gone that far holding one of us and told me about that bed thing they strapped in the seat between my db and ds for me, I guess my other db was between my parents.

Ya'll keep missing the part where I said I have always used a car to transport my kids too. And they had seatbelts and carseats and all the rest.

And, yes, everyone has to make thier own choices. But, I think we should ALL confess that there are things we can do without.