Am I alone?

[Planogirl]

We had an SUV once and it was nice enough but not really for me. I prefer a more comfortable (IMO) car but then we only have one child too. I do like a few of the small SUV's though so I say never say never!

 

[buckylarue]

The only reason we would ever consider one is out of self defense. Therre are so many of them around here that our little Sentra feels like we're in a go-cart in traffic! On the other hand, it's almost 10 years old and still gets over 30mpg, so we have no plans to get rid of it...

 

[Barb D]

6'6" DH, 6'2" DS14 (and still growing), 5'10" DD12 (and maybe still growing), DD6, me, and various musical instruments and sports equipment = minivan. Plus I was able to take all three kids, 2 friends, and Grandma on a day trip the other day.

 

[ashjohnson80]

I love my VW beetle so much. I don't have any kids, but I do want some in the future, but I don't want more than two so I won'thave to get a bigger car. Well I mean that's not the ONLY reason, I think two is a good number but it would be a plus that I could still drive my bug.

 

[Alice's Mom]

I've never been a huge fan of mini-vans even though my mother had one when I was growing up. It was 1990 Chevy Lumina...you probably remember them and their clones. They looked like wingless space shuttles. Pointy nose, squared off back end. Mom's especially resembled a shuttle because it was white with black and red trim.

TOV

When I was a kid we called those Luminas "dust busters." They looked liked giant dustbusters, without a handle on top

I drive a Honda Civic and will probably always drive a small car. Then again it is just the two of us. If I had a lot of kids, maybe a minivan as they tend to get better gas mileage and have low emissions. I just can't imagine owning an SUV, I would feel so irresponsible with the gas mileage they get.

My car is 8 years old and still gets 35 mpg. I was thinking that I might get a new car in a couple years and the only car I have been thinking of is a Prius.

 

[bettyann29]

I have a Ford Focus but DF has an Expedition.. I hate that thing.. I used to drive his old one every now and then but had trouble with parking every so often.. but this new one sits up much higher.. One day I had to drive it to work.. Im usually ok with parking it as long as there is 2 empty spaces together which gives me plenty of room to park it.. I got to work and there were no 2 spaces together, I had to park between 2 cars.. I ended up getting stuck and wedged where I couldnt move because I backed up and moved forward so many times.. I had to call up to work and someone came out and parked it for me.. Now that was embarrassing.. I will never drive that thing again..

 

[MAKmom]

The only reason we would ever consider one is out of self defense.

This is so true. I have a car & if a Giant SUV parks next to me I can't see to pull out of a parking place. It scares me to death! SOem of the SUV are really TANKS!.

I did have a mini van & station wagon when I had 2 in car seats + 1. I do miss not being able to take I car to some events when MIL is with us or the kids have a friend so I would consider a mini van again.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

With just one child, it is nice to have a choice on what you can drive. Have a couple of more kids, and there is not much of an option.

My sister used to be one who refused a mini van. Her thinking was, our parents raised 12 kids, and they did not have mini vans when we were growing up. No, we piled in on each other's laps. They had a big-A station wagon, we piled into the back and hung out the back window. No seat belt laws.

With each and every kid needing a car seat, more than even just one child makes things very tight. I got a mini van when I had an infant, a 2 year old and a 4 year old. With 2 car seats, and a booster seat, the back seat was awfully crammed, with my poor 4yo suffering the uncomfortable ride being squished between 2 car seats.

I believe the Op only has one child. Never say never. It may not be your desire to own one, but if your family grows, you may not have a choice.

 

[golfgal]

I need a van or something larger then a car. With 3 kids, all their stuff, car pools, etc, I need the space. I would prefer to drive something sporty and fun, but such is life when the kids come along. Minivans get comparable gas mileage to most cars and even better then some, so they aren't really gas hogs. SUV's are a different story. DH has a little car that gets good gas mileage though.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I have a minivan and I'm not a mom! DH needs vehicles that hold lots of stuff (he's a mobile computer tech) and I always get his hand-me-down vehicles when he gets a new one (my commute is only 2 miles so, safety and reliability-wise,we'd rather have him in the newest vehicle).

I have to say, though, I LOVE the minivan. It drives great and easily holds the two of us, our dog (two big dogs back in the day!), our bikes, and our luggage. Of course, right now, it just holds me on my commute back and forth to work, and we use DHs newer Honda Element for road trips (not a big SUV but can hold a ton of stuff, including two upright bikes, due to its boxy shape).

 

[Marseeya]

I wouldn't own one of the big gas guzzlers, but I'm very happy with my compact Hyundai Tucson (little brother to the Santa Fe ). It gets just a little better gas mileage than our car did, but there's more room for my kids in the back seat.

 

[AllyandJack]

I love, love, love my SUV. But, the minivans these days are kinda cool. If I have enough kids, I'll probably get one. They get the same mileage as my SUV, so I won't save anything there, but there is something wild about being able to open the car doors with a remote control (like in that Sienna commercial where the girl brings it to show and tell - that thing looks AWESOME!).

I have never parallel parked my SUV between two cars. I've had it for 4 years. I've never been in a situation where I've had to parallel park it. I probably wouldn't be able to do it anyway. I'd probably just drive around until I found someplace I could pull in along the curb.

What I can't stand are those big pick-up trucks with the double wheels in the back!

 

[KathyTX]

When the DH and the DS are over 6', mom is 5'10, and you've got two big Labradors, plus frequently a friend along for the DS, a little car just doesn't cut it.

I LOVE my SUV- I've had an Explorer (back seat was toooooo small), a Suburban (land yacht- too hard for me to manuever and park), and now I'm on my second Expedition (just the right size!!!)

 

[DaisyD]

I prefer SUVs. I had a mini van for years but really didn't need something so big anymore. I downsized to an MDX and love it. It gets great gas mileage but it doesn't matter if it didn't. DH is a car man and just bought the Acura RL. Very nice but I still need my SUV.

 

[disneynutt1225]

I'm currently driving a Toyota Matrix. It's cute, gets good gas mileage, and gets me where I need to go but I miss my Chevy Blazer terribly. I think about her every day (I've had my new car for almost 2 years, LOL). I constantly wish I kept the Blazer - I miss being able to see, being able to really drive in rough weather, and I just miss the darn thing terribly. So, my next car will definitely be an SUV no doubt about it. And some of them don't really get terrible gas mileage - the Blazer averaged around 25hi/19 city which is almost what I get now.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

You aren't the only one who doesn't like them. I drive one and I don't like them. They're big, ugly, and clunky. If you like to make zippy turns , you're out of luck.

But they are much, much better on the snow.

 

[KAMLEM]

I have a Sequoia and I will never drive a regular car again. I like being up high and I feel so much safer in a big SUV. I learned to drive in my mom's big Chrysler Newport so I'm used to driving and parking big cars. I even back into spaces whenever I can (I believe there was a thread about that a while back).

 

[soccerchick]

Sorry- but I don't see the connection b/w minivans and SUVs other than they can hold lots of people. My minivan holds 7, but it is only slightly longer than my old 1993 Altima and it's shorter than some of the sedans out there. It's not tall to block traffic like SUVs and its gas mileage, while not as good as what DH commutes in, it is still in the upper 20's.

With at least two trips to Florida each year, you better believe I LOVE it!

Is it stylish? No. Is it practical, convenient and nice? Absolutely. When the kids grow up I say I'll get a nice little Beamer convertible, but I know I probably won't. I'm so not into the car thing. If it's safe, reliable and fairly economical, I'm there.

 

[Disney Doll]

I drive a Ford Explorer and I like it. I like being high. I like being able to see. I think it gets pretty decent gas mileage for its size. I like the carrying space in the back. I think it gets pretty good acceleration...had 18 bags of mulch in it yesterday and it made it just fine up & down the hills and on & off the highway.

I don't drive it crazy in the snow, and quite frankly, that has less to do with the car and more to do with the driver. The craziest snow driver I ever saw was driving a Honda Civic which he almost rammed a snow plow with. Forced me to drive up on someone's lawn in the snow to avoid him careening around and hitting me, he actually ended up next to me on the lawn (from the opposite side of the street) and then thought I was going to tow him off the lawn with my SUV. I told him he could wait for a tow truck, and think about how he could drive better in the snow. Then me & my SUV drove away.

Gotta love that four wheel drive!

 

[FSUGrad97]

With just one child, it is nice to have a choice on what you can drive. Have a couple of more kids, and there is not much of an option.

My sister used to be one who refused a mini van. Her thinking was, our parents raised 12 kids, and they did not have mini vans when we were growing up. No, we piled in on each other's laps. They had a big-A station wagon, we piled into the back and hung out the back window. No seat belt laws.

With each and every kid needing a car seat, more than even just one child makes things very tight. I got a mini van when I had an infant, a 2 year old and a 4 year old. With 2 car seats, and a booster seat, the back seat was awfully crammed, with my poor 4yo suffering the uncomfortable ride being squished between 2 car seats.

I believe the Op only has one child. Never say never. It may not be your desire to own one, but if your family grows, you may not have a choice.

ITA! I drive an Explorer now, and I initially wanted an Expedition. However, after putting my petite DD2.5 in my DH's F-150 (which was a PITA to do compared with my Explorer), I decided that a minivan was the best option. With another child on the way, two carseats in the back of an Explorer would be a little tight.

I was one of those people who said that I would never drive a minivan, but I can't wait until we buy my Toyota Sienna!

Personally, I like being higher up and I am more concerned with comfort than gas mileage.