Car accident - need advice

[jstack]

We have had 3 Suburbans and we loved them. It is true that the miles per gallon aren't great but I don't know to many cars that fit 8 and have extra room in the back that DO get good gas miles. I read in a previous post that Suburbans are hard to park but we never had any problems. There is an old saying, "If you can't drive, don't buy it" Test drive both cars and actually try and park it in a tight space.(ex. like a grocery store parking lot) If you don't feel comfortable then you know it is not the right car for you and your family. I too was glad to hear that your family is ok. Congrats on the new baby that is very exciting.

 

[Anne34]

We have had 3 Suburbans and we loved them. It is true that the miles per gallon aren't great but I don't know to many cars that fit 8 and have extra room in the back that DO get good gas miles. I read in a previous post that Suburbans are hard to park but we never had any problems. There is an old saying, "If you can't drive, don't buy it" Test drive both cars and actually try and park it in a tight space.(ex. like a grocery store parking lot) If you don't feel comfortable then you know it is not the right car for you and your family. I too was glad to hear that your family is ok. Congrats on the new baby that is very exciting.

Another Suburban driver here who loves them!!! We have had two now and are looking to get a new one soon. Parking is something you get used to -- you learn how to use your mirrors a lot more, especially when backing out. I never had any problems driving one and have not had any major problems with the cars. My current one if 2002 with 123000 miles and it is still going strong (I just want a new car with more bells & whistles!)

 

[stitch and co]

It is true that the miles per gallon aren't great but I don't know to many cars that fit 8 and have extra room in the back that DO get good gas miles. I read in a previous post that Suburbans are hard to park but we never had any problems. There is an old saying, "If you can't drive, don't buy it" Test drive both cars and actually try and park it in a tight space.(ex. like a grocery store parking lot) If you don't feel comfortable then you know it is not the right car for you and your family.

Another Suburban driver here. Ditto on the test drive and the old saying because a Suburban is no small car. I have a lady at the office park I work at who drives one and always parks next to my Suburban, but she can not park it straight or between the parking lines to save her life. I watch her pull in from my window and just shake my head and hold my breath hoping she doesn't side swipe me or the car on the other side.

I have and 1995 with 150,000 miles and love it for hauling the kids and all of their stuff around. They only drawback of a Suburban is the gas mileage to me.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

I drove an Expedition for years that seats 8 and loved it. I now drive the new Pilot that also seats 8 and love it. The biggest issue with these cars is it can be a pain to get kids in and out of the third seat on a constant basis. Also, my kids are older, but SUVs can be a pain the get kids in and out of in car seats. I would consider a van if you need to seat 8 the majority of the time. I only have 3 kids, but I like having the extra room to take their friends places and for when we travel

 

[stm61]

I have an Expedition that seats 9. It has 3 bench seats and the 2 rear seats fold down in sections, so you don't have to fold the entire bench down if you don't need to. It's a little smaller then a Suburban I think. It took a week or so to get used to parking it. I love it because I can seperate the kids when needed. 2 in the back, 2 in the middle, and the oldest in the front, unless Dh is with us. We went to the Expedition when my oldest started to complain about his knees hitting the seat in front of him in the minivan. The only thing I don't like about it is the gas mileage.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I've had both a minivan and a giant SUV over the years. I loved the Expedition and it sat 8. I picked it over the Suburban because the third row folded flat at the push of a button rather than manually having to remove them in the Suburban. That said, if I used the 3rd row every day I wouldn't dream of buying anything other than a van which allowed the kids to get in and out without having to move a single seat. Come January you'll have at least one car seat in at all times... so access is more important than many other features. Sliding doors are also a huge help with little ones.

Good luck

 

[natenapril]

(I just want a new car with more bells & whistles!)

You admitted that on the budget boardRUN

 

[arilvdc]

I'm glad you guys are all ok!


My boyfriend's family has a Sequoia, and there are usually 8 (7 adults and 1 two year old) of us whenever we go somewhere. We are very comfy, even though one of the seats is take up by a huge car seat. It has a ton of trunk space and drives like a dream. I really like it.

 

[FarmDisney]

I had to be gone all yesterday, but I appreciate all the replies. The insurance company finally got us a rental car! They also made us an offer on the Odyssey - $7400. Not as much as it was worth to me, but our insurance agent says that it's a fair price for the mileage and model year.

We are making a list of personal property that was destroyed by the accident - two car seats (which will never be used again), a cell phone, rabbit carriers, etc.

We really don't want a car payment, so we'll be looking to get the best deal we can. We looked at the 8 seat Odyssey, and just don't think it would fit 8 too comfortably. We are a big family - my husband is 6'3 and I'm 5'11 and our two oldest kids are already over 5' so we need the leg room. We looked at the Pilot already and it looks smaller than the Odyssey.

We'll be sure to test drive anything before we buy it. Thanks again for all the advice!