Don't need a new car yet but went car shopping today just for fun... Looked at SUVs. I have no interest in ever owning a van, even though everyone insists I'll change my mind. Has anyone else felt like this and stuck to it after having 2-3 kids?
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We only plan on two kids and are firmly no minivan. I definitely see the appeal for three kids, no denying that it would be more convenient with three car seats. But just... Not for us. We got a mid size SUV this winter and it should work just fine with our second is born in December.
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This is me! I only have one kid but promise you I will never get a minivan. SUV mom here. in actuality, a minivan could never get through the snow and ice necessary to get from home to work anyway.
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Expecting #2 next month and we've decided on a Lincoln MKT for me! Third row option so I guess technically could fit 3 kids but we're leaning two and through and it's the perfect size for us!
no vans in my future!
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Yes I don't ever want a mini van. We are thinking of trying for #3 and I'm already researching SUV options. My husband has the Pilot which we love and I think I would seriously get the same exact car before I would get a minivan.
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Only planning on two kids but won't ever get a minivan. Probably going to get a Tahoe w/3rd row for my next car (currently pregnant with #2)
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I only plan on having one right now...maybe a second (MAYBE) in the future and that would be it. No minivan for me!
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I would not want to drive a mini-van. I love my CRV. DH is going to be a SAHD and he said he would get a mini-van, if we had to. Sounds like a plan to me!
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@bluestriped bee: haha DH jokes(mostly) that he would divorce me if I ever wanted a mini van. So yeah... He would not be on board with that plan.
I have explained to him about 3 car seats being a pain in a 3 row SUV, but this is a small part of why we are planning on only two.
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I definitely don't want a mini van. I only have one LO now but we plan on 2-3 and we're getting a Ford Explorer with 3 rows.
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I don't want a mini van ever. However, it does sound so nice to have all that room. As we are discussing #3, we are also discussing a new vehicle. I need something with the third row seating! I hope I don't get swayed for a van
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Only really against them because they are so hard in AWD/4WD. SUVs tow better anyways and if we need to upgrade in vehicles because our family grows so much, we'll need a bigger camper (and more towing power!)
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I used to be, but these days I think it's kind of brilliant that they have all that space, but still way better gas mileage than an SUV.
We have a sedan at the moment, though. But if I had 3 kids, I would totally look into minivans.
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@Anagram: Yes, they have a lot of great features for sure. There is no denying that. But for some reason I'm still (irrationally perhaps) against them for myself lol! I'm only pregnant with my first so don't really have to even have an SUV for a while though.
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I don't really care either way, but I do feel that SUVs are the minivans of the 2000s/2010s. Its all just what's in fashion I think!
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I'm not wanting a van either! Only have one so far but hoping to make it work well in our CRV! It's big enough, I think, (3 year spacing so ONLY one single strollee to store) but not so big that parking stalls become an issue. I agree with @ScarletBegonia: that SUVs are more in fashion now!
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@ScarletBegonia: That very well could be, although I'm not totally convinced of that since SUVs have other purposes (i.e. towing capacity and ability to drive through snow) and are made by luxury car manufacturers... But yes, there are many SUVs that don't fit these categories which could arguably be this decade's version of a van... I still think they look sportier though!
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@mrscobee: Oh yeah absolutely they look way better to me too, and seem safer/more reliable. But you should have seen the look on my mom's face when we got our gigantic wood-panneled-sided poo brown Chrysler in 1988! She thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world!
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@ScarletBegonia: hahaha!!!!! I hear ya!
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Yep! Never wanted one, and now with 2 kids I still don't. I think they're fine, I just associate them with my mom!
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I would never. Never! Minivans just seem like the death of sex, to me, although they really must not be. But two children is my absolute max anyway, so I don't need one.
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I don't want one. DH does for my next car and I told him he can give up his truck for a van.
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Definitely not anti-mini van. I'm not anti anything that helps make parenting easier haha... and mini vans do that for some families! I only currently have two and they fit well in my small SUV but I wouldn't let pride get in the way if I had more and we needed to make a change and a mini van would fit the bill. Obviously it wouldn't be my first choice but for certain life stages and family sizes I think they are a great option and you do what ya gotta do!
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I was so anti minivan until we had a third baby and I couldn't get all the kids in the car safely. Sliding doors work best to get everyone in, without someone wandering into the parking lot so we bit the bullet. It's really not as bad as I once thought. I don't think anyone thinks differently of me! And my kids are safe and have more room than my old SUV so we're happy with it.
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My DH is very anti minivan. He thinks they are so ugly but I am positive I can change his mind if we have another one. I'll be the one driving it so I am determined to own one!
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Planning on 2-3 kids. We have a Jeep Liberty in the US, where we will be living in a few months to a year, and that will fit 3 kids with room in the back for stuff. I don't plan on ever owning one.
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Don't shoot me peoples, but I went to volkswagen to have a look at the passat and I have dreams of being a soccer mommmmm with a transporter van hahaha I could never ever drive one though cos they're just mega massive.
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My sedan works well with the 2 kids so I have been sticking with that. I don't even want to drive an SUV!
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I love them, but with one kid, it doesn't make sense.
If Tesla made one, my husband would be all over it.
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I'm not anti minivan, but I prefer SUVs.
I have an Audi Q7 and it's perfect for our family of 4. My sil and her girls stayed with us last week and all of us drove around in my car--4 kids in car seats + 2-3 adults. Didn't feel cramped at all
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@mrscobee: I don't have any kids yet, but I am firmly anti-van.
My husband actually wants a van, but I will not be using it as my main vehicle. I'd rather use an SUV even though DH says it's 'just a high van with less space' lol. -
@mrscobee: i was for a long time, but since deciding we want three kids, our next car will be a mini van.
I tried really hard to find something else that would work, but they are just designed for families. Unless you get a massive suv you won't have trunk space when all the seats are in use. And I figure, we won't just be transporting our three kids, we will also need to take their friends places. And long car trips? Give me all the room.The sienna comes in all wheel drive. I've also decided I will probably skip that feature, since if I'm being realistic we only "need" AWD maybe 10 times a year so it's not worth the hit on gas mileage.
I admit I'm kind of bummed because I much prefer the way the highlander (which is the svu we were considering) looks, but for cost and features it just makes sense to get the sienna.
I had to do some soul searching and look hard at my ego. I also made my husband agree that when our family is older and we no longer need the mini van I can get whatever impractical and fun vehicle that I want
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I get that they don't look as cool as SUVs, but I don't think I could justify the reduced gas mileage just for style. I always thought SUVs for driving around towns was kind of silly. Now we live in a place where we could actually use the sport utility aspect. But minivans provide enough weight and stability in snow and ice anyway.
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No minivans here! But then, I don't want anything bigger than my Corolla, so I am not the target market, I don't think.
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My DH is convinced that despite the fact we want 3+ kids, we'll never get a mini-van. We are years away from that decision though, so I just figure we'll see once we get there. Personally I feel like it's inevitable.
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My husband was opposed but we are getting one before LO 3 arrives. We test drove a few larger SUVs and decided a minivan was better for us right now.
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No van here. I like something that is more fuel efficient and easy to park in small spaces.
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At this point, I don't see a huge difference between mini-vans and SUVs. I know a lot of the mini-van hate grew out of the idea that they were just so stereotypically a "mom car." Like, "I may have kids but I'm never going to have one of those soccer mom mini-vans!" But these days I think SUVs are basically the new "mom-car" so it sort of seems like a potato-potahto situation to me, haha.
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I used to be anti until I had a kid and realized how much crap they have. We travel a lot and have to haul stuff. The third row SUVs are cool until you actually have to have 7 people and their stuff fit! The plan is for 3 kids and I'm assuming a van is gonna come along with it! I like the blacked out loaded Siennas. They look cool.
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@sarac: ha, well said.
We have one, will likely have a second but there will never be on in our future. Firm SUV family here.
I don't count our 78 VW as a mini van.... But I guess it is. I consider it a camper van more than a family daily driver. Oh the irony.
no vans in my future!
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42 comments