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I'm trying to convince my husband to come to the dark side (aka minivan). He's adamant that our family car will be a 4WD SUV, but we live in Kentucky and not in the hills, so I'm not sure why we need 4WD. I just want the space for all of us plus our dog and space to haul our stuff on trips.
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Agree with @lawbee11:. I just don't think they are attractive looking, and if I'm spending $45K on something, I want to like the way it looks.
I have a Honda Pilot. It has all the space of a minivan (seats 8 adults comfortably), still has decent trunk space even when the 3rd row is in use, and it has 18/26mpg. And I like how it looks.
I also would feel a little silly driving around a minivan when the kids aren't with me. When we go out with friends we like to carpool as much as possible to limit the number of people who have to be designated drivers. 8 adults riding around in a minivan seems silly
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@Truth Bombs: I thought those were minivans? I guess they're called cross overs? What's the diff, the way the doors open and they sit slightly higher up?
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@Maysprout: The Pilot is an SUV. The shape of the body is really the biggest difference for me in terms of which car was my preference.
ETA: I also much prefer sitting up higher off the ground. My husband just bought a fancy sporty sedan and I feel like I'm sitting on the road when we drive it! I like that my SUV is high up.
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I have an SUV but I kinda like minivans. I'm enjoying not having a car payment now, so we're not looking to upgrade for a while. I actually think the uncoolest cars are sedans.
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@Truth Bombs: this is why style is lost on me. I thought those were pretty much minivans except for the doors. I'm kinda the same way with clothes though, never been able to identify the luxe brands to a point.
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I think ppl just associate it back to when they were kids and how it looked uncool. O just hate how big and bulky they are to drive so I would never get one.
I find it funny that once you have two or more kids, ppl automatically think they need a bigger car. we do fine with 3 kids (with my niece) in my Buick along with traveling and it's no big deal. my husband has a two-door Toyota that was also which works fine. -
@oliviaoblivia: I really want a Sienna! I'm all for the better gas mileage and would love the awd. We live in an area where people actually need SUVs (other than to look cool!) and it seems that vans do just as well in the snow and ice. Also aren't we supposed to be the environmentally friendly generation? So I'm all for the better gas mileage.
Truthfully though, yeah our culture doesn't like moms. Or things associated with moms. We use the term as insult - mom car, mom haircut, mom jeans.
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@jedeve: a good point re: "mom" as an insult. Another form of misogyny. Throw like a girl, drive a "mom car," etc.
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I personally don't like the look. The same way I don't like the look of a PT cruiser/that Honda that looks like a Lego piece and many other vehicles. If I'm paying for a car I want it to have awesome features and like the way it looks. That being said, I don't really think about other people and their cars being "cool" or "uncool" . The same way as I don't look at someone driving a Ferrari and think "wow, they are so cool"
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I think it's absurd that people make fun of people for driving a minivan. I say that now that I own one and love it - I have an Odyssey. We will have 3 kids (3, 2 and newborn) here shortly and nothing else made sense when it was time to trade in my former SUV. It had a third row and plenty of space, but you know what? My minivan is SO much more convenient than my SUV ever was and that's only with two kids. I get much better gas mileage, have much better storage space, the car seats go in much easier, and contrary to what some posters are stating above I find that it's plenty zippy on the road for me.
In this season it just wouldn't make sense NOT to have a minivan and I think that anyone who chooses to make a negative comment or put someone down for driving one really needs to get a grip and stop trying to make themselves feel superior or cool. I'm not phased by the comments at all and we've gotten plenty since we bought a van. It just makes the commenter appear silly.
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@stargal: I'm all for using the smallest car that suits your needs! We couldn't fit three rear facing in DH's car and having the automatic sliding doors makes it so much easier when I'm in a parking lot with two babies and a three year old.
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We have a mini van and SUV. We have two boys and one baby on the way. We can fit 3 car seats in my SUV but in about 18 months we will be buying another mini van. My DH drives the mini van now. He has a large hobby. Truth be told I HATE his van but mostly because it doesn't perform properly. It still runs well but I just prefer my car. I am looking into mini vans to see what I am looking for.
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I've never cared about what kind of car i drive. I've just considered myself lucky since i was 16 that i always had one because my parents owned a used car company and got them for me cheap. So i always took whatever they had available. A couple of years ago, we were feeling cramped and asked for a van and we got a nissan quest at an extreme discount. i love how spacious it is. that's all i care about now. I don't love parking it, but am getting better with practice.
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@ShootingStar: Haha, I totally want another sedan, we have one now and another one that I don't even know how to classify, I guess it's a European style subcompact.
I want one of those old style Mercedes sedans, with the big steering wheel.
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@Truth Bombs: my husband drives a 2016 Pilot and I tell him all the time it's a minivan pretending to be an SUV.
I agree with the PP who said people associate minivans with their moms when they were a teenager so it was uncool and haven't really changed their minds. I wouldn't mind a minivan, but I spend a fair amount of time driving on really bad dirt roads and across pastures on weekends and live in an area prone to flooding, so I need something with a bit more clearance than a minivan or sedan.
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@mrs.shinerbock: Hey, I have no problem with that description!
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@looch: Ha! Hubs just bought a new car and he wanted a Mercedes, I was not on board because they make me think of old people!
I was pushing for the Model S! He ended up with an Audi A7.
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I have one and I don't feel cool driving it but it makes the most sense for my family of five. I'm sure when my kids are in middle school and high school, I'll ditch the van!
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Now that we have 2 kids, DH really wants us to get a minivan. I don't see it as uncool. Honda or Toyota had some convincing ads that really highlight the practicality and family aspects of the minivan and DH showed me this ad for the Chrysler Pacifica 2017 this weekend.
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My inlaws love mini vans. My husband used take me to dates in it. I think they are practical, but uncool. I don't think we will have more than 2 kids, so I guess I will not be getting one anyway.
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I would LOVE to have a mini van! But we only have one LO and we aren't sure if we will have another so it's pretty unnecessary with only one...
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@Truth Bombs: you mean a Tesla? I have to admit, it's pretty bad a**, even if it is a sedan.
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@looch: Yeah the Tesla was my pick for him but he wasn't interested. Boo.
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@Truth Bombs: I wasn't a fan myself, but my husband overruled me.
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Minivans are great! I'm renting one for my friend's bachelorette party so all 7 of us can carpool together to NYC!
I think SUVs suck. I tend to associate SUV drivers with being more reckless and dangerous on the road. Minivan drivers aren't like that!
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@Adira: my SUV is offended by your comment.
jk
Minivans are practical, but pretty ugly imo. I have an Audi Q7 and I love everything about it
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@chopsuey: haha, sorry! I've also always been scared of SUVs because I've known quite a few people who have rolled them. Minivans seem to have a lower center of gravity and less likely to roll.
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@Adira: I've seen some bad minivan drivers where I hope there aren't any kids in the car! Haha. My point, bad drivers are everywhere doesn't matter what car they drive.
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I'm not a big fan of the way minivans look but I don't care because of how convenient I think they are... I think our next car will be a minivan!
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Saying they're uncool (imo) is a knee-jerk reaction that stems from "the younger and care-free years" we all used to have. I remember back in the days, I associated mini vans with old, boring, parents. I'm now an old boring parent
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@Mrs. High Heels: My husband sent me that article yesterday lol. I agree that minivans have come a long way. I don't see how anyone could think they are uncool with all the new features they have: a built in vacuum cleaner, a back-up camera, heated leather seats, top notch entertainment center and more!
@Foodnerd81: We're most likely going to have a third, so I want to be able to access the third row easily and still have plenty of storage.
@catomd00: I'm only 28, so that thought crossed my mind. But I am a mom of two small kids, so I feel like this is the best vehicle for my life stage.
@Golden: I think this has more to do with the person that the car. I could totally see myself singing Dr. Dre in a minivan and then laughing at the silliness of it lol
@regberadaisy: Yes!!! We drive to Florida regularly (which is an 8 hour drive), and we need the extra space for all the stuff we bring. Plus, we're thinking about having a third baby, so it makes so much sense to get a minivan
@caterw: They are awesome! My husband and I rented one for our last family vacation, and the whole time we were saying how nice it was to have the extra space and how easy it was to get the kids in and out of the car
@gingerbebe: I love the sliding doors! I drive a compact SUV now, and it's hard getting kids in and out of carseats without dinging the door of the car parked next to you. I have a friend who owns a Suburban, and that thing is HUGE. It doesn't even fit in her garage.
@anonysquire: The Honda Odyssey has a built-in vacuum cleaner to keep that from happening
@oliviaoblivia: I think they are awesome too, especially if you get one with all the bells and whistles!
@Silva: All the SUVs I see are driven by soccer moms, so they aren't fooling anyone into thinking they are young, childless and just using the SUV for their active lifestyles
@petitenoisette: We have two kids now, but we want a third someday. I think if you know you want more kids, then it makes sense to go for the larger vehicle, especially if you plan to keep it a while.
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@avivoca: The Sienna is AWD if that's important to him, but I live in the South like you, so I'm fine with an Odyssey or something similar
@jedeve: Using "mom" as an insult is so irritating to me. I hate that moms feel like they have to dissociate themselves with anything that implies they are moms.
@coopsmama: I just don't get what makes the minivan uncool. If someone doesn't like the style, that's one thing, but saying it's uncool simply because it's associated with moms is dumb. And I agree that they are practical and perfect for families. My hubby sent me this article, which I thought summed it up well: http://jalopnik.com/if-youre-a-real-grown-up-minivans-are-cooler-than-cros-1764226230
@Adira: I could totally see how that would be fun to all travel together in a minivan! And the third row in a minivan is more spacious than in most SUVs, so it actually works for adults.
@SugarplumsMom: Yes, I think we all need to accept the fact that we are parents now
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@aprild: He's just anti-minivan. I'm working on it though. I want the sliding doors!
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I haven't read all the answers, but my opinion is that they are 'uncool' because we are socialized to feel insecure about growing up. Age, practicality and parenthood are never marketed as glamorous.
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@aprild: Lol a car that has a vacuum cleaner is considered "cool"??? Sorry but I think the last thing the cool kids care about is having a vacuum cleaner in their car. Why does it matter if the car you drive is cool or uncool? A minivan is by definition a family car and generally families with young kids are uncool. Embrace the uncoolness of it. It's not big deal!
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@skipra: Obviously what's cool and isn't cool is subjective, so I'm stating things that I think are cool about minivans. I get that not everyone will see it the way I do, but I'm excited about the features including the built-in vacuum
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@aprild: Right but it seems that you are offended that your friends think your minivan is uncool. I'm just saying that a lot of things that we as moms find exciting are generally not cool. Oh well! Why did we used to be so embarrassed by our parents' minivans? It's the same thing but with some new technology. Why do we have to feel the need to be cool as moms?
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@skipra: My friends are all moms, so I was pointing out the features that would be useful to them as well. I can understand more if a young, childfree person said minivans aren't cool, but I'm a little confused about why other moms hate on them. In the end, I know it's personal preference. Just sharing my opinions.
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I would rather cut off a limb than drive a minivan. They are the most soulless vehicles, so slow and clunky and awkward to drive. They are also not all that nice to look at in my opinion. I grew up in a 3 kid family and my Mom always drove Jettas, and we did 12 hour each way road trips every summer! I have driven a couple, I LOVE driving and I couldn't park them and get away fast enough LOL. No amount of built in vacuums will convince me they are cool
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