14. Cars

So I'm looking for a new car. "New" to me, that is. I think I have it narrowed down but I waffle a little bit.



I'm pretty sure I want to go with a Toyota Highlander. They seem to get great customer satisfaction reviews, hold on to their re-sale value like crazy (ie: they're expensive even with a lot of miles on them), I know it'll last a long time and it would have enough space for 2 kids, all of our crap, a canoe, bikes, etc etc.



I also like the Honda CRV, but I fear ultimately that it's not "big enough" - I hate saying that because I love small cars and would love to continue to drive one, but I know how we are. I know how we are ESPECIALLY when packing up for a weekend or even an overnight trip somewhere! We have a lot of crap! I don't want to be stuck in a car (which I hope to have for 10+ years) that I don't think will 'fit.' (I looked at a CRV when I bought my Focus...I really loved it but it was too much $$ and used!)

Part of me questions getting a mini-van, however. Particularly the Toyota Sienna or the Honda Odyssey. I like both vehicles quite a lot. My folks have a Sienna which I love. Spacious, easy to get in & out of (with infant seats especially), nice features, etc. I like the Honda for similar reasons. But I'm just not sure if I can go down the "mini-van" road yet.






Lord knows I am NOT cool. Not in any way, shape or form. I know that a car neither will make me cooler or less cool, yet I still feel like getting a mini-van catapults me into a category I cannot enter...yet.

Friends have said "oh if you had 2 kids already, you would jump on the mini-van bandwagon (so to speak) right away." I know, they're probably right. But I don't, yet, and I'm still hesitant to go down that path.

*sigh*

Regardless, I have no $. I just have a car which I'm afraid to drive in the winter & won't fit my capacity needs for much longer. I want to get something before the roads get crappy. I would like 4WD or AWD. I would love to have a hitch so we can use the bike rack.

Hopefully I can find a good deal in the coming weeks. The clock is ticking and I would prefer to get this taken care of sooner rather than later.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Look into a Mitsubishi outlander. Not sure if it is big enough, but they get great ratings especially for safety.
Kate said…
Um. I'm all about the minivan. I don't even have KIDS, and I want a minivan. But since I don't have a need for such a large vehicle, I would completely go for the Toyota Highlander. Hands down.
juliemac_29 said…
Here's what I *know* - as a person who is not the owner of any of the listed vehicles - lol! My folks have a Sienna and love it. Except getting around town on extremely snowy or slippery days. It's got tricky traction for Duluth hills. But it's roomy and we've often travelled 5 adults and 3 kids in it with no problem. My in-laws have the Odessey and love it. The third row is cramped and a total pain in the butt for getting in and out.

I don't blame you on wanting a 4WD or AWD. We're over it too - the Impala in particular is a MESS in the winter (which is why Mark drives it! LOL). We're looking at a Subaru Outback for our next one - something big enough for a kennel in the back so we can add another dog to the mix.
carrster said…
I would go for the Outback in a heartbeat if we didn't have so much crap. *sigh* Time to declutter our lives!
MamaD4 said…
I didn't want to go down the minivan path either, so we got the Audi Q7 and let me tell you, while it is a beautiful vehicle (and thus totally inappropriate for three young children), there is NO room in that third row and no cargo capacity when it is up.

Yeah, I'm wishing that we'd gotten the minivan.
Test said…
I'm a Highlander fan myself. I even had Pete seriously looking at one should his Exploder ever crap out. If we have to find something to tow a snowmobile trailer AND be a family vehicle at the same time, I voted this route.

Good luck!
Meigan said…
I know what you mean about all the "stuff". We wouldn't trade our Envoy for the world. I can totally see you in the Highlander!

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