We traded our 2001 Silhouette minivan for a 2004 tricked out Chrysler Pacifica back in November 2006. I have never been so happy with a car purchase. My Pacifica has all the bells and whistles. Sunroof. Satellite radio. GPS. DVD player (with a changer that holds 6 DVDs!) Heated seats. Remote rear-opening hatch.
If it was a man I'd have an affair with it. LOVE THAT CAR. The #1 reason?
IT IS NOT A MINIVAN.
I never wanted to be a minivan mom, but alas, I was bound and gagged and forced to join the club. Back in February 1998 I traded a sporty white Nissan Maxima with a killer sound system for a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. The Caravan was "island teal" and I didn't even get to test drive it. I was just a couple of weeks shy of my due date with my first child, and I couldn't even fit myself behind the wheel of the van. I almost shed tears as I said goodbye to my Maxima and rode off the lot in my new minivan.
The first time we loaded up the van with all of the baby stuff and set out on our first long trip, my husband looked at me and sarcastically said, "Yeah. This would've all fit into the Maxima!"
Hmph. Smarty pants.
Our next car purchase was another minivan. The aforementioned Silhouette. Practical? Yes. Something that made me feel frumpy and so much older than my real age? Yes. Silly, I know. It's just a car. But I love driving, and I love crankin' the music UP. People turn and stare when your minivan is thumping. It just ain't right.
So I'm now faced with having to buy another minivan. Why?
Because my husband hates our Pacifica. (I hate his truck, too, but you don't see me forcing him to buy something new.)
The Silhouette was about to give up the ghost back in November. We had been saving for a new(er) car (we only buy used cars), but our budget wasn't quite where we wanted it to be when it became necessary to buy something. So we settled. I wanted something BESIDES another minivan, but it had to hold all 6 of us. The Pacifica fit our budget, even if it wasn't the most practical choice.
My husband is tall, and he has to duck his head to climb into the car. That's one reason he hates it. The second? Quinn and Lillian are thisclose together in the back seat, and they cannot keep their hands off of one another. There is always at least one fight between the two of them every.time.we.get.into.the.car. I'm used to it, but it gives my husband headaches. There is also very little room for extra stuff if we're all in the car at the same time. We have to limit our purchases if we're out shopping, or pack light if we're traveling.
See this picture? It's from our June beach trip. Aiden's holding the box of peanuts in his lap because there was NOWHERE ELSE to put it.
So yesterday we went out to CarMax and talked to our man Mark. He showed us a Toyota Sienna van and, at my request, a GMC Yukon XL. Nothing else fit our budget or our garage (I wouldn't even consider any other van, because the Sienna is top rated by Consumer Reports and my auto-mechanic father.)
I hate to admit that between the two, the van was more spacious and comfortable. The Yukon just felt like a big ole box, and the door handle was located at my hip, which was awkward. There was very little leg room on the back bench, too.
We put in a transfer request for the van (it's in Miami right now). Our "new", white, 2004 Toyota Sienna will be here within the next 21 days.
Sigh.
My husband told me that when I no longer have to cart around 4 kids, I can have my dream car. That would be a black Saab convertible.
I'm counting the days.
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