Minivan vs SUV???

MommyToAshley wrote: DH and I are thinking about getting a minivan or SUV. I am leaning more towards the minivan for the extra space but DH likes the idea of a SUV.

I am just curious... Those that own one ... what do you like about it?

CantWait replied: Honestly, I had an SUV and there was a ton of space in it, more so then my friends mini van.

We had a Jimmy, not the best when it comes to parts and breaking down, but I'm sure there's better out there. On the other hand, I did just come across the new Hynudai (sp?) minivan, and that sucker is huge. I loved it.

Good Luck vehicle shopping.

redchief replied: We have an SUV. Lisa abhorred the idea that she would be seen in a "soccer mom van." I wasn't crazy about it either, but my work car is an SUV, so I didn't need the masculine boost.

By the numbers. SUV vs Mini-van. Mini-vans are generally less expensive and have more interior layout options. SUV's are better in poor weather so long as you buy the four wheel drive option. There are a couple mini-van models with all wheel options too. SUV's are generally safer for the occupants than mini-vans, but get a bad wrap in that catagory because they cause a lot of damage to vehicles they hit, and more injuries to occupants of other vehicles. Mini-vans are easier to get in and out of, especially for smaller kids. SUV's look cooler (I know, I know, that wasn't very objective ). Good luck Dee Dee and Rod!

We have a 2001 Chev. Tahoe.

luvmykids replied: Well, I'm one of those having a hard time converting to a mini van but it's tempting. I had an SUV (a great big giant one, an Excursion) and honestly, the space was unbeatable, I did compare them to vans and they couldn't touch it. But I also had to seat 4 kids, 2 adults and lots of luggage/golf clubs/baby gear.

At Ashley's age a smaller SUV would probably give you the space but IMHO a mini van drives better, more like a car than a truck, and gets much better mileage in most cases. The remote door opening feature is nice when you have your hands full or a group of kids, they can just hop in, and I like that they're lower to the ground and easier for the kids to get in by themselves.

eta: I got so tired of driving that honkin thing around and trying to park it that I went completely opposite and got a car, which I love, BUT it is not at all practical and when I get rid of it I will probably go back to an SUV. As much as the mini vans tempt me with all their cool stuff I guess I'm just not sold on one.

kit_kats_mom replied: We struggled with that decision too. We ended up with a minivan and these are the reasons.
-Price-typically, minivans are usually cheaper than suv's with the same features. they also usually cost less to maintain and run. Generally they get better mpg and things like tires are less expensive. Plus, insurance was less on a comparable minivan
-flexibilty-we like the fact that the seats can be moved around and/or taken out. For much of the summer, when we were not having many visitors but travelling a lot, we took out the rear seat for more hauling room. We put it in a couple of weeks ago when my mom came to visit.
-Ease-I find that it's really nice to travel in a minivan. We have made a few long road trips with the kids and the fact that my van is command central makes it easy. I have a potty seat in it and the girls can pee in there when the gas station restrooms are gross, I have an entire changing station there for emergencies, Tons of room for traveling games/crafts etc and it's low enough to make it easy to unload things.

MommyToAshley replied:
Do you like the Tahoe?

And, Cary, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of minivan do you have?

kit_kats_mom replied:
we have a 2005 dodge grand caravan. I wanted the Sienna or Odessey based on consumer reports reviews and safety reviews but it was so out of our price range. I covet them though So far so good on the caravan. We've had zero problems

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I'm an SUV girl. I'm driving a Navigator right now and love it.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I really like a few of the minivans I have seen out but over all I am in the SUV camp between the 2 I know it was not a choice but I LOVE our truck...of course if you don't have anything to haul it is pointless but the inside is beautiful and very roomy-plus we have the bed if we need it...With only one kiddo it works great and we have room for a couple more

redchief replied:
We really like our Tahoe. It's more Lisa's car than mine (it's really a small truck). It's our second Tahoe. Maintenance issues are another I didn't address because I do my own maintenance, so we're talking a couple of additional quarts of oil to purchase; not a pocketbook killer since I do the labor myself.

Fuel mileage is another concern, and our biggest problem with the Tahoe. It doesn't do nearly as well as most of the cars on the road. We only get about 18MPG in ideal highway driving. Usually it averages around 11 or 12, so keeping fuel in it can be expensive. All that being said, when we decide it's time for a change, we'll almost certainly look a another Tahoe; but we're also committed to keeping an open mind. With the kids being pretty much grown, we don't have near the hauling needs we had a few years ago.

paradisemommy replied: we have a 2005 toyota highlander and i absolutely LOVE it..i couldn't get myself to purchase a mini van but while we go on vacation to florida in march, i'm gonna rent one and maybe i'll change my mind after..

that being said - our car has an option 3rd row seating and lots of space - we've hauled many things on it and inside it and the 3rd row with ease, folds down flat but to fit back there, you have to be pretty small cause it's surely not the regular size seats..

good luck car hunting!!

J-rod replied: i will never own a minivan! you can get 3rd row SUV's and such.... guess im just biased



(sorry for my random post...kyan's been up for two hours now and im totally exhausted)

boyohboyohboy replied: Have you looked at ford free style? its the one that doesnt look like a mini van . not the ford free star which is a mini van.
we had that for a yr, but I just didnt like it. My husband did though. I thought it had a station wagon feel.
I love love my mini van. I have a kia sedona, and it sits up higher like an suv, which I have also owned, I think this drives and feels like an suv. It has tons of safety gadgets which I also love, especially the side curtain air bags that hardly any other vehicle has.
and the price and gas mileage is great!

when i was car hunting I used vehix.com
you can see several kinds of cars at one time, and line them up to compair all the different things about them, and really make a good decision.

good luck

I love car shopping!

Kaitlin'smom replied: Well you have been in my min van...tons of things I love about it. However if I were to be looking again I would highly consider the chrystler pacifica, we have rented it twice now and LOVE it, aoth I never did get to drive it. It rode nice and has that 3rd row in an SUV I love the stlye of it. Handles GREAT in rain, and the last row of seats fold down, which we had down most of the time for luggage and such.

mom2my2cuties replied: We are looking into getting an Accura MDX (used) or a top of the line Kia Mini-Van (new), I can't remember right off hand if it had the 3rd row seating, but it had plenty of room for a third car seat in it. The prices are about the same - I did like the MDX better, because I am having a hard time adjusting to needing a minivan..but The Kia we looked at was great too - had awesome saftey ratings which is why we were looking at a Kia (and the only reason) .

Jamison'smama replied: I never thought I would be a minivan gal---but after I had Jack, I traded in my lovely Nissan Pathfinder---beautiful SUV for an Odyssey. Now that I have it--I would never go back. I don't care at all how I look to other people. One touch of a button, Jamison's door is open, she climbs in and gets into her carseat all, while I am carrying Jack or a load of whatever. It is low enough even Jack can climb in by himself.

The fold away rear seat leaves us lots of space and the added seats are great when company comes. My neighbors love ther Pilot however when the third seat is in, you can't even get a regular stroller in the back. I am all about safety (can't beat the Odessey), comfort, gas milage.

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: got a minivan a few months ago but......

I am totally an SUV girl. we had a Dodge Durango and it had the third row seat so technically we could seat everyone but with the third row seat up I can't fit my double stroller (jogger...it's huge) so if we were going anywhere I would ahve o squeeze all three in the regular back seat. in that situaton J. would have to be inthe middle and it's not exactly easy to lift the seat over the other kids seats. I honestly don't see a huge advantage for minivans unless you have 3 kids (or transport 3 on a regular basis)

Now to be fair to minivans (though I still dont want one) we have a 2005 Grand Caravan it has stow n go...we don't stow so we have tons of storage so I can carry everything I would ever possibly need in the car and it all stays hidden. the doors are automatic on a remote so the kids can get in and start buckeling up before I even get there. It drives fairly well and my jogging stroller fits and sits low enough that I don;t even see it in my mirror.

Boys r us replied: Well...as you all know, I bit the bullet and became a "soccer Mom" and got a new toyota sienna a month or so ago.

As I hide my head in shame for what I'm about to say....don't laugh when I say I love it!!!

I'll never drive an SUV again! I now know why my mom who has a Mercedes SUV parked in the garage, always elects to drive the minivan parked right beside it! She has no young kids and she loves the comforts of her minivan!

Minivan's are built on Car Frames where as SUV's are built on Truck Frames..so ...naturally a minivan drives more like a car..more comfortable and quiet. They also have more mom friendly features than suv's..how many suv's do you know that you can push the button on the remote and have your doors and back hatch open and close for you...all at the touch of a button!
Now..I'm a little on the picky side when it comes to minivans..I wouldn't settle for a minivan unless it was the Sienna or my 2nd choice would have been the Odyssey b/c they just look a lot nicer and aren't so mommified..but the price tag is higher.

I drove the Tahoe yesterday and I felt like I was driving a u-haul truck!

coasterqueen replied:
I don't know...the numbers I've seen come through my office over the years have shown that to NOT be the case. Although since the whole tire and SUV issues, things have gotten extremely better and much safer.

I, personally, do not own an SUV and never will because I've been in my bosses many different models and makes to know I'd never be caught dead in one. Those things are way too much, no room compared to what I have in my mini van and a pain in the rear to manuever (sp?) with kids.

My friends w/o kids seem to love them though.

Sorry, I'm no help. To me a vehicle is just that...a vehicle. Something to transport you, not to label you as this or that (i.e. a "soccer" mom, etc). I'll drive whatever if it's convenient and comfortable for my family.

redchief replied:
Karen, you're right about the long-term history, but since Dee Dee was talking about what to buy now, I was going with current data. Since they corrected the top-heavy (high roll-ver potential), fuel pump and tire problems, SUV's are considered among the safest vehicle classes for the occupants in motor vehicle crashes.

coasterqueen replied:
Yes, buying new then they are much much safer than they were. She didn't state whether she was buying new or not, so I wasn't for sure.

jcc64 replied: We have a Nissan Pathfinder. I've been pretty happy with it, but it's cramped with 3 kids in the backseat, especially now that Alec's a teenager. With 1 kid, I think you'd be fine. We have no choice but to have a vehicle with 4 WD, so that pretty much limits our options in the minvan dept. I would LOVE the Sienna with 4 wd, but there's no way I'm spending that much $$$ on a vehicle. To me, a car is a thing to get you from point a to point b. I've never understood the whole image thing. If a minivan suits your needs better, what do you care if it's not "cool"? Aren't we all by definition as parents, uncool?
I saw a comedien who said that the more expensive a man's car, the smaller his penis. Not sure how that translates for women, but I found it hilarious nonetheless. Now, whenever I see a middle aged guy in a Porshe, that's all I can think about.

redchief replied:
I am, indeed, a cool parent. Just don't ask my kids because they would no doubt disagree.

In our case it had not so much to do with image as our lifestyle. We like to ski, and we have six moslty grown up people in the house. That pretty much dictated we have a large 4WD vehicle. We were very happy with our first Tahoe and saw no real reason to change. It suited us.

There may have been a small image factor, but most of our decision was based upon practicality, for us.

Brias3 replied: I'll agree with Jamisonsmama- I LOVE the Odyssey. My friend drives one and it looks like a perfect family vehicle- great storage, seating, and classy SUV-ish look in a minivan.

I currently drive an Escalade which I loathe more and more each day. The seating is all wrong, totally not what I like. There's no bench seat in the middle, which I'm used to in other SUV's/vans and the fold and tumble seats don't create more space- just a head and a backache. Can you tell my husband bought this for us before the kids and I moved into the new house?

I'm definitely currently in the market for another vehicle. The Toyota Sienna looks nice, in addition to the aformentioned Odyssey. My mom has a Grand Cherokee Laredo which she loves (I love it too) but just wouldn't be practical for me with the three kids (there's no way I could survive with all three sitting in the same row). With just a three-person family, this might be ideal for you. It drives like a dream too. I currently am trying to convince my husband on the 2007 Lexus LX We'll see how that goes.

luvmykids replied:
Do they fight over who gets to sit by a window? Or is it the "He's looking at me" or is it the "Ew, somebody farted and I'm gonna throw up?"

Heather77 replied: We have a Suburban and love it! There is a ton of room, and it's 4 wheel drive which comes in handy where we live. The only downside is the gas. We have a 42 gallon tank and only get 9-11 miles to the gallon (around town... it's a little better on the freeway).

I however, would LOVE a minivan! I really like the Honda Odyssey and the Nissan Quest.

Brias3 replied:
All of the above, although the one that seems to overtake it all is just the general "He/She is touching me!!! STOOOOOPPPPPP!!!!"

My mom came with me and all three kids to one of Ryan's Scout meetings last week and she drove. Let me tell you- the longest fifteen minute ride ever

luvmykids replied:
My mom and I took the kids on a trip last weekend and had to take two cars so she could bring some stuff home.... she volunteered to have all the kids in her car so I could enjoy some quiet driving time. It lasted about an hour and she called me and made me stop at the next town so she could give them back

siblingtooolivia replied: I agree with Boys R Us - we had a Dodge Durango which I loved but now have a Dodge Grand Caravan and LOVE it!! The Durango was nice and it was "tough" but the gas was killer and with a second on the way I am glad it is gone. The van is very practical, drives wonderfully and when we go on a trip or even just out and about for errands and hubby is with me, I can move around so easily in it. THe Durango, if your moving and you want to help someone in back, your climbing....!!!

I would love an Odyssey or Sienna though but price was a factor when we bought so we went with the Caravan and have had NO problems!!

Good luck!

ashtonsmama replied: We have an SUV, and I love it. I like minivans ok, but SUVs don't scream "MOTHER" as much to me, and it's kind of nice sometimes. KWIM?

JessC replied: I just bought a jeep grand cherokee and I LOOOOVE it. Its a gas gussler though.