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#21
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
"Jill" wrote in message om...
"Circe" wrote And a Volvo is, of course, extremely crash-worthy and safe in the event you *do* have an accident with one of those nasty SUVs. -- Good rec, I hadn't thought of this. But be forewarned - Volvo parts are relatively expensive. My dh has a Volvo S60, and he loves it, but the maintenance is outrageous. He's trying to convince me to get a used Volvo station wagon for my next car, and we're also considering a Suburu Outback station wagon. (Our considerations for a station wagon may be different for yours - we'd like AWD for going on construction sites, and cargo space for trips or loading it full of mulch, etc.) Irene |
#22
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
"Kat" wrote You could also try to get one of the smaller SUVs. We have a Honda CR-V and we love it. We aren't mini-van lovers (as of yet:-)) so we opted to get a small SUV since we didn't have enough room for our large dog and a baby too in either of our cars. My husband is driving me crazy and he needs to just buy something already. I really can't choose what I want because Hondas etc cost too much. To be fair to him I am staying at home and in order to do that (stay home with the baby) we have to budget. He wanted to keep his truck and I repsect that since he has always had a truck, so for him to be able to afford this on his salary, we don't have the option of getting anything too new...Hondas are high. We have never found an Odyssey that we can foot the monthly payments for. Right now, we have other expenses (we have to have some work done on our house, maintenance etc)......my dh is just driving me crazy. He isn't happy that I am not thrilled with what we can afford although I think the things we can afford are better than what I am driving now and certainly adequate, but he doesn't want to hear that...he wants me to be truly happy with the purchase, which I am NOT going to be thrilled or excited. I can't pretend to be although I AM considering faking it so that he will get off it!!! I swear...I am getting ready to be all smiles and "Yay!" just so he will buy something already. He wants to spend $8000 and not much more. Yet he wants me to REALLY want his picks for vehicles. SO I am going to pretend to be thrilled. I have never had an expensive car, I've had the same Accord for 10 years. It was 4 years old when I bought it. I am not complaining because I am not working and contributing to the purchse! If I was working I could have whatever I truly wanted, but I'drather be home with my daughter. And I have never thought it's practical to buy a brand new of anything since they depreciate so much in the first 2 years. You lose your *ss. Better value TO buy used. But my husband is asking the impossible..he wants me to tell him that what he is picking for me is YAY, exactly what I want! It will be FINE. Not thrilling, not awesome, but it will get me where I need to go. And better than what I have. So we are having a stupid marital argument over this and it is driving me nuts. (We can't even afford used Volvos unless they are really old).... But because I am not thrilled he wants to just NOT buy the Explorer, but it WAS a good deal. He wants me to tell him what I want and I refuse to because he can't buy what I want so there is no point in even having him think about that!! I would probably want a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. If I was a single girl, I'd want a lot sportier options. But my husband just needs to get over it and stop demanding that I tell him what I want. What he can buy me is FINE and he needs to stop driving me crazy and do it. We HAVE to have something.........his F150 handles awful, no stopping distance etc. bumpy..... This is fun fun debate in the F. household. He doesn't REALLY want me to tell him what I want, it would make him sick to his stomach. |
#23
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
Jill wrote:
He wants to spend $8000 and not much more. snio (We can't even afford used Volvos unless they are really old).... How old is "really old"? I ask, because a quick search on AutoTrader popped up at least a half a dozen Volvo sedans in my area for $8,500 that were model years 1998-2000. They're far cheaper for the year and mileage than used Odysseys or Siennas. -- Be well, Barbara All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful. Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman |
#24
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
Jill wrote:
He wants to spend $8000 and not much more. Since you are not buying new I would go vehicle shopping and find some various things in that price range you like, then come back and plug them into this website http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/testing/ncap/ to see how they do with safety and also with consumer reports. There will be nothing but frustrations to do it the opposite way (as you are finding out :-). If that was my budget I'd be looking for safe family cars. You'll get more bang for your buck then when buying vans or SUV's. IME $8000 vans and SUV's would barely live out their loans because $8000 will buy a newer car then it will a van or SUV. By the time you have three kids and need the seating space an $8000 vehicle will likely need to be replaced anyway unless you plan on having a baby ever year. Also, if you keep the truck you'll be thankful you have one vehicle that isn't a gas hog. If it were me I'd drive the Accord until it dies and by then you may be in a better position to get exactly what you want. Getting a tide me over vehicle for $8000 will, IME, delay you getting what you really want by about 7 years. You might get what you really want in 3 years if you can put the cost of the payment in a savings account to put towards the new one. I'm not particularly worried about the driving a car in the land of the big vehicle though and I know that is a bigger consideration for others :-) -- Nikki Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3) |
#25
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
"Jill" wrote in message . com...
Lol. Well, for me, my husband wanted an SUV so he can do outdoorsy things and pull a boat or trailer etc, and I hear that minivans are much safer than SUVs and ride more like cars than a clunky tippy SUV. Room isn't as much of an issue since we don't need to haul around more than 3 people most of the time. I do think SUVs tend to ride bumpier and more tippy etc...but it looks like my husband is pushing for a Ford Explorer........ If you get a newer Explorer (2002 or newer), it has a much improved suspension and feels much less truck-like than the previous models. It's certainly not as smooth/car-like as my Odyssey but way better than the 93 Explorer we had previously. If room isn't much of an issue, then I would look at one of the smaller SUV's/minivans. For us, we have one child (4), one on the way, and I often cart around three small cousins as well. We have room for up to 5 car seats (seats 7 total), which is the exact number that we need. In addition, we do camp and travel by car quite often, so the storage space is a big deal. AAMOF, we've been building a deck and all of the lumber has been hauled with my Odyssey - which can fit up to 12ft long pieces without needing the hatch open. I've been nothing but pleased with my mini-van, and the mileage isn't much different that what I had been getting with the Accord. kellie |
#26
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
Circe wrote:
DeliciousTruffles wrote: Circe wrote: Jill wrote: I tend to prefer foreign and wish we could afford a Honda Odyssey minivan....my husband likes Fords for some reason, and wants to look at Ford Winstar vans or Ford Explorers...I like the really small SUVs (Ford Escape) but don't feel they are safe...etc.......any suggestions? van or SUV? How about a used Volvo station wagon? That's what I would suggest, too. Also, didn't Ford buy out Volvo? Yep. Ford also owns Mazda. Still, a Volvo is a Volvo when it comes to the safety stuff and a Ford isn't (yet, anyway). Yes but a her DH likes Fords so in a roundabout way he is buying a Ford. ;-) -- Brigitte aa #2145 http://ca.geocities.com/bironmonger/ Please excuse the quality. It is under construction and I am still learning. :-) "To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains." ~ Mary Pettibone Poole |
#27
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
"melizabeth" wrote in message ...\ Karen, are you thinking of Consumer Reports? I've always looked to them with big purchases. There is a CR service that you have to pay for on the internet. I declined that and went to the library instead to look up what I wanted in their periodicals. It took a bit more time, but it has always been worth it. Consumer Reports is okay as a basic guide. We took the car, truck, and van issue with us when we went van shopping. However they hate the Astro and we love it, have never had problems they claim the Astro has, so go figure. |
#28
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
DeliciousTruffles wrote:
Circe wrote: DeliciousTruffles wrote: Circe wrote: How about a used Volvo station wagon? That's what I would suggest, too. Also, didn't Ford buy out Volvo? Yep. Ford also owns Mazda. Still, a Volvo is a Volvo when it comes to the safety stuff and a Ford isn't (yet, anyway). Yes but a her DH likes Fords so in a roundabout way he is buying a Ford. ;-) Ah, I see. You are sneaky g! -- Be well, Barbara Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 4), and the Rising Son (Julian, 6) Aurora (in the bathroom with her dad)--"It looks like an elephant, Daddy." Me (later)--"You should feel flattered." All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful. Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman |
#29
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
Jill wrote: My husband and I are looking to trade his truck in for a vehicle better suited for me to drive Rachel and future kids around in. He has a Ford F150 extended cab, and I have an old (c. 1990) Honda Accord. He is driving my car for his commute to work, because with everyone else seemingly on the roads in vans and SUVs, I don't feel my car is safe- it's so small I would HATE for someone to hit me while I had the baby. The truck is safer but it is so cumbersome. I am 5'2" tall and the truck feels huge to me, not to mention it's awkward getting her car seat in and out of- we installed it in the middle of the back seat - those back seats are tiny in extended cabs. We can't buy new but I am obsessed with getting something as safe as possible- I can't decide on an SUV or a minivan. I don't think SUVs are all that safe really in crashes, but they have to be better than my car. Anyone have any opinions or happy with the safety of what you are currently driving? I tend to prefer foreign and wish we could afford a Honda Odyssey minivan....my husband likes Fords for some reason, and wants to look at Ford Winstar vans or Ford Explorers...I like the really small SUVs (Ford Escape) but don't feel they are safe...etc.......any suggestions? van or SUV? I guess I don't see why you want either one, with only one child. If I didn't feel safe in a Honda Accord (not likely, since I feel safe driving two kids around in a Ford Escort), I'd probably go for a larger sedan or station wagon (Volvo? Ford Taurus?) When my Escort finally dies I would like a bigger station wagon, so the Volvo and Taurus are on my list. Volkswagen also makes a 6-cylinder station wagon (Passat? - can't remember). Clisby |
#30
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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?
From: "Jill"
I like the really small SUVs (Ford Escape) but don't feel they are safe...etc.......any suggestions? van or SUV? My first post in this newsgroup. I was just browsing, and I saw this thread... Anyway, I'm a "car guy, and I read a lot about them. Two resources for everyone to look at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/ http://www.iihs.org/ These both give results of crash tests for just about all vehicles. It should definitely be a place that everyone looks before buying any car. Secondly, just about ANY new car will be safer than a car that's nearly 15 years old. That's not to say that an early '90s Accord is unsafe that that you should get rid of it right away, but a comparison to a newer car isn't really fair. Advances in structural integrity have come very, very quickly. Finally, would you consider a Subaru Forester? It's one of the best mini-SUVs they have ever tested, if not the best, and it drives more like a car than the CR-V, Escape, etc. However, any of those are good picks as well. Good luck. Mike |
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