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Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?



 
 
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  #11  
Old June 2nd 04, 05:28 PM
KellieGaines
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?

Well, to answer your question, we have an Odyssey and an Explorer =)

Before that, DH was driving an older Explorer (93, 2 door) and I was
driving an Accord station wagon (94). When the Explorer hit 200K
miles, we sold it and bought the Odyssey, then my DH took my Accord to
drive to work. I, too, felt very uncomfortable with *any* of us
driving it, as we also live in the Land of Large Vehicles and it was
nearly impossible to see around the traffic while driving it.
Unfortunately, he did get into an accident (everyone was fine), whcih
totalled the Accord, so he bought another (used, 2002) Explorer.

Personally, I cannot imagine a better car than my Odyssey. I have
only good things to say about it, and it's very safe and easy to
drive. My DH loves his Explorer, and I do feel that the safety
improvements to his newer Explorer have been significant.

Wagons are fine and safe, except for the problem of not being able to
see around you in traffic.

kellie
  #12  
Old June 2nd 04, 06:15 PM
Karen
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?

According to what I've heard, if you want to find what are truly the safest
vehicles, you have to do much more research than simply stop with
generalizations like Volvos are safe or even Odysseys are safe. It truly
comes down to the model, year, and trim of each car. For instance, Toyota
loves to tout that their Sienna is the safest van on the road but it is the
2004 Sienna XLE that is the safest (which I bought). If you don't get the
XLE trim level, there are other vans that are just as safe as the 2004
Sienna LE. That you can buy used. For less.

Somewhere in my files, I have the name of a website where you can get lists
of the safest cars, incorporating data from all the different tests. While
the top ten included the Sienna XLE '04 and Honda Pilot '03 (in top trim
level, I believe), it also included many other makes and models in various
and specific years.

I really love my Sienna. I hated paying so much more than for an Odyssey
(which Toyota copied the stow away seats), but the extra features are great
(windows that come down in the back, split third row seat).

Happy car hunting.
Karen

PS I also have a Toyota Highlander, another "safest SUV." It gets good gas
mileage and handles fabulously in the snow.


  #13  
Old June 2nd 04, 08:44 PM
heather m.
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?

Karen,

Are the Highlanders mini-SUV's or are they regular ones? I've looked at
them online and can't really tell, although I don't believe they are the
super-huge ones like the Yukon and Expedition, etc.

Heather


"Karen" wrote in message
...
According to what I've heard, if you want to find what are truly the

safest
vehicles, you have to do much more research than simply stop with
generalizations like Volvos are safe or even Odysseys are safe. It truly
comes down to the model, year, and trim of each car. For instance, Toyota
loves to tout that their Sienna is the safest van on the road but it is

the
2004 Sienna XLE that is the safest (which I bought). If you don't get the
XLE trim level, there are other vans that are just as safe as the 2004
Sienna LE. That you can buy used. For less.

Somewhere in my files, I have the name of a website where you can get

lists
of the safest cars, incorporating data from all the different tests.

While
the top ten included the Sienna XLE '04 and Honda Pilot '03 (in top trim
level, I believe), it also included many other makes and models in various
and specific years.

I really love my Sienna. I hated paying so much more than for an Odyssey
(which Toyota copied the stow away seats), but the extra features are

great
(windows that come down in the back, split third row seat).

Happy car hunting.
Karen

PS I also have a Toyota Highlander, another "safest SUV." It gets good

gas
mileage and handles fabulously in the snow.




  #14  
Old June 2nd 04, 09:19 PM
Sophie
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?

How about a used Volvo station wagon? While I appreciate your concerns
about
driving a car around all the minivans and SUVs, I *hate* that people give

in
and engage in the "vehicle arms war" instead of resisting. In the long

run,
you're better off driving a passenger vehicle that stops in less than half
the distance of an SUV/minivan and handle better, since you'll have a

better
chance of avoiding an accident altogether. Plus, you'll get far better gas
mileage--remember, the cost of a vehicle isn't just what it costs you to

get
it out the door of the dealership. 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.
--
Be well, Barbara
Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 4), and the Rising Son (Julian, 6)


Well I have to say in my accident I was glad I was in my van and not a car.
I know in a car, or even a more aerodynamic van, my windshield would have
gotten it too.
However I do hear *very* good things about the Volvo stationwagon.

To me the debate between SUV or minivan is weird. To me a normal SUV has no
more seating space than a car. Unless you're talking about those huge SUVs
with an extra bench. My Chevy Astro seats 8, and it's so handy. I can take
the kids, their friends, another adult, gear. If my parents are visiting we
can all go out in one vehicle. My husband likes driving it cos it's more
truck-like than van-like.



  #15  
Old June 3rd 04, 02:20 AM
Karen
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?

They are midsized. Smaller than the Expedition, larger than a Ford Escape.

Karen

"heather m." wrote in message
ink.net...
Karen,

Are the Highlanders mini-SUV's or are they regular ones? I've looked at
them online and can't really tell, although I don't believe they are the
super-huge ones like the Yukon and Expedition, etc.

Heather



  #16  
Old June 3rd 04, 11:21 AM
Sue
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?

Sophie wrote in message
To me the debate between SUV or minivan is weird.


And I am *so* tired of hearing/reading about it. All I know, is that I have
had two Ford minivans and have been very happy with both of them. With my
second Ford, it was rated one of the safest vehicles made during that year.
I know that I feel safer in my minivan than I would in a car. When I was a
teenager and first learning to drive, I had quite a few accidents. The cars
would just crumple to pieces it seems. One accident with the minivan and it
hardly dented it. I'm sticking to my minivans, thank you. I really want the
new Ford Freestar. )
--
Sue (mom to three girls)



  #17  
Old June 3rd 04, 02:14 PM
Nikki
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Default 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.


I'm a car person so no info on Minivans and SUV's. Here is an interesting
link. Mostly tells us what we know. If you want the safest you have to
shell out some serious cash :-0
http://tinyurl.com/2cs2v

It has links for full crash-test results from NHTSA and from IIHS. If you
go to these links you can see the entire list or punch in a specific year
and make of car to see its safety rating. I thought the NHTSA site was easy
to use.


--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)


  #18  
Old June 3rd 04, 03:08 PM
Jill
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?


"Sue" wrote in message
...
Sophie wrote in message
To me the debate between SUV or minivan is weird.


And I am *so* tired of hearing/reading about it.


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........


  #19  
Old June 3rd 04, 03:21 PM
Kat
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?


"Jill" wrote in message
om...

"Sue" wrote in message
...
Sophie wrote in message
To me the debate between SUV or minivan is weird.


And I am *so* tired of hearing/reading about it.


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........


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. We also go a Honda because we know that they are
quite reliable cars. We have had ours since late 2000 and haven't had to do
anything but normal maintenance on it. That's my two cents:-)
Kat
Mama tO Maggie 11/03/01
and Will 02/10/04



  #20  
Old June 3rd 04, 03:47 PM
melizabeth
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Default Looking for a kid-safe vehicle- recs?

"Karen" wrote in message
...

snippage of good stuff

Somewhere in my files, I have the name of a website where you can get

lists
of the safest cars, incorporating data from all the different tests.

While
the top ten included the Sienna XLE '04 and Honda Pilot '03 (in top trim
level, I believe), it also included many other makes and models in various
and specific years.


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.



 




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