Minivans: Do you drive one and swore you wouldn't?

by Stefania Butler (Subscribe to Stefania Butler's posts) Mar 13th 2006 5:03PM

We talk about minivans a lot here at Blogging Baby, and rightly so. They are specifially made for busy families to haul kids around. But here's what I'm wondering: Do you drive one even though you swore you'd never be a minivan-driving parent? And do you love it? (You do, don't you?)

I only ask because every time we go a road-trip we rent one. And, we love it. We love the space, the ease at which we can access things like snacks and sippies from the cooler or toys from the toy bag. And let's not talk about the DVD player hanging from the ceiling.

My husband and I sit and we drive and talk about how much we love the minivan, but then almost in the same breath we say that we could never own one. Could we?

Comments (39)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

MelissaS 3-13-2006 @ 4:04PM

Am I the only person in the world who always knew she'd drive a minivan? Who accepted it as a necessary evil of the world?

Because I did. From the time I was 16 I knew people didn't drive minivans because they were exciting but rather very handy for regular life. Since I am nothing if not practical I knew I'd have one.

Besides, if I didn't own a minivan I couldn't drive carpool and if I didn't drive carpool, I'd never get a day off from my driving duties. All to avoid a van? No thanks.

Kim 3-13-2006 @ 4:45PM

I've accepted the inevitability (though my husband continues to resist). Like Stefania, we've rented them and been extremely happy. With dogs that I will not transport without crates, and now a baby (and maybe another one someday), there's no other practical solution. We're a one car family at the moment so something has got to give, and soon.

Cathy 3-13-2006 @ 5:21PM

At this point in my life I would drive a Partridge Family bus if I could.

Chad 3-13-2006 @ 5:36PM

I bought a little Ford Focus ZX3 ((that's the 2-doorhatchback )) about 10 months before my wife became pregnant with our first child. Right now getting a new vehicle is not in the cards, but in a few years I'll seriously be considering a minivan. Although after a couple years of getting the kids into their car seats in my little hatchback, anything will seem like a grand palace.

I'm just hoping in that time I can have a choice of hybrid minivans. If not I'll probably wind up with one of the hybrid SUVs that's out there. I swore my next vehicle would be a hybrid.

meg 3-13-2006 @ 5:42PM

Oh god, this is an on-going debate in our house. We have a Mitsubishi Montero SUV now and when we pack the baby and two dogs in it, it's totally full to the brim. In about a year or so we'll be trading it in for something newer...and minivans certainly have their appeal. My husband is pretty well dead-set against it so I suspect we'll be getting another SUV, which is fine by me. I'm not sure I'm ready for a minivan, no matter how practical they may be. :) It's not really the car itself that's the problem...I just can't see myself in one.

jden 3-13-2006 @ 5:47PM

I could not agree more. We rent a minivan each time we go out of town and love it. However, we each state (each time with a little less fervor) that we wouldn't own one. Why not. We certainly gave up on being cool many moons ago. Who are we kidding? Ourselves, at least for a little while longer.

And why do noone make a hybrid minivan? You would think the market is ripe for this.

Heather 3-13-2006 @ 5:52PM

We live in Berkeley (don't know if that's actually relevant) and drive a super sporty Subaru wagon for one baby. We are anti-minivan because we fancy ourselves somehow cooler; and we are anti-SUV because we fancy ourselves somehow more environmental.

When we introduce a dog and possibly a second kid in the mix, I don't know what we'll do. I like the idea of renting a little bit of paradise (minivan) until we're absolutely in love with it.

Amanda 3-13-2006 @ 6:00PM

We aren't too proud too be practical! We roll in a Grand Caravan cuz we're cool like 'dat!.

suburban misfit 3-13-2006 @ 6:01PM

Am I the only person who just doesn't get what's wrong with owning a minivan? I mean, really. It's a *car*. It's a functional, useful car.

I don't think of it as a necessary evil, either (though I see your point, Melissa). It's just what I drive because there are children in this family and it gets great gas mileage and it's really, really safe.

When we no longer need the space, we'll trade down to something smaller. I have my eye on a Mini Cooper, but that's probably not feasible, so I'll not pin my hopes on it!

Maureen 3-13-2006 @ 6:02PM

I don't think I ever really thought about whether or not I would own a minivan. Last summer we traded in my CR-V for a minivan (sans dvd player) and we love the space. We travel to visit the grandparents for the weekend almost once a month and with two kids we haul a lot of crap with us! It is just so nice to be able to walk around inside the van to get to something in the back seat. Also, changing diapers in the third row is awesome:) I must admit that I do feel guilty about driving a car that gets about 22 mpg. We are planning on trading the van in for a more fuel efficient car once we don't have to cart around strollers, portable cribs, sacks of toys and bags of food for our weekend trips.

Caitlin 3-13-2006 @ 6:17PM

My husband really wanted to get a mini van for me to drive when Paul was born, but I refused because I've yet to drive a mini van. I grudingly test drove a few, but their acceleration left quite a bit to be desired, as did the turning radius. It just seemed really silly to get one for just one child, which is why I didn't want to look at suvs either.

I wasn't real thrilled about looking at station wagons (first car I drove was one of those huge 1980s chevy caprice wagons), but I love my suburu outback. I do a lot of geocaching and road trips, and it's very good for that. I really wanted the wrx sti, but it was just too small for the traveling I do.

Uncle Roger 3-13-2006 @ 6:22PM

I'd really rather not have a minivan... but it may become a necessity. Although, I'm working on my wife to go for a 9-seater Land Rover Defender 110 (like this one: http://www.landrovercentre.com/Friends/wager.htm) instead.

Failing that, we'll probably get a Toyota Sienna Hybrid, once they come out over here.

AmyS 3-13-2006 @ 6:23PM

Have you seen the new Mazada5? (http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=MZ5) A 6 passenger vehicle (2,2,2) fairly low price, okay mileage. We might look for a used one in a couple of years!

mommy2boys 3-13-2006 @ 6:30PM

i just could not drive a van. i just couldn't. so we went with the ford explorer. it's roomy enough for me, it has a third row seat, and it has 4-wheel drive (which we needed living in the upper peninsula of michigan). the third row seat folds down in the back so the kids can sit in the middle, and there's plenty of room to store strollers and things in the back. we had the dvd player installed too (and it was worth the money; it's keeps them soooooo quiet on car trips :) ) if you can't tell, i really love it. :)

dlbs 3-13-2006 @ 6:46PM

When I was pregnant with my son 7 years ago, I swore up and down that I would never drive a minivan. We bought an Isuzu Rodeo and I loved that car. But, once my son started preschool and my daughter came along, I realized that having a 3rd row seat and more cargo space would come in handy. Then, when my son started kindergarten, I really began to feel the need for more passenger space (carpools are a godsend!). I begged and pleaded and, finally got my minivan (a Toyota Sienna).
I LOVE MY MINIVAN!!!! It makes my life so much easier. I can ask other people to pick my kids up from school without feeling guilty because now I can return the favor. It made the drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to Disneyland with 4 adults and 2 children virtually painless. And, it is by far the nicest, most luxurious car I've ever owned (we're cheap people!).
I think any SUV with a 3rd row seat would work just as well, except that I just didn't think I could drive such a large vehicle. To be honest, I'm not sure that I wouldn't be a hazard to others in anything bigger!
To those of you resisting, you have your reasons. Just because I love my minivan, I know they're not for everyone. I gave up on being cool a long time ago, but for those of you who haven't, keep up the good fight!

StephanieS 3-13-2006 @ 7:24PM

Well, I just HATE my minivan. I accept the necessity of having one...carpooling, two kids, very large dog, tons of room (we can even fit furniture in it if we need to). But I still hate it. A lot.
Partly because it's hard for me to admit that I'm no longer cool, even though my daughter is seven and I passed cool a long time ago.
Also partly because my husband drives a decidedly cool car, and I'm jealous.
But, if I want to continue to carpool, which I definitely do, I will probably continue to drive a minivan for several more years.
Sigh.

Erin 3-13-2006 @ 7:57PM

It's funny... I went from my first car -- a Toyota Tercel. To an Isuzu Rodeo when I had our first and then second child. Then I got a Ford Windstar minivan. I had the van for a year. It was TERRIBLE in the snow. I'm in New England.. even with VERY expensive snow tires, it handled horribly. So we gave it up for a Subaru Legacy wagon... not an outback, just the legacy wagon. I LOVE it. I always swore I'd never get a station wagon -- the memory of the wood-paneled wagon in the early-80s lingers! But I admit now, with two kids aged 7 and 8 - who are doign soccer and baseball.... the appeal of a minivan does linger but.. the winter handling versus the space is my big thing at the moment. (and the money too...)

Christi 3-13-2006 @ 8:01PM

Oh yes...I promised that I wouldn't have one, and not only had one, but had it 2 months before I got pregnant! Go figure!

Maisie Veeder 3-13-2006 @ 8:04PM

Never thought I'd drive one. Never thought I'd conceive my 2nd child in one. I should have named my daughter Quest.

kate 3-13-2006 @ 8:58PM

I'm not trying to be rude or anything - just curious that people think they need so much space. I absolutely believe that everyone needs to make decisions for what works best for them, but I guess I just have to say that I'm surprised that we all think we need such huge cars/vans/suvs - and also these huge houses we all seem to think are necessary now too....Granted I only have one child and 2 dogs - but I guess I don't see the point in anything bigger than a station wagon (that still get's good mileage) unless you have more than 3 kids.
I guess there is the carpooling thing - but does everybody really do that that often?
I guess it's just a matter of changing expectations - and how we "grow into" our desires...
I do have to add - that while I intend to keep using the wagon, I occasionally find myself thinking the Quest is cool. It must be their savvy marketing...
I'm just trying to put another opinion out there - not trying to be judgemental...