Do I need a minivan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Toyota Sienna earlier this year (2 kids - 5 yo and 3 yo) and LOVE it. It's roomy and convenient, and it drives like a dream. Our previous car was an Accord, so the minivan is obviously much bigger, but it didn't take long at all to get used to it. Highly recommend.

Thanks. Now what made you go with the Sienna over the Odyssey?

[Anonymous]

DO it, and then get the license plate: IGAVEIN

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DO it, and then get the license plate: IGAVEIN

Too sexual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DO it, and then get the license plate: IGAVEIN

LOL.

[Anonymous]

OP, have a read of this wonderful article.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/07/27/a-love-letter-to-the-family-van-upon-its-demise/?utm_term=.c4b8c3fdbdf4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Toyota Sienna earlier this year (2 kids - 5 yo and 3 yo) and LOVE it. It's roomy and convenient, and it drives like a dream. Our previous car was an Accord, so the minivan is obviously much bigger, but it didn't take long at all to get used to it. Highly recommend.

Thanks. Now what made you go with the Sienna over the Odyssey?

NP. We had a Sienna, which I loved, but my husband was convinced from reading reviews that the Odyssey was so much better so he talked me into trading it in. I still regret that, because I found the Sienna to have MUCH better visibility, a tighter turning radius, and the controls were much more intuitive. The (2015*) Odyssey felt huge and ungainly, like I was driving a tank, it couldn't easily do a U-turn in narrow intersections, and I felt like I couldn't see out of it at all. The camera helped a little but not nearly enough -- yes, it helps with backing up but only to see how close you are to other cars; It's useless for spotting cars speeding towards and around you while you're trying to back up. I drove it for a year, then we traded it in for a Highlander last year. I've already been hinting to my husband that he should take the Highlander when his car dies so I can get a Sienna again, since we need more cargo space. I don't want to think about how much money we would have saved if I hadn't given in and traded it to begin with.

*If Honda has fixed all of these things in the past 3 years, please disregard.

[Anonymous]

Once you go minivan you never go back. Lots of cameras help with the parking thing.

If having a minivan is so wrong, why does it feel so right?

[Anonymous]

We have two kids and two sedans. Recently rented a minivan (Sienna) on a trip and couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. Hard to drive, hard to park, no acceleration. Most of my commute is on a highway and I cannot imagine driving that every day. But we don’t have extra adults in the family so space wasn’t really an issue.

[Anonymous]

we got a mini-minivan (the Mazda5) when our second came along. It comes in handy for when relatives are visiting and for carpools with my older child. Plus nice for trips.

It sounds like you need to go full size - my mazda only seats 6 and they don't even make it anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DH wants a minivan then he should get one. Problem solved.

Look at a Chevy traverse. The size of a minivan but looks more like an suv.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, have a read of this wonderful article.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/07/27/a-love-letter-to-the-family-van-upon-its-demise/?utm_term=.c4b8c3fdbdf4

That was sweet!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, have a read of this wonderful article.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/07/27/a-love-letter-to-the-family-van-upon-its-demise/?utm_term=.c4b8c3fdbdf4

That was sweet!!

It made me tear up!

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand the problem. We have an infant and preschool car seat in our pilot, and you can still access the 3rd tow (albeit from passenger side)

Infant car seat is on outside driver side, preschooler is in middle, they are on the 2/3 split of second row, so 1/3 split slides forward for 3rd row. I assume your brother would just sit in the 2nd row with you and DH in front?

Make sure you have running board, that makes access way easier. But you don’t need to get s minivan, but they are nice. But they are longer and a little wider so will be harder to park

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the problem. We have an infant and preschool car seat in our pilot, and you can still access the 3rd tow (albeit from passenger side)

Infant car seat is on outside driver side, preschooler is in middle, they are on the 2/3 split of second row, so 1/3 split slides forward for 3rd row. I assume your brother would just sit in the 2nd row with you and DH in front?

Make sure you have running board, that makes access way easier. But you don’t need to get s minivan, but they are nice. But they are longer and a little wider so will be harder to park

You have car seat problem not a car problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the problem. We have an infant and preschool car seat in our pilot, and you can still access the 3rd tow (albeit from passenger side)

Infant car seat is on outside driver side, preschooler is in middle, they are on the 2/3 split of second row, so 1/3 split slides forward for 3rd row. I assume your brother would just sit in the 2nd row with you and DH in front?

Make sure you have running board, that makes access way easier. But you don’t need to get s minivan, but they are nice. But they are longer and a little wider so will be harder to park

You have car seat problem not a car problem

Op here. I have a serious back problem. Reaching into the middle to get baby out is not going to work for me at all. So one will be on each side and can no longer fold the seat at all. My seats do not slide forward but fold.