From ages 0-4- I love having a minivan. Sliding doors are genius for when you're carrying that baby seat around, during the small toddler years and the step to get in is low enough for an older toddler to get in on their own without worrying about them banging the car door on anything. Lots of space for carrying all the baby/toddler supplies when traveling.

5-7-- didn't feel like I needed it anymore. Kids know how to navigate car doors well enough and sliding doors weren't as amazing. Didn't need so much space anymore since there wasn't so much baby/toddler stuff.

8-? (currently at 13)-- Love it again. Once the kids were old enough for drop off activities it's made my life a lot easier being able to carpool. We also have a lot of room for everyone's stuff when we carpool and when we travel.

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are teens and we are still driving around a minivan. I don't see that changing any time soon.

We simply need the room to haul stuff/people and if our dogs come along space is at a premium even in the spacious minivan.

Same here minus the dogs.

Anonymous wrote:2 kids in elementary school and I love my minivan (on #3.) between road trips, sports, hauling bikes,carpooling, etc we use the space all of the time. It is pretty rare that we take DH's civic on the weekends.

I don't envision getting rid of it till the kids are late high school or gone.

Same. Will also get a third. My kids are 5 and 8. I'm sure I dont "need" it anymore, but I'm so accustomed to having plenty of space and havng the sliding doors allows both DH and I to easily park in our small 2 car garage. I don't care about "image."

2 kids in elementary school and I love my minivan (on #3.) between road trips, sports, hauling bikes,carpooling, etc we use the space all of the time. It is pretty rare that we take DH's civic on the weekends.

I don't envision getting rid of it till the kids are late high school or gone.

We have two kids under 4 and I have to say we like the used odyssey we just bought. I think it helps that it is a third car so DH and I drive to work in our other vehicles.

I was surprised I liked it so much, it is quite peppy and pleasant to drive. And this is coming from a DW who used to drive an M3.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got a minivan when our oldest was in 3rd grade. It really wasn't necessary until then.

I was just tired of being the mom who couldn't hold up her end on carpooling, bringing kids to events, etc.

Martyrdom is not my thing.

HA! Typical!

Anonymous wrote:We got a minivan when our oldest was in 3rd grade. It really wasn't necessary until then.

I was just tired of being the mom who couldn't hold up her end on carpooling, bringing kids to events, etc.

Martyrdom is not my thing.

never had one

They are big, bulky and just plain ugly.

2 kids - managed to get through life with a Subarus

would never trade in my Forester for a minivan

Respect the Van!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myzwHDf3NhY