southpawboston
New member
Lol, it was a rhetorical question;-)
granted, but maybe not obviously so to some
Lol, it was a rhetorical question;-)
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We actually considered purchasing a sedan this time round and then renting a truck for when we needed to tow our trailer in the summer. And you know what? We couldn't rent anything that would tow! They simply don't purchase vehicles with towing packages on them. They say it's because of the liability (people might be towing things overweight, not have the proper anti-sway bars, brake controllers, etc.) and also due to the wear on the vehicle (because once again, people might be towing overweight). We did find one rental company that had a couple of trucks that could tow, BUT we would have to pay to have the hitch installed on them because it was US who wanted to tow. Crazy! And then of course the hitch that WE paid for, would stay with the vehicle.We know people who have 3 kids and drive small and midsize cars. For long trips they rent a minivan. You can borrow trucks or rent U-hauls when needed, too. It still ends up being a lot cheaper than owning two full size truck based models. Yeah, not as much freedom as owning your own F350 Mega Cab, of course.
Yes, I know.Well, I did mention hilly areas
We know people who have 3 kids and drive small and midsize cars. For long trips they rent a minivan. You can borrow trucks or rent U-hauls when needed, too. It still ends up being a lot cheaper than owning two full size truck based models. Yeah, not as much freedom as owning your own F350 Mega Cab, of course.
That's fine if that's what works for you. For ME, who has had to travel in the dark, on highways with little to no traffic, as the only adult with the kids, I prefer AWD. I am a twig and nowhere near strong enough to be able to push my vehicle anywhere if I was to veer off course (heck I'm not strong enough to push the little CRX I ownded that got stuck every block after a huge snowfall!). AWD may not get me out of every situation, but it absolutely can help. It was one of the reasons we got the MDX because of the SH-AWD which handles each wheel independently, as this would provide more benefit than our last vehicle which controlled 2 wheels at a time. Now, I do my best to just stay out of situations that involve driving as the only adult, in the dark, with the kids, in lots of snow, but we have run into sudden, unexpected snowstorms.i'm no stranger to winter. rochester NY (where DW is from) gets significantly more "snowy" than it's neighbor to the north , and i spent a lot of winters skiing in the catskill mountains of upstate NY where 3 foot snowstorms are normal... somehow i always survived and got through those hilly/muddy/snowy/drifty/unplowed dirt roads with FWD. sure, there were times i'd be challenged by a hill where a 4WD would have had an easier time, but those were so rare that it never justified the added expenses that come along with 4WD.
Like I said, you read things between the lines that were NOT there. I did not intend to imply that people without AWD weren't keeping their kids safe.really? what about conversely, "for those of us in snowy canada who want our kids to be safe..."? yeah, i agree it's hard not to get defensive in response to that. i believe that's what prompted my original response.
Or, what about the Honda Ridgeline? You won't get three rows of seating, but it would give you an extra wide back seat, 4wd, nice ride and handling, and of course a truck bed.
We actually considered purchasing a sedan this time round and then renting a truck for when we needed to tow our trailer in the summer. And you know what? We couldn't rent anything that would tow! They simply don't purchase vehicles with towing packages on them. They say it's because of the liability (people might be towing things overweight, not have the proper anti-sway bars, brake controllers, etc.) and also due to the wear on the vehicle (because once again, people might be towing overweight). We did find one rental company that had a couple of trucks that could tow, BUT we would have to pay to have the hitch installed on them because it was US who wanted to tow. Crazy! And then of course the hitch that WE paid for, would stay with the vehicle.
Not sure if it's that hard to rent a towing vehicle elsewhere, but it sure is around here. We love camping too much with our trailer, so thus, we ended up with a mid-size SUV that could tow. A minivan wouldn't have worked because they currently only tow up to 3500# and you normally have to reduce your towing amount by the cargo/people in the vehicle as well. So, to tow safely, we needed 5000#. And it is our only vehicle.
I have no problem with 3 kids in a sedan, but it's not necessarily cheaper. My Suburban is a fraction the cost of even a slightly newer sedan, and allows me to actually leave the house when my neices and nephew are here.
When comparing new that is certain true. Not necessarily so when comparing used.
The Ridgeline sounds like a good recommendation for the OP :thumbsup:
True for some, no doubt, but it is a fallacy for many typical families with 2 or 3 kids.
the only thing about the ridgeline that would concern me is if you ever intended to use it as a "real" pickup truck. i have heard that the unibody structure with integrated box ladder frame can't hold up as well as a traditional box-ladder frame with bolt-on cargo bed. i've heard stories of the ridgeline unibody actually flexing to the point of the rear body panels developing permanent wrinkles after using it for really rough stuff! (thus its nickname, "wrinkleline"). :twocents:
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/exterior/6630-body-wrinkles-2.html
I agree there are too many minivans and SUVs on the road that really don't need to be...but for those of us who do need them (and ive only recently been added to this pool of ppl), there are really no other options. The best I could do, since the environment and conservation are very important to me, is to get the most fuel efficient vehicle we could afford. No, it wasnt the cheapest but it was also comparable to other vehicles out there....and it does reduce at least our personal dependence on fuel..and I hope that makes a difference.
If I had my way, I would be driving a Prius.
You know, until recently I have majorly resisted any vehicle that is a minivan or an SUV but my remark was personal....some families NEED a minivan or an SUV. With 3 kids, we were fine driving a Saab 9-5 and a BMW 325...we all FIT. Nothing else fit, but we weren't together ALL THE TIME either so it wasnt that much of an inconvenience.
However, there is no way I can fit 4 kids into either of those vehicles with 2 convertible carseats (yeh, i MAY have been able to squish my 10 yo in the middle between 2 blvds...but really....that was going to be very very uncomfortable.
As far as AWD goes, I drive each vehicle the same, pretty much always. The BMW handles NH weather fine...its AWD..the Saab, OTOH, had me very worried at times b/c it would slide all over the place. I do believe AWD provides me with greater traction.
And there are SUVs out there that are geting better mileage. I averaged 27 MPG on my way back from Ga. to NH after purchasing our vehicle. Thats better than our Saab or BMW mileage. Even commuting into the city over the last few days (b/c what man doesnt want to take the new car for a few days...thats ALL he's getting though!! lol), it still averaged 25 mpg.
for me...fuel efficiency was huge.
I agree there are too many minivans and SUVs on the road that really don't need to be...but for those of us who do need them (and ive only recently been added to this pool of ppl), there are really no other options. The best I could do, since the environment and conservation are very important to me, is to get the most fuel efficient vehicle we could afford. No, it wasnt the cheapest but it was also comparable to other vehicles out there....and it does reduce at least our personal dependence on fuel..and I hope that makes a difference.
If I had my way, I would be driving a Prius.
But how do you KNOW there isn't a need for those families to have those SUV's and minivans?? Sure maybe the kids get dropped off at daycare on the dad's way to work so he is sitting in traffic alone in a Suburban but there is no way you would ever know that. Really who cares what Jack and Joan drive? If a person wants more room in their car for stuff so be it, because in the end it is their choice if that is what they want to drive. Just like my three kids and I could roll around in a sedan all day long...but I don't want to. Period, end of story. I do not care if Bob and Betty don't like it. But I do care that a lot of people here just jump to the conclusion that they know what everyone needs or doesn't need. The OP came here stating what she wanted to buy not asking whether or not a minivan or sedan would fit her needs better than an SUV or truck.
True for some, no doubt, but it is a fallacy for many typical families with 2 or 3 kids. We didn't have much for typical minivans or SUVs until the mid 1980s. The roads were dominated by cars and, to a lesser degree, pickup trucks. Families managed with full size sedans and wagons.
Darren, just to point out the obvious--the roads in the 1970s and early 1980s were dominated by cars and wagons with unrestrained children packed into them. (I was one of them, as I'm sure most everyone else on here was.) We all know that it's really difficult to get three seats across many sedans. That third row is now essential for two-kid families who ever want to carpool or take a friend someplace. Just the other day, I took my older daughter and a friend ice skating. I had to uninstall and reinstall DD#2's MA to do it, since the friend was too tall for it, and anyway, the harness straps would have needed moving. It's not that big of a deal for me, but I know plenty of people for whom the thought of moving carseats inspires panic. The Odyssey sure is useful in situations like that.
If you downsize from your van, what will you do when you transport extra kids?
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