Cheer me up! Traded SUV for a MiniVan

Yeah it's true. We are expecting Baby #2. New car would be cheaper so it's goodbye to my Xterra, hello Voyager. Worst point... Wife is getting the minivan, I will be driving her Honda Civic. Soneday I see a 34 Ford Coupe in my future for this good deed.

Dont feel like your all alone. It happens...I felt pain as I traded my german sports car in for a ford escape to carry me and my son and all his toys, car seat, and the kiddy equipment. what are you going to do?

oh wow..a..minivan..sorry man.

in the immortal words of Brother Bluto: My advice to you is to start drinking heavily

elicia

Don't worry, there is light at the end of the tunnel. When my kids turned into teenagers with there own modes of transportation, the first thing I did was head on down to my local Ford dealer to trade in my Toyota Camry on a Mustang GT convertible. Much better now, thank you.

If it's consolation, at least you got a safer car. True, you're more likely to walk away from an accident in an SUV, but you're more likely to get into an accident in an SUV in the first place. So just say you got a mini-van for the safety of your family if nothing else

[ Edited by: Trader_Rick on 2003-01-12 13:02 ]

Look on the bright side-more room for tiki-like found objects!

Personally, I don't worry too much about my mode of transportation as I am not my vehicle nor would it ever be a symbol of me.

The good thing about having children is that we are propagating the future of tiki. My kids have been to all the tiki places and understand the importance and pleasure of tiki.

Life is a circle.

On 2003-01-11 20:14, Turbogod wrote:
Soneday I see a 34 Ford Coupe in my future for this good deed.

You're youngest will be out of college in 2124. So maybe you won't have to wait another ten years for that 34 Coupe after all. :wink:

Sorry TurboG, you are screwed now, it's all over, the beginning of the end, the show's over, closing time, end of the road, the fat lady just bellted it out,... Congratulations, we all have to do it sometime.

Let me be the (suprising) first to say that you're doing the right thing by the environment, too. I know the Xterra isn't the nightmare that a Hummer or Excursion is gas-wise, but you're doing the right thing. No, I don't drive a Prius, but I tried one out, and am still feel a little guilty about not getting it, but my new car does get 30mpg, which isn't too bad. And the Prius was just too small.

There is no shame in a minivan. We must shake the stigma that there is something wrong with these cars. There's nothing wrong with wagons, either. Some are quite cool, like Audis and Saabs.

BTW, and speaking of wagons, I have always wondered if the Family Truckster from National Lampoon's Vacation still exists. Does anyone know where it is or if it's in one piece? I would love to see it.

-martin

On 2003-01-13 17:54, martiki6 wrote:
No, I don't drive a Prius, but I tried one out, and am still feel a little guilty about not getting it, but my new car does get 30mpg, which isn't too bad. And the Prius was just too small.

I traded in my Jeep Grand Cherokee for a Prius and I haven't missed the SUV one bit. I found the interior of the Prius to be more comfortable than that of a Civic or other similar class cars.

I bought the Prius for environmental/political reasons, but even if those issue were not relevant, I would definitely buy a hybrid vehicle over a regular car again. There is something amazingly zen-like about driving along the streets, your favorite cd playing, and the gas engine just cuts out, leaving you cruising along silently, no engine vibrations or sound whatsoever. It is really hard to explain, but I went from having a severe case of road rage to enjoying "the drive" before the end of my first month owning the Prius.

I heard that Ford is coming out with a hybrid version of the Escape SUV this year for those of you who need to transport large tikis (or many small children).

And I believe Toyota has a hybrid minivan on the road in Japan, so its just a matter of time, and I imagine with a minvan you would want all the zen moments you can get!

:wink:

-Mike

I'm so sorry! I still regret not inheriting my father's red MGB.
But as Divychic noted, you can fit a reallly large TIKI in a minivan. Sports cars are NOT for serious shoppers!!
Wagon-wise, I LOVE MY VOLVO.
And you can always stick tiki decals all over that minivan...and anything else you like. Make it a TIKIMOBILE art car!!! your kids'll love it, I bet...

Chris - I'm so sorry to hear about your loss! I can identify with you - because my wife and I are expecting our first child in less than a month, she has been trying to get me to trade in my Volkswagen GTI but I'm standing fast! Actually I lucked out because we went and looked at the Honda Element and we were really disappointed in the lack of space! I probably will have a hell of a time getting the baby out of the back seat of my 2 door car but, I'm keeping my mouth shut! I think the worse I would be willing to accept would be a station wagon - preferabbly a Subaru Impreza WRX but, we'll see about that! I'd probably get myself in more trouble with a 227hp station wagon than in the VW but hey, it would be easy to transport the baby and all the associated gear!

:drink:

On 2003-01-13 20:37, TheMuggler wrote:
I found the interior of the Prius to be more comfortable than that of a Civic or other similar class cars.

-Mike

Right On for getting the Prius, Mike. You know, I was really suprised, but Toyota really skunked Honda on that. The Hybrid Civic is kind of cruddy. Sorry if there are any Hybrid Civic on this list.

Johntiki...maybe she did you a favor, isnt a vw GTI kinda of a chick car? Not that there's anything wrong in driving a chick car...

On 2003-01-17 21:34, Tiki Rider Five-O wrote:
Johntiki...maybe she did you a favor, isnt a vw GTI kinda of a chick car? Not that there's anything wrong in driving a chick car...

I have never heard of the GTI being called a chick car and I find your tone rather offensive! :wink: The four door Golf and the Cabrio are chick cars but my beloved GTI is 110% man!!! Besides, I can't drive my '51 Ford every day!

:drink:

Now I know the VW Cabriolet is definately a chick car. I've never heard of the GTI refered to as such. I finally posted a "new subject" that got a flaming folder! Wheeew! What gets me is that on tech tv today they showed the mini van of the 2004 season. Damn if I only coulda waited. The car companies realized there was some sort of stimga associated with a minivan. These things are gonna be kick ass!

Tacky Techie Tiki Bar

[ Edited by: Turbogod on 2003-01-19 01:22 ]

[ Edited by: Turbogod on 2003-01-19 01:55 ]