buying a car

Hi!
We're expecting 2 girls in June and after they come I'll be leaving my job (and I have a company car). So my husband and I are looking at different cars. Do any of you have any recommendations on what they love or hate about their car? My company car is a minivan and I'd prefer not to get another minivan but I want to make sure we have enough room. Any helpful hints or advice is really appreciated. My husband is really stuck on the Subaru Outback wagon - but it looks small to me (the backseat w/ 2 carseats). I don't know!!!! Help!!!

Aimee

 

I LOVE my Ford expidition! I also have an older son!

 

Sadly enough, we went minivan last month. We had an Altima which had plenty of room in the backseat and with the double snap n go in the trunk, still had room there. I just needed something that was more convenient when carting my girls to Long Island to see my mom. I swore I would never be a minivan mom (please don't take this as a negative comment to anyone out there that has one - simply a personal choice) but here I am driving one and I have to say it is super convenient!

ETA: By the way, congrats on the two girls, they are tons of fun!!

 

We have a Subaru Legacy and it will fit two carseats, but we ran into problems with the infant carriers fitting in the back. You cant really have the driver or passenger seats too far back because there isn't much room. I am sure you could get it to work, probably wouldnt be comfortable if you are long legged. We toted our oldest boys everywhere in the Sube, but once I was pregnant with DD we knew we had to get something bigger. We look at it this way; if you plan on making car payments for the next five or so years, and also plan on expanding your family within that time then go a head and get a larger vehicle for your growing family. Just my 2 cents.

 

We are looking to go mini van .....the Kia Sedona. Great safety ratings.

 

I have twins and a toddler so we traded in a trailblazer and got a Yukon XL.... I absolutely love it!!! :wub:

 

Minivan mama here! Toyota Sienna, love it!

 

The biggest question is if you are stopping at two, then you can get away with almost anything. If you are planning to expand your family in the next few years go for bigger. I would suggest a mid-size SUV if you are planning on more.. ie a seven seater.

 

We bought a Ford Expedition. And instead of having 2 benches in the back, we ordered one with 2 bucket seats and a bench. The carseats go in the bucket seats, and our son still has room to walk in between to go to the back seat. Only we wish we would have bought the extended version, to have more storage room in the back. Good luck shopping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

we have a toyota sienna...LOVE it!

 

Another Toyota Sienna owner here and love it!!!

 

We went for the Sienna as well and I swore I would never get a minivan. However, no I'm glad we have it. 3 kids, big dog, double running stoller and we all fit. Drives nicely too.

 

I love my Volvo S70. My two oldest were in car seats together in it - there is plenty of room for them - plenty of trunk room. It now has 160,000 miles and it is still going strong! When you see Volvo you may think Expensive - but it was only 1500 more than all the other midsized sedans of the time. We even didn't have a problem fitting the Peg Perego twin tender stroller in the trunk. I love my Volvo!

 

Ford Windstar here. So far it's great, lots of room if we want to go someplace with the babies AND someone else. Having the 3rd row is great when I'm out and we have a poopy diaper. It's alot easier to change them on the seat than to try and find a bathroom with a changing station.
It was a bit of a shock going from a Prius. Costs $50 to fill the tank :blink:

 

I have a Buick Randevous and LOVE it. When I bought it I wasn't ready for a minivan but knew I needed a lot of space without paying a arm and a leg for gas. I have a third row seating that I put down and have SOOOO much room for the stroller and what ever I buy. BTW I have a Valco Stroller and its huge.

The next vehical I'll buy will be a minivan, I think I'm finally ready. Its hard to avoid when you have two at a time.

 

QUOTE(noahandjacobsmom @ Apr 10 2007, 10:37 PM) [snapback]213765[/snapback]
We are looking to go mini van .....the Kia Sedona. Great safety ratings.


WE bought the Kia sedona when I had my first daughter 3 years ago and I love it and have never had one problem with it!! a good car for not a whole lot of money as well!!

 

We have the Nissan Quest. Before that, we got the VW Passat stationwagon. We bought it before the girls came thinking it would be enough room. BUt like a pp said about the Legacy, there's no room to put the seats back. The trunk space was nice, but that was it. And no one else could get in the back with the girls.

I did everything I could to avoid getting a minivan. But the day we drove 2 hours and had to pull over at least 5 times to get to the girls when they were crying, we decided that enough was enough. We had to suck it up and get a minivan, if for nothing else but their safety.

Another nice feature.....press a button on your key ring thing-y and the doors open and/or close for you! The trunk too!!! And it has a GPS, but that's never been used yet.

 

we are surviving around here with a jeep cherokee and a chevy malibu....both too small. I would love a minivan.

 

I survive with a Ford Focus - we aren't planning on any more children though...

I fit 2 convertible car seats, a DuoGlider AND a weeks worth of groceries in it! and its great on gas...

 

We're a Suburban family here. Not cheap, and not great on gas, but it fits our lifestyle & all the kids & cargo.

 

Another "family" van here. We have the Honda Odyssey and couldn't be happier. It is so easy to get the twins in and out of and is very spacious for traveling.

Congrats on the girls. Good luck!

 

We didn't want a minivan (to difficult to drive and park in the city), so we went with the Honda CRV. So far it's been great. We put both infant car seats side-by-side (in the middle and behind the passenger seat) and have room for another adult back there. We are about to transition to the next car seats and have bought the Britax Roundabout hoping we can do the same set up. It has been really important to fit another person in the back seat with the babies.

We were also considering the Outback way back when, but a higher vehicle is a lot easier on your back as you're lifting babies in and out of the car. If you do plan on having more kids and don't want to have to buy again, I'd go minivan.

 

QUOTE(Stephanie M @ Apr 12 2007, 08:04 PM) [snapback]217243[/snapback]
Another "family" van here. We have the Honda Odyssey and couldn't be happier. It is so easy to get the twins in and out of and is very spacious for traveling.


We love it too.

 

I swore I was not going to get a mini van. Well we ended up getting one almost 2 months ago. Honda Odyssey and we LOVE it!!!!!

It is the best decision that we have ever made, it has so much more space. The girls are comfy, we are comfy it is a great ride.

 

My family is a traveling circus any time we leave the house but hey it happens when you've got a 2 1/2 year old and 2 5 month old girls! My Mazda 3, which is merely a 4 door sedan fits both girls infant car seats and my sons seat. I am blessed that he is infact a big boy and is the proper weight and height for a booster seat though! Next vehicle we get will be a mini van though. It will be nice to have the room! I plan on a Mazda MPV though, what can I say I like my mazdas.

 

ok...soooo right on this topic at our house! We have a Toyato 4Runner and have found that although it has a lot of cargo space, not a lot left for the people. We need something to transport the boys plus two big dogs and I fein at the idea of a V8 like a Suburban or something (MPG!) we already have a V8 Chevy truck that the Dh uses for work. I am on the road to Minivanville and all you ladies have made me feel more confident in the choice. Thanx!

 

I'm a minivan mom here too even though I didn't want to be one, but with four kids we needed something bigger. I would look at it this way, if you are stopping at two and don't travel by car long distances, then anything will do IF your dbl stroller will fit. If you are having more, then get something bigger. We got our minivan before we were prego with the twins just because we travel over 1,000 miles to see family, and the storage space was needed on those trips. Now we fill it just going around town! HTH!