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Family Matters:  Selling my car for a....gulp....minvan!!!  |
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OmgsItsTashaRose
Farmgirl in Training
44 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
MN
USA
44 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 11:22:49 AM
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So Dp and I have decided recently that we love each other such an incredible amount that we want to make babies with each other and populate the countryside with more beautiful Pagan babies :-D Our plan is to start trying after the new year...as such, my car won't work anymore for hauling kids and junk around and we are shopping for a van. My car is selling to a guy next week for $1600 ($200 under asking price but $100 above my lowest acceptable amount) and I am shopping for a van between now and then...
Those of you who made this transition in your family, what van have you found to be useful and reliable and dependable? Do you do any city driving? How is it for that?
Thanks a bunch!
Formerly GaiasRose |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 11:48:54 AM
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I have a Honda Odyssey and before that I had a Chev. Lumina (2 of those). I love my Honda as it has a V-tech engine and it has traction control which really helps in the winter. You have to watch out for all mini-vans and their transmition issues. They are built like a car but have the weight of a light truck and tend to have transmition issues. Be sure and carfax anything you are considering. My van gets about 26 mpg and seats 7. I like the captains seats that come out individually so I can take them out by myself if necessary. The back seat folds down into the floor for hauling stuff.
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran
http://farmsteadfripperies.blogspot.com/ |
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one_dog_per_acre
True Blue Farmgirl
1572 Posts
Trish
Sandpoint
ID
USA
1572 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 12:34:06 PM
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Just think of your yard sale capabilities.
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
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OmgsItsTashaRose
Farmgirl in Training
44 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
MN
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 12:40:50 PM
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Trish! When Travis asked me to move in to his house I got rid of so much stuff. I promised him that for each new thing I brought in, I would take out two things....We are downsizing and simplifying. In fact we were talking the other night how we are so happy sleeping in a double bed as opposed to a queen. Our bedroom is small and would be so much smaller if we thought we needed more room. It's a good thing we love to sleep close to one another...even still, we have room to wiggle....
Trust me the yard sales have gone round and round in my brain...but so have promises I have made to simplify :-)
Formerly GaiasRose |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 4:35:31 PM
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I had a 4 door, Ford Explorer, and loved it, it was a 4x4, which is great in snow/ice/mud etc, had a V6, so milage was decent, it wasn't so big that I need 3 parking spots,lol, and I named her "Tilly", she was my girl...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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rubyleesmom
Zapped Profile
190 Posts
Colina
Homosassa
Fl
USA
190 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 7:30:11 PM
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I too have a honda oddessy. I will admit I was a bit...um...hesitant to get into a minivan.. (geez i'm only 31, lol). I always thought of vans as granny cars! But once i got used to the idea I love it! The extra room is nice and the dvd system is a lifesaver on long trips :)
"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway" - John Wayne |
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one_dog_per_acre
True Blue Farmgirl
1572 Posts
Trish
Sandpoint
ID
USA
1572 Posts |
Posted - Nov 17 2011 : 04:43:20 AM
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You must really be in love.
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
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OmgsItsTashaRose
Farmgirl in Training
44 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
MN
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - Nov 17 2011 : 06:49:07 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by one_dog_per_acre
You must really be in love.
Most assuredly, I am :-D <3
Formerly GaiasRose |
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OmgsItsTashaRose
Farmgirl in Training
44 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
MN
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - Nov 17 2011 : 7:51:55 PM
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And the choice has been made! '99 mercury villager estate. Drove it tonight. buying it next Friday :-)
Formerly GaiasRose
http://omgsitstasharose.wordpress.com |
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GaiasRose
True Blue Farmgirl
2552 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
Minnesota
2552 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2011 : 11:30:59 AM
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bump so that it's in my list :-) Got my user name back :-) Yipeeee!
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Farmgirl Sister #88
Blogs:
http://omgsitstasharose.wordpress.com
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2011 : 1:33:14 PM
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You'll love the van. We have a Mazda MPV which is one of the smaller minivans out there. It still seats 7 and all the seats come out. We have taken it on several really long road trips and it was great to have so much room to spread out. I look at what used to be my "dream car" and think, "but there's no room in it."
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
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GaiasRose
True Blue Farmgirl
2552 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
Minnesota
2552 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2011 : 1:40:17 PM
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Yah I am counting the days until Friday! I am so excited! It's a great little va...seats 7 but isn't a land barge like some of the older mini vans. I feel comfortable in the seat, like, I am not sitting on the dash, but I also do not have this expanse of a vehicle front end that I am looking at either. The kids really liked it, too. Travis will see it Friday when we go to get it. It has leather seats which I LOVE becuase I have messy kids...the floors are covered in plastic (the owners have too many kids and are upgrading to an 8 seater...they know about keeping a vehicle clean with lots of kids!!). It has good pick up. The vehicle itself has 205K miles, but the engine has only 150K. It has newer tires as of this past summer, too...and it's kind of an eggplant color. Very pretty :-) I am really excited.
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Farmgirl Sister #88
Blogs:
http://omgsitstasharose.wordpress.com
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 12:08:08 AM
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Only thing I want to add is check to see when/if you'll need a new transmission, and save up accordingly. Older vans are harder on transmissions (except Toyotas). We had to replace the tranny in our 2001 Honda Odyssey, and it'll hopefully get me through the next 10-15 years (after which the kids will start moving out or at least driving themselves).
I too also waited until the last possible moment to bit the bullet and get a minivan. As in, I was pregnant with #4 and had children #1, #2 and #3 in carseats still. Sigh. If we lived out in the boonies we likely would've had to get something with AWD or 4WD and more cargo room to make up for the once-a-month-into-town kinds of trips, but the minivan gets better mileage than a Suburban/Sequoia does.
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Lanna, homeschooling mama to four little monkeys that still try to jump on the bed |
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Family Matters: Selling my car for a....gulp....minvan!!! |
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Selling my car for a....gulp....minvan!!!
