Posts Tagged ‘minivan’

I know, I know, I know.

A few months ago I had myself and the wife convinced that not only could we not afford a minivan, but we could get by with a Saturn Vue and three kids under three, all in car seats.

Then it happened, I was walking out of Target with some fresh green beans, or as I call them frshgrnbns, and I saw a lady with the same exact vehicle my wife is driving putting three kids in car seats into the backseat.

I stopped and stared I was so shocked. I’m guessing by the color of their skin that these were not all her own children, but the struggle she was displaying was bruuuutal. Then as she had the last one in, she closed the door almost all the way and then leaned onto the door to shut it gently and you could see the carseat handle lean in when she got it completely shut.

Now I am not a rich man, but I sure as hell ain’t gonna’ let wifey, who will pretty soon be projectile shooting babies out of her vag, drive around in a vehicle that wont fit three car seats in it without a boatload of man

ipulatioin. Since I’ve been doing guitar lessons after work for a few years to help pay for day care I figured stretching a bit and getting a bigger vehicle would be more than worth the extra meals of hamburger helper without hamburger, which we just call “the help.”

So I started dropping hints about us not being able to rely on her little Vue Vue and she not only bought it, but after our OB appointment last Friday she let me drive into the Aurora Auto-Mall.

Six loooong hours later she was standing proudly next to her 2009 Chrysler Town & Country mini van. That damn thing is like a living room on wheels with THIRTEEN CUPHOLDERS.

After all the research I did about minivans since we found out about the twinvasion of 2010, I had it boiled down to three vehicles, it was her decision but I wasn’t going to allow for a shitbox to be parked in my garage. She picked wisely and rather than going used again and taking the hit on the trade in in a few years, she went new, got the right price (there is no such thing) and knows she can trade it back to the same dealership for a wash in a few years when she needs a new one.

She did amazing at the dealership and I don’t think the guy who sold us the car realized how much he was being manipulated, it was like Big Brother: Mini Van Purchase Edition. She raped ‘em good!

So yeah, I drive a mini van on the weekends now.

My only complaint is that I now have to park outside every night now because of the frickin’ SIZE of this thing, and the whole “I care about the temperature of my kids” thing.

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• 2009 Chrysler Town & Country (thecarconnection.com)

photo credit: dno1967

So I started doing some baseline financial analysis on our current situation, in addition to pricing out some year to two year old minivan models, and just when I thought I was willing to take a HUGE hit to the wallet, my reasoning skills took over.

We both have JUST purchased two vehicles in the past two years. She drives a 2006 Saturn VUE, I drive a 2005 Nissan Frontier Extended Cab small pickup truck.

Our Kelley Blue Book values are decent, but won’t be even for another few years. With the upside down loans on both of these vehicles, we are about $13,000.00 USD combined in the negative if we wanted to trade them in to purchase or lease a minivan. Sure my truck would be the first to go, since I have a smaller margin between owed and value, but WHO TRADES IN A PERFECTLY PIMP TRUCK?!?!

Yes, I am a bit touchy about even considering getting rid of my truck, but I’d take one for the team, no doubt, but you gotta PUSH PUSH PUSH and remember your breathing to get that to happen.

So, minivan? OUT OF THE QUESTION.

We can’t afford to put the vehicle and conveinience ahead of food, shelter and daycare for the lil’ guys.

I’m a big fan of details, so here is how we are moving forward:

Newborn newborns don’t leave the house the often for the first few months, so we will continue to take our toddler son to day care regularly, one parent at a time. The twins will stay at home the majority of the time, or travel with one parent with two infant car seats (rear facing! I KNOW!) and the toddler can ride with the other parent in the forward facing toddler car seat.

If we HAVE to all go somewhere in one vehicle we can either put the twins on either side of the tod seat and pray the toddler doesn’t pick out the eye balls of the twins, OR, if we have to, we can turn off the front air bag and let one infant ride shotgun (REAR FACING! I KNOW!) and put the other adult in between the infant and the toddler in the back seat.

photo credit: kona99

I have a constant need to talk out the details of a situation. If I can’t step by step something in my head or on paper, I have a jittery feeling in my belly that increases in intensity until I get my crap together and figure it all out.

photo credit: Thomas_Jung

Do I really need a minivan?
Am I REALLY going to have to buy a mini-van?
Seriously?
Me?
Minivan?

Ok. I get it, our current family vehicle isn’t large enough to carry two babies and a toddler and the luggage that goes along with it.

What are my alternatives?

• All weather luggage rack?
• One kid in the front seat and one adult sits in between the two other kids in the backseat?
• A Box Truck Rental UHaul with wall-straps?
• Two cars everywhere we go?
• Someone always stays home with at least one kid?

Screw those ideas.

I accept the fact that I’m past the cool looking car. We are now at the crossroads of practicality and mobile storage/functionality.

I need room for 5 kids and two adults (or any combination of the 7), if I want to take any of my neices or nephews or other adults to watch my kids anywhere with us.
I need room to stand up and go change a diaper while on the freeway.
I need room to sleep if we end up “camping” somewhere with three kids.
I need room for the frickin DUAL STROLLER WITH OPTIONAL SIDECAR & 1700 diapers I will now stash with me everywhere I go.
I need 7 flip down DVD players, massage chairs, wifi, bluetooth, retina scan ignition and a retro cassette deck!

Bah. I don’t know what I need, but I need it bigger than I have right now damnit.

TO BE CONTINUED…

photo credit: Aine D

I DO know that my first bumper sticker will say “GOT TWINS?”