I have been looking into options for a newer vehicle. We really like our current vehicle but it may be necessary that we need another fuel efficient vehicle for Mr Wonderful to drive. Right now we have a Dodge Ram Quad Cab, it is a loud diesel engine. It gets about 21 mpg and has been very reliable since we bought it new in 2002. It has been paid off for about 5 years now. We all can fit into it but boy is it cozy.
So as I try to sort out options for a vehicle for Mr Wonderful, I am trying to decided what is important....should it be able to seat all of us? (I mean you'd think that would be a no brainer right?) but if we keep the pick-up then that will have to be the family rig and the car will be fore Mr Wonderful to get to work since fuel efficient cars that seat 5 are more plentiful. Or should we trade in our pick-up on a nice family vehicle?
We have a RV we want to trade in on that 2nd car (or sell it and use the $ to buy a car). So we have some options but here is my beef..... You'd think there'd be more options for family vehicles for people with more than 3 kids! Seriously it is like these car designers think that if you have a large family you must be rich enough to buy a luxury SUV and pay for 15mpg fuel economy! I would be happy with a stripped down full size van with vinyl seats and rubberized floor if it got 25+ mpg!!!
I have my eye on a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander but those are expensive and we don't really need a NEW car so I feel a little confused on what to do. Minivans are ok but the gas mileage is not fabulous there either.
We used to have a 1991 Honda Accord and it was faithful, easy to drive, and got great fuel efficiency. Then when Whippersnapper joined us we sold it....oh how I wish we hadn't. It was paid for, now we have to figure out another car just under 2 years from when we sold it! I guess you just never know about these things.
So I am trying to decide on if we just get Mr Wonderful a inexpensive fuel efficient car that won't fit us all as a family and just keep the pick-up. Or if we should trade the pick-up in on a nice family car that gets better fuel mileage and another small car for Mr Wonderful. We won't need a big powerful pickup very much anymore once we sell our RV. Ugh I am off to research some more. Anyone have a good solution for this vehicle thing? Most people I know with large families drive Suburbans but I don't want that kind of gas mileage and repair history. I grew up with several suburbans in the family and they always needed something repaired. The only good suburban we had was a diesel gutless wonder but it got 30mpg. That was a good one, it had the front bench seat so we could haul 9 people.....see.....why do they do all those fangled consoles in front seats? Just start making cars with a bench seat in front again and we'd get a whole lot more options for rigs with seating for 6! Ok I am off to go write every car maker and complain.
No really I am going to do dishes but I'd like to pretend they might care about my vehicle needs. LOL
3 comments:
Oh we agonized about the same thing! And still do to some extent.
You are right about the mini-van- in town we get about 21 MPG but on trips we get 25. (Gas engines vary more than diesels) It sure is nice for getting the kids in and out though.
You know, three kids is considered a "large" family now. I think that is a little sad.
It partially depends on how far Mr. Wonderful would drive but I would think a smaller car for commuting would be a good option. You could use it for trips to town when you don't have to take all the kids too. You and the kids could use the pick up when you go to town during the week. Paid for is always very nice.
I am not sure why it feels so hard to find the right combination of vehicles, but it does. I wrote in my post we were looking for a "newer" vehicle but that was not true, just a different vehicle or another one not newer of course. I am thinking of going back to the mid 90's Honda Accord or Civic. Something we can hopefully pay cash for, then eventually we can upgrade to a little nicer vehicle after saving a little more. We don't want to have to go into debt.
Mr Wonderful suggested a diesel Volvo car.....he said they get like 50 mpg! Sounds good to me but I wonder how expensive those things are? I struggle with wanting him to have a little more "car" around him since he will be driving in all road conditions to get to work. I was raised that you always drove a more "substantial" rig for your safety and that small cars were a death trap in case of an accident. It was always suburbans, pick ups, etc. So it is a little hard to think of getting a small car.:)
I hope we can figure something out. It will most likely be Mr Wonderful driving about 80 miles round trip per day. I suppose there is nothing to worry about unless he gets a new job and if he does for the first few weeks he can just take our rig and I will make due without one, I only seem to leave the house 1-2 times per week anyway on a normal week because we have been trying to save $ in fuel since it went up so high.:(
It is VERY difficult. We've been there and I'm not sure we are on the "perfect" solution.
And what is with the high price of diesel? It's just INSANE! And where is the economic cut off with the better fuel economy and the higher price?
Makes my head hurt!
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