Totally OT: car shopping

[lmintzer]

We are in the process of shopping for a new car, and the process is driving us crazy. We currently transport ds in a Honda Civic and feel it will be tight to have 2 in car seats in this car. Granted, we know it is possible, but we are thinking a little bigger wouldn't be a bad idea.

Here are some of our constraints/wishes: no offense to those who have them, but we absolutely do not want a mini van. So we aren't even looking at options there. We live in a uniquely urban suburb of Chicago, and it just doesn't feel right for either of us. We also have a rather small garage, so there are limitis to how big we can go too.

Safety and reliability are very important to us as well.

We are looking at the sportier-type wagons: the Subaru Outback, the Volvo Cross Country, and the VW Passat Wagon. Each has distinct advantages and disadvantages, but we feel we couldn't really go wrong with any of the above.

The only thing that's holding us back is the question of how much more room are we gaining? Definitely more cargo space, but shoulder room, leg room, and head room in the bag? A marginal improvement over our Civic.

So we started considering the small to mid-sized SUVs and cross-over vehicles. DH is not a huge SUV fan, but he is warming to the idea of a small to mid-sized vehicle in this class if it meets our needs.

The Honda CRV, the little Toyota Rav4, and the Subara Forester are really cute but don't offer any advantage over the wagons (and in some cases, have less cargo space). Going up in size slightly, the Honda Pilot is a bit too wide for our garage (we tried our friends' out, and it is too cramped). DH is greatly enamored of the Nissan Murano which we test drove yesterday. I have very mixed feelings about this car. Though just right size-wise (for our garage), it has very aggressive styling and is almost a bit too flashy for me. The inside is beautiful in leather, but the brushed aluminum dash and other areas is a bit "techy" or "trendy". I could let all those things slide (and just buy it in a toned-down color), but I am concerned about the rear visibility given its funky shape. Does anyone have this car or know anyone with this car? You DO gain a bit more back seat space with it over the sporty wagons, so that is something.

One other thought is the Toyota Highlander. Though it got a generally good CR revie, they cited "twitchy" emergency handling and poor fuel economy.

This so reminds me of the search for a perfect stroller, but the stakes are so much higher, because I'll be toting around my two most precious possessions at high(er) speeds--and spending a heck of a lot more money!

Any thoughts, suggestions for cars we haven't looked at, or feedback on any of the above is much appreciated.

Thanks for "listening". I know this should be fun, but it really isn't. Baby comes in 7 weeks or less, and I'd much rather be shopping for him, lol!

Lisa
& Jack, 4/20/01
& Little brother-to-be, e.d.d., 12/15/03

[jojo2324]

We just got a VW Passat wagon a few months ago and are loving it! We have yet to install our second car seat, but there is loads of room. DH is 6'6" and can sit behind the driver seat when it's all the way back and still have leg room! Quite a step up from our Saab.

I really like the look of the Murano, but it was out of our price range. I don't know anything about its blind spots. I know the Chrysler Pacifica has a pretty funky blind spot, so I would imagine the Murano would have the same problem, given their similar shapes.

The Highlander was recommended to me by some moms here. (Thanks brubeck!) It can easily accomodate two Britax carseats and, unlike most SUVs, the height isn't too much of a problem for me. For example, I could change a baby's diaper in the back without being horribly scrunched over or reaching too high.

Would the new VW Toureg (sp?) be too big for your garage space as well? Those look really nice, and while a substantial vehicle, don't seem as domineering as, say, a Suburban or Tahoe.

We did get the Passat knowing in a few years we'll be getting a minivan. (Nissan Quest!!!) DH loves the Passat, so that will become his car and I'll have the van.

Good luck with your search!! :)

[egoldber]

Of all the vehicles you listed, I would go with one of the wagons. As you have already discovered, small to midsize SUVs don't give much (if any) advantage in terms of usable space. And as a class of vehicle, they are considerably less safe than a wagon. They have poorer driving handling, are more prone to rollover, and get worse gas mileage. The only other comparable wagons you're not looking at are the Audi, Mercedes and BMW wagons, but those are considerably more expensive than the Passat or Subaru. They are somewhat, but not a lot, more expensive than the Volvo wagon.

Honestly, to get a lot more space you really need a minivan or a large SUV. A minivan doesn't have that much larger footprint than a wagon, but there is considerably more usable space inside. But I understand why you don't want one, I used to think along the same lines.

Other hybrid vehicles you may want to look at are the Honda Element (this is kinda cool, but weird), Chrysler Pacifica, Volvo XC90, Volkswagen Touareg (how do you even SAY that?) and Toyota Scion. These are all really new vehicles without much track record, so that would make me a little reluctant (although I'm sure the Volvo and Honda would probably be fine).

I used to have a Volvo wagon and I thought it was a wonderful vehicle. Everyone I know with a Passat loves it. I think that you'd be happy with any of those wagons.

HTH,

[JustMare]

Hi Lisa,

I have a Murano and LOVE it! I've never owned an SUV before and I was really skeptical about blind spots, but so far I've had no problems with the Murano.

We live in a building with underground parking. The entrance to the garage is tight with a sharp turn and I've had no problems with the size of the Murano in there. Plus our parking spot is tight too, next to a pole. I've been able to manage so far (no dents yet!).

We liked the sporty look of it. The aluminum trim is a nice alternative from the wood trim in most SUVs. So far, I have no complaints and have been very happy with it.

As for space, we've fit 3 grown adults in the back seat with room to spare. You will fit two carseats very comfortably.

I really love the layout of the dash, preset seat controls, 6-cd in dash, and other little extras. DH loves the horsepower and the way it handles on the road. It doesn't really rattle like a truck, but drives more so like a car - which I like.

Unfortunately, we didn't spring for the $4,000 GPS Navigational/DVD player package. Just a little overpriced for us. The DVD would have been nice for the baby, but it was a package deal. We couldn't get just the DVD player without the Navigational display.

If you have any questions, email me at [email protected].

Edited to add:
The Murano has "Continuous Veritable Gears" (I might be off with the exact term) In english, this means theirs multiple gears rather than the (5 is it?) normal gears. This helps for a smoother ride. You don't feel the gear switch, plus helps get better gas mileage. I've gotten better gas mileage in the Murano than in our previous Maxima! So not all SUVs are gas guzzlers!

[peanut4us]

Not one of the cars that you listed, but we just bought a new Mazda 6 (new line they are replacing the old 626 with). I am so surprised by how much room is in this car. It has great safety ratings. And it is a wee-bit cheaper than a passat... we looked at those too. IMHO it actually drives better then the passat (not that I don't love that car!).

It would be worth taking a test drive in. Really, it is going to last us well into the next kid.

[lmintzer]

Thanks to all who so thoughtfully responded to this post. I know car choice is a very personal thing, but I am so up in the air about what to do this time that I really needed some concrete feedback.

I think I'm going to print out all of your responses and put them next to my CR reviews and see what I come up with. Probably, the truth is, these are all good options, and we'd be happy with whatever we get.

Maybe my "preg-brain" is making this harder than it needs to be.

At any rate, it's a lot of money to spend, so I want to make sure we make a reasonable choice. Makes thinking about buying a Peg Aria Twin or MBUD no big deal, lol!

Lisa
& Jack, 4/20/01
& Little brother-to-be, e.d.d, 12/15/03

[sbaker]

Butting in here....I have a "kinda cool, but weird" Honda Element and dearly love it. (I previously had a Mercedes ML320 suv and DH thought I was nuts when I told him I wanted a Honda.) With the ML320 I was always worried that DS was going to mess something up - spit up on the leather seats or something. Now with the Honda I don't have to worry. It was waterproof seats and a moppable floor. How cool is that with kids? It may look a little weird on the outside, but the inside is VERY kid and mommy friendly.


Just my two cents...
:) :+ :)
Sara
Mom to Rayce 02/09/02
Baby #2 due 01/05/04

[C99]

I've no advice, but I'm curious which Chicago suburb is "uniquely urban"?

[mharling]

I think I remember Lisa saying she's from Oak Park. I would agree with her term of 'uniquely urban'. I love Oak Park and in fact, lived there for 3 years before I got married.

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b3524e54e42d - New 10/3

[Tondi G]

we have a DODGE DURANGO (LOVE MY CAR!!!!) and DH just bought a Hyundai Santa Fe! HE was looking at the dodge ram pick up and walked out.... they were being too pushy and he decided he didn't want another gas guzzler! He walked into the Hyundai dealership and was realy pleased with the Santa Fe. He got the fully loaded model, leather and power everything and the largest engine they make.... he is totally satisfied with his purchase and you can't beat a 10 year warranty!!!!! He was always an american car buyer... this is his first import and he is really happy! Hyundai really has come a LONG way and the Santa Fe is pretty spacious for a small SUV! Now if DH could have had his way..... he too would have loved to buy a Nissan Murano..... there is something about that car that men just LOVE!!!!!

We looked at one other vehicle that was really different that you might consider checking out.... the Chrysler Pacifica!!!! It is NICE and you have the option to get a video system in it.... wish we could have gotten one in our durango!!!! Check it out!!!!

Good Luck car shopping..... ooh and be sure to go to actually buy at the end of the month!!!!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason(2) and #2 edd 6/6/04

[amp]

Not a car you mentioned, but we have a Ford Escape and I *love* it. We couldn't afford all of the large SUVs, but could afford this one. That said, it doesn't have more room than a wagon, and has less than a minivan since there is more seating in a larger SUV or minivan. But it works for us and is affordable!

[lmintzer]

Yep, Oak Park. If you've seen it, you know it's not your typical suburb by any means. More diverse, lots of history (Hemmingway, Frank Llyod Wright), houses all look different, city-sized yards. Lots of parks and places you can walk.

We've only been there 2 years but love it so far! To me, it's really the best of both worlds.

Lisa

[lmintzer]

We were thjnking about checking out the Pacifica. Unfortunately, it's a bit wider than the others, and it would be tight squeeze in our garage. The Honda Pilot as well is a bit wide. The Nissan Murano and the Toyota Highlander are "skinnier" so that's why we can consider these in addition to the wagons.

Lisa

[jenmcadams]

This might be a little late, but thought I'd pipe in with some positive feedback on the Highlander. I got my Highlander back in 2001 when they first came out and we absolutely love it. It has tons of cargo room, the backseat is very roomy and it drives like a car. We ended up with a higher trim line than I originally wanted b/c when we were looking they were pretty tough to find. Now, I'm very glad we got what we did. We have leather interior which is great for wiping up spills from DD and dirt from the dogs. We have a Britax RA in the middle and two adults can easily sit on either side in back. The only negative (which I've only just started thinking about as I've started thinking about #2) is the lack of a third seat option. I know there's plenty of room for two car seats, but big SUVs and minivans definitely have the advantage if you ever anticipate having additional passengers. If you have any specific questions about the Highlander, feel free to email or PM me. One other nice thing about the Highlander now is that it's starting to be included in some of the special financing/rebate deals that Toyota sometimes offers. When we bought it, you were lucky to find one and forget about any special deals.

Good luck with the car search!

[lmintzer]

Mare,
I just saw your post on the car seat board about Nissan claiming the Snug Ride isn't a good fit in their cars.

Did you ever get any further info. from them?

We're down to 2 car choices: the Murano or the Toyota Highlander.

Thanks,
Lisa

[lmintzer]

Oh, and I was also reading about problems with these 2 SUV/crossover vehicles and tether anchors (that there weren't 3 anchors in the back). Is this really true? We would like to use a Britax seat for our toddler and wouldn'd do so if we can't tether it properly.

Thanks again,
Lisa