Looking to Get New/used Car, Have 1 Child Possibly More Later...

Hi A.. Good luck with this decision, car shopping can really be a task.
I just bought a 2001 Buick Park Avenue last week and I really like it so far. It has a cavernous trunk. I have three children (single mom)and I like this car because it has a split bench seat in front so it can seat six, if my daughter wants to bring a couple of friends along.
I was resistant about getting a mini-van because it's just not my style. I have always had Chryslers, Lincolns or Cadillacs. I went with the Buick because I have heard such good things about them and size-wise and styling-wise, they are similar to the Caddy but not so costly to repair.

I looked into getting a Chrysler Pacifica because I heard it could seat 6 or 7 but because of the way it's styled, vision seemed really impaired to me.

One hint: whatever kind of car you're looking at, go to MSN Auto and read reviews. Those really helped me with a couple of cars that I looked at. I knew exactly what kinds of faults to look for and if I hadn't read those reviews, I never would have known and I may have bought the car that the heater only worked on full blast and was so noisy I couldn't hear the passenger next to me talking! :)

i am also looking at suv's and i really like the chevy equinox and ford escape but the equinox has a higher safety rating. most suv's ive looked at scored a 3 out of 5 for the roll over factor and the equinox got a 4 out of 5. They seem to be a safe vehicle and are more resonably priced also. i have to go test drive one yet but i do like the look of them and the reviews ive read.

My mini van is fine in the snow. Get one that is all wheel drive or front wheel drive. You should be fine.

I have a Chevy Impala, and I LOVE it! The trunk is huge, it's good on gas (I can use flex fuel, E85) and it has OnStar plus it's roomy. I have not had trouble in the snow. You can seat a total of 5 people comfortably. Mine's a 2006.

we got a van shortly after our son was born, and instantly regretted it.
the car we ended up getting after that was a newer dodge charger. i dont know much about cars, but i would assume that your dh could work on those? however, he might not have to, every new dodge charger comes with lifetime powertrain warrenty. if the car is rusting to bits and falling into the ground and the engine needs to be replaced, supposedly chrysler will do it, as long as you own the car, for lifetime, or the year 9999 or something insane like that LOL

the dodge avengers are similar but smaller. we love the charger, its big interior reminded us of the van, i can sit upright like i did in the van, and the seats and especially the ride are VERY comfortable!! we can fit our big jeep stroller in the trunk and even can pack our other luggage in there too for a weekend trip. the back seat is comfortable, especially if the people in the front seat dont use too much leg room LOL. it even fits 2 car seats and another normal sized person comfortably. the doors are taller than, say, a stratus, so less bumping of your head! last summer we went to illinois with the car, and we got 29 MPG - but we average around 27-28. for a big car, its got good gas mileage!

anyway, i would check those cars out if i were you. WAY worth it.
and if you are able to shop in hibbing MN we HIGHLY recommend hibbing chrysler center - and dave langfeld. his no BS way of selling cars was refreshing and exciting. tell him ericka and jeff iverson sent you (we get nothing out of that, just that he would know we are supporting him :) )
by the way, we didnt get one with the big engine, just a v6 and though they do have rear wheel drive, we have found that the ESP works AWESOME - the day we bought the car there was a nice big snowstorm and the car drove fantastically! sure you cant be stupid and drive crazy or anything, but the ESP certainly lets you know when the car is in need of stability control, and you have plenty of time to let your foot off the gas and respond appropriatly. we have never spun or had trouble driving it, and i never drove a rear wheel drive before!

I told people I would never, EVER drive a minivan and then my husband made me go along with buying one. We drive in snow (alot of it) and it handles better than any car I've driven. The gas mileage is way better than an SUV as that is what we traded for the van. They don't look pretty but they are wonderful for kids!!

Hi, we had originally purchased ford escape when we were getting ready to start our family. My Mom passed away shortly after we purchased the escape and took her mini van that she used to drive. Growing up I always teased her for driving a mini van, but to tell you the truth, I love it! When we go somewhere as a family, whoever is in the passenger seat can walk up and down the aisle and get our 17 month old daughter snacks, toys that fell on the floor, etc. It's nice to have the freedom to move, in our escape, we were just stuck. The mini van also rides very smoothly. We also bought a dog gate for the back, took the back seat out, so our trunk is huge! I was worried too about how it would handle in the snow, but so far so good. If I were you, I would just test drive a few different kinds of vehicles and look at the consumer reports on safety ratings , etc. Good luck!

I agree with 2 of the posters! I have a saturn vue, LOVE IT! Handles great in the winter, 4 doors, decent back seat, good storage in the rear. I'd definately look at them if your heart is set on a smaller suv. However, I have also driven an uplander quite a few times (was one of the company vans at my old job) and I, even tho I don't normally care for mini-vans, was really impressed with it. Handled well, even on crappy roads, the seats were well placed, and with a child, might be a great option for you. We had the base model and it was still really really nice inside. It was equipped with a bench in the back and 2 bucket seats with gave it lots of moving around room in the vehicle, and had the storage area behind the back door. It didn't feel like you were driving a van, it seemed more car-like. That van replaced and astro which i would NOT recommend!

We have a GMC Envoy that has worked wonderfully. Can fit two britax carseats in the back, as well as a booster in the middle. And if you really like those...we're going to be selling ours!! The husband says with two growing kids, two dogs, and as much as we travel back and forth to visit family and friends...it's time for a yukon! So there's an option!!

We have a Chevy Venture minivan which is now updated and called the Uplander and love it! It is pretty good on gas too unlike our Suburban!

The best cars we have ever owned are Buick Century Customs. This is a great family car! The trunk is big and we can fit a lot in there. The maintenance is limited, which suprised us. Not to mention gets great fuel milage on the highway. Besides with one child you really don't need anything any bigger than a full sized car. To save you money, I would get a Buick Century. You will thank me later. Another thing these cars last! Ours is a 98 (used) and it runs like a new car and we've had it a few yrs now. Take care of your car and it will take care of you. That's just what I believe anyway. It must be true because our car has outlasted most cars out there for being as old as it is and for all the miles it has w/o having expensive mechanical work done on it! Good luck with your search!

we have a 2005 toyota highlander and love it!! it's all-wheel drive and great in the snow.

We love love love our Subaru Outback, although if you're planning to have more than 2, it might be a tight fit unless you space the children far apart in age!

Get a mini-van....I promise you won't be disappointed. We were in the same situation as you are and we went with a smaller SUV (Chevy Equinox) and while we loved it, it was so impractical and didn't offer much back end space. And, once we got a car set in it, there was only room for 1 other person to sit in the back. So, we traded it in and got a mini-van and we LOVE it. We have convinced all our friends with children thinking of getting a new vehicle to go with a mini-van and they have all been so glad for following our advice. Plus, if you are planning on having more children, the mini-van will make your life so much easier. With the power-open slide doors it is a dream to get a kid into a car seat compared to a swing open door on a car or SUV.

So, that is my 2 cents worth. Good luck with your decision!

A.: we just got a Chrysler Pacifica with a third row! I love it. It is like a crossover (minivan & car or SUV) rather than a minivan. We have three children and its fine. Good luck.

I love my Saturn Outlook, but if you want something smaller, the Vue gets great ratings too.

I used to have a mininvan but got rid of it because I couldnt get up my driveway in the snow--which is not steep by any means. I traded it in for a Pilot, and love it. There are a few mini vans out there these days that have the all wheel drive function. Maybe check in to one of those. Chrysler and Toyota are the ones that come to mind.

We had a Chevy Trailblazer (I think the GM version is an Envoy). I loved it! If I could get another, it would have the extra row. We don't have it anymore because we got a pick-up. I would get another one in a heartbeat. And it is excellent in snow with lots of room. You could technically fit 3 carseats accross if you needed too. Much more roomy than the regular blazers.

Hope this helps :)

Have a great day!
V. E

I have had a mini van since my fist son was born 12 years ago. We had one that was rear wheel drive.. never again!! That only lasted one winter.. since then I have had a front wheel drive mini van and I have never had any problems with the snow, now they have mini vans that have 4 wheel drive in them like the SUV's. Our mini van is so good on gas and there is plenty of room (even with 5 kids). One suggestion with a mini van.. get the one's with the bucket seats in the middle row.. its so nice to be able to lift them forward to get to the back seat easier.

My husband had an Envoy for a rental car once and it rode nicely. We liked it. Good space too. I have an Equinox for a company car and hate it! It is a very rough ride. Any vehicle you get that is AWD will be fine in the snow and that is probably why mini-vans don't do well in snow. Some of my co-workers have the Impala car and love it. It is available AWD too.

I have a Kia Sorento & I absolutely love it. It handles great in the snow & on ice. Has on the fly 4WD & pleantly of storage. the 100,000 miles warranty is also a plus since all you really need to do is the oil change a few things for up keep & Kia handles the rest. Plus if you are going for a SUV you really can't beat the price & it has one of the best crash test ratings out there. I have people constantly saying to me "A freind has one loves it & I am thinking about getting one to. How do you like yours?"

I absolutely LOVE my pontiac vibe!

A. -

I have had a mini van for the past 8 years and love it. It does handle really well in the snow, I have never been stuck. It is roomy and the newer ones now have the stow and go seating which I am excited to get the next time around. I like SUVs but if you are planning on growing your family and not getting a new vehicle every few years you may want to consider something that sits 7 or more people. We have 3 kids and I think of vacations and taking others with us or going out for dinner or hockey etc. It is great and has a lot of storage and has been very functional for us.

We recently sold our Subaru Outback to purchase a minivan, but we would take the Outback back any day! The minivan really doesn't do well in snow - although the extra room is nice. I loved how safe the Subaru was, and with the hatchback, it had plenty of room for us. We could also tie luggage to the top rack, if needed. I'd highly recommend getting a Subaru!

A have a Pacifica. I like it because it has a third row if I need it. It is like a cross between a van and an SUV. You can put the back see down for lots of space. A lot of them also have built in DVD players in them. Mine has a 6 CD/DVD changer and the kids love it (and so do I because rides are much quieter now). Mine is good in the snow, it is an all wheel drive (some of them are just front wheel drive). The gas mileage is about the same as a minivan (about 24 mpg). I also have side curtain airbags which is a plus in the safety department. I hope you find what you want!

Personally, I have a Dodge Grand Caravan and love it! I have no issues with the snow at all. IMO, the 4-wheel drive SUVs give a false sense of security as I've seen quite a few in the ditch on bad weather days. If you are still apprehensive about the minivans, take a look at the 8-passenger crossovers ... the latest (& I'm thinking my next vehicle) is the Chevy Traverse. The GMC Acadia is the other GM one that I am aware of. They have 3 rows of seats, but the 3rd row can be folded down for lots of cargo room. Good luck!

We've been really really happy with our Saturn VUE. It's a 4 cyl. and it's a manual, so we get about 28-30mpg (which I think is awesome for an suv!) It holds two carseats no problem, and we can actually fit an adult next to the two carseats.
Good luck finding something that works for you!

Hi A..

I am a mom of 3 boys (12, 3 and 17 mo). We have a Chevy Uplander (cross between an SUV and mini van) and I love it! We have never had any problems with it in the snow. And you can also get it in all wheel drive if you are worried about the snow. With our 3 boys I feel like we are out growing it a bit (only because my 12 year old is so tall) but since you just have one I would highly recommend it! Good luck in your search.

we had a small suv before we got our uplander (mini van) and will not go back. The van is great with having a child, easy to get them in and all the stuff. I've had no big problems with winter driving.

I just purchased a SATURN Ion and I love it!! The first day of a snowstorm I was hit in the front end and believe me there wasn't much damage at all. It is rated in the top for safety also! Previously I had a Cheverlot Caviler and will not go back to one. Have fun car shopping! I went to three dealers before going to SATURN and it was not fun. You for sure have to know what you want in a vehicle or they will try to sell you anything!

A.,

My husband and I have been together for just over six years and we have had about 8 different vehicles (won't get into them all)... We get bored easily can you tell.

My husband sold his Grand Prix 2-door for a KIA Sorento when my son came along. They are a nice vehicle and roomy - with 2 kids. HOWEVER, there is a catch with the KIA's, you must follow the required maintanace in order not to void your warranty. That gets very expensive.

We had a mini-van that I loved for the ease of getting the kids in and out and that one had all wheel drive.

I have had a fews Malibu's. Get with 2 kids, tight with 3 kids. Should have gotten an Impala, but even than with buckling kids in they are a litte tight to fit your hands in between each seat.

Had a Tahoe and LOVED it, but not the payment. Plenty of room for the kids (alittle high to reach in and buckle up).

We now have 2 minivan's and are happy with that choice (well I am). When I was younger I always thought mini vans were not cool. Once you start to have kids, you realize all the functions that have. We also use ours as a pickup truck, by folding in all the seats. We used both of the to pick up and entertainment center a few weeks ago. My husband can pick up lumber at Menards. I don't notice any problems in snow and I have a incline to my driveway and get up it just fine. Just as with any vehicle you need to learn how it handles in the snow.

My husband has no problem with working on Dodge and Chrysler vehicles. Although he is use to GM and Ford as I think they are alittle easier.

Good Luck and do ALOT of test driving to find out what YOU like.

I had a Chev Impala and absolutely loved it! The only reason I say "had" instead of "have" is last summer my son and I were in a roll-over with it. He was 3 and strapped in his 5-point harness carseat. We both came out of it uninjured. I would definitely recommend an Impala to anyone looking for a safe car. It also handles really well in the snow and has a HUGE trunk. Good luck! Car shopping tends to be frustrating.

We have a 2003 Toyota Sienna (minvan) and LOVE it. It's almost like a little home on wheels. It does great in snow, and it only has front wheel drive. You can buy them with 4 wheel drive now. This thing handles better in snow than any of our cars did, so I would not pass on a mini-van for that reason. The safety ratings for most of the minivans are very good. They are wonderful for longer road trips. What I love about it is that I can move around from front to very back without getting out of the vehicle. It comes in very handy at times. Oh...we have one child as well.