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Vehicle Shopping advice

mj4cy

mj4cy

Asst. Regional Manager
Staff member
Mar 28, 2006
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Iowa
We have two kids (5 1/2 and 3) and are expecting baby #3 due In July. While playing around with car seats in my Ford Fusion, I came to the realization 2 car seats plus an infant seat won't fit in this compact car. So now I'm in the market for a slightly larger car that can fit 3 car seats or an SUV type. Was curious what other people in a similar situation did or if anyone has any suggestions. I'm leaning towards a newer/nicer/larger car but haven't ruled out an SUV.

FWIW I work from home but still probably drive somewhere at least once a day.

Also, we already have a van. This is the secondary car that doesn't take kids in it as often.

Thanks!
 
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Save yourself the hassle and move up to a van or SUV. You may not think you need the extra room now, but you will in a year or two at which point you'll be regretting the decision to purchase a sedan and/or reentering the market for such a vehicle. I have no kids of my own, but have been in the car business for more than 20 years and have witnessed it more times than I could ever recall. And SUVs are actually for people who need vans but can't force themselves to get past the stigma. You'll never regret having the extra space.

And I would strongly recommend something with a 3rd row. Over 90% of our customers opt for something with 3rd row seating with the arrival of the 3rd child.
 
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To clarify.

1. Our other vehicle is a van and is the primary vehicl my wife uses for the kids.

2. we will be able to buy either with cash. we have been saving.
 
Congrats on the third. I have three kids and would recommend a minivan. They are great because:
  • Relatively cheap to insure
  • Lots of space, better than just about any SUV
  • Sliding doors are really nice when in a tight garage or parking spot
Regardless of what kind of vehicle you choose, this site can be useful for finding which make/model/year might be more reliable than others:

http://www.carcomplaints.com/

EDIT: saw your comment about having a minivan - can see why you wouldn't want two!
 
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mj4cy said:
To clarify.

1. Our other vehicle is a van and is the primary vehicl my wife uses for the kids.

2. we will be able to buy either with cash. we have been saving.
Click to expand...

We looked at the highlander, pilot, and sorento last fall as our future "non van" vehicle and got the sorento with third row. Pilot was still too new in the remodel to get a decent priced used but we liked that. Sorento is a touch smaller but a good bit cheaper since it doesn't have the reputation yet. Solid warranty and ratings though. We are really happy with it so far though we have no kids. I would go up to the limited or xle if you do the highlander. 3rd row and finishes seemed very cheap in lower editions, especially the third row.
 
At the very least go with a small crossover, Toyota RAV, Ford Escape, Honda CRV, Mazda CX5, etc. Would be a good secondary kid car with decent storage without breaking the bank. Two kids, we have a Pilot as the main ride and a RAV as secondary and it's a nice setup.
 
Quad cab pickup.

Even the Colorado or Tacoma could handle 3 car seats I bet.
 
I've driven a lot of suvs as part of my career...just had a Pathfinder and now an Outback..Pathfinder little bigger and I liked it a lot..WTS..I just drove the Outback for first time in heavy snow and crappy weather and let me tell you this vehicle did not lose traction for one second. It is an absolute tank..there is a reason it is highest rated for safety and snow, it was incredible. Very sharp vehicle inside and out.
 
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Have you thought about a Subaru Outback or Forester? They have a little extra room and you can get a little performance. Relatives have a manual Forester that is really nice.

We have a VW wagon that we like a lot. 3 is tough, with car seats you almost need a 3 row.
 
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Beyerball said:
I've driven a lot of suvs as part of my career...just had a Pathfinder and now an Outback..Pathfinder little bigger and I liked it a lot..WTS..I just drove the Outback for first time in heavy snow and crappy weather and let me tell you this vehicle did not lose traction for one second. It is an absolute tank..there is a reason it is highest rated for safety and snow, it was incredible. Very sharp vehicle inside and out.
Click to expand...

Beat me to the Subaru.
 
Thanks for all the help. I think I either want a larger Sedan or a Crossover of some sort. It's daunting to see all the makes/models out there. I typically like to buy something a year or two old with low mileage. I don't like buying brand new for whatever reason.
 
No reason to buy new, except that you'll know how it has been driven for its whole life. Look for a newer model with low miles to save a lot of money.

As a male still in his 20's, not married and no kids, needing to save some money after the oilfield took a crash... I ended up getting a Chevy Traverse LTZ. I get some flack for it for having a "van" from some of my friends, but who cares. It's nothing flashy, but the interior is nice. It gets decent MPG and you can tow a decent load with it. I would recommend getting the AWD version, especially in Iowa.

There is a good selection of other mid-size SUV's to look at. Good luck.
 
Since you already have a minivan, I'd just get used to shuffling cars around unless you are actively looking for an excuse to buy a big SUV that can fit three seats side-by-side. I had a four door F-Series pickup that worked, but then you're paying for truck mileage.

It's been a long time since we looked, but last time we tried fitting a car seat into a Subaru it was really tough. Love everything about them, but a rear-facing car seat didn't fit directly behind a front seat while still being far enough back to have someone drive or ride shotgun. It would fit between the seatbacks if it went in the middle back, but then we couldn't fit another car seat next to it.
 
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We love our Ford Flex. Has the space of the SUV but drives so comfortable. Would have never bought it based on looks, but after driving one as a rental car, haven't ever driven something different that compares in comfort.
 
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