Reluctantly transitioning to a mini van...

[mamma mia]

We currently have an older 7 passenger Dodge Durrango (that gets horrible gas mileage) and an older ford Taurus (which gets pretty good gas mileage). We only have three kids right now so I am able to fit their car seats in either one but...we are considering having another baby in the next year or so. So we are thinking about just trying to sell both and combine the money to buy a mini-van and hopefully split the difference in gas mileage.
My hubby hates the idea of driving a mini van (but he has a nice company work truck that he uses 90% of the time) but I am just thinking this might be the best option for us at this point. I think I would LOVE the space and convenience of a van.
Any thoughts? What have you all done when transiting to having a "larger" family?

[TinaDeanette]

I super triple love my van and so does DH! You both will get use to it! The extra space for storage is awesome!

[borncrunchy]

Originally Posted by TinaDeanette I super triple love my van and so does DH! You both will get use to it! The extra space for storage is awesome!

I agree 1000%... My DH loves our minivan, lol! Whenever we go somewhere as a family, he HAS to drive cuz he loves it

[breanne_roz]

I loveeee my van! I swore that I'd never have one...but I love it lol. It's a Honda Odyssey. My boyfriend chooses to drive my van over his old civic any time the option is there

[need some diaps!]

Agree with others....swore I would never have one and it is sooo handy! Ours is in the shop and my 5 yr old was just saying how they needed to hurry up and get our mini back! So much time squashed against his sisters is driving him crazy! DH loves it to!

[beckstar]

we just recently did some car shopping and i was dead set on replacing our gas guzzling (yet oh so trusty) ford expedition with a minivan. hubs is in the minivan hating camp, however...so we had our options open.

i fell in LOVE with the honda odyssey for the side sliding doors and huge cargo space behind row three (my double fit in there so well with room to spare! something the expi was totally lame about)...

long story short, we couldn't get the financing for the van but got an amazing deal on a 2012 ford flex...while it doesnt have the same awesome doors and the storage space is smaller...it seats 7...it has ok gas mileage (better than the expedition) and it's got a lot of awesome features that i've never had! not to mention, it looks really snazzy and hubs isn't embarrassed to drive it!

[erin_c_odonnell]

I've had a few minis and now we have suburban but if I could do over I'd get a ford expedition

[erin_c_odonnell]

Originally Posted by beckstar we just recently did some car shopping and i was dead set on replacing our gas guzzling (yet oh so trusty) ford expedition with a minivan. hubs is in the minivan hating camp, however...so we had our options open. i fell in LOVE with the honda odyssey for the side sliding doors and huge cargo space behind row three (my double fit in there so well with room to spare! something the expi was totally lame about)... long story short, we couldn't get the financing for the van but got an amazing deal on a 2012 ford flex...while it doesnt have the same awesome doors and the storage space is smaller...it seats 7...it has ok gas mileage (better than the expedition) and it's got a lot of awesome features that i've never had! not to mention, it looks really snazzy and hubs isn't embarrassed to drive it!

Im curious now cause I've never checked- what is the gas mileage on an expedition? Better than a suburban I assume but less than a mini van? My BFF has a beautiful expedition and it's not even that new- like 2005 maybe and has button folding seats, built in DVD player, etc.

[alyssa&rylan's-mommy]

We LOVE our mini van! Hubby hated them before we got it, but after a few trips in it, he fell in love!