So… I now have a minivan. While I’ve always thought they’re great for practicality, I never really planned to own one. But now I do. I’ve been joking on twitter that I’m going to need to die my hair purple or something to counteract the potential frump factor of the minivan.
{Did I succeed in making my Kia Sedona look cool in this photo?}
In case I develop a case of why-did-I-buy-a-minivan disease, I shall now list the top ten reasons my new {used} minivan is awesome:
1 – It fits our family comfortably with room for a couple of extra folks.
2 – It will fit us all, including Lacy the WonderDog — and my mom and her dog — for our beach vacation. {Aside: renting a minivan for the trip would’ve cost about 1/4 of what we paid to buy this one. Crazy!}
3 – It’s comfy.
4 – The seats sit up high enough that Kathryn is comfortable without any sort of booster.
5 – It’s not hard to get WonderDog in it since it sits lower than an SUV.
6 – The light-colored cloth interior doesn’t burn legs in the summer heat like dark grey leather does.
7 – It has lots of hidey-spots for storing things, and cupholders everywhere!
8 – It’s easy to put my photography equipment in and out of when I need to. And, you know, groceries and other practical stuff like that.
9 – It was cheap. Used cars rock for that very reason. Once we paid off all car loans and credit cards about six years ago, we vowed to never again have car payments.
10 – It’s a nice grey-green color. When buying a used car, you don’t really get to pick colors, but I’m pleased with this one.
Wife, mama, homeschooler, dog-wrangler. Introvert who finds joy in good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Fitness enthusiast and strength coach. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand.
It’s quite lovely! Enjoy your travels in it!
Congrats, Jamie!
Nice van! I have a 2001 Toyota Sienna that is still moving along just fine with 130K miles on it. It’s the MOST comfortable vehicle we’ve ever owned, especially for road trips. When this one dies (hopefully soon, lol) I will probably end up buying another van simply because our 2 boys aren’t grown yet and kids always have FRIENDS! 🙂 Enjoy!
Minivans are an excellent choice of vehicle for families. You’ll have plenty of room for all the kids to sit without bothering each other, and extra space for all their gear. Buying your minivan doesn’t have to be overwhelming though. There are a few things you can do to help you be prepared before going to the dealership.
I love, love, love our minivan. We got it used as well and it’s fantastic. We can fit five people and two large dogs and all of our vacation luggage comfortably, or seven people and a cargo space full of sports equipment. I can’t imagine going back to a car now. I can even see over most vehicles on the highway!
Congratulations (and if you do dye your hair, please post pics!) 🙂
Congrats! I’m with you on the no car payments!!
I have a Chrysler Town and Country that is 10 years old with 130,000 miles on it, and I LOVE it.
Your van is cute!
Congrats on the minivan! I love mine: Even before we needed one I wanted a van just because of all the things you can do with it (building materials always fit nicely).
I was totally against a minivan when Himself suggested one right before Tiny Girl was born. Needless to say, I love mine! It’s on the old side, but we are great partners. Congrats on your new ride!
Nice minivan! I vowed to never drive anything bigger than a minivan … well now we own a 10 passenger Dodge Sprinter. lol. I have to say we love it although like you stated above you don’t get to choose colors when buying used and well our van is bright red. 🙂