If I had the money, I would get the new Saturn hybrid minivan. I've also heard that Consumer Reports ranks the Honda Odyssey as the best minivan.

I'm not a fan of SUV's. I think they are bad for the environment and bad for your pocketbook. But they are very cool, and I don't judge anyone for wanting one.

As a dad of three, we sometimes trade cars with mom (Jeep Cherokee) and do alright if the trip is shorter than 15 minutes, but my car (Chevy Venture) is a heck of a lot easier. One of the things I have done is taken out 2 out of the 3 middle row seats and split the kids up so there is one in the middle and two in the far back, the other thing that makes this nice is with the middle row almost removed I can get everyone out of their car seats and keep them inside the car, no worries about running off into the parking lot. It certainly is not the best for the environment, but I only drive about 10000 a year and still get about 21 MPG for what it is worth.

On the flooring, if given a choice I think I would go with the carpet/steam cleaner route, it is a little warmer on bare feet on cold winter mornings and a little more forgiving on learning to walkers.

So I would say get what you would like to drive, you will make it work. My mom drove all 3 of her sons around in a 68' VW Bug (oh how I miss that bug), and congratulations on getting the best job in the whole world.

db

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Denver_Dad/

I drive a 1/2 ton Chevy pickup with an 8ft bed and tall bed cap. It will tow a full sized car on a trailer. It will haul a full load of 4x8 sheets of plywood or sheetrock. I have plenty of room for longbows, fencing gear, and a week's worth of clothes for three, and still more room left over. Does it get great miles per gallon? No. It does have a 30 gallon tank, so I can still drive 500 miles without a refill, which I do. We are only three, so the standard cab will hold all of us. But then we cannot take anyone else with us, so an extended cab would be nice, but much bigger. Take a look at what you Actually DO. Do you haul a lot of stuff, tow big stuff? Don't get a hybrid, unless it is factory rated to do that. Personally, I would like to get a newer truck with extended cab, dual secondary doors, and a turbo diesel engine. Want to go Green? Find a supplier of BioDiesel and smell the popcorn; do the research. Our other vehicle is a four door, full size sedan, a boring way of saying Pontiac SSEi. It holds more people than the truck and is a lot faster, which is fun.

Here's another perspective on vehicle choices. Mine are all older, '92, '88, '78. All of them are paid in full. No vehicle debt. How long will it take you to drive enough miles, to save enough gas, to break even the cost of a new vehicle vs. the higher cost of gas on an older, much less expensive vehicle? I do most of my own vehicle repair, so I also save money on mechanic fees by having vehicles that I am capable of fixing. At the end of 2007 I'll have one each with 100k miles, 200k miles, and 300k miles. How long are you going to keep yours?

Side note on At Home Dad choices: I can't stand strollers. Maybe because I see too many people, usually females, using them as traffic feelers. I also think most kids in strollers should be walking. Let the tike get some excercise and be tired at the end of the day. Another reason is that I want to be big enough and strong enough in the eyes of my son that he knows I can pick him up and toss him around, or carry him for an hour if he needs it. So, when my wife asked me to get a stroller I told her to just ask me to carry him, or make him walk when he could. He's seven now and I can still carry him for quite a while, because I never stopped doing it. Many of my friends can't carry their infant or toddler for more than 5 minutes without being exhausted. I say get the excercise and some extra time hugging your kid - dump the stroller.

-JerseyDads.com-

OK maybe we should move this discussion to another page, but the stroller thing...so jduffey, did you use a stroller until your child could walk?

Also I walk two to four miles at a time on many days, I'm not weightlifeter but my 2 year old can neither a) be carried for that long or b) walk that far....

However if you are referring to children who are older (say 5+...maybe 4+) then I am in complete agreement and have no concerns with your stroller philosophy.

Also what's a "traffic feeler"?

PS Have a minivan, love it. Who cares what people think? Im already a SAHD what am I worried about? Plus easier to manuever within the van (go Dodge Grand Carvan.

We have carpet but the baby doesn't use his room for play, we use the living room which is hardwood with a disposable rug/playmat.

Josh
Chicago, IL
SAHD Since August 2005

Hmmm, don't know what I would do right now. We have an '02 Toyota Highlander 4 cylinder. Love it! Roomy, good on gas. Not so bad on the environment as any other newer car is, I guess. Not as bad on my pocketbook, er wallet for that matter. If you are going to buy a mini van, I'd say the Honda or Toyota, but that is my personal opinion. I'm not CR or Car and Driver or anyone like that. I just know what I like and don't like.

Our other car is an '07 Camry Hybrid. I guess If I had the money we'd buy another one of those. Haven't really felt the urgent need for a mini van. The Highlander has suited us fine for our camping trips and road trip vacations.

Now, as far as your flooring goes...You don't need to replace carpeting every year. You have been misguided if you think you do. Buy quality carpeting and take care of it, that's all. Clean spills up as soon as they happen. It'll be fine. Don't let things like that control your life. If you keep pets, that's a different story, I guess. (we don't) Pets are dirty, no matter how "clean" you think they are. You just need to clean everything twice as often and deeper when you have pets.

If you like carpeting, get carpeting. If you like hardwood flooring better get that. Hardwood works better for people with allergies. As far as hardwood flooring goes, I hear bamboo is quite nice and somewhat affordable. Anybody heard anyting about it or have used it?

Nuthin' like the car wars to get at-home Dads going!

All of it...car, carpet...it's really a personal choice, great cases can be made for all options. Personally, I drive the Honda mini-van for boys...the Pilot, which sits on exactly the same frame and has exactly the same drivetrain as the Honda Odyssey (and the Acura MDX)...basic suv-style body. I'm in the camp that won't drive a minivan. Period. Squat fat-assed suburban cars mostly driven by women of the same type... ;-) So flame me! Nah, on second thought, save the bandwith...

Best point made was the question about whether you really need that big a vehicle anyway. I was VERY happy with my Honda CRV (mini-suv), but we really needed more seats so we had to supersize it. I'd really prefer to have my CRV back...especially if I could have one of the new ones!

Flooring...yeah, probably get decent quality carpet which is easily cleanable, and buy one of the little hand held plug-in carpet cleaners to keep handy (basically small wet-vacs with some sort of motorized brush...don't get cordless, not enough amps!). Wood flooring is more readily cleanable, but the comfort factor probably trumps that in my mind.

- Andy
________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kcdad/

As a dad of 7, we've upgraded to the 12-passenger and have been through 3 other vehicles in our 10 years of parenting. When it's just you and the baby... anything goes. Whatever you're comfortable in and that meets the gas mileage requirement on your wallet -- go with that. If you're not sure about the SUV/van appearance... I've done both and liked both. Mind you, we didn't go to a van until child #2.

Flooring -- I always like hardwood, b/c its so practical and easy to clean. I've got both in my house. Just make sure you have some good carpet cleaner (Spotshot or something like that) when the inevitable squirt comes.

Oh... and when it comes to the stroller... this is where the SUV/van question gets answered. Get the vehicle that the best stroller will fit into.

You'll have to drive both the Odyssey and the Sienna to decide. The seat-of-the-pants feel of the Toyota felt disconnected to me in the way that driving a big old American sedan felt disconnected. The Sienna's power steering is to strong, or the suspension too soft, perhaps. I felt like I was driving a boat. The Odyssey gives me more road feel.

For me, the view out the front was also better in the Odyssey. The Sienna is more plush. I think I read a review that said it should have been badged as a Lexus.

It's very subjective. Both vans are solidly built, and have their respective fans. You should really drive both.

Phaze-3
Parenting While Male

Thanks. I sort of thought that's what you meant, but really wasn't sure. Even though we aren't in the market for one, I will go out and test drive both of them. I may even try out the Quest. (not much of a Nissan fan, but what the heck!)

Thanks for the review!

Cool! Another vote for the truck-with-space camp. I approve. :-)

I would definately go with the Mini-Van. If you buy a Toyota or Honda it will last so long that your family will grow into it. My wife and I are expecting twins and she thinks we'll be able to use our '00 Dodge Stratus to haul Us, Them, all their stuff and all our stuff fron NC to MO for a week when their 10 weeks old. I don't think so, a Mini Van is in our future. Shell be able to sit in the back with them all the way, nurse and change them and everything, it just makes sence. The toyota Sienna is a great car, I just test drove it on Saturday last. With traction and Stability control it drives like a sports car. Test drive it, it will change your out look. I have no opinion on the floor, sorry, Cheers, Joe.

Much to my initial dismay, I had to trade in my truck for a vehicle that could accomodate three car seats. After much kicking and screaming, I settled on a dodge caravan. Even though my pride is damaged when I drive in it, a van is probably your best bet for being able to get the kids in and out. Trust me...after you have had to pull the kids in and out of the vehicle 19 times during your daily chores/routine, you will appriciate a van.

I have 3 kids who are very close in age. They are a handful to say the least. Save the aggrivation and get wood floors. They are easier to clean and if you are worried about appearances or cold feet in the morning, just get an area rug to cover it up. In the long run, it will save you the aggrivation of having to replace the carpet. (Some childhood spills will not come out of carpet...i.e. nail polish)

As someone who just recently, and reluctantly, traded an SUV for a minivan, I can say, the transition has it advantages. While I still would prefer an SUV, I do enjoy driving our new minivan. As a Honda diehard family, it is worth noting we found the new (2006 and newer model year) KiA SEDONA to be the hands-down winner in price, performance (yes, this van can go!), safety (which is one of the reasons for making the switch, let's face it), and warranty/customer service (this company and its dealers want loyal and picky Honda and Toyota owners). They won us over. We still have the civic for the commuting tasks, but the van is the everyday workhorse now. I was even pleasantly surprised at how well the boat tows behind this van.

I can deal with this. All too soon I'll be trading it in for a safe car for a teenage driver. Then I can go back to my SUV or sports car.