Totally OT: It's a sad day

[Jeff Rutledge]

Today I traded in my 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT for a minivan. Yes, it's true. :(

It's not that I mind the minivan per se. I just loved driving the Grand Prix so much.

Oh well, c'est la vie. As my wife says, we are now fully domesticated (House, Dog, baby and now minivan). I just need to buy the "Baby on Board" sticker for the back window and the transformation will be complete. ;)

Sorry for venting...but I had to get it off my chest. 8)

[Steven Cedrone]

Sad day indeed. Oh well, it happens to the best of us! I remember when I had to sell my Jeep. :( Here I thought I was over that, thanks for depressing me! :wink:

Steve

[karinatwork]

Don't be sad. You did the right thing. You can be proud of yourself. *pat on back*

Think about all the hockey gear that you can pack into that thing! :lol:

K.

[Jeff Rutledge]

Sad day indeed. Oh well, it happens to the best of us! I remember when I had to sell my Jeep. :( Here I thought I was over that, thanks for depressing me! :wink:

Steve

Sorry Steve. I hadn't thought of that. I don't want to be responsible for depressing a pile of folks who took the plunge.

Here, this always makes me laugh:

:alfdance:

[Jeff Rutledge]

Don't be sad. You did the right thing. You can be proud of yourself. *pat on back*

Think about all the hockey gear that you can pack into that thing! :lol:

K.

Yeah, I know it's the right thing to do. Doesn't mean I like it. :lol:

Maybe now we'll get out camping more often. Hmmm...another reason to get GPS... (once the discounts are in of course). :mrgreen:

[Pat Logsdon]

Don't be sad, JR! You can still be cool with a minivan - you can lower it a few inches, put on some 14" wheels with cool metal mudflaps, one of those loud mufflers, and a chain steering wheel! :mrgreen:

[Jeff Rutledge]

Don't be sad, JR! You can still be cool with a minivan - you can lower it a few inches, put on some 14" wheels with cool metal mudflaps, one of those loud mufflers, and a chain steering wheel! :mrgreen:

And a cool paint job:

http://www.rivercruizers.com/events/RiverCruise-2000/minivan.jpg

[Jason Dunn]

My wife Ashley has made me PROMISE that I will NEVER buy her a minivan. So when the time comes it will probably be a small SUV/jeep type thing... :-)

[Jeff Rutledge]

My wife Ashley has made me PROMISE that I will NEVER buy her a minivan. So when the time comes it will probably be a small SUV/jeep type thing... :-)

We talked about it and were tempted with a few of them out there, but settled on the van (for the next little while anyway).

[Video11]

I feel your pain. Wife, cat, dog, mortgage, kids, minivan. Sigh. :wink: Never been happier though.

It's true that you can get a LOT of stuff into a minivan. I've kind of gotten used to it now, but whenver I get a chance to drive a car it's a real blast.

[JackTheTripper]

I had to get rid of my thing (VW that is;)) and my bike. (Honda) But the bike was a piece of junk and I'll be buying a new one this year. :D

Oh the joy of knowing you'll never have kids. ;)

[Jeff Rutledge]

I feel your pain. Wife, cat, dog, mortgage, kids, minivan. Sigh. :wink: Never been happier though.

Agreed. I complain (mostly in jest). Really, I wouldn't change it for anything.

[drop]

I always wonder how people dealt with the transportation issues before the invention of minivan and SUV. People had more children then!

I went though crisis just going from a 2-door to a 4-door sedan. And THAT is as far as I would go. <Captain Picard voice>"The line must be drawn here -- this far, no further!"</voice>

[John0866]

Ok I'd still rather have the new BMW 5 series, or the Infiniti FX, but the mini is the best "car" I have ever owned. Ok so the others, between the 2 of us, were a buick lesabre (she loved it I HATED it), corsica, grand am (my current car - crap!), and my fav - 1990 probe, 5sp, v-6. But the Dodge Minivan is really damn nice. We did get it fully loaded a 6 months ago and have absolutely nothing to complain about - rides great, responsive, nice features (missed the fold flat seats though).

The only bad part... I am checking out the Mom's in their minivans now (men are such pigs aren't we? lol)

[famousdavis]

I always wonder how people dealt with the transportation issues before the invention of minivan and SUV. People had more children then

True, but the federal government didn't mandate that every child sit in a child's car seat. Although the back seat of most any fullsize car can physically accommodate 4 schoolage kids, it's physically impossible to do that if you install child car seats.

We went to a minivan as Baby #3 was a few months from being born. The extra spaciousness was wonderful -- we had a Saturn SL2 compact before that! 8O

Personally, I'm not "into" cars and other transportation vehicles. I drive a 13-year-old pickup truck to work and back...that says a lot. :wink:

[yslee]

Hey, a M5 makes a nice 4 door sedan. =P If you want a stationwagon type, there's always the Audi RS4. =P

[Jeff Rutledge]

I always wonder how people dealt with the transportation issues before the invention of minivan and SUV. People had more children then!

Yeah, but they didn't have the big 4x4 strollers we do. ;)

Actually, that was the deciding factor for us. We folded down the stroller and put it in the trunk of the Grand Prix and the trunk disappeared. It would take 4 trips to the grocery store to get all the bags back.

Plus, people were tougher back then. :lol:

[Jeff Rutledge]

...and my fav - 1990 probe, 5sp, v-6.

I had a 1991 Probe. Great car. I liked my Grand Prix more, but the Probe was a very close 2nd.

[Kati Compton]

Paint it to look like the Mystery Machine! ;)

When I was a kid, my parents had "normal" cars. My husband's parents only had "normal" cars. I'm sure if we have kids, we'll try to stick to "normal" cars. I'm not sure I understand why having kids automatically means a mini-van. If you have 5 kids, sure. But just one?

[Jeff Rutledge]

Paint it to look like the Mystery Machine! ;)

When I was a kid, my parents had "normal" cars. My husband's parents only had "normal" cars. I'm sure if we have kids, we'll try to stick to "normal" cars. I'm not sure I understand why having kids automatically means a mini-van. If you have 5 kids, sure. But just one?

I agree with the sentiment. That's why we got a four-year lease when we got our Grand Prix, knowing we'd be trying to have kids before that. We thought "We might need a van when the 2nd kid arrives, but not just for one."

And then we started going out with our son. It was a pain to get his car seat in and out of it's base. Add that to the stroller taking up the entire trunk and we decided it was time for a change.

Having said that, I know plenty of people who get by with little two-door cars and children. I guess it's all about personal tastes.

[drop]

True, but the federal government didn't mandate that every child sit in a child's car seat. Although the back seat of most any fullsize car can physically accommodate 4 schoolage kids, it's physically impossible to do that if you install child car seats.



Yeah, but they didn't have the big 4x4 strollers we do. ;)


Forgive my ignorance :lol: .

I almost persuade my significant other to go child-free. Except he went home for his high school reunion and came back all starry eyes about raising kids. This thread gives me an evil idea. Next time this conversation comes up, I would tell him to trade his CLK430 to a minivan :twisted: . He would puke blood :mrgreen: .

[dmacburry2003]

That minivan is so ghetto 8O

[Jeff Rutledge]

That minivan is so ghetto 8O

Just so there's no confusion, that picture was not my van. I looked around for some pics that look like my car and van.

Basically, I've gone from this:
http://www.new-cars.com/2003/pontiac/2003-pontiac-grand-prix.jpg

to this:

http://www.woodbridgepontiac.com/new_photos/24089.jpg

[karen]

I always wonder how people dealt with the transportation issues before the invention of minivan and SUV. People had more children then!

I went though crisis just going from a 2-door to a 4-door sedan. And THAT is as far as I would go. <Captain Picard voice>"The line must be drawn here -- this far, no further!"</voice>

Uh...we had station wagons...and they carried the same 'stigma' as minivans do today.

Yeah, I have many fond memories of tossing my cookies (probably with chocolate milk and other goodies) in the last folding seat in my parent's white, woody-sided vista cruiser (or whatever it was called) as my dad hit bumps in the road....

I also remember once...I can't believe I'm telling this...getting stuck during hide-and-seek when I hid beneath the fold down back seat near the floor boards and couldn't reach the release latch. Finally managed to get it about 2 hours later.

I remember that the interior was green.. but maybe that was the avocado green station wagon....ugh...

http://mrhell.home.sprynet.com/Vista_5.jpg
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http://www.442.com/bryce/vcside2.gif
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http://www.mothers.com/coolcars/mothers-coolcars/vistacruiser/vistabroch/VistaBroch.html

[dmacburry2003]

I wonder what it will look like after you put your gadgets and junk in it. :D Get a siren, lights, the works. Then get a HPC and hook it up to all that crap. Now you will be gangsta.

Again, I will refer to "Honey I Blew Up The Kid" :alfdance: <that's the kid.

Especially with that new GPS system your gonna get. Geekmania. Just don't paint it pink like that other guy did :wink:

[JustinGTP]

JR,

Why didn't you just keep both? :D

You know that picture you put up of the Grand Prix? We have one exactly like that, a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, (except black) and a Minivan (2000 GMC Safari SLT AWD)

I drive the fan as my mum loves the car and the bmw x5. The van is a blast, I can carry around all my friends in comfort! :D Plus the AWD makes it fun at traffic lights when the snow is mushy :D

-Justin.

[Steven Cedrone]

Uh...we had station wagons...and they carried the same 'stigma' as minivans do today.

Yeah, I have many fond memories of tossing my cookies (probably with chocolate milk and other goodies) in the last folding seat in my parent's white, woody-sided vista cruiser (or whatever it was called) as my dad hit bumps in the road....

I also remember once...I can't believe I'm telling this...getting stuck during hide-and-seek when I hid beneath the fold down back seat near the floor boards and couldn't reach the release latch. Finally managed to get it about 2 hours later.

I remember that the interior was green.. but maybe that was the avocado green station wagon....ugh...

My family had the Ford Family Truckster! It was the LTD stationwagon with the two folding seats in the rear. I can rember we used to close those seats, fold down the back seat and all the kids (we were 5) would lay down and sleep on long trips. No doing that these days!!!

Steve

[Jeff Rutledge]

JR,

Why didn't you just keep both? :D

You know that picture you put up of the Grand Prix? We have one exactly like that, a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, (except black) and a Minivan (2000 GMC Safari SLT AWD)

I drive the fan as my mum loves the car and the bmw x5. The van is a blast, I can carry around all my friends in comfort! :D Plus the AWD makes it fun at traffic lights when the snow is mushy :D

-Justin.

We thought about it briefly. But we don't need two vehicles. I work downtown so I usually take the bus. Other than that, my wife and I are usually together anywhere we go. At least most of the time. There aren't enough times where we each need a vehicle to justify the extra expense. I imagine we'll be OK with one until we have another kid and they both get old enough to have hobbies (i.e. one has piano lessons and the other has soccer practice).

Still, it was tempting. 8)

[JustinGTP]

I know, I have driven the Grand Prix GTP, it has a lot of power - it is so much fun! :D

The only downside to the GTP is that it wants a gas with an octane higher than 90 - its expensive. And the way my mum drives, she gets 17MPG!

-Justin.

[JonnoB]

When my wife and I had our sixth child, I went and bought a new BMW M Roadster (often confused with the Z3)... She gave me her blessing because I also got rid of her Dodge Caravan and bought her a new Suburban.

Now - I know what you are thinking. We already have 4 televisions!

[ctmagnus]

Here's what I would do with a minivan:

1) Stick a black light behind the grill

2) Get some Dragon's Breath (or whatever the nifty fog's called) coming out of there.

:mrgreen:

But then I have officially decided I am not going to drive, at least for the foreseaable future so you may want to take this with a grain of salt.

[Video11]

...When I was a kid, my parents had "normal" cars. My husband's parents only had "normal" cars. I'm sure if we have kids, we'll try to stick to "normal" cars. I'm not sure I understand why having kids automatically means a mini-van. If you have 5 kids, sure. But just one?

LOL! So Naive. :lol:

We said exactly the same thing. "There is no WAY I am driving a mini-van." First kid we used the two door coupe. What a pain in the behind trying to get the kid's car seat in and out of the back. And lugging around the stroller, diaper bag, play pen, toys, tricycles....the trunk was overflowing. As the second kid gets closer to arrival I break down and buy a four door sedan. Better. But with two kids, the dog and all the gear it looks like we are going on a Mount Everest Expedition everytime we leave the house. The final straw was packing into the car for a week long vacation. We almost couldn't see the kids in the backseat. And the kids argued and teased each other then entire trip while sitting side by side in the back seat.

Stopped at the car dealership on the way home and bought the mini-van. Never looked back. It's not as fun as a car, but certainly more practical.

[David Prahl]

I've got a 1993 Dodge Caravan with a manual transmission! 8O

Yes! Really!

It's hardly ever needs repairs, starts just fine in Wisconsin winter mornings, and has plenty of cargo room. Not the coolest car, but I love it!

[Jeff Rutledge]

I've got a 1993 Dodge Caravan with a manual transmission! 8O

Yes! Really!

It's hardly ever needs repairs, starts just fine in Wisconsin winter mornings, and has plenty of cargo room. Not the coolest car, but I love it!

Manual transmission? That's awesome! That was my only complaint about my Grand Prix actually. It was my first automatic. It was so fun to drive too...imagine how much fun it would have been if it was a stick.

[baker]

Don't knock the mini-van route. They get decent gas mileage, you sit a little higher and see things better and you can take the seats out and with a tarp have a temporary truck to haul stuff to and from home. Ours have proven very reliable. We put 172,500 miles on our first one and we're approaching 100,000 on the second. My only problem is it takes a little longer to wash.

[mrkablooey]

We have no kids but I want a van. I'd love to have a Honda Odyssey but my wife is in the "no minivan" brigade. The Odyssey is the best looking minivan out there, and you'd have to deck it out with captains chairs, DVD and NAV, of course. ;)