I’m going to break down and do it.
I’m going to get a minivan.
I think.
I’ve always been adamant that I would NEVEREVERNEVEROMG drive a minivan. Because…it’s a minivan. But now that I”m having a third kid, the light bulb went off (with a little help from my friend MerlotMom).
A minivan is practical. A minivan is easy. A minivan is DESIGNED for families with children. And, ahem, that’s US.
So we visited our local Honda and Toyota dealers on Friday. We test drove minivans. Dylan test drove the back seat. We liked it. Dylan liked it.
Then I spent the next 48 hours obsessing over WHICH minivan was right for us. The Odyssey and the Sienna are similar in so many ways. They both have the seating options I need. They both have power sliding, remote opening doors. They both come with amazing safety features, like standard side curtain airbags in all three rows. They both have a shitload of cup holders. They’re almost exactly the same price.
The reasons I don’t like each of them? The Toyota comes in boring colors. If you own a white, tan or black minivan, I’m sure it’s lovely. It’s just not for me. If I’m going to pay for a DVD System, I don’t want the screens attached to the seats. And since I’m not getting the luxury model, that’s apparently my only option. It does, however, come with a few more standard features.
The Honda, on the other hand, comes in a better color selection. But, it doesn’t come wired for Bluetooth as a standard feature. So I won’t have an installed hands free phone option. We live in California. I HAVE to have a hands free driving option. Having Bluetooth not be a standard feature is a total FAIL for Honda in my opinion.
These are the things currently keeping me up at night. It’s fascinating, isn’t it?
I’ll let you know what I decide.
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{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
I felt the same way before I got my van, but now? I wouldn’t trade my Odyssey for anything. I love everything about it. I don’t know if they kept this function for the newer models(I hope they did!)…but did you know that the kids can watch the movie in the back and listen with headphones while you have your own music playing in the front? Love that.
And the extra seat that you can hide in the base of the car and only pull out if you need it? Basically brilliant.
Good luck deciding which one!
.-= Bridget´s last blog ..So you want a successful blog? =-.
Have you considered a crossover, like the Traverse or Murano? I was driving a Ford Freestyle (now Taurus) before we got our 15-passenger van (OMG it is huge) and I loved it. It had seating for 7 and enough room in the back for our needs (we don’t travel much though). It drives more like a car. Good luck in your shopping!
“A minivan is practical. A minivan is easy. A minivan is DESIGNED for families with children”
A mom hair cut and mom jeans are both also practical. easy. and designed for moms with kids.
don’t do it!!! hehehe
(I did the opposite you did, had a minivan first, loved it, and traded it in for an SUV. lol)
I have a 2010 Odyssey–it is wired for blue tooth. We have the navigation system, I’m pretty sure you have to have that, but my blue tooth feature works perfectly. It’s integrated into the steering wheel and very easy to use.
Good luck choosing. It’s my second Odyssey and I LOVE it. I’m sure the Sienna is nice too. Minivans truly make life easier.
.-= Mom24@4evermom´s last blog ..2010 MPM #17 =-.
I have one kid and a minivan – I love the space. Heck, we had the van before P was even here.
I’m a sucker for all that room and it makes me feel really grown up. Which we both know I’m not…
.-= Amy in OHio´s last blog ..More on Eat! Move! Play! =-.
We just bought the Oddyseey last week and I’m in LOVE. I’m expecting baby number 2 this month and always swore I would never, ever drive a mini-van, until I attempted to put a second car seat in my car and realized with two kids and a stroller, there wasn’t room for ANYTHING ELSE in the car. Mine has the bluetooth, but it also has the navigation, so I think that’s why. Honestly, this car practically drives itself. I haven’t used the DVD yet, but it does come with wireless headphones, so I don’t have to listen to Clifford if I don’t want to, when the time comes.
Ah jeez, ridiculous misspelling of Odyssey. Embarrassing.
.-= Mama Bub´s last blog ..Conflicted =-.
We have an Odyssey but I kinda wish we got the Sienna. The Sienna has 4 wheel drive and we go skiing in VT a lot, so 4 wheel drive would be ever so nice. But one thing to consider is the gas mileage. Which one would cost you more money?
Good luck deciding, it sounds like a really hard choice.
I’m with your first ever statement, I will NEVER drive a mini-van. I’ll probably never have 3 kids either. LOL
.-= AmazingGreis´s last blog ..California, oh how I miss thee… =-.
Trust me when I say you need “Stow and Go” seating. Our town and country has seats that fold into the floor. When the seats are up, you can store things in the chambers the seats fold into. Removing the seats is not as good an option.
Bluetooth is better as an aftermarket add-on, and so is the DVD systems. Probably cheaper too. Again, just my opinions.
.-= Hockeymandad´s last blog ..Weekend Memories =-.
You are going to LOVE it. We almost got the Sienna this time, but we got the Traverse instead. We LOVE it to death, but if I had little ones, I’d go for a van again. Nothing beats those sliding doors.
.-= Anna See´s last blog ..How to Piss Off Your Wife in 527 Convoluted Steps, OR, A Formula for Anger =-.
LOL. I have to laugh, I’m sorry. My husband feels teh same way you do about the dreaded minivan. our friends decided on an SUV. We are on our way to our third child and drive a really small pick up truck. When the eldest gets back in Aug, it’s going to be a tight squeeze with an infant seat, a booster seat, and a 9yr old. lol.
I have nothing against the MV bc, sad to say, my first car was aMV. lol. But believe me, they don’t look and act the same anymore. They amaze me and so nice. Just think of it as the family limo.
Good luck on your decision, and either one of those are a good pick.
It’s going to make your life SO. MUCH. EASIER. Either one is an excellent choice. My only advice is to splurge on the leather. It makes cleanup a breeze and helps avoid that old milk smell. With leather, you should get the Bluetooth connection…
OK, I’m going to admit, I kind of have a strong opinion on this one. I HATED minivans growoing up…we had one and it was soooo embarressing. But I LLOVE LOVE LOVE my Toyota Sienna. And while I did splurge and ge t the Limited, I have no regrets. The Stow-n-Go would be nice, but I have 2 friends who have it and HATE the rest of the van. I think the Sienna drove better, and yes, it comes in boring colors, mine is black with tan leather. And yes, I agree on the splurge about the leather. Mine is a 2009. We actually e-mailed 7 different dealerships requesting exactly what we wanted, and the one that got back to us saying they could get it was the one we went with. We paid $100 over invoice and got 2.9% financing, so I feel like we got a pretty good deal. My sister has a 2004 Odyssey and had to replace the transmission at 100K miles. Plus she has had other small feature problems. Not that you asked…but go for the Toyota:) I even write my last blog on how my minivan had made me even more lazy…if that was possible.
.-= Gail´s last blog ..A New Level of Lazy =-.
We are about to have our 2nd baby and in a few years, I think we’ll be shopping for a bigger car. I know minivans have this ‘reputation’, but the truth (like you said) is that they are CONVENIENT! They’re made to hold a lot of people and stuff, and when you get to the point where you have 2 or more kids? You need that space!
.-= Rachael´s last blog ..Welcome to SNOTW’s Birthdaypalooza! =-.
I am a minivan mom….and I’m currently counting the days until I can trade it in. heh.
They are REALLY convenient, I won’t lie…but I really miss my jeep….
.-= ali´s last blog ..Twenty Minutes with Sterling Knight =-.
okay, I am going to be honest here and tell you that I LOVE my mini van. I lusted after vans when we would have the 4 door compact car. When our car was stolen in 2007 and hubs drove my Tempo for 3 days he deemed it unsafe and decided that I could have whatever I wanted. (he was hoping that I wanted an SUV) I decided on the mini van. I honestly will probably always have a minivan. They are so nice and I don’t have to worry about the space. And with 2 girls at the age they are so nice becuase they always want to take a friend with them and of course there is the dog.
I would probably go with the Sienna, because then you can come up with a cool name for your van depicting its borning color. My girl is called ‘Old Lady Beige’ and she rocks it!
xo
.-= DE Heather´s last blog ..To Mildred From Mom 12-25-47 =-.
Right after I read your post, my friend sent me the following link. This hilarious “mini van music video” alone should make you either laugh, cry or buy a sienna!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4
Lol do it! We bought the Honda Odyssey in a lovely seafoam green last year because we had an Element that only sat four and we knew we wanted more kids. I sooo love it! but I always wanted a minivan…I am crazy like that.
.-= Beth´s last blog ..How to achieve perfect focus – A Bloggography tutorial =-.
Now this is why I wonder how they could have ever decided to stop making those wood-paneled station wagons. They were indestructible, roomy and everyone quickly learned to get over their car sickness tendencies by riding backwards in the last seat/trunk area. Plus they were pretty rad looking.
I know. SUPER HELPFUL.
.-= Undomestic Diva´s last blog ..This is how we do’s it =-.
Hmmm…I bought a minivan when I was pregnant with #3 boy. I have a Honda Odyssey because that is the best deal I could make…it is gray. I now go to parking lots and my minivan gets lost in the sea of gray minivans…it appears that there were ALOT of deals on gray minivans that fall.
I love my minivan. When you are inside you don’t know it is a minivan…but when the kids are all out of carseats I am going back to adult civilization and driving a REAL car.
My minivan has bluetooth. Make them throw it in for free…tell them I said they would do that.
.-= HRH´s last blog ..blog hop potluck with a prize =-.
I am so freaking jealous. I covet the sliding doors.
i only have 2 kids and i’ve always sworn that i’d NEVER get a van. lately, i’ve been thinking i might want one.
then i go cry because i’ve changed so much…in a good way…but chanted none the lesss.
.-= Becky @TheRealBecks´s last blog ..Keeping up with changes =-.
We have a 2003 Sienna and I love it. I can’t wait until the day when we can upgrade and get a newer fancy schmancy Sienna
Welcome to the wonderful world of Minivan Moms. Watch out, you”ll be a Soccer Mom before you know it 
.-= Kim´s last blog ..Our Grand Getaway =-.
oh meg….a minivan??? whatever are you thinking LOL??? what about a lovely SUV??? if/when a third comes i refuse to consider a minivan!!! we will just get a bigger SUV!!! no minivan for me
Here’s why I love my minivan:
-Not only do I have enough space for my two kids, I can also cart around 3 of their friends. Or, in some cases 3 of my friends’ kids.
-When I need to make big purchases at Home Depot, IKEA, etc., I don’t have to rent a truck because when the seats are out, it’s like I already own a truck. See, the minivan is saving me money.
-When the girls start fighting with each other in the car, there’s actually enough room to separate them.
-Sometimes I’ll put both of them in the last row just for the illusion of driving without them.
-When you go on a date with your husband, it’s a much more comfortable back seat.
-The kids were able to climb in and out on their own from an early age (as opposed to my friend’s SUV which was too high for them.)
Good luck with your purchase!
.-= 2Forgetful´s last blog ..Encouragement =-.
I revoted and rallied against the minivan for a long time. Until I was having my third and realized I would have to load one of the other kids in through the trunk.
While I still catch my reflection in bank windows and wonder “Who in the world is that lady?” I have to admit I am (mostly) glad I gave in.
.-= Molly´s last blog ..I am who I am (or am I?) =-.
A random thought, from a stranger — don’t worry too much about the Bluetooth option, because you really don’t need to be talking on the phone while you’re driving.
Study after study has shown that driving while talking on the cell-phone hands-free isn’t any safer than driving while holding the phone.
The problem isn’t with our hands. The problem is with our brains, which really can’t adequately perform two tasks as complex as driving and having a telephone conversation.
For the safety of yourself, and your two (three!) kids, train yourself to stop talking while driving. I did it after our daughter was born, and am so glad I did.
When we found out that we were expecting again I was bound and determined I did NOT need a new car. I had a VW Passat and I love my car! I have no car payment so come one…..BUT when I went to get my car inspected this month we decided it would be wise to just get a new car. My BF suggested a mini van….I vomited a little in my mouth….really did not want it…so I talked to my friend/sales guy and he hooked me up with a wonderful used RED FORD EXPLORER!!! I LOVE it! seats 7 and I can put down the 3rd row for more storage when needed! Good Luck with your car buying!!!! I am sop happy with our choice (minus the new car payment)
.-= Kylah´s last blog ..Getting things DONE! =-.