I need a new car. SRSLY, a new car. - Page 2

[mbhf]

Originally Posted by Usually Curious

Nah. Ours is stuffed full of gas for $65 right now. It depends on where you live, but people really like to exaggerate the cost of filling Suburbans for the shock value.

AND ours gets better gas mileage than our Nissan Quest did. Hah!

I would NEVER choose a minivan over a Suburban to haul adult sized people. The gas difference in nonexistent if you drive responsibly. We use a lot of 'hyper mile' techniques. Even with my 18yos driving we get as good (or better!) gas mileage out of ours.

I've heard several suburban drivers say their gas mileage is comparable to a minivan but no one actually gives numbers, and there's a big difference in MPG between a 1995 Caravan and a 2005 Odyssey besides. Can I ask what you get? I feel that I drive very responsibly and I average about 24mpg in my Odyssey and around 28 on the interstate.

I love my minivan and I have found that my third row is actually bigger (and more comfortable) than the third row of a Suburban. Now obviously the middle row of a Suburban is huge and very comfortable but I was truly shocked at the size of the third row. I was also surprised at the lack of legroom in both of the rear rows. For a behicle thatis that big on the outside I expected a lot more room.

[Usually Curious]

Well, our 2000 Nissan Quest got about 14 city/18 highway. Our 2001 Suburban gets about 18 city/22 highway. Any vehicle we have is loaded down because there a lot of us and most are adult sized. I feel that's close enough to call 'apples to apples'.

Leg room is not the only issue. The man sized guys in our family are very broad shouldered and fit very comfortably three across the back seat on long trips. This is not so in minivans because they are not as wide.

Luggage for 8 people takes a lot of space and we have more cargo space than a minivan. My trips to Sam's alone would take more space than a minivan has.

It's very possible that newer vehicles would get better gas mileage but the savings in gas would not help when a new vehicle would cost $30-$40k, yk?

[JamieCatheryn]

The safer hypermiling stuff is more about letting off the gas early to slow down instead of waiting and hitting the brake, or braking early to slow down when coming to a red light in case it turns green so you don't have to completely stop then start up again. Also not speeding because going faster increases wind resistance.

[Usually Curious]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn

The safer hypermiling stuff is more about letting off the gas early to slow down instead of waiting and hitting the brake, or braking early to slow down when coming to a red light in case it turns green so you don't have to completely stop then start up again. Also not speeding because going faster increases wind resistance.

Exactly! I got on and here's the link:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/green...permiling.aspx

[FloridaBorn]

Hey y'all,

Just letting you know I *really* appreciate everyone's responses! Thanks!

I'm pretty depressed about my car situation right now. My RAV4 is dying... it has a death rattle, not kidding. It sounds like valves/rings need to be redone and I just dread having it worked on.

I found a 2008 Suburban online that's about an hour's drive away at a used dealership and DH and I may go check it out this weekend.

Let me just tell you that trying to look at cars in 90 degree heat with a two month LO has NOT been good times.

DH: "Don't you want to test drive this one?"
Me: "I'm nursing the baby."

And NIP at car dealerships hasn't been fun either... so many men and no real discreet place to go (latch issues, still using a nipple shield), etc.