Dear Car Companies (please especially perk up, Mr. Honda and Mr. Toyota),
I am a Mom. I am twenty-seven years old. Which means that I am young enough to have experienced the minivan as a kid, thereby forever sealing the impression into my head that minivan = OLD MOM.
I’m not against minivans in general, and I don’t judge my friends that choose that route for their lives. But I personally just can’t get over the self-inflicted stigma of owning one myself. I just feel that it would IMMEDIATELY (and without an “undo” button) make me feel 10 years older, and I’m just not ready for that.
Call me vain and egotistical, but I have enough things to make me feel older without my car doing it too.
However, I have been, of late, envying the impressive room, ease of use, and amenities of some of my friend’s minivans. It’s amazing to me that their two year olds can get in the car and up into their carseats by themselves. That’s right – without any lifting, scooting, maneuvering in a horizontal position, bumping of heads, pinching, or any other efforts or torture by Mom.
And it’s not even like I have a small car – I have a medium-to-large SUV (A Honda Pilot, if you must know). But the fact has become glaringly obvious: minivans are made for ease in maneuvering toddlers and babies.
SUV’s, as much as I would like to believe otherwise, aren’t.
And, as I start to begin to consider pondering the possibility of perhaps conceivably maybe potentially adding to our family at some point in time, I see the intense need of having more ease of use when it comes to transportation.
So here’s what I’m asking. You guys are smart. You are always coming up with innovative ways to make cars more impressive, more efficient, and more lustable. So surely you can run with my idea.
Could you please, oh please oh please, make an SUVan? Make it look completely like an SUV on the outside, but have the spaciousness, accessibility, and ease of use of the minivan on the inside. I don’t even have to have those cool slowly-self-propelling sliding doors, if we have to compromise. Just make the inside open up like a minivan.
I know you can do this!! You can totally make this
look like this on the inside.
Just apply those brilliant minds of yours!!
Because there’s a new generation of us young moms out here that have already experienced the minivan once in our lives, and we just can’t stomach replaying it, except this time with US as the OLD MOM.
Sincerely,
Rachel
p.s. – if you do this, I will buy the first one straight off of the showroom floor. If you could just distract my husband for a few minutes. . .
Amen! Although if we have a third child, I'll probably just bite the bullet and get a minivan. We have a "crossover SUV" which is just a glorified station wagon, so it's really just one step away from a minivan anyway.
This is awesome and I totally agree! I'll buy the second one!
Oh my – can't relate. My mom had a station wagon which I always hated but now I think it wouldn't be so bad…
Sounds like a good idea. :) :)
We bought our first mini van 2 years ago when C was a baby, and trust me… I went into coniptions and hyperventalated at the meer thought of buying one~! But now, alas I wouldnt trade the room for anything! Although if they could distract my hubby to, i'd buy the third one off the line! ;)
I got my Chevy Uplander a year ago and have LOVED it. I too swore off minivan's, but then I test drove it and was hooked.
I've always wanted a VW Bug but havne't because they are just too small for a family, and now that I'm a mom I wish they would make a minivan version of it. Wouldn't it be cute to see an army of big bug's driving down the highway?
Sigh. One can dream, right?
I learned to drive in a minivan. As great as they are Tim and I just couldn't bring ourselves to buy one. (: Love our Sequoia!
April S.
Oh this perfectly captures my sentiment, except I don't just have a small dislike for minivans, it is a definite hate! I can't even stand the thought…no matter how much room they have! I still have my little car from college, and we have been looking into Honda Pilots. It sounds like they are not so much better than a car though. Oh the dilema! But I stand firm in my beliefs that I will NEVER own a van!
I also went from an SUV when I had toddlers to a minivan…it was totally out of necessity. Now that they are teens, I cannot get rid of it due to hauling bikes, friends, projects, party supplies, etc., etc.
At some point all young moms have to just get over the fact that they are not 21, give up the drama and get practical (I did!). Aging gracefully is a wonderful trait to pass along to our girls, wouldn't you agree?
~Mom, aged 44 :-)
You know my thoughts on this subject:) Sounds like a great idea to me but until then…SUV's ALL THE WAY!
i drive a toyota sienna and never once have i felt old. having some back problems the fact that my the 3 year old could get in his seat by himself was a God send instead of bending over to put him in my altima. i love all the space we have to haul friends. and my cargo space is larger than a smaller SUV. the 2nd photo you posted looks just like mine. it's paid for and i have no desire to get anything else. i love my minivan.
You know that if I could have talked your bro into it, I definitely would have wanted a minivan. I really couldn't care less about the cool factor (which I agree is pretty low). Give me those sliding automatic doors and the space! Maybe one day…
I think this is a great idea! I have a small SUV and I just want more space. Our vehicle is just too small.
-FringeGirl
LOL! I started out with a Toyota Sienna minivan at age 26. I couldn't handle it. I felt the same way! I upgraded to an SUV and never looked back. But after 7 cramped hours in the SUV with 4 other people I dearly love today, ooh! The minivan guts would have been awesome!
Yes! Abso-freaking-lutely! I love my PILOT, but the ease of use of a minivan does sucketh me in at times. I just can't bring myself to own one. If you make these people listen, I will love you forever!
Your mini van hangup is hilarious.
This is absolutely hysterical! I have a 2 year old and 1 on the way and with each passing day a minivan sounds better and better. Only problem is my car is paid for and I don't want a payment. I do have stipulations though, lol! If I get one I'd like it to be black or silver, preferrably leather and what's a minivan without a dvd player! I mean of course only the nicest will do! I'm definitely contemplating it like you are though and I said I'd NEVER drive one.
I SWORE I would never falter on the minivan issue. I had three children and drove a volvo sedan until my oldest was ten years old. But when I married my 6 ft. 6 in. tall husband and we needed a second car, the husband just didn't buy into my vanity. He bought a Toyota Sienna and drove it since he was taking the kids to school at the time anyway. Now I drive it, I love it and have accepted that I will drive a minivan for years to come! And I don't even notice the Audi TT at the lot down the street. Weeell, not too much… ;)
Great idea! I'll door bust with you when the car man catches on.
We have 2 kids and no minivan, but for other reasons (posting soon). As long as we don't have another, there is really no need to have such a big vehicle as all of us can fit in our cars for most trips. For our last long trip, we rented a minivan and it broke down on the way home. That put the nail in the coffin and now my kids hate them as much as we do!
I’ve been reading your blog for years and decided to scroll through some old posts today while nursing my newborn (I find I have a lot of time to dink around on my phone & iPad while nursing). This post describes my exact feelings today. I now have three kids, aged 10, 5, and 2 months and we recently gave away my husband’s old car. After barely surviving on one car for the last month I am ready for something new. My husband insists that I get the new car and while it sounds fun, I am at a crossroad. I love my Honda CRV but feel the need for something bigger with three kids. Do I dare buy the minivan? I felt so uncool in high school driving my mother’s minivan. Will I lose all remaining coolness if I buy one of my own? I suppose I need to be practical but they are just so ugly!
Here was my solution to this problem! http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2012/04/flex.html
I’ve had it for two years now and still LOOOOOVE it.