vehicle woes and car shopping

Our vehicles have been creating some issues for us lately.

The ancient minivan that my dad bought for us in December is not really running. We've gotten it to start a few times lately but not nearly often enough to make it reliable. It's just got way too many issues to be worth fixing. The Jeep that I have had since high school runs well, except when the battery dies, and the five of us can all cram into it (although it's miserable for whichever adult has to sit in back), but the invincible mold/mildew issue combined with the wasp nests are keeping me from wanting to drive around in it with vulnerable little ones. So our main transportation is the Chevy truck that Keith's parents bought new 18 years ago. Priscilla and Abraham can ride in their carseats in the back, while Keith and I and Ezekiel squeeze in the front (no airbags, so baby is safe there). I do like being able to sit next to both Keith and Ezekiel, although it is rather crowded when we are all together, but the whole 10 mpg and no air conditioning thing is a bit of an issue.

Thus, we've finally acknowledged that we are just going to have to break down and buy something else. Especially since not having a reliable second vehicle is what is holding Keith back from going to North Dakota and getting a job. But here's the thing; neither of us have ever bought a vehicle in our lives. Ever. We are in our late twenties and have never made a vehicle purchase. Can you believe that? We have three children. We even have grown-up type things like life insurance. But we've never bought a vehicle. We are pretty big fans of not having car payments, and we've made it this far on vehicles that were gifted to us. But the time has come.

So now we're doing car shopping and it is completely stressful. (Or was. I'm kind of over it.) We know that the responsible thing for us to do is get a reliable older minivan like a Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey, the only decade-old ones that Consumer Reports says are worth it. But this is our first vehicle purchase!! After nearly eight years of marriage!! Isn't something more momentous in order? We'd get something modest, of course, but something like... I don't know... an Acura MDX sounds nice. So pretty. And it's even reliable! Even if it is significantly out of our price range.

So then we got looking at what else is in our price range and you know what? We totally want an older Land Rover. Rugged on the outside... lovely leather interior with lots of gadgets... what's not to love? There are several on Craigslist and why would you drive a Sienna when you could drive a Land Rover?? Wellll... because they aren't fabulously reliable, that's why. And they are super expensive to fix.

Sooo.... back we go to the minivans. (Although I did try to persuade Keith that we could make a 4Runner or other SUV work. He's just not sold on the three carseats in the backseat thing.) Yesterday we test-drove a 2000 Odyssey and fell in love with it. So comfortable! So pretty! So many power buttons! So many working parts! Man, when did cars ever get so cool? (Can you tell we've never owned something built in this millenium? Or that we'd spent the day cramped in the big hot truck with no air conditioning, breathing in lots of city exhaust?) We were like, "Ooh, a CD player!! Ooh, look how well it corners! Ooh, buttons to make the back windows open!! Ooh, seats that don't make you want to cry after sitting in them for a while!" and our salesman... for whom this is just a junky trade-in vehicle, hardly worth his time to show us between selling new $40k trucks... must have thought we were... well, really, I have no idea what he thought.

Anyway, the Odyssey has some issues. We may or may not buy it tomorrow, depending on how much the price can come down. But first we are going to Union Gospel Mission Motors, which happens to have a 2001 Sienna right now, the net proceeds of which go COMPLETELY back to the ministry of Union Gospel Mission. How cool is that? I love Union Gospel Mission! So we're kinda banking on that one now. I really would prefer a Honda after driving a Toyota for the last eight years but... oh well. Reliable + big enough + benefitting UGM = probably going to win out over the dealership. Wish I could find a private party willing to sell an inexpensive, reliable Odyssey right now, but oh well. So off we go tomorrow in the truck with the three children ages three and under to the city that's an hour and a half away. It promises to be a good time.

I notice that nobody else ever, ever, ever seems to blog about vehicles. So, I'm sorry if that was dreadfully boring. It just happens to be totally consuming our thoughts this month.