The lease on my tiny commuter car is about up and the husband and I have decided just to buy a used car outright rather than get another lease or finance something. (I don't want a monthly payment.) So, I'm looking for something fairly inexpensive.
I would be perfectly content to buy another small commuter, but the husband is pushing me to buy a family mover so that we don't have to take two cars when we all go somewhere, because we have a household of six.
Here's the issue: I HATE MINIVANS. We had one once. I ran over curbs regularly, it had a blind spot large enough to hide a Tahoe, and it made me feel like I was a little too soccermomish. (Yes, I'm aware that's not a real word.) I'm not opposed to an SUV if it's the right size, but the ones that I've seen that have third row seating are the size of tanks and get about 10 mpg.
So far I've considered a circa 1997 Land Rover with jump seats, the Volvo wagon with the weird backward facing third seats, or an older Eurovan which I can pimp out an make all nifty. If I have to buy a family mover, I want it to be something that I don't mind using as a daily driver.
I just want something mechanically sound, inexpensive enough that I won't get mad when the kiddos spill crap on the seats, and doesn't make me feel ten years older just by driving it.
Any suggestions?
I would be perfectly content to buy another small commuter, but the husband is pushing me to buy a family mover so that we don't have to take two cars when we all go somewhere, because we have a household of six.
Here's the issue: I HATE MINIVANS. We had one once. I ran over curbs regularly, it had a blind spot large enough to hide a Tahoe, and it made me feel like I was a little too soccermomish. (Yes, I'm aware that's not a real word.) I'm not opposed to an SUV if it's the right size, but the ones that I've seen that have third row seating are the size of tanks and get about 10 mpg.
So far I've considered a circa 1997 Land Rover with jump seats, the Volvo wagon with the weird backward facing third seats, or an older Eurovan which I can pimp out an make all nifty. If I have to buy a family mover, I want it to be something that I don't mind using as a daily driver.
I just want something mechanically sound, inexpensive enough that I won't get mad when the kiddos spill crap on the seats, and doesn't make me feel ten years older just by driving it.
Any suggestions?