With 3 boys all in car seats, and one more due any day… it’s difficult to travel in anything other than a van or an SUV. Especially since we want to have more children.
Right now we own a van. It gets us around. The kids have plenty of room. And there’s definitely room for more babies (and kids). All things that I love about our van.
But… filling it up costs over $65.00. And we fill it at least twice a week.
My husband would like to get something that is more economically sound… but I’m not sold on the idea.
I came across this great article on CNN.com – SUV owners keep on truckin’ despite gas prices - that truly outlined many of my own points.
What do you think?
June 6, 2008 at 3:01 pm
The lady in the CCN article was quoted as saying ‘she didn’t want a minivan because she didn’t want the soccer mom stigma’. Give me a break. Not only is driving an suv the ‘new’ soccer mom stigma, but it’s also socially viewed as wasteful and the driver is viewed as selfish and self centered…excellent qualities for ‘mothers’. Get the right tool for the job lady.
June 6, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I do not see gas prices going down and I do think consumer demand is to blame, especially SUV’s are a great user of gas, but at the same time, I understand that there are people who can’t fit into a smaller, car. I do think there is no excuse for people with 2 children or less to have a SUV( of course there are special circumstances). I drive a Camry and my next car is going to be a corolla.. My Son is off to college next year and I only have my DD at home and hubby. We will never be gas guzzlers.
June 6, 2008 at 4:46 pm
The government should take swift action to eliminate SUVs from the highways. First, non commercial vehicles should be limited to six cylinders and a wheel base of no more than 115 inaches. Registering pick-up trucks should require a permit, which is only issued to those whose work requires them. They should only be registered as commercial or farm vehicles. Current owners of SUVs having eight cylinders or more should be hit with $2500/year surtax and offered tax incentives for trading their gas hogs in on smaller more efficient cars.
June 6, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Hi
I’m from Finland, Europe.
I read the CNN article and then came to this page.
I think the CNN article has only EXCUSES for why people “NEED” a SUV or a truck.
The fuel prices are much higher here, have been for a long time. Some years ago our prices were triple yours, now it’s I think about double so you have catched up a little bit to our price but you are still far from our fuel prices. Think about that for a second or two.
The whole “I need a SUV because I got 3 kids” thing is laughable. I don’t see the people in my country having ANY problems taking their kids around in smaller cars.
How do we Europeans manage to live our lives without the kind of big gas-guzzler cars that you Americans “NEED”? It takes a lot of explaining. I didn’t see any valid reason in the CNN article.
I think you Americans are just getting emotional about it instead of being rational. Push your emotions aside. You do NOT need the SUV.
June 6, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I totally agree with you. I have 3 kids as well all in carseats and I’ve tried squeezing them into the back seat of a sedan. Sure you can fit them in there but I like my fingers without any missing skin. I’d rather pay the extra in gas then have my kids ontop of one another.
June 6, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I like how one of the moms in the story didn’t want to get a minivan because of the associated stigma…being labed a “soccer mom”. Like the term “SUV mom” is any better? You burn more gas and take up more room. When I look around, I see more and more of those “crossover” vehicles. You know, some of the SUV and none of the guilt?
June 6, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I really hate when some moron makes a statement like this…”Antley said he doesn’t think the SUV is on the verge of extinction. He laughs at folks willing to pay $1.25 for a pint of bottled water — $10 a gallon — but who gripe about $4-a-gallon gas.”
Yo, listen up…I DON’T DRINK 80 GALLONS OF WATER A WEEK!
So YEAH! I complaining about $4-a-gallon! It’s killing most of us.
And let me ask you something…what do you think the survival rate for your family would be if they were in a Prius, and got into a head on accident with a Suburban?
That’s ALL I need to consider.
How can anybody even compare the consumption of bottled water to the consumption of gasoline?
.
June 6, 2008 at 5:55 pm
My husband and I both drive corollas. Its easy, we don’t have kids and we live in San Diego so getting out of the driveway during the winter months is not an issue. However, my sister lives in the hills of upstate NY, has 4 kids and absolutely needs a 4 wheel drive. Her husband has a truck but he’s a handyman/maintenance guy so going to a smaller and more economical car just isn’t practical for some people.
June 6, 2008 at 7:49 pm
With respect to the issues around gas prices and FUVs, I think folks are missing the point entirely. My mom did fine hauling the 5 of us around in her Buick station wagon that got pretty decent mileage 30 years ago when gas was cheap.
The broader issue is the availability of fossil fuels and the fact that they are a limited resource. I continually see people writing or hear people talking about the cost of gas and that they will continue to drive their low mileage FUVs irrespective of the cost. I’m glad to know there are so many people out there with that much disposable income. As a Social Worker, I’d rather see people put that money into charity than their gas tank. Someone wants to keep their FUV because she doesn’t want to drive a mini-van and be labeled as a soccer mom?? Give me a break! “I’d rather continue to waste resources that my grandchildren will need because of what people may say about me”.
Some folks have made the valid point that their vehicle is paid for and they don’t want to incur the cost of purchasing another vehicle. Sounds plausible, but again, the issue isn’t about the COST of gas, it’s the AVAILABILITY and SUSTAINABILITY of this limited resource.
In Montana, many of my neighbors like to race around the woods on 4 wheelers, they say the cost of gas hasn’t impacted them enough to stop. To me to proudly make the statement, in essence, “I don’t care about limited resources, I can afford to waste them recreationally (also include NASCAR)” is most egregious and ego centered.
June 7, 2008 at 12:34 am
I don’t have children. But, I remember as a child travelling with my parents and three siblings in a station wagon. We lived in Ohio, but camped in South Carolina, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Arizona,…
I also remember my Dad telling me that as a child (in the ’20s or ’30s) he and his two sisters, along with his cousin, and his mom, and his aunt and uncle, would all travel in a Model T belonging to his uncle. That’s four children and three adults.
Now, back then they didn’t have dvd players in the car. But, when I went on long trips as a child we not only had the six people (sometimes 7) in a station wagon, we also had all of our camping gear, too.
When I was in Africa, I remember the community would own a pickup that belonged to the local church. It was a Datsun, and was used for hauling stuff, like water. There would always be a group of people along with the load of whatever in this tiny truck.
I personally have never owned an SUV. I’ve been in them, and they are nice. But, I don’t think they’re a necessity.
I think people get used to something better, when better comes along, and then it is just too hard to go back.
The law also doesn’t allow you to go back, and for good reasons, I guess. You wouldn’t be able to take several small children in a car without car seats now. You could back then.
Still, I am interested to see how long people will continue to justify their F250′s and Suburbans, etc. And, what will happen when everyone is trying to unload them at the same time.
The gas situation is only going to get worse. There is no improvement on the horizon regarding oil prices.
June 7, 2008 at 7:20 am
It cost us $65 for half a tank two days ago. It makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it. And that’s with a Grand Caravan too…