Getting a newer car to fit everyone or not? Need help. Thoughts?

[matrips]

Decisions!  I’m having a tough time with this one. I have an 18yo Honda Odyssey with 249,000 miles and three teens going off to college.  Mine has always been the car the family rides in- to church, vacation, where ever. So now what? It’s running, but there is a list of recommended repairs.  I do not want to put more money into this car.

I hate the idea of getting something that doesn’t fit my kids comfortably, but newer 3 row vehicles are expensive and the kids won’t be around near as much.  And if we travel, it would need to be another minivan- Highlanders, CX-9’s and such are just too small - both the third row and the cargo space.

I do love my Odyssey and am not against owning a minivan forever.  But the price, even for used ones seems crazy. 

I’d love some thoughts on a good replacement vehicle. Do I just get something that fits me and is appropriate for the majority of the year? Or do I get something that fits our family comfortably? Do I just rent something when we vacation or bring them home from college?

I’d love to hear some thoughts.  I’m really wrestling with this.  Obviously buying a car is a big deal to me.  Lol.  Last one was 18 years ago.

[Scarlett]

11 minutes ago, matrips said:

Decisions!  I’m having a tough time with this one. I have an 18yo Honda Odyssey with 249,000 miles and three teens going off to college.  Mine has always been the car the family rides in- to church, vacation, where ever. So now what? It’s running, but there is a list of recommended repairs.  I do not want to put more money into this car.

I hate the idea of getting something that doesn’t fit my kids comfortably, but newer 3 row vehicles are expensive and the kids won’t be around near as much.  And if we travel, it would need to be another minivan- Highlanders, CX-9’s and such are just too small - both the third row and the cargo space.

I do love my Odyssey and am not against owning a minivan forever.  But the price, even for used ones seems crazy. 

I’d love some thoughts on a good replacement vehicle. Do I just get something that fits me and is appropriate for the majority of the year? Or do I get something that fits our family comfortably? Do I just rent something when we vacation or bring them home from college?

I’d love to hear some thoughts.  I’m really wrestling with this.  Obviously buying a car is a big deal to me.  Lol.  Last one was 18 years ago.

Do any of your kids have their own car?

[mommyoffive]

My current thought on this is I think I am always going to want a minivan.  Unless none of my kids live near me.  I just think they might be coming home and leaving at different times. Or grandkids.  We will see.  

I would look to see how much rentals are in your area if you were to just do it when the kids are home.  Are the 3 kids going away your only kids?  Do they have cars?  With only 3 and them going away I might risk it and do a smaller car.

 

[wendyroo]

Keep in mind that the used car market is astronomical right now, but signs point to it stabilizing in the semi-near future.

I don't know if you have gone looking at new cars recently, but around us there are almost none to buy. The pandemic and supply chain have really hampered new car production, meaning that when we tried to buy a new Toyota Sienna recently, it was going to take 12-18 months just to get to the top of the list. And even then, we would not be able to get exactly the van we wanted, but rather would get offered whatever vans Toyota sent the dealership which may or may not be the trim package or have the options that we would prefer.

This shortage has hit the dealerships hard, and with so many people vying to buy so few cars, the used market has skyrocketed. The are charging more for 2-3 year old Siennas than the cost of buying a new one!!

All that to say, we have been in the market for over a year, and have held off as long as we could. And last month when we bought a new car, we opted for a wagon instead of a van simply because we couldn't get what we actually wanted and weren't willing to spend umpteen dollars to wait a year to buy something that would be a disappointment right from the beginning. So now we have one van on its last leg that can hold us all and one new wagon that can't. We are really hoping this will hold us over for another year or so until the used prices are more reasonable and we can replace the van with something newer.

[Ali in OR]

We were a two-Odyssey family for almost 7 years--our original 2000 and then our 2012 wheelchair-conversion Odyssey. When our transmission went out on the 2000, we downsized to a CRV. That is now everyone's favorite to drive. We can still fit everyone in the conversion van (but no extra--it only has the 4 captain chairs and can fit dd's wheelchair in back), but that only happens at Christmas now when everyone is home. The CRV has been great for trips down to CA to drop the girls off at college or go visit them. We were lucky to have the need to buy it in 2019--got a great deal from completely full new car lot.

[matrips]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

Do any of your kids have their own car?

No.  And they won’t until it’s time for internships etc.  

[SKL]

Not sure the size of your family, but if it's 5 people or fewer, it will fit just fine in almost any car.  When you also need a lot of storage space as in week-long road trip), you could rent a car ... unless you do those kinds of road trips pretty frequently.

Personally, the fuel efficiency difference with a minivan would be a big factor. 

So what I'd probably do:

• Keep using the Odyssey for family trips, but don't spend a ton keeping it up.  Or, trade it in when you buy your next vehicle.
• Shop for a sedan (with trunk space) that can reasonably fit everyone, even if it's a little tight.
• Have a plan for those occasional times when you need more space.  Uber, rental, borrow, multiple cars, whatever depending on the details.

[mommyoffive]

3 minutes ago, SKL said:

Not sure the size of your family, but if it's 5 people or fewer, it will fit just fine in almost any car.  When you also need a lot of storage space as in week-long road trip), you could rent a car ... unless you do those kinds of road trips pretty frequently.

Personally, the fuel efficiency difference with a minivan would be a big factor. 

So what I'd probably do:

• Keep using the Odyssey for family trips, but don't spend a ton keeping it up.  Or, trade it in when you buy your next vehicle.
• Shop for a sedan (with trunk space) that can reasonably fit everyone, even if it's a little tight.
• Have a plan for those occasional times when you need more space.  Uber, rental, borrow, multiple cars, whatever depending on the details.

Or a rooftop carrier or trailer?

[Arcadia]

We rent a minivan as the need arises. I only have two kids so four of us can still comfortably fit into our Corolla. However, on long trips there is very little leg room to wriggle our legs. I ended up taking off my boots on a recent 7hr drive to be able to wriggle my feet. DS18 had enough leg room on the front passenger side but DS17 nearly had leg cramps as a back seat passenger. We’ll be driving again in August for DS18’s orientation and that would be slightly easier because we would all be in summer clothes and shoes, so easier to kick off our shoes in the car. We will rent a minivan for move in day.

For us, it is a lot cheaper to go on long shopping trips using our Corolla since it is usually just my husband and I. If need be, we can put bulky shopping items like comforters in the back seat. We have done three in a backseat but at least one adult has to be skinny. Bearable for a 20mins car ride for me being the kid size adult but uncomfortable. 

[QueenCat]

Mine are grown and I still drive a minivan. Bought the last one after they were both adults.

[DawnM]

We went on vacation last summer 8 hours away......all 6 of us plus a friend of my son's, so 7 of us.   We took two hybrid cars and it was cheaper gas wise for sure.   And then once we arrived there people could go do things without worrying about if the rest of us needed a car or way to get somewhere.  

We do have an old (2003) Sequoia and it still runs, but we only use it when we need to put a lot of things in it or need to tow something.

We don't know what we will be getting next either, so I am going to follow this thread.

Edited May 6, 2023 by DawnM

[BusyMom5]

I would get something you can drive now, and plan to rent a bigger vehicle for longer family trips. Most vehicles will fit 5 adults, especially if its not a far drive.  We rarely have everyone in the same car anymore- oldest is 20, second is 18 and both are usually doing their own thing. 

We just got the oldest a new car- and we did buy new bc used ones are just insanely expensive right now.  We are in the market for used for the 18 year old, but having trouble staying in our price range and getting what she needs.  You just have to keep looking and when something acceptable comes available,  put a deposit down immediately.   

[Momto6inIN]

We're in the exact same situation, except we still have 3 kids at home too. 215,000 miles and needing repairs. We ended up replacing the brakes and the spark plugs (~$2000) to make it driveable for another year or so 🤞  and we're going to make it limp along til used car prices aren't quite so crazy.

Definitely getting another Odyssey after this one, I love it.

[KungFuPanda]

Get a less expensive minivan now then trade it in when your nest empties out? How many people do you have?

[prairiewindmomma]

Buy a fuel efficient 5 seater vehicle and rent something larger when everyone is at home and you need it. Even with all of mine at home, the times when we are all going somewhere together are very, very few. When our minivan goes, I will probably get a CRV. It can haul stuff and people but gets better mpg and is easier to park.

[Just Kate]

We just replaced our minivan with a RAV4. Ds19 is at college and has his own car and dd15 is still at home, in the process of learning to drive. If we take a big trip with all of us, we will just something. I’m already loving the better fuel efficiency!!

[catz]

Our last kid is going off to college this fall our oldest is graduating college and we just got a new mini van.  We are not long commuters or anything, but the space is worth it for us.  Our newest van is an Odyssey.

[matrips]

6 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

Get a less expensive minivan now then trade it in when your nest empties out? How many people do you have?

There’s five of us.  Me, dh, and our three graduating high school seniors.

Edited May 7, 2023 by matrips

[matrips]

21 minutes ago, catz said:

Our last kid is going off to college this fall our oldest is graduating college and we just got a new mini van.  We are not long commuters or anything, but the space is worth it for us.  Our newest van is an Odyssey.

I would love another Odyssey! But I think we could probably be completely fine with something smaller/less expensive. 
I feel like I’m all over the place.

[matrips]

4 hours ago, Just Kate said:

We just replaced our minivan with a RAV4. Ds19 is at college and has his own car and dd15 is still at home, in the process of learning to drive. If we take a big trip with all of us, we will just something. I’m already loving the better fuel efficiency!!

You can tell a difference?  Is it a hybrid or just more fuel efficient?

[matrips]

6 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

Get a less expensive minivan now then trade it in when your nest empties out? How many people do you have?

The nest is emptying pretty quickly.  Lol. College starts in August for my triplets. 

[matrips]

5 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Buy a fuel efficient 5 seater vehicle and rent something larger when everyone is at home and you need it. Even with all of mine at home, the times when we are all going somewhere together are very, very few. When our minivan goes, I will probably get a CRV. It can haul stuff and people but gets better mpg and is easier to park.

See, I go from definitely wanting a minivan to thinking like you just said.  The fuel efficiency would be nice. Maybe I’m having a hard time thinking of my kids just not being home and needing the van. 😞

[rebcoola]

A full size sedan like a Nissan Maxima or Toyota crown would probably work.  We figured out we need at least 55" of shoulder room in the back for 2 teens and a car seat to be comfortable for long rides.  

They can fit in our Jetta but more 15 minutes is pretty miserable.

[mommyoffive]

11 minutes ago, matrips said:

See, I go from definitely wanting a minivan to thinking like you just said.  The fuel efficiency would be nice. Maybe I’m having a hard time thinking of my kids just not being home and needing the van. 😞

I have a hybrid minivan.  Problem solved.  🙂

[livetoread]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

I have a hybrid minivan.  Problem solved.  🙂

We have a Sienna that has a few good years left. Kids are either on their own or almost so it's basically just dh and me. We plan on replacing it with a hybrid Sienna, maybe when dh retires in a couple of years and hopefully prices are more reasonable. We thought about a truck, but really we haven't encountered a time yet where we couldn't fit what we needed for home or yard projects in the van, and the van is better for outfitting for camping which we plan to do, plus better mileage. We already have a Prius and hope to not get anything that isn't at least a hybrid from here on.

[katilac]

12 hours ago, matrips said:

 three teens going off to college

My two went off to college but came right back when they were done, so that's always a possibility lol

10 hours ago, QueenCat said:

Mine are grown and I still drive a minivan. Bought the last one after they were both adults.

Me, too! 

2 hours ago, catz said:

Our last kid is going off to college this fall our oldest is graduating college and we just got a new mini van.  We are not long commuters or anything, but the space is worth it for us.  Our newest van is an Odyssey.

We can start a club of people who of people without young children who own vans and have variations of 'cat' in their name. 

My justification is hurricane evacuations but I'm quite sure I would have bought it anyway. 

 

 

[Arcadia]

51 minutes ago, katilac said:

 

My justification is hurricane evacuations but I'm quite sure I would have bought it anyway. 

My justification for not buying a minivan would be that my husband is a shopaholic with hoarding tendencies 🤦‍♀️ The minivan would risk looking like a store room.

We are considering the Sienna hybrid though, just not at current prices since our Corolla is still running well.

In OP’s case, I was assuming her minivan is still working. So that opens the possibilities of getting a commuter car for daily use and keeping her minivan for when she needs the seats and/or space. Or if she finds an Odyssey at a good price she could trade in and get the better condition Odyssey. The Odyssey has a hybrid model too if OP is considering hybrid minivans as well. 

[Just Kate]

3 hours ago, matrips said:

You can tell a difference?  Is it a hybrid or just more fuel efficient?

Nope, the RAV4 is not a hybrid, but definitely more fuel efficient than my 2016 Chrysler Town & Country. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I have to do a lot of parallel parking in the city and I am just over fussing with a minivan. Being in a vehicle that big really makes it challenging if spots aren’t marked. Even if the spots are marked, it’s tight.

I can’t wait to have a little car again!

[Clarita]

4 hours ago, matrips said:

See, I go from definitely wanting a minivan to thinking like you just said.  The fuel efficiency would be nice. Maybe I’m having a hard time thinking of my kids just not being home and needing the van. 😞

I have a plug-in hybrid Pacifica. Most of the time I'm just running on electric. The car makes me run the gas down every few months. 

I'm in the camp of my next car is not going to be a minivan. When my kids leave for college I'm getting a little car again. The car may not even seat more than 2. The minivan is serving us well right now but mommy's getting a roadster when she's no longer obligated to haul kids and car seats around. I don't know if you need this perspective or not.

[Lilaclady]

We got an SUV after our last minivan had transmission issues. I didn’t want another minivan as the kids are in high school and will soon be going to college. I figured the daily savings on gas will more than make up for the 1 or 2 times we may need a minivan. Twice we had almost rented a van- one for move in for my oldest and one when we took a road trip to DC but we all did fine and didn’t need to rent a minivan. 
we do have a second car that my middle daughter and husband drives. 

[Meriwether]

I bought a vehicle 3 years ago that doesn't fit our whole family, but we kept the large vehicle for trips and church (about the only time we all rode together even though all 5 kids were still at home. We need a big vehicle to fit all 7 of us or for when we have gear bags (and sometimes guests) riding to competitions. We also visit my parents fairly often. It is also handy for moving college kids back and forth. Even discounting church trips, that is too much travel to make renting a viable option. But we don't need a large vehicle for all the daily trips to work/training/choir/shopping etc. I don't want to ever have to buy a vehicle that large again, so I really want it to last until we just have two or even just one kid left at home. It makes sense to conserve miles on the bigger vehicle. Tags and insurance on the smaller vehicle are offset by the lower gas prices, but the real savings is not having to spend so much money to replace the smaller vehicle as we would a larger one down the road. I should also mention that to make this situation work, my husband drives a 1998 Buick for commuting, so we have three cars for two of us (if we don't count the 16 year old driving mine to work). The big vehicle that we use almost exclusively only when absolutely needed, a small vehicle that I mainly use, and an old vehicle that we paid almost nothing for and is extremely cheap for tags and insurance. Assuming vehicle prices are more reasonable when the house is paid off (4 years, 4 months, but who's counting lol) we will probably get a small, nice, fuel efficient car for my husband and I'll drive a mid-sized crossover. We'll only have a really big vehicle if there is a pressing need.

[Miss Tick]

If you have a place to park the minivan, it sounds like it makes the most sense to keep it for occasional use and buy something smaller for your daily errands and longer travels with just you and your dh. That presumes you don't need the trade-in value. If you get something that can have a rear hitch attached for extra cargo, you don't even need to pay to drive extra cargo space around every day.

If you can keep the minivan functional for the next 4 years, your dc will likely all be off doing their own things and driving their own cars.

[wintermom]

14 hours ago, katilac said:

We can start a club of people who of people without young children who own vans and have variations of 'cat' in their name. 

 

I'll be in this club! We use our mini-van (Sienna) for so many things besides transporting our 4 dc. We take the dogs for walks daily at an off-leash dog park, I slide my kayak in the van and go for a quick paddle, we have a trailer hitch on the van so we haul our utility trailer around for all kinds of jobs.

Large SUVs are way more expensive and not as large and roomy as the Sienna, IME, so why change from our mini-van. I love the way it drives, too, with great turning radius. 

[matrips]

17 hours ago, Arcadia said:

In OP’s case, I was assuming her minivan is still working. So that opens the possibilities of getting a commuter car for daily use and keeping her minivan for when she needs the seats and/or space.

It does still work, but I don’t know for how long.  I feel like I’m pushing it with 249,000 miles, so I want to be prepared with my game plan.  But yes, I could probably get a daily smaller car or suv, keep this for toting us all around locally when needed, (I have zero plans to trade it in), and rent a car for a longer trip.  
 

Now to see what insurance would run though for keeping it and if it’s worthwhile.  Our state is expensive. Right now we have 3 licensed drivers and two cars, so that is less money than 3 cars would be. Insurance costs are what kept two of my teens with permits only so far. I’ll make some calls tomorrow.

[matrips]

4 hours ago, wintermom said:

I'll be in this club! We use our mini-van (Sienna) for so many things besides transporting our 4 dc. We take the dogs for walks daily at an off-leash dog park, I slide my kayak in the van and go for a quick paddle, we have a trailer hitch on the van so we haul our utility trailer around for all kinds of jobs.

Large SUVs are way more expensive and not as large and roomy as the Sienna, IME, so why change from our mini-van. I love the way it drives, too, with great turning radius. 

Your kayak fits inside your van?

[Soror]

I think it depends if you are the type of person that wants a minivan for life.

Personally, I couldn't wait to get rid of mine. I sold it last year with 4 still at home. At that point, ds was 17 and rarely rode with us anyway. There have only been a few occasions we needed to all get to one place at one time and we drove 2 vehicles. Minivans are cheaper than SUVs but I went with a car that is cheaper still to buy and drive. 

If it was cheap enough I'd just keep liability on the van and just wait until it dies and get a car for daily use.

fwiw I've bought 3 used cars in the last year. If you are looking at just a couple of years old then you are better off to buy new but we bought a 4 yr old, 5 yr old, and 9 yr old vehicles and it was worth it to go used. I spent a lot of time shopping online. Yes, there are lots of people asking insane prices but there are still decent prices to be found. You have just got to be persistent, cast a wide net, and be ready to jump when you find what you want.

Edited May 7, 2023 by Soror

[Ottakee]

1 hour ago, matrips said:

Your kayak fits inside your van?

I can fit 2 kayaks, 4 kids, a dog, a cooler and me in my Honda odyssey…..and shut all the doors.  It takes being creative but I have done it.  And everyone had a seat and was buckled up.

[wintermom]

1 hour ago, matrips said:

Your kayak fits inside your van?

Yes, It's a 10 foot kayak and it slides in just perfectly with the third row down. 

[Ottakee]

43 minutes ago, wintermom said:

Yes, It's a 10 foot kayak and it slides in just perfectly with the third row down. 

I call my mini van my “mom truck”….I can do a ton with it

[KungFuPanda]

On 5/6/2023 at 8:13 PM, matrips said:

The nest is emptying pretty quickly.  Lol. College starts in August for my triplets. 

Maybe a sedan with a tow hitch in case you ever want to tow a wagon thing for cargo?

[SanDiegoMom]

On 5/6/2023 at 5:11 PM, matrips said:

You can tell a difference?  Is it a hybrid or just more fuel efficient?

We have a Venza -- almost got the hybrid RAV 4 and opted for the Venza which is also a hybrid and has similar gas mileage.  My area is hilly so it doesn't hit the optimal mpg - it is supposed to be 40 mpg and I get 37.5.   A fill up is about 10 or 11 gallons and I get 475 miles out of one tank.  

[Bambam]

I haven't read all the replies, but I will share our experience.
We used to have an Odyssey van too - so useful and practical, but I hated driving it. I prefer manual transmissions. When the kids were in high school, I got a Honda Accord Sport, but we kept the minivan, giving it to the oldest when she needed a vehicle. The transmission was going out again, so we sold it.  We miss having the space it had in transporting things. 

One kid has one more semester to go in college, the other has her BS. We went on one vacation in my youngest's car (Toyota Camry) last summer. After living apart, it was not all sunshine and roses travelling together and staying the motel rooms.  If we ever elect to take a vacation again, I propose two cars, and a list of specific activities to do together with time apart as well. I will also propose a cabin/house/whatever with more physical space. 

So, for us, the larger vehicle that would transport everyone is relative comfort and plenty of space for luggage is probably not a practical thing. 

That said, I am considering a compact SUV - mostly due to the fact my knees have regular issues and sometimes getting in/out of my car is difficult and I think something physically higher might be easier. I haven't test drove anything yet, so that is just a theory! 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

If you're like us and keep vehicles until they stop running (and it sounds like you are), I would look forward to what your life might look like 5-8 years from now. When my DS left home, I gave him my Ford Taurus X SUV and bought a used VW Beetle convertible. Six years later and that car is impractical. Whereas I can load it with my tennis gear, I have to put the top down to do so. Lifting the ball machine in and out without scratching the car is problematic esp now that my wrist is suffering from residual weakness due to a break. I cannot take my teaching cart in the VW so have to take multiple smaller ball hoppers. I can take my dog on outings but he fills the backseat; I cannot get another dog because there is no room. I take it hiking but have to pay special attention as it bottoms out on dirt roads and trail head parking lots. Now that I have grandchildren, the car seats don't fit in to allow for other passengers; a rear facing carseat requires the front seat to be all the way forward which means no one can ride in that seat. 

All of that to say, if you think your lifestyle will involve activities, grandchildren, or whatever, buy the bigger car or van. 

[Amethyst]

We bought our most recent minivan probably when we had two kids who were in college (but still lived at home) and one in hs, one middle school. We still did plenty together, so minivan made sense. But oh how I wish we had not bought it!!!!  I’m stuck with this ultra-reliable Toyota FOREVER!!! I’ll never be rid of it. The kids grew fast and that phase of needing all of us in one car rarely happened! Get yourself a sedan!!

I’m 62. I don’t want to be driving a minivan! 

[J-rap]

How often will you all be riding a car together?  And will they generally just be short trips, around town, etc.?

We had to make that decision too.  We had two kids at home still, the rest off at college or on their own.  One was abroad.  I did a lot of running around with the two at home, but not much at all with everyone.  If we happened to have just one more at home for a weekend, it was fine for short trips.  

We ended up getting a Honda CRV which had quite a bit of space for storage in back, all things considered, and we can lay the back seats flat so can fit in a couple bikes that way.  I moved my dd to college in that car.

That has worked well for us.  I was glad to not have a minivan anymore!

 

 

[matrips]

On 5/8/2023 at 6:26 PM, Amethyst said:

We bought our most recent minivan probably when we had two kids who were in college (but still lived at home) and one in hs, one middle school. We still did plenty together, so minivan made sense. But oh how I wish we had not bought it!!!!  I’m stuck with this ultra-reliable Toyota FOREVER!!! I’ll never be rid of it. The kids grew fast and that phase of needing all of us in one car rarely happened! Get yourself a sedan!!

I’m 62. I don’t want to be driving a minivan! 

Minivans are selling for way more than they are usually worth, especially Toyotas.   They are a rarity in the used car world. You could probably sell it for a good bit and buy your sedan.

[matrips]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and thoughts! It really helped me work through this decision.  And I have an update! I put down a deposit on a car today! 🙂 

I looked at so many options suggested -sedans, small suvs, another minivan- and searched so many used listings and compared vehicles.  But today a used Honda Pilot, still under warranty (plus a CPO), popped up at a super price at my local dealer (where I always took my Odyssey). It just felt right. I test drove it and made the deal. 

I can fit all my kids comfortably and even a friend or two of theirs.  This was important to me, but was having a hard time justifying the costs of most vehicles I found. This price was way better than anything else I had found, and they still gave me a discount when I asked on top of that!  It’s the dealer where I had my odyssey serviced for years. The trunk space is better than the Highlander and CX-9; worse than a minivan.  But for the money, definitely workable. It’s virtually the same price I paid for my Odyssey 18 years ago.

So I’m done car shopping for a while.  I hope. 🙂 

[Soror]

Congratulations 🎉 I hope it works for you and your family!

[mommyoffive]

9 hours ago, matrips said:

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and thoughts! It really helped me work through this decision.  And I have an update! I put down a deposit on a car today! 🙂 

I looked at so many options suggested -sedans, small suvs, another minivan- and searched so many used listings and compared vehicles.  But today a used Honda Pilot, still under warranty (plus a CPO), popped up at a super price at my local dealer (where I always took my Odyssey). It just felt right. I test drove it and made the deal. 

I can fit all my kids comfortably and even a friend or two of theirs.  This was important to me, but was having a hard time justifying the costs of most vehicles I found. This price was way better than anything else I had found, and they still gave me a discount when I asked on top of that!  It’s the dealer where I had my odyssey serviced for years. The trunk space is better than the Highlander and CX-9; worse than a minivan.  But for the money, definitely workable. It’s virtually the same price I paid for my Odyssey 18 years ago.

So I’m done car shopping for a while.  I hope. 🙂 

Congrats!!  I always feel so much better once the decision is made.  Awesome job getting such a great deal.