As a little girl, you dream of your prince charming, your dream wedding, your dream home, and your dream car. I bet in that dream, you picture yourself sitting in the driver’s seat of a BMW or a Mercedes and not a minivan. I am a 30-something mother of three, ages 13, 9, and 3. I haven’t had many vehicles in my life, but the last one I had was a Chevy Tahoe. I had it for about ten years, and when it was time to retire The White Ghost, I immediately thought of replacing her with another SUV. I mean, I knew I needed something big enough to handle my clan of five, getting us to and from school everyday, summer vacations, and still look nice enough for just a family night out.
So my research began about 3-4 months prior to me purchasing a new car. I checked out the SUVs that I liked, and the funny thing was, in my opinion, the newer 2011 and 2012 models seemed much smaller than my old 2002. I definitely didn’t need anything smaller with all the responsibilities my new ride would have to fulfill. Money was also a factor for me. I wanted all the nice amenities and upgrades without the big expensive price tag.
There were so many SUVs to consider. There were the big ones, the mid-size ones, the smaller ones, the fully loaded ones, the hybrid ones, and the crossover ones. At one point, I was getting extremely overwhelmed. The only thing that saved me from going totally insane was that I always knew what my family and I needed. So I kept that list of needs and wants with me at all times so that I could remain focused. Eventually, I came to the decision that I really did not want another SUV. Did not want another SUV? What else could I possibly get that would fit our family? No way was I going to say it out loud. No way did I ever imagine that I was about to take one of the biggest leaps of faith I had ever made. No way was I, this young, cool, and hip young woman, going to drive one of those. I couldn’t even say the word let alone wrap my mind around actually owning one. My friends laughed at me and my mom even snickered. My husband raised his eyebrows in disbelief, and my dad had his doubts. I know you are asking, what in the world am I talking about? My friends, I am talking about a minivan.
Yes, I said it. Minivan, minivan, minivan. Let me just tell you this. Buying my 2012 Honda Odyssey was the best decision I could have made, and I have absolutely no regrets. I love it. My kids love it. My husband, well, he is still a work in progress. I love the dark gray color and the nice big alloy wheels. I love the sun and moon roof. I definitely love the gas mileage. Although I drive lots of miles every week, I went from buying gas twice a week to about once a week. I love the fact that when I push a button to open the second row sliding door, my three year old, can climb into the vehicle, push a button to close the door behind her, climb into her car seat, and buckle herself in. In the SUV, it was so high up, I would often have to help her get into the truck. I love that with the push of a button I can open the trunk while walking to the van. Along with the kids, I love the built in DVD player. I love the little cold box in the front where I can put a couple of bottles of water for those longer trips to keep cool for the kids. I love the fact that the third row seats can fold into the floor whereas in my SUV, I had to manually remove the seats to make more room. Speaking of room, where do I start with the amount of space in this thing? All three kids can sit very comfortably along with a car seat on the second row. In some vehicles, I noticed that the space became more limited on that third row where my 13 year old usually sits, but there is just as much room on the third row as the second in the Odyssey. My son loves the heated passenger seat and the reclining seats throughout the van. I also love the fact, and this is what convinced me to buy it, that it does not look like your typical minivan. It is very stylish, handles well, and even has a little power to it.
Finally, my dad has always told me that you get exactly what you pay for. While the Odyssey may be a little more expensive than some are willing or even wanting to spend, for me it was well worth it. The service and experience that I received at my local Honda dealership was awesome from beginning to present. I can’t say from beginning to end because they let you know that your relationship does not end with the purchase of your new vehicle but continues way beyond that. They were so professional, patient, thorough, and informative throughout the entire process. So if you are considering buying a new vehicle, but are torn on which road to take, I insist that you do a little research first. Despite what friends and family were telling me, I had to make the best decision for me and my family. My kids are happy, I am happy, and I believe it was one of the best decisions we ever made. For ten years I loved The White Ghost, but now I am loving Rhonda the Honda.