The Cliche #2: The Minivan

I've never been much of a believer in 'the car defines the person.' I have driven whatever was most practical, most of my life that meant some Japanese car with good gas mileage. By circumstance, after Atticus was born (my second child) I ended up driving a Ford Expedition, and Hubby took over my black Honda Accord. The Expedition was a good vehicle. I think I may have even used the four-wheel-drive a few times. It was big, but very easy to drive and park. We tend to drive cars into the ground, so I planned on driving it for a few more years, at least until the repairs cost more than just buying a new car. But then I got pregnant with number three.

What I like to call "The Great Minivan Debate" began the minute I saw two lines on the pregnancy test. Hubby's reasoning was that even though the Expedition did have a third row of seats, Charlie was not yet three, could not buckle himself in and out, so I would spend a lot of time crawling in the back to buckle him in. He made me talk to friends with minivans. He humored me, and we looked at a Volvo wagon and Chrystler Pacifica, both of which had the same issue as the Expedition: no easy access into the third row.

Then came the annual vacation to Hilton Head. "Wouldn't it be nice to have the in-car DVD player so we could drive straight through and keep the kids occupied?" Yeah. In addition, seeing as we had an 18-month-old and a 3 1/2-year-old at the time, we were schlepping strollers, booster seats, and the Pack-N-Play as well as luggage. So we took up my sister-in-law's offer to borrow her van for the trip.

Our experience with the van was great. Intellectually I appreciated the fact that it was so easy to get the kids in and out, it drove like a car, there was plenty of room for all our stuff, and of course, the dvd player. When we got back from vacation, however, and the conversation turned again to needing a new vehicle, I balked. I knew plenty of people who drove their kids around in cars or SUVs. Hmmm, but did I know anyone with three kids who did?

Now, my husband works in marketing for a large bank. He understands marketing, how it often appeals to the emotions, not the intellect. I know this too, but sometimes I actually fall for it. Nissan had a TV spot for the Quest that hit the nail on the head. A husband and wife were arguing about getting a minivan, and the ad implied that the compromise would be the COOL-LOOKING minivan, the Nissan Quest. Well, I was hooked. Even though I had owned a Honda since I first became a driver, we tooled right past the best-selling minivan in the world to the Nissan Quest because I wanted the cool-looking minivan. Hubby implored me to at least look at the Honda Oddyssey, but I insisted on the Quest.

Now it is two years later. I indeed have three children, and a minivan. I hate my minivan, but not for the reasons you would expect. It's fine, silver, looks pretty cool, and definately has the practicality I needed to make my life easier. The sliding doors are the best thing. I can open the doors from 30 feet away. I hate my minivan because the Nissan Quest has a TERRIBLE turning radius. If you investigate things like turning radius when you go to buy a car, more power to ya. The thought never crossed my mind. Not only is it difficult to park under normal situations, but it is scratched up both sides from hitting the sides of my garage opening as I try to park. We have exactly 20 feet from the garage to a fence, and the only way for me to park in the garage is to back in, and, well, if you knew me, backing is not my forte.

Last week I pulled into a parking spot at the gym. Then I backed out, straighened up, and pulled in again (this is standard protocol if the parking spots aren't angled). I cut the engine and turned to my left. Parked there was a beautiful, brand-new black Honda Oddyssey. Evidently it only took Honda one season longer than Nissan to adopt the "modern styling" for the minivan. As I got out of the car I noticed the woman driving the Oddysey was just getting in.

"Your van is beautiful." I called out.

"I love it," she called back. "I was so against getting a minivan, but then we looked at this one, and it was so cool-looking I was hooked. It's so convenient for the kids, and it's so easy to park."

Sigh.