Convincing My Wife

[JBArvin]

All,

I'm having a hard time convincing my wife the Mazda 5 would be our best bet, so I'm asking your help. We've test-driven the vehicle twice, and she thinks it is too small.

How old are your children, and how are things when they ride in the third row?

We've got two young kids (boy 3 and girl 6), who fit perfectly in the back row now and would for years to come. The vast majority of the time, they would be in the second row anyway. During the test-drives, they've been in both areas and loved it.

Maybe five days out of the year, we would need to put the kids in the back row and have my in-laws in the second row. Five days out of 365.

For those five days, my wife wants to spend $9k-10k more in initial cost and gas for an Odyssey or a Sienna over five years. At least that much.

I've explained to her that roof racks and cargo boxes can be had for relatively cheap when necessary, but that doesn't placate her.

She's always difficult when it comes to picking out cars and homes. Absolutely impossible to please. When a car salesman asks her what she's looking for, I say to myself, "Bigfoot riding a unicorn."

Again, how old are your children, and how are things when they ride in the third row?

Thanks much,

Joe

 

[Rocket]

My wife wanted something "sporty". So we looked at the Mazda3 hatchback and stuff like that.

She ended up with a CR-V.

I asked, "what's 'sporty' about that?"

I'm not sure I ever got a straight answer.

What are your wife's friends driving? That's a clue to her thinking.

Overall, you're screwed.

Good luck man, we're all in it together.

 

[Robotazky]

*shakes head* Dude, you're looking into an abyss in which there is no logic or rationality. The third row is big enough for me and I'm 6'2" for what it's worth. If wife pays the majority of the fuel and car bill, then you don't have much to stand on. If however you pay most of that, I would put the foot down and get what you know is the best deal. I have to make decisions all the time that my wife doesn't like, but that I know benefit her the most in the long run. If you save $9-$10K and put that into your retirement, there's no freakin' way a rational woman could argue with that. The thinking that we should buy whatever we can afford to make payments on is over. We'll be lucky if 401Ks make us anything down the road. We just can't afford an extra $10K anymore because it's convenient and we know we'll make way more than that back on investments.

I feel for ya man. When I'm in your position I type up tables and spreadsheets that PROVE the logic. If you have to put the money you'll save in a 401K calculator and dump the data into a spreadsheet summarizing vehicle and investment summaries, then do it. Get hardcore on her and make it obvious what is smart and what is stupid.

 

[Phoenix42]

Has she driven a Odyssey/Sienna? It might be a risky move, but she'd then be aware how much bigger in a bad way they are then the Mazda5 and her current car.
Also, what are her peers driving?

Finally, if the Odyssey/Sienna are only needed for 5 days, tell her you will gladly rent one for those 5 days. That way you both win.

 

[codeyell0]

call my wife she loves ours.
she loves the steering wheel controls
gas milage
dual sliding doors
4 captains chairs we really only ever haul 4 poeple and maybe a kid on top of that.
the thing handles great and peppy i have a randevous and its a 6cyl and my 5 will beat it hands down
enough room for us and the dog and hopfully a kid. we are trying!!

 

[5zoom]

This weekend I had all three rows full(Five full size adults, One 3 year old in a car seat in the middle row and we drove half an hour without complaint. The trick to utilizing the third row is adjusting the first and second row slightly forward. If you do this, the third row is inhabitable for moderate car trips.

Tell your wife she will thank you when it comes time to fuel/park/wash/re-tire and brake/other car maintenance. We fit into a spot last night that would not have been possible in an Odessey/Sienna.

There have been very few times when I wished for more room and if I get serious about it, I'll buy a car top carrier for those few times I need more room. I see a lot of Odessey/Sienna/Mammoth SUV's driving around with 4 or less people in them all the time.

 

[wmzda5]

I was also like you and your wife but deep inside my head, pros and cons on the mazda 5 debating inside of me. I need to haul my family during weekends and I'm left all alone using the car during weekdays.

I first calculated what I could afford so I know which set of autos I would consider. Then I prepared a spreadsheet comparing my choices. The wife wants a van type as she's saying she got used with the easy seating pos., going in and out is easy. If I got my way I would have gotten a civic type R. But since she wants a van type I lose out on the civic.

So comparing is what I did, comparing thing like price. cost to insure,what comes with the car, gas. I didn't even put into consideration how the car drives because definitely the 5 wins in this category. I was surprised that the mazda 5 is even cheaper to insure than a 3 yr old caravan. What seals the deal is the fact that the 5 is an MT and have timing chain instead of the usual belt.

If you do this, it is not that difficult to convince your wife especially if you point out how much you will save in the long run.

Good Luck

 

[skyhawk]

This is the mazda5 @full occupancy of bundled up passengers and driver.
Notice that the middle aisle can be used to stretch the legs of those in the
3rd row. Just like in an airplane.

 

[DKaz]

As I said, North Americans need to stop buying cars for the worse case scenario that only happens 2 to 5% of the year.

If you only have two kids, the Mazda 5 is more than big enough. I've sat in the third row a couple of times and fit there just fine. The third row probably isn't suitable for use all the time but they have been great when the inlaws were in town. You certainly don't need to carry a stroller anymore, but for us it's been no problem. Roof racks will fit lots the five days a year you'll need them.

That said, in the end if it's not the 5 she wants, what can you do? The new Sienna is not bad, especially if you can fork out money for the SE. But my wife and I absolutely love our 5. It's got the practicality of a bigger minivan but the fun to drive factor of a smaller car.

Do you have another car?

 

[chief_wiggum]

I've got two kids; 3 and 7 who mainly ride in the second row. This weekend with grandparents in town, the 7 year old rode in back with either my wife or my MIL; no one complained about lack of room and my 7 year old loves riding in the back.

Good luck with your convincing -- I was in a similar place but it was me that needed convincing. Ultimately in dawned on me; why spend $10K more on an Odyssey (plus more for gas and insurance) for the 3-4 times a year that I may need that room? It doesn't make fiduciary sense (cents). I might add, the car didn't feel too underpowered fully loaded driving around town.

 

[Heat]

What is your wife worried about? That the kids would be too cramped in the third row? They'll be fine, there is plenty of room, my 9 year old son routinely rides back there so that he can have his "own row" (my 12 year old son sits in the second row).

Tell you what, for about $50 or $60 you can rent a Mazda5 for the weekend through your local car rental place (I rented one through Enterprise). Rent one and go and take a trip to a town a couple of hundred miles away, put 500 or so miles on it. If she isn't convinced that it would work after that trip, wait until early next year and go to a large auto show and take a look at the Ford Grand C-Max. That will be similar to the Mazda5 and will be Ford's return to the minivan market, maybe that will be more of what she is looking for? The C-Max will be on sale in the fall of 2011 as a 2012 model.

One other thing - you can always promise to toss in an aftermarket DVD player to keep the kids occupied.

 

[A1an]

Tell her minivans are lame and these trendy microvans are all the rage with the Europeans.

 

[doctorz]

We bought our 5 when our kids were 2 and 6. They're now 6 and 10. The 10-year-old still fits fine in the third row. My mother even once volunteered to ride back there for two hours and she was fine. It's snug for adults, but they will fit, and the 5 does car pool duty when called upon. Kids need less as they get older - no more diaper bag and stroller. As far as cargo, we can fit a Christmas tree with the entire family, with the kids sitting on one side and the tree on the other. Of course it's smaller than the Odyssey and Sienna, but we don't miss the extra room when we had a bigger vehicle. At least your wife doesn't want a Suburban.

 

[dandan2]

tell her yall are getting the 5 and threaten her with the backhand. lol j/k

but on a serious note, buying an oddessey over a 5 for just 2 kids and an occasional inlaws is just outright ignorance. no offense tell her to use her noodle and not ur pocketbook

 

[A1an]

This reminds me of when my ex had her first kid. She traded in her Mustang for a Toyota 4Runner and then finally a Honda Pilot. My argument was why do you need all this car for one kid? My parents hauled my brother and I around in small cars back in the early 80's ('71 Cuda vert, '70 Valiant coupe, '68 GTO, '84 IROC, or a 80's Dodge Omni) with absolutely no problems. Her reply to me was, "When you have kids you will understand".

I have a kid on the way and still don't understand the need for a huge, expensive, gas guzzling van/truck. The 5 is HUGE for a small family with normal needs. I can't think of a more perfect small family vehicle (fits lots of stuff, gets fairly good gas mileage, is somewhat fun to drive, etc)

 

[Rickman]

Firstly, if it's her primary car then I say get her the car SHE wants, not the car YOU want her to have. Everybody will be happier that way.

If you want her to really like the Mazda5 then find a GT with all the bells & whistles. My wife fell in love with the heated leather and DVD. We have yet to let my 2yr old son know what that lump on the ceiling is

 

[DKaz]

What Rickman said.

Anyway the original OP never came back but in the end if she wants a regular minivan, don't go for the Odyssey! Get the swagger wagon Sienna yo. It's the swagger wagon, it's the swagger wagon, it's the swagger wagon...

 

[thaxman]

Tell her minivans are lame and these trendy microvans are all the rage with the Europeans.

Yeah, this.
She'll get it. If not, well, google the lyrics to Wham's "Everything She Wants."

Anyway, I have 4 kids now - 9, 6, 4 & 5mos. The baby is behind the driver, the other 3 shuttle themselves around the car as they please. (When PARKED!) They all have boosters now (the 4YO has a full-back booster, so no, I'm not irresponsible) and they are fine and perfectly content. I WILL say, for full disclosure, that Tues, when we loaded the 6 of us up to go to the 1st Soccer practice this season, that my oldest did make a comment about the car being small, as he tried to get past a sister to get to the third row. I think she had her leg in the aisle, and we were late, so he had some pressure put on him. Overall, I think they like the room in it. I love the looks, especially since minivans have become more and more bland in their attempts to capture the same same shrinking pool of customers. I look at our 5 and am always SOOO glad its not a minivan. Ever try putting custom wheels on a minivan? Can you say "FAIL!?"

Then there is all the lower running costs from the most obvious - gas, to insurance, brakes, spark plugs...

 

[Wishmaster]

Tell her the bigger the vehicle she drives, the fatter it'll make her look!!

There is some truth in that statement, in that if she wants to perpetuate the fat american driving the biggest gas guzzling thing she can afford stereotype, then she should buy a sienna or whatever. However is she if she would like to look educated, clever, environmentally friendly while at the same time saving money, being able to still enjoy driving, be able to park and buy something which fits her needs 95% of the time, she'll agree to go with the 5.

Otherwise, she should start with the cheeseburgers now.

 

[raspykart]

I'm guessing she wants to be like all her other friends driving a Honda or Toyota minvan? Tell her the 5 is petite and sexy where the Honda n Toyota are fat n lumbering.... I'd say spend a day each with the 5 and Honda n see how the daily routine goes, how hard is it to park, how much fuel is used, how much space is "truly used". I'm fortunate, my wife knows I research things to death and run all the scenarios in my head... so she doesn't bother argruing... she can pick the color... lol.