2nd Kid Arrived... thinking of trading in for an Odyssey.

[Katner]

Baby number two arrived, now I've got a 26 month old and a 2 month old. With 2 kids the 5 has been performing brilliantly. Holds all the crap my little family needs, is a breeze for my wife to park, and is a joy to drive on windy roads on the way out to the mountains. But today we were running errands with the whole crew aboard and my wife had to nurse. That changed our whole perspective. With one kid she would just hop in back and hide behind the tinted glass all was well. This time we had to pull baby up front and find little more private place. No big deal but it's got me thinking. What other situations will I find myself needing-or rather wanting-a bigger car?

Someone talk me out of it.

 

[Robotazky]

Well, for starters, you have to be pretty savvy to not lose money switching cars. So how much is it worth to fix that one issue that made you think? You sure you're not just getting the new car itch? I go through that every six months at least. I think it's OCD or something. ADHD maybe? Anyway...I digress. I really don't see how an Odyssey is going to fix even the one problem that you stated. Please, enlighten me.

 

[Rocket]

How long is your wife planning to nurse? Just stick it out (pun intended).

 

[Robotazky]

Lmfao!!

 

[coolmazda5]

You guys ...

I believe 3 kids is the mark for a bigger car, it is not a daily thing to nurse in the car (just experience) so it might not be worth going for a bigger/gas guzzler thing for those few occasions

Anyway, if you still is needed and the fun-to-drive changes priority, a couple of things:

• Wait for the next gen Odyssey to arrive, the current one is rather dated IMO
• Look at the Toyota Sienna SE, you might be surprised, as I was when I saw it this past weekend

Oh dear, I have spoken minivan, LOL

 

[doctorz]

None. Absolutely no reason to get an Odyssey with two kids. We bought an MPV (over the Oddy) right after our second was born. Two years later we traded it in for the 5 because we just were not using all that extra space of the MPV.

Now that our kids are car-pool age, we are using the third row regularly and it's still perfect for our needs. I can count on one hand the number of times we pushed the limit of the 5's ability to do what we needed. I think there will always be an occasional time that you find you might need a little extra space, but it's not enough to give up all the other things that made the 5 the right size and design.

 

[mpvue]

I've got 3 kids, 10, 7 and 1.5. we go grocery shopping together, no problem. but trading up to a bigger bore box because of privacy concerns??? seriously, you've got a 2yo, you should KNOW that the nursing thing is over real quick, can't see making a $30K decision based on it.

 

[Heat]

I am familiar with the Odyssey, my brother-in-law has had one for years. Then again, he has seven kids. He actually just bought a 12-seat van to haul them around in. I like the Odyssey, very roomy and great for long trips.

That being said, the only reason for one over a Mazda5 is if you need to haul around at least seven people on a regular basis including the driver. Or if money is no object and you don't mind spending the extra $10K on it, plus extra money for gas since it gets substancially worse gas mileage. I have two kids, the Mazda5 is the perfect people mover for me.

 

[Katner]

How long is your wife planning to nurse? Just stick it out (pun intended).

Hilarious.

You guys ...

I believe 3 kids is the mark for a bigger car, it is not a daily thing to nurse in the car (just experience) so it might not be worth going for a bigger/gas guzzler thing for those few occasions

Anyway, if you still is needed and the fun-to-drive changes priority, a couple of things:

• Wait for the next gen Odyssey to arrive, the current one is rather dated IMO
• Look at the Toyota Sienna SE, you might be surprised, as I was when I saw it this past weekend

Oh dear, I have spoken minivan, LOL

We both love the new Sienna SE. But having driven it it's nothing like the 5 for FTD factor. Still, it looks good and gets the job done better than anything else. We'd be looking at a pre-owned Odyssey. Also why waiting for the next-gen Odyssey which must be less than a year away, is out.

I've got 3 kids, 10, 7 and 1.5. we go grocery shopping together, no problem. but trading up to a bigger bore box because of privacy concerns??? seriously, you've got a 2yo, you should KNOW that the nursing thing is over real quick, can't see making a $30K decision based on it.

Not a 30k decision. Maybe spending an extra 10k max over what we'll fetch for the 5. And it's not privacy alone that would prompt the size increase. I mentioned that as the one thing that got us thinking.

More than anything I'm feeling persuaded, not convinced.

 

[remarquian]

In my opinion the 5 is ideal for a two kid family, there are very few compromises.

I've got three kids, two, five, and seven. With three kids, things are tight occasionally, but we manage.

I plan on using the $10K saved in not buying a larger minivan for the kid's possible braces and College.

For me, it's all about the Benjamins.

 

[Katner]

In my opinion the 5 is ideal for a two kid family, there are very few compromises.

I've got three kids, two, five, and seven. With three kids, things are tight occasionally, but we manage.

I plan on using the $10K saved in not buying a larger minivan for the kid's possible braces and College.

For me, it's all about the Benjamins.

Can't argue with that.

 

[thaxman]

I'll chime in - 4 kids now. Nursing the youngest can't happen in the back anymore for obvious reasons. But I am perplexed - why not put the 2YO in the rear? My sis-in-law always put the youngest in 5-point seatbelts in the 3rd row of her SUV and opened the tailgate to strap them in. Then you have a free seat in the 2nd row for nursing or the mother-in-law. Gotta use those back seats sooner or later!

PS, I've got the rotation all planned out - kids are currently 9, 6, 3, 2mos. In 3 years, the 9YO will be 12, and will be too big to be comfortable back there for 200 mile road trips, so he comes up front permanantly. The 6YO will be 9, so she gets to sit in back and keep either the now-6YO busy or help the now-3YO with her seatbelt. After 4 years, the older kids get to be up front 100% of the time, as the youngest can do her own belt. Before the second youngest gets cramped back there, the oldest will be on his own, and she can come up, and before the youngest gets too old, my oldest daughter will be out of the house too, so we will free up the 3rd row. After that, we enjoy our empty-nest years in a fuel-miser that allows easy entry/exit and a raised seating position that won't cramp up vericose-veined calves. Total win-win!

The big thing that keeps me in this car is the gas mileage. All my past 4-bangers -the Accord, Subie, Sonata, & Daytona all got city mpgs around 19 mpg. This thing gets 24 mpg consistantly! If I gave in and went for a minivan or CUV, I'd be looking at 15 mpg most likely (the truck gets 11-12, so if 2.2L=19mpg & 5.2L=12mpg, then 3.5L=15mpg) since I can't get a MT minivan. True a Ford Flex may in my future, but I doubt I'll sell the 5 to get it.

 

[Katner]

PS, I've got the rotation all planned out - kids are currently 9, 6, 3, 2mos. In 3 years, the 9YO will be 12, and will be too big to be comfortable back there for 200 mile road trips, so he comes up front permanantly. The 6YO will be 9, so she gets to sit in back and keep either the now-6YO busy or help the now-3YO with her seatbelt. After 4 years, the older kids get to be up front 100% of the time, as the youngest can do her own belt. Before the second youngest gets cramped back there, the oldest will be on his own, and she can come up, and before the youngest gets too old, my oldest daughter will be out of the house too, so we will free up the 3rd row. After that, we enjoy our empty-nest years in a fuel-miser that allows easy entry/exit and a raised seating position that won't cramp up vericose-veined calves. Total win-win!

The big thing that keeps me in this car is the gas mileage. All my past 4-bangers -the Accord, Subie, Sonata, & Daytona all got city mpgs around 19 mpg. This thing gets 24 mpg consistantly! If I gave in and went for a minivan or CUV, I'd be looking at 15 mpg most likely (the truck gets 11-12, so if 2.2L=19mpg & 5.2L=12mpg, then 3.5L=15mpg) since I can't get a MT minivan. True a Ford Flex may in my future, but I doubt I'll sell the 5 to get it.

You make good sense. I think like you do - planning out seat positions based on predicted size/weight/car seats/etc. We have to be able to fit a double-stroller plus the kids so that means the 3rd row seats stay folded down permanently now. Once our 3rd arrives this car is out for sure. And I'm with you on the gas mileage thing too. To trade for a bigger car means eating a lot of gas money.




I actually went and looked at both Odyssey's and Sienna's tonight. My wife of course fell in love with the size and space of both. She loved the Odyssey and I ended up loving my 5 twice as much after the evening.

MAZDA, WHERE IS MY NEW MPV??????????

 

[KBrian]

Keep the 5 and buy an 80's Caprice wagon with rear-facing seats-room for 8 whenever you need it. Park it in the drivway and rent out the space when you don't

 

[Robotazky]

Keep the 5 and buy an 80's Caprice wagon with rear-facing seats-room for 8 whenever you need it. Park it in the drivway and rent out the space when you don't

Or even better, a '92 Roadmaster wagon with the LT1 and the giant sky window over the back seat.

 

[bazooka joe]

my son just got the honda, loves it...i told him to check out the 5, but it was too small. trips and the like with 2 kids and 2 adults and all the crap just would make it too tight a fit for comfort...he liked the 5 well enough and the price is great, but the extra room really sold him

 

[coolmazda5]

my son just got the honda, loves it...i told him to check out the 5, but it was too small. trips and the like with 2 kids and 2 adults and all the crap just would make it too tight a fit for comfort...he liked the 5 well enough and the price is great, but the extra room really sold him

With 2 kids a Mazdah5 cah with a cahgo box is wicked, especially when you need to pahk in tight spaces. Anyway, as long as your son is not driving the big bus daily it should be OK

 

[bazooka joe]

###FIXED

With 2 kids a Mazdah5 cah with a cahgo box is pissa, especially when you need to pahk in tight spaces. Anyway, as long as your son is not driving the big bus daily it should be OK

he unfortunately drives an e250 all day for work!

 

[thaxman]

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So, he loves saving gas in that Odyssey then....

katner, just how big is this stroller!? (wow)