Minivan Ownership

Since we learned we were going to be parents of two last summer, we've been thinking we will need a bigger vehicle for hauling around double strollers, portable potties, and making the occasional trips elsewhere.  Katie and I agreed that a minivan was more practical for us than a three row SUV.  For several months we've been spending parts of our weekends looking at minivans, which surprisingly, is not the most fun thing to do.  Especially when there is a toddler involved who wants us to buy every one she sees!

Pretty early in the search the Honda Odyssey EX-L emerged as the nicest possible choice. The only problem being that it was the 2014 "refreshed" version that had everything we (OK, moreso me) wanted.  Meaning that the ideal option for us was not available used.  Just before New Years the search was resumed and it was time to make a decision - no more wasted weekends at car lots for a long time!  Instead of compromising on a less appealing vehicle, with the end of year incentives we decided to take the plunge and buy a new 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L!

The new vehicle is definitely newer and nicer than what we were initially thinking of buying.  But so far we've been super impressed with the vehicle!  My personal favorite feature is the keyless entry and push button start.  Shockingly to myself, I am now of the belief that taking car keys out of one's pocket is an old-fashioned 20th century act of drudgery.  All of the other bells and whistles - Bluetooth, satellite radio, trip computers - are pretty nice too!  It is also nice to have so much room, even with two car seats installed.  Oh, and Claire loves to nap in it too, which can either be a good or bad thing.

The coda of this tale is that our trusty 2001 Ford Escape is no longer a member of the family.  It was a great car and will be missed - especially if/when the next hiking trip comes about!