GolfHos

So the escapade with the truck got my wife seriously considering getting a new car. She really likes Honda, and I can't blame her. So here we are with the Suburban(2003) and an Impala(2005). The truck costs us $75 a week in gas, the car $35. We don't use the truck as a truck as much as we had in the past, and we are beginning to have to use both cars as we have to go to different places at the same time with the kids. So we are considering getting rid of the truck for an Accord. The other thought is to get rid of both for two new cars.

So what say all you wise hos?

We're in a similar situation.  We have a mini-van and a car and we're beginning to look at a new vehicle.  I figure we'll end up with a hybrid or a non-gas guzzler of some sort to replace the mini-van.

Mini Cooper S.  8)

Making payments on the Suburban or is it paid off?

You've just taken the main depreciation slam on the Chevy, so you might as well run it awhile.

I'd swap the Suburban for something smaller but still family-functional.  Do you need the other vehicle to offer something the Impala doesn't already provide?

Since the Impala isn't that old, I'd vote to keep it for now.  Shopping for two cars at the same time that might need to meet different needs sounds like a pain. (but then again, I tend to over-research/analyze when looking at buying a new car)

Still paying on the Suburban but we are past the break even point.

As far as functions, the wife totes the kids around most days because my work day starts at 6:00 and ends at 7:30 so her car must be big enough to carry 3 growing boys. My car can hold them but she doesn't like driving the Impala. She will get the new car if we get one. And no the new car does not need to meet another function, my parents have 2 mini vans, BIL has a truck. So if we need to haul stuff they are both just 2 miles away.

I had considered getting a hybrid however I am still a little leery of long term part replacements and cost. If I knew they would last 6 years without needing any major work done then I would probably go for that but I hear after 4 to 5 years they need some major work.

Love the Odyssey.  My wife does the kid thing, ours plus she's heavily involved at their school with field trips, sports, etc.  We got the Touring version with captains chairs for the kids and added a 10" DVD.  Recently did 25+ hours in it going to and fro California.  Only almost had to kill them six times.  Easily a record.

I have an Accord with 106K miles.  Love it too.

I really like my Accord, though I'm not sure if I'd want to use it for 5 adult-sized people on a regular basis.  And, even though it has a good sized trunk, I'm not sure it could hold, say, a long weekend's worth of luggage for 5 people.  (Actually, even 4 is a little tough when you factor in winter coats in the trunk.)
If you take family trips a lot, you might miss the Suburban.

Or if your boys get into sports, and you find yourself driving to tournaments with bags of hockey equipment, or baseball equipment, or football equipment, or ...

I like me that Odyssey.

My point in asking is strictly financial: if the increased payment will be offset by the decrease in gas cost you may as well keep the Suburban. i.e. Your payment for the new economical vehicle is $75 more than the Suburban payment. The gas expenditure for the new car is $40 less per week, you are spending $35 more for the economical vehicle..strictly financially speaking keep the SUV.

That being said, if there are other considerations.......

 [sm_thumbsdown] :tape: [sm_cussing] [sm_boxing] [sm_protest] [sm_sumo] [sm_chairshot] [sm_poke] :boxing: :nono: [sm_pain] [sm_jack] :finger: :censored: :punchballs: :ninja:

why do you guys hate america?

you bought a suburban? good luck offing that. [sm_laughatyou] [sm_rolling]

Actually the payment on the new car would be about $140 to $160 less then the truck, add the gas savings and we are looking at $300 less a month. This is the most compelling reason to do it.

As Clive has said as the boys get bigger there will be some hauling around of stuff but 1 baseball bag and a couple soccer balls do not mount to much.

Although we do tend to take 1 or 2 trips a year and a van might be better, but getting a van would make the finances more of a wash then anything.

Down here in Texas it's not as hard as you think. There are more trucks and SUVs on the road here then cars.

You need a Subaru Forester, but you need the one with the WRX motor in it.

I haven't talked to anybody that has one that doesn't love it, and I'll bet I talk to a larger segment of the American Car Buying Public than most people day in and day out...

And no, I'm really not kidding.

anything but 'merkan

Alot of people seem to really like the Rendezvous and it's clones as well....

I was driving home about 2 nights ago at 1am and got to a wall of brake lights.  Nothing moved for 5 minutes so I shut the engine off, people got out of their cars wondering what happened.  Then 3 ambulances zip buy, followed by a couple flatbeds.  45 minutes later, we start our cars again and creep by the accident site.

Mini Cooper vs. Dodge Ram - Mini cooper was crushed in to half its original size (literally).  [sm_shock]

Any Dale Earnhardt fan knows for an absolute fact that crushed sheet metal don't mean squat in terms of driver safety.

get a job.  ;)

Subaru clutches are the *feces*e, fwiw.