BenefitsEnvironmental Benefit: ★★★★★
Our Impala gets 28 mpg highway. Passenger vans are closer to 18. Also fewer materials are required to manufacture a smaller car, and there is less waste when the car is "used up" which is how long we drive 'em! Also, driving a fuel efficient car is slightly more energy efficient than flying for long trips. When you pack 6 into that same car, you're using less than 1/6 the energy!
Money Saved: ★★★★★
You'll save on the original price of the car, and then on insurance and gasoline for the life of the car. If we drive 1000 miles per month then we save over $300 per year just on the fuel!
Lifestyle Benefit: ★★☆☆☆
Being a little cramped in a smaller car is certainly the price you pay for the other benefits. But think of all the vacation fun you can have with the money saved! And it's not really that bad - our Impala has a huge trunk!
What We’re Doing
When we added the 6th member of our family, we moved up from a five-passenger Chevy Prism (now my "to work" car) to a family Impala with a front "bench" seat to fit a sixth. Admittedly there aren't a lot of sedans around with bench seats any more, so Shannon did a good bit of online reasearch to find our best options. Also, don't let anyone tell you that three children's car seats won't fit in the back - they can unless maybe if they're those monster car/stroller seats I've seen. Admittedly there have been times when I could have really used the hauling space of a van, but I've been able to make do renting the $25/hr home depot pickup. We've gone on family trips of over 3,000 miles in good 'ol "Paula the Impala" and still love each other afterward! Our youngest occasionally drives while I sleep (see photo). Cost of the Impala with 34,000 miles (still under factory warranty) found on Craigslist was only about $12,000 - how much for a new minivan? And how many more years would you have to work before retirement to pay it off???
Our Impala gets 28 mpg highway. Passenger vans are closer to 18. Also fewer materials are required to manufacture a smaller car, and there is less waste when the car is "used up" which is how long we drive 'em! Also, driving a fuel efficient car is slightly more energy efficient than flying for long trips. When you pack 6 into that same car, you're using less than 1/6 the energy!
Money Saved: ★★★★★
You'll save on the original price of the car, and then on insurance and gasoline for the life of the car. If we drive 1000 miles per month then we save over $300 per year just on the fuel!
Lifestyle Benefit: ★★☆☆☆
Being a little cramped in a smaller car is certainly the price you pay for the other benefits. But think of all the vacation fun you can have with the money saved! And it's not really that bad - our Impala has a huge trunk!
What We’re Doing
When we added the 6th member of our family, we moved up from a five-passenger Chevy Prism (now my "to work" car) to a family Impala with a front "bench" seat to fit a sixth. Admittedly there aren't a lot of sedans around with bench seats any more, so Shannon did a good bit of online reasearch to find our best options. Also, don't let anyone tell you that three children's car seats won't fit in the back - they can unless maybe if they're those monster car/stroller seats I've seen. Admittedly there have been times when I could have really used the hauling space of a van, but I've been able to make do renting the $25/hr home depot pickup. We've gone on family trips of over 3,000 miles in good 'ol "Paula the Impala" and still love each other afterward! Our youngest occasionally drives while I sleep (see photo). Cost of the Impala with 34,000 miles (still under factory warranty) found on Craigslist was only about $12,000 - how much for a new minivan? And how many more years would you have to work before retirement to pay it off???
A Little Humor
A group of pensioners were discussing their medical problems at the Day Centre coffee morning.
'Do you realise,' said one, 'My arm is so weak I can hardly hold this coffee cup.'
'Yes, I know.' replied the second, 'My cataracts are so bad I can't see to pour the coffee.'
'I can't turn my head,' rejoined the third, 'because of the arthritis in my neck.'
'My blood pressure pills make my dizzy,' commented the fourth, adding, 'I guess that's the price we pay for getting old.'
'Well, it's not all bad.' piped up the first, 'We should be thankful that we can still drive.'
'Do you realise,' said one, 'My arm is so weak I can hardly hold this coffee cup.'
'Yes, I know.' replied the second, 'My cataracts are so bad I can't see to pour the coffee.'
'I can't turn my head,' rejoined the third, 'because of the arthritis in my neck.'
'My blood pressure pills make my dizzy,' commented the fourth, adding, 'I guess that's the price we pay for getting old.'
'Well, it's not all bad.' piped up the first, 'We should be thankful that we can still drive.'
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