I got a great deal on a used minivan

[aces67]

We have 2 kids with #3 on the way.

I was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I owed 40 more payments on at $592 a month. It got 13 mpg in the city and 16 on the highway and the tires for it were a whopping $232 EACH.

Last week I got an 08 Dodge Grand Caravan. The payments are $380 per month for 48 months. It gets 16 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway and the tires for it are $90 EACH.

I'm so proud of it. I'm saving a ton of money and I have so much more room now. I think it's awesome but dh is embarrassed by it and so are our friends

I'm especially surprised though at dh. He knows what we've been through financially so I thought he'd be happy and excited about the new car especially with all the money we'll be saving.

[woeisme]

My hubby also wanted an SUV instead of a minivan, oh well! Now I can't get him to let me drive the minivan, so I'm stuck driving the truck (Ford Ranger) all the time, lol!

[southernbelle]

I'm sure your dh will come around. All that matters is you are saving $$$$ and I call that a good deal any day of the week (especially when considering the cost of tires). Hold your head high and enjoy the new Caravan.

Congratulations!!!

[aces67]

My hubby also wanted an SUV instead of a minivan, oh well! Now I can't get him to let me drive the minivan, so I'm stuck driving the truck (Ford Ranger) all the time, lol!

LOL! I wish my dh would be that way.

[Kansas1960]

For DH to be embarrased by a minivan that seems shallow and part of the reason so many of us fall into traps of keeping up with the joneses. I drive a 500 car and I am proud of it. I tell everyone I paid cash for it 3 years ago for 1500 and each day I drive it I save about 15 bucks. Drive your van proudly and if anyone thinks you are trash for driving it I would think they are trash for being so ugly in the mind. Just my 2 cents.

[nc73]

I wouldn't call that downgrade. It's still a gas guzzler and still has a monthly payment. Moving to a 5 door sedan and getting twice the fuel mileage is better. Preferably with no payments.. Eh it's a free country do burn all the cash you want.

[ForTheBest]

Congratulations on the new car, on saving so much money... and on the little one on the way! And congratulations, as well, on being able to get financing approved so soon after discharge. Enjoy!

[JoeBankrupt33]

At some point, it's better to be pragmatic than narcisistic. In July, I bought a 2000 Windstar for $2400 cash, and I couldn't be happier. Windstars do have special problems, but I'm aware of them since I owned an '01 before the ex-wife took it. She was the one always embarrassed, so when she wrecked her Windstar 2 weeks ago, she bought a Dodge Durango. Worse mpg, expensive tires, more costly insurance, but more "coolness."

[Kansas1960]

I don't get the "coolness". When I was in my teens and twenties I can recall the need for a cool car. At that point my budget was my credit limit. I have no desire for putting 40,000 (or whatever new cool cars cost) on a depreciating asset and wasting 8% sales tax on 40,000 and insurance and property tax. You can have it those that need it. I am free and love it!

[aces67]

I wouldn't call that downgrade. It's still a gas guzzler and still has a monthly payment. Moving to a 5 door sedan and getting twice the fuel mileage is better. Preferably with no payments.. Eh it's a free country do burn all the cash you want.

I had one of those and you know what? It's really hard to fit a rear facing carseat in the backseat of one. The only place the carseat would fit was in the middle and even then the passenger and driver seats had to be moved way up.

Since a baby has to be rear facing for 1 year that's not doable or comfortable. We live 30 miles from a grocery store. It's hard to cram yourself into a car for those kinds of drives.

Now if I didn't have little ones I would definitely drive a small car but it's just not doable right now.

[aces67]

For DH to be embarrased by a minivan that seems shallow and part of the reason so many of us fall into traps of keeping up with the joneses. I drive a 500 car and I am proud of it. I tell everyone I paid cash for it 3 years ago for 1500 and each day I drive it I save about 15 bucks. Drive your van proudly and if anyone thinks you are trash for driving it I would think they are trash for being so ugly in the mind. Just my 2 cents.

I know what you are saying. I actually found a 02 that they only wanted $4500 for and a 98 model that they wanted $3000 for. I couldn't get dh to get either of them. His family has burned in his mind that you must have the most expensive newest nicest car you can get and it drives me insane! They spend more on their cars than they do on their home. My SIL actually told me that she had to drop her kids health insurance to afford a new truck payment. Crazy.

I'm hoping eventually dh will come around though. I'm frugal and he's the spender. At least one of us is frugal I suppose otherwise it could be bad.