A Rite of Passage (in this modern age)

[Wilson Deaton]

For MANY years, I've owned either a station wagon or a mini-van or two mini-vans or a station wagon and a mini-van...

I no longer own either!!!



Wilson

[Marian Schwaller Carney]

watcha got instead?

[Susan Unger]

and why no gas guzzlers anymore? or did you get an SVU?

[Billy Cox]

For MANY years, I've owned either a station wagon or a mini-van or two mini-vans or a station wagon and a mini-van...

I no longer own either!!!

I never caught the kid-hauler vehicle bug. I own an SUV, but I haul musical equipment...no sour milk smell or escaped cheerios in my back seat(s).

[Bill Morrison]

For MANY years, I've owned either a station wagon or a mini-van or two mini-vans or a station wagon and a mini-van...

I no longer own either!!!



Wilson

PLEASE....don't tell us you bought a Smart Car

BILL

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I'll be impressed if he says he bought a full sized two door pickup.

[Dana Grant]

Well, I'm happy for ya. We were originally going to buy a regular car this year now that our kids are pretty much on their own -- however, we LOVE the convenience of our van -- being able to haul around kids from church, family members, taking the seats out and hauling lumber when we need to -- so we're going to buy a newer one this coming year. Probably a Honda. The seats fold down and make it a cargo van or a dog carrier van much easier than the one we have now. Love the new features. We'll probably always own a van!!! We really despise SUVs, so we'll probably stick to vans..... Grandkids may come in the next few years, you know!!! ha ha

[David Graham]

I like the good old Aussie "Ute", I think it's a "Pick up" for Americans...... today it's a 2003 6 cyl. ford; but in my younger days when Petrol was cheap, I owned a V8 Holden Ute...
Not exactly a "chick magnet" but a very "blokey" thing to do back then.

[Susan Unger]

I like the good old Aussie "Ute", I think it's a "Pick up" for Americans...... today it's a 2003 6 cyl. ford; but in my younger days when Petrol was cheap, I owned a V8 Holden Ute...
Not exactly a "chick magnet" but a very "blokey" thing to do back then.

You mean like this?

http://www.holden.com.au/vehicles/Ute/SS-V-Series

[Marsha Lynn]

Well, I'm happy for ya. We were originally going to buy a regular car this year now that our kids are pretty much on their own -- however, we LOVE the convenience of our van -- being able to haul around kids from church, family members, taking the seats out and hauling lumber when we need to -- so we're going to buy a newer one this coming year. Probably a Honda. The seats fold down and make it a cargo van or a dog carrier van much easier than the one we have now. Love the new features. We'll probably always own a van!!! We really despise SUVs, so we'll probably stick to vans..... Grandkids may come in the next few years, you know!!! ha ha

Our kids have all flown the coop, both daughters getting married in 2011. And last February when it became obvious that it was time to replace our (third) Dodge minivan, a 1998 model, we bought ...









... a 2005 Toyota Sienna minivan. I love it. We often have the back seats tucked away to make cargo space, but not always. With extra family members plus church activities, we still have plenty of opportunities to fill our seats.

One of the families in our Sunday School group has a GMC minivan with eight seats as opposed to our seven. It has been a standing joke for the past few years that we *always* end up with eight people for impromptu outings and they end up driving. It's so much nicer to all be in one vehicle instead of splitting up between two or three and pulling out the walkie-talkies.

A few days after we traded the minivan, we found out our 1997 Subaru Outback was terminal. Two vehicle replacements in one month! And it was the same month I had kidney surgery. (I volunteered to help weather the fleet crisis by not driving for a few weeks.) We ended up getting a slightly newer Outback.

Other than my husband's "customized" Dodge Sprinter, we're rather monotonous and boring in our vehicle choices. Here's the Sprinter getting ready to haul Crisis Car Kits to the warehouse in Fawn Grove, PA:

Marsha

[Wilson Deaton]

I never caught the kid-hauler vehicle bug. I own an SUV, but I haul musical equipment...no sour milk smell or escaped cheerios in my back seat(s).

For a short while, when were a portable church, my mini-van hauled our sound/video/nursery equipment back and forth to the theater every week...

Wilson

[Wilson Deaton]

For MANY years, I've owned either a station wagon or a mini-van or two mini-vans or a station wagon and a mini-van...

I no longer own either!!!

For those interested, I now mostly drive a 2008 Toyota Corolla and my wife mostly a 2011 Honda Fit. Both have gotten as high as 40 mpg on the highway...

I predict my next car will be electric; that is, if my Corolla lasts as long as I expect.

Wilson

[Wilson Deaton]

PLEASE....don't tell us you bought a Smart Car

BILL

I guess I'm not that smart...

Wilson

[Gina Stevenson]

Well, I'm happy for ya. We were originally going to buy a regular car this year now that our kids are pretty much on their own -- however, we LOVE the convenience of our van -- being able to haul around kids from church, family members, taking the seats out and hauling lumber when we need to -- so we're going to buy a newer one this coming year. Probably a Honda. The seats fold down and make it a cargo van or a dog carrier van much easier than the one we have now. Love the new features. We'll probably always own a van!!! We really despise SUVs, so we'll probably stick to vans..... Grandkids may come in the next few years, you know!!! ha ha

Funny you should mention Honda. Close to replacing my albatross w/an older Odyssey ('03). Scared b/c of the albatross, losing so much on it, etc. But this seems right, tho not 100% ok w/it. Think anything I can afford now would not feel 100% ok, due to age! ('03 is already 9 years old, nearly a decade!!)
It did feel steadier than several others, when driving purposely like I don't normally drive, etc. Heard good re them, too, & have been looking a lot online, etc.

This has one nice winter wimp feature: heated seats!!

[David Graham]

You mean like this?

http://www.holden.com.au/vehicles/Ute/SS-V-Series

Yes indeed!

[Hans Deventer]

Yes indeed!

I was surprised to see so many of these cars in Australia, David. Never seen them before.

[Jim Chabot]

I like the good old Aussie "Ute", I think it's a "Pick up" for Americans...... today it's a 2003 6 cyl. ford; but in my younger days when Petrol was cheap, I owned a V8 Holden Ute...
Not exactly a "chick magnet" but a very "blokey" thing to do back then.

We have similar vehicles here, although they are a bit larger.



Of course if you are a Holden fan, we have the ultimate vehicle for you!

[Hans Deventer]

We have similar vehicles here, although they are a bit larger.

I don't see them as similar, Jim. I know the US versions, we sometimes see them here as well. But they are not regular cars. The thing that surprised me was that in Australia, you have regular cars that have the back of a pick up. Never seen those in the US.

Like this one:

[Jim Chabot]

Looks like I may be a victim of my own perspective here.

I'm also in the process of downsizing a bit.

Here is a link to the vehicle that I'm hoping to sell.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-...#ht_500wt_1182

I'm hoping to replace it with something like this. I'm thinking that this is a car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-...#ht_614wt_1167

[Susan Unger]

I don't see them as similar, Jim. I know the US versions, we sometimes see them here as well. But they are not regular cars. The thing that surprised me was that in Australia, you have regular cars that have the back of a pick up. Never seen those in the US.

Like this one:

Attachment 3264

I've seen one or two in my lifetime which look like the front is a car and the back is a pickup truck. Ugly thing.

[Hans Deventer]

I've seen one or two in my lifetime which look like the front is a car and the back is a pickup truck. Ugly thing.

Come to think of it, over here, you do see them at times though never as fancy as in Australia. Here's a 1969 Peugeot 404.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Since I'm the one who detoured the conversation over to pickups .... here's my 5.7L Tundra...

[Susan Unger]

Come to think of it, over here, you do see them at times though never as fancy as in Australia. Here's a 1969 Peugeot 404.

Attachment 3266

That's what I am talking about. And you are correct, not as fancy at the Australian ones.

[Gina Stevenson]

What about the El Camino? Tho' it's an oldie, that is what it was like ... car front, truck-like rear:

http://www.google.com/search?q=chevy...w=1024&bih=512

Actually, it didn't look too bad.

ETA: http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...pictures.shtml

This link shows pictures from 1959 to 1977. Didn't realize it was made so many years -- 19!

Anyway, the one whose back end reminds me of the best old Impala (59) is my El Camino pick.

[Susan Unger]

what about the El Camino? Tho' it's an oldie, that is what it was like ... car front, truck-like rear:

http://www.google.com/search?q=chevy...w=1024&bih=512

Actually, it didn't look too bad.

That's it!

[Marsha Lynn]

What about the El Camino? Tho' it's an oldie, that is what it was like ... car front, truck-like rear:

http://www.google.com/search?q=chevy...w=1024&bih=512

Actually, it didn't look too bad.

ETA: http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...pictures.shtml

This link shows pictures from 1959 to 1977. Didn't realize it was made so many years -- 19!

Anyway, the one whose back end reminds me of the best old Impala (59) is my El Camino pick.

The Ford Ranchero is another example from years gone by.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ranc...w=1366&bih=635

Or for a more contemporary style: The Subaru Baja. I could get into one of these.

https://www.google.com/search?q=suba...w=1366&bih=635

[Gina Stevenson]

The Ford Ranchero is another example from years gone by.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ranc...w=1366&bih=635

Or for a more contemporary style: The Subaru Baja. I could get into one of these.

https://www.google.com/search?q=suba...w=1366&bih=635

Had forgotten about the Ranchero, Marsha. Hadn't heard of t'other one.

[Dana Grant]

Yes, Marsha, that is how we are -- we love having the extra room for people to ride with us......and yes, I understand about needing 8 seats at times!! Oh well, you can't have everything, I suppose!!!

[Dana Grant]

Nice, Scott, but I've just never understood the love of huge trucks and SUVs.....LOL I like a car I can just slip into. I don't want to have to put on my mountain climbing gear to get in!!! ha ha ha ha

Love the picture, though!!!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Nice, Scott, but I've just never understood the love of huge trucks and SUVs.....LOL I like a car I can just slip into. I don't want to have to put on my mountain climbing gear to get in!!! ha ha ha ha

Love the picture, though!!!

Well, we used to have a much smaller Ford Sport Trac, which I enjoyed very much. But, these days, it takes a big pickup to pull our Jay Flight.

[Gina Stevenson]

Love the picture, though!!!

yes, a truck-&-a-half! but then u need something hefty to haul your airstream (that is what u have, right?)

oops! u were posting your camper while i got the name wrong. did u have a diff one before?

[Herb Newell]

Well, I'm happy for ya. We were originally going to buy a regular car this year now that our kids are pretty much on their own -- however, we LOVE the convenience of our van -- being able to haul around kids from church, family members, taking the seats out and hauling lumber when we need to -- so we're going to buy a newer one this coming year. Probably a Honda. The seats fold down and make it a cargo van or a dog carrier van much easier than the one we have now. Love the new features. We'll probably always own a van!!! We really despise SUVs, so we'll probably stick to vans..... Grandkids may come in the next few years, you know!!! ha ha

My mom who is 80+ just bought new. We tried to persuade her to move down from her full size van to something that would be easier to drive and to turn around in her long narrow driveway. But in the end she bought another full size van "because she has people to pick up for church..." The kicker was, she couldn't drive a motorized wheelchair into any of the smaller vehicles. She doesn't need one -- but before he died my dad did -- and she might need it some day.

[David Graham]

Yeah, I agree that there are a lot of them. The surprising thing is that now that Australia is so urbanised, that people still love to drive them. In my area which is predominately a farming community, nearly everyone has a "ute" of some description, but they are still common in the cities as well.

I suspect it's a "male" thing (not many girls have utes out here) and some blokes I know don't actually carry anything in the tray but meticulously polish the paint work (sometimes the engines too) and paint on stripes (or other art work) and have very elaborate sound systems inside. And of course with the reduced weight on the chassis they can be quite "toey" too (fast off the mark).

I'm not sure if they do this elsewhere but they do race them out here..... but because of the lack of weight over the back wheels they tend to spin out a bit.

[David Graham]

Looks like I may be a victim of my own perspective here.

I'm also in the process of downsizing a bit.

Here is a link to the vehicle that I'm hoping to sell.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-...#ht_500wt_1182

I'm hoping to replace it with something like this. I'm thinking that this is a car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-...#ht_614wt_1167

Very nice Jim...... we have "twin cab" utes out here too, but a little more streamlined.

[Gina Stevenson]

The Ford Ranchero is another example from years gone by.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ranc...w=1366&bih=635

Funny thing re this thread ... havent seen one in enough years that I forgot about them. Then when taking the Odyssey to the mechanic, I leaned on a very old vehicle he has there to restore, while he put was checking it out, checked to see what it was, and lo and behold, it said ... Ranchero. ;-)