When we first found out we were expecting we knew there was one thing we had to do and that was get a bigger car for me. I have a Toyota Corolla and while I absolutely love it, we knew that trying to fit a car seat and all the added elements that come along with baby would be tricky so we decided a new car was the right way to go.
Kyle and I both have paid off vehicles so the thought of having a car payment has me stressed out, obviously we can afford it but it's just overwhelming to think about. Kyle will be taking my car because it is a 2009 and his current car is a 2003, so we will be trading in his car when the time comes to purchase. Plus, thanks to our tax return we will have a good down payment as well, we are trying to do this the smart way instead of just jumping into. I don't want an outrageous car payment, because we will be getting Kyle a new car next year.
We haven't looked in person yet but I have been browsing online and there are so many cars that I like haha.We had originally planned to wait until June to look in person but I think March is looking better right now.
Here is what I am loving at the moment:
2016 Honda Pilot
2016 Toyota Highlander
2016 Toyota Camry
As you can tell we are partial to Honda and Toyota because that is what we have now and they are amazing cars!
I'm excited to make a choice and check off this giant item from our to-do list.
The pilot and the crv are both great family cars which both drive nicely! My SIL has a CRV and has a 3 year old and a 7 month old and has plenty of room in it for all the stuff she needs. The pilot is bigger.
ReplyDeleteI've heard great things about the highlander.
ReplyDeleteOur next car is going to be the Honda Pilot.. hubs lease is up soon. We have an Acadia now which we love, but hubs has fallen in love with the Pilot and it has the perfect room we need with baby girl.
ReplyDeleteI've been really into the Ford Escape lately!
ReplyDeleteI LOVED my Pilot, but then we had to fit four car seats in a car and had to go with the minivan Ha! But I still really liked it while I had it. Chris just got an Acura MDX and it is so fun, I try and steal it on the weekends. LOL
ReplyDeleteI've totally had my eye on a Highlander for our next car! Let me know how you like it if you give it a test drive :)
ReplyDeleteSo exciting!
ReplyDeleteYay!!! I told Andy I want us to keep our cars through the first kid or two if we can, because I hate having a car payment! But we don't plan to have kids for at least a few more years. I doubt our cars will last that long!
ReplyDeleteI love the Pilot and Highlander! Such fun cars! Before we moved to Hawaii, I bought a brand new Ford Edge and was obsessed with it. Sadly, it just sits in my parent's driveway right now because it was too pricey to ship.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Toyota Forerunner. We were looking into that one last year but have yet to make a decision. J also likes the two you mentioned as well. We need something a bit bigger than our 04 Escape with all the baby stuff and our cat.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! I hated the idea of adding a new car payment too. It's so hard to go from no car payment to having one again.
ReplyDeleteCar payments scare me too! Alan has one, but I don't and every time I take my car in for service, I cross my fingers that everything is running smoothly. I've heard fantastic things about the CRV and Honda in general (I married into a big mechanic, Honda-loving family)!
ReplyDeleteI love the CRV. We were close to purchasing but it was a bit out of our price range. Its a beautiful car!!!
ReplyDeleteTotally get not wanting a big a car payment! Both cars we have are paid off and I'm dreading when my old CRV ('02) goes. Hubby has been keeping it afloat with little repairs as needed but we know one day in the not so distant future it will belly up. Just hoping its after the next move (fingers crossed). I personally love your top two choices.
ReplyDeleteLove the Pilot! Would definitely get an SUV as much as you travel, will be needed. Also would recommend getting captain's chairs in 2nd row to make 3rd row more usable. We have a Chevy Traverse and LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteI just bought a new car this summer and it was totally unexpected, but it seriously stressed me out. I wasn't even in the market so that made it 10 times worse. Good luck! New things are always exciting.
ReplyDeleteCar shopping is fun except for the ticket price! We rarely buy new now, a good used one usually fits our budget. We've been able to get cars that are great and only 2 years old. Maybe check that out as well...just a thought. We had a Mazda wagon when our children were young and we liked it. oh so long ago! :0> Hope you find a great car for your needs and budget!
ReplyDeleteI've heard you can fit nearly an entire house in the Pilot. Okay, maybe not a whole house but it's huge on the inside!
ReplyDeleteThe idea of car shopping sounds so fun - simply because I've never had the opportunity to do so! Exciting times ahead!!
ReplyDeleteSo exciting! I love the Honda Pilot. If you like the Honda Pilot you should also look at the Ford Edge. That is my dream mom car. :) Enjoy getting a new car!
ReplyDeleteI have a Nissan Rogue and I love it. When we were looking at vehicles for the same reasons we only briefly looked at cars. You can fit so much more in the trunk of the SUV's!
ReplyDeleteI'll be curious to see what you get! I feel like everyone is always really happy with Toyota and Honda.
ReplyDeleteHappy car shopping! I have a Honda and love it.
ReplyDeleteOoo... Car shopping is fun! We're going to have to get a minivan and replace my Honda CRV (that has almost 250,000 miles) when we get pregnant with/before we have our next baby and I'm super excited about it!
ReplyDeleteGood luck! Car shopping terrifies me.
ReplyDeleteWell I know absolutely zero about cars (in fact I'm not sure you can even get those models in the UK?) so I have nothing helpful to add here except yay, new car purchase! We got a new car last year and it seriously makes driving so much more enjoyable. I know what you mean about taking on a new financial commitment but I hope you enjoy the shopping nonetheless :)
ReplyDeleteThis is totally random advice, but the last Thursday of the month tends to get you the best deals. Either sales folks have made their quotas and are making extra money or are trying to and will cut you a good deal.
ReplyDeleteSo fun! I love getting a new car. We test drove a Highlander when we were pre-baby car shopping, but it just didn't meet our needs. It's nice, though!! :)
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