Funny story - my wife is expecting this April 2007, and a few weeks ago we were visiting the various dealerships to check out the various SUV's in the market. She drives a RAV4, and I want to garage my Z for the winter, so we were looking at getting a "real" SUV, with more power and more cargo space. At a local Honda dealership, I asked my wife to sit in the Odyssey just so she could get an appreciation for how much space it had, and how practical it would be for her. Instead of getting in, she frowned, folded her arms across her body, and said, "There is NO WAY I am getting a minivan!". I laughed my **** off.

I woke up today to walk our dog and was greeted wtih howling winds and a bunch of snow on the ground. It quickly reminded me why I didn't want to drive the Z in the winter and why I visited our local dealership yesterday to close a deal on an SUV. After considering a bunch of SUV's, we chose the Pathfinder LE - hopefully we'll take delivery this week. It'll sure be an easier ride than trying to Pilot the Z through the snow!

Our friends with minivans swear by them. I completely understand the benefits - however, given that my wife will be with our child most of the time we decided that she would ultimately choose what vehicle she would drive. I also warned her that if she belly-ached later on, we were NOT going to change the car (we are going to do a 36 mo lease on the Pathfinder, so we are going to be locked in for 3 yrs). But the "boss" would not change her mind and so I am sad to say that I am not joining the minivan club anytime soon...

Maybe just as worse as being "seen in a minivan" is that I will be using her old RAV4 as my winter daily driver. The 140 hp engine just doesn't cut it esp when my former car was a G sedan and my Z both had 260 hp + on tap. Oh well, it'll be easier to get through the snow and I'll be saving a lot on gas....

 

haha props to your wife Joel for rejecting the Mini-van. You should be very happy with the Pathfinder, good choice.
By the way, my wife would never allow a mini-van to reside in our driveway either.

 

Great choice, bro...you can't lose with a Pathfinder.....tried and true...

I know what you mean by "a 140hp Honda for the winter" lol, my Civic does me for the crappy months until it's 'Infiniti weather' again...

Roll on spring.......

C.

 

Pathfinders are sick.!!

 

LOL, good for your wife! My wife refuses to buy/drive a minivan also...I love it!

Btw, congrats on the Pathfinder, great choice.

 

Thx guys. We are looking forward to taking delivery this week!

 

Hey BMC congrats on the Pathfinder and on picking a wife with good taste in vehicles.

I have to admit I have a mini van. I need it for my business.

 

I could never see myself in a minivan.......... until my daughters came along. The first minivan (Chrysler) had the baby seats (2) right in the regular middle seat. Got it in 92, put 170K on it and now my neighbour uses it for his business. 210K and going strong. My second, which I got while I still had the first was a Grand Caravan. Very versitile and dependable. Still, I'd rather have a Pathfinder.
Good luck on both your additions to your family.

 

I had an '01 Pathfinder 5 speed stick (loved that!) and I had to trade it in for a van when my second daughter was born. There just wasn't enough room for 2 kids, a 100lb black lab and the cargo that comes with 2 kids under 4.
I got a Nissan Quest, so I kept it in the Nissan family?
Too bad the new Pathfinders don't come in stick.
Matt

 

The Nissan Quest definitely has a unique shape among the various minivan offerings out there, and has quite a bit of storage space. We have a little 25 lbs Welsh Terrier so I think we'll be okay for awhile. Of course, if we end up having more than one child it might be a whole different ball game....

I also wished the Pathfinder had a manual transmission option, but the little lady isn't a big fan of driving MT. The automatic and the torquey 4.0L V6 will still be a lot of fun to drive.

 

I showed my wife your post and she had a good chuckle.

As for the minivan - no worries - you have a legitimate excuse!

 

Hey, glad your wife enjoyed the chuckle.

 

Great choice on the Pathfinder Joel..... Congratz!
It would def be at the top of my list for a SUV.

I have never been a fan of the FX & Murano look in a SUV.
JMO, but a SUV is a truck & should look like one.

 

You can be forgiven on that since you have very good car taste.

 

Wait till you have 3 kids...you have no choice but to get a minivan.

Funny how women despise minivans as my wife does and keeps yearning for the day she will drive a 'luxury' SUV.

I'm still searching for a new minivan to replace our MPV. The 2007 Sienna is looking pretty good...268 HP.