How to deal with downsizing.

"Spanfeller is a twat" (theaspiringengineer)
03/25/2019 at 11:26 • Filed to: None

Our 2010 Suburban is proving to be a bigger burden than it used to be.

With fuel prices hitting 4.2 dollars per gallon where we live, and enviromental standards clamping down on the 3/4 ton behemoth my mother uses, together with the fact that dailying a Suburban in such a congested city is prepostrous... (My mother averages SEVEN miles per gallon)... I think we’re ready for a new car.

I told my mother that she had to consider getting a smaller car since, of her four children, three can already legally drive, and two move on their own without any coordination from her.

Meaning that having a big bus to move the big family is kind of... fucking insane since the big family is branching out.

When we got the Suburban in 2012 I was just starting to drive, but my other sibilings were too young to do so. Now my two sisters can drive, and my little brother is the remaining not-driving person.

I tried to get her to look at the Explorer because it has seven seats , and the new RWD version sounds much better than the FWD one. B ut even if she’s absolutely clueless about cars, she always levitates towards body-on-frame SUVs like the Expedition and the Suburban... It’s like a sixth sense... she just knows which cars have BoF.

So I need to convince my mom to get a smaller car, not just for the sake of her wallet, but for the sake of breaking into a kind of dificult conversation about how her life will begin to change as we grow older.

DISCUSSION (34)

HammerheadFistpunch > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 11:33

I remember when the family burb went away. We’d always needed a burb because we are a seven person family and needed the utility but as soon as all the kinds moved out it was just a moving van on the weekends. My mom downsized to a highlander and now to a cx5, its been a GREAT move for her.

Spanfeller is a twat > HammerheadFistpunch
03/25/2019 at 11:36

I want her to look at it that way, but she wont budge. I told her about a minivan and she just scoffed, I then told her about the Explorer and she, again, just scoffed.

“Your aunt has an explorer, and it isn’t that nice”

“Yes, mom, but that’s the 2018 model... ”

OPPOsaurus WRX > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 11:37

my mother drives a 7- seater Hyundai something. She had one child (me) and I no longer live at home. she still needs a 7 seater tho.

Spanfeller is a twat > OPPOsaurus WRX
03/25/2019 at 11:41

My mom doesn’t need the Suburban for anything... most of the time the back row is stowed down.

If I convinced her of letting my brother take the bus to school (because it’s technically illegal to take your children in a personal vehicle to school here) she could move around in a scooter on the weekdays.

PartyPooper2012 > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 11:44

Kinja'd!!!

Not expedition or a suburban. Gets gallons per miles too

Spanfeller is a twat > PartyPooper2012
03/25/2019 at 11:45

Are you sure its not gallons per mile?

PartyPooper2012 > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 11:45

In that truck, yes. Gallons per mile. Few gallons per 1 miles.. maybe more

HammerheadFistpunch > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 11:49

I say there is no need to rush it . Sure paying for gas sucks, but so does paying for a brand new car, and it sounds like she’s happy with it and its still a necessity. She’ll figure out eventually on her own that driving a big empty car sucks.

Spanfeller is a twat > HammerheadFistpunch
03/25/2019 at 11:52

I mean, she’s insisting that she wants a new car.... has been for a couple of years.... but yeah, I think she’ll catch on sooner rather than later.

This suburban is the least reliable car we have ... chevy changed the entire motor *out of warranty*

dogisbadob > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 12:14

And you guys get a bunch of cool cars we don’t get up here! The Honda BR-V would be a good choice in this case.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 12:16

In real world is an Explorer really going to be much better?

I mean they’re still huge and high teens isn’t really spectacular mileage: http://www.fuelly.com/car/ford/explorer/2019

Wait it out and get a Bronco.

Spanfeller is a twat > dogisbadob
03/25/2019 at 12:16

Oh, I mean. She wants something more luxurious, and larger. The BR-V is a subcompact basically, and the interior trims here are very austere...

It's still a great vehicle for the basic premise.

smobgirl > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 12:16

Lol. When I was a teenager we were a family of five and had a 1983 Corolla coupe as our family car. It’s probably the car equivalent of a Great Depression survivor but I a lways struggle with the idea of having that much unneeded space/repair bills /gas usage.

Spanfeller is a twat > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
03/25/2019 at 12:18

Well, I doubt the Bronco would get better mileage.

The Explorer has the benefit of looking “Beefy” which she wants, and there’s also a hybrid, which is good for tax reasons. It's also shorter and narrower than the 3/4 ton burb.

Given the requirements, maybe a Jeep Wrangler with the hybrid 4cyl motor would work, but then she wouldn’t really be downsizing would she?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 12:30

At that point why not just keep the Burb?

I mean unless she’s going to gain 10-15 mpg and get something significantly smaller, why bother?

Spanfeller is a twat > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
03/25/2019 at 12:36

Well,

The suburban is very unreliable, and it’s pretty banged up. She also wants a new car... and I cannot stop that.

Also,getting a hybrid would totally increase her MPG by double digits, since we drive 90% of the time in the city and with hilarous amounts of traffic.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 12:38

Then I guess it’s just a matter of looking around and finding something she likes.

What about a Hybrid Tahoe?

TorqueToYield > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 12:38

I mean, if she can afford the gas and likes driving the thing, maybe just let her live?

Some people like what they like and no amount of rational discussion will change their mind.

Lots of car decisions are fundamentally irrational, and that’ s OK.

Spanfeller is a twat > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
03/25/2019 at 12:40

They never sold the hybrid ones here

Spanfeller is a twat > TorqueToYield
03/25/2019 at 12:42

I’m not asking her to change the Suburban... she *wants* to get a new one. She asked for my opinion and I told her about the explorer and she downright insinuated I was insulting her.

But yeah, if she can afford it, nothing will stop her from getting a new one.

BigBlock440 > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 12:48

Given the requirements, maybe a Jeep Wrangler with the hybrid 4cyl motor would work, but then she wouldn’t really be downsizing would she?

I’m confused, an Explorer would be downsizing, but a Wrangler wouldn’t be? Even though a Wrangler is a foot shorter than the Explorer?

BigBlock440 > OPPOsaurus WRX
03/25/2019 at 12:54

My mom went from a 7 passenger SUV to a car when most of the kids were old enough to drive, then to a Cherokee when she wanted to upgrade, then to a Grand Cherokee because the Cherokee was too small (even though all of the kids have moved out buy this point), and recently moved to a Durango because the GC was too small. It’s not as bad as it sounds though, because grandkids. She thought she could downsize, but ended up with grandkids that she wanted to take places.

Spanfeller is a twat > BigBlock440
03/25/2019 at 12:59

Its pretty tall and wide. But looking at the information leads me to believe that you’re in fact totally right.

OPPOsaurus WRX > BigBlock440
03/25/2019 at 12:59

M the last time my parents had my kids, the kids looked at the Hyundai and said no let's take grandpa's Tacoma

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 14:55

That sucks

Jordan > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 15:11

You want her to get something smaller. She want body-on-frame. Jeep Wrangler seems like a good choice. Maybe the new Bronco is its BoF too.

Spanfeller is a twat > Jordan
03/25/2019 at 16:21

Neither have seven seats

Jordan > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 16:57

True. Is she wanting something brand new or used?

Spanfeller is a twat > Jordan
03/25/2019 at 17:08

New

Jordan > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 17:56

You can get a brand new Mercedes E Class Wagon (the E450 4Matic) for $10k less than a top of the line Suburban. It comes with rear-facing 3rd row seats.

Spanfeller is a twat > Jordan
03/25/2019 at 18:02

Ah that’s a wonderful choice, but also one we can’t have.

Mercedes doesn’t sell the E class wagon here... But it would still be a no-go since she wants an SUV and my father would rather we don’t buy “flashy”brands (Basically Audi, BMW or Mercedes) . Plus, I don’t know how, but the top of the line suburban is cheaper than the base E450 sedan here.

You can get a premier trim suburban for 69 k even , while the merc is 70,500.

I know the constrains are odd.

Jordan > Spanfeller is a twat
03/25/2019 at 19:13

Is your local Chevy dealer just being generous with the discounts?

Maybe you could look at the Toyota Land Cruiser. Its $ 85k, but on the plus side, they don’t really depreciate as much as other new cars, and they last forever.

Spanfeller is a twat > Jordan
03/25/2019 at 19:18

That's the MSRP.... It's just that the Premier trim here is still equipped with the 5.3 :/

i86hotdogs > Spanfeller is a twat
03/26/2019 at 08:46

Ford Flex!

Seats 7 better than both gen exporers, option for either the basic 3.5 or ecoboost 3.5, awd option. S maller than a ‘burb, but big enough for seating and storage.