Gas prices are getting me re-thinking things a bit.

90% of the time our small sedan does us fine. The back seat is a little small but as soon as ds gets taller than me, he can have the front, and dd and I can sit in the back. (That's how I grew up with my very tall brother sitting in the front seat and my Mom and I in the back). I'm only 5'4 so there is lots of leg room for me.

However ... as we travel it's getting harder and harder to fit everything we need in the small trunk and / or squashed around our legs and beside us. We've been looking at getting a small SUV for our next car because we seem to be growing out of this one.

But would it make more sense just to keep driving a small car (better on gas, and less money to purchase) and then just rent a larger car twice a year when we travel to see dh's family?

Anyone else do this?

__________________

We haven't done this yet, but I've also been considering it. We travel cross-country one or two times a year and also have a small car (a Neon for the 4 of us--and our 80lb. mutt!)

I think it's a reasonable option considering the wear & tear on a car. It's way cheaper than buying a bigger car when we don't need it most of the time.

Wow, you are adding an 80 lb dog in there too! I thought our car was squishy. How far do you have to go? Our trip is 6 hours each way which isn't all that far but far enough that we have to pack for two weeks.

__________________

We've done it. It's just the 2 of us, but we used to belong to SCA, a medeival recreationist society, and when we went to War (a week long camping event in full costume) we would have to not just pack normal camping gear, like tent, sleeping bags, camp stove, etc., but our medieval costumes, goblets, plates, silverware (no paper/plastic "modern" stuff allowed), craft items, bows and arrows, etc. It was about a 6 hour drive, so we rented a mini van so we would be comfortable & could pack all the stuff. For families going to war - heck - some of them came in a bus! I think it makes much more sense to tack on a couple hundred bucks to a vacation once a year or so and save the mileage/wear & tear on your car, and not have higher car payments and gas prices the rest of the year.

__________________

Seems pretty logical to me.

Oh my, I won't show my ds this post! He'd wish he was born into your family! He is obsessed with medieval times. Off topic here .. but I've been looking for a medieval dress ~ any ideas where I could find one?

__________________