The Mom-Mobile

Today's post comes courtesy of Paula Anderson, Vice President of Marketing.

Throughout high school, I see me driving a light blue ‘65 Chevy Chevelle that my friends quaintly dubbed the “Mom-Mobile”.   Maybe the name stemmed from its model year, the A.M. only radio and the manual locks and windows.  Quite possibly it was because I always had access to the car and was, more often than not, the “mom” driving the crew around.  But more than likely, it was because its trunk was so spacious it could have held a stroller, a pack-n-play, a couple ball bags, a lawn chair or two, and maybe three or four teenagers sneaking into a drive-in movie. 

A few years after college, I graduated from the post-college ride I bought from a friend to my first, new car purchase:  a Toyota Celica GT … definitely not a mom-mobile.  Or, was it?  I drove this car single, married, and as a mom of one.  Its trunk accommodated my golf bag, it accommodated his and hers golf bags, and it actually accommodated a full-size stroller.  But when baby number two was on the way, the thought of two car seats and two under two in the back seat of a two door coupe sent me shopping. 

Onward and upward to SUV number one … no third row seat, so no mom-mobile status.  Eventually three car seats fit with ease in its second row and its back had ample room for all things stowed. Yet when my father-in-law passed away, the time had come for a six-passenger vehicle so we could include my mother-in-law in plans without taking two vehicles.  It was time for the mother of all mom-mobiles:  a minivan, right?

Wrong.  Let me just say, all vans are not created equal.  I had a minivan for maybe six months when I had had enough of stuffing grocery bags from the front to the back, and stowing kid gear every which way as well. I think that old ‘65 Chevy had more room than the van I had! Who knew? Poor van research on my part led me in search of a new mom-mobile, SUV number two … with the third row seat.  Life was good. 

Fast forward today and I’m driving SUV number three, still with a third row seat.  Love the ride. Love the room.  Bar carpools, sports, road trips, and family vacations … it might certainly be fun to have that very first mom-mobile again – the ’65 Chevy – just for cruising around on Mother’s Day.

How do you C.U. and your car purchases?  Best? Worst? Let us know.