Wife wants (and will get, like everything else she wants) #3 soon (pending me not getting laid off). We drive a PT cruiser and my Volvo 940 Wagon. The wagon is great because it can handle both kids (2 years and 8 months) and luggage or both kids and both dogs (75 lbs each). The PT Cruiser can do that too, but the dogs are cramped and so is the luggage. Mileage for both is about equal at around 25 mpg.
I was looking at ditching the cruiser in favor of a newer minvan/crossover thing. She'd drive it, and is particular about the interior. She HATES the Volvo interior. Too boxy and whatever. I get it, but I don't really care. This would be her car, so it matters. With a budget cap of 5.5K, year cap of 2000, mileage cap of around 100K, and a purchase about 6-12 months from now, my options seem to be:
Ford Freestar
Ford Freestyle
Mazda 5
Mazda MPV
Kia Rondo
But it seems that the cargo area in these is a little iffy when three car seats are belted in. The Volvo was barely adequate (but it was) for luggage for our eastern seaboard trip last month (SC-NY-Mass-VB-SC) because kids use a lot of stuff. Toys, walkers, food, sleeping stuff, crib etc. We routinely take trips, and may be bringing the dogs too. Seems that the options are as follows:
1: Get three of these: http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Kids-Radian80-Convertible-Sport/dp/B002OC3306/ref=p... and stuff things in the Volvo and grin and bear it for a few years until the budget improves even though three kids worth of luggage will continue to be really tricky.
2: Get a Minivan and try to leave the dogs at home and get one with bigger cargo area so that I can stuff some luggage in there.
3: Get a minivan, buy the skinny carseats too, stuff kids into last row, remove center seats for dogs/luggage until the kids get old enough not to need car seats (I think the last law change specified 23 as the age at a kid can actually sit in the car normally) and multitask.
4: Never leave home, ever.
5: Buy a Sprinter.
