What car does a 20-year 240 driver get now that she has 3 kids?
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

My daughter lives in Bemidji MN. When her '95 855 was having issues she could not find anyone to work in it. Bemidji has several car dealers including a Toyota and a Honda dealer.

She asked me to help her decide which to choose. I told her to ask the sales manager why she should buy from that dealer.

The Toyota man said - We will give you a great deal. The Honda guy said - We will take great care of your car.

She bought a Honda.

Her husband bought a Toyota truck. He hates his dealer so much that he travels to Fargo ND for warranty work. A 131 mile, 2 and half hour trip!

He gets his regular service done at the Honda dealer - When they are done, they park his truck in the front of the lot so that the Toyota people can see it!

In Consumer reports, Toyota is often at the top of their car ratings and at the bottom of their dealer satisfaction ratings.

Is happy car care near the top of her list?

It was a '13 Sienna, black. The '02 Saab was sacrificed in trade. The '91 244 remains.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Oh Art. Not another SAAB-Story. :))))

pretty good trade...wait a few weeks then trade-up to a 2020

Westminster is a ghost town.

SUVs Are Being Parked In The Middle Of The Ocean As Auto Inventory Crisis Deepens

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/suvs-are-being-parked-middle-ocean-auto-inventory-crisis-deepens

Hey Art....time to trade that Toyota in for a way better ride.
That was quick.
Charlie

It Hertz, but we got to move these vehicles----out the door.

https://www.hertzcarsales.com/used-cars-for-sale.htm

Hertz Car Sales Homepage

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https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/soccer-moms-revenge/

Good move for her. Less maintenance for you, except for a tranny flush(dealers don't do them), and, a lot of carrying space for your daughter. Everyone gets their own space and the minivan will cruise at 80 all day long without complaints.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

She could buy my totally rust-free, like new,'79 244 DL (with only 78K miles) and go another 20 years.

For the first ten or so years of my life we were a family of five in Volvo 240s. But then we didn't go on many trips...

The Honda Odyssey has been very good to me. The versatility of it and and thoughtfulness of the (interior) design is awesome. Just make sure the transmission has been maintained.

Or if she prefers a truck, the Chevy Astro/GMC Safari must be good vehicles. Two of three "micros" (bus/taxis) in Tijuana are Astros. If they can withstand that abuse they can handle anything.
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XC60 / Odyssey

"What car does a 20-year 240 driver get now that she has 3 kids?"

Tired.

Michael, I've been trying to mark this response as the "ANSWER" since you posted it, but the option, sometimes presented under the thumbs, does not appear for me. Definitely the answer favored by the new mom in the question. Tired.

Practically speaking, one of her older sisters discovered she can't fit three child seats in her Highlander. She already tried to buy a used Sienna but found in a pre-purchase inspection the selling agency tried to hide serious body repairs successfully concealed from Carfax. The third row option in the 245 had her fondly recalling our camping trips in a two-seater work van with the kids just "rolling around in the back."

Sounds like Klaus has been there, for that Sienna was the plan all along, before she got quite so tired. CB is right; when I see all the cars at the mall I forget it has become a storage lot and wonder what event is being held. It isn't up to me, but I'm pretty confident none of the AWD/FWD Volvos is being considered.

Thanks, all, for the advice. Even the 79 244 suggestion brought me a smile. I have one of those, too, and I try to keep the little ones away from it.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

An engineer was unemployed for a long time. He could not find a job so he opened a medical clinic and puts a sign up outside: “Get your treatment for $500, if not treated get back $1,000.” One doctor thinks this is a good opportunity to earn $1,000 and goes to his clinic.
Doctor: “I have lost taste in my mouth.”
Engineer: “Nurse, please bring medicine from box 22 and put 3 drops in the patient’s mouth.”
Doctor: “This is Gasoline!”
Engineer: “Congratulations! You’ve got your taste back. That will be $500.” The doctor gets annoyed and goes back after a couple of days later to recover his money.
Doctor: “I have lost my memory, I cannot remember anything.”
Engineer: “Nurse, please bring medicine from box 22 and put 3 drops in the patient’s mouth.”
Doctor: “But that is Gasoline!”
Engineer: “Congratulations! You’ve got your memory back. That will be $500.” The doctor leaves angrily and comes back after several more days.
Doctor: “My eyesight has become weak.”
Engineer: “Well, I don’t have any medicine for this. Take this $1,000.”
Doctor: “But this is $500…”
Engineer: “Congratulations! You got your vision back! That will be $500.”

I didn't suggest ANY SUV because when the rear row of seats is not folded down, there is absolutely no storage space, besides the oldest child will probably crawl over the second row seat back rather than folding the middle seat forward to get in the rear.

My neighbor has a Toyota SUV with 4 children. A roof carrier is required when going on vacation, and the dog cannot go with. The Sienna can also be equipped with AWD if desired, but loose 2 mpg overall.

The Odyssey would be my second choice. Both come with NA V6 engines.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Art.
hang on for a few months and she'll get paid to take a car loan.
(called 'negative' rate)

buy new
I'd laugh but it hurts...'so it goes'

hang on for a few months and she'll get paid to take a car loan.
(called 'negative' rate)

That was quick ... I thot it'd take a few months not 2 weeks.
10Year went under 1% today.

"we pay You to borrow so U can buy this New vehicle and get it out of inventory."

My more constructive reply would have been Sienna or Odyssey. Everyone knows it.

" ... Sienna or Odyssey. Everyone knows it."

Don't know the Toyota models beyond Camry and Corolla. Though Toyota appear as the RWD Volvo of the modern era for the prior decade or two.

I see Sienna or Odyssey can include a V6. Mom needs the V6 torque! Maybe not so tired after moving into the Sienna or Odyssey! Cup holders!
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Jonathan Harshman Winters III: The Mightiest, Greatest, & Most Powerful North American Comedian & Comedic Actor in Perpetuity!

A 245.

Send her up to Westminster to the Town Mall.
Since Sears closed its doors the mall parking lot has been used as storage for Auto Dealers on Rt140. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford.

Bring a bike. park the car and spend an hour crusing around the Mall and you'll see each brand's offerings: Van, Minivan, SUV, MiniSUV, PickUp, Sedan, all in one location.

It will also give her an idea of how glutted the local market is with unsold vehicles.

She must have “someone” to keep an old Volvo running. Hmmmm.... In that case what about a low mileage older XC90 with a 2.5T FWD and a third row seat.?

A stretched 240...:)

If not, perhaps an older XC 90. New model isn’t reliable. If she wants something new, Japanese made SUV’s or minivan’s are usually reliable. As mentioned, the Sienna. Perhaps the Subaru Ascent or Honda Pilot. The new Highlander looks interesting.
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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....

A Sienna minivan.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Something in the range of Toyota as Klaus indicates.

I'll guess something used? Budget? Constraints? Preferences?

If someone can help with her car care, yet she wants RWD Volvo, 1989+ 240, 740, 940 NA wagon?
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Jonathan Harshman Winters III: The Mightiest, Greatest, & Most Powerful North American Comedian & Comedic Actor in Perpetuity!

a trailer for the wife??

geezzz senator Romney put his poor dog on the roof why not a small trailer for the wifey??