How I Avoided the Minivan Life (No Offense Minivan Mama’s!)
written by Jennifer Vargas
We left our car-buying experience literally on top of the world. I am not kidding when I say I totally look forward to the next time we get to purchase a car (which, unfortunately, won’t be for quite some time since our beautiful new Jeep checks off ALL THE BOXES for years to come)!
Back in 2017, my husband and I were brand new, exhausted, young-ish parents looking for an upgrade to our teeny, tiny Toyota Corolla. My husband had his sights set on a truck, but I wanted a family-friendly SUV. Our compromise was the Toyota 4Runner. We ended up locating a leftover 2016 Toyota 4Runner Limited and it was exactly the upgrade we were looking for (and then some)! We headed to the dealership and proceeded to have the WORST car buying experience ever. I’m legitimately embarrassed when I think back on it. My husband and I weren’t on the same page at all when it came to trim level preferences, cost, or warranties, and we were definitely not great at negotiating. When we did try our hand at it, we weren’t given a counteroffer. We were all but laughed at and the salesperson we were working with actually suggested we look at a different model car altogether. Our insecurities were written all over our faces and, because of that, they were used against us.
Fast forward 3 years, another kid, and a career change, my husband and I were again in the market for a new car. This time, one that could easily and comfortably fit 4 car seats. You see – I left my job and became a stay-at-home mom to my 2 kids. I also care for my niece and nephew during the weekdays, so our beloved 4Runner just wasn’t going to cut it when it came to school drop-offs, pick-ups, and everything in between. I’m a Jeep girl through and through, but since there wasn’t a model that met our requirements, I started doing some research.
Enter stage left, The Car Mom! Kelly had done literally all the leg work for me. After spending an embarrassing amount of time reviewing her Instagram and YouTube content, I started lusting after the VW Atlas. The tilting captain’s chairs made my heart flutter in a way no car ever has – motherhood does that to you, I guess! The panoramic sunroof was the cherry on top. So mission “find a 4-car-seat-friendly-car” change to mission “convince the husband,” which proved to be QUITE the task.
As deep as my love runs for Jeep, so does my husband’s love for Toyota. He was SUPER into the Highlander. I was SUPER not, especially after watching Kelly’s review of it on YouTube. A 3-row vehicle where, as Kelly stated, “the third row feels like such an afterthought” just did not interest me. BUT purchasing a VW didn’t interest my husband (I’m looking at YOU, low reliability scores). So we waited.
And while we waited, the most magical thing happened. Jeep announced they were releasing a 3-row vehicle.
Enter stage right, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Our waiting game continued well into the summer of 2021 when Jeep finally made the GCL available for purchase. Kelly reviewed one and touched on EVERYTHING I cared about. Lower anchors in both captain’s chairs to fit 2 forward facing car seats. Tether points in both third row seats to fit 2 booster seats. Literally ALL the technology. TILTING CAPTAINS CHAIRS. PANORAMIC SUNROOF. YES, I WAS SCREAMING!
Even with the current state of the economy, the base model was well within our budget, but as luck would have it (and as Kelly spoke of frequently on Instagram), the chip shortage and new car shortage meant our 4Runner was worth more than it had been since the day we drove it off the lot!
By mid-August we were ready to head to our local Jeep dealership. With The Car Mom Workbook filled out and in hand, we confidently headed there and got the deal of LIFETIME. My husband and I knew what our 4Runner was worth and we got every last penny. We were able to put a considerable amount down on our brand new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited, which ended up being a trim level above what we were hoping for due to the negotiation skills we picked up from Kelly!
We left our car-buying experience literally on top of the world. I am not kidding when I say I totally look forward to the next time we get to purchase a car (which, unfortunately, won’t be for quite some time since our beautiful new Jeep checks off ALL THE BOXES for years to come)!
Trading in our beloved 4Runner was hard – we really loved that car! But purchasing a vehicle that meets all of our current and future needs, fits ALL our babies, feels super luxurious, and isn’t a minivan has been such an empowering experience, and The Car Mom made all the difference!
