Can a car that doesn't fit us make sense?

amother

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:26 pm

I'm not in the closed Israeli forums, so I'm posting here.

We are considering purchasing a car. A friend is selling a 2012 Honda Civic (IIRC). We have 4 kids k"h ranging from 10 to 2. I commute twice a week and DH commutes daily.

In order to fit all of us, we need a minivan. But from what I understand, the van itself will cost more to purchase than a car and then it will use more gas. Most of the time the car will be used, it won't be full. (Ex. when I'm driving to work)

So part of me is tempted to get a car. But the other part of me isn't because there isn't a way for all 4 kids to sit safely.

I'd definitely use it in the mornings to take them to school. Then I could probably avoid having all 4 in the car since the baby is in easy walking distance... The other 3 are further away. I'd use it for appointments. We have 2 weekly plus the other ones that come up. For those, I'm usually with only one kid.

I'd like to hear thoughts.

theoneandonly

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:29 pm

Look into a Toyota verso. It's bigger than a car but smaller than a minivan so probably cheaper. (It has two small seats that you can pop up or down in the trunk).
I wouldn't buy a car that my family can't all fit into.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:32 pm

A 12 year old car is old. Full stop. I would never buy such an old used car. You will end up having to put more money into the car than just buying a newer old car, just because it is old.
No matter what you buy, take it to a mechanic first to find out that everything is in working order.

amother

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:33 pm

shabbatiscoming wrote:

Whatever we buy will be checked by a mechanic.

I don't have an extremely high budget. 30k is probably the most we could handle. This Honda is 15k without being bargained down.

amother

Mintcream

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:42 pm

How often are you going to need transportation for the whole family at the same time? If it's less than like once a month, maybe run the math if it pays better to get a taxi or rent an extra car for a day for those few occasions and get the too-small-car for most if the time.

amother

Mintcream

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:46 pm

By the way, we bought a used car last month. I found this website very useful (no, I don't get paid for advertizing them). It offers all kinds of filters and you can look through huge numbers of used cars in your budget range.
https://carwiz.co.il/?utm_sour.....w_wcB

amother

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:59 pm

amother Mintcream wrote:

More or less during long vacations like CHM and summer. In theory, if we had a van, we could load it up and DH could come with me and take the younger kids out. But this doesn't really need to happen. He can take the bus from our house or a bus to the train and the 10 yo could help me take out the younger kids.

And then I'd drive him to the train or to his bus on days I don't commute and on days I do commute, I'd drive us all the way there. (The train is faster and less expensive but I don't live right next to it and my office isn't right next to the other side either. But I might do some and some depending and then park at the train station assuming there's parking.)

amother

Maize

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:01 pm

My sister has 2 small cars. She says it’s more worth it than a mininvan. School drop offs are at different areas. And this allows for splitting shopping and appointments. And since 2 are getting drivers license even better.
She has 5 kids.

amother

Trillium

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:09 pm

I personally wouldn’t get a car that doesn’t fit everyone. You’re investing in something for a while, not temporary. Why should someone have to take the bus or train if you have a car. Although I do understand that in Israel getting around with trains and buses is more common than here in the states. Many people in Israel don’t even own a car. Some of my family does and some don’t. Also large families eventually don’t fit anyhow. I guess it’s how important this is to you. Do you feel like if you’d all fit you’d do more family trips? Or since Sundays are regular days there isn’t much time anyhow, asides for vacation time (which to rent cars then is super expensive)

amother

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:18 pm

amother Trillium wrote:

In theory, we'd like to do more trips. But as you said, there really isn't much time.

We've lived in Israel for 12 years and we've lived in the periphery for 3 years. Most people have cars where I live. I've lasted this long, but I won't pretend it's easy. I just have a hard time investing money in something that just loses value when I haven't purchased an apartment yet.

But OTOH our life is very hectic and a car would make things easier for us.

amother

Chicory

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:18 pm

I live in the USA so I don't know if my opinion is relevant, but we bought a car for similar reasons. We also need a minivan to fit the family, and in my case I can't even take all of my kids together at the same time (so can't drive to the playground for example).

It's still better to have A vehicle than NO vehicle for us. There are times when not having a big enough car is frustrating, but if we bought a minivan at our budget level it would be in much worse shape and be even more frustrating.

In an ideal world I'd have a car and a minivan, but I don't live in that world yet.

amother

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:32 pm

amother Chicory wrote:

Your opinion is relevant. You seem to "get" it.

Owning a minivan would be nice when it was needed, but a lot of time really just be extra cost for not that much gain. I'm just worried about scenarios when I'd end up with all 4 kids in the car and I don't like the idea of everyone not being safe.

Also, this may sound a bit odd, but I don't want my kids constantly relying on the car. Unless the weather is bad, I want the kids to walk the same way they walk now. The car is for mine and DH's convenience.

I don't want them to lose independence and become lazy. I plan on teaching the 10-year-old how to take buses this summer too regardless of the car. I have no intention of driving her to friends' houses across the town.

amother

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:36 pm

But another chisaron is carpool. I do have a kid that I walk to school every morning. I wouldn't be able to fit her in the car without DD10 going in the front. But school is a 5-minute drive, so maybe that would be ok.

Ideally, I'd drive them to school and then they'd walk back (the kid I take's mom does the other way. They're also one of the few without a car). The 10 Yo can walk by herself, but I have another kid I don't trust.

amother

Chicory

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:38 pm

Personally I will put DD9 in the front seat. It's not ideal but it's also not terrible IMHO. It's not anywhere near as bad as double buckling, and especially if you move the seat all the way back and the air bag is off (mine turns off automatically if there isn't enough weight in the seat) it's really not such a big danger.

amother

Blueberry

Fri, Jan 05 2024, 1:34 am

It sounds like the only time you would need a larger car was for the holiday vacations. Which is the most expensive time to rent also. I have a nine-year-old who is tall enough to sit up front safely. I have some kids that got married so we went from a minivan to a five seater car. I would not have management. My kids are a little though. We really like to be able to go with the whole family on trips and I would’ve had to have two people take public transportation so we probably never would’ve gone. I am with others and say make sure to check the car and I just don’t know if it’s worth it to buy such an old car. Fixing cars in this country is not cheap. And it’s a huge hassle on top of the money.

LovesHashem

Fri, Jan 05 2024, 1:58 am

amother OP wrote:

Whatever we buy will be checked by a mechanic.

I don't have an extremely high budget. 30k is probably the most we could handle. This Honda is 15k without being bargained down.

You should budget in probably at least 1000 shekel a month in repairs. Its really not worth the amount you'd put in. If you can survive without a car I'd save up for another few years until you can put more money in.

30k can get you something better.... I would never buy under 20k

amother

Fri, Jan 05 2024, 1:59 am

LovesHashem wrote:

But 30k would get me a decent car, but not a decent van IIUC.