[wildgoose]

Anyone with 3 cars in a family with only 2 drivers?

I have my 2013 Volt, my wife drives the 2011 Nissan Murano SUV, mostly local hauling kids. We also use the SUV for long road trips and it's pretty good at that. It gets about 20 MPG, ouch.

My wife was saying she feels like she's using a lot of gas lately. I've been also looking at the 2017 Volt/Bolt lately, but just couldn't come up with a good excuse to buy it as a 3rd car I have no plan to get rid of my Volt, like it too much to part with it and it has been well cared for, and I said I'll drive it till the wheels fell off when I bought it.

Just wondering if anyone else have 3 cars for a 2 driver family. Financially it doesn't make a lot of sense, as the extra insurance cost, depreciation, would far out weight any gas savings. But perhaps there's some benefits that I am missing, like saving the planet or something...

 

[bjrosen]

Why not just trade the Murano in for a Bolt? You have the Volt for road trips and the Bolt has more than enough range to get you around the Bay area.

 

[wildgoose]

Why not just trade the Murano in for a Bolt? You have the Volt for road trips and the Bolt has more than enough range to get you around the Bay area.

I can't. The Volt doesn't have the cargo space we need for trips. The Murano is also quieter and less fatiguing on long trips (something I hope the Volt will improve once I replace the OEM tires). Wish Chevy makes a Volt SUV.

 

[Bacardi]

You're close to Fremont which is one of the lowest prices reported on the Volt...A Volt can be leased for roughly half of what a Bolt costs to lease assuming you qualify for the Volt's incentives...We're talking $0 drive, under $200/mo and you still get the $1500 from the state...At anytime you can purchase the Volt or you should wait until just before turn in and make an offer, 50/50 shot you can lease now, buy later and get it cheaper than had you originally purchased...If not or you get into an accident, turn it in, no depreciation you have to deal with...

 

[Qinsp]

There are some real buys in the used EV market today, lots of cars coming off lease. Smart ED's are under $5k. No need for comprehensive... You can store it in the closet when you aren't using it.

 

[Masejoer]

Yeah, we have three (actually four if you include the powerful "project"/toy). Two daily drivers, and a 25mpg highway crew cab truck for hauling (also more comfortable/quiet on long drives). Difference is, if we didn't want the truck (generally haul cargo once every month or two), then we would be in exactly your type of situation - we need to commute, but something more ideal for road trips would be a huge plus. Last trip this month was in the truck.

I think working within the same constraints you currently have for a few more years makes the most sense. It may not be too much longer now until we see a crossover/small suv BEV or PHEV, maybe even with all-wheel drive. The Bolt is getting close to a perfect vehicle. I'm hopeful for the potential in new vehicles over the next 10 years.

The Volt is my first step to a larger car to get more done without needing the truck. Previous daily-driver was a 2000 Honda Insight, which was a great high-efficiency car outside of rush-hour traffic (stick). Best long highway trip was right around 85mpg, but I gladly take the Volt's comfort and electric day-to-day usage.

It's fun to have something new, but if you need a larger vehicle for trips, I'd suggest sticking with what you have for a bit longer.

 

[llninja]

I used to have 4 vehicles and 2 drivers, but now I'm down to 3. I drive the Volt except on days where my wife needs to drive long distances, then she gets it. The injured her leg a few years back and driving the CTS with a 5 speed and clutch aggrevates her leg, so I drive the CTS on days she needs to go somewhere. Our other vehicle is a 3/4 ton Suburban that we use to haul or tow hay rack wagons, utility trailers, a horse trailer and an airstream camper. The 4th vehicle was a BMW 5 series that I recently gave away to a friend in need. It's nice to always have an extra vehicle as there's always something to drive when a car is in the shop or when one of the kids flies how to visit. The only problem with multiple vehicles is that I often have ten problem of 2 cars add 1 driver in a particular town and I need to find someone to help me get all the cars in the right places. I once left my suburban parked at work for 3 months as a result as the wife was recovering from surgery and the son was super busy doing software heroics for a startup, no time to blow an hour or so to help me move a car.

The advantage is that you have multiple vehicles for multiple purposes. The suburban is needed, but it only gets 150-300 miles put onto it per year. The CTS is great when you need comfort for 4 with luggage, something the volt isn't very good at.

But give me a Subyukonade with a Voltec drivetrain and 50-100 miles of EV range and we could go down to 2 vehicles, the volt and the PHEV SUV. Once the Voltec Subyukonade is in my garage, the other car could be anything, even a two seater sports car.

 

[Ron in Omaha]

I have 4 "real" vehicles and a few toys for 2 drivers. I use whichever vehicle is most suited to the job at hand. Most days that's the Volt doing commuter duty, some days it's the diesel Silverado pulling trailers, road trips are 80% handled by the wife's Passat wagon, and some days (very infrequently) it's a 1970 M35A2 military 6x6 truck going to pull a buddy out of a muddy ditch. Okay, that last one is probably better classified as a toy, but it has a license plate and insurance unlike my other toys. If I lived in a place with limited space, I'd reduce my collection in the opposite order listed above.

 

[llninja]

I used to have 4 vehicles and 2 drivers, but now I'm down to 3. I drive the Volt except on days where my wife needs to drive long distances, then she gets it. The injured her leg a few years back and driving the CTS with a 5 speed and clutch aggrevates her leg, so I drive the CTS on days she needs to go somewhere. Our other vehicle is a 3/4 ton Suburban that we use to haul or tow hay rack wagons, utility trailers, a horse trailer and an airstream camper. The 4th vehicle was a BMW 5 series that I recently gave away to a friend in need. It's nice to always have an extra vehicle as there's always something to drive when a car is in the shop or when one of the kids flies how to visit. The only problem with multiple vehicles is that I often have ten problem of 2 cars add 1 driver in a particular town and I need to find someone to help me get all the cars in the right places. I once left my suburban parked at work for 3 months as a result as the wife was recovering from surgery and the son was super busy doing software heroics for a startup, no time to blow an hour or so to help me move a car.

The advantage is that you have multiple vehicles for multiple purposes. The suburban is needed, but it only gets 150-300 miles put onto it per year. The CTS is great when you need comfort for 4 with luggage, something the volt isn't very good at.

But give me a Subyukonade with a Voltec drivetrain and 50-100 miles of EV range and we could go down to 2 vehicles, the volt and the PHEV SUV. Once the Voltec Subyukonade is in my garage, the other car could be anything, even a two seater sports car.

I forgot to mention my daughter in law's Jeep Wrangler is parked at my place. As for toys, I've got a John Deere 3032E compact tractor, a JD 850 compact tractor, two JD 345 riding mowers, and a JD 655 zero turn.

 

[bentbiker]

Wildgoose, have you given any thought to the Pacifica Hybrid? It would seem to be an ideal replacement for the Murano. No gas for the wife up to 33 miles, and a great road vehicle for trips at 32 mpg.

 

[Coppersnowboarder]

I concur. I think that you should test drive a Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric. The Pacifica may not satisfy you for long-distance travel comfort, but will provide plenty of cargo space in an economical mini-van that looks SUV-like.

 

[wws]

Try seven cars for five drivers... (Though two of them are 'fun' cars that don't get driven very often. A third is currently stranded in Chicago.)

Our Suburban also doesn't get driven daily anymore, but is always at the ready for hauling lots of people and stuff. Just last weekend it brought home four new Volt Premier take-off wheels in GM factory boxes. The previous owner ordered black pocket wheels and wanted to sell these.

 

[edk-austin]

It's always nice to have the right tool for the job.

 

[llninja]

Wildgoose, have you given any thought to the Pacifica Hybrid? It would seem to be an ideal replacement for the Murano. No gas for the wife up to 33 miles, and a great road vehicle for trips at 32 mpg.

I don't know about wildgoose, but my family has permission to shoot me if I ever buy a minivan. I'll rent one for a vacation, but don't want to own one.

 

[dannycamps]

We have three cars for two drivers. We have a 2011 Nissan Sentra, 2011 Dodge Journey, and 2017 Volt. My wife's daily driver is the Sentra. The Journey used to be my daily driver and we would use it for long family trips. The Journey was getting up there in miles (we were putting on about 20k per year) so I picked up the Volt to be my daily driver and the Journey is now used just for the weekend family trips.

It's worked out pretty well as in the 11 months I have owned the Volt, I have about 12k on it and have only put about 8k on the Journey.

 

[Bullyveldt]

3 Cars, two drivers here, or should say 2 cars and one truck.

2017 volt, 2008 Golf, 2006 Dodge ram 2500 mega cab.

Golf was our daily driver for most errands and work, and in summer I would ride my motorcycle rain or shine. In winter wife would drive golf and I would drive the truck, but it gets 8 mpg with the hemi, terrible gas mileage. Wont get rid of the truck tho as it is required for hauling the camper, 30' RV, in summer, and for "truck stuff" when required. However I have only put 12,000 km on it in two years, where the golf got 90,000 km in 5 years.

The Volt was recently purchased and wife loves it, I will keep the golf as it is well maintained, gets decent mileage, and owes me nothing. I can't see myself not having the truck with our lifestyle, but I don't want to daily drive it due to costs. Golf is cheap, Volt is cheaper.

Heres an interesting fact as well, my motorcycle is a 1994 honda var, and the volt kills it in mpg lol, bike only gets between 37-42mpg haha! Volt on gas beats it still even when you don't count the electric.

 

[twright]

Sell the Murano. Buy the Bolt.

Whenever you want to go on a trip, rent a new SUV. You'll be happy during the trip, and will save money by not having the depreciation and insurance expenses of a third car.

 

[PIYIRIO]

4 cars, 2 drivers. We had 5 cars but gave one to my brother when they had their baby. I got tired of driving a 17MPG truck every day but we do need a truck. I have a 3000gt in the garage that doesn't get driven much (fun/toy), wife has her subaru, and now the Volt for commuting. It makes sense for us, plus it's nice to have a backup in case something happens to one of the cars. I'd much rather get in another car and drive to work than frantically try to figure out how to get to work if the car doesn't start.

 

[Mc2wheels]

3 cars 2 drivers. My wife just got her Volt last week, but was driving a hybrid highlander (2006 with 150k miles). We do use the 7 seats at least twice a month carting kids, cousins and/or friends around on weekends. She just doesn't use it for commuting any more. Honestly, we didn't need the third car but my wife loved my Volt, and wanted her own.

 

[saltsman]

We're technically are a 5 vehicle to 3 driver family... but the dump truck doesn't really count since it is a speciality vehicle for ranch work only. We also have a 1-ton 4x4 long-bed diesel pickup that is used mostly for heavy hauling, trailer pulling, and general dirty work. It stays parked until it's needed.

Daughter is in college with a well-used but reliable 2003 Honda CR-V. It tends to just stay with her most of the time

The wife and I swap between a Volvo V60 wagon and the Volt as needed. The Volt does 80% of the in-town driving and the V60 serves as a second car as needed or when the entire family needs to road trip (more space, quieter, more comfortable).

Economically, it would be much better to minimize the number of depreciating assets, cut down on the insurance costs, and reduce maintenance costs by going with a smaller number of vehicles.

What we really want is a comfy, quiet, Voltec power-train wagon. Something like the upcoming plug-in Volvo V90/V60 has a LOT of appeal for us. That would allow us to go back to one main vehicle and we can use the pickup when a second car is needed. Given the cost of a new Volvo and that we still have a LOT of time left with the vehicles we own, it will be a while before we swap out.

I'd give a good look at the the plug-in Volvo XC-90 and V-90. The plug-in Pacifica has a lot of appeal as well for practical people hauling.