Two small dogs have a big influence on car buying decision.
04-17-2004, 05:38 PM
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Two small dogs have a big influence on car buying decision.
We have two small female dogs. My dad bought a new dodge caravan within weeks of when they hit the showroom. What was that? About 1980? By 2003, I think he was on his 7th caravan or so.
Their hobby is going to garage sales on Saturdays, and I'm the driver, and we ALWAYS take the girls. Both of my folks are 86, and mom constantly bitched about the high step in height of the van, and opening and closing the van doors which really can be a bitch if you are on a hill. Plus that, my mom is pretty diminutive at about 100 pounds. She also didn't like the fact that the windows don't go down if you are in the second row. Dad started talking about getting a new car.
Now the pups, ages 3 and 8 had no problem navigating in the caravan. two coleman coolers positioned between the front and second rows and covered with something like a small quilt gave them quite comfortable grip so they could sit next to whoever they wanted to.
So I suggested let's go look at a Pacifica, and everyone liked it. Mom got her own window and a conventional door. Everyone had heated seats, first two rows anyway. Adjustable foot pedals and a Mercedes suspension that the skid pad data comes to within 0.03g's of the CLS. Pretty impressive. And the Coleman coolers were replaced by front and rear consoles. Cool. We bought it in November 03 but we got no deal at all. 5 year old caravan in excellent shape, 40,000 miles $35,000 brand new on a Pacifica windowed at $35,500. Had to give them the van plus $23,000 out the door.
Those coleman coolers had a flat top, but the new counsoles were rounded and mounded. The dogs wanted nothing to do with them. We added foam rubber and velcro, and that worked for our little fearless 3 year old, but my 8 year old little wimp (who I love very dearly) would have nothing to do with this setup.
So, todays garage sales broke the camels back. Mom is Tootsies (8 year old) big buddie, and every time mom got out of the car, Tootsie goes for the next best thing: me. She does NOT like being left alone. Finally getting warm and bordering on hot, I leave the windows down. Toots raised such a ruccus it was getting embarassing. I would have to get out of the car, get her from the second row and put her up front with me. Then reverse the procedure when Mom came back. I cannot adequately verbally describe how frustrated but relieved Toots was when I grabbed her to sit with me up front, which I was happy to do.
But do this about ten times every Saturday, and it starts to get old. But I never complained about this procedure once. In fact, I never even brought the subject up.
We took the dogs home and went out for lunch, and Dad and Mom both voiced their gripes about the Pacifica, which is somewhat smaller regarding interior volume. Dad said "let's go look at vans", so we did.
Three hours, $5,250 out the door, Mom and Dad are back to This time, a Chrysler Town and Country. Electric sliding doors, electric hatch and a rear seat DVD player. The coleman coolers went back in, and the pups are happy.
They absorbed an annual $10,500 depreciation factor, just to keep their pups happy.
And for those of you interested in the deal, the Pacifica and the T&C were within $300 on the window sticker, with the T&C being $300 cheaper. Average price between the two would be $35,300.
We put 5,100 miles on the Pacifica.
Perfect proof that dogs are "creatures of habit."
Their hobby is going to garage sales on Saturdays, and I'm the driver, and we ALWAYS take the girls. Both of my folks are 86, and mom constantly bitched about the high step in height of the van, and opening and closing the van doors which really can be a bitch if you are on a hill. Plus that, my mom is pretty diminutive at about 100 pounds. She also didn't like the fact that the windows don't go down if you are in the second row. Dad started talking about getting a new car.
Now the pups, ages 3 and 8 had no problem navigating in the caravan. two coleman coolers positioned between the front and second rows and covered with something like a small quilt gave them quite comfortable grip so they could sit next to whoever they wanted to.
So I suggested let's go look at a Pacifica, and everyone liked it. Mom got her own window and a conventional door. Everyone had heated seats, first two rows anyway. Adjustable foot pedals and a Mercedes suspension that the skid pad data comes to within 0.03g's of the CLS. Pretty impressive. And the Coleman coolers were replaced by front and rear consoles. Cool. We bought it in November 03 but we got no deal at all. 5 year old caravan in excellent shape, 40,000 miles $35,000 brand new on a Pacifica windowed at $35,500. Had to give them the van plus $23,000 out the door.
Those coleman coolers had a flat top, but the new counsoles were rounded and mounded. The dogs wanted nothing to do with them. We added foam rubber and velcro, and that worked for our little fearless 3 year old, but my 8 year old little wimp (who I love very dearly) would have nothing to do with this setup.
So, todays garage sales broke the camels back. Mom is Tootsies (8 year old) big buddie, and every time mom got out of the car, Tootsie goes for the next best thing: me. She does NOT like being left alone. Finally getting warm and bordering on hot, I leave the windows down. Toots raised such a ruccus it was getting embarassing. I would have to get out of the car, get her from the second row and put her up front with me. Then reverse the procedure when Mom came back. I cannot adequately verbally describe how frustrated but relieved Toots was when I grabbed her to sit with me up front, which I was happy to do.
But do this about ten times every Saturday, and it starts to get old. But I never complained about this procedure once. In fact, I never even brought the subject up.
We took the dogs home and went out for lunch, and Dad and Mom both voiced their gripes about the Pacifica, which is somewhat smaller regarding interior volume. Dad said "let's go look at vans", so we did.
Three hours, $5,250 out the door, Mom and Dad are back to This time, a Chrysler Town and Country. Electric sliding doors, electric hatch and a rear seat DVD player. The coleman coolers went back in, and the pups are happy.
They absorbed an annual $10,500 depreciation factor, just to keep their pups happy.
And for those of you interested in the deal, the Pacifica and the T&C were within $300 on the window sticker, with the T&C being $300 cheaper. Average price between the two would be $35,300.
We put 5,100 miles on the Pacifica.
Perfect proof that dogs are "creatures of habit."
04-17-2004, 05:44 PM
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like father, like son. 
04-17-2004, 06:32 PM
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Hi Rachel: Weird day. My father is now buying cars at a faster pace than me! To be courteous, I will pm you about the pups. They are something else.
I'm inclined to agree.
04-17-2004, 09:57 PM
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Dave always has the best stories...
Sounds like all is well on the home front again....
Send my congrats, I am jealous, I want a new T&C w/ navi so I do not get lost on long trips picking up deceased individuals...
Sounds like all is well on the home front again....
Send my congrats, I am jealous, I want a new T&C w/ navi so I do not get lost on long trips picking up deceased individuals...
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04-18-2004, 11:58 AM
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We just took the dogs for a lap around O'hare, and my 8 year old (Toots), who was used to the caravans before the Pacifica has changed completely. In the Pacifica, she would be glued to Mom in the back seat. So, I'd fetch her when mom left the car. She would sit up front, but only reluctantly and breather very heavily-to the point where as a human you would think "I wish she would stop that." Now, before we even left the drive (we always let them get in the back first), Just a little "c'mere toots", and she was up front, laid with here head on my right leg and never made a peep for the whole one hour ride. Amazing, considering the Pacifica was quite a refined ride also.
But I guess this all adds up. Dads other car is a 99 TL, and she is uncomfortable up front there too. Too many slick surfaces, I guess.
But I guess this all adds up. Dads other car is a 99 TL, and she is uncomfortable up front there too. Too many slick surfaces, I guess.
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