let me quickly preface this next post–i’m going to start having a guest blog segment, mainly because my pals have fantastic blog ideas but no time to maintain a blog (read:lazy). the first of many comes from jb, superstar. jb is a member of the infamous geek squad. i enjoy every moment spent with him, as will you. i promise.
The power of persuasion leads many people to believe that SUVs are cool, and that minivans are boring and tired and that what they really need to shuttle from school to the grocery store is an SUV. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an H-2 or one of the 90-or-so SUVs based on their respective sister passenger car uni-body frames, all that matters is that they’re driving an SUV. Let’s just call them SMCs for now (Suburban Mom Cars). Carmakers have long understood the fact that marketing is the key to selling cars, and therefore, they have developed a format that sells in exchange for compromise in function. What consumers don’t fully understand is that they really want a minivan but are too vain or “hip” to know it. My crusade is to “educate” the sheep of the SUV trend that minivans are great.
OK, let’s enumerate the advantages of the minivan: better gas mileage, more room, lower insurance costs, easier access, larger payload capacity, more comfortable interior, better road ride, lots of cup holders, the list goes on. And speaking of road ride, how many SUVs actually ever leave the pavement? Most SUV owners quickly point to the time two years ago when they drove on that dirt road leading to . . . yada yada yada . . . and that they might need that functionality again some time.
Last week Sarah admitted a HUGE concession: she found herself admiring a panel truck (or work van) thinking that it was pretty cool. I know that it’s not necessarily a minivan, but we first take baby steps, then we learn to run. By opening her eyes, Sarah has opened herself up to a brand new world of freedom. If she can accept minivans for their superiority to SUVs, then she begins to shake that marketing hold that bounds her to so many limitations in life. Free thinkers of the world, Unite! Don’t just follow the flock! Drive a minivan and be free!