Soccer moms vs. MILFS in road wars
Posted
October 10, 2006 at
4:42 am by
Jessica
Who would win? The sensible mom or the one with long nails? My bets are on the MILF, just as I would play my odds against any creature who dare distrupt our cat’s grooming (she’s not real friendly to begin with). As with the MILF vying over a parking space, it’s the claws that I worry about.
Word on the street tells me that mini-vans are on the decline. Could it be that today’s fashion conscious mom is ditching practicality for status? Not quite. See, today there are many different options in cars, with cross-overs and station wagons making a comeback, practicality can be had without having to give up on style.
From an AP source published on the HeraldNet:
Of the 14 minivans on the market, sales have dropped on all but the Honda Odyssey. Sales of half the vans are down by more than 20 percent compared with the first eight months of 2005.
Ford Motor Co., which is getting out of the minivan business, predicts that 2006 sales will drop below a million for the first time since 1992.
“I acknowledge that as a vehicle design, the minivan has a lot of very positive attributes,” said George Pipas, Ford’s U.S. sales analysis manager. “There’s a problem, though. A lot of vehicles have a lot of very popular attributes.”
He’s referring mainly to car-based “crossover” vehicles, glorified station wagons such as the Ford Freestyle, GMC Acadia and Hyundai Santa Fe that carry as many people as minivans but have sleeker styling without the soccer mom label. Pipas said about 40 crossovers, many with three rows of seats, are now on the market and the number of crossovers will rise to more than 70 by 2009.
Plus, there’s that soccer mom stigma created by Generation X, the people who followed baby boomers.
“Gen X no more considered a minivan than most people would consider eating soap,” said Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research, an automotive research firm in Oregon.
Plus, when $30,000 will buy you this Honda Odyssey minivan (from Honda’s official website), it may be wise to check out other options as well. You can get a practical vehicle that says more than, “I’m a mom”. So, would you rather get this:
Or this Honda Pilot, for around the same price:
Or this Audi A3 Compact Station Wagon, again, for around the same price? Hmmm….?
…because I don’t care what anybody says, there is no possible way to look good in a minivan. My husband and I have refused to cave, because a minivan is an admission that you are a suburban housewife/breadwinner who lives to cart children around and eat McDonald’s. (That’s always my first impression anyway….no offense to those of you who love your vans, I’m sure there are plenty of exceptions, it’s just the stigma associated with it).
Tags: car-trends, crossovers, MILF Resources, minvans, moms, SUVs |
16 Responses to “Soccer moms vs. MILFS in road wars”
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1. Amy said:
October 10, 2006 @ 8:06 am
I got rid of my minivan along with my ex-husband. I traded up (on all fronts) and ended up with a high-brow SUV. I look really good in it, and it’s loaded with safety features which was my utmost concern considering I drive it and tote around 2 kids. But I miss the days of the space and unmatched living room style comfort of my Town & Country. I wouldn’t get another mini-van, I’m actually considering a REGULAR car when my son hits 16 and we become a 2 car family.
As for MILF, gotta tell you, long nails are OUT. Short and natural is in.
2. Prescott said:
October 10, 2006 @ 9:04 am
The whole “minivan vs. SUV” debate reminds me very much of the long running “Windows vs. Mac” fight.
3. mothergoosemouse said:
October 11, 2006 @ 1:03 pm
I’m with you. I can’t bring myself to go there. I already feel like a walking talking stereotype in my SUV/wagon, with two carseats in the back and a Starbucks cup in my hand.
4. CrankMama said:
October 11, 2006 @ 6:18 pm
I drive a ‘pseudo’ minivan… it’s sporty adn zippy so I don’t mind (& it’s red)… I got tired of the gas guzzler we had that was (albeit cooler) soooo $$$$$$.
5. Cristina said:
October 13, 2006 @ 2:01 am
If you can believe this one, my husband has been pressuring me to get a mini-van. He thinks they’re cool. I don’t get it. Though I have to say, there IS something attractive about the ease of a sliding door….
6. Lori said:
October 13, 2006 @ 10:04 pm
I looooooooove my minivan. Vanity be damned. It’s pimped out. The seats flip into some crazy configurations, leather wipes clean. Cristina, the sliding door is AWESOME.
Once you go van, you never go back.
Ok not really, but it’s only for a few years until the kids can buckle themselves in.
7. Jessica Carlson said:
October 14, 2006 @ 6:43 am
8. Prescott said:
October 14, 2006 @ 1:51 pm
I just remembered an old essay we had on the site that is a counter point to this post:
http://www.imperfectparent.com/lifestyle/articles89_1.php
9. KOOL TEEN! said:
September 1, 2007 @ 2:00 am
I drive a Honda Odyssey, my VW caught on fire, its actually my mom’s, i love moms
10. Allison said:
September 1, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
I hate my mini-van. Dh looooves it! It is the un-sexiest car on the road. (sorry to those of you who love it) I’d give anything to get my big red gas-guzzler back!
We were on a “double-date” with another married couple one night and we took our car. Dh was pissed at the traffic that night and after finding a gap, squealed out of the parking lot. I said “Eeewww! Don’t squeal your tires in a MINI-VAN! It’s so uncool!” Tire-squealing should be reserved only for Ford Mustangs and Dodge Chargers!
11. Kristy said:
September 4, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Unless it comes with remote-control sliding doors, it’s not replacing my van. I could give a shit if anyone thinks my ride is “cool” or not. because I’m not 16.
12. KOOL TEEN! said:
September 4, 2007 @ 10:59 pm
My van’s got remote control slidin doors and is kool as shit, and it can hold alotta mothas, plus i can drive slow like a mom when i’m stoned and the cops won’t pull me over, on top i gotta american flag air freshner so they can’t tag me
KOOL TEEN!
13. KOOL TEEN! said:
September 4, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
ps I’m 25 so I’m cooler than all u mothas
14. not a soccer mom said:
October 29, 2007 @ 9:59 am
My mother-in-law is trying to buy me a mini vann and use my 2003 Altima as a trade in. Its paid off but needs a new engine and she wants to get me a mini vann (co-sign)because i have poor credit. Anyway I am mortified at the thought of driving a mini vann I am soooo not the mini vann type that it is almost comical to imagine. I am 42 with 3 kids 14,11,and 3 months. I still like to go clubbing on occasions and I just won’t drive a mini vann to a nite club. I may be 42 but I am told all the time I look late 20’s I get that from my dad thankfully. I am a little self concious when it comes to apperances and I am very trendy (not slutty) but I do still shop in the juniors dept.
I hope I didn’t offend annyone by this I just have always been affraid to be stigmatized. I am a car person….possibly a SUV. I wish I were not so worried about what others think but obviously I am not the only one who feels this way. I am told Ford is not going to be making any more mini vanns due to decrease sales. No one wants to be stigmatized. LOL!!!!
15. Jessica said:
October 29, 2007 @ 11:53 am
16. does not matter said:
April 17, 2008 @ 7:28 am
A few hours ago, a stupid, clueless a**hole of a soccer mom backed onto my 2-day old Porsche at the gas station. What was she driving? A mountainous, gigantic SUV out of which she could not see %80 of the world around her. She came out, indifferently inspected her car, said: “oh, there’s nothing on my car! your car is so low, if i had the armada i would have driven right over it.” So my car is guilty for being “so low” and not this disgusting excuse of a human being who damaged something precious and close to my heart because she did not pay attention and because she had to drive a gigantic SUV. What if there was a child behind her mountain of a bumper? What if she had killed a little child? I hate, hate, HATE soccer moms! I hate them.