What does a Diva drive?

[sleddog]

I think I win - I've got a 1990 GMC Conversion Van. What a HOG!!!
I've got two girls in college (one out of state) and a third who had a fairly large wedding after finishing college 3 years ago. Can't wait to finish paying those tuition bills - one more year and then they're both off the dole. Actually my car was a '98 minivan and the big van is supposed to be my daughter's, but campus parking is such a nightmare with a large vehicle that we traded. So I've got "Mickey" and she has "Minnie" - in some respects I got the better end of the deal though - the mini-van's got 170,000 miles on it and is coughing up it's last breaths (the oil pump went out on the freeway and now the pistons click). The big van has only 90,000 miles- and it sure holds alot of gear.

 

[volklgirl]

Like our Safari doesn't already hold enough gear and junk....hubby's trying to devise a rack to be able to put in 2 layers of skis after taking out the back-back seat (wow, 7prs isn't enough for him , he wants to bring all 14 prs and blades and boards ). I just hope it never gets broken into or stolen!!!

 

[Margaritamarcia]

A rolling inventory! All options all the time.

 

[volklgirl]

The way the season is going....buy the time I finally made my choice from the 'stable', the conditions will have changed!

Decisions, Decisions...Yuck!

 

[ski now work later]

A 2005 Toyota Highlander with a Thule box and lots of ski stickers on the back of the car and box. Love the vanity plate idea.

 

[num]

I drive *drumroll please*


nothing.

I'm an avid walker, skater, and public transit user. Saves me money, cuts down on emissions, etc. It's done me well for quite some time. The only problem comes from skiing. All these years I'd never even considered getting a car, and now that I've got the ski bug, the thought has crossed my mind quite a few times. Public trans to ski areas around here is completely nonexistant. I can take a commuter train to the town of the ski area, but there're no busses around the town, and though I like to walk, I'm not so interested in dragging my gear 15 miles from the train to the ski area.

I manage to get out there from a combination of borrowing friends cars, and heading out with a nonskier friend of mine (none of my friends ski!) who's both a big fan of roadtrips and a workaholic :D We've worked out an arrangement where we'll drive somewhere together, he'll drop me off at a ski place and go work on his stuff, then we'll meet for lunch or dinner, and hang out and drive back. Between the two, I manage to get out there, but it's for the first time I'm really feeling the hit of not having a car. I'm thinking about joining a carshare group...or meeting ski buddies to carpool with!

 

[Jilly]

Num - there has to be a ski club in Chicago. It's too big not to have one!! Keep a look out for a ski show next fall and go to it. But don't sign or give your name to everyone. If there is draw for a weekend - its a ploy for timeshare name lists. Be selective.

 

[volklgirl]

Num, check this out...

I did a quick search on "ski club, chicago" and found this:
https://search.msn.com/results.asp?FORM=sCPN&RS=CHECKED&un=doc&v=1&q=ski club chicago
Check 'em out. I'm sure most clubs have a web site with a forum where you can meet up with other members....

 

[num]

Thanks! Ski clubs- much more appealing than getting a car Gonna check em out.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Honda Accord. It gets stuck in snow banks a lot! :D

 

[Elangirl]

I drive a 1995 Chevy S10 pickup with four wheel drive and studded tires. It has 120,000 miles but, out here in Montana, it is still considered middel aged!! My subaru had 197,000 miles on it when it finally died.

I like the pick up on snowy days--it is like a little tank. Num, public transportation is non existant in little ski towns. We have the Snowbus which runs about once an hour, but nothing else. So, we all have pick ups and fourwheel drive vechicles. Luckily for us, we don't have to go far since we live in such a small town.

 

[lil mountain girl]

yay, scooby-ru

i love my lil '91 subaru loyal (her name is "the coug", as in short for "cougar")
she loves long drives in the rain/snow/sleet/hail/mud/bushroad.
she detests going to fast up big mtn passes and up hills, and doesn't like to drink much fuel!

she's my home away from home wherever we park!

ps my friend is so enthralled with "the coug" that she (a potter) created a special clay vessle specificly designed to sit atop the dashboard . . . and she bought plasticine clay so that i could entertain various occupents of the vehicle while driving!!!

 

[persee]

2005 Honda CR-V in nice dark blue metallic. I've added Sirius Satellite Radio and a GPS. I love it. Gets me anywhere I want to go, in any season. It's comfortable, big enough to carry anything I want, but small enough that I can park it wherever. I put some nice new all-weather tires on it this fall. They make it great in rain. Only got it out very little in snow, but I expect that it will make a good car, even better in snow. I have a thule box to carry the skis.

 

[Pequenita]

An earlier poster drives the same car I do, just in a different color. "Penelope" is a 2002 Subaru outback sedan, in wintergreen. Yay! She's the best. Especially her butt warmers after a day of skiing!

 

[altagirl]

I have an '05 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT. And I also am now completely addicted to my heated seats.

 

[Jilly]

This diva just got new wheels. - 2007 Equinox with all wheel drive. The gas mileage is soooo much better than my Jimmy. I also went back to a sun roof. Now the Thule box I always borrowed from the local ski shop doesn't fit - can't get the back door open, so it looks like I've to buy a box of my own. I'm hoping that the guy can come up with something cheap as Hubby doesn't like a box on the roof. He points out all the bad installed ones on the highway each weekend and tones all about the dangers of stuff. Ours have always been put on right "so shut up about it!" I'm waiting to see how it tows the boats this summer. Boats are still in storage and the trailer has to be fixed. Late April project.

 

[Sheena]

I am in the same place as num.... no car. I either bus or walk to and from work (it is an easy 2 mile walk through the city from my apt. to office).....

Although, the boyfriend does have a car to shuttle me back and forth to the ski hill every winter weekend.

 

[slipnslide]

Just got me a Subaru Outback LTD. in September 06.

 

[SnowDancer]

VW

My ride is a 2003 20th Anniversary Edition VW GTI; once upon a time I owned the original 1983 version - so I had to get the AE, right? It's a Jazz Blue 6-speed turbo with NJ vanity plate 4MLA 4D. With its 4 snow tires, it does a great job in the snow! Just flip down one side of the rear seat and slide the skis in the hatchback.

 

[pinto]

And I also am now completely addicted to my heated seats.

Oh, I am so addicted. I could never ever buy a car without them. My first heated seats were many years ago, on a 1985 Saab 900. I don't know how many companies made the heated seats back then, but not many. Now most do, at least as an option, thank goodness. I even use them in the summer ... they are great for warming up your muscles a little bit when you are going to go exercise.

My car to the mountains is a 2001 Suburban. It is definitely the utility hauler now ... I don't drive it much unless I'm filling it with something (people, gear, furniture) or hauling something.

My husband got an Audi All-Road last year, so we try to take that up on day trips. That thing is great!

My around-town car is a 2003 VW convertible Beetle. So fun ... I had thought about getting a smaller car once the kids were both in school and I wasn't lugging around strollers and car seats and other such things anymore.

I wanted an Audi TT, but that wasn't big enough. I still need a few passenger seats. I researched the VWs a little bit, but I was waiting for used, and the convertibles were pretty new at the time. One day I drove past a car dealer with a navy blue Beetle sitting out front ... I pulled over to go look at it, and lo and behold, it was exactly the model I would have ordered from the factory: navy blue with cream leather interior, turbo, winter package (ski boot and heated seats) -- and it was a stick! It was 2 years old, and had only 10,000 mi on it. Sold.

The only thing I don't like is that I am not so anonymous like I was in my gray Suburban. But a convertible is so great for the Colorado weather. Now I can be in the outdoors even while I'm running errands!