Car Shopping Help

I think you'd have to go with a minivan for the vents. We LOVE our 2006 Toyota Sienna. In fact, since we got ours, both my mom and my in-laws have gotten one since getting to use ours when they were keeping the kids. Plus, usually something like a minivan will get better gas mileage, and you can carry bigger things. We've done bunk beds and similar things. Can't remember what all.

Anyway, if you want to really save money, go through an auto broker. We loved the guy who helped us with ours, and my mom just went through the same place. You don't have to hassle the dealerships at all, and you get a much lower price. Example: We bought our van new with 6 miles on it. 6 months later with 15,000 (yes, 15k) miles on it, it was still worth $15 more than we paid for it. Really great deal when you consider the depreciation of a new vehicle. Have fun shopping!

I love my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Its not the newest modle, but about a 2006 or 7. Just before the new ones came out with a different body shape and more harsh industrial inside. I like how smooth mine drives, and the more plush interior. Its my second jeep and I hope they go back to the nicer inside by the time I need a new one so I can get a 3rd. It has plenty of room for 4-5 people and room to haul stuff in the back with or without the seats folded down. It has a vent in the back for a/c. I think it looks nice, and sits up high enough for me to see great, and not have to crawl up and out when I open the door. I had 2 Dodge Grand Caravans when I had my day care and loved them too. But now without all the kids, I would rather have the Jeep.

I think you can do interior tours on Vehix maybe?

I know what you mean about the vents in the back...my Sable does NOT have them and my husband's Explorer DOES. BTW, he has had 3 Explorers and no problems with any of them Very reliable! Maybe a used O.? Just a thought. Good luck!

Our CR-V doesn't have it's own AC in the back like my Grand Caravan does. We have an 04' CR-V and a '01 Grand Caravan....

I think Kia has options like this I don't know from first hand experience...just about the CR-V and the Caravan! SORRY!!!

I just bought a new car two weeks ago and I have to say we LOVED using KSL.com. Go to their classifieds section and you can put in some specific things for searches. I did this for a few weeks before we ended up buying our car. We were specifically looking for an SUV, AWD/4WD, 4+ doors, Between $5-13,000 and some other specific things we wanted and we got some really good ideas and more options to look at for cars. We got a steal of a deal using their site and got a completely different car than we were originally looking for. (Key to that was don't be "make" specific.) We ended up getting a 2005 Lincoln Aviator. It has a/c vents in the back, seats up to 7 people (all back seats fold down if wanted.)
You can also just change things around on the searches for more ideas and possibilities. Also looking every day can give you more options! :)
Car shopping can get tiring so good luck! :)

I have an 08 CRV and they still don't have vents in the back. Check Nissan or Infiniti (same company). It's been 3 years since we had the car, but I thought my husband's infiniti sedan had vents in the back. My daughter is not heat sensitive, buy she never complains in the back of our CRV. I put her carseat in the middle and put the middle front vents pointing to the back.

We looked at the CR-V and the Rav-4 before deciding on an Xterra. The Xterra has a larger backseat leg room (important because our 5 yo is really tall) and has an a/c vent in the floor back there. It folds down to a very roomy interior in case you need to haul something really big - and the backseat folds half at a time (in case you have something big, but you still have your child with you).
It was a total whim to look at them - but I'm *so* glad we did!
Good luck finding the right one for you!