I don't think the splinter help us with east coast weather, nor the trip cross-country with four cats.

We plan to visit Honda, Subaru, Hyundai (despite their self-ignition tendencies), Kia, Ford, Nissan, maybe Mazda, etc...

Is one move worth the increased fuel costs? It may be worth your while to still consider sedans and non-SUV cars as long as they handle well in weather, and just tow the car behind a moving truck. Just a thought.

(Not that I can argue against wanting SUVs if it's what you want for your day-to-day purposes. I loved my SUV but the gas cost ate me alive.)

Oh, and FWIW my Matrix is the shiznit. Will hit 100,000 miles sometime around/after New Years. Wicked blind spot but otherwise a terrific vehicle.

We want a bigger car for roadtripping and (sca) camping purposes. We still have the civic for day-to-day driving.

We've done all our road tripping and camping with our Civic since 2003 and it seems huge for that purpose.

But before that we did it with a Ford Festiva so our perceptions may have been warped.

I wouldn't buy a car in CA if moving across the country. Wouldn't it be cheaper elsewhere too without the CA taxes and emissions package requirements?

We have quite a few months before we move and had hoped to enjoy some camping and road trips here before we go. Also, if we buy used we don't want one that already has several years of east coast wear on it.

And that's the last I'm going to say on the matter. I'm not really interested in having to continually justify our purchasing decisions here. I did not realize that our choice of vehicle type would be so offensive to this community, and I will certainly refrain from discussing it here any further.

I'm trying to see where anyone was even remotely offended...

But, ok. :confused:

All I see is people offering some perspective and some factors that you may or may not have considered yet in your decision. I see some questions and suggestions, I don't see anyone acting offended or demanding of justification.

No, she's right. I was just released from 36 hour mental observation, for so offended and distraught was I at her choice that officials thought I posed a risk of harm to myself and others.

It is only with this assurance that never again will the subject be broached that I am finally able to suppress my tears enough to resume some semblance of my daily life.

It the hindsight that putting this behind us has allowed I a can finally admit to relief, for I was on the brink of throwing down and demanding satisfaction of my offense. In the form of a duel, at dawn, preferably after one of the parties has moved East so that dawn will be separated by several hours making the endeavor much safer but infinitely stupider.