We spent some of the day yesterday searching for a second vehicle. Currently our second vehicle, which Rob will not let me drive, is  ’93 Astro EXT van with so many kilometers on it that the odometer has rolled over twice. Rob uses it strictly to get to work and back while I have been driving the Avalanche. Rob misses the Avalanche. It’s the one all we middle-aged people reward ourselves with after decades of putting up with sensible, often used, but never fully-equipped or tricked out vehicles.It’s a man’s truck. A man who likes heated seats, top of the line stereo system, dual climate condition, dual programmable seat and mirror positioning system, and a rear seat entertainment center.  I had  a 2000 Malibu with not quite 100,000 miles on it that I sold before moving here. Bringing cars across the border was an hassle neither of us wanted to deal with. Rob thought the van would do for a bit but that bit is over. The van’s battery needs to be jumped every morning now if Rob hasn’t  attached a battery charger the night before. It doesn’t have a working a/c which normally isn’t a big deal here, but this summer’s July heat wave (that even got to me and I am from the sub-tropic Midwest) proved to be the point before the tipping point of the battery drain. So, we began our search on-line. Narrowed to a few smaller SUV choices and yesterday took a look and a few test drives.

The Ford Escape was first. It’s very small on the inside and noisy to drive. The gas peddle is uber touchy, and the steering wheel is toy sized. I wasn’t impressed. The Chevy Equinox was roomier. The ride was quiet by comparison to the Escape but not as silent as the Avalanche. The rear seat adjusts which I really liked because it means I can position Katy closer now and move her back as she grows. It has an options package that can nicely equip it with those few things that aren’t standard like rear DVD (long drives into the city make this a must as do road trips). And yes, there are a plethora of cup holders and an OnStar option, but the biggest thing for me was the MP3 jack. I need my music like Katy needs to watch her latest DVD from the bookmobile.

Even though I was pretty much sold on the Equinox, we did check out an Exterra at the Nissan dealership. Fully-equipped it is pricier than we liked, it was small and boxy inside, similar to the the Escape, and it is downright unattractive to look at with that awful rack on the top.

So, it looks like the Equinox. Deep Ruby Metallic. Not that the color is a deal breaker or anything. It can be green or blue metallic or black amythest or whatever color it please God. Just as long as it has the MP3 jack and a place for a Starbucks chai latte. I am such a girl sometimes.