Car guys can still drive minivans

When our children were little and we were carting them and their friends all over the Northwest suburbs, the need for a minivan was apparent.

I was not a minivan kind of guy, I reasoned. However, the pressure from the family was too great and I broke down and bought one, kicking and screaming all the way.

Maybe some of you can relate to this scenario. I have to say, though, in the end it wasn't so bad and I thought, "This era will pass and we can get into some more fun cars down the road."

Finally in 1999 we were able to move out of the Windstar and I bought my wife a supercharged black Grand Prix. Now we're talking. This was a great car and a lot of fun to drive with plenty of oomph and good gas mileage to boot.

There was a Corvette or two thrown in over the years for good measure and, most recently, my wife is driving a 2005 Cadillac SRX. This is a really nice car and fun to drive with loads of creature features. But now, with grandchildren, it's a little snug with all the car seats.

You see where this is going, don't you?

We now have six grandchildren and my wife is very involved in their lives. She is once again talking minivan. I never saw this coming - but here it is. The SRX needs to go and get replaced with a van.

This is really hard for a car guy to do but I am going to be a good husband and grandpa and find the coolest darn minivan I can find.

• Douglas Automotive is at 417 W. Main St., Barrington, (847) 381-0454, and 123 Virginia Road, Crystal Lake, (815) 356-0440. For information, visit douglasautomotive.com. Send questions to underthehood@dailyherald.com.