Look What Honda Sent Me

You are not going to believe what showed up in my driveway today.  Go ahead, guess.  It starts with an M and ends with a VAN.

That's right, my new (tester) badass 2012 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite minivan is sitting in my driveway as we speak.  That's right, they sent me the Elite.  No base model for me, thank you very much.  Honda spared no expense and wanted to make sure I get the whole Odyssey minivan experience, surrounded in superior quality and luxury.  This isn't your neighbor's minivan, people.  This minivan is like no other.   


Yeah, that's sitting in my driveway.

(For those of you who have just joined the blog and have no idea what I'm so excited about, please take a few minutes and read this.  It will catch you up on my minivan love.  Then read this and you'll understand why the nice people at Honda have sent me this van to try out.)

If you want the Cliff's Notes then here's the gist:

I said I have a secret passion for minivans and that I'd love to own one.  The Hubs thinks it's not a good fit for us since we only have 2 kids and he prefers for us to drive a smaller car with better gas mileage and no implied obligation of carpooling.  I told him I didn't care, I want the slidey doors and all the other features of my very own MCC (Mobile Command Center, for those of you who aren't in the know).  Honda read my post and contacted me.  I wrote them back.  We picked a date for a van to come and visit.  That date is today.  I get it for two weeks.

Yup!  I got a minivan.  True, I don't own it.  Honda is just loaning it to me for the next two weeks...I may not want to give it back in the end.  But still, it's pretty exciting for me.  Of course I've driven minivans before, but always when we were on vacation somewhere and I never really got the chance to enjoy it.  I was always looking for an exit on some unknown highway or keeping an eye out for the closest bathroom.  I'll finally get to drive a minivan in my day to day life and really be able to show the Hubs what a great fit it is for our family.

So, what this means is that for the next 2 weeks I will be pointing out just a few of the special features of this badass MCC while my kids jump out of the slidey doors like parachuters and we drive around the block one more time just so we can watch another movie on our wide screen DVD player and hold drinks in our 15 cupholders spaced nicely throughout the vehicle for optimal beverage holdage.

Just 4 of the 15 cupholders.  Route 44s anyone?

Oh, and I will be driving it to the PIWTPITT Kansas City Friend's Party on Thursday night, so if you want to see this badass MCC up close and personal, you should totally be there, but I won't be carpooling.  Even though the Hubs isn't going, it will still throw him if I start carpooling already.  We gotta start him off slow.

Disclaimer:  A big thank you to Honda for sending me a 2012 Odyssey Touring Elite to drive for the next 2 weeks and enjoy immensely.  And a special thank you to Sara - I hope you and the new addition to your family are getting some sleep!

My opinions are my own - you know how much I love these cars - I can't make this stuff up!  

53 comments:

MommyOntheEdge said...

Not bad..not bad... enjoy your van :D I love mine!

Anonymous said...

You are truly living the blogger dream, girl.

imbogus1 said...

You will be buying it! Make sure they give you a big discount, as it is a 'tester'!! Oh, and keep the hubs out of the driver seat, you will never get it back.

joboosal said...

Lucky bitch! I don't want a minivan, but sure is nice to have that new car smell, even on loan. Enjoy the MCC,Jeneral!

Allie said...

Sweet! I just bought a touring about a month ago. I fought it, and now I'm obsessed. BTW - your days of frantically searching for bathrooms are over. Just turn on the map icons on your navigation system and you'll be able to see all the upcoming bathrooms for miles. It's beautiful. Congratulations!

Starr said...

I thought I hated minivans until I bought one two years ago (third kid was on the way). It's honestly the best car I've ever purchased. Enjoy your extended test drive!

Kimberly Walrod said...

Love it! We just bought a 2012 Touring Elite and I am SO in love with it!! I've had it for about 2 months now and I smile every time I look at it! Enjoy!!! :) Something tells me you might end up keeping it! :)

This Is Fifty With Lil said...

Wow! Jen, this is the second best thing to happen today... reading your good news AND having an empty laundryroom!! Enjoy your ride! Looking forward to your "Best Two Weeks EVER" in your Mommy Mobile Command Center blog post. #RideHappy!

Laura said...

I Love My HONDA!! In August of 2010, I was in a bad accident on my way to take my daughter to kindergarten. I had 3 of my 4 kids in my van, a 2006 Honda. My minivan saved my daughter's life that day. My van was gone but we replaced it with a 2010 Honda that I still have. Can't say enough good things about my badass Honda minivan :) Enjoy!!

That Odd Mom said...

I bought my first mini-van when I was only 23 with two kids. I'm a van whore, LOL! Now I'm driving a full sized, mack daddy, seats feel like a recliner dodge. Enjoy your ride, you'll never want to go back to a car again. ; )

JenGal said...

Well... check you out! What next? Why Tina Fey, of course!

Anonymous said...

amaz-balls!! I love, love, love my minivan!! At this point I am generally only carting around one 12 year old girl and her dance stuff but I still refuse to give up my 2000 Toyota minivan even though my husband has always hated it! You will never want to give it back!

Anonymous said...

Remember to tell hubs that children GROW BIGGER everyday and will have a LOT of sports, dance, just plain stuff to haul around. Never drove a minivan in my life, but don't begrudge you yours!

shermanmomma said...

That's so cool. Chrysler did that with me, OMG,like a million years ago. I had it for a week. It was so cool then. You will feel as though a part of your life is gone when you have to turn it back in. But, since you drank the koolaid for those last two weeks, they'll see you in the dealership picking out the color. Drive it in good health!!

Jamie said...

Your heart will ache when you have to give this back to Honda! Ten years ago, I made a declaration to a group of friends that, "I will NEVER drive a minivan. If I have too many kids for an SUV, that's too many kids."

Here I am with 5 kids, all in boosters or car seats, utterly in love with my Honda Odyssey. It is my Precious (Lord of the Rings reference, not a reference to the novel Push by Sapphire). Turbo Robot doors will change your life.

Congrats, and good luck getting Hubs to green light a new minivan purchase!

Rachel Fruitloop said...

Jen, that is so rad! I'm so excited for you!

CraftyGardenMom - Tanesha said...

We just bought our Honda odyssey Touring Elite 2 weeks ago and I LOOOOOVE it! Best part is the silence from the backseat because the kiddos are so busy watching their movies and I can listen to my iPhone music/podcasts/Pandora via the Bluetooth feature.

Enjoy it. And let your hubby drive it a few days, he'll be hooked too!

NorthernGirl said...

My parents, while retired with an empty nest, wanted an SUV so they could get through the snow, have room to cart the grand kids when they take them, and tow their boat. They have always bought American but were swayed to a Honda by the safety features of the Honda Pilot. (And yes, I realize Hondas are mostly made in US factories now but anyway). It's good to know that my little ones are safe with them! Hell, I may even make my next vehicle a Honda. They're pretty impressive!

Megan said...

this makes me want to punch you in the throat.
love my odyssey...

Sophie And Josh said...

Minivans ARE the cool new thing! I ♥ the crap out of ours!

Cheryl said...

Oh, Wise One...Please take me under your wing and teach me your secrets to a successful blog!

All kidding aside,good for you! Enjoy :)

www.crapthatbugsme.blogspot.com

Christie said...

Are you going to "Mom Your Ride"??? This video is hi-lar-i-ous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEFE3B0Rje0

luvgreen said...

Welcome to the badass minivan club. Love my Odyssey, but watch yourself in parking lots. Hit 3 cars during backup/parking/leaving in the first 6 months. Much longer and wider than I was used to.

Karianna @ Caffeinated Catholic Mama said...

Enjoy your ride! My BFF has that one, while we got the AWD Swagger Wagon (Toyota). It was nice to compare the two together! Plus, we bought ours in Dec 2010, back when we were only a family of 4!

Kerry said...

people I want to punch in the throat? YOU, who the F*#^ gets a minivan dropped off at their house as a loaner from the manufacturer? #jealous!

BeanDavis said...

Seriously, I'm excited for you! I saw the post in my feed and got giddy! Enjoy it, I'm so jealous.

The NotsoSuperMom said...

MCC? it's okay, but I prefer Suburban Assault Vehicle. (I am totally jealous of the 15 cupholders, though!)

Anonymous said...

I have an Odyssey....at 28 with only 2 little ones. Once you go minivan you never go back!

Anonymous said...

minivan - check.
Tina Fey - you are next

Carol M. said...

Now that all these vehicles come with so many drink holders, they need to start putting potties in them. If I have that many drinks in my car, (almost 2 per person, I will surely be asking for extra potty stops!

fiftyfinally said...

notice in the honda video that they are trying desperatly to pander to a male to buy a van. It will never work because men do not want all that shit in their precious cars. I never could figure out how to drive a stick (stupid manufacturers...what a dumb invention) and quess who always had a vehicle with a stick. And guess who's vehicle had the empty sippy cups, mittens, potato chip crumbs and sand from the beach in it.
Now that we are down to one vehicle and only transport grandkids around we have had a van for 6 years or so. And then there was that one time when we needed a second vehicle for about a year when we couldn't agree on who would give up driving the van for a regular car, even if it was better on gas, there was even a heated debate based on mileage to drive blah blah. We leased a 2nd van (talk about stuuuuupid). But we came to our senses when the 2nd vehicle was no longer necessary and now we drive only one van. And it's always full of crap - back to sippy cups and potato chip crumbs and sand from the beach and everytime he gets into the van we go through this process of blame for the mess....god will that never end.But when I rent a vehicle for those out of town trists.....its always a zippy peppy little thing. next time i'm longing for a convertible ride....

Submommy said...

Think they'd let me try out a Honda Pilot? 'Cause that's on our list. With third row seats, I can put the children in different rows on opposite sides of the car, thus ratcheting down my desire to drink and drive. Win-win.

Plus, The Hubs wants a rig big enough to "pull stuff."

Jill H said...

LUCKY!!!!!! How awesome for you! I LOVE my Honda mini-van. Kids and crap, that's what they do and that's my life and I love it! Enjoy your new van (if you are able to hand that thing back, you are braver than I) Did I mention I love my mini-van?
jh

Annette said...

Here in Utah we call them Mormon Assault Vehicles. :)

I don't want one...but I am kind of jello that you get to try one out for two weeks.

Daisy said...

I want to punch you in the throat right now out of pure jealousy! This is my dream car! I go jogging around my city and throw a fit at all the nice new odysseys I see parked in driveways of big houses. Then I run back to my tiny condo and shove my 2 kids into the back of a tiny 2 door honda civic! Ok, my rant is over. Hope you enjoy it. I hope I can afford one one day!

Shannan said...

You will love that shit. I bought an Odyssey in October with one 7-year-old. I thought maybe I was nuts, but I love it! Now we have another on the way and I'm so glad I have it. The slider doors have changed my life. I have not stood in the rain waiting for my daughter to buckle into her seat in 8 months. Amazing. When I reach the drive-thru window, the change holder is right there - on the left! Brilliant! And the cardboard drink holder thingie from Dunkin Donuts fits snugly atop the console. A Mom designed this interior.
Sometimes I get out and look back, thinking, "I just rolled up in a minivan." when I'm in it, though, I rock it.

Momma Smith said...

I love that you are explaining your love affair for Honda while the advertisement at the bottom of the page is for Toyota! Maybe you can test drive all the mom utility vehicles on the market to truly give a fair.and accurate opinion. I love Honda but trying to get you more time with this. Think about it, you could spend your entire summer test driving mini's

Tazi Kat said...

OMG! Jen, I am SO HAPPY for you!! Personally, I hate minivans and wouldn't be caught dead in one, but I am very, very happy for your success! It is always wonderful to see fellow writers reap success for their hard work! Next goal: Lunch with Tina Fey!!!!

Jennifer said...

I succumbed to the minivan long ago (kicking and screaming). But my newest one, 2011 tricked out T&C is like a mobile living room. I am driving all over the country (final stop, KC, btw) and it is a smooooottthhhhhh ride. The kids barely spoke out loud in 10 hours yesterday. Two screens (dvd on one, PlayStation on the other). ipod/ds charging (love that little outlet). I turn up some Eminem and drive like a gangsta filming an Imported from Detroit commercial. Badass.

Anonymous said...

I have had the same Honda Pilot since 2003, (almost time to get a new one)anyways, I love the third row seat feature, the pull down for all seats when transporting something from home depot, the roominess, and love the way it handles on the road. It gets great gas mileage, and isn't a BIG SUV nor a little one. It is just right for my family of 3 kids. My very first car was a Honda civic, and I now own my third civic, and will be buying my second pilot soon. I refuse to put my children in anything but a Honda. My husband totaled my first civic by slamming into a concrete divider on the freeway. He did not have a scratch on him. LOVE LOVE HONDA!!

Anonymous said...

You have to get one! I love mine!!! You won't regret it.

Jenny said...

AWESOME. I knew I'd reached a new chapter in my life when I started commenting on how "cool" the new Odysseys were when each new model came out (the newest being, by far, the coolest). I *love* my Odyssey, something I never imagined I'd say about a minivan. But seriously, I'm wondering if I'll ever drive anything else - even when the kids eventually fly the nest. Enjoy - you won't want to give it back. I guarantee it. Those slidey doors are enough to seal the deal. No, wait, the DVD player with the headphones that allow the kids to watch movies and you to still listen to the radio are sheer genius.

Anonymous said...

I've had mine since 2006 & also LOVE it!

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for you! When I saw this today, I actually smiled and felt giddy for you!!! Have fun with it!

Mrs. Yoy said...

My husband calls them the sweatpants of cars. I don't care! After fighting over this for months, I drove home in my new red Sienna on Valentine's Day. I love it more now than I did then. Enjoy your time with it!

Rob said...

Honda and Toyota minivans are way too expensive. We bought a Kia Sedona 2 years ago and LOVE it! Plus it comes standard with a 5 year / 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. If the Japanese vans are so well built, then why don't they stand behind them?

Anonymous said...

You are a Johnson county mom driving a minivan....now I want to punch YOU in the throat....just please don't tell me your kids play soccer
Signed- Kristi (since I don't have an account and am too lazy to make one and don't want to be anonymous)

Kayla said...

Yeah, that is one thing we really didn't think of - how much the kids grow! I have a Honda CRV which I love, it's been great, but my 13 year old is six feet tall and my 10 year old is not far behind him and when we go on a road trip, we are all totally cramped. I'm not sure when we'll bite the bullet and get a new car, but we've already decided it'll probably be a used, late model Pilot. I've never wanted a big SUV, but we definitely need the room!

Kelly and Sne said...

First off, let me admit that driving a mini-van was at the top of the list of things that I swore I would never do but did (the second is having a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese which is going to happen next month... ugh). I really didn't want to give up my trusty Subaru Outback when we had kids as I fit the demographic so well (yes, I am a granola) and I could always find my car in the SuperTarget parking lot as Subaru's are relatively rare here in JoCo. BUT, after smashing the kid's head multiple times trying to get him in the backseat and anticipating not being able to take any vacations with the kids, the dogs and all the crap that comes with them, I succumbed and got an Odyssey. And I will have to admit that Honda knows its demographic very well and did their research. They have thought of EVERYTHING that a soccer Mom might need - from the mirror that allows you to see the entire back seat without turning around to, yes, the wireless headphones (though the one design flaw is the inability to adjust volume, etc from the front seat so I have to half crawl back there to do so as the kids are too young to figure it out themselves). So now I put up with the fact that I can't find my car when I emerge from SuperTarget among the hordes of silver and white minivans in the parking lot... So welcome to convenient anonymity among the soccer Moms of JoCo!

fiftyfinally said...

best trip EVER was when we rented an astro van 25+ yrs ago to go 1500+ miles to visit fam - my son was waaaaay in the back with his shit, my 2 daughters were in the middle with barbie shit and we both decide to quit smoking. You would think it would be a trip from h#ll, but it was the quietest and best ever. We actually bought a van when the kids were all gone... Go figure.

Serena said...

We literally just bought the Honda Odyssey EX-L tonight! Was a tough decision between it and the Sienna, but really, the Ody is just better styling inside. Although, and I will say it again, the Ody resembles a hearse. Lol. Even so, i'ma rock my Mommy Hearse and love it! :) it drives great!

Anonymous said...

Just saw this, I have a touring elite and it is awesome! I love the back up sensors - perfect for not running over longboards, waterguns, bikes... Also, the blind spot indicator sensor things will spoil you. I don't know how I'll ever drive anything else. Enjoy!!!

Stephanie said...

I have the 2011 Honda Odyssey EXL. We love it. We also only have two kids (4 y/o and 1 y/o), but we drove this bad boy across 8 states this summer and I can't imagine doing that without it! It has a few less options than the touring elite, but it has the main ones I wanted. Slidey doors, auto hatch door in the back, back up camera, leather seats (with warmers), leather steering wheel, bluetooth, Dvd with headphones and it was a lot less than the tour elite!

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