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Two Under 2
jennyenny323
member
Another minivan/SUV post - 3u3 soon and need help!
jennyenny323
member
in Two Under 2
DH and I currently have a honda civic and we need to get something bigger before #3 gets here. We're considering a honda odyssey or toyota sienna but also like the idea of an SUV such as the GMC Acadia.
I like the 7 seater option (which I don't think the Odyssey has) but I'm wondering, can you put RF carseats in the captains chairs in the second row? Or are RF seats for the bench seating only? Also, if we went with an 8 seater minivan, how hard will it be to get DD in the third row (she'll be 33 months when #3 is born), buckled in, etc? I was thinking a 7 seater would be ideal because of this and I'd have easier access to the 3rd row if needed.
Any suggestions?
Mama to 4 kids: girl 2009, boy 2010, girl 2012, boy 2014
www.herenowus.com
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Re: Another minivan/SUV post - 3u3 soon and need help!
Honestly, if you are going to have 3u3 you need a minivan, unless you are planning to never go on vacation anywhere for more than a day. (keep in mind that when you have the 3rd row up in an SUV you lose your trunk space)... 2 parents, plus 3 kids plus all of the STUFF that goes with them doesn't fit in any SUV except maybe a suburban... 2u2 can get away with an SUV, but it's tight. We have a dodge grand caravan for family outings and a Honda Civic for work and times when we need to be in two places at once (we can fit 3 seats in the back of the civic).
You can put RF seats in the captains chairs. When we had 4 I had the youngest RF in the seat behind me, we had the other captain's chair down (we had stow and go) and the other three seats lined across the bench seat in the back. It made it much easier to get the kids in and out with that second chair "missing". Getting into the 3rd row of an SUV isn't as easy as it seams (JMO) we had a Jeep Commander for about a year and I had to trade it in because it was just not practical at all, I should have just gone straight to the minivan, but I was only 25 at the time (w/ two kids) and was dead set on not being a minivan mom!
I agree w/ needing a van. We have an odyssey and a pilot adn while they are both fine for day to day, any kind of trip requires the Odyssey.
In the second row of the van, we pulled out the center seat and pushed the captains chairs together. Both girls are RF in those captains chairs. Having the 2cd row chairs pushed together makes it nice and easy for #3 to get into his carseat in the 3rd row (forward facing). Its a great set up and works nicely for us.
Adn i agree w/ the SUV 3rd row not beign as convenient at it seems. Even though we have the 3rd row in the Pilot, I've got all the carseats in the second row and keep the 3rd down for storage.
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WOW, no need to be rude... if you read my post you would see that the suburban was the ONLY EXCEPTION when it comes to space in an SUV. BUT if you are into bashing other posts, the Suburban is much more expensive, horrible on gas millage, and has a higher center of gravity (like most SUV's) which statistically makes it more likely to tip over if you are in an accident with another car (not saying that YOUR driving is bad, but you can't control the other people on the road). Just because the suburban is longer and wider than a minivan it doesn't make it safer. Even with 1/2 of your third row down the Suburban has less cubic square feet of storage than a van will all of it's seats up... put 1/2 the third row down in a minivan (or one of the captain's chairs), and there is no comparison
We just got a Toyota Sienna and I love it. I swore I would never have a mini van, but with a 2nd little one on the way and 2 dogs that we travel with alot it was the most practical for us.
One of the main reasons that we chose it over an SUV is because I am only 5'2, and we found that I had trouble getting my daughter's infant seat in and out of my husband's Jeep Commander. The van is much easier...and the automatic doors are awesome when your hands are full. Plus when the kids are a little older you don't need to worry about them slamming the doors into the car parked next to you.
Mine is an 8 seater, but we pulled the middle seat out of the second row and there is a nice little storage area for it in the van. I figure that will come in handy when the girls are school aged and want friends over.
I do love the previous poster's suggestion of pulling out one of the captains chairs for easier access to the third row. I would probably do that if we had three in car seats. Right now our third row is reserved for doggies though
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I had a Buick Enclave and while they're nice, I would prefer a minivan with 3 kiddos. The three rows of seating is nice but there are some major cons:
- with the third row up, there's basically no storage space
- I'm pretty sure there's only one tether in the third row (centre)
- the huge doors are a pain in parking lots getting car seats and kids in and out
- the huge tires are super expensive to replace
Lots of room for gear, sliding doors and more usable seating make having a minivan so great.
That said, I'm going to have 2u2 and I drive a Malibu Maxx now which I LOVE. I might even try three across if it's still around by that point. I know there's room.
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
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- Robert Munsch
Mama to 4 kids: girl 2009, boy 2010, girl 2012, boy 2014
www.herenowus.com
I have an Odyssey and I LOVE it!! It has a ***-ton of cup holders. Love the auto doors, my kids don't open car doors on any ones car anymore AND its great when you have your hands full. I have the touring model (everything), love the DVD player, seat warmers, etc. The Odysseys has 8 seat but one is "magic" and removes to equal 2 captains and the bench in the back. My son is RF in the captains. Only the captain and the middle back seat have latch. I have a lot of truck space. I can fit my double and single strollers plus groceries. Having all the space is awesome even with 3 kids because my kids are at the age that they want to take a friend along. It's nice to be able to do that.
One reason I didn't chose the SUV is that I read that boosters (which your oldest will move to one day) aren't save in 3rd row SUVs due to the nil truck space.
We've only had our minivan (Chrysler Town & Country) for a little over a month, but so far we love it. We have 7 seats, and the 2 captains seats do have LATCH. Right now my 5 yr old and 1 yr old use the 2 captains seats, but when the new baby comes they will use 1 of the seats and our 5 yr old will move to the third row since she can buckle herself in her booster seat. If I had 3 younger children I would probably use the stow and go feature for one of the middle row seats so it would be easier access to the third row to get kids in their seats.
I actually know of LOTS of types of SUV's that have a 3rd row PLUS a ton of trunk space. I don't have even 2 kids yet, so I won't speak of the amount of stuff that goes with them because I don't have experience, but there are many more types of SUV's that have a 3rd row plus space. Off the top of my head, a yukon, a Ford Expedition XL, and a tahoe XL. In fact, any SUV that has the XL on it will have extra space behind the 3rd row that will have more storage space then any minivan.
As to the safety aspect of SUV's vs minivans, the lower centre of gravity does not actually equal safer. Minivans actually have some of the worst safety ratings of any vehicle because the frame of them is so spaced out. An SUV has more frame support and therefore is considered safer because in the event of a crash it is less likely to crumple in on itself.
Daughter #1 - February 12, 2010
natural m/c March 11, 2011 at 8 1/2 weeks
Daughter #2 - January 11, 2012
Ectopic pregnancy discovered November 6, 2012 at 6 weeks
Daughter #3 - January 19, 2014
Started our exploration into the world of international adoption June 2012. We have no idea what this is going to look like but we are excited to find out!
Do you mind telling me what carseats you have? We have a Pilot as well and DS is in a Britax Boulevard 70 and I was wondering how multiple carseats would work. I'd like to keep one seat still in the middle but I didn't think there would be room to do two seats side-by-side. I loooooove his Britax though so I'd hate to have to get a smaller seat.
OP for what it's worth if we decide to have 3 kids we'll probably have to get a mini van. I love everything about my Pilot, but if we ever have to put the 3rd row seating back up (we have it down all the time for groceries and the dog) we wouldn't have any trunk space at all.
I have to disagree with NEEDING a minivan for trips with more than 2 kids. My BIL and SIL have a Pilot and 4 boys (3 in carseats, one in a booster) and they take family trips all the time. They have a roof rack cargo, and pack up the back real tight. They've never had an issue this way and love their car
My SIL is able to grocery shop, do Costco runs, lug her oldest around to all his sports and have space for everything they need even with all 3 rows up. It's all in how you use it I guess!