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Moms of 3+: Tell me about your car

laura1laura1 member
in Two Under 2

With #3's arrival rapidly approaching, we realized that we really need to get looking for a new car.  Right now we have a CRV, so the only way to keep it would be to buy 2 more radians and have all 3 across.  We would like more room, though, so we are starting to look...

We are thinking about a minivan, but they just seem SO big to me.  We think we will test drive a Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Town and Country.  I also am intrigued by the Mazda5 because they are smaller, but they only add one more seat than we have now.

As for bigger SUVs, I am worried that the 3rd row will be harder to access than if we had a minivan, but we are hoping to see the Toyota Highlander just to look.  Any other recs for a bigger SUV (I don't want to spend >30K, though, so a bunch of them are out).

Thanks! 

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Re: Moms of 3+: Tell me about your car

  • ajswartajswart

    my sister has a toyota sienna and really likes it.

    i would look into chevy traverse or acadia i think both can have van seating and are suvs

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  • karebearmccroarkarebearmccroar member
    I don't have 3 yet I have a 17 month old and we are expecting twins. But we got an awesome suv just after ds was born, the Mazda cx9. We didn't even consider a minivan with only one child, and we thought it would be a while before we had 2. Now that we are facing 3 kids under 19 months, I so wish we had a minivan! There are so many features that make it worth itthe doors open, the floor space, the access to the 3rd row impossible in our car with car seats, the car seat config, etc. I love to drive my Mazda but I now have van envy. Also, you seem to get so much more for the same price when you but a van vs suv. It's not as cool but suddenly function is trumping fashion when facing life with all these babies!
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  • vanessaNOV2vanessaNOV2
    We have a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan. We put 2 older boys in back row and baby seat in a captains chair in middle row. We leave the other captains chair folded down for easy access to back row.
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  • ColesMommy0606ColesMommy0606
    We have the Honda Pilot. DD is in the middle row, middle seat, rear facing. DS is in the back row, passenger side, front facing. If we have a third we will trade in out Mazda 6 for the Honda Odyssey.  I  like how you can flip down the middle seat in the middle row to get easy access to the back row. Right now I have to flip down the passenger side seat in the middle row to get to DS in the back. Then I flip down the other back seats in the back row to fit my stroller in the trunk.
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  • sbartschkesbartschke

    If you want to try an SUV, I really like the Buick Enclave. If you are wanting a new one I think it will be over your price range, but a used one should not be.

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  • ang345ang345
    I have a town and country and love it! I had 3 under 3 and none of them could buckle their own seats and I refused to wrestle over seats to get to that third kid in the back. I also like that the doors open at the touch of a button and the stow and go seats. What we did was put one of the passenger bucket seats down into the floor so the entire back seat was accessible. So, I put the infant in the remaining bucket seat and my other two in the back. I just climbed in where that missing seat was and buckled everyone. To me in my situation this was the best choice. I know a lot of people don't like mini-vans but they have come down in price so much that ours was less expensive than any of the suv's we looked at.
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  • MammaBear81MammaBear81 member

    Solo vote for the Minivan!  We have a Honda Odyssey and love it. Can you fit into an SUV? sure, but at your budget of 30K, and the fact that you want more room I'd stick with a minivan (not to mention $$ you will save on the gas mileage).  Minivan's are big, but so are SUV's, either way you will get used to driving it. GL

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  • cookinitupcookinitup member
    My friend has an Acadia (GMC) it was much nicer and roomier than I expected.
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  • charleydawgcharleydawg member
    We are anti-minivan, and have decided on a used GMC Acadia or Buick Enclave with quad seating (captain's seats in the middle, so our oldest can easily access the third row).  Everyone I've talked to with a minivan insists the Honda Odyssey is the best.
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  • saturdaynightdoubletreesaturdaynightdoubletree member
    Not quite 3 yet, but we drive a 2011 Toyota highlander limited and LOVE it! Right now we have a radian, Britain frontier, and haven't purchased yet but graco snug ride will fit for 3 across leaving tons of trunk space. Only downfall is the middle seat is seat belt installed because there are only two sets of LATCH in the middle row, but three tether anchors. The middle seat in the second row comes out for easy access to the third row (really more for kids than adults space wise) you can just put half the third row up to use more trunk space. Another downfall is that the third row doesn't have LATCH or tether, so can only accommodate a RFing seat (not very practical IMO) or a seat belt booster. So until DD is big enough 2-3 years from now, we'll be riding 3 across in the second row. The Honda Pilot is much better equipped with LATCH and tether anchors, but I personally like the size and quality of the Highlander better. Three months after buying our car we got into a terrible accident with the whole family, DDs door the point of impact... Of all the emergency responders nobody could understand why the car didn't flip or roll, and we all walked away without a single bump or bruise. I will never drive anything else.
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  • MammaBear81MammaBear81 member

    imagesaturdaynightdoubletree:
    Not quite 3 yet, but we drive a 2011 Toyota highlander limited and LOVE it! Right now we have a radian, Britain frontier, and haven't purchased yet but graco snug ride will fit for 3 across leaving tons of trunk space. Only downfall is the middle seat is seat belt installed because there are only two sets of LATCH in the middle row, but three tether anchors. The middle seat in the second row comes out for easy access to the third row (really more for kids than adults space wise) you can just put half the third row up to use more trunk space. Another downfall is that the third row doesn't have LATCH or tether, so can only accommodate a RFing seat (not very practical IMO) or a seat belt booster. So until DD is big enough 2-3 years from now, we'll be riding 3 across in the second row. The Honda Pilot is much better equipped with LATCH and tether anchors, but I personally like the size and quality of the Highlander better. Three months after buying our car we got into a terrible accident with the whole family, DDs door the point of impact... Of all the emergency responders nobody could understand why the car didn't flip or roll, and we all walked away without a single bump or bruise. I will never drive anything else.

    Just and FYI, you know that you can install a FF carseat with a seatbelt, you don't have to use LATCH.

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  • saturdaynightdoubletreesaturdaynightdoubletree member
    imageMammaBear81:

    imagesaturdaynightdoubletree:
    Not quite 3 yet, but we drive a 2011 Toyota highlander limited and LOVE it! Right now we have a radian, Britain frontier, and haven't purchased yet but graco snug ride will fit for 3 across leaving tons of trunk space. Only downfall is the middle seat is seat belt installed because there are only two sets of LATCH in the middle row, but three tether anchors. The middle seat in the second row comes out for easy access to the third row (really more for kids than adults space wise) you can just put half the third row up to use more trunk space. Another downfall is that the third row doesn't have LATCH or tether, so can only accommodate a RFing seat (not very practical IMO) or a seat belt booster. So until DD is big enough 2-3 years from now, we'll be riding 3 across in the second row. The Honda Pilot is much better equipped with LATCH and tether anchors, but I personally like the size and quality of the Highlander better. Three months after buying our car we got into a terrible accident with the whole family, DDs door the point of impact... Of all the emergency responders nobody could understand why the car didn't flip or roll, and we all walked away without a single bump or bruise. I will never drive anything else.

    Just and FYI, you know that you can install a FF carseat with a seatbelt, you don't have to use LATCH.

    Yes, but it doesn't have the top tether anchor in the 3rd row. Don't you still need that for a FFing seat? All my manuals say it's needed no matter how you install. Therefore until seatbelt booster, third row can't really be used.

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  • MammaBear81MammaBear81 member
    imagesaturdaynightdoubletree:

    Yes, but it doesn't have the top tether anchor in the 3rd row. Don't you still need that for a FFing seat? All my manuals say it's needed no matter how you install. Therefore until seatbelt booster, third row can't really be used.

    It is not mandatory, but it is recommended for an easier and more snug installation (not that you can't get a snug fit with only a seat belt, it's just not as easy).  Older car's don't have the top tethers, and even older cars (pre 2002) don't have the lower latches.  It doesn't meant you can't install a car seat in them.  You can still install the car seat, safely, but the top tether must be stored somewhere (you can't just leave it handing).  Most seats have a pocket or pouch to store it in.

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  • saturdaynightdoubletreesaturdaynightdoubletree member
    imageMammaBear81:
    imagesaturdaynightdoubletree:

    Yes, but it doesn't have the top tether anchor in the 3rd row. Don't you still need that for a FFing seat? All my manuals say it's needed no matter how you install. Therefore until seatbelt booster, third row can't really be used.

    It is not mandatory, but it is recommended for an easier and more snug installation (not that you can't get a snug fit with only a seat belt, it's just not as easy).  Older car's don't have the top tethers, and even older cars (pre 2002) don't have the lower latches.  It doesn't meant you can't install a car seat in them.  You can still install the car seat, safely, but the top tether must be stored somewhere (you can't just leave it handing).  Most seats have a pocket or pouch to store it in.

    I knew most older cars didn't have them, so that totally makes sense. Learn something new every day! Thanks Smile

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