Daycare Friendly Vehicle

[dEHmom]

maybe we should all just get those 15 passenger vans?!?! might make life easier.

[DancingQueen]

I'm looking for a 9 seater
3-3-3
I want the front to have the center console that folds down and has the lap belt option so in a pinch I can fit 8 guests in my car.
I am SO SICK AND TIRED OF REMOVING CARSEATS FROM MY CAR EVERY DAY TO ACCOMODATE MY OWN FAMILY IN THE EVENING!!!

[squareone]

Thanks for all of your replies and keep 'em coming.

I have a Chrysler Town & Country and I can fit 3 carseats in the 3rd row. I have the Touring Edition so the 2nd row are 2 captains chairs so I fit 5 carseats altogether. If Im not using the backrow, they fold flat down giving me more room to carry stuff if I need to. I love my van.

I will need to check to see if they offer bench seating for the second row in a different edition.

I have an 8 passenger Toyota Sienna and I can't fit 3 across the back with what I have. I can fit 3 LARGE seats in the 2nd row tho. Width isn't necessarily the problem in the 3rd row, it's the location of the seat belts and Latches. There are only 2 Latch/tether positions. The center Latch position overlaps the driver side belt buckle. Only one of my seats can install well with the position of the seat belt buckle forward of the bight. I need 2 narrow seats that can install well this way in order to do it.

Thanks! I was looking at the 8 passenger Sienna and this information is crucial.

I'm looking for a 9 seater
3-3-3
I want the front to have the center console that folds down and has the lap belt option so in a pinch I can fit 8 guests in my car.
I am SO SICK AND TIRED OF REMOVING CARSEATS FROM MY CAR EVERY DAY TO ACCOMODATE MY OWN FAMILY IN THE EVENING!!!

YES YES YES!!! I know exactly what you mean. And even worse is reinstalling them the next day!!!!!

[DancingQueen]

tonight is even worse I have to carpool 2 teen girls that aren't mine so I have to uninstall 4 carseats and pull out a booster.
it drives me nuts!

[MarinaVanessa]

I have an 8 passenger Toyota Sienna and I can't fit 3 across the back with what I have. I can fit 3 LARGE seats in the 2nd row tho. Width isn't necessarily the problem in the 3rd row, it's the location of the seat belts and Latches. There are only 2 Latch/tether positions. The center Latch position overlaps the driver side belt buckle. Only one of my seats can install well with the position of the seat belt buckle forward of the bight. I need 2 narrow seats that can install well this way in order to do it.

I can't have more than 2 infants at a time anyway and 4 toddlers. I can add 2 more kids if I wanted but they have to be school agers. Since you have a sienna I thought I'd ask, do you think I'd be able to put 3 carseats in the 2nd row (2 infants and 1 toddler carseats) and put the other 3 toddler carseats in the 3rd row? I know you said it was the position of the seat belts but would the type of caseat make a difference?

This is important for me too, otherwise if I can't then there's really no point in buying a sienna. I do have my daughter and she uses a booster and at the moment she counts as one of the 6 that I have. Would her booster seat make a difference in the 3rd row?

I was planning on Having the infant carseats in the 2nd row and for the toddler I'd have the seats that strap in with the seat belt but have their own carseat seat belts so that I don't have to buckle and in buckle the carseats themselves. What do you think?

Lol sorry to ask so many questions and sorry to highjack the thread

[jen2651]

For the person asking about the 3-3-3, I know the Expedition comes with the option of the bench in front, middle, and back. I use mine only about once a month for daycare...my biggest issue was my personal family. My husband and I have two children but we also have 2 from his first marriage every weekend. We got the Eddie Bauer edition that has 2-2-3 which works perfect for the 'small family' and then the kids can just walk around the other two when I pick them up on Friday evening. I understand this wouldn't work for everyone but is perfect for us!

I know, the price of gas is a real stinker! But, we got such a good deal, 6,000 below private party sale so basically we can drive it for free for 1.5-2 years...couldn't argue with that!

[Lilbutterflie]

I have a Chrysler Town & Country and I can fit 3 carseats in the 3rd row. I have the Touring Edition so the 2nd row are 2 captains chairs so I fit 5 carseats altogether. If Im not using the backrow, they fold flat down giving me more room to carry stuff if I need to. I love my van.

Greenshadow: I may have convinced my DH to get one before we pay off our Tahoe! Yipee! Your touring edition is exactly what I want: so when you say you can fit three carseats in the third row... you mean three carseats NOT boosters, right? Also, do you have the swivel-n-go seating? This option is what intrigued me the most about this vehicle.

[Michael]

I'm looking for a 9 seater
3-3-3
I want the front to have the center console that folds down and has the lap belt option so in a pinch I can fit 8 guests in my car.
I am SO SICK AND TIRED OF REMOVING CARSEATS FROM MY CAR EVERY DAY TO ACCOMODATE MY OWN FAMILY IN THE EVENING!!!

That would be the Ford Excursion:


I switched to the Hummer H2. It only sits 6 but gets the WOW factor from the kids.

[MG&Lsmom]

I can't have more than 2 infants at a time anyway and 4 toddlers. I can add 2 more kids if I wanted but they have to be school agers. Since you have a sienna I thought I'd ask, do you think I'd be able to put 3 carseats in the 2nd row (2 infants and 1 toddler carseats) and put the other 3 toddler carseats in the 3rd row? I know you said it was the position of the seat belts but would the type of caseat make a difference?

This is important for me too, otherwise if I can't then there's really no point in buying a sienna. I do have my daughter and she uses a booster and at the moment she counts as one of the 6 that I have. Would her booster seat make a difference in the 3rd row?

I was planning on Having the infant carseats in the 2nd row and for the toddler I'd have the seats that strap in with the seat belt but have their own carseat seat belts so that I don't have to buckle and in buckle the carseats themselves. What do you think?

Lol sorry to ask so many questions and sorry to highjack the thread

Yes, 2 infant seats and one foward facing toddler seat will definitely fit in the 2nd row. What is also nice, if you put the toddler seat in the middle, it can slide forward so that toddler can not touch the babies

As for the 3rd row, I have the Sunshine Radian which is the narrowest seat on the market today. I can not get it to install properly using the van's seat belt, I have to use the lower latch anchors. But the design in my 2009 is flawed so that if you use the lower latch anchors in the center position you can not buckle the seat belt next to it. Now there is no lower latch anchor for the driver side 3rd row. You have to use the seat belt to install the seat or use a booster there. I just can't get any seat to install well in the center and still have access to that buckle.

In the 2011 Sienna they actually got rid of one set of lower latch anchors/tethers, so it might be better, might be worse. I did get in one when we were searching and it felt smaller than what I have.

Also to consider is how you are going to get those toddlers in the 3rd row. They will have to climb over the 2nd row seat backs or you will have to lift them through the tailgate over the back of the 3rd row. Right now I need 5 seats Tues-Thur. I have 2 installed in the 3rd row, 2 in the 2nd row and the 3rd I have removed so I can flip the seat forward to load the 3rd row. The 5th seat is my son's Britax which is the easiest seat to install imo but I have just been leaving it and having the kids climb over. If I had some more money I'd buy a bunch of seats and try to figure out that 3 in a row combo.