Any suggestions on a vehicle (that isn't 40K...probably will have to go the used route!!!) that can hold 3 carseats and an infant carrier? I have a 5, 4 and 2 y.o. and due in July with #4. My two oldest are no where near the height and weight requirements to go into backless boosters, so I'm stuck with the harness style - which is fine for safety. We currently have a Chevy Uplander, which is good for now, but once the infant carrier is in the only remaining bucket seat in the middle, an adult will not be able to maneuver into the way back to make sure the 2 oldest are securely fastened (they know how to buckle themselves, but we double check them). My other problem is my hubby works for General Motors, so it's really impossible to convince him to buy anything other, even when ALL the other companies offer such great versatile features, esp. in their minivans, but I can undertand his loyalty.
I don't have the time or energy to go to car lots and take out all 3 seats to see if they fit lined up in prospective models, so any information found by others would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you all for your input! We have found with most crossover and XL versions of the med. sized SUV's (from previous ownership) that 3rd row seating is basically a joke, esp. with the space it takes from the cargo area...which we need for regular trips to visit all our family 6 hours away. It looks like we'll have to be looking at used full sized SUVS, like the Tahoe or Suburban, or stick with a minivan that offers more seating maneuverabilty than our Uplander currently offers. Thanks again to all of you!
Go with the GMC Acadia. You can get them with 7 seats (middle has captain's chairs) or 8 (middle row has a bench). I have 3 in carseats (5, 4 and 2) and usually have a friend (sometimes 2) in boosters or carseats and we fit just fine!
any mini van will fit 4 seats - two in the middle, two in back. Some will fit three in back and one in the middle so you have room for a visitor if needed.
Suburban. I have 9 kids, and obviously we all will not fit into it, but I have 5 carseats in mine. Three Britax Marathons, a high back booster, and a no back booster. And, there is room in the second row to have the Britax's rear facing w/o a problem. Mine has 3 benches.
I would like to respectfully correct another poster. I have the Chrysler T&C - which is the same as the Dodge Grand Caravan. I have a 2008. Three car seats won't fit across the back row. It's 49 inches, and even with the most narrow seats you need 51 inches for three across one row.
That said, I just bought this T&C because we're due with #4 also :) It has two captain chairs, and I put two in the back.
I understand your husbands loyalty, my father worked for GM for 30 years. It wasn't until the last few years I bought something other then a GM car. Really though, if you're buying used... you need to talk to him about buying the best for your budget and your families needs. I understand buying GM if you're getting your employee pricing - but used there are no bonuses.
Since I just did exactly what you're doing -- let me warn you not to get hung up on only the amount of car seats. Other things matter. How are you getting to those car seats? Do you have older kids that can buckle and unbuckle? Crossovers are great, but a pain in the butt to reach kids in the back row. Also, how will you be using this car? Will you need storage for luggage on road trips? Groceries? Many crossovers have sorry storage space. What about Gas mileage?
Vehicles I would look at:
Chevrolet Traverse - 2 car seats in middle, 2 in back. 24cu ft of storage behind third row. Rated #1 for best value for the money crossover. Best storage behind 3rd row of all crossovers - this was the 2010 model.
Chrysler T&C - 2/2, 38cu ft (I think) of cargo room. Possibility for power side doors and rear lift which is actually REALLY nice for getting kids in and out.
Honda Odyssey - at least 2/2 - good storage (over 30). The winner hands down on minivans for it's great drive, reliability. You can drive these into the ground. The bad side, resale value stays high - meaning they will stay much more expensive then their competition.
I read reviews on Edmunds.com. I found those super useful. And look at the specs for row measurements and cargo space.
Good luck!
Get a minivan with 3 rows of seats. You can put two kids in the middle row and two in the back.
My friend has a Honda Odyssey. In the middle row, she has an infant seat and a Britax Boulevard. She can also fit two Boulevards in the middle instead of the infant seat when needed.
In the back row, she has two Britax Frontiers.
I'm sure GM makes a minivan with a similar setup.
Since your hubby works for GM shouldn't he have a recommendation for you and what is practical for your family
you can try a full size 3 row tahoe or a suburban we curently have a 3 row suburban with kids aged 5, 6, and 7 and the 2nd row is captains chairs so its easy to get to the back, i wouldnt trade mine for the world or you can look for the equivilant if he wants the gm badge and not a chevy badge on the veh. look at the yukons and denalis they look good on the outside personally never been in one tho to expensive for us, good luck with the car hunting, o and ps when we got ours it was in 08 it is an 01 model for barely over 8000 some what low millage and has leather and an after market dvd player with the gas prices goin up here a while back every one got rid of their large suv's and down sized so there are great prices out there on them just to move them off the lots again good luck
I have 4 kids in carseats & we drive a Chevy Astro. It's not the prettiest thing & doesn't have all the bells & whistles, but we have fit one front facing carseat, one rear facing infant seat & 2 boosters in it at one time along with 4 adults. It seats 8, but if you're sitting in the middle of the middle bench seat, you can't be very big. :)
I wanted a Chevy Venture, but the Astro was cheaper & seated more people. I am happy with the cargo room in the back. I have to lean over the middle seat to buckle in the 2 boys in the back sometimes, but it's not awful. (And my dad works for GM...that discount helps!!)
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I'd look for a mini-van that has the 2 bucket seats in the middle. We have a Chysler Town and Country and it would fit 4 car seats.
We drive a GMC Acadia ans love it. It has three rows. Our car seats fit fine.
I would stay away from SUV's. Suburban is great or something like that. A minivan is roomier especially with multiple car seats. I had 3 at one time. SO more convenient.
I have a suzuki XL7 and i absolutely love it. It has 3rd row folding seating, and lots of room. Ive heard the GMC acadia is similar, as it was another that i had in mind when new car shopping. but i fell in love with my XL7 and don't regret the discison at all. and we are gmc people as well ;) good luck on your hunt!
We have three in a row in a Malibu. 2 Radian XT's that are meant to fit up to 80 lbs. (from birth) in a harness, and fit 3 in a row. Plus we have an infant seat that is actually big, an Evenflo.
Now, that does not help you with #4. But, we'll be in the same boat. Any van would seem to work, from my research. We get the GM discount too but will go with a Honda.
I have a Chevy Venture & it will fit 4, 2 in the back & 2 in the middle row... but it doesn't leave much room for anyone else to set in the car. I know the thing is suppose to fit 7, but carseats don't fit like people do... so, I'd look for a mini van that says it fits 7 passangers.
I have my alomst 5 & 6 yr old ride in the last row - they both have highback boster/carseat convertions. The 6 yr old is able to use the regular car seat belt, but the almost 5 yr old isn't 40# yet so he can't. Then I have the amlost 3 yr old in the middle row & will be putting the new baby next to him come July.
Ohio just passes a law that requires kids to remain in boosters till they are 8 yrs, 80# and 4 ft 9 in... so mine will be in seats for a while yet. So, I do understand your situation w/ needing room for 4 carseats.
Good luck finding a new/used car that will fit your family's needs!!! And congratz on the baby due in July.
I have a dodge grand caravan (bought used) and it's great. You can put two older kids in back and the youngest in the middle. It gets pretty good gas mileage (as far as those things go) and is very comfortable.
I recently checked out the GMC Acadia. Really a decent looking vehicle and can seat 8. More leg room in the 3rd row than I expected; quite a bit actually, and the cargo area was decently large as well. I was also impressed with how well I could see out of that back window (better than the Buick Enclave).
While they aren't "cheap" vehicles, as far as crossovers go, they are reasonably priced - the one I looked at was just under $30,000 brand new, with a few options and after incentives were deducted from the cost.
The one thing I didn't care for was the bench in the 3rd row - I would like to get one that has captains chairs in that row. However, at least once a week, I wish that my vehicle did seat 8 like the Acadia because before you know it, someone is bringing a friend or two along and the extra seat would be great.
Good luck!
I have a Dodge Caravan that fits 4 carseats. Thinking Dodge & GM are connected but not 100% on that one. But I've put 4 carseats, 2 adults in mine without problems several times. I've got 3 belts in the back seat but I put 2 carseats back there, open the hatchback and lean in to double check the belts & straps, then put 2 more carseats in the middle bucket seats. Then 2 adults up front. Since its got 2 bay doors, I think it takes me a total of maybe 10 minutes to buckle all in so I really love it.
We LOVE our EnvoyXL. It's easy to get to the backseat. We have the carseat behind the driver and the 2 boosters in the backseat. We leave the passenger-side middle seat down all the time so it's easy to get in/out of the backseat. Once you have a child in a booster seat just put the booster in that seat and slide it to the floor when you want to flip the seat up/down. We do this alot when carpooling and it's really not a hassle.
Your 5 year old isn't 40 lbs yet? There is no height requirement for backless boosters, BTW. Most come with a strap you attach to the seatbelt so you can adjust where the strap falls across the chest/shoulder.
If you don't want to put your oldest in a backless booster yet, your best option is probably a mini-van or the new-style SUV (I forget which one - your hubby would know) that has the interior like a mini-van with 3 seats in back, 2 seats in middle with a walk-through to the back.
we have a dodge grand caravan and it would hold that many. You could put the infant in on of the middle seats and keep the other one down in the stow and go position with the other three in the back.
