Chrysler Grand Voyager????

[Willow]

Just bumping this thread because we are in the process of *maybe* upgrading our car to something bigger. We aren't a 'large' family as such, but with 3 kids and extended family the commodore is proving to be a bit squishier than we'd like. Especially with 2x maxi riders and a SNS reversible seat across the back. We have no room for extra passengers and this has been an issue a few times recently.

Mbear - I hadn't even considered a voyager because my bestie has one (she has 4 kids too, 2 sets of twins) and I know she paid about $70k for hers Obviously that was brand new. I had no idea they could be so cheap used/brought privately.

Will add that to my list. Will also check out the Odyssey because a bongo bus isn't a must for us with only 3 kids.

Would be interested to hear from anyone with 3+ kids (especially those with 3 in car seats) about what car they have and any pros/cons. I'm finding with the bigger cars that 'boot' space seems to be an issue?

[Arimeh]

Willow - we have a Mazda MPV (2005 model I think?) We paid about 29K for ours, secondhand of course!

We love it!!! Its a 7 seater with sliding doors on BOTH sides of the car.

We had all three car seats across the back seat (the baby seat, a maxi rider and another baby seat forward facing) and there was heaps of room for them all, plus we had 2 extra seats in the back back part.

Then my IL's came to stay with us, and it was evident that they couldn't sit in the seats in the back back, because they are both around 6 foot 2 and pretty wide, so I took the maxi rider out and put it in the back back part - which is has now stayed cos DS loves to ride back there by himself (the nigel haha)

So at the moment we have a rear facing baby seat behind the passenger seat, we have folded down the middle seat, car seat behind the driver and then Aricyn on his lonesome in the back.. hehe

So at the moment, it kinda looks like a bus Its awesome. Have I said I love my car? I freakin love my car. lol

[mbear]

Yeah...they're the new ones....one day i hope that will be us .....
They odysseys are more up around the $25k range...we paid $27k for our one. MOre of a luxurious car.....

Like i said before...i dont think you will ever have enough room in the boot of a car....there's never going to be spare room..i dunno, thats my opinion. For us it was bums on seats - we needed enough room for 4 kids in car seats, not being crammed in. I also didnt understand the point in having a Odyssey, or Territory etc with 7 seats, when essentially you couldnt use the middle end seat, coz you would always need that vacant for passengers to get in and out of the very very back...KWIM ??? To me, that was a waste of a seat - esp when the kids are young and your dealing with car seats...


We also found....with the Odyssey...we bought that car outright...so it wasnt a loan or anything. We saved up for that money. So splashing it out on a car was fantastic...but after a while, we noticed the interior was getting 'trashed'. Kids with dirty feet, dirty hands etc etc. No matter how much you say your going to look after it, kids will be kids. ANyway, my point is, we felt like at this time in our lives, spending $27k on a car wasnt justified...we were dealing with 4 kids under 5, of course they were going to trash it. Thats another reason why we downgraded...sounds weird, but spending $20k on a car, we ddint feel so precious about it every time the kids left a mark....i dunno if im making sense...BTW, dont get a car with light/beige interior......you will tear your hair out if your a mess freak like me.....


ETA: I have a friend, 3 kids under 4, and has a new Ford Explorer....very noice......

[Krisvee]

I just got my Chrysler Grand Voyager last Thursday! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

It has the 2 remote button sliding doors and rear boot, I've got 4 car seats in and room in the boot for the pram!!
What more could I want???

Oh, it has a dvd player for the kiddies as well - although we will save that for any super big trips we do...

I'm really happy with it - we spent more than we were going to but got a great deal - $24k for a 2005 limited model - so leather seats and all the extras you could ever want! It has stow and go as well which means all of the seats fold flat into the floor and the car can be used as a van!! While the seats are up it means tonnes of extra storage!
The kids are loving it...I'm not sure how I'll go getting the baby in the convertible car seat yet - because of the sliding doors it may be easier to put him in from the opposite side if that makes sense?? But it will be fine - just need to suss it out after his arrival!

Ok enough of my rambling - I've got new car excitement! hehe.

[Willow]

Mel - Sooooo weird that you just posted about your car cause I've been looking at those today too. A school mum friend of mine has one and I was checking it out this morning. What's the seat config like though? Do the very back seats fold down? They were also a bit scarce when I did a search on carsales. She said they stopped making them in about 2006 so maybe that's why.

Mbear - I know EXACTLY what you mean about the interior on the Odyssey. I was just looking at a luxury model for about $20k and was drooling....then I thought about exactly the way the back of my car looks today and cringed. I don't think I could do it!!

The thing with the seat config is though I wouldn't need to use the 7 seats much. But the 60/40 config in the front row won't work I think. What I would have done is the same as Mel - put the two boys in the front row with the middle seat down, then have DD in the back row in her maxi rider.

It's the damn car seats that are the massive problem here...GRRRR! So frustrating.

I think you're right Mbear, I don't think I'm going to find a car that's has enough room for bums on seats AND storage room AND the right seat config. I do need it to fit my double stroller for probably another 6 months though. My friend has a Kluger (which I love) but her double pram doesn't fit in the back?! That's a bit of a deal breaker for me.

Now that I've seen how much you guys have paid for used Voyagers, I'm off to have a look at those....

Explorers are out - my DH would never let me buy a Ford

PS Mbear - Dude, that's impressive saving up $27k to buy a car!! I don't know anyone that's ever done that.

[Krisvee]

Willow - the seating in a voyager is 3 across the very back and 2 singles in the middle row - you can walk from front to back if you like! I have the babies seat in the midde row passenger side, another behind the drivers door, then 2 in the back at each side...so much space and anchor points for them all!
If you do look at grand voyagers look for a lx or limited one though - they are a bit longer I believe with a bit more boot space...

[Lots_of_Love]

I posted on the do-you-have-toyota-troop-carrier-11-seater car thread a bit more info on bigger than 8 seaters, suitable seating for car seats.... Landrover Defender 110 County (1981-1991 models only) 10 seats (6 forward facing), Ford Transit BUS - seat 12, Merc-Benz Sprinter seat up to 14. The last 2 also have plenty of room behind rear seats for shopping, prams etc. Only down side is the last 2 are bigger, so don't fit in standard car parks (takes up 1.5 car park lengths). We have an ex-tourist 14 seater troopy that is still 4wd, so we get the best of all worlds, Oka's can be found too that still have all seats... up to 16. These are good for the Super-Sized families!

[Arimeh]

Mel - Sooooo weird that you just posted about your car cause I've been looking at those today too. A school mum friend of mine has one and I was checking it out this afternoon. What's the seat config like though? Do the very back seats fold down? They were also a bit scarce when I did a search on carsales. She said they stopped making them in about 2006 so maybe that's why.

Yeah they make the 9 seater or whatever it is now, so they are scarce - but well worth the find. The very back seats either fold down or come out completely. Actually, we read that its the only 7 seater on the market that ALL car seats can be removed from the car. so when we aren't using the very back ones, we just take them out. It was handy when we moved too cos we took out the very back ones, and the 3 in the back seat - wah-lah - its a van! lol

[cathie5]

I have one and I love it, All 5 children fit really well. I have the 3 older ones at the back and the twins in the two captain seats. There is a walk way in the middle and the boot fits the double pram and I love the electric sliding doors that open with a push of a button.