Do you have a toyota troop carrier 11 seater car?

[LaDeeDa]

thats fair enough.....

i don't know how you'd get around the baby seats though..... i'm pretty sure you'd have to get them front facing seats put in and have them engineered......

DF says to look at a '91' troopy if thats in your price range - they are a big step up with power steering etc (much nicer than ours ...LOL)
he said to make sure you get diesel and the largest engine you can afford and that way you won't have any probs (other than with your fuel bill i reminded him) but there are places now that do diesel gas conversions that don't wreck the engine so thats something that might be worth looking into.

he also said that some models seat 11 with forward facing seats..... i hope this helps

[Anila]

yes thanks doubledee, hubby has fallen asleep on the lounge so when i wake him ill let him know what you said, we thought about a seat conversion but think its way out of our price range.

[Pretty Butterfly]

We looked at getting one, but it turned out to difficult for the babies to get in and out, (you have to climb up in there, and then get back out with them)and having the prpoer seats insatalled is surprisingly expensive.

We ended up with a 14 seater Hiace Commuter, and just love it!!!! We took out the long back seat, and made it an 11 seater, with a MASSIVE boot. (In the Troop, everything just sits on the floor, between the two side seats. We didnt like the idea of flying luggage around the kids!)

All front facing seats, anchor points on any seat, and good on fuel. WE payed $10,000 for second hand, with air con and proper seat belts, not just lap sashes. The Troops we found only had lap sashes.

Good luck, I hope you find the right car for you!!!

[Anila]

hey thanks purplemamma, we talked about a hiace commuter, it is still very much an option for us, i think hubby liked the idea of the troop as it looked more like a 4b than a big van iykwim, at the moment we are still looking and trying to get peoples opions, personally i dont like the looks of the toyota troop on the inside, even when the kids are out of babyseats i still dont like the idea of sideways seating, i might try and push the hiace commuter again.

We need a large spacious car, and as we just keep having babies even though we say we are done, we definatly want at least 10 seat min, how does the hiace commuter go in the undercover parking, and do you need to add the anchor points or are they there already? And do you know if it comes in any elsething but white? lol

[Pretty Butterfly]

We cant go in most underground parking, but can go through most drive thru (takeaways).

But we have found any big shopping centre has parking outside for "tourist buses", and we are legally allowed to park there!!

We can also use "bus parking" and "bus lanes"!!!!

Our bus had one point, we added the other, and now will need to add another one!!!
You just drill it in to the floor, and bolt it from under the bus.

ALL the older ones are white...

But the new ones are GORGEOUS, and a lot are now in silver....

ETA... As for spacious, you can swing a cat in ours!!! And the kids love it. You can them fairly cheap nearly everywhere. They are often ex taxi or hire cars, so have been really well looked after too...

[Anila]

We are definatly looking for second hand, but affraid the ks might be to high if it was an x hire, or taxi.

Hubby also wonders if the 'top' of the car is to heavy and would be difficult going around corners.

He stated to me that he wants a car that can tow a boat,( we dont have one), and said that the hiace might be good for me but not what he needs it for! Men are impossiable!

I am not yet driving (31, i know slack) but will be taking lessons soon, atm i have a 7 seater voyager chrysler 97 model, so it is alot smaller than the hiace commuter, is it difficult to drive or do you find it easy early on, iykwim?

[Anila]

But we have found any big shopping centre has parking outside for "tourist buses", and we are legally allowed to park there!!

We can also use "bus parking" and "bus lanes!!!...

I live in QLD, how do you find out if we can do that here?

[Pretty Butterfly]

I live in QLD, how do you find out if we can do that here?

I have no idea sorry!!!


My cousin is a licensed car dealer, and said the old Toyota Commuters can get to around 600,000km before dying!!! Ours has 310,00km, and has run perfect every day since we got it. It is a heavy car, ie SAFE bus, but has power steering.

It is high, but doesnt sway like the cheaper, lighter buses. We have travelled to Qld twice, around 3 hrs away heaps, and to Sydney HEAPS, and its great for travelling in. You dont even go out of your lane on a tight round-a-bout in them.

I had only driven sedans, but drive it no worries. I drove it home when we bought it!!

Ours has a tow bar, but not sure on weight restrictions and such...