Do you have a toyota troop carrier 11 seater car?

[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...

[Anila]

wow, thanks for all the info, ill definatly pass it on to hubby.

[halltribe]

Hey there , we have a 12 seater Toyota Hiace and it has heaps of rrom in the back for 2 buggys and an electric wheelchair. We love our van!! We got ours from a childcare centreand it goes great! Our friends kids (with their late model Holdens, etc) always want to ride in the van! Fun, fun, fun!!!

[Lots_of_Love]

We have an ex-tour bus... it is a 4WD, but has 6 wheels (last 2 are on a lazy axle). It was originally a Landcruiser ute which was transformed into a 14 seater bus. It now has a 6.5l Chevy V8 diesel motor in it, for better grunt There is a few of these or even Oka's getting around, which gives you the 4by-ness, 14 forward facing seats (which we only had to install the bolts and get mod plated in Qld) for car seats, especially now that kids need to be in car seats til they are 7 yrs old and there is a step to help you up & down.... Kids can see everything being so high up, they think it's great, as does all they're friends. It has huge grunt, so towing isn't a problem either.
Otherwise Landrover Defender 110 County are a 10 seater 4wd.... but not real easy tracking one down as they were only made form 1981 to 1991, and no-one who owns them seem to want to part with them. They are 6 forward facing seats (inc driver) and 4 side facing seats.
Van wise... other options are Ford Transit BUS - these are standard 12 seaters... or a Mercedes Benz Sprinter BUS - come 10 to 14 seats from memory...all are forward facing seats in both these and can be purchased brand new. If the vehicle has more than 12 seats, you will need a LR truck licence in Qld to drive it and it will be in the annual inspection program with Qld Transport (where it gets a roadworthy check)... however you can have seats removed to 12 to drop it down a classification to be driven as a car & no VIP.

Hope this helps