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Automotive News & Views Cars for Moms - comments, concerns and wants!
147 messages, Last post on Jan 22, 2008 at 8:40 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: researchqueen (Nov 09, 2005 10:47 am) Over the last couple of weeks of researching and peeking in cars, I came to the conclusion that a large minivan was the way to go. None of the crossovers or SUVs were ideal for a large family…close but not quite. And by close, I mean by approx 3 inches. The Pilot third row has a hip width of 49 inches. That’s 3 inches too short for my current 52-inch 3-car-seat Accord configuration. I don’t expect to have three car seats all in the third row any time soon, but it just seems odd to get a “big” car that has less width in the back than the current sedan. I have yet to check out a Pilot, and still will…when I go look at an Odyssey. By comparison, the Sienna, which I checked out at a dealership today, has exactly 52 inches in the third row… the same as my Accord. (Still feels odd – seems a “van” should be wider.) I am planning on at looking at the Honda Odyssey, the Toyota Sienna, the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Honda Pilot. I may check out the Kia Sedona as a more economical choice as well. General thoughts are that minis get better gas mileage, provide for have cheaper insurance, easier ingress and egress, easier loading and unloading, more storage room (especially with the big holes in the floor of some models), and they are cheaper. Beyond the cool factor, I can find no reason not to get a minivan over an SUV/crossover, and it would be too uncool to let “cool” alone dictate an big and important purchase like this. If anyone suggests any other vehicle to check out…please let me know. From reading the brochure of most of all the above mentioned rides, it’s clear that the marketing departments and/or the people that ask the questions don’t have many kids-- few pictures with car seats, few layouts or set pics with the full 8 seats. I have rented two Grand Caravans for family road trips, and liked them both. Built in car seats are simply incredible! I only wish they’d offer the built-ins in the third row as well. Again…no one seems to be designing for a big family. I am a bit surprised that only Chrysler offers this great feature. For this one reason, the Grand Caravan is in the early lead. And the Caravan has the big holes in the floor to accommodate the Stow & Go seating. I’d be getting the bench second row which doesn’t stow, but the holes are still there for choice storage. Third and finally, the Dodge is cheaper than the Japanese cousins and the amenities advantage of the Honda/Toyota are extras I don’t need or want…or think my kids will have fun destroying. OK…that’s three reasons instead of one. After seeing the Toyota today, the Front and Center added middle seat in the second row is great! Still allows for bucket seats/no bench and it will slide up so that a baby is closer to the driver. That is a great feature. I will definitely check out the 60/40 driver side issue…never would have thought of that…thank you again. Current thoughts and remaining questions which are all easily answered at the dealerships at some point: Does anyone else have built in car seats? Can I get a built in DVD player with the low model of these makers. The Toyota brochure seems like I cannot. That’s really the only upgrade that seems worthwhile based on the brochures. (I can be convinced the automatic door is key, but I’m not quite there yet.) In the Caravan, can a third kid or adult fit in the seat/space between the two built in car seats in the second row bench? I should be able to answer this myself, as I have driven two, but I can’t recall. In the Honda, is the skinny little stick-in-the-middle seat for the second row functional? Seems a bit smallish. Can Mom reach the third row seat of an SUV (Pilot) easier than a mini? Is a skinner but closer third row more convenient for loading little ones? Does 3M make a super-dooper-teflon-titanium-heavy-duty-4-kid-proof Scotch Guard?
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Replying to: 4under5 (Nov 22, 2005 9:30 pm) Check the consumer reviews here on this car - owners are very happy with it.
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Replying to: stmss (Nov 23, 2005 11:41 am) |
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| you had better hurry. Rumor is that it will be significantly redesigned or cancelled for the 07 model year. | |
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Does anyone know of an infant seat that fits properly (doesn't hit against the front seat) in a compact car? Thanks so much for any info! jenn
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Replying to: pinkskittles (Nov 28, 2005 2:34 pm) Steve, Host |
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Shame they might continue the Freestyle. I drove it earlier this year and loved it but for it's underpowered, noisy engine. If they gave it 250 horsepower and backed any of their products up with better quality, I'd have bought it. Chrysler, as you'll read on the forums, does not seem to have a great rep for quality or customer service. I would love, love , love to buy a Pacifica! Quiet, roomy and powerful and clean, simple interior. Drove one over a weekend as a rental and loved it, but Chrysler doesn't have a good rep. One guy on the Pacifica forum called his a "Pacificrap!" ; ) So I'm looking at a Pilot or a Highlander and I have a feeling the Pilot is going to win out. NowI only have one kid, but a big dog, a hubby, lots of road trips in So Cal. If I had two kids, hands down I would be driving a Honda Oddessey -- drove one last year when the 2005 came out and loved it. But can't justify a mini with one kid but station wagon options are so limited. (I have a Saab wagon now, used to have a Merc Sable wagon.)
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Replying to: nelsoncm (Dec 02, 2005 2:33 pm) |
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Both the current Odyssey and Sienna earn Good ratings in the frontal offset and side impact tests from the IIHS. Both have standard side airbags for the 2006 model year. The Chrysler vans score only an Acceptable in the frontal test and haven't yet been tested in the side. |
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Replying to: nelsoncm (Dec 02, 2005 2:33 pm) |
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