Ask the Car People.SM


Cars for Moms - comments, concerns and wants! - READ ONLY

149 messages,  Last post on Aug 01, 2011 at 6:53 PM

You are in the Vans & Minivans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Entertainment System

Messages Page 4 of 15

#29 of 149 Re: Should this car exist? [researchqueen] by kcram HOST

Jan 12, 2005 (6:36 pm)

Replying to: researchqueen (Jan 12, 2005 2:30 pm)
For 4 rows of seats to be A) remotely comfortable, and B) relatively accessible, nothing will work except a full-size van. A minivan or SUV would have major entry/exit issues unless they had three doors per side - that huge slider on a full size Econoline-Club Wagon, Express/Savana, or Sprinter allows safe, easy access for all passenger rows. That level of access would also be imperative in an emergency situation - yoiu're never in a seat that requires climbing over or folding down another seat to get to a door.
 
kcram
Host - Wagons

#30 of 149 Re: Should this car exist? [researchqueen] by guss

Jan 13, 2005 (5:22 am)

Replying to: researchqueen (Jan 12, 2005 2:30 pm)
We have three kids and while the mini-van works excellent, for looks I think the passenger vans are much nicer. My neighbor has 3 kids and he has a Ford as a third vehicle, he's not giving up his Porsche. It has tons of room and looks more manly than a mini-van.
 
The downside he gets killed at the pumps, 8-9 mpg.
 
Before we got our mini-van I joked to my wife about buying a used limo. Think how cool the kids would look pulling up to school in that.

#31 of 149 Should this car exist? by researchqueen

Jan 13, 2005 (4:30 pm)

Guss -- Limo? Only in Beverly Hills! (And I don't doubt that happens.)
kram -- You're right about the safety issue. But isn't that already an issue in many minivans and SUVs, where you have to fold and flip a seat to get to the third row? I shudder to think of what would happen in an accident... I've never really thought about it before, but it's a serious question.
 
I have my minivan configured for my convenience -- the second row seats have the space in the middle, which makes it easier for me to load my daughter in her carseat (because it's right next to the open door). The carpool kids have to climb into the second row, and cross to the third row by squeezing between the two second-row seats. I had been thinking about putting the second row seats together to make it easier on the carpool kids (especially now that my daughter is almost 3). Now that I think about the difficulties of exiting the car with my current configuration, I'm even more likely to make that change. Thanks!

#32 of 149 by kcram HOST

Jan 13, 2005 (8:17 pm)

My dad has an 01 Dodge Grand Caravan as his "retirement Winnebago". He has the 4 bucket seats and the third row bench, which is an absolute nightmare to get to from the sides... almost easier to climb in from the rear hatch and flop over the seatback!
 
kcram
Host - Wagons

#33 of 149 by kirstie_h HOST

Jan 21, 2005 (7:11 am)

Top 10 Vehicles for Kids in Car Seats
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/103824/article.html

#34 of 149 Great link for car seats in cars by researchqueen

Mar 07, 2005 (2:00 pm)

I've found a wonderful link on the Chevy site,
 
http://www.chevrolet.com/safety/latch/
 
that will tell you how many car seats you can fit in any of their cars, or conversely, which cars will fit the number of cars seats you have. You can also find illustrations of where to put the car seats depending on if you want to use LATCH or prefer to belt them in. This may be an industry first and it is very easy to understand. Way to go Chevy!

#35 of 149 Talk to the Editors by Sylvia

Mar 24, 2005 (4:33 pm)

WOMEN AND TRUCKS
One of our journalists is writing an article about women and trucks: why they love their trucks, the decisions that they have to make when purchasing a truck versus a car, and whether or not they’ve encountered discrimination or bias when buying or driving a truck. If you’d like to share your story, please respond to jhelperinedmunds by Sunday, March 26th. Thanks!

#36 of 149 Re: [kcram] by badgerfan

Mar 25, 2005 (12:22 pm)

Replying to: kcram (Jan 13, 2005 8:17 pm)
I hope both you and he are aware that the right side bucket in the second row can be flipped forward, making access to the third row pretty easy. There is a latch on the right side of the seat, unless they changed it from my 1996 Carvan with the 4 bucket seats.

#37 of 149 Re: Cars for Moms - comments, concerns and wants! [KarenS] by remi11

Jul 03, 2005 (6:22 pm)

Replying to: KarenS (Nov 17, 2004 5:01 pm)
the same I have always looked for. First and foremost, something safe for snow being that I live up north. I do not believe that a 4X4 is completely safe. You need to drive slow in icy weather too with them, but they are safer than a car. Reliability and overall safety (airbags, etc) of course too. Right now I drive an suv, but not because of the stereotype "school mom". I bought it mainly for the snow because I am a freak in that weather. if suv's are ever banned, I will no doubt call in sick for work every day that it snows. Even if it means losing my job. My life is more important. child safety in a car is very important.

#38 of 149 Re: Cars for Moms - comments, concerns and wants! [remi11] by lancerfixer

Jul 03, 2005 (6:50 pm)

Replying to: remi11 (Jul 03, 2005 6:22 pm)
You need to drive slow in icy weather too with them, but they are safer than a car.
 
I'm going to have to disagree with that statement. The only thing 4x4 helps with getting started off the line in low traction situations. After that, they stop and steer just like any other vehicle on ice...that is to say, poorly (in fact, more poorly than a car, given the greater mass and higher center of gravity.) Now, if by "up north" you mean "in the mountains of Colorado," then a more dedicated off-road machine (read: truck-based SUV) would defintiely have an advantage over a car. If you mean something along the lines of "the suburbs of Minneapolis," I submit that a well-designed car is the superior (and safer) choice. There are plenty of cars available with all wheel drive, and with lower centers of gravity, better mileage, better impact protection, and better handling, they're easier to live with on a day-to-day basis.
I've lived in snowy climates my whole life (Massachusetts, Colorado, South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Iowa, in that order) and have owned front drive, rear drive, and four wheel drive vehicles. I've never been stuck in any of them, ever, and found the 4x4 (a GMC pickup) to be the most difficult to deal with in everyday driving.
For a family vehicle that I trust with my kids' safety, make mine a wagon. A V70R would do nicely.

Messages Page 4 of 15

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement