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2008 Minivans - READ ONLY

1261 messages,  Last post on Feb 27, 2008 at 8:47 AM

You are in the Vans & Minivans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan, Hyundai Entourage, Mazda MAZDA5, Kia Sedona, Car Comparisons, Car Buying, Van

Messages Page 49 of 127

#472 of 1261 press request by Kirstie@Edmunds HOST

Oct 19, 2007 (9:38 am)

Ok... lotsa info here:
A reporter seeks to talk with owners and serious shoppers of any of the following 2008 models, and who are also parents:
2008 Dodge Caravan
2008 Toyota Sienna
2008 Honda Odyssey
2008 Mazda5
 
If you are interested in commenting on your experience, please reply to jfallonedmunds.com no later than Thursday, November 15, 2007 and include your city and state of residence as well as the age of your child/ren.

#473 of 1261 How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? by awindram

Oct 19, 2007 (10:42 am)

So I've been lurking the minivan forums for weeks now. Gone on a few test drives. And one question still remains. How do you get people into the back seat when there are car seats installed in the second row? Yes, I know you can push the seats together to make a bench, but then you lose the console. Is this the only way to do it? Can a person squeeze behind the 2nd row seat without taking out the carseat?
 
7 passenger Sienna- 2nd Row seat flips forward- definitely impossible with a carseat installed
 
Odyssey- I cant remember exactly, but I know it doesn't flip forward like the Sienna.
 
T&C- ???
 
If anyone has knowledge about these I would greatly appreciate it. It would save me another trip back to the dealerships dragging along my 6 month old and 4 year old.

#474 of 1261 Re: How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? [awindram] by artgpo

Oct 19, 2007 (1:55 pm)

Replying to: awindram (Oct 19, 2007 10:42 am)
My son's 2008 Sienna: We climb through the middle, between the second row seats. Also, there is enough seat travel that we can slide the seats forward and squeeze through that opening. It is a pain but not un-do able. My son did not want to slide the seats together to keep the peace in the second row. The children involved are three and three months. It is a bit more tricky in my 2006 Odyssey with the middle row "magic seat in place. I keep the seat n place because it is far easier than storing it. Moving up a second row seat usually works. I am 6'2" and have done it in both vans.

#475 of 1261 Re: How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? [awindram] by carcom2

Oct 19, 2007 (5:12 pm)

Replying to: awindram (Oct 19, 2007 10:42 am)
Not sure how much your car seats overlap the actual seat, but you could probably still have room to walk through between the 2 2nd row seats. And with Swivel 'n Go you could swivel the seats to face the door to make it easy to put the car seats in. When you swivel the seat, it makes room to maneuver behind the seat to get to the 3rd row.

#476 of 1261 new VW minivan by carcom2

Oct 19, 2007 (5:18 pm)

Has anyone seen any real pics on the upcoming VW minivan?

#477 of 1261 Re: How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? [awindram] by hansienna

Oct 19, 2007 (7:52 pm)

Replying to: awindram (Oct 19, 2007 10:42 am)
NOT easy with 2 child car seats in ANY minivan except the T&C with built in child seats. To get 2 built in child seats in 2nd row, a person must buy a T&C LX with middle bench seat.
 
With only 1 child car seat installed, I squeezed between the 2nd row seats in either the 02 T&C LX or 06 Sienna LE. Best to keep Ody or Sienna 2nd row seats separated to prevent children fighting.
 
I tried moving our right middle seat to middle position in our 06 Sienna but it was more difficult to squeeze past the seat on the right side than thru the middle.
 
Have you considered the 8 passenger Sienna where you could put child seats in left and middle seats of 2nd row and take out the right middle row seat for easy access to 3rd row seats? Slide the middle seat of 2nd row forward to separate children to reduce ability to fight.

#478 of 1261 Re: How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? [hansienna] by awindram

Oct 21, 2007 (7:12 pm)

Replying to: hansienna (Oct 19, 2007 7:52 pm)
The 8 passenger Sienna was my original plan. Once I started to price and build them though, I realized that I couldn't get the higher end options on the LE. Even leather could only be added as an aftermarket option. Very Frustrating. I would imagine that most people wanting the 8 passenger would have kids. Especially if they are wanting the Front and Center "toddler" seat. So why is leather not an option!!! Don't most people with kids want leather? Seems like a huge oversight by Toyota to me.
 
So then I went Ody shopping. Honda has GREAT deals going on for the 2007's. I was pretty psyched about the Stow and Go 8th seat. But then I drove the Sienna and Ody back to back and fell in love with the Sienna. Much smoother ride and better acceleration. Also I loved the Silver Pine Mica on the Sienna.
 
T&C- Once I read the threads about its MPG I dropped it from the running.
 
I think I'm going to go with the 7 seat Sienna and push the middle row seats together. The kids are far enough apart in age that they don't fight. In fact the 4 year old is great at entertaining the 7 month old who is still rear facing.

#479 of 1261 Re: How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? [awindram] by bobw3

Oct 22, 2007 (6:30 am)

Replying to: awindram (Oct 21, 2007 7:12 pm)
What's the big deal with leather and kids? Stains in cloth can be easier to remove than in leather. Plus do you really want to press car seats and boosters deeply into leather and create permanent lines, indentations, scratches, etc?

#480 of 1261 Re: How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? [ by nastacio

Oct 22, 2007 (6:45 am)

Replying to: bobw3 (Oct 22, 2007 6:30 am)
What's the big deal with leather and kids?
 
You are right about the indentations. I had two car seats in our Murano for the past 2 years and after the last cleanup session (when we take them from the car for a complete detailing) two months ago, we misplaced the upper portion of the padding. The indentations seem to be going away but I wonder what happen if we hadn't noticed it sooner.
 
PS: Dried up milk is very difficult to remove from upholstery as some our furniture can attest.

#481 of 1261 Re: How do you get in the back with carseats installed in the second row? [ [nastacio] by thegraduate

Oct 22, 2007 (7:31 am)

Replying to: nastacio (Oct 22, 2007 6:45 am)
Until I was much older, I never had a drink in the car unless there was a beach towel under me. Saved a lot of stains that way.
 
We never really ate in the car. Nothing that could stain anyway.

Messages Page 49 of 127

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