Need advice on choosing a 8 passenger vehicle!

[brownay2]

Anyone in the same boat as us? Needing to buy a vehicle to fit the family?
Oh, I need some desperete help here. Here's are issue.

We currently have a 1994 Honda Passport, 2 carseats in the back, my 10 year old is so cramped it is not funny. SO we needed a bigger vehicle a long time ago. My thing is I don't want to drive around a boat, and it has to have either AWD, or $ wheel drive, as we live on a rocky stone driveway up a mountain, and it would be impossiable to not have something to get through in the snow.

I was oh so longing for a honda pilot, but there is no way now we are able to afford something like this. ANother thing is we do not want to take a loan out on a vehicle, we want to have it paid for. Alot of 3rd row seats these days are cramped, and I am looking for comfortable seats, not scrunched up legs in the back.

The idea of a dodge durango is out, and I cringe of the thought of driving a suburban, those babies are too huge for me. Oh forgot the best part, my husband does not want to spend no more than $10,000. Our family keeps laughing. So any ideas? We would like 8 passenger, as we like some extra room for our 10 year old's friend, or family when we visit family. Also saftey is also a concern.

We need to get this soon, before winter even hits us, and my passport is not doing very well. Lol!

All you mamas that have 4 or more kids what will you do? Very curious.Anyone have a toyota Land cruiser, that might be a cramped 3rd row though.

[5xmom]

I have a Ford Windstar that I like, but I will probably have to get a newer minivan - ours has 150,00 miles on it. I would love one with dual sliding doors this time. The best are the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna but I know they are out of our price range! I would look around at gently used minivans and stay away from older Dodge Caravans - they get pretty crummy safety ratings.

[brownay2]

Gabrielle,

Do you know how many the Honda Odyssey seats? So sounds like your ford is on the outs also. Are you on a tight budget also? What do you think you will do?

Hugs,
Renee

[beanbean]

A good place to post this question (or find posts already made) would be on the MOMYS board (www. momys . com) MOMYS=Mothers of Many Young Siblings. Many of the women on the board have 6 or more children and this topic is discussed a lot.

HTH!

[Irishmommy]

We have an 8 seater Montana and I love it.

[AndiG]

We have a windstar and are not big fans
My inlaws have a 7 seater montana (but there is an 8) and it rates fairly well

Consumers Reports and the Lemon Aid car guides all rate the best mini vans as
1. Honda Oddesy
2. Toyota Sienna
3. Nissan Quest
I think you can get 8 seat versions on all 3.
Avoid Chrysler Minivans unless you are buying new as they are fraught with costly engine problems.

you could likely read some other reviews here:
http://auto.consumerguide.com/Search.../name/Minivan/

The suburban is an nice vehicle (know a family with three teenage sons who swear by it) but it guzzles gas like CRAZY.

Good luck

[Jlcampbellkidz]

We have a 2004 Honda Odyssee, It is amazing what wonderful discounts you can get when they are ready to bring in the new models. We got ours last year the beginning of August and were able to get over 10,000 off the price before all deals were finished. Ours is 7 passenger but they do make an 8. I really wanted the Toyota Sienna it also can seat 8 and has lots of storage, specially in the newer model. Dont know about all wheel drive on these but they are great vehicles. Do a web search in your area. Let us know what you decide on and and your DH might have to rethink his price range. :LOL If there is a Carmax in your area, you might search there too. You could trade in your old and maybe get the perfect deal.

[Boobiemama]

Us too!! I have 3 kids crammed in the back of a Saturn Vue.
My oldest son lives in TX with his dad, so when he comes out, we cant go anywhere togther.And now with another baby, we NEED to get something bigger.

I was considering a pontiac montana or Chevy venture, but since minivans dont have alot of cargo room, I think we are getting an older Suburban. Yes, they drink alot of gas, but I rarely leave town and we figured for us, the gas wouldnt be too much of an issue. Maybe it would for someone who does alot of driving.
I own a huge Lab and a huge stroller, 2 things that would not fit into a minivan.

The other option my hubby is thinking of is a 15 passenger van. No, we dont need that manys eats, but you can remove the back seat, and have lots of cargo room, plus we have room for family when we go places together. I am not keen on that idea, but we'll see.
I figure I'll be buying around Dec, since I am due the first week of Feb, and my others were 2 weeks early.
I am also not wanting to spend more than $10,000, but I dont mind payments.
I saw a nice 95 suburban down the street yesterday, I think thats really what I want. ( you can kick me off mdc now for wanting a gas guzzling SUV)

[ksmommy]

We LOVE our Grand Caravan. It's a 2003 and we got a GREAT price for it. YOu need to look around and see what kind of discounts you can get...
Good luck!

[brownay2]

ANGIE**

Everyone keeps saying if we want leg room, especially in the back seat then we need to get a suburban, I cringe, and give you credit for being able to drive in something that big. We had a excursion which we sold, and that thing was a bus, and not fun for me to drive.

ANYONE?**
I was looking at honda odysseys, does anyone know what years they made a 8 passenger one?

Hmmm..Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Toyota Land cruiser

Still researching here!

[EllasMama]

My friend bought their Honda Odyssey last year and was debating between the 7 or 8 passenger, so apparently both were options. I assume they got a 2004 model but it could have been a 2003. FWIW, they went with the 7 passenger and now wish they'd gotten the 8-seater!

I second the post about buying the past year's model once the new year models come out. You can get great savings. Okay, so there is no way in heck you're going to get a last-year's minivan for $10K, but maybe your dh will change his mind.

If I were buying a van I'd want a Honda or Toyota. It's true they cost a little more at first, but I've just heard too many raves about people's Toyotas and Hondas running forever and ever. A car that lasts 10 years is a much better investment than one that needs replacing after 6. My parents and brother both have a Toyota with 100K miles and both are purring along. My Ford Explorer that's 6 years old has 65K miles and is starting to have some irritating problems that we unfortunately can't afford to fix.

Carol

[greenmansions]

If you live up a hill then the Odyssey will not work for you - they do not have 4 wheel drive. My sister has one and has to leave it at the bottom of her long steep driveway in the winter. The Toyota minivan has 4WD but I don't know about the seating capacity.

They also have a Yukon XL w/ 4WD - had to get it b/c they installed a handicapped lift seat in the front for my dad and needed a wide front door opening. With the XL the price and mileage were the same as the regular one but it is long enough that she can fit his wheelchair in the back without having to disassemble it every time. (nice for strollers and luggage, etc too.) The Yukon is HUGE but she also has 3 kids and friends she seems to always be toting around. She loves it. It has decent leg room in the 3rd row, but the issue with it is that you have to climb over the 2nd row of seats to get to the 3rd row. She can get up their hill no problem in the Yukon in the winter, even before it's plowed. My understanding is that the Yukon is basically the same as the Suburban, maybe those have better 3rd row access.

She also looked at the Toyota Sequoia, Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Pilot - maybe some others. None had the room in the back with the 3rd row in - the back seat passengers would hit their heads on the back window if they were taller, plus less leg room.

[brownay2]

Well I am nixing the honda odyssey, as it has no 4 wheel drive. All the fingers are pointing to a older suburban also, as with the price we can afford under $10,000, and the need for 8 passenger seating, and also the need for 4 wheel drive or all wheel, we might not have a choice. Kids only grow bigger, so the 3rd row being cramped might be ok, while still very young, but they will get bigger, and need to be comfortable.

Thanks so much for talking with me on this subject.

Renee