Used 8-seat Minivans: Sienna or...?

geberika

CPS Technician

• Jun 7, 2010

• #1

I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but my Oma might possibly help contribute toward getting us a new (to us) van. I'd like the largest I can get -- but also the oldest year so I can get a good deal.

So, is the Sienna the only one? And what years are acceptable?

Thanks!

 

Jennifer mom to my 7

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #2

As far as the sienna goes, you want to look at model years 2004-2010. Those are the good 8 seaters that have 5 full sets of latch.

I don't know of what other full 8 passenger minivans to look at.

 

crunchierthanthou

New member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #3

If you need older, Chevy Astro/GMC Safari had 8 seaters. Some posters here have turned their Ford Windstars into 8 seaters by buying a second third row (which can be used in the second row position). It makes for a bit of a squeeze into the third row.

 

jourdysmom

CPST Instructor

• Jun 8, 2010

• #4

Definitely avoid the Chevy/Pontiac/Olds/Buick minivans like the Venture, Montana etc.

They have 8 seats but are death-traps on wheels! (I just got rid of mine a month ago)

 

geberika

CPS Technician

• Jun 8, 2010

• #5

I'm just freaked out because I'm going to have five in December, all in seats, and I cannot get a good fit in my 2001 Windstar. I've been trying various fits in the third row, but my twins complain that they absolutely CANNOT buckle their pw/tb with a seat in between. The seat belts are not stiff stalks, so it's a little more difficult for them.

We don't have the 40 grand for a Sprinter -- but we do have maybe 10-15 for a newer minivan.

 

Jennifer mom to my 7

Well-known member

• Jun 9, 2010

• #6

THis is exactly why we go the 8 passenger sienna when we did. We were expecting #5, I had gotten better educated on the use of child restraints, and when I compared the 7 and 8 passenger, having to have at least 3 seats in the van, I went with the 8, for the flexibility of seat placement.

Now, in the third row of my sie nna, with a big britax in the middle seat, my dd could buckle her turbo and the old parkway. The turbo puzzles under the rim of the britax, and leaves room for the hand to get in there and buckle.

Since you have boosters in the mix, I would probably put 1 booster outboard 2nd row, and remove it to get the kids in, and do 3 across the middle row, and 2 in the back. You can fit most combos of seats across the middle row of the 8 passenger sienna, even with a regent in the mix

 

geberika

CPS Technician

• Jun 9, 2010

• #7

Well I just found a spare third row at a local auto salvage yard, so I will probably try that first, and save the money. I'm crossing my fingers that it works. My twins won't mind climbing over seats/going through the back.

I'll probably get at least one Radian (for my 2yo) and have the second row as RF Rad/Nauti/SS1. Hopefully that will puzzle nicely. If not the SS1, I can get a second Radian.

I look forward to getting this all settled. I'm having way too much anxiety over car seats right now!

 

crunchierthanthou

New member

• Jun 9, 2010

• #8

That's probably where I would have started, too. :thumbsup:

and if the new bench is from a 95-98 and doesn't have TAs, you can put it in the back with the booster riders. or maybe put the potentially mismatched one in the back anyway...

Just remember that your second row won't be any wider than your third. If three across doesn't work, you can almost certainly get a 2004+ Sienna for $10-15k. The 8 seaters were only available in the lower trim, so not the super pricey models. *sigh* still so bummed that it's past tense on those vans...

 

geberika

CPS Technician

• Jun 9, 2010

• #9

I found my year model AND color at a fairly close-by salvage yard! :thumbsup:

My dh is going to check it out tonight. Maedze reminded me to check the seat belts and latch hooks.

That would be the best solution for now, I think. Maybe we'll win the lottery someday.

 

K

kathysr98

Active member

• Jun 9, 2010

• #10

Glad you found an inexpensive possible solution. Getting a new ride is nice, but it's not always worth the price you have to pay.

 

geberika

CPS Technician

• Jun 10, 2010

• #11

Okay, I found a puzzle combo that actually works -- and that one of my 7yo twins can do!

My third row (which will become my second row) will be PW/RF RD/SS1. One of my twins can buckle with the Rad next to him, so he'll be the one in there.

My actual third row will be PW/Nauti.

I'm totally wiping my brow because this has been stressing me out!

 

A

AutoShopMama

Member

• Jun 18, 2010

• #12

jourdysmom said:

Definitely avoid the Chevy/Pontiac/Olds/Buick minivans like the Venture, Montana etc.

They have 8 seats but are death-traps on wheels! (I just got rid of mine a month ago)

Click to expand...

Just curious as to why you would think this? We have owned 2 - and Olds Silhouette and now a Pontiac Montana, both 1999s, and I definitely wouldn't call them death-traps!

 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Staff member

• Jun 19, 2010

• #13

The IIHS frontal crash test rating is "poor" for those GM minivan models, the lowest possible rating on the IIHS scale. Details at http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=67

 

A

AutoShopMama

Member

• Jun 19, 2010

• #14

I still think calling them "death traps" is extreme ... cars have to pass safety standards just like car seats and everyone is always saying that EVERY car seat is safe if it's used correctly and that no one seat is "safer" than another ...

AND I have no idea why I'm even going off about this LOL I was getting on this part of the forum to research 12 & 15-pass vans, which I WAS expecting to see called "death-traps" here

 

M

Maedze

New member

• Jun 19, 2010

• #15

It's not really extreme. Those cars are well known in the EMS world for doing extremely poorly in impacts. For a car, it's a death-trap :twocents:

 

stayinhomewithmy6

Senior Community Member

• Jul 4, 2010

• #16

geberika said:

Okay, I found a puzzle combo that actually works -- and that one of my 7yo twins can do!

My third row (which will become my second row) will be PW/RF RD/SS1. One of my twins can buckle with the Rad next to him, so he'll be the one in there.

My actual third row will be PW/Nauti.

I'm totally wiping my brow because this has been stressing me out!

Click to expand...

I'm glad you found something that will work for you. We used to have a '98 Windstar and I had several different 3 across combos on the back bench seat. I will have to look back through my pictures and try to remember some of them for you. One that seems to come to mind was FF Radian, FF Marathon, Parkway (old style), but there were times that I also had a Scenera and a Recaro Signo back there. The Signo puzzled awesomely well with the Radian.