Talk To Me About Vans...

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY

Well-known member
Kia Sedona :twocents:

You can get a 2009 Sedona with 30K miles on it for under 17K.

Dollar for dollar, you will get more bang for your buck the Sedona. More 'features', better safety rating (no one beats the Sedona. It's neck and neck with the Odyssey). It also has four top tethers.

:thumbsup: We bought a 09 Sedona earlier this year. I :love::love::love: this van. We got a good deal too. I'd have to go outside to check but I think there are actually five top tethers. I do know it has latch for three seats.
 
ADS

bethng

Active member
Good to know!! I am leaning towards a Sedona just because we can get so much more for our money, though I do like the 8 passenger-ness in Sienna. Are there any seats you have found you couldn't fit? How is the room in the 3rd row as far as RF seats? Would a TFP fit back there? What about width... does 3 across work back there?

I dont own a TFP so no help there but have had a rf MA in the 3rd row and it fit just fine. Also have had a regent (SBP and LBP), GN and frontier in both the captians chairs and the third row. All had perfect and easy installs. (LBP for the frontier...couldnt do SBP)
 

Chely7425

New member
Thanks for the info! Sounds like it is just going to come down to either a Sedona or Sienna and what I can get a better deal on... We can't go to low in price because we HAVE to roll some negative equity from the stupid Jeep into our loan, which sucks but the minute DS2 outgrows the Scenera height wise or the baby outgrows the SR35 we will outgrow the Jeep so we need to get something new :D
 

luvmy2

New member
I never thought I would be excited about a mini van either... I still wish we could get a suburban but we really can't afford it.. Not to mention it's so bad on gas we wouldn't be able to afford to drive it!! I am due with our 3rd in October and having 3 across our liberty until February when we can get a van is going to stink...

I have 3 across right now in our truck because I babysit my cousin's dd and she rides with me a lot. So, I've got Briar's RF Blvd in the middle, a radian outboard and a Nautilus outboard. They fit, but it's SO hard for me to climb up and get Briar strapped into the middle, and that's the only way the seats will install correctly.. I can do the 3 across but it's a pitb and there is NO extra room. I wanted an Expedition or Suburban also but they are so horrible on gas and really not a lot more room than a van.
 

Chely7425

New member
Yeah, we can fit 3 across our Liberty but is so not fun! We have a RF Scenera passenger outboard, a RF CA center and a SR35 will go drivers outboard. So my 2 year old has to climb over the base to get into his seat and then we have to reach over to buckle him and just... blah!
 

MarathonMama

New member
Yeah, we can fit 3 across our Liberty but is so not fun! We have a RF Scenera passenger outboard, a RF CA center and a SR35 will go drivers outboard. So my 2 year old has to climb over the base to get into his seat and then we have to reach over to buckle him and just... blah!

Just wanted to say that to make it a bit easier, try leaving the SR35 on the ground beside the car while you reach over the base to buckle your 2yo into his seat. That's what we do with our YDD in her RF RN. AT least the sun shade provides protection from the elements. Besides, you'll want to get the 2yo in first as they're the most apt to run away ... and it's all about containment when out and about :whistle:
 

Chely7425

New member
Just wanted to say that to make it a bit easier, try leaving the SR35 on the ground beside the car while you reach over the base to buckle your 2yo into his seat. That's what we do with our YDD in her RF RN. AT least the sun shade provides protection from the elements. Besides, you'll want to get the 2yo in first as they're the most apt to run away ... and it's all about containment when out and about :whistle:

Thank you for the tip!! It will be winter-ish which here means a crap ton of rain but I figure it would be ok to set the baby bucket on the ground for a minute or something to at least contain the monster 2 year old! Though.. my 1 year old is definitely the most apt to run away while my 2 year runs after him yelling NO BABY COME BACK!!
 

luvmy2

New member
Thank you for the tip!! It will be winter-ish which here means a crap ton of rain but I figure it would be ok to set the baby bucket on the ground for a minute or something to at least contain the monster 2 year old! Though.. my 1 year old is definitely the most apt to run away while my 2 year runs after him yelling NO BABY COME BACK!!

Aww!! My oldest will be 5.5 when this baby is born, and he is SUCH a huge help to me. :thumbsup:
So, you will have a 2 yr old, 1 yr old and newborn?
 

Chely7425

New member
Aww!! My oldest will be 5.5 when this baby is born, and he is SUCH a huge help to me. :thumbsup:
So, you will have a 2 yr old, 1 yr old and newborn?

Yup! I think I might be insane... my oldest will be 2.5 (pretty much exactly 2.5 actually..) and my second will be 16 months when the baby is born. The cherry on top of all that is that DH is deploying RIGHT when the baby is due... as in, we will be lucky if he is here for the first couple weeks. I really must be crazy...
 

MarathonMama

New member
Yup! I think I might be insane... my oldest will be 2.5 (pretty much exactly 2.5 actually..) and my second will be 16 months when the baby is born. The cherry on top of all that is that DH is deploying RIGHT when the baby is due... as in, we will be lucky if he is here for the first couple weeks. I really must be crazy...


You're not crazy ... you're brave :D At least when you get a van you can just let the older 2 run loose in the van until you get each of them in their seats!

I just think back to when my ODD was 2.5 (YDD was a newborn) and she would open store doors and run down the street/sidewalk cackling as I chased her as fast as I could with an infant bucket in tow :eek: I sure hope they don't run in different directions :whistle:
 

Chely7425

New member
You're not crazy ... you're brave :D At least when you get a van you can just let the older 2 run loose in the van until you get each of them in their seats!

I just think back to when my ODD was 2.5 (YDD was a newborn) and she would open store doors and run down the street/sidewalk cackling as I chased her as fast as I could with an infant bucket in tow :eek: I sure hope they don't run in different directions :whistle:

hehehehe, they run in different directions on occasion... luckily my oldest is a very follow the rules kinda kid so he usually goes the same direction as his brother because he is trying to bring him back! Inevitably this leads to them tackling each other and fighting but at least when they are fighting they are standing still :D
 

luckyclov

New member
You're not crazy at all - you ARE brave! I would have loved to have all of mine so close together, but it was out of my hands and we ended up with the first two a year and a half apart, and the 2nd and 3rd 5 years apart. It'll be rough, I imagine, early on, but you'll do it! And when they're all older and in school, you'll thank yourself. I am having such a hard time juggling the needs of the older two (who are pretty much on the same level) and the baby!
 

Maedze

New member
The gaps between my kids are very similar (15 months, and 18 months). A word of warning, I don't remember anything that happened the year my third was born. August 07 to around fall 2008 is a blur. LOL.
 

Chely7425

New member
I figured the first year would be a blur... DH gone, 3 kids under 3... ya know :D Glad to know the amnesia won't be just me and other people have it too!! We plan on homeschooling so I think having them close will be fine, plus... I get the baby stage out of the way!! I love my kids but would love to NOT be changing poopy diapers anymore!! I am sure 3 in diapers will be just lovely...
 

luvmy2

New member
Yup! I think I might be insane... my oldest will be 2.5 (pretty much exactly 2.5 actually..) and my second will be 16 months when the baby is born. The cherry on top of all that is that DH is deploying RIGHT when the baby is due... as in, we will be lucky if he is here for the first couple weeks. I really must be crazy...

Oh no! I was a military wife for several years and I know first hand that deployments suck! Maybe he will get delayed and be able to be home at least for the birth of the new one!
 

Chely7425

New member
So, how many TTAs does the Caravan have?

I believe it has 3... 2 in the captains chairs and 1 in the middle back. That is part of the reason we decided against it, there is a VERY good chance (like 99%) that we will end up with 2 FF and 2 RF car seats and I want to have options with where to put seats. Plus, I would rather my FF be in the back row with the RF in the middle row.

And I am HOPING that he will be here for the birth... I am having a scheduled c/s for medical reasons so hopefully they will work with us.
 

luvmy2

New member
SO loves Dodge, but I don't see how we can do only 1 TTA in the 3rd row. That is pretty pointless!

I want to have another also, but SO is saying 3 is plenty.. we'll see. :whistle:

I can schedule a c/s also, I've had 2 previous c/s.. I haven't scheduled one yet because I am trying to VBAC yet again.. but I'm 32 weeks and this baby is measuring 2+ weeks bigger. Not sure what I'll do yet.
 

Chely7425

New member
I would give anything to try a vbac... But I can't :( and yes... Stupid dodge with only one ta in the back!!! It would just never work for us with 4 kids and I refuses to buy a vehicle we might outgrow again sometime in the next couple years
 

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