New To This Site & Thinking About 8 Passenger Vans

Hi, all! Just wanted to introduce myself.

I am a mom of 2 daughters and a home childcare provider (of 4 full-time children).

Currently I have a 2003 Ford Windstar LX. We purchased it for about $13,500 in 2005. It now has almost 140,000 km's on it. Last year we put around $1,400 into it for repairs, oil changes, etc. which isn't bad for that age of vehicle!

How I have the car seat arrangements (because during the day) there are 6 children plus myself are...I'm in the driver's seat (of course!), DD1 (age 8) is in her booster seat in the passenger's seat, 2 front-facing carseats are in the middle 2-seater bench and 2 front-facing (Sunshine Radians) and a booster seat are along the back row. When you're looking at the back row bench, it looks like booster-Radian-Radian. It's a tight squeeze getting them in, but it works!

I already confirmed with the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (aka MTO) that it is legal to put a child in a booster (over 4 years and over 40 lbs) in the front seat...with or without an air-bag (ours has an air bag)...with the passenger's seat pushed all the way back...if she sits up straight and isn't fiddling with stuff on the ground or on the dashboard...IF ALL the seats are taken in the back.

I looked into putting a 3-seater bench into the middle row (and make it an 8-passenger van) but Transport Canada said that it's like modifying your vehicle (because it's was made as a 7-passenger) and to make it legal I'd have to get a letter from Ford Canada saying that the van "is approved for 8-passengers by putting a 3-seater bench in the middle". I've done all the leg-work I can, and Ford Canada will not write the letter. Even though it's completely possible and would work they won't write the letter in case they get held liable for something...PLUS then all 2003 Ford Windstar LX's would be 8 passenger approved. haha!

I'm going to run the van to the ground and get the most out of it. BUT when we need another van, I REALLY want an 8-passenger van so I can take on another daycare child.

Anyways, just wondering if you could list all 8-passenger vans you know of with pros and cons about the vehicles (that you know of). If there are any I should avoid (because of space, etc) please let me know. I'm just trying to do my research now before the time comes to start looking. I'd probably have 2 boosters and 5 front-facing carseats in it. I'd probably also have to "invest" in getting more Sunshine Radian carseats because they're narrower.

Well, I'll stop chatting now and see what kind of advice and tips you can give me! Thanks for reading!!

For relatively recent model years, there are only two options in the US. I'm not 100% sure if it's the same in Canada.

Option #1 is an 8 passenger Toyota Sienna. The model years 2004-2010 have a very usable 8th seat. The 2011-2012 model years have a very small 8th seat, which might not suit your purposes very well.

Option #2 is an 8 passenger Honda Odyssey. The model years through 2010 have a very small 8th seat, and model years 2011-2012 have a very good 8th seat.

For slightly older vehicles, around the same age as yours, you may have a few other options. For example I think the Chevy Astro has an 8 passenger version around model year 2003.

You might not need to go with all radians (incidentally the brand is now Diono, not Sunshine Kids) in order to fit all the seats you need.

Thanks so much for getting back to me...I was starting to wonder if anybody would! LOL!

That's REALLY good information to know. Those are the two makes/models of vehicles I've heard a lot about in 8-passenger. They're both SO expensive though when I look on kijiji. *sigh* I've also heard that the Toyota parts are more expensive to replace because they're "foreign-made"...is that true that the servicing is pricier?

With both vehicles, when you open the sliding door do you have to flip the seat immediately in front and/or push it forward to get the kids in the back or is there room for the kids (and you to buckle them in) to climb in and get to the back without having to touch the seat? KWIM?

Oh!...And I heard that Sunshine Radians had changed their name. Couldn't remember the "new name" of them while I was typing my original post!

Does it have to be a van or would you look at a large SUV? There's a very long thread in the "car safety" subforum about SUVs

I have an older model sienna. I love it for fitting my kids in. I just have the captain's chair pushed all the way forward all the time and my kids and I just slide on into the third row. The middle row is great for 3 across. I think you could fit 3 regents across. The one issue is that it only has 5 top tether anchors and I know in Canada those are required for all ffing car seats. The one spot without is pretty thin and difficult for buckling a booster in a 3 across. The new model siennas have even fewer top tether anchors.

Phineasmama said:

Does it have to be a van or would you look at a large SUV? There's a very long thread in the "car safety" subforum about SUVs

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It doesn't have to be a van. I'm open to all options. If the vehicle is better on gas that's an even bigger bonus! What is the big main difference between a van and an SUV? I honestly have no idea!

christineka said:

I have an older model sienna. I love it for fitting my kids in. I just have the captain's chair pushed all the way forward all the time and my kids and I just slide on into the third row. The middle row is great for 3 across. I think you could fit 3 regents across. The one issue is that it only has 5 top tether anchors and I know in Canada those are required for all ffing car seats. The one spot without is pretty thin and difficult for buckling a booster in a 3 across. The new model siennas have even fewer top tether anchors.

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How "old" is your Sienna? Can the kids (and you to buckle carseats) EASILY fit between the passenger's seat and the captain's chair that is pushed forward all the time or is it a very tight squeeze?

Quiltin' Mama said:

It doesn't have to be a van. I'm open to all options. If the vehicle is better on gas that's an even bigger bonus! What is the big main difference between a van and an SUV? I honestly have no idea!

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*Usually* SUV's are more expensive, and the bigger ones (8 passenger) get worse gas mileage than minivans. Usually minivans have sliding doors and SUV's do not. Some people like the "look" of an SUV better (they look more like trucks, usually - not so "soccer mom"). They're often higher off the ground, and they usually have an all wheel drive (or 4 wheel drive) version.

jjordan said:

*Usually* SUV's are more expensive, and the bigger ones (8 passenger) get worse gas mileage than minivans. Usually minivans have sliding doors and SUV's do not. Some people like the "look" of an SUV better (they look more like trucks, usually - not so "soccer mom"). They're often higher off the ground, and they usually have an all wheel drive (or 4 wheel drive) version.

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Knowing this (and THANKS SO MUCH, jjordan!) I think I'll still with a mini-van. I don't care if I look like a soccer mom. Hey, I'd be towing 7 kids with me...what else would I look like other than a crazy mom! LOL! Knowing that vans are *usually* cheaper, have sliding doors, better on gas mileage and lower to the ground...I'll think I'll stick to this route!

Quiltin' Mama said:

How "old" is your Sienna? Can the kids (and you to buckle carseats) EASILY fit between the passenger's seat and the captain's chair that is pushed forward all the time or is it a very tight squeeze?

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It's a 2007 and it is not hard to get to the third row. I go back there to get my 5 yo buckled and unbuckled when he's my only passenger. (His siblings help when they're around.) I have a true fit premier installed on the captain's chair on the side we get in and out of. It has this antirebound bar, so I cannot tumble the seat back even a teeny weeny bit. It's not a problem. The middle row is all captain's chairs. You can stagger them to get wider seats next to each other. The back row is pretty thin, but I've gotten a bunch of different combos of 3 across. I bought the van when expecting my 6th child.

I personally prefer minivans, but I wasn't sure if there might be a better option for vehicles to fit 8 passengers The sliding doors alone are worth it though! I don't have to worry about my kids throwing the doors open and hitting other peoples cars anymore

You are very welcome.

I love my 2004 8 passenger sienna. I only have two kids, but I have put extra carseats in several times. I The second row is awesome because each seat adjusts individually, allowing you to stagger as needed to allow wide seats side by side or put tall adults or rf seats in. We have a ff myride (did have a nautilus in there before), rf truefit,and enough space for my 6'1", 200 lb husband to sit by the girls comfortably for road trips. I have put those three wide seats in together, and I have had an infant seat in the third spot with two convertibles. Also has great cargo space. I have put 3 days of luggage for all of us plus a stroller and it was below the level of the seatback. It wouldn't really apply for your situation, but another must for us was that adults could fit anywhere, as we often have visitors.

ed_tricia said:

I love my 2004 8 passenger sienna. I only have two kids, but I have put extra carseats in several times. I The second row is awesome because each seat adjusts individually, allowing you to stagger as needed to allow wide seats side by side or put tall adults or rf seats in. We have a ff myride (did have a nautilus in there before), rf truefit,and enough space for my 6'1", 200 lb husband to sit by the girls comfortably for road trips. I have put those three wide seats in together, and I have had an infant seat in the third spot with two convertibles. Also has great cargo space. I have put 3 days of luggage for all of us plus a stroller and it was below the level of the seatback. It wouldn't really apply for your situation, but another must for us was that adults could fit anywhere, as we often have visitors.

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:yeahthatlove:

I've done RF MR, GN, RF MR in the second row. The other day I had a RF TFP, RF RXT, RF EFTA65 in the second row. I'm pretty sure I've put a FR85 in between two RF MRs in there before too. I think the consensus is you can do pretty much any combo in that middle row. I love our 09 Sienna!

Sorry I missed this thread the first time around! It's not modifying a vehicle to put a 3rd row bench in the middle if the vehicle allows it. Ford allows this in the Windstar. If you have any doubts about putting 2 3-p benches in, phone Ford rather than Transport Canada. I find it funny that Transport Canada would tell you not to put a 3rd row bench in the 2nd row (even though it's allowed by the manufacturer), but tell you it's okay to put a booster in front of an airbag (NOT allowed by booster manufacturers).

I have a 2000 GMC Safari and love it. It hasn't caused us any trouble, and you can get any seats you like in it. It effectively has 7 tether anchors as well, but I know some might not approve of my retrofits . These vans have factory tether anchors for the front seat, so I sometimes have a Frontier in the front passenger seat. If you can't afford a Honda or Toyota, these vans can be had for $5000 in good condition.