jennzee
Active member
We are SUV people. However, with baby #5 on the way, we're discovering that maybe a van is a more suitable option for us for the next few years (boo!). We currently drive an '07 Durango, which we love, but as we're contemplating carseat/booster configurations, I'm just not sure it's going to work for the long-term.
We currently have 2 in HBB, 1 in a NBB (and he's small, so he won't 5-step for a while yet), and will have 2 RF'ing for at least a year, which will then turn into 1 RF'ing and one FF'ing at some point beyond a year from now. As it stands if we kept the Durango, we'll have the 2 HBB's in the 3rd row, the NBB in the second row outboard so that it can be easily removed every time we get in and out of the car in order for the twins to get into the 3rd row, and the 2 RF'ing seats middle and outboard in the 2nd row.
We initially started looking at Suburbans or Yukon XLs.
Pros for going that route include maintaining (or even increasing...not sure on exact numbers) towing capacity, 4WD, and the huge increase in cargo space.
Cons...they aren't really going to afford us much more flexibility than we already have in terms of accessing the 3rd row, gas mileage will go down just a bit, and I'm worried about the lack of headrests in the center seat of both the second and third rows. I feel like that guarantees having to buy another vehicle once we are beyond the HBB stage (so, 8-10 years...which we may likely be ready for something new by then anyway, but with as big a purchase as this is, I'd rather run it into the ground), as well as limits the ability to drive more than 4 backseat passengers for other things (we often transport youth from church or have grandma visiting).
As far as minivans go, I've narrowed it down to the newer model Odysseys because I like the flexibility it offers with so many LATCH points in addition to the other family-friendly features that come with most minivans. Once we have a FF'ing convertible, I like the option I'll have to move that easily to the third row and be able to move my booster riders around as needed. I have yet to put all of the carseats we'd be using in one to make sure that it works, but based on the research I've done, it shouldn't be a problem. Having LATCH in the jump seat is also very appealing, as we're currently dealing with frequent unbuckling of the CCO in the center of the Durango by the booster rider sitting next to it.
Dh is a little stressed about losing some towing capacity with a minivan, even though we rarely have the need to tow something that it couldn't handle. He's always had the ability to tow whatever needed it, so it's a bit like losing his security blanket over that one. We also encounter some rough winter driving conditions getting to my mom's house during the winter, so losing the 4WD is a bit of a downside, though not a deal-breaker.
Are there things I'm not considering about the Suburban/Yukon route that would make a difference and keep us in an SUV, or is the Ody probably really the best option? We were planning to wait until the baby came to find out how big a pain the Durango actually would be, but now we're kind of leaning toward just moving forward with something that has a much greater potential to work for us rather than dealing with it all with a new baby in the mix too.
We currently have 2 in HBB, 1 in a NBB (and he's small, so he won't 5-step for a while yet), and will have 2 RF'ing for at least a year, which will then turn into 1 RF'ing and one FF'ing at some point beyond a year from now. As it stands if we kept the Durango, we'll have the 2 HBB's in the 3rd row, the NBB in the second row outboard so that it can be easily removed every time we get in and out of the car in order for the twins to get into the 3rd row, and the 2 RF'ing seats middle and outboard in the 2nd row.
We initially started looking at Suburbans or Yukon XLs.
Pros for going that route include maintaining (or even increasing...not sure on exact numbers) towing capacity, 4WD, and the huge increase in cargo space.
Cons...they aren't really going to afford us much more flexibility than we already have in terms of accessing the 3rd row, gas mileage will go down just a bit, and I'm worried about the lack of headrests in the center seat of both the second and third rows. I feel like that guarantees having to buy another vehicle once we are beyond the HBB stage (so, 8-10 years...which we may likely be ready for something new by then anyway, but with as big a purchase as this is, I'd rather run it into the ground), as well as limits the ability to drive more than 4 backseat passengers for other things (we often transport youth from church or have grandma visiting).
As far as minivans go, I've narrowed it down to the newer model Odysseys because I like the flexibility it offers with so many LATCH points in addition to the other family-friendly features that come with most minivans. Once we have a FF'ing convertible, I like the option I'll have to move that easily to the third row and be able to move my booster riders around as needed. I have yet to put all of the carseats we'd be using in one to make sure that it works, but based on the research I've done, it shouldn't be a problem. Having LATCH in the jump seat is also very appealing, as we're currently dealing with frequent unbuckling of the CCO in the center of the Durango by the booster rider sitting next to it.
Dh is a little stressed about losing some towing capacity with a minivan, even though we rarely have the need to tow something that it couldn't handle. He's always had the ability to tow whatever needed it, so it's a bit like losing his security blanket over that one. We also encounter some rough winter driving conditions getting to my mom's house during the winter, so losing the 4WD is a bit of a downside, though not a deal-breaker.
Are there things I'm not considering about the Suburban/Yukon route that would make a difference and keep us in an SUV, or is the Ody probably really the best option? We were planning to wait until the baby came to find out how big a pain the Durango actually would be, but now we're kind of leaning toward just moving forward with something that has a much greater potential to work for us rather than dealing with it all with a new baby in the mix too.