How many can you actually seat in a 12 passenger van?

zeo2ski

Well-known member
Chevy/GMC around 2004 ish (for stabilitrac and lowest price )

If the 4th row can't take harnessed seats that means you can only put two boosters back there? If the 4th row center two seats are lap belt only but not allowed to install a harnessed seat aren't the totally useless? Which would make the 12 passenger only a 10 passenger. Am I missing something? And what year would have center lap/shoulder belts in that back row?

Also, I remember KQ had rented a ford and ford told her the no car seats rule was because on the narrow seat belt spacing. How then do you fit a booster there? Just need a narrow based booster? I currently have a recaro prosport as a booster and it's wide. Can't imagine buckling it in a narrower seating position (currently 3rd row 98 suburban).

My problem is outgrowing the 8 seated suburban trying to figure out what to get next with cost beings a factor. Used, cash.
 
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Keeanh

Well-known member
GM/Chev full-size expert here ;)

No, you can't switch the old & new benches. The mounts are different.

The front bench will have 3 lap-shoulder. The others will have lap belts in the middle. 2008+ will have all lap-shoulder.

No headrests, but easy-ish to retrofit.

Manual says you can't have 3 child restraints in a row. I ignore that. It's a stupid rule.

Back seat doesn't have tether anchors. You can put RF & boosters there. I've also looked at swapping out the seatbelt buckle part with the same part from a 3-person bench because those have the tether anchors attached. Haven't actually tried it, though.

LATCH is outboard on the 2nd row (1st bench). TAs are 2 for 2nd row (use for any seat, but only 2 at a time). 1 for 3rd row (middle or outboard passenger side I think...). 08+ should have 2 TAs & LATCH in the 3rd row due to using the new bench.

Outboard seatbelts are incompatible with a few seats due to being so far forward of the bight.

The outboard seats in the back row are wide enough for boosters. It's the middle two that are on the narrow side. I've had RF Radian + RF MyRide, and baseless Snugride + RF MyRide in those middle lap belts before. If you're treating it as a 3p bench, you can fit anything in the middle. I had a True Fit in one of those lap belts. Also a Frontier once. I tethered to the bar that anchors the seatbelts. Sue me :p
 

Keeanh

Well-known member
Just to sort of answer your original question...

I've had 11 people in our van with the back seat out (so essentially an 11p van).

1st row: DH & me
2nd row: HBB - Radian - HBB
3rd row (with headrests): adult - Radian - Literider
4th row (with headrests): teen - RF MR - teen
 

zeo2ski

Well-known member
Lol so wow that's a lot of rules to break! I didn't know about not putting three seats in a row...why? So then you have the 15 pass with the back row out--I was thinking that would give me more usable seats than the 12. I only have one boostered child so far, but my next one is close.

So Chevy does allow RF CRs in the last row, or do you choose to ignore that rule ( not sure why I thought that, guess I assumed it was same as ford).

With the forward of the bight belts and other restrictions I'm feeling like it might not do much good to get that van. I currently have
8 yo tall 72 lbs Ds1 in recaro Prosport booster (shoulders almost touching bottom of headwings, plan to move to FR85 as booster next)
6 yo 65? lbs. Harnessed FR85 top slot
4 yo DD 44 lbs tall ( size 6) FF XTSL--diono top slot
2 yo DD 34 lbs tall RF RN XTSL 4th slot
11 mos DS 20 lbs RF CCO
More bios and foster infants expected

We've had 6 in the suburban no problem, but DH's truck needs replacing ASAP, so the plan is for him to take the suburban and me get a van. Just trying to guess how fast the big kids will grow and what fosters we'll get and how to fiteveryone in a van with all the restrictions...:dizzy::dizzy:


DH wants to buy this bus van. http:// http://fingerlakes.craigslist.org/cto/4813605091.html [URL="http:// http://fingerlakes.craigslist.org/cto/4813605091.html[/URL] aside from no stabilitrack I'd think it'd be even more top heavy? Then we'd need EZ-on harnesses I think.
 
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Keeanh

Well-known member
Yes, I have 6 headrests. They cost about $35 - $40 each to get & install.

Still need to get 3 more on my front bench. The only rule I'm breaking is the 3-across one. I can't even remember what the reasoning was... I think it's because there aren't 3 tether anchors, or they didn't think 3 would fit... I remember it was stupid.

The back bench allows RF seats & untethered FF seats, as long as the manual allows it. The wording is confusing, but it only means that if your seat needs a tether anchor, don't put it in the seats that don't have anchors.

If you're looking for a budget solution, the Express is a good one. You just have to put your own headrests in.

The Coccoro & Radians would have to go in the front bench or a lap belt. Frontier is compatible with the seatbelts. The outboard belts are great with boosters.

Graco, Dorel, Evenflo seats are generally compatible with the outboard belts. FF Scenera is not (RF is fine). Radians etc. and Coccoro are not. I haven't tried Britax or Peg convertibles.
 

Keeanh

Well-known member
Clicked on your link. Sorry, but I wouldn't touch that bus with a 50 ft pole LOL. Nothing but lap belts would be a nightmare long-term. I've had my van for 5 years now. You might have to buy a Sureride or something if you need an outboard install, but it's really not too hard to deal with. Just a bit of a learning curve. Radians have to be LATCH or middle.

Here's the headrest thing: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/27379233/Expressheadrests.pdf
 

zeo2ski

Well-known member
Thank you! Great price for the headrests compared to a sprinter or Nissan (too new). The express sounds more compatible than I was thinking. I really thought you weren't allowed to install on last row. Sounds like it ought to last us a few years. Might need mostly new seats, but the old can stay in the suburban DH has never had a back seat before, this will be such a luxury!) And a few are expiring in the next year or two anyway.

That bus...I think we could do EZon adult harnesses but that wouldn't be really ideal. I have other concerns about its stability though. Love the center aisle concept! Guess I'll get to looking seriously for an express or savanna.
 

zeo2ski

Well-known member
And actually I have a few years left of frontier booster before I even need to get the headrests. We can reevaluate then.
 

Keeanh

Well-known member
If you get one, let me know. I can probably save you a lot of frustration and skinned knuckles ;) . I've tried a TON of seats in that van. What I really need to do is find some Britax seats to try out. 16 years of car seats and I have never owned a Britax convertible LOL.
 

zeo2ski

Well-known member
Lol I've had a few but they were too short for my tall kiddos so I've moved on, but the new ones are maybe possibility. Most of my current seats will expire in the next year so I have a good excuse to try stuff out but I'll definitely run my options by you first. I don't have a local store to try out seats so I'm very glad you will share what you've already figured out!
 

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