Question Going from 3 seats to 5 seats in a 2007 Sienna 8-passenger

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi everyone! I'm looking for any advice/ideas you might have for me. Right now, we have a 6 yo DS (about 45#), 4 yo DD (39-40#), and 2 yo DS (31#) in a 2007 8-passenger Sienna. We are expecting surprise twins in May.

Our current setup is all 3 kids in the second row - DS2 is RF driver side in a MyRide 65, DS6 is harnessed in the middle in a Frontier (he does fine in a booster in my husband's car - just easier to buckle 3-across with him harnessed), and DD is FF passenger side in a MyRide 65.

We have two Snugride 30s for the twins, and are hoping to put them driver side & center in the second row, completely remove the second row passenger seat so we have easy access to the third row, and then move all the "big kids" to the back row.

We tested out the current setup in the third row, and it *barely* works, but it works. I'm worried about reaching DS2 to buckle him if he's RFing, but because we have no top tether there, I'd rather have him RF. I thought about putting a booster there for DS6, but worried he'll have trouble buckling in.

Is this the best setup, or would I be better off space-wise boostering DS6 (& DD?) and/or FFing DS2? If it makes a difference, in August DS will turn 7 and DD will turn 5. DS2 will turn 3 in September.

Thanks!!
 
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Dillipop

Well-known member
I think you probably found the best set up for now. Once your oldest moves to a backless booster in a couple years, you can leave the third seat in the middle row and tumble it forward and have your 2 forward facers in the rear using the tethers.
 

bnsnyde

New member
I think you have various options. Finding what works for you is tough!

We just configured 6 carseats/boosters in our Odyssey.

We will have the newborn and (soon to be) 2 YO RF second row driver side and middle (they might as well be twins since it'll just be 2 RF seats there). This works well. So that sounds like a good place for the babies.

Then in the 3rd row, we have the 7 and 8-year-old in a backless booster, and the (soon to be 4 YO) FF in a SureRide outboard driver side. I crawl way in to buckle him. We tried and failed a few times to find what worked because the kids could not buckle the boosters! The Harmony Youth was a lifesaver for one of the kids. Super narrow.

We kept the outboard passenger seat 2nd row (that you are removing) so soon to be 6 YO can sit there. He's in a backless for school carline (needs to be able to get out quickly and without a bulky seat in the way, to let sibs out). Longer trips I have a highback I like for him (since anything will fit there).

I did injure my knee buckling 3 YO in the 3rd row, so I bought a foam garden kneeler to help. He is too big to fit any seat RF but if he was, I could still buckle him with a little bit more reaching.

I was unclear on your setup for the 3rd row that "barely works." Curious what that is!
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks! I like the idea of eventually putting my oldest in a booster second row passenger. But while DS2 is RFing in the third row, I want more room to maneuver around when I'm climbing in to buckle him.

Sorry I wasn't very clear - our "barely fits" setup is the seats just like we have them in the second row now, only moved to the third row. So RF MyRide 65 driver's side, FF harnessed Frontier middle, and FF MyRide 65 passenger side. Everything fits because of how the armrests for the MyRides fit over the Frontier, but with absolutely no extra room, so our 6 yo won't be able to reach the buckle and will have to stay harnessed.

I wasn't sure if I was missing something - maybe HBBs that would be narrower than the FF MyRide & Frontier and create a little more breathing room in that row, or maybe I should just be content that I found one setup that works. :)

With the second row passenger seat out, I'm hoping it'll be easy enough for our 6 yo (he rides in the Frontier) to get in and out in the car line at school.
 

bnsnyde

New member
Wow, you fit those seats in the third row? Awesome!

Our Odyssey is way different then. Much too narrow. I was pulling my hair out with what might fit in the third row. If it works, then it works!

I just move the 2nd row seat forward, and squeeze to the third row to buckle 3 YO BUT am 8 months pregnant and my belly hardly fits. Then I get stuck not able to crawl out, add the hurt knee. But I know I can do this if I were not so pregnant! So...soon.

Without that 2nd row seat, exiting for carline should be easy enough if the child can unbuckle easily.

So it sounds like a good plan for now, and as needs change, you can adapt.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Welcome, and congrats on your upcoming duo :)

The challenge with "narrower" seats is that the stinking MyRide is so deceiving. It manages to simultaneously be one of the widest seats *and* one of the narrowest... lol. At the cupholders, it's one of the widest seats on the market, 20". BUT, the base is super-narrow, at just 11" - and as you've found, it often allows other seats to tuck under the cupholders.

Without a top tether back there, having your son RF is the safest. I would definitely leave your 4yo DD in a harness. Ideally, having your 2yo stay RFing is the safest for him.

The only other setup you might consider is a narrow-ish booster for your eldest DS, and then try a Radian (without headwings fits the best) and MyRide - both FFing - for your younger kids. I haven't tried that setup, but if you can fit Frontier/MyRide you can almost certainly fit Radian/MyRide and it will buy you some space. It might be something to consider for a bit down the road. The Radian/MyRide puzzle together like they are made for each other.

In your current third row setup, if you removed one of the seats, would the other two still stay tight? That would be my only concern back there, as the seats should not be relying on each other for tightness.

Hope that helps!
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thank you!! And congratulations to you, too! :)

YES! It's those crazy MyRides! I thought there was no way these three seemingly huge seats would fit back there - the seat is 51" from wheel well to wheel well. But because of the tall armrests, the outboard armrests actually fit right over the cutout for the back wheels, and the inside armrests fit over the Frontier without touching. So the seats actually don't touch each other at all. Installing them is frustrating, but the install is solid and we don't have any need to move the seats once they're in.

A Radian/narrow booster combo might work where we have the MyRide/Frontier, and it might make it easier for my oldest to buckle a booster if he's contending with a Radian and not the giant MyRide armrests. So maybe that's the direction we will go if we don't end up loving the current setup.

I'd love to just buy a Nissan NV and be done with cramming all the seats into the Sienna, but the husband enjoys not having a car payment too much for that. :)
 

CMeMeC

New member
Hi everyone! I'm looking for any advice/ideas you might have for me. Right now, we have a 6 yo DS (about 45#), 4 yo DD (39-40#), and 2 yo DS (31#) in a 2007 8-passenger Sienna. We are expecting surprise twins in May.

Our current setup is all 3 kids in the second row - DS2 is RF driver side in a MyRide 65, DS6 is harnessed in the middle in a Frontier (he does fine in a booster in my husband's car - just easier to buckle 3-across with him harnessed), and DD is FF passenger side in a MyRide 65.

We have two Snugride 30s for the twins, and are hoping to put them driver side & center in the second row, completely remove the second row passenger seat so we have easy access to the third row, and then move all the "big kids" to the back row.

We tested out the current setup in the third row, and it *barely* works, but it works. I'm worried about reaching DS2 to buckle him if he's RFing, but because we have no top tether there, I'd rather have him RF. I thought about putting a booster there for DS6, but worried he'll have trouble buckling in.

Is this the best setup, or would I be better off space-wise boostering DS6 (& DD?) and/or FFing DS2? If it makes a difference, in August DS will turn 7 and DD will turn 5. DS2 will turn 3 in September.

Thanks!!

I would personally put one of the infant seat in the third row and keep the 2yo rear facing in the second row. That way, the 2 you is easier to reach and you can buckle the baby before putting the seat in. That is, if you trust the toddler next to the baby.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I would personally put one of the infant seat in the third row and keep the 2yo rear facing in the second row. That way, the 2 you is easier to reach and you can buckle the baby before putting the seat in. That is, if you trust the toddler next to the baby.

I'd do this, with one modification...I'd replace one of the MyRides with a no-rethread harness so it can be moved down and used for a baby if you have just the twins with you.
 

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