Crap! (Maybe I should not have procrastinated!)

J-max

CPST Instructor
I preface this with I am due yesterday to have baby #6 - but usually go late :)

I cleaned out, washed, vacuumed, etc my entire car and car seats this weekend, with plans to rearrange seats and install the infant seat. All was going great, I even got the base and infant seat (Aton) in the middle of the 3rd row of my suburban, with a frontier on one side and an incognito on the other! I was super excited, until I put the middle row back upright and the infant seat does not fit front to back :crying::crying::crying:

So for now I am going to have to install it in the second row and put a booster rider in the flip up seat, and have DD#1 sit in the front, and if DH is with us I will have to uninstall the base to the Aton, and put it in the third row baseless. I was really hoping not to do that.

But DH did say I could pull the trigger and get a NV if I really wanted. We have been talking about it for months, just can't decide if I really want it or not! The room would be so nice, but during the school year I often just have a few little ones with me. Plus we are used to dealing with a really good dealership (Chevy) and the Nissan dealer was not very nice or helpful when we test drove them, and it is over 2 hours away.
 
ADS

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
That's frustrating!

I think real #s are important here. I'd sit down and see how many times you all actually drove in one car someplace. And where you went. Then decide if that # is worth the new vehicle cost and inconvenience of dealers. Or if you can manage taking 2 cars on those (few) occasions if the # is low.
 

J-max

CPST Instructor
I am a numbers person and I have been doing that for the last 6 weeks :D.

The majority (just over 90%) of trips are just the kids and I. All 7 of us have made 4 trips together in that time. So, from that prospective it does not make sense at all.

But, we live a long way from town, so every trip is a long time for people smashed together in a vehicle (72 miles and an hour and 15 min to town where DR, grandma, any groceries, etc are, and I routinely make the drive over 100 miles and almost 2 hours each way to bigger town with Costco, real shopping etc). Taking 2 vehicles means taking our 1 ton diesel truck, and moving seats in it anyway (and spendy fuel) :). DD#1 will get her license this fall, but our road is a dangerous 65MPH state highway that I hate driving on and sending extra vehicles down anyway.

And to counter that, DD#1 works almost full time in the summers, so she has not hardly been with us this summer, so it is often been the 4 youngest and me. But we do make the 12 hour trip to my parents at least a few times per year and I am dreading trying to smash everyone in for that long of a drive!

And this is why I can not make the decision!!!!
 

Kel

Well-known member
Hi! We also have 6 kids. Mine are 15-13-10.5-7.5-4 & 2. When the two yr old was born I was driving a windstar mini van. With two 3rd row bench seats. I did that for 4 months then bought a 12 passenger Ford. I love it!! But my first 3 are all huge boys!!! The 15 yr old is 6' 200#, so I needed a bigger for their size to. Also we plan on more children. So....

Do you plan on more babies? If yes, you'll need bigger anyway. If no, is their a reason the baby can't stay in the 2nd row? Can you maybe put the 10 yr old in the flip seat in a lbb? I'm sure you've considered all options, just trying to help. I remember how hard that few months we got me.
 

momtoo3

Well-known member
Do you have a convertible that fits in the 3rd row where the Aton does not? For me the decision would also be based on how long the infant seat will be used. I tend to only use them until they are about 15-18 pounds and at that point they are too heavy for me.
 

Kel

Well-known member
Also, do you realise that Ford has a new full size can coming out now? Looks sorta like the sprinter. I can come in 10 12 &15 passenger. Has headrest in all location, etc...
I'll be checking it out soon!!
 

J-max

CPST Instructor
Hi! We also have 6 kids. Mine are 15-13-10.5-7.5-4 & 2. When the two yr old was born I was driving a windstar mini van. With two 3rd row bench seats. I did that for 4 months then bought a 12 passenger Ford. I love it!! But my first 3 are all huge boys!!! The 15 yr old is 6' 200#, so I needed a bigger for their size to. Also we plan on more children. So....

Do you plan on more babies? If yes, you'll need bigger anyway. If no, is their a reason the baby can't stay in the 2nd row? Can you maybe put the 10 yr old in the flip seat in a lbb? I'm sure you've considered all options, just trying to help. I remember how hard that few months we got me.

Thank you :) My girls are TALL (15 year old is almost 6 foot and 11 is almost 5) so I totally get that big kid thing. There is now way the 15 year old can sit comfortably sit in the 3rd row. I do plan on putting 10 yr in flip seat in lbb for now. If the baby does not go into the third row (with all 8 of us in the vehicle), then I have to stick a big kid there with no headrest. I am not sure if we are having more or not. This pregnancy was really hard on me - way more than any of the others :(

Do you have a convertible that fits in the 3rd row where the Aton does not? For me the decision would also be based on how long the infant seat will be used. I tend to only use them until they are about 15-18 pounds and at that point they are too heavy for me.

No RF convertibles will fit RF in the third row, with the middle row seats in use :(. The only other option would be to put a big kid with no head rest or FF the 2 year old in the CCO, which I am not really comfortable with either. I never used the infant seats for long with the others, except for #5 in the Aton. I used it for almost a year.

Also, do you realize that Ford has a new full size can coming out now? Looks sorta like the sprinter. I can come in 10 12 &15 passenger. Has headrest in all location, etc...
I'll be checking it out soon!!
I have heard rumors, but is there a set date? Our company can get fleet pricing on Ford and Chevy vehicles, so that would be awesome if it is actually coming any time soon!
 

Kel

Well-known member
If you go to the Ford Web sight, they've updated pics of the new vehicle! I would call them and ask. I believe is already avalible, or will be very shortly.
I'm definitely going to go peak at one. I looked at the NV, and just don't love it yet. Maybe I will eventually. Also thinking that a 10 passenger Ford may have more elbow room in the last row. That's just a guess though, I'll have to wait and see.
I just don't care for the giant hood on the NV. Although that does give it a SUV look. I like the more aerodynamic look of the Ford. DH prefers the Boxier look of the NV. We're just going to have to compare.

I'm actually very happy with my e350. I just would like headrest and side airbags. I also like that the Ford Transit and NV have the split benches in back. Would love to be able to do that while traveling.
 

vangelder03

New member
I only have 4 kids but the first chance I have to get a nissan nv I am getting one. My kids do a lot of activities that require big items. We usually carpool extra kids so the extra space would be nice. And with my current vehicle mileage would be about the same.
 

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