.of folding down one or more back seats individually so that you can use the extra space for storage!Usually it's just me and the 4 kids doing school runs etc, so we've got away with a station wagon although the boosters/baby capsule are a pain to click seat belts around in the middle back seat.Hubby has his own car. However that's not going to work on holiday! There'll be 6 of us so we need a car that will fit 6 (4 smallish kids)plus luggage.Hopefully reliable, not ridiculously expensive to run and value for money to buy in the first place. Any thought/ideas appreciated.
nomidoo,
Oct 25, 4:51pm
Hm, ok - thanks for that vtecintegra.Looks like they still have a bit of boot space even with all the seats in use, which is good.
vtecintegra,
Oct 25, 4:52pm
If I were you I'd spend some time at car yards looking at various models and seeing what configuration they offer.Its hard to visualise what will work off photographs.
kazbanz,
Oct 25, 4:55pm
nomidoo-theres plenty of people movers with that option to be honest I classify them into big mid sized and small Big Nissan pressage Mazda MPV Honda odyssey Mid Toyota isis ,toyota wish Mazda premacy small Toyota sienta Honda stream Honda Mobillo Theres a few off the top of my head
nomidoo,
Oct 25, 5:04pm
True - I've spent a bit of time looking at posts online and the dog and lemon guide, but we haven't done test-drives etc.Didn't really want to do that until hubby was ready to - I can't, anyway, without shuffling baby capsules etc to take the baby with me.He's been taking a deep breath before launching in amongst all the exhausting sales-pitch!
nomidoo,
Oct 25, 5:10pm
kazbanz - thanks.i guess the estima/previa counts as large! I think we'll have to go "big" for capacity for holidays, although my brother fits a lot in a pod on top of his, which you can take on and off so that's another possibility to keep in mind i guess.Previas are pretty expensive tho anyway
kazbanz,
Oct 25, 5:17pm
nomidoo-the new generation estima doesn't have a fold away seat.-the back seat kinda slides forwards.
dlmckay,
Oct 25, 5:24pm
I've owned an Honda Odyssey that I loved and adored and I now currently have an older Nissan Pressage.
The Odyssey had a great layout, I loved that the back back seats folded away completely.It had to go due to a dodgy transmission (this is a common fault - be warned), but in any case, I needed an eighth seat and the car only had seven.
The Presage is heavier on fuel than the Odyssey (bigger car, not surprising) and I loathe the seat layouts.The middle row of seats don't come forward far enough to let larger kids out of the back back seats.The only advantage is that the back back seats are split down the middle, so you can have one up and one down if that suits your carrying capacity.
I've had an older Lucida too and whilst they are heavy on fuel in town (again, very large van), you will never want for space.Again, they have the butterfly back back seats like the Presage.
r15,
Oct 25, 5:29pm
and to throw another option in there- the pajero / prado / etc route with 7-8 seats -big, full chassis wagons, but if you're looking to get a boat or something soon it might be worth looking at
r15,
Oct 25, 5:30pm
also hiace super customor hiace granvia - big vans but have plenty of creature comforts for the passengers and offer a comfortable ride
bleetbleet,
Oct 26, 1:34am
i hated the estima we had.uncomfortable driving position,heavy on gas, expensive to work on(parts cost a fortune)plus a multitude of other reasons.we now have an odyssey which i find heaps better.1 less seat than the toyota and less boot space but it drives and feels more like a car than a van.which is probably why it uses heaps less fuel(also less affected by cross winds)engine placement on the honda means its easier and cheaper to work on than the mid engined toyota to.just my opinion
tazcsv,
Oct 26, 2:14pm
Do ppl still read the rubish in the dog and lemon guide! make your own mind up about the vehical you want, not what some muppet with no idea what he is talking about has to say.
fordcrzy,
Oct 26, 5:30pm
all thes posts and no one mentions the 2001+toyota ipsum absolutly HEAPS of room and back seat is a split fold seat AND there is an underfloor compartment tha you can fit a stroller in.Toyota ipsum all the way.
fordcrzy,
Oct 26, 5:30pm
all thes posts and no one mentions the 2001+toyota ipsum absolutly HEAPS of room and back seat is a split fold seat AND there is an underfloor compartment tha you can fit a stroller in.the setas fold flat aswell so no stupid seats folded forward on top of the floor.Toyota ipsum all the way.
arrithedog,
Oct 26, 6:03pm
We bought a Nissan Largo over 8 years ago. We love it, never had a problem with it (despite what the dickheads at dog and lemon will tell you). Many times we've thought it was time to change, but until we find something better.
ftroop,
Oct 26, 7:29pm
The Nissan Elgrand will cover all your needs.
arrithedog,
Oct 27, 6:39am
Bit less economical than the Largo, but also very practical and comfortable.
nomidoo,
Oct 28, 3:35pm
Thanks everyone - I just checked back here and have been looking up the most recent suggestions.I hadn't realised people felt that way about the Dog and Lemon!Time for us to brave the sharks and check out some yards I think. At the moment I quite like the idea of getting something that is small enough to drive like a car rather than a truck (more economical too) as 99% of the time that's what we need.maybe an odyssey or ipsum or similar.and getting a second-hand pod for the extra space we'll need for holidays. Thanks again and have a great week.
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