I'm looking for a bigger vehicle, I currently have a Jeep Liberty and two boys (4 and 1 both forward facing). My hubby and I are talking about a possible 3rd baby so that would mean a bigger vehicle for me. We will be buying used, what vehicles do you like to haul around your 3 kids? I'm not interested in a van or huge SUV (Tahoe, Expedition).
Added: Under $20K also. Just bought new car seats and my 4 year old is no where ready for a booster, he will be in a 5 point harness until he has no more room to grow in it.
Ya'll might be onto something with the Sunshine Radian and fitting three in my back seat. I love my car but wasnt sure it was possible. I just bought new car seats about 6 months ago but I bet I can sell them or something.
We are looking at the Chevy Traverse, it gets really good ratings and is not too big, has the third row of seats that we need, and still has good towing. New, it was not that much above mid twenties, so if you can find a used one, you might get under that.
M.
I have a Liberty (currently trying to sell it) and have baby # 3 on the way. We just purchased an 04 Dodge Durango for $6K and it is fully loaded! I got my leather heated seats, sunroof, and DVD for the kids. haha. Anyways, it may classify as the same group as Tahoe and Expedition?? I am not sure. But I love it! It has soo much more room than my Liberty. It runs smooth and love the fact that I got to keep my 4X4. I was stressing over that for some reason, haha (probably pregnancy hormones, hahaha). Oh ya.. and my gas mileage isn't any worse than my liberty was.
Good luck with your decision !
You don't have to buy a new car. Sunshine radians will fit 3 across in a car.
many sedans can fit 3 car seats - check this link: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=33226
Also it may seem counter-intuitive but moving your 4YO to a booster when you have to fit 3 car seats in a row would actually make buckling up all the kids *more* work, because you're constantly scrunching your hand between a booster and car seat to buckle and unbuckle it, but if you have 3 harnessed seats, once they're all installed you don't have to squish your hand to buckle your kiddos.
Also, please check this link for the safety benefits of keeping your 1YO rear facing: http://carseatblog.com/?p=5168
I have a Kia Optima Rental and it fits 3 car seats in the back
I'd think most larger sized sedans could fit what you are looking for - but that is only if you put your 4 year old in a booster without a back or anything. I think once they are four and/or a certain weight limit they can be in one of those. Just an idea :)
I drive a Chevy Imapala and think we could maybe squeeze three carseats into the backseat. I'd also look into slimmer carseats for your children when you do have another in order to give the baby's pumpkin seat more room!
The Liberty is a small vehicle.... but the Radian seats may work as long as your belt stalks (where you clip the belt into) aren't too long and aren't rigid. The belt path on the Radians is very low and you can only twist a soft belt stalk up to 3 times to amke it shorter, so if its super long or a rigid belt stalk it may not work in your vehicle.
So do you not want anything with a third row? Just like a larger backseat? If that is the case i have a Chrysler 300 and it has a big backseat. i can fit 3 car seats in the back no problem. Ours is used i think it is like an 05 or an 06 and we got it for under $20k. Beautiful car I love it!
Believe it or not our Subaru Forester (barely) fits 3, and it's even the older model--the new ones are supposed to be even a little bigger. I have a Chicco baby seat in the middle and two of those Graco seats that you just set in there on either side (one with back, one without). I'm not sure about how it would work with a toddler seat, but you could bring the seats with you to try. Although it's officially an SUV, it's more like a tall wagon. :) You might even have more luck with an Outback--it seems to me that they're pretty wide, and that actually is a wagon.
I am also looking for a CAR that will fit our 3 kids. I drive an Armada and my husband drives a Yukon Delani XL...but he just got a job where he will have to travel 3 hours round trip...so he needs a car, but needs to be able to fit all 5 of us at the same time. I'm looking at Altima's...or I think Malibu's are big too.
i rent a chevy traverse last month it is great i fell in love with it.
it has a lot of space,is not a huge truck and it gives you a lot of miles per gallon,is very confortable to drive it,ypu will love it.
i have a hard time when i returned it ..lol..
We adopted 2 small children last fall and just had a baby this year, so we had the same problem. We bought a used Honda Pilot. Ours was 3 years old, and we were able to find a lot of good deals out there for just around the $21-22K mark. Under 20 might be hard. Love the Pilot though!
Look at a Honda Pilot.
I have a Cheverolet Trailblazer. An SUV but its not a huge one. I have 2 kids in carseats and this summer my friend came to visit with her daughter who is in a car seat and all three fit in the back just fine.
Lisa
