Cars for large families

[tobitonic]

We have 4, and I don't think fitting things with 8 would be any harder for us...the bigger your traveling group, or the less space you have per person, the more ruthless you become regarding what you're bringing, which makes packing simpler.

We're planning for another baby next year, and don't anticipate packing becoming significantly more complicated. Diapers, clothing, stroller, bassinet, will be constant. I think the biggest changes will be needing another car seat in each van and needing another portable bassinet. :O)

[srob]

7 kids here + 2 parents. We started with an 88 ford taurus wagon (affectionately named Old Bessie) which actually seated 8 but she was unreliable at best. Got a 7 passenger 2001 Sienna (Blue) which we loved but later outgrew. We found a used 2000 ford excursion (gasp how unmustacian! you might say but wait..) that has a diesel engine and we had an aftermarket 4th row bench installed. (Bertha) She seats 11 but the fourth row bench is only comfortable for kids. It gets 15-17 mpg which is better than the 12 passenger vans we looked at. (and close to some of the minivans!) So when we calculate our per passenger mpg we feel better about ourselves. :)

[hoping2retire35]

7 kids here + 2 parents. We started with an 88 ford taurus wagon (affectionately named Old Bessie) which actually seated 8 but she was unreliable at best. Got a 7 passenger 2001 Sienna (Blue) which we loved but later outgrew. We found a used 2000 ford excursion (gasp how unmustacian! you might say but wait..) that has a diesel engine and we had an aftermarket 4th row bench installed. (Bertha) She seats 11 but the fourth row bench is only comfortable for kids. It gets 15-17 mpg which is better than the 12 passenger vans we looked at. (and close to some of the minivans!) So when we calculate our per passenger mpg we feel better about ourselves. :)

Can get a early 2000s e150, install a 4 row bench, one of the 4 seaters, and you can seat 11-12. if it has the 4.6l engine you should get 19-20 hwy. not that that is terribly better than your excursion but it might be more comfortable and easier to load.

[acroy]

7 kids here + 2 parents. We started with an 88 ford taurus wagon (affectionately named Old Bessie) which actually seated 8 but she was unreliable at best. Got a 7 passenger 2001 Sienna (Blue) which we loved but later outgrew. We found a used 2000 ford excursion (gasp how unmustacian! you might say but wait..) that has a diesel engine and we had an aftermarket 4th row bench installed. (Bertha) She seats 11 but the fourth row bench is only comfortable for kids. It gets 15-17 mpg which is better than the 12 passenger vans we looked at. (and close to some of the minivans!) So when we calculate our per passenger mpg we feel better about ourselves. :)

^^ Badass ;)

[srob]

hoping2retire- we have thought about a 12 pass van as a replacement for the current land yacht if it ever dies. It has 239k miles so that may not be far off.

acroy- ha ha that is not how anyone that I know would characterize me but I appreciate the compliment :)

[FinanceUser]

Check out Acura MDX. It fits 8 people and doenst give you that look of a Van. Plus, it looks great inside out.

[SeaEhm]

Depending on the size of the family, you might consider the M923 truck.

It's got the oh-so-important all wheel drive (all three axles!) and the weight to come off best in any collision-centric encounter with lesser vehicles.

Even better, they are cheap to buy (but a bit more expensive to run), multi-fuel turbo-charged, seats twenty, convertible top and you can park them anywhere.  I mean, who is going to stop you?

Here goes one now:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/M923-5-Ton-6x6-Military-Cargo-Truck-AM-General-M939-Series-No-Reserve-/381598530227

Worst suggestion ever!  How is that even remotely mustachian?

OP - this works well.  Even in inclement weather, look how excited they are.

[zolotiyeruki]

Depending on the size of the family, you might consider the M923 truck.

It's got the oh-so-important all wheel drive (all three axles!) and the weight to come off best in any collision-centric encounter with lesser vehicles.

Even better, they are cheap to buy (but a bit more expensive to run), multi-fuel turbo-charged, seats twenty, convertible top and you can park them anywhere.  I mean, who is going to stop you?

Here goes one now:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/M923-5-Ton-6x6-Military-Cargo-Truck-AM-General-M939-Series-No-Reserve-/381598530227

Sold for $15,500!  I can just imagine some parking enforcer trying to clamp a boot on that thing....hehehehe.

[LiveLean]

We're on our third Chrysler Town & Country. The first one lasted 8 years, 100K-plus miles. Second one was totaled at 18 months after crazy woman hit me. We've been on our third for two years. And while part of me believes nobody should own three minivans in one lifetime, let alone before the age of 45, there is no more practical vehicle. All seats fold down in a matter of seconds, making it almost as big as a cargo van. I strap down as many as three stand-up paddleboards to the roof. Try doing that with anything other than a minivan. We have "only" two kids, but it's handy to separate them by putting one behind the driver, putting seat behind shotgun down and 2/3 of the third row down. Again, the stow-and-go seat feature is highly underrated.

Now that they're 13 and 11, it seems like we're carpooling more. I can haul six kids with bookbags or swim gear easy.

Buying a Yukon or Toyota Highlander is a clown move. Totally impractical. My wife isn't a huge fan of the van, so I let her drive the small SUV most of the time. I have roof rack pads for my SUP boards on the van at all times. Looks badass.

[Tiger Stache]

We have an odyssey and three littles. It fits three car seats across in second row leaving loads of space in the back. so much space, it's crazy. Big SUVs were in the early running but the van was cheaper and more functional.