Daycare Vehicle

To anyone that drives dayhome children what vehicle do you drive and how do you install the proper amount of car seats?

I bought a Dodge Grand Caravan only to realize 5 days into purchase that it is too narrow for 3 car seats across the back AND it only has 3 LATCH spots. So that means a total of 3 car seats. Looking at many vans this seems to be the standard. WTH? A mini van only fits 3 car seats? I'm beyond confused by that.

I called my dealership and luckily they are understanding of how stupid that is and are allowing me to do the needed exchange of vehicles. This dealership is connected to a large group of dealships encompassing many brands so I basically get to pick whatever make/model will work for me.

My question is... what works? I'm thinking 8 pass SUV of some sort with 3 car seats in the front and 2 in the rear. I would need to load the rear kids via the tail gate but I can handle that. I mostly just want to ensure that I can safely install the needed amount of seats.

2004 Montana - 8 seater extended ... Tethers for 5 options ... middle seats flips forward even while tethered so you can get to back.

I had to get Radian car seats to fit 3 across middle seats though ... but worth investment for sure!!

I have a small minivan, a Mazda MPV and I had trouble getting three seats across the back too. Like Reggio, I bought three Sunshine Radians...they are expensive, but really narrow. I only have three tether latches as well and the dealer told me I could not have more installed. For the seats that are not tethered, I have them rear facing. The new standards on carseat safety recommend keeping kids rear facing for as long as possible now anyway. I even put a 2 year old (and she's tall) in rear facing and she is just fine like that. Look at the Transport Canada website and you will see the recommendations. Even if the child's knees bend, it is considered safe...more safe than forward facing.

My dealership even offered to buy me new car seats if that's what it took but even the Radians are too wide for the Caravan. I'm supposed to look at a yukon Denali tonight. 8 seater and can fit 3 across easily in the middle row.

I will look at the Montana though. That has always been one of my favourite vans.

you may need to try different brand car seat.

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Originally Posted by kidlove

you may need to try different brand car seat.

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As I said it's not the car seat brand that is the problem. If it was as simple as changing car seats I would do as the dealership suggested and let them completely outfit my daycare with 5 brand new ones. Trust me, I wish that were the problem.

DH and I are shopping around for a VAN and hoping to get it buy this upcoming Spring.

So the 2004 Montana is a 'good' one but DH feels it's too old of a car to get....any onther recs?

The Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna both have 8 pass models. You can look at those to see if you can fit the right amount of car seats in. I'm in a situation where I'm buying used and I can't find any of the 8 pass models, only 7 otherwise I would have tried that.

My daycare vehicle is the city bus! You ladies stress so much over all your wonderfully safe child seats, forward, backward, whatever, and we go everywhere without seat belts on the bus.

I have been doing the bus since I opened and I am sick of it! I think a lot has to do with my age group but I just can't handle taking 5 children under 3 on the bus anymore. I've nearly lost my mind every time I've done it.

Plus winter here is bleeding COLD! I don`t want to be stuck in the house all winter because it`s too cold to wait on a bus stop. :)

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Originally Posted by Toregone

The Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna both have 8 pass models. You can look at those to see if you can fit the right amount of car seats in. I'm in a situation where I'm buying used and I can't find any of the 8 pass models, only 7 otherwise I would have tried that.

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We're shopping used as well but DH doesn't want to go less than a 2009 model

Ya ~ we bought my van back in 2008 so it was only 4 years old at the time ... while i do not like buying 'brand new' due to the way vehicles depreciate so quickly ~ I would not want to get a vehicle that is too old either cause than you run into issues with too many KM and so forth.

One of the things that helped me when seeking a new vehicle was choosing a car seat store that had awesome customer service ~ it is one thing to try to 'measure' using a tape and 'inches' and quite another thing to be sure that you can actually 'install' the seats in that space while accessing the belts and tightening them properly ... the store here they allowed us to bring the vehicles we were test driving to the store and 'try' the car seats in various styles on in the van to 'ensure' that we could indeed fit the configuration needed ~ LOVED that about them!

I have one of the cheapest minivans on the market, and they don't even make them any more. I have a Chevy Uplander. It fits four car seats - two in the back, and one on each captain's chair in the middle.

With any minivan, can't you fit at least four?

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Originally Posted by Alphaghetti

...With any minivan, can't you fit at least four?

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Should as long as it has enough tethers for sure.

When I opened we use to take the bus places that we could not 'walk' because that was my only option ~ however I HATED it ... it was just so inconvenient with the amount of time it took to get anywhere something that is a 10 minute care ride takes over an hour on the bus so that is restricting on where you can 'go' time wise and transfers and so forth and well 'risky' cause the buses can get packed full of people and the drivers are not all 'pleasant' in making sure you are all OFF the bus before trying to pull away ~ I had an incident where a driver started to pull away while I was still trying to get my last kid off add to that dealing with the language and behavior of others you can be exposed to on the bus it just motivated me to do the budgeting and research into getting a vehicle ...I knew I wanted a vehicle that fit 5 cause that is how many kids I typically had each day and what my budget for income reflected at the time ... took some time in the beginning but the FREEDOM it opened up for the program ~ :wub:

We have a Savanna but old enough it doesn't come with any hooks but that is ok since I don't drive. As a vehicle we love it. No matter what vehicle you buy if you can get an extended model go for it as you will want the extra storage space at the back for strollers, wagon, diaper bags etc. If you can get the extension with an extended wheel base too ie the back wheels are further back instead of just a lot of extra vehicle hanging over the end it will be more stable.