I should have dug a little deeper in my research before buying. So I will likely loose a little money but I'll chalk it up as a stupid tax I have no one to blame but myself. And maybe a little of Toyota's not so thought out design. Also I bought the van with only 2 kids the 3rd on the way and did not fully visualize what it would be like to need 3 car seats. Just figured a van would have the best options. And it does just not Toyota vans.

Toyota only has 1 set of latch anchors in the 3rd row and it is in the middle of 2 seats. And the center seat in the 2nd row is too small for a car seat.

Well we have 3 in car seats and since it seems you now need to be in a booster seat until you get your drivers license we have many more years to come of needing the latch system.

So since 1 car seat is in the rear NO ONE ever wants to ride in the back by themselves so it is always a fight to get someone to sit back there.

There is no way possible to put a car seat in the middle seat of the 2nd row so no taking out a captains chair for easy access so to buckle whoever lost the fight in the rear you have to squeeze your way between the 2 car seats to buckle them in.
If the new baby is fussy and needs mama to ride next to him you then have to pop the middle seat in so mama can ride and then pop it back out to get the lone rider in the rear out.
What a complete and utter pain in the freaking tail that is. If it is raining or hot it is freaking miserable. We went to the Aquarium last week and parked in the underground parking garage that was likely 100* and 89% humidity. It took 15 minutes to get everyone loaded up and ready to roll let me tell you what sort of treat that was.

How will Honda solve my problem. They were smart enough to put 2 latch anchor set in the rear and also an anchor set in the middle of the 2nd row.

So Honda here were come!! 2 front facing car seats in the rear with an open seat in the center for Gigi
Infant car seat base goes in the center of the 2nd row and one of the captains seats will be removed completely for easy access to the rear and mama will still have a captains seat in 2nd row.

And to top it off the backup camera in the Toyota is really bad and pretty much useless as it has no guidance lines and since backing into spots for pick up at my kiddos school is a requirement it is only a matter of time before the wife mashes into another vehicle.

And of course I know you all are wondering wheels for the Odyssey are so much easier to pick than the Sienna (never got around to deciding) but 20" factory Camaro wheels look pretty much just right!!!!

Guess you're a little late.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0.../2014-honda-odyssey/

quote:

Originally posted by SigJacket:
Guess you're a little late.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0.../2014-honda-odyssey/

Awesome. Reminds me of the Chevy panel van hot rods with crate engines stuffed inside. Fantastic sleepers.

quote:

Originally posted by caneau:

quote:

Originally posted by SigJacket:
Guess you're a little late.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0.../2014-honda-odyssey/

Awesome. Reminds me of the Chevy panel van hot rods with crate engines stuffed inside. Fantastic sleepers.

The Odyssey is a good car. The chassis underpins the Pilot and MDX and that 3.6 is a strong little motor. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I saw a grandma drive off with a 2 yr old in the front seat of her car, with no car seat or anything last weekend at Costco. I'm sure she would have a different perspective than your interest in child safety and adhering to state seatbelt laws. We are 4 months away from this being a problem from us. The dictated family plan is figuring out what combination of a car seat, booster seat, and bucket will fit three wide across the backseat of an Outback. I have nightmares of the expected bickering and pranks administered to the newborn. I understand your point of nobody wanting to be the tail gunner either though.

Get a Pilot. You'll need it when the kids start hockey.

quote:

Originally posted by Scuba Steve Sig:
I saw a grandma drive off with a 2 yr old in the front seat of her car, with no car seat or anything last weekend at Costco. I'm sure she would have a different perspective than your interest in child safety and adhering to state seatbelt laws. We are 4 months away from this being a problem from us. The dictated family plan is figuring out what combination of a car seat, booster seat, and bucket will fit three wide across the backseat of an Outback. I have nightmares of the expected bickering and pranks administered to the newborn. I understand your point of nobody wanting to be the tail gunner either though.

Go to www.thecarseatlady.com

Has the best car seat combo breakdowns for most vehicles. Wish I had found it before I bought the Toyota.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Get a Pilot. You'll need it when the kids start hockey.

An even larger gigantic pain in the tail with car seats in the 3rd row.

Too small. No room for anything behind the 3rd row when it is up just like our Highlander.

quote:

Originally posted by caneau:

quote:

Originally posted by caneau:

quote:

Originally posted by SigJacket:
Guess you're a little late.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0.../2014-honda-odyssey/

Awesome. Reminds me of the Chevy panel van hot rods with crate engines stuffed inside. Fantastic sleepers.

The Odyssey is a good car. The chassis underpins the Pilot and MDX and that 3.6 is a strong little motor. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

The timing belt replacement at 100k miles is a pain. Mines been reasonable, though the occasional clunk means I need to look at the motor mounts.

Just be done with it and get a 'Burb!

Teach your oldest to get him or her self in and out of the car seat/booster seat. My youngest could do it easy at 3 from watching the two oldest. The other two could do it at around 4.

We have an Odyssey and before that a Nissan Armada. With the Armada we had a new born, 2yo and 4yo. I took the middle seat out of the second row to gain easy access to the third row. On trips, the two oldest would sit in the third row, the youngest in the second row, and my wife in the other second row seat. The infant seat had a base that stayed attached to the LATCH attach points. By the time we got the Odyssey, the kids were 3, 5, and 7. The two oldest sat in boosters in the third row and the youngest sat in a car seat in the second row. We didn't take out the middle because the two oldest could move the second row seat fine, get in, and buckle themselves up.

We never had a booster seat that used the LATCH set up. Car seats and rear facing infant seats did.

For whatever reason, even with the guidance lines I can never seem to back our Odyssey in straight. I hit it perfectly every time in my F350 long bed crew cab. Go figure.

Interesting. My brother with 3 kids got rid of their Honda for a Toyota. This was about 3 years ago so I am sure things have changed. They had problems with the Honda that Honda could never fix properly.

Dumped it for the Toyota and have been happy since.

Their issues were not as much seating as it was a problem with a new vehicle that Handa couldn't fix. I think one kid sits in the back and two in the middle.

Every vehicle has its plus and minuses. Some more than others. Both seem to make good stuff. If one fits your needs better that it's an easy choice.

Now what rims/tires are you putting on the new one.

I see you're getting plenty of advice you didn't ask for. Thanks for the explanation about the car seats. Wife thinks the Odyssey (ours is '06) is just the perfect vehicle, but we don't have grandkids (yet) to carry around.

Booster seats don't use the latch system. How close to booster age/weight are the 2 you already have?

I'm a cheap bastard. I'd likely find a way, rather than loose a few thousand dollars.

Then again, I had a 9 year old and a 6 year old in a VW beetle up until January.

As I said...I'm a cheap bastard...kept that one until it had 312,000 miles (diesel).

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:


Now what rims/tires are you putting on the new one.

Helps if you read the entire post
I knew the question would be coming (though you beat Orguss to it) that is why I posted the pic in my original post. The 20" wheels off a Camaro bolt right up and actually look pretty slick.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Booster seats don't use the latch system. How close to booster age/weight are the 2 you already have?

I'm a cheap bastard. I'd likely find a way, rather than loose a few thousand dollars.

Then again, I had a 9 year old and a 6 year old in a VW beetle up until January.


As I said...I'm a cheap bastard...kept that one until it had 312,000 miles (diesel).

Actually a lot of the boosters are now utilizing the latch system. Especially the convertible style that start life as rear facing adapt to front facing then too a booster.
The oldest is a few months out from a booster the middle boy about 2 years, and then 4 years or so fresh kid (based upon today's booster laws that will likely increase again by the time the newest gets close).

I am as cheap as they come too though their are some things I have no issue paying for the 1st being the utmost safety of my kiddos (hence the reason we will be using boosters that utilize the latch system though there are plenty out there that don't) and convenience.

I won't be out a whole lot. The van I got for quite the deal and is loaded with options a few we can easily do without. Also here if you trade a vehicle in that amount is subtracted from the sale price and taxes are only due on the amount the new car is more. So you are looking at sales tax on only of a couple hundred bucks instead of a couple thousand.

I am eyeballing a 2012 Honda we have a 2014 Toyota the Honda will likely be cheaper than what I get for the van. Then I'll add Carmax's bumper to bumper warranty to 150,000 miles and we should be a pretty close wash.

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
Just be done with it and get a 'Burb!

Don't have the coin for that and they have no latch anchors in the 3rd row

We had an Odyssey for a few years, it was handy but too much like driving a yacht. My wife decided to look at a Pilot and that won her over. We have 2 boys and they are much older than the OP's (now 14 and 16) but we've had the Pilots for 5 years and would never go back to a mini-van

Already have an SUV if I were to do another it would be a Land Cruiser but for now the van is best.
Just wish I would have paid attention to the latch anchors better.

Good choice. Just don't get one in black.
They look just like a Hearse from the rear quarter.

Bob

Once upon a time I was hauling 3 4 year olds and an 8 year old with a cello. We got a Quest at that time, but it has been a while. The Honda is a good choice.