Eight Passengers?

My parents are looking for a used people-mobile to haul the kids and grandkids around town and on vacations - it's silly to keep taking two vehicles every time we we go somewhere as a family. The catch is that they need the vehicle to seat eight, including two car seats.

I thought a minivan with two bench seats would be easy to find, but finding one has been extremely frustrating. Ideally, they are looking for something with good build quality, creature comforts, versatility and decent gas mileage for under $10 Grand. I was thinking an older Odyssey or Sienna - which supposedly had 8 seat options - but can only find them locally with 7 seats. Is it possible to retrofit a bench in place of the middle captains chairs? What other 8 seat people carriers should I be shopping for?

8 seats and decent mileage? My brain immediately jumps to a used full-size diesel van, especially when 2 of those seats are car seats.

ReverendDexter wrote: 8 seats and decent mileage? My brain immediately jumps to a used full-size diesel van, especially when 2 of those seats are car seats.

Yeah, 2 car seats in a minivan bench is not going to let someone sit between them.

Yeah... full size van... for one thing, an 8 seat minivan won't leave much room for luggage... unless you plan to buy a lot of weather-proof luggage to tie on to the roof rack.

I'll go ahead and do it-

4 miatas?

9 passengers and good mileage in the same vehicle?

Please show me if you find one.

Duke wrote:

ReverendDexter wrote: 8 seats and decent mileage? My brain immediately jumps to a used full-size diesel van, especially when 2 of those seats are car seats.

Yeah, 2 car seats in a minivan bench is not going to let someone sit between them.

Although they can be rare to find in a passenger configuration (look at churches and airport shuttles). Most are cargo versions.

-Rob

914Driver wrote: 9 passengers and good mileage in the same vehicle? Please show me if you find one.

Not far off the mark. How about a late-model Caprice or Roadmaster wagon?

Parts availability and performance parts abound for late model Caprice and Roadmasters, but these are just cooler.

Caprice or Roadmaster won't comfortably seat 6 loose and 2 baby-seated passengers. Just not enough room inside.

Conversion van. After just a few years, they seem to be valued as basic cargo vans. Get an extended one and you will be happy. Also keep in mind that conversion vans usually start out life with just a throwaway driver's seat. They are basic cargo vans with nothing in them.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/2278379631.html

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/2277984724.html

Heck, this one looks like exactly what you're looking for: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/2277518715.html

I keep looking at vans because I want a nice conversion van. I've done a little research on them, and I keep coming back to buying a cargo van and doing most of the work myself, only using beer labor from friends.

2000-2003 2WD 7.3 PowerStroke Excursion.

Used diesel ambulance.

How often does the entire family get together? Enough to justify the costs?

Dan

Mental was selling a nice van for $800, anyone if he still has it?

Dan

914Driver wrote: How often does the entire family get together? Enough to justify the costs?

All eight of us live within a 15 minute radius. We go out as a group about once a week and take road trips a couple of times a year. This will be a third vehicle used exclusively for that purpose. Their max budget is $10K, but would prefer to keep it under $7K - the idea is that the saving will eventually come from convenience and from reducing money spent on rental vehicles and airfare. I initially proposed a small RV, but that's not so practical for in-town trips.

I think a van based RV would work for in town stuff, and be awesome while doing it.

Diesel Suburban? If you can find one out here, they tend to be nicely below the budget cap.

Thinking outside of the box (and possibly outside the law), But how about a 7 passenger minivan like a Sienna, and mount the smallest car seat facing backwards on the floor between the middle captains seat's foot well. Put the appropriate mother or grandmother (or both) facing said smallest child and you have a win! You could probably anchor it very securely using stock mounting points for the existing seats.

Used church van sounds badass. I'm guessing they'd have low, mostly hwy miles with little abuse, and any money they make off the sale of the 'old' van when purchasing a new one is just free money, as the new van's already been paid for by the congregation. Just thinkin' out loud.

Early 2000s Chevy Express?

We have a 2002 Express 1500 with an extra bench added. Seats 11 (we have a big family) and its not too bad. MPG is mid teens and the 5.7L has more then enough grunt. The only down side is the second row is a bit cramped for 6 footers.

Great van, and is pretty much bullet proof

This just in: "Church" is my new favorite search on CL.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/2278185914.html

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/2271599260.html

"Hi there. I'm brother Mike from the Church of the Immaculate Hongnorritization:"

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/2269691673.html

Son of a berkeleying b*tch. This is 10 minutes down the road from me:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/2246420305.html

poopie's CL find wrote: I bought 10 and have 2 left...

Many ARC's, or what ever they are called, use passenger vans, some even with raised roofs. Our local sells their old ones all the time. Lots of contractors are using them.

What's decent gas mileage?

Even with a diesel, you will likely squeeze no more than 18 mpg out of a vehicle that large.

You can buy 2 decent minivans for that price, both of which will get 24-26 mpg. I'm not seeing any cost savings.

I have a big family. Life got a lot easier when we started taking 2 vehicles.