Guys,

I have been looking for a van/vehicle for the growing family for months. We have two daughters now and are expecting triplets. I almost bought a Ford Econoline 350 with three three-bench seats in the back, one driver and passenger seat in the front totaling 11 seats. I drove our two daughters in the van for a few times. I had some dispute with the dealer and the deal failed through. A few days ago, when I was again looking for a van/vehicle on line and talking to my friend, it became clear to me that I cannot buy such a van with bench seats since it was so difficult to get our daughters in and out of the seats the few times I had them in the car. I cannot imagine putting three more car seats on those bench seats and getting three infants in and out of the van. I realized that I must buy a van with captain seats with the middle open so that we can easily get in and out of the seats. I must have at least 11 seats (five kids, me and my wife, my mother, my wife's adopted sister, her own sister and a nanny). It is really difficult to find a van with such configurations. I found one in southern california with 11 captain seats, but it is a 2001 Chevrolet, looks a bit worn, and not much space in the back for triplet strollers and our dual stroller. I have talked to the dealer and tentatively agreed on the price pending an inspection since I cannot be there to test drive. It is about $10K.

I have also found some van conversion vehicles, but again so difficult to find one with at least 11 seats. The one I found is in the east coast and it is asking for about $26,000, way above our budget.

Any ideas and suggestions? or do you know anyone wanting to part such a van? Thanks.

Apologies if my postings are not so sexy!
Arthur

Perhaps two vehicles? A mini-van and a support sedan?

Good luck!

Vaughn and the ABC Boys
Alex, Bryce, & Calder
3-31-97 @ 28.5 weeks
http://s515.photobucket.com/albums/t356/vaughn3abc/

Vanghn,

I have decided to purchase the Chevrolet 2001 Van with 11 captain seats. The van dealer took it over to the Chevrolet dealer for an inspection yesterday. I will buy it if there are no major problems.

The captain seats allow us to get in and out of the van easily with the babies while it is impossible with vans with bench seats.

Hopefully there are no major problems with the van. It is so difficult to find vans with captain seats.

Arthur

Our three boys are between 5'2" and 5'4" and about 100 pounds each...and growing! So I can see our minivan being too "mini" in the near future!

Hopefully the van you are having checked out, checks out great!

Vaughn

The inspection found out some minor repairs and the dealer agreed to take care of them. So I have made a downpayment and am buying it now and will fly down to LA next week to pick it up.

It is quite big, enough for 11 people. I think it can last for quite some years to come. I like to travel, so we may put on a lot of miles on it (right now it has about 80K miles). I have driven from VA where I used to live to Toronta, Florida and from San Francisco to San Diego many times, and to Vancouver BC. I think our mode of transportation for traveling in the future will most likely be the van, not flying.

Arthur

We just put 10,400 miles on the mini van on a 7-week camping cross-country adventure. What a way to go!

Vaughn

Vaughn, traveling 10,400 miles is the same as 16,700 kilometers. By driving that far from here at Cannes in the south of France, we could drive north and visit every country in Europe, heading all the way up near the northern tip of Sweden then hanging a right into Finland and crossing it into Russia.... all the way down through Moscow and down into Turkey (avoiding the nearby borders of Iran and Iraq, then back in a west/northwest direction through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and the northern part of Italy before returning to the south of France...... and after all of this, we wouldn't even be close to the mileage you put on during your trip across the states!

Rick

BBG - 2 years and counting