Well, if you're not gonna off-road much, the Sequoia has more room and is cheaper than the LC...
Your 100's as family vehicles
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Well, if you're not gonna off-road much, the Sequoia has more room and is cheaper than the LC...
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We just purchased our 2005 for the specific reason of using it as a family vehicle. I drove a Jeep Wrangler which would have been a nightmare with kids. My wife is expecting twins! We also have a Golden Retriever. The back seat seems easy to get into and it's verry easy to fold to get in to the third row. We will probably leave the third row stowed or completely removed with a set of the Weathertech digifit mats for the whole vehicle. We also have a large Yakima skybox. I think with 2 kids, 2 adults, dog, and lots of camping gear, we will still have plenty of room.
Congratz on the twins. I have twin nieces and they are exceptional kids.
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- #23
Well, if you're not gonna off-road much, the Sequoia has more room and is cheaper than the LC...
Well I may be selling my 40 to get this. My Land Cruiser travels a lot for rides since where we are offers no trail riding.I hate trailering my 40 overtime I want to go somewhere.
It's my DD, but we planned on it being the family travel vehicle, so there were three key parameters: 4wd, wide enough for three adults to sit side-by-side, and a V8 to tow a travel trailer. Our kids were not adults, but I knew that they were growing fast, judging by the rate of food passing through our refrigerator! We tried every truck out there for seating to create a shortlist for further review. We know what won...
We actually use at least one 3rd row seat on trips because one teenager can stretch out there and the other two can use the 2nd row. One child is still in a booster seat. Getting in and out of the 3rd row is easy from the side or rear. Even short trips around town can be traumatic for the teenagers and a car seat in the 4Runner, so the LC is the default vehicle. Cars are all so narrow these days! But minivans are definitely easier. We had an AWD Town & Country that was a very comfortable family vehicle that could easliy motor through mud or a foot of snow without hesitation and still tow a pretty large camper.
We actually use at least one 3rd row seat on trips because one teenager can stretch out there and the other two can use the 2nd row. One child is still in a booster seat. Getting in and out of the 3rd row is easy from the side or rear. Even short trips around town can be traumatic for the teenagers and a car seat in the 4Runner, so the LC is the default vehicle. Cars are all so narrow these days! But minivans are definitely easier. We had an AWD Town & Country that was a very comfortable family vehicle that could easliy motor through mud or a foot of snow without hesitation and still tow a pretty large camper.
We purchased our 100 to be the family vehicle. It gets us around town as well as out to the middle of no where… and back!! When we purchased our first LC we looked at every SUV out there that had a third row… and guess what? The LC was it hands down. Around town it handles nicely, on trips it is a joy to drive, and it always feels safe (especially after our first one was totaled with no injuries to the occupants)
We have had two car seats and a booster in the middle row with kids in the 3rd row. We don’t have teenagers yet but so far the preferred method of entering the 3rd row is through the tailgate (especially when the 2nd row is loaded with car seats
), my experience with ages 5-11 is they prefer using the tailgate anyway.
As for cargo… After owning the LC I drove my sisters Suburban, which only had half the miles as our LC, I am very happy to forgo the cargo room to have a more solid truck.
We have had two car seats and a booster in the middle row with kids in the 3rd row. We don’t have teenagers yet but so far the preferred method of entering the 3rd row is through the tailgate (especially when the 2nd row is loaded with car seats
), my experience with ages 5-11 is they prefer using the tailgate anyway.As for cargo… After owning the LC I drove my sisters Suburban, which only had half the miles as our LC, I am very happy to forgo the cargo room to have a more solid truck.
I don't have any kids, but I also agree in the family vehicle thing and will admit the 2nd and 3rd rows of the 100 is a MUCH more comfortable seat than comparable SUVs. Prior to purchase, I had actually never been in a vehicle that had a 2nd or 3rd row that reclines. My parents have an 05 Tahoe and the 2nd row of that thing is pretty much vertical - not very fun for pretty much any distance. Forget about the back seat in that thing, only an Umpa Lumpa would fit and still wouldn't be comfy.
Another thing that I like about the 100 that makes it more family friendly are the windows - all of them have the one-click up and down which is awesome, the 2nd row goes down ALL THE WAY, and then you've got the side windows/vents that open up - not as big of an opening as the slider in an 80, but still pretty good especially when you've got a button to control them.
The interior is also quite nice with all the leather goodness, but not so nice that you'd be afraid to haul kids or a dog in it. I recently rode in a Range Rover and the interior feels too nice in it - it also had some things I thought were stupid, like window controls on the top of the door panel - where they'd be subjected to anything that comes into your window.
Another thing that I like about the 100 that makes it more family friendly are the windows - all of them have the one-click up and down which is awesome, the 2nd row goes down ALL THE WAY, and then you've got the side windows/vents that open up - not as big of an opening as the slider in an 80, but still pretty good especially when you've got a button to control them.
The interior is also quite nice with all the leather goodness, but not so nice that you'd be afraid to haul kids or a dog in it. I recently rode in a Range Rover and the interior feels too nice in it - it also had some things I thought were stupid, like window controls on the top of the door panel - where they'd be subjected to anything that comes into your window.
One of the girls we drive to carpool is SOOOO short and tiny, when she gets out, it's like she's bailing out over Normandy...
Crash pad... much simpler set up and take down
Although we only have our 5 year old left (we lost our Husky and Akita in the last 4 months), our 100 is a dream to drive and my son loves climbing and jumping off it! A different bouldering problem for him depending on which side he decides to enter from. I am building a half cargo box with an ARB ref on top. Keeping one of the 3rd row seats in for visitors and for use as ski school bus for my son and his friends. My wife's DD is the Sienna AWD. Hard to beat the storage, comfort, gas mileage, etc. Her mini has an ARB ref in the rear and a RTT on top and an Oddysey batt. The Hundy excels off road which we do a lot as a family. Love our TOYS!
I got the 100 to build a armor plated kid hauler.ski .camping.canoe on the roof etc.
we put in some hi $$ head rest dvd players and the kids love em.well worth it.
my kids hate my wifes volvo and call it the dumb little car.
we put in some hi $$ head rest dvd players and the kids love em.well worth it.
my kids hate my wifes volvo and call it the dumb little car.
I haul our kids and dog everywhere in the 100. It's great. Preschool field trips with five kids in car seats in the back are hilarious. I can get the whole pack of 4 year-olds singing to Green Day at the top of their lungs.
That said, I'm seriously thinking about a Honda Civic or something for our daily routine. Hauling my two kids doesn't justify the size of the Cruiser for all the 'round town, back and fourth junk we do everyday. I'd like to get a little car for that and save the LC for big trips, camping, off-road, snow... We'll see.
That said, I'm seriously thinking about a Honda Civic or something for our daily routine. Hauling my two kids doesn't justify the size of the Cruiser for all the 'round town, back and fourth junk we do everyday. I'd like to get a little car for that and save the LC for big trips, camping, off-road, snow... We'll see.
I have more than two kids... but even at 2 kids their safety would be enough of a justification for me. As much as I hated to see our first Cruiser go I was glad that my dad was driving it instead of our Honda... Less than a mile from our house a full size Dodge work truck loaded with stuff hit him at ~50mph, the truck went straight into the drivers side front quarter panel and door (both trucks were totaled). My dad was unharmed in the Cruiser where I am positive he would not have fared as well in our Odyssey (no longer owned). Not trying to be dramatic, just something to think about.
guy in my class that I had this morning drives a Civic. Said I scared the crap out of him when I passed him on the very narrow parkway. I wouldnt want to be in a civic when there are vehicles like mine and other full size vehicles rolling around, neither should you.
Concur with all of the above. A bit impractical as a pure family vehicle, but probably the best combo out there for people and cargo hauling, towing, comfort, reliability, build quality, and of course 4x4 capability. We bought the truck new in 2004 and it has been rock solid ever since. The wife daily-drives it on a murderous five mile commute, plus lots of start and stop for grocery shopping and going to/from daycare for the kids.
We have two kids, the 4-year-old in a big Britax seat and the 9-month-old still in the infant seat. We can get them side-by-side in the second row no problem (one in the middle, one on the passenger side). We have a duplicate set of seats (well, seat and base) for the sedan, which is not a small car, and we cannot put them next to each other, not enough room. It is, however, quite a pain hauling the infant seat (with infant) up into the vehicle. Almost unhealthy if you have back or knee problems. My wife has had some close calls getting the baby up there, especially in the rain where everything is slippery. That is a definite minus for a vehicle so high up in the air. Now she basically puts the seat on the bench, gets up into the truck and sits on the edge of the bench, and then lifts up and over to the base and locks it down. It's like a ritual.
We have Wet Okole seat covers on the first and second rows. Best investment ever (especially since I didn't pay full retail). The first kid used to drop her bottle on the seat and it would leak all over the leather. Now we don't care because the covers are waterproof and easy to clean in place.
We do not use the third row much (yet). I have the ARB fridge on slider bolted down in back, and a Milford cargo barrier for safety. Still plenty of room for a stroller, baby bag, and a full load of groceries or other cargo. But the third row is basically unusable right now.
We have two kids, the 4-year-old in a big Britax seat and the 9-month-old still in the infant seat. We can get them side-by-side in the second row no problem (one in the middle, one on the passenger side). We have a duplicate set of seats (well, seat and base) for the sedan, which is not a small car, and we cannot put them next to each other, not enough room. It is, however, quite a pain hauling the infant seat (with infant) up into the vehicle. Almost unhealthy if you have back or knee problems. My wife has had some close calls getting the baby up there, especially in the rain where everything is slippery. That is a definite minus for a vehicle so high up in the air. Now she basically puts the seat on the bench, gets up into the truck and sits on the edge of the bench, and then lifts up and over to the base and locks it down. It's like a ritual.
We have Wet Okole seat covers on the first and second rows. Best investment ever (especially since I didn't pay full retail). The first kid used to drop her bottle on the seat and it would leak all over the leather. Now we don't care because the covers are waterproof and easy to clean in place.
We do not use the third row much (yet). I have the ARB fridge on slider bolted down in back, and a Milford cargo barrier for safety. Still plenty of room for a stroller, baby bag, and a full load of groceries or other cargo. But the third row is basically unusable right now.
That is the answer I needed. I'm really close to buying an 02 model with the child seat tethers in the middle seat and driver side seat. This would be ideal when visiting family is over and I can carry one person in the 3rd row and another in the pass 2nd row seat. I'm sure it will be a little cramped but nice to have as an option.
We have two Britax 5 point car seats in the 2nd row - driver side and middle. With both of those car seats side-by-side we can just barely pop the passenger side seat up to get access to the 3rd row.
That's awesome. That helps my two black lab situation out also. My 120lb lab stays in the cargo area now of my wife's QX-4 and my 75lb lab rides inbetween the two car seats(and hates it).
What he said....
The Hundy (our 2nd) is our family hauler. 3 kids 6 and under.
Pros:
Cons:
Note: LATCH comments are only applicable 2001+ LCs.
Pros:
- All 3 large 5-point Britaxen fit side-by-side in 2nd row
[*]Rear-point LATCH in all 3 2nd row positions. - Don't hesitate putting the wife and 3 kiddos in cross-country trip
- Safe
Cons:
- 3rd row windows don't allow entry/exit of children like the LC80
- 2nd row 40% seat can't go forward with large Britax in the middle-2nd row (don't know what kind Crux has, but his experience seems to be the exception)
- Leather seating
- Only port and middle 2nd row have seat LATCH, starboard seat is missing seat LATCH
Note: LATCH comments are only applicable 2001+ LCs.