US 8 seaters, Yukon, Odyssey, Sienna but what vans Vito etc?

[Hugh Jarse]

Hello, any help appreciated. Emigrating to the US and arriving June 13th. Six kids, all quite small currently but Ive been informed by other parents they get big quickly (too long ago to remember personally). Can you get Vans with seats? Diesels? Really need a sliding door so Ford Flex or Escalade implausible. Exporting my Elise and classic merc as runabouts so probably need a van as the family barge. Currently own a Chrysler grand voyager which works well, but sixth child due date is today which means it no longer fits us all. Budget is 10K>20K US$. Need to have it bought before landing preferably. Is craigslist best? Currently looking on Autotrader which seems OK but Merc Vito not listed. T6? Yukon interior shown for interest, but looks a battle to get past the seats to buckle child seats. Condoms and TV have now been purchased before anyone asks.

[Hugh Jarse]

this is a vito LWB i believe

[Hugh Jarse]

Hi Geeman, thanks for youyr reply, whereabouts will be upstate NY, took 18 months t get the visa and the job offer I had was long gone lol. So now im searching. what about american minibusses, happy with GM etc, cheers Ben

[Hugh Jarse]

do you recommend craigslist, autotrader or marketplace to peruse vehicles. Autotrader seems mainly dealers and ive noticed about $4000 mark up if at a dealer - in the UK the delaer needs to offer 3 month warranty - perhaps not the same in the US?
Facebook algorithm has picked these cars for me lol

[Hugh Jarse]

Chevy Chase says yes

[Hugh Jarse]

oh they have different names for everything stateside

[Hugh Jarse]

But im not seeing any diesels, double the fuel economy and twice the engine life (low revs/no spark), pity (although DPF annoying)!

[Hugh Jarse]

Holy ripoff batman, old vans are dear! no Metris in NY on FB Marketplace in a 40 mile radius and just ropey VWs. Budget can go upwards.
Thinking of buying before we land (scam central lol) so just gte a taxi to the car from JFK and hit the beach on long island the next day. (kids are young)





Quite a good thread for any brits thinking of doing a road trip, buy van near JFK and off you go.

[Hugh Jarse]

Cheers Hub.
I think philosophically we need to decide between a van or an 8 seater "minivan".
That question is best worked as, can a minivan work.
This lady has some good videos, its all about reaching in for the car seats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ybAK6gexM
That door not opening at 8:05 is a nono for the sienna.

Scotty Kilmer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8OP8BLXy6k

Now weve got somewhere on US nomenclature (still learning) transit connect XL and Transit are on the radar too.
Attached is the plan for the classics (three are already LHD as I lived in Sweden)

[Hugh Jarse]

Now all of a sudden loads of these appearing on FB marketplace, there were none yesterday.
Mostly petrol however





PH choice

[Hugh Jarse]

risk of getting a van is might not have isofix and top tether on seats from the getgo*

• gonna have to start saying this bks

[Hugh Jarse]

Great replies thanks.
Yes not found any Diesel or "Miled out" which is a great expression, not heard before.
The stuff and cars are being sent separately.

[Hugh Jarse]

Other priorities ATM but still opening FB marketplace to see what pops up. Still teasing me with randoms, despite my last ten searches all saying SIenna/Metris/T6/Odyssey. A quick check of the two sensible suggestion show seven seats, which wont work. The sofaesque Ford van made me laugh so sharing, advert in Spanish. Seven million illegals crossed since Biden opened the border, Ive waited 18 months for my visa, married to an American, lol, my original job offer has long gone and that employer has hit the hard times on recruitment, and things are pretty tight everywhere. As an exmaple, currently Tesla has 5 jobs across the whole of USA, last month, there were hundreds. Gulp!

[Hugh Jarse]

The Moose said:

There are Ford E-series vans and GMC/Chevrolet Savana Passenger vans.
Give some thought as to whether you'll need 4x4 in the winter.

Thanks for the tips will look at GMC/Chevy. Yes Diesels seem like hen's teeth.
Should be the finger lakes region in NY state so some snowy conditions, but who knows ATM, certainly feeling the pressure.
The way the visa works is it was granted Feb 9th and we have to be fully resident by July 18th or it gets very complicated.

[Hugh Jarse]

The logic of a properly reliable vehicle appeals strongly now Im mid fifties, having said that the boot/trunk isnt that large, they really need to do an XL variant with another 15inches tacked on. But back to reality as a first car seems a good choice the Sienna/Odyssey, and maybe a tow hitch to carry bigger loads.

[Hugh Jarse]

Let's rule out Nissan Quests lol

[Hugh Jarse]

Merc Metris ex taxi, reasonable price, no inetrior shots, worlds worst car advert, could be scam etc, . The airstream (bottom row centre) made me laugh, should be renamed "airstream interrupter". Thank you FB algorithm.
The PHer in me wants a Quebec imported CX Fam, but not isofix etc so not gonna happen. Following advice on cooments here, seems my budget needs to go up to $20k. Ive always bought second hand because why buy new when 2nd hand is so cheap, but there is a residuals threshold when you start asking, why buy second hand?

[Hugh Jarse]

So lets see what FB has for us today, hmmmmm, lots of these seven seater Merc Metri, well within budget $8>14k, If I can find an eight seat then maybe that can work. Few other outliers that I couldnt resists.
Like these old civics, but the STD variant never made it to the UK. Not Gonorv'ere.









Only for prats apparently, as a 7litre petrol bus, Id have to agree.


Just lovely, and with bnch seats should fit everyone, wife will moan about safety though.

[Hugh Jarse]

After discussion with the Mrs we are going van, not minivan, because you can reverse the middle row to create a valley, pretty much as we have done in the Grand Voyager, and with the aid of a multimac made it an 8 seater now baby 6 has arrived on Wednesday. Valley seating means you dont have to fight to get in the back row and easier for leaning in and buckling child seats, plus they can throw things at each other. Having seen how halfarsed the other vans seem to approach adding seats, we will set the Metirs as the benchmark, seem plenty availble in NYC as ex taxi, just the worry of being miled out and "why are they selling them" etc. The black colour is horrendous but gives opportunity for an A-team stripe. Will keep an open mind on GMC/Transit etc, but has to match the isofix seen on the Merc Metris Passenger. As we dont want to reinvent the world, a 2.0 LP turbo gasoline will have to suffice! Preferably the XL length one shown in the plan, because stuff. Thanks for all replies and thoughts.

[Hugh Jarse]

Our new seating arrangment just established in the CGV RT: photos coming a bit later