Car that fits wife + 3 kids + helper?

[Atrecord]

46 minutes ago, Greengas said:

Thanks for all the recommendations, it has been extremely helpful. Seems like it's a compromise between style and practicality. I have looked at some of the 7 seater SUVs but as some of you mentioned, they look better but 3rd row access is not the easiest. Admittedly little knowledge about the MPVs like the Odyssey, Estima, Noah etc so will be doing more research on those.

 

Yeah she drives but not enough to justify a second car I feel. Her office is 2 buildings away from mine so we don't need 2 cars for daily commute (mostly wfh these days anyway), which means it will purely be for the occasion when we need to load up.

My 2 kids are very similar in age to yours. Looking after a 3yo and twins must be quite exhausting!

Ultimately you should consider:

1. your budget
2. your priority: (a) style? (b) practicality? (c) FC? (d) performance? (e) reliability? (f) comfort? (g) safety? (h) new/used? (i) got stomach for PI?
3. how many years you expect to drive the car.

#3 might be the toughest to decide on, as it involves factors like whether you expect to have more kids, you expect to keep maid for how long, how fast and tall/big you expect your kids to grow to, govt policy, etc. etc.

I only have 2 kids, but i stayed near my parents in the earlier years, so we got a compact MPV when the 2nd kid was born, as it was getting v cramped for our G9 corolla to have 2 child seats on the back row, with wife siting there too (to look after them). Also allowed us to fetch my parents together for the (rare) occasions we all go out together.

The Wish we got, was a good and popular (but in retrospect, not v safe) choice for families with young kids at that time. We eventually kept it for 13 years, which was prob a bit long too, as my kids are on the tall side...

Without knowing your precise thoughts on (all of) the above, it's not easy to give suggestions/opinions, but maybe Honda Stepwagon is an option.

Basically it has sliding doors for easy access, plus a 'fridge door' at the tailgate that gives added convenience to go into 3rd row from the tailgate; also has some boot space; isn't sluggish and FC not a killer. It's definitely within your budget if based on $190k - in fact, there's a bit to spare, so if your needs change a few years later, it's not too painful to change car too.

The cons for this though, is that it's tall, so some old carparks cannot go in, and it's PI. Also, am not sure if PIs are still bringing in variants with 6 airbags.

Good luck with finding your ideal MPV.

[benoit16]

Kia carnival gets my vote. I was hunting around for MPV options earlier this year and went with this.

however this was also because I managed to book it at a good price and not the current prices with COE surging.

[Atonchia]

11 hours ago, Mkl22 said:

Why is the majority recommending an impractical suv 7 seater? Any any suv will never be more practical than a MPV to carry 7 or 8. No snow no mountain here, no need SUV. Unless one needs it to fjord the numerous “ponds” we have on the roads when it rains. 

TS said don't like boxy type MPV. 

So probably only 7 seater SUV and very limited number of MPV can fit his, expectation. 

As a driver.... I think most will prefer SUV than MPV in drivabilty and sufficient power 

M previous 7 seater 2 Child seat in middle row. 

Helper in back row because petite size. Wife usually front or middle row. 

Unless need to fetch either both parents or both PIL then wife will take back seat. 

 

[Atonchia]

On 10/28/2021 at 3:43 PM, Greengas said:

Hi everyone, was wondering if there are any of you here with 3 kids and a helper and if so, what's the car that you drive? Currently have 2 kids and 1 more on the way.

Do you guys find yourselves having to ferry your partner+3 kids+helper very often? I am driving a 5 seater and wondering if it is really necessary to change to a 7 seater...

Thanks!

Other than my earlier reply on those SUV.... 

I wanted to recommend getting pre-owned cars.... 

But then looking at heir depreciation changes with the recent new cars COE.... 

I decided not to recommend you take pre-owned cars.... 

 

Benefit is less upfront. 

Lesser rate of depreciation than new car owners. 

 

Given your budget either get a lower specs new car

Or get a higher specs pre-owned car... 

If 90% you are driving alone.... 

Then I suggest choose a car you like to drive.... 

Kids at 2nd row 

Get a helper not taller than 1.6m will be able to fit into the last row (2 seats) 

Also depend on you age gap of your kids before you decide on the age of the pre-owned car you want. 

If eldest one going to be above 1. 35m or 30kg soon then can free up a booster seat of child seat..... etc. 

Newborn preferably at left side, wife at middle to see 2nd on the right too. 

Provided elder one can be on booster seat in front. 

Or all 3 kids in middle row, wife in front, helper behind with the infant at left middle row. All milk with helper at back row. 

Edited October 29, 2021 by Atonchia

[Tedlhw]

@Greengas 

Same situation and same feeling as you about bread van. Used to own a Q7, but 2-3-2 config just doesn't work. And the boot damn small after that.

 

So eventually my solution:    

Toyota Previa bought last year during pandemic (sight unseen-buy online), from Borneo.

Intended for wife,  but wife found it too big for her use. So bought her a used Mazda 3 instead as daily runabout.  

Wasn't about to be left with the bread van as my daily, so traded in my boxster, for the big grille 7 series for my own daily use early this year.

"Van" only used during weekends when whole family go out, while weekdays, we use the other cars.   

[Apple-Tree]

12 hours ago, Wormee said:

Bro "Passenger Capacity" means driver not included. So a 5 seater log card will indicate a "Passenger Capacity" of 4. 

Insurance states "Seating Capacity" so will be "Passenger Capacity" + driver lor. 

Simi ...... I tot this is what I said lor ....... n - 1 lor.....

[Wormee]

10 hours ago, Apple-Tree said:

Simi ...... I tot this is what I said lor ....... n - 1 lor.....

Okay, because you put question marks on your few sentences and nobody answers. I thought you are clarifying so I shared my view lor. 

Cheers. 

[Chongster]

I like my vw sharan for its 2-3-2 config, full 7 adults seater, and let me pretend I driving a GTI when I am alone.  

[badlammy]

There's a used Alhambra too...depre quite reasonable considering current mkt.

[Apple-Tree]

3 hours ago, Wormee said:

Okay, because you put question marks on your few sentences and nobody answers. I thought you are clarifying so I shared my view lor. 

Cheers. 

NP Wormee.  I also have my doubt as mine is a 7 seater car ......... Maybe someone with a Saloon car said 5 seater and 5 passenger ba ....

Anw, I usually ferry 7 or 8 or 9 passenger frequently de ....... so far never have accident lor ..... Usually I drive very carefully when ferrying so many pple.

And either my passengers are hobbit sized human or my Kia Carens is pretty OK.

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by Apple-Tree

[Ct3833]

1 hour ago, Chongster said:

I like my vw sharan for its 2-3-2 config, full 7 adults seater, and let me pretend I driving a GTI when I am alone.  

Other than the outdated instrument panel, it has the best power to CC ratio among the full size MPVs.

[Chongster]

45 minutes ago, Ct3833 said:

Other than the outdated instrument panel, it has the best power to CC ratio among the full size MPVs.

yeah man, damn outdated design but test drive at your own risk 😀  

 

[Ct3833]

17 hours ago, Atonchia said:

Other than my earlier reply on those SUV.... 

I wanted to recommend getting pre-owned cars.... 

But then looking at heir depreciation changes with the recent new cars COE.... 

I decided not to recommend you take pre-owned cars.... 

 

Benefit is less upfront. 

Lesser rate of depreciation than new car owners. 

 

Given your budget either get a lower specs new car

Or get a higher specs pre-owned car... 

If 90% you are driving alone.... 

Then I suggest choose a car you like to drive.... 

Kids at 2nd row 

Get a helper not taller than 1.6m will be able to fit into the last row (2 seats) 

Also depend on you age gap of your kids before you decide on the age of the pre-owned car you want. 

If eldest one going to be above 1. 35m or 30kg soon then can free up a booster seat of child seat..... etc. 

Newborn preferably at left side, wife at middle to see 2nd on the right too. 

Provided elder one can be on booster seat in front. 

Or all 3 kids in middle row, wife in front, helper behind with the infant at left middle row. All milk with helper at back row. 

it still makes sense to get a pre owned, assusming one get a 4 to 5 years pre owned, by then COE should be coming down when the car is due for scrap. on the contrary ,  if one will to get a new one, he will be stuck with a high depre over the next 10 years and he may have to repeat the same high COE cycle if he could not break out of that cycle. 

[Greengas]

17 hours ago, Tedlhw said:

@Greengas 

Same situation and same feeling as you about bread van. Used to own a Q7, but 2-3-2 config just doesn't work. And the boot damn small after that.

 

So eventually my solution:    

Toyota Previa bought last year during pandemic (sight unseen-buy online), from Borneo.

Intended for wife,  but wife found it too big for her use. So bought her a used Mazda 3 instead as daily runabout.  

Wasn't about to be left with the bread van as my daily, so traded in my boxster, for the big grille 7 series for my own daily use early this year.

"Van" only used during weekends when whole family go out, while weekdays, we use the other cars.   

Wow, so you got a Previa, Mazda 3 and a 7 series as a solution 😯

[Tedlhw]

@Greengas 

 

32 minutes ago, Greengas said:

Wow, so you got a Previa, Mazda 3 and a 7 series as a solution 😯

Yes, but  to put things in perspective, I used to have a Q7 and a Boxster.  Q7 daily driver, and the boxster my weekend fun drive, and sometimes my wife use cos its small. She used less cos last time whole day in office pre Covid. Now she decided to resign and stop work, be soccer mum, so use car much more.  

The Q7 got traded in for the Previa and Mazda, then the Boxster got traded for the new 7. Had to top up, especially for the new 7, but heck, life is pretty boring these days. pamper a bit. The "van" is really a boring drive and despite the new look, the car is (very) old school and low tech.

But 232 config with 3 child seats+ maid? (my exact scenario now) Then i can tell you now, no need to look further. Nothing else works (at least for me), MUST be 223 config when go out as a family. I hear some CX-8 can now buy with 223 config. Might work if your kids are above 5yo, ie no need carry them down from car. But if still need to carry them down from car (i have twins gals, now 3yo) sliding door still better.

Using my Q7 dunno get how many dirty looks(got ppl honk even when i carrying a small child) cos holding up the queue at the zoo, or door touch other ppl car cos carrying baby out. I dont understand why the conti brands dont do 223 config and sliding doors in 1 package. It really is just a config issue. I wish they made a Q7-ish type car with 223 config and sliding doors.    

[Fitvip]

On 10/29/2021 at 10:55 AM, Darevil said:

Honda Edix is the best !

 

3 x 3 seating arrangement. 

 

and very geh yan car. 😁

You mean 3 x 2?

[GreenMonsterWhiteHurricane]

@Greengas Freed is good! 7 seater. Save petrol. Middle seats got aisle to go to the back seats. 

[GreenMonsterWhiteHurricane]

@Fitvip. my cousin drive edix and i see her car always give engine problems..