DC Taco or suck it up and get the Sienna

After totaling my Tacoma back in 2009. The decision was alreay made that since the truck was paid off all the insurance money was going to pay off the Civic. Fast forward to 2013, we have an 18mo kid and planning on 1 or 2 (twins) more. Does anyone here have any real life experience with 2 car seats in a DC Tacoma? Take into consideration I had to have the seat all the way back in the extended cab, but didn't have to worry about kids at the time. I see the mileage of the 2.7L DC and the Sienna. There's not the much difference and the Tacoma is cheaper and I'll be able to almost pay for it cash unlike the van... I don't know what to do at this point...

 

The only time I ever wish I had my Sienna back is when I need to haul more than 4 people at a time. Gas mileage is almost the same. The Sienna was naturally smoother on the road but I still prefer the way the Tacoma rides, even on long(700-800 mile) trips. Sitting higher is also nice. I would never go back to the Sienna. The Tacoma is too useful and fun to drive. I will just rent a van when all of the relatives come into town. Two baby seats has never been a problem for me in the Tacoma. Just a pain if you want to get an adult to sit in between the baby seats in the back.

 

I noticed the insurance is cheaper than the van as well. Also there's the unfortunate event of knowing what it feels like to crash one. I didn't feel a thing and no aches and pains the next morning. My best friend also wrapped his '05 4Runner around a tree and when fire/rescue showed up he was standing next to it waiting on them.

 

Get a 4 Runner, with small kids your wife will love you for it, I have a '10 4runner with a 3 & 4 yr old , plenty off room, looks like a Tacoma,has plenty of storage, you will need that ,and it sits higher off ground so when you pick up and put your kids inside you won't blow out your back, a van you have to crawl in and out to get them in . And you will look cooler in the 4Runner.

 

I have one kid and keep the car seat on the passenger side. I too like the seat far back and wouldn't be able to do it if I had another kid behind me. At least not until they're front facing.

Also if you're having twins you'll def want the Sienna or something with a third row. It'd be a tight squeeze with three car seats in the back of a DC.

 

We have both...an 06 Sienna and a 2013 DCSB Tacoma.

For infants, I vote for the Sienna. It will be easier to change diapers on the second row floor or rear. Also, setting up the infant seats in the Tacoma isn't as easy as the Sienna. The 3rd belt on the top of the infant seat...If the infant is facing rearward, I think there is a latch near the base of the front of the Sienna seat where there isn't one on the Tacoma (I'll have to verify this). Also when facing forward, it's difficult to latch that 3rd belt behind the Tacoma seat.

Also, you carry a lot of kid stuff, such as strollers, baby bags for clothes, maybe a cooler for drinks and food. Just easier to throw it all in the back of the Sienna. The Sienna sliding side doors make life easy especially when setting the kids up in their seats. You can also easily carry more people...with kids, grandparents come more often.

So my kids are no longer infants...now 4 and 7 and potty trained. They can both be easily set up in the booster seat and kid seat in the Tacoma.

In other words...you must have both a Sienna and a Tacoma

 

" In other words...you must have both a Sienna and a Tacoma "

That is what we did: The wife had the Sienna and I had the truck.

Do both.

 

Both

I love my Sienna SE, but I love my Taco more!

 

4Runner.

Go drive a Trail. Trust me.

 

Also you won't have to look so domesticated with a 4Runner.

 

4Runner

 

Thinking 4runner if its in the budget, or Tacoma.... Had a van once, hated it the whole time....

 

Hmmm? My situation exactly , my boy is 16 months old, my wife and I are planing on having another soon.(trying now actually ) she drives a '07 corolla s. I don't want to get rid of the '08 tacoma I won't but just concerned about space in the back with 2 baby seats. Legally I could have my 16 month old front facing and save some room but i want to wait till he is 2 before I do that.
Both rigs are paid off. Damn what do I do? Don't need another care payment not with daycare and crap.

Thanks,

Brett

 

Sienna seats 8 fairly comfortably. 6 people really comfortably. Plus room for stuff. If you ever use the 3rd row in any SUV (except excursion) then you lose pretty much all your storage space. If you cant have both the sienna and Tacoma, 4runner is a good choice.

 

How exactly are you planning for twins? I suppose you have twins in the family so are preparing yourselves.

We also have both a DCSB and Sienna. IMO, 3 kids is a game changer car-wise. Sienna is just so convenient for both everyday errands and long distance trips, not too mention you can put more distance between yourself and all the "are we there yet?s" by putting the louder ones in the third row. When we were expecting kid #3, we checked out the 3 row 4runner and i just couldn't imagine cramming a kid in that third row for long trips. Personally, i think a crewcab Tundra would be better if you're married to the idea of a truck.

 

i think the se siennas look really good. and i HATE vans lol. the 4runner are pricer now than they ever been. trails go for close to 40k and thats not even the top of the line 4runner either. the tacos are a bit more budget friendly, although 30k is still a lot of money, atleast to me it is lol. if you get a dc taco and are trying for a few more kids, youre going to be hard pressed to find room in a double cab. a van is really your best choice. the 4runners do have 3rd row seating but the rear seats are a joke and take up all your trunk space. trust me, i have a 4runner with 3rd row.

 

My wife has a Honda Odyssey and we 3 kids, a five your old and twins that are 3. Every time we go somewhere we take my wife's van. Three car seats in a DC taco is a pain in the ass, plus they can't fight each other because they are all separated.

 

Back when I had kids I bought a minivan. While not the "coolest" thing on the road there is nothing out there that does what it was designed to do better than a minivan. Vacation trips were great. With the big sliding doors it was a cinch to get the kids in the car seats. It wasn't to high that my wife could strap kids in and reach around to get stuff. I loved the walkway between the front and back seats so that if needed we could reach back or even walk back while driving. (Yes, not that safe for a brief moment).

I would go with the Sienna or even better the Odyssey. Actually I kind of like the look of the Odyssey. My neighbor is a muscle car nut for the ultimate "cool" factor. He even bought another Odyssey, yet his kids are now all out of the nest.

 

Van = castration
If you need the room go with the 4Runner, its a taco in a box.

 

Our sienna is great lol...and fast too