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   JD  
   
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     Topic: What sort of car for a big family     Posted: 04 April 2011 at 3:23pm | 
 
 
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   We are needing to upgrade our car since we are having number 4.  We also have my step daughter come and stay with us at times so that would bring the total to 7.  It is only about once a week that we all travel in the same car together, but I think it would be nice to have the option.  At the moment we have a station wagon and a little hatch back which dh drives to work.
 
 What sort of 7 seater do you have?
 Any issues with them?
 Can you recommend one?
 
 The kids ages will be 14, 11(step daughter), 3, 1 and then baby.  So we will need something that holds at least 3 car seats and a teenager!
 
 TIA
    
   
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   mrsturtle  
   
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     Posted: 04 April 2011 at 4:49pm | 
 
 
  
   
   
   i have a mazda mpv and i love it    have had 4 car seats plus mum and 23year old sister in it all comfy. but mostly its just me hubby girls and dog. 
     
   
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   Lexidore  
   
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     Posted: 04 April 2011 at 7:20pm | 
 
 
  
   
   
   Hey JD, we have a honda stream, have only had it since December and so far so good, I've managed to fit 3 capsules, a convertible carseat and 3 adults in it at one point too, its a 7 seater but the back two seats fold completely flat so can be used as a station wagon when needed. Its also not completely huge so has the appearance of a big station wagon rather than a people mover   
    
   
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   miss_freckles  
   
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     Posted: 04 April 2011 at 7:42pm | 
 
 
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   I have the Mitsubishi Outlander 7 seater and love it. Very easy to drive and heaps of room inside for everything including the dog.  The two seats at the back also fold away flat for a bigger boot.  Never had an issue with it but we bought it new a couple of months ago. They had good reviews though when we were shopping for a car.
    
   
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   linda  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 9:39am | 
 
 
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   We had a Mitsubishi Grandis which was really good.  Sold it though as it still seemed a bit cramp inside and if we went somewhere for a holiday found it hard to get everything in.  We did have twins and a double buggy which didn't help.  We now have a Kia Carnival and its great, nice and big, eight seater and lots of space...but it loves the petrol!
    
   
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Alex 6 and Harry 8
      
   
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   SquishysMum  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 10:52am | 
 
 
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   We also have a Mazda MPV, totally love it! We have 3 car-seats in it full-time, one seat folded up for access. I love that you can walk down the middle of the car to get to the kids in the back without having to get out of the car (great in the rain, or when one freaks out in a car-wash!). The boot is big enough to fit a double mountain buggy (on its side), and is lower than the level of the door so if your groceries move around they don't fall out when you open the door.
 
 The only problem is that it's a massive gas guzzler, but then ours IS a 2.6l V6 or something. Costs $110 to fill from empty at the moment, and goes through it reasonably quickly.
    
   
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   JD  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 11:52am | 
 
 
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   Thank you so much for your replies...at least I know where to start looking.
 
 Total bummer about the gas guzzlers :-(  They sound great apart from that part
    
   
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   Lexidore  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 1:43pm | 
 
 
  
   
   
   Ours is pretty good on the gas as it is only a 1.7 or 1.8l    has some good grunt though
     
   
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   .Mel  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 4:38pm | 
 
 
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   Another MPV driver here... 
    
   
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     Mr Mellow (16)
 Miss Attitude (8)
 Destructa Kid (3)
  
     
   
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   mrsturtle  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 7:40pm | 
 
 
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   our mazda is the 3l v6 costs $110ish to fill at moment and that lasts me a fortnight although we do live close to town and my parents although do see inlaws once a week and go out to music once a week which is 30k away. 
    
   
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   mrsturtle  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 7:42pm | 
 
 
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   mazda also do the premacy which is similar to the honda stream. 
    
   
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   .Mel  
   
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     Posted: 05 April 2011 at 9:50pm | 
 
 
  
   
   
   
  shannon wrote:
  our mazda is the 3l v6 costs $110ish to fill at moment and that lasts me a fortnight |   
So is ours... we filled it up on the 27th March and still have half a tank.. normally I put $40 a week in and it can last a week easily... if we go down to Auckland we find we have to do a top up occasionally... 
     
   
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     Mr Mellow (16)
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   bext1  
   
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     Posted: 06 April 2011 at 9:16pm | 
 
 
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   We have an Odyssey, have to say, I love it. Never ever wanted a 'people mover' but it drives just as smooth as a car, it's comfy, and I can fit all of us (family of 6) and stepson when he's in NZ easily.
    
   
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   kiwisj  
   
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     Posted: 06 April 2011 at 10:31pm | 
 
 
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   We have just bought a Toyota Wish which I didn't think was available outside the Asian market but saw at least two driving round Welly last month so they must have made it onto the 2nd market there now.  I love it, it's an MPV but like the Honda Stream it looks more like a large station wagon.  We only have 2 kids (for now) but having the extra seats down = GREAT boot space and we can still fit the P&T Vibe in the back (just) with all 7 seats up as well.  We chose Toyota over Honda because it came out slightly cheaper (may not be the case in NZ though) and also the Wish had better fuel economy.
    
   
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     SJ
 Callum - Dec 2008
 Daniel - Oct 2010
     
   
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