This is one of the reasons we got a megacab. Sure its a bit tall but plenty of room for our two growing kids and great on long trips. This truck has to haul kids and haul horses. It does that.
Crew Cab pick-up as a family vehicle?
- Thread starter The Critic
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We have both the Ram and a Grand Caravan. The van is superior if you have to deal with tight parking spots a lot, but otherwise I prefer my truck.
What truck do you have? I think it depends on MPG and parking being important to you. The f 150 I have has 4 real doors and has tons of room if you want to keep what you’ve got. The doors being opened next to other vehicles taking car seats out could be a challenge in some parking lots. You could always add a topper if you needed more space
Don’t make the mistake of buying something else before you actually need it. We buy a lot of things in thinking we “need” it to match our lifestyle, but really, you have a better idea when you’re in it for real. I would have **loved** to have a crew cab truck when my kids were younger, but I couldn’t afford it and if I’d wanted to it would have made no sense. We had small sedans (Subaru legacy wagon and a plymouth ... can’t remember... 2.2 or 2.5 liter 5 speed manual... Sundance?). We put kids in them, and it was easier in the 4 door legacy. (Wagons rule). The minivan became needed when we added dogs. Nothing beats the minivan in the family trip and practicality standpoint. And it’s very easy to argue they carry full sheets of plywood just as easily as a pickup, and rental tools go in and out easily in the low load height, even with a ramp. but if you have a 4door truck and like it, use it. If you don’t, resale is awesome and you can get what you want.
one thing that the minivan excelled at.... was separation. In a truck or sedan, there’s someone right behind your head. In a van, someone might take the third row, someone might take the second.... and if they are fussing, sometimes it helped. And when a parent said, “....don’t make me come back there....” you CAN in a van!
ditto on luggage, road trips and groceries.
OH. The big doors on trucks will be a problem, especially when they are younger. They will be a liability to other parked cars as the kids grow and don’t understand their strength, and even being careful, will fling them open by accident. The large doors on trucks, on top of the vehicle’s width, will be harder for them to manage and you may be faced with the challenge (or near inevitable chance) that your family damages someone else in a parking lot. Don’t let that dissuade you, just don’t be surprised by it.
congrats on the growing family!
-m
one thing that the minivan excelled at.... was separation. In a truck or sedan, there’s someone right behind your head. In a van, someone might take the third row, someone might take the second.... and if they are fussing, sometimes it helped. And when a parent said, “....don’t make me come back there....” you CAN in a van!
ditto on luggage, road trips and groceries.
OH. The big doors on trucks will be a problem, especially when they are younger. They will be a liability to other parked cars as the kids grow and don’t understand their strength, and even being careful, will fling them open by accident. The large doors on trucks, on top of the vehicle’s width, will be harder for them to manage and you may be faced with the challenge (or near inevitable chance) that your family damages someone else in a parking lot. Don’t let that dissuade you, just don’t be surprised by it.
congrats on the growing family!
-m
I think you are fine with a crew cab as far as space is concerned. One of my wife's must haves is rear entertainment/DVD/BluRay. On long road trips, she will sit with my son and dog in the middle row and watch movies. She will not have a vehicle without one. This limits our options, but it has made road trips much smoother.
People must be making it work as it seems we are one of the few houses on the block that doesn't have a pickup.
But seriously, having raised kids in the zenith of the minivan, they are an ideal vehicle for kids through mid elementary school age.
1 - They have doors that open with a push of a button. A sedan or crew cab truck is going to have conventional doors that require you to put something down. A minivan has sliding doors, making it a bit easier to wrestle your kid in and out without worrying much about door clearance and moving around the door, etc.
2 - They are probably the most space efficient vehicles out there. Better than SUVs in this regard. Flat floors and storage areas all over. Minivans are people movers. You will have all manner of care and entertainment gear for your kids and that takes space when you hit the road. That's true for a 10 mile across town or a 10 hour trip upstate.
3 - They ride as well if not better than most cars. If you are taking your kid for an 11pm ride to fall asleep, not only do you want #1 above to easily extract the kid once they fall asleep, you want a ride that won't jolt the kid awake.
That's a few things I can think of off the top of my head. I sure wouldn't buy a NEW minivan as kids destroy vehicles. Goldfish crackers, cheerios and bodily fluids aplenty tend to wear down any vehicle. With minivans being out of favor, you can likely pick up a decent used one for a bargain price.
Sure, you'll be a minivan dad, not so cool compared to those who have SUVs or full sized trucks in their driveway. But, if you have a garage, odds are better that a minivan will fit in the garage with all the gear you will acquire with kids compared to a full sized truck.
That's one thing I notice in the neighborhood, all the full sized trucks are parked outside. They don't fit with all the bicycles and other stuff their tribe owns.
My kids are grown, with the youngest being 22 now. But I do not regret owning a minivan. In fact, for some of the weekend trips away with oilBabe, I'd like to have one again. I think it would have been a better choice compared to the RAV4 we have or other SUVs we've received as rentals.
You can always rent a van, or an SUV and try them out before you choose to replace anything in your fleet.
If it were me choosing alone, I'd probably have a sedan, a minivan and a truck, FWIW.
But seriously, having raised kids in the zenith of the minivan, they are an ideal vehicle for kids through mid elementary school age.
1 - They have doors that open with a push of a button. A sedan or crew cab truck is going to have conventional doors that require you to put something down. A minivan has sliding doors, making it a bit easier to wrestle your kid in and out without worrying much about door clearance and moving around the door, etc.
2 - They are probably the most space efficient vehicles out there. Better than SUVs in this regard. Flat floors and storage areas all over. Minivans are people movers. You will have all manner of care and entertainment gear for your kids and that takes space when you hit the road. That's true for a 10 mile across town or a 10 hour trip upstate.
3 - They ride as well if not better than most cars. If you are taking your kid for an 11pm ride to fall asleep, not only do you want #1 above to easily extract the kid once they fall asleep, you want a ride that won't jolt the kid awake.
That's a few things I can think of off the top of my head. I sure wouldn't buy a NEW minivan as kids destroy vehicles. Goldfish crackers, cheerios and bodily fluids aplenty tend to wear down any vehicle. With minivans being out of favor, you can likely pick up a decent used one for a bargain price.
Sure, you'll be a minivan dad, not so cool compared to those who have SUVs or full sized trucks in their driveway. But, if you have a garage, odds are better that a minivan will fit in the garage with all the gear you will acquire with kids compared to a full sized truck.
That's one thing I notice in the neighborhood, all the full sized trucks are parked outside. They don't fit with all the bicycles and other stuff their tribe owns.
My kids are grown, with the youngest being 22 now. But I do not regret owning a minivan. In fact, for some of the weekend trips away with oilBabe, I'd like to have one again. I think it would have been a better choice compared to the RAV4 we have or other SUVs we've received as rentals.
You can always rent a van, or an SUV and try them out before you choose to replace anything in your fleet.
If it were me choosing alone, I'd probably have a sedan, a minivan and a truck, FWIW.
You can make a truck work, but a minivan or wagon is much easier. Minivan is the best of all.
It’s easier to load the kids. Easier to adjust car seats, or put infants in the lower, more accessible, seats. There are more cargo options out of the weather. the grocery discussion above is a good one.
I’ve got a crew cab. Great vehicle. Great vehicle for grown kids. Nowhere near as good as our minivan, or our wagons, for infants and little kids. Throw a dog or two in there, and the crew cab is terrible while the minivan handles it all with aplomb.
It’s easier to load the kids. Easier to adjust car seats, or put infants in the lower, more accessible, seats. There are more cargo options out of the weather. the grocery discussion above is a good one.
I’ve got a crew cab. Great vehicle. Great vehicle for grown kids. Nowhere near as good as our minivan, or our wagons, for infants and little kids. Throw a dog or two in there, and the crew cab is terrible while the minivan handles it all with aplomb.
I have no love for my wife's dog but it was great when the wife got the beagle. My floors no longer went "crunch" from me stepping on dropped Cheerios and crackers and whatnot. [Unfortunately the dog does not eat Legos.]
My Jetta had leather seats and it was nice for messes. I think my MIL was mad at us for leaving one weekend, and juiced the kids up with Kit Kats and the like. I think we made it 10 miles... thanks mom.
We did buy our cheapo Camry with this in mind. Base model, figure the kids would trash it, and it'd be just worn out all around by the time the kids were old enough not to trash things. Wife wasn't happy with the various door dings over the years but we never had the expectation of it staying "pristine" so all the damage was "acceptable" as it occurred, inside and out.
I have 3 kids from 1-6 years old and the car seats fit 3 wide in the back of my crew cab Raptor. My wife’s Yukon is the main kid hauler but a crew cab truck with tonneau cover works just fine for family duty, especially if you are planning on 1-2 kids. The rear facing infant/toddler seat really cuts down on how far back the front seat can go in most vehicles but crew cab trucks are so big that it’s not an issue. My 1.5 year old son can climb onto the running board and up into his seat by himself if he wants. If you are real short it might be tough to lift a heavy infant up into the seat depending on how tall the truck is. Good luck!
Families survived just fine from the Model T all the way up to the mid 1980s without minivans. Don't believe for a minute that you must get a minivan. When we started our family, I drove a Colorado crew cab and my wife drove a Volvo s70 sedan. We fit 2 adults and 2 children just fine. Around town, shopping, vacation road trips, no problem. My wife then had a Nissan Altima, now a Volvo s60. After 12 years with the Colorado, I moved up to the Sierra crew cab. Our boys are bigger and our toys are bigger, so I moved up to full size truck. (My 14 year old son is 6'2" already!) Still, we have never wished we had a minivan.
Up to four a full-size pickup is plenty of room.
Car seats are getting bigger, but trucks are getting bigger-er.
Car seats are getting bigger, but trucks are getting bigger-er.
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4dr pickups are just not practical, I would go with a C8. Put your order in now so you'll have it by the time you're leaving the hospital.
All kidding aside I use a 4dr truck as a family vehicle and it works for me. Just be prepared to spend more on fuel. My truck gets no where near the advertised MPG zipping around in town, making stops and running errands. And get dark interior, the car seat / family vehicle life will trash the inside quickly unless you're on top of it weekly.
All kidding aside I use a 4dr truck as a family vehicle and it works for me. Just be prepared to spend more on fuel. My truck gets no where near the advertised MPG zipping around in town, making stops and running errands. And get dark interior, the car seat / family vehicle life will trash the inside quickly unless you're on top of it weekly.
I'll add another vote for the Mini Van w/dvd player. Uncool, but unbeatable as a family vehicle.
Another plus is when the kids get older you don't have to worry about them flinging the doors into the Bentley you just parked next to.
Another plus is when the kids get older you don't have to worry about them flinging the doors into the Bentley you just parked next to.
We have a crew cab Ram and a Mazda 5. The 5 is definitely the easiest car to put car seats in. We have taken extended trips with parents and grand daughter in a car seat in the Ram. All the essential kid and parents things went in the bed under cover. No complaints about space ever.
It sounds like you already have the perfect combination of cars as long as you're not going to have a third kid. Sedans work great around town and a crew cab truck with a tonneau cover is a great road trip vehicle. Of course minivans are superior people movers, but I don't think you really need one until you have a third child.
When our two kids were little we had a 2007 Toyota Sienna and a 2011 Ford F-150. Both were outstanding family haulers. Now that the girls are older our 2018 F-150 is the family road vehicle. Plenty of room in the backseat, and all our luggage, hockey bags, etc fit well in the bed and are protected by a tonneau cover. With the fuel economy I get with my 2.7 Ecoboost, gasoline expense doesn’t even enter the equation. I don’t think I’ll drive anything other than a pickup truck, especially in the harsh Canadian prairie climate.
One more odd thing. I’ve had a minivan twice in my life. In the more recent period, it was surrounded by a keep grand Cherokee with a mild lift before, and a 4 door gen 1 tundra, mild lift, after. I was around 40 back then. Never before had I noticed more intentional glances from women than when I was driving that van, with the windows down and an arm on the window sill. It wasn’t even a “nice” van, just a decently-kept used town and country. In my “guys mind,” this made no sense to me.
and compared to either of the other vehicles, it’d scoot like a swatted dog out of a side street onto main.
and compared to either of the other vehicles, it’d scoot like a swatted dog out of a side street onto main.
I personally think it's not efficient to use a CC pick up as a dedicated family vehicle unless your situation requires towing/bed capacity on a regular basis. A full size SUV will offer the same driving experience but way more useable room. having to crawl or remove the tonneau to get to the groceries that slid to the front of the bed will get annoying. Plus isn't rear leg room in crew cabs pretty tight since the seats cannot be reclined or pushed back? Infants aren't too bad but once you put a toddler in a car seat they're feet will be right up against the front seats. The only crew cab truck I've ever sat in that didn't feel cramped in the back was a Tundra Crewmax and Ram Megacab. The rest you sit very upright and legroom is scarce. More then an extended cab but not much. Probably equal to a compact SUV.
