Before minivans? We had a wagon, then VW "microbus" 13-window, red/white, the ultimate colors and options. Then a Ford 12pass Club Wagon, ... 8 of us.

My current family: 4children. I went through the same thing you are, most vehicles I like seat 4 or 5, bought the 300TE 4matic with 3rd seat, wouldn't have a deathtrap minivan. Eventually needed more space, bought a Ford Econoline conversion, 20mpg isn't great for a car, but pretty good for a 6000lb family room on wheels, room to walk around and can pull almost 4tons, got hit by a drunk at (police estimate) 85mph plus in that one, some broken bones but no life-threatening injuries, had another one built.

No, I've met people since then who lost chlidren in fairly minor minivan accidents, I won't let my children ride in Caravans. I'll take a good sedan like the SDL, or something body-on-frame, or it has to be built in Europe.

(edit) When there were only three of us, we used to ride in the back of my Dad's A-H Sprite!

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I don't have a SD, but rather a 300D. I regularly transport 2 kids in boosters, and cannot imagine fitting a third in the middle. it would be too tight. Besides there is a definite advantage to having space between them so that they can't reach each other.
As to the past, my family had a pick-up for our going to town car. The kids rode in the back. When we went on a family trip to Florida, my Dad bought a cap with a sliding window to protect us from the rain.
I distinctly remember passing my baby sister through the window so that my Mom could hold her in her lap.
definitely a different time, I cannot imagine doing that now.

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Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
http://www.squaredealfarm.org

1982 300D Turbo
1983 300D Turbo

When I arrived in this country from the old world at the age of 11 I rode from NYC to Rochester in the well behind the backseat of a VW Beetle.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Good point. We have put two child seats in the rear outboard seats with a teenager between them, if your wife is skinny she can fit there and the other child seat in the front (provided it is a non-pass-airbag car). Ours is a 124 so you should have more space?

Not for long trips certainly, but for a quick trip to dinner it is fine.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Here's a really nice car seat for 1974. The ones I've seen from the 50's are just a chair with two hooks like ladder jacks that slipped over the seat back with NO straps to secure it to the car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1974-Bunny-Bear-child-car-seat-carseat-booster_W0QQitemZ270207289708QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item270207289708

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Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL

My mother has told me stories about how I used to ride standing in the front seat of the car, occassionally bouncing off the dashboard . . . I think we were a heartier bunch of kids personally.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Yeah, but look at the damage it did.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

3 across in the back! Very Brave! All it took was 1 kid and a bloodhound for us to do the Mini-van. 2K Toyota Sienna, 25mpg average. It is nice to not have to bend over with kid in arms to do the child seat and belts...

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1985 300D
The rest:
1957 MGA (comatose)
1965 Falcon (sleeping)
1966 E-100 (rust test in progress)
1976 Ford 3400 D Tractor (workhorse)
1978 Mercury Zephyer (5L playtoy)
1995 Isuzu NPR D (fetcher)
1998 Subaru Legacy (Spare)
2000 Toyota Sienna (School bus)
2008 Toyota Prius (Commuter)

Put all three seats in and see. We do three across in our 124 wagon. It's tight but they fit. Your limitations will come when (assuming the 126 has the center lap belt like the 124) when the two older boys need the shoulder belts and you have to reach to the middle to buckle the baby's seat and then, ultimately, when all three kids need shoulder belts.

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Michael

1988 300 SL (5 Speed)
1994 E320 Wagon
1997 C230

Awww, she told me this big flat spot on my forehead was there when I was born . . . .

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

All four of my kids fit inside the SDs trunk. I have a pic somewhere I'll dig up!

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

Today's minivans are disposable. Used to have a Chevy Venture. Slid into a curb in the snow during a left turn. $1000 fix. No kidding. Several other major fixes in 18 months finally drove us back to a Yukon XL. 6 of us in the family and even only getting 18MPG in it, it's the vehicle to have if you need to carry everyone and don't want the fighting in the back. The SD holds 3 kids in the back, but not with booster/baby seats.

You would be better off finding a MB wagon if you trust one of the kids to sit in the rear facing 3rd seat.
Good luck and Congrats!

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

looking at that thing, how would you put it in a car? I mean, it has tubing pointing up at the rear? it would destroy a seat instantly, if belted in... maybe it's for pickups?

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I believe the tubes at the rear are where the lap belt goes over to hold it to the seat. They had protective plastic caps on the ends originally. Not very safe at all.

__________________
Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL

The Sunshine Radian 65 is extremely narrow and can be hooked in with a lap belt only It rear faces from 5-35lbs, and 5 point harnesses forward facing up to 65 lbs, this car seat is a bit expensive, but will probably be the only car seat you ever need for your children.

she said the radian 80 also might be narrow enough, and they 5 pt harness to 80 lbs, but are a bit more expensive.

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1985 MB 300D/T

Fell off the WVO bandwagon when people started trying to charge $2.50 a gallon for dirty vegetable oil.