cbad

GL owners with 3 small kids/pets,

Very intrigued by the new Bluetec engine and am considering purchasing a new GL especially with the dealer incentives and sluggish economy.

Curious to see how owners with 3 or more small children configure their car seats/boosters. Anyone put three seats in the middle row? My practical wife is in favor or vans/SUV's that have more of a captains chair configuration (like the R class) because it would be easier to get people back into the 3rd row. Any real world advice from owners in a similar situation is greatly appreciated.

Wish I had a more interesting question to post such as MPG estimates, prices paid, engine q's, etc....perhaps when I actually own one. Many thanks!

lkchris

My experience with the R-class is riding home from dropping off my cars for service at dealer. It's the shuttle vehicle, that is, complete with decals on side picturing a 300SL Gullwing.

IMHO "easier" equals bigger, and the GL is definitely bigger than an R-class. I find the R-class claustrophobic.

But "easier" can mean cheaper, too, and they practically can't give away R-classes.

achaar

I have an '07 GL and my parents have an '07 R. In the GL, we have three boosters across the middle but it gets tight. You have to make a special effort to buy a skinnier booster. The R is the 6 seater configuration, so even though it is smaller, it is easier for carseats. Hope this helps.

ubrs

Ditto, I have three kids and same dilemma. Skiny car seats across the back. With a fourth one on the way, I plan to have three car seats accross the back and one in the third row seat. The one in the third row seat will be one of the twins (4 years old), who are now able to buckle themselves. One of them will enter from the rear of the truck as to avoid rear entry through the second row.

I am starting to think a Chevrolet Suburban may not be a bad idea. 0-60 mph in 9 seconds just kills me though.

mb_193

Although the GL is a great vehicle, it is not as large as the big American SUV's. In our Suburban we can fit 3 full size car seats in the middle row and either 2 fullsize or 3 more in the third row. And 0-60 is more around 8 seconds. haha

MomsBenz

I have fit two carseats and a booster in my second row in the GL. The booster needs to go in the middle. You can also put a carseat behind the driver and in the middle leaving the passenger side free to fold for the third row and put an additional seat there. Depending on what seats you have they should fit. My kids ride in Britax seats and they all fit. HTH.

BeanCounter

I am in the same camp with your wife as I greatly prefer the captain's seat configuration versus a second row bench. I have done three boster seats in mine but it is tight. As much as I hate to say this, with 3+ kids minivans are the way to go. While they definitely do not have the performance element of an SUV they are a whole lot easier to get the masses (i.e. kids, friends, grandparents, etc.) in and out of and are better on the gas mileage front. It took my wife a while to come to terms with buying one but now she is on her third one. If you want the captain's seat deal in an SUV with the performance element you could go the Escalade/Denali route.

SFML320

Glad to hear I'm not alone in wanting to keep the GL but finding it difficult to seat 3 three kids.

My thoughts are to put my oldest (3yrs) and second (1 yr) in the third row. My third, either in the middle or behind the driver in the second row. This leaves 2 passenger seats open and a third if needed, passenger seat in front and (2) in the second row. Ideally I would like to leave the access seat open to avoid having to lift the seat up every time. I guess everything else will have to be stored in the Thule above.

RickyN F355

im in the same situation, kids are around the same age. Having the 1 yr old in the middle (leaving the 2nd row passanger side empty) can be a royal pain in the but, especially for someone short like my wife. Also not sure how i feel about having my 3 yr old in the 3rd row...if we ever got rear ended id feel terrible. I was excited to get a gl 550 but looks like escalade is the way to go. I just cant come to owning a mini van.

MomsBenz

Have you talked to anyone on the Escalade forum to know the seats will fit? I am just asking because before my GL I had a Tahoe (and isn't the Escalade sitting on the Tahoe chasis?) and the GL has more room inside then my Tahoe did. There is even more room behind the third seat than the Tahoe. You mentioned your wife was short as am I and I always had to stand on the running boards to help kids in the third row and buckle those in the middle of the second row. Just food for thought. The Escalade might have a bigger exterior but the interior in a lot tighter than then GL. Good luck and I don't blame you, I HATE MINI VANS!!!

grover432

On a related topic, can you fit a rear facing carseat and a forward facing Britax in the center second row and drivers side second row? I have one child under two years and expect another one. I like the space in the GL, but if you can't fold the passenger side second row seat forward to gain access to the third row, it makes it kind of useless for me.

Brocktoon

I remember reading that captain's chairs were part of the concept for the proposed Maybach GL when they were planning it as a point of differentiation. Could be why we are now stuck with benches...

ubrs

I agree, the Escalade has less room. I tried it with the kids when I was shopping around and it is more cramped than the GL. The third row seat is a joke. This is why I am thinking a Chevy Suburban or extended Escalade is the way to go with four kids soon. I love the GL, but we will soon need a bus, and I hate minivans. The new suburbans are not too shabby. I can't believe I went from an X5 to a GL, and now I am thinking of a Chevy. I thought I would never see the day.

RickyN F355

no i havent. i looked at the specs and the escalade looks like its bigger inside than the GL, at least on paper thats the picture i got.

guess back to the drawing board.

SFML320

I have a Britax Frontier behind the driver's seat but can't squeeze a Britax Roundabout next to it. It will only fit with both on the outside position. I think Britax tends to be larger than other brands like Graco.

I was able to put the Frontier and Peg Perego baby seat side by side but had to push and pull them whenever I wanted to lift the access seat to the third row.

Whenever there is more passengers besides the 2 kids and and wife, the Roundabout goes to the third row.

RickyN F355

i know this isnt the right forum but whats the difference between the suburban, yukon, tahoe, and escalade? Are they all basically the same? i know zero about american cars.

MomsBenz

They all sit on the same chasis with the suburban being a few feet longer.

RickyN F355

ok thnx. i guess the ticket is to get the gl 550, put my 3.5 yr old in the 3rd row, my 2yr old in the passanger second row, and the baby in the drivers side second row.

Can a small adult fit in the middle seat between the 2 car seats?

MomsBenz

I would think so. I also don't think your wife will have a problem if you wanted to put the baby in the middle of the second row. The car sits lower than you think. After owning both a Tahoe and a GL I can honestly say you won't be disappointed with the 550

SFML320

Possible, but the person will have to twist and turn to buckle themselves in.

RickyN F355

hey kaila, last question, i promise. but i thought the basket for the infant and the roundabout are teoo big to fit next to each other in the drivers and middle second row seats?

MomsBenz

No you can definitely fit a basket (carrier) and the Roundabout next to each other, I do it every day. I am also 5'3" and have no problem reaching the middle seat to put the carrier in. Even simpler if you leave the base in the car. You can't fit two Roundabouts next to each other Honestly you could if you wanted put all three seats across the back, leaving the base in the middle for the carrier for easier coming and going

No worries about the questions, glad I can help

cbad

Thanks for the advice and tips. I didn't think I'd generate this much discussion with this thread. I love the GL but with 2 kids and a 3rd in the near future we also have to consider other options like the dreaded Odyssey and the Q7 TDI (middle seat in the 2nd row drops for easy access to an albeit more cramped 3rd row).

I didn't think of having one of the little ones climb in through the back as someone suggested when car seats occupy the sides of the 2nd row.

Many thanks again.

08M3SedanSki

We have 4 boys: 14, 11, 7, 2 so only one car seat now. We put it behind the driver. I agree that a minivan is better for in/out and seating configuration. They also offer more space for "stuff" behind the third row. We get around this in our GL 320 by using a cargo carrier on the rear hitch which I believe is much more convenient than a rooftop carrier.

In my opinion the only legitimate reason to choose the GL 320 over the minivans is for towing. We have a big boat so we need to be able to tow at least 6,000 lbs.

So the bottomline, you need to purchase a boat too so that you can justify the GL 320! It is an awesome driver with great milage. I am sure your wife will see the logic in this recommendation.

lkchris

Add the bit of mile offroading the GL is capable of, too!