D40 a Good Family Car?

[bennyv]

Hey All,

I found out a few days ago that I'm going to be a day! Super Stoked though its not really planned. I've got a D40 at the moment, no Canopy just a soft cover. Is the D40 good for a familly, is there enough room generally in the tub for a pram and everything else? Do I need a tub liner? Just wanting to get peoples opinion

 

[wade193]

Congratulations.
I've found that baby seats sit very upright in the back because of the upright seating position. I use a towel or similar under the front of the seat to improve the angle otherwise when they fall asleep their heads just dangle and it doesn't look comfortable.
However, there may be better seats than the one i've used.
ps. I've never used a baby capsule in there.

 

[KraftyPg]

I brought the Nav to be a family car, a touring family car for trips across the Nullarbor but a family car none the less. Sticking a pram and shopping in the back of a station wagon just didn't appeal to me and owning a Dunnydoor or Failedcon wagon was something I just couldn't see myself doing. I also had an ulterior motive to use it on the farm a bit but at the time we had other utes on the farm so it's main use was always to cart kids and kids shit around especially on holidays.

Personally I wouldn't worry about a tub liner, a rubber mat is sufficient for me but many people don't like seeing scratches in the tub so covering all paintwork is their only option. I wouldn't do any of it without a canopy though

Also unless your legs are short and you can move the drivers seat forward all the way chance are the only place you will be able to put the rearward capsule is in the middle so it fits between the front seats. I tried to stick it behind the passenger seat but even my wife who is 4 foot nothing reckoned the seating position wasn't great. After about 6 months when you turn the kid around it's not issue.

 

[fleety]

Mate I have a baby capsule and a toddler seat in the D40 and it works a treat. I have a canopy which fits everything needed. Great family car in my opinion with the added bonus of being able to hit the beach.

 

[Old.Tony]

Absolutely yes. We've progressed from the baby capsule (mounted in the centre position) to a booster seat. The canopy is essential to keep stuff dry - the pram etc fits in nicely, even with an Engel 60L fridge occupying half the space.

 

[Passage GT]

another big positive here, i have a 3 year old and a 7 year old and both love it, plenty of room and my boy will be a teenager before we need to worry about leg room in the back.
i have the spray on liner in my tray and it's fantastic, grips everything that's chucked in there and takes a real beating without a mark.
great for taking the family and dogs for a trip down the beach etc.

 

[J13NST]

I bought Navara for family. Having a navara for 6month with 3 years old and 1 month.
good thing is that there are plenty of room at the back even after big pram and bassinet.
Still gives you room for shopping, I had Ford Escape prior to Navara and If i put pram at the back. there won't much room left for shopping.
and down side of d40 is upstraight back seat.
although it wouldnt' matter until child gets big older but it is bit uncomfortable for long drive and even with booster sit installed. my 3 years old simply doesn't get good sleep with back straight.
another down side is if you are installing child seat backward as this is for most of child seat i know until they are few month old. you can only install them in middle seat and you prolly have to pull your two seat at the front fwd. or at least half way.
so if you are taller than 6.2ft this would be uncomfortable ride for you for little while.
beside that it would be great for family car. you will appreciate big storage at the back of the truck

 

[big zetor]

unless you get an ftruck the rear seating is allways going to be a problem in any of these 4x4 utes especially the older ones, I think the new ranger and bt50 have slightley more leg room but not much.

 

[TigerST]

Yes, awesome family truck. I have 3 young boys was a struggle getting the 3 seats in but did it anyway. I only have a soft cover and the pram stays plenty dry and around town dust free.

 

[Chuks]

Hey mate, congrats on the little one!

I recently sold my ve commodore to purchase a D40 as a family car. My wife is currently driving it and she loves it! My daughter is 2 and loves the height of the car as she can see everything from her seat.
The only downsides are that as mine is an ST, I have had to install anchor points and they can only be done on the outside due to no split seat.
The other is the size when trying to park at shopping centres. I have a laser as a daily and take that if I can .
There is also a blind spot as with most utes but I have ordered an aftermarket head unit with reverse camera that should eliminate that.

The positives far outweigh the negatives in terms of storage and holidays. We have 3 dogs and can now take them to the beach with us too.

 

[Passage GT]

Hey mate, congrats on the little one!

I recently sold my ve commodore to purchase a D40 as a family car. My wife is currently driving it and she loves it! My daughter is 2 and loves the height of the car as she can see everything from her seat.
The only downsides are that as mine is an ST, I have had to install anchor points and they can only be done on the outside due to no split seat.
The other is the size when trying to park at shopping centres. I have a laser as a daily and take that if I can .
There is also a blind spot as with most utes but I have ordered an aftermarket head unit with reverse camera that should eliminate that.

The positives far outweigh the negatives in terms of storage and holidays. We have 3 dogs and can now take them to the beach with us too.

is yours an older st?
mine has the split and fold up seats in the back with the child restraints in place.
i've found it extremely handy! especially when i'm travelling alone and i can keep things in the back there that i don't want to get dusty etc from being in the tray, surprising amount of room with the seats folded up.

 

[10navst]

is yours an older st?
mine has the split and fold up seats in the back with the child restraints in place.
i've found it extremely handy! especially when i'm travelling alone and i can keep things in the back there that i don't want to get dusty etc from being in the tray, surprising amount of room with the seats folded up.

Mine is a 2010 ST which I believe was the first ST so I didn't have anchor points and no, I do not have the split fold rear seats.

 

[Chuks]

is yours an older st?
mine has the split and fold up seats in the back with the child restraints in place.
i've found it extremely handy! especially when i'm travelling alone and i can keep things in the back there that i don't want to get dusty etc from being in the tray, surprising amount of room with the seats folded up.

Hey mate,

It's a 2010 which unfortunately didn't get the split or anchor points. Just my luck!

 

[TigerST]

2012 Spain st got 3 points. 2010 & 11 the stx + had them.

 

[10navst]

I believe that all ST's are now the same spec as the pre 2010 STX's as the ST is the replacement four cylinder diesel of the STX.

 

[Old.Tony]

The problem with the ST range is that production in 2010 started in Thailand as the 126kW version with bits missing (like wiring looms - where do you plug the ambient sensor in?) and ended in Spain when they decided that the ST would be the then STX, the STX would be the then STX550 and the STX550 would be a premium pack with leather seats and foot massagers.

 

[big zetor]

It's dumb really" Why cant the stupid c#@ts at nissan make them all the same spec and stop giving everyone a headache.

 

[nathand22]

It's dumb really" Why cant the stupid c#@ts at nissan make them all the same spec and stop giving everyone a headache.

It has never made any sense to me how it is even better financially for the company to have everything so different, you would think that no matter which country they make the cars or parts they would at least follow the one blue print

 

[Connaught]

anywho

got three kids, and the youngest just ditched the booster, - i never had a capsule in mine, but i did have 3 kids and 2 boosters in there, the back is big enough for the 3 of the kids and all the crap they and the wife need on a long road trip (read video games, books, coloring books, food, pillows etc here).

the nav loved the road trip pulling the fold out camper trailer, loaded boot and backseat full of kids

i have a canopy, and now i cart the kids and their bikes all over, though i think from a younger kid point of view, a soft cover would be fine, just somthing to keep the weather off whatever is back there,

i am happy as Larry with the nav from the family friendliness of it,

the only problem is that the kids are still a bit short and i am sure one day they are going to rip the handles out of the doors when they yank like hell to open them

 

[bennyv]

Thanks for the information all, thats awesome. I have a 2007 RX and it looks to have anchor points. I previously had a VE SV6 Wagon which was awesome but I much prefer the Nav, going back to a commodore or similar would almost not be worth having a child =D

Super pumped, I'll have to look at getting the RX bar off my tub and get a canopy.