XLT w/ Second Row Captain’s Chair Seats Help...

[Vin_mac]

Hello,

Love this site and have been on here for years! Looking to get an expedition and wanted some thoughts and advice. We love everything about them! I have been reading all the pricing threads and overall anything other than an XLT seems too expensive for us at the moment.

We have 2 kids under the age of two and the wife's only must haves our 2nd row captain's chairs and powered running boards. My only must have is being able to make the monthly payment.

We do not plan on towing, etc for the next 5 years or so. Do you think we could order a 2020 XLT with captains chairs and I could add power running boards? Any thoughts or advice?

Should I just try to get a good deal on a limited with no add ons?

Is there anything I am missing or anything else I should consider or think about?

I am open to any and all suggestions. Thanks in advance!

 

[Deadman]

Why not look at a low mile limited with all your stuff on it? just a thought....

 

[Calidad]

I have 2 kids and now doing lots of club sport ride share 4-5 kids to practice etc.

The new bench is 40-20-40. And all honesty the captains chairs are extremely limiting especially with car sickness sensitive kids. Given the choice of 3 in 2nd row or sitting 3rd row the kids all prefer 2nd row even 3 up!!

3rd row access with the tip n slide button is far easier than climbing through the narrow pass through.

 

[Deadman]

I have 2 kids and now doing lots of club sport ride share 4-5 kids to practice etc.

The new bench is 40-20-40. And all honesty the captains chairs are extremely limiting especially with car sickness sensitive kids. Given the choice of 3 in 2nd row or sitting 3rd row the kids all prefer 2nd row even 3 up!!

3rd row access with the tip n slide button is far easier than climbing through the narrow pass through.

In a year his kids will be too big to use the tip n slide feature...... Over 40lbs needs to use the seatbelt, so no tip unless you are willing to chance your kids in a seat with no harness and only uses the cars belt.

 

[Calidad]

In a year his kids will be too big to use the tip n slide feature...... Over 40lbs needs to use the seatbelt, so no tip unless you are willing to chance your kids in a seat with no harness and only uses the cars belt.

The tip n slide was in reference to rear seat access. If you need center pass thru you simply flip down the center 20% and you have two bucket seats.

 

[Calidad]

When both kids were in big car seats I was using a 40-60 bench oldest typically sat 3rd row right side when 5+ seats needed
so I could check belts standing at the door 40% 2nd row flipped down. Youngest sat center line 2nd row. Your loading and checking seat belts every time till about age 5. At 5 your checking their belts visually most of the time. Most of the time both kids were 2nd row. Oldest Right side youngest was always behind me was best setup for me at daycare pickup and drop off kids could safely exit left side with me doing door man and belt duty. If left side exit wasn’t an option oldest would have been Left side and youngest right side. Oldest always goes in first given they can load them selves. Youngest would get set between door and 3rd row as oldest gets in 3rd row seat and gets belt checked. Then youngest gets loaded. 2nd row is always better!!! Rarely even hauling 3 adults and two kids weekly we’re we using 3rd row. Except when I was hauling extra kids or parents which case having three in 2nd row was crucial. Loading is what it is regardless of captains chairs or not.

I skipped Latch all together far far far easier to get the standard seat belt ratcheted tight on car seats vs the annoying latch clips that usually are 60lbs max and Britex jumbo seats were 25lbs without the kid.

tip!!! Turn the buckle so the release button is facing inward against the seat. This avoids fumbling grand parents from releasing a strapped in car seat, or in my case the dog from stepping on it and releasing the kids seat. That trick stopped lots of drama having to pull over and reinstall a kids car seat.

We had a grandparent living with us for 7 yrs. Weekly we often hauled 5, Grand parent and kids 2nd row. Only moved to 3rd row for 5+.

 

[Deadman]

The tip n slide was in reference to rear seat access. If you need center pass thru you simply flip down the center 20% and you have two bucket seats.

My point is still that you can't tip and slide any seat that has a bigger car seat strapped in with the cars seat belt. This person has 2 small children that will soon be in this type of seat, so he needs to know that the tip and slide will be completely disabled during those years. Just trying to help his decision....

 

[Deadman]

When both kids were in big car seats I was using a 40-60 bench oldest typically sat 3rd row right side when 5+ seats needed
so I could check belts standing at the door 40% 2nd row flipped down. Youngest sat center line 2nd row. Your loading and checking seat belts every time till about age 5. At 5 your checking their belts visually most of the time. Most of the time both kids were 2nd row. Oldest Right side youngest was always behind me was best setup for me at daycare pickup and drop off kids could safely exit left side with me doing door man and belt duty. If left side exit wasn’t an option oldest would have been Left side and youngest right side. Oldest always goes in first given they can load them selves. Youngest would get set between door and 3rd row as oldest gets in 3rd row seat and gets belt checked. Then youngest gets loaded. 2nd row is always better!!! Rarely even hauling 3 adults and two kids weekly we’re we using 3rd row. Except when I was hauling extra kids or parents which case having three in 2nd row was crucial. Loading is what it is regardless of captains chairs or not.

I skipped Latch all together far far far easier to get the standard seat belt ratcheted tight on car seats vs the annoying latch clips that usually are 60lbs max and Britex jumbo seats were 25lbs without the kid.

tip!!! Turn the buckle so the release button is facing inward against the seat. This avoids fumbling grand parents from releasing a strapped in car seat, or in my case the dog from stepping on it and releasing the kids seat. That trick stopped lots of drama having to pull over and reinstall a kids car seat.

We had a grandparent living with us for 7 yrs. Weekly we often hauled 5, Grand parent and kids 2nd row. Only moved to 3rd row for 5+.

We use the full harness style seats with the 6 point harness and the seat is strapped in with the seatbelt and then the harness holds the child in with 6 point belts. My wife likes the added safety, so its easier to just follow along than to battle the wife, especially on safety things for the kids.

 

[dlcorbett]

Your best bet is to look for a used ltd with cpt chairs to get what you want. For my2020, you can get the cpt chairs as a stand alone option, but your lookin at new truck prices then and you cant get the power running boards on xlt either. Somebody turned their bench in cpt chairs on this forum, you should search and read what he did. The runnin boards are a complicated mechanism so i wouldnt try to add it aftermarket, but you can get aftermarket on pickups so you may find it for expy. Note, esp for the 4th gen, mod parts are very hard to come by.

 

[Fozzy]

Amp Research sells aftermarket power steps for the 4th Gen for $1500.00. Retail, not installed. I actually like them better than the Ford factory ones. They are not as big and chunky. Suck up to the body better.


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[Calidad]

We use the full harness style seats with the 6 point harness and the seat is strapped in with the seatbelt and then the harness holds the child in with 6 point belts. My wife likes the added safety, so its easier to just follow along than to battle the wife, especially on safety things for the kids.

Yeah thats how its done 5 point harness in a giant bucket seat.

 

[Wangle]

While shopping- wanted 2nd row bench seat and no Power Running Boards. Test drove one with Captains chairs. Wife put them on her “required” list. Came with PRB’s and now we love both. Running boards are wider and lower. Rear seat access for 5, 7 year old is right through the middle. The only negative is when we have 5 now we must use third row. I would recommend that you shop for a used one within your budget that has your “required” items. You will have less trouble in the long run.

 

[Deadman]

While shopping- wanted 2nd row bench seat and no Power Running Boards. Test drove one with Captains chairs. Wife put them on her “required” list. Came with PRB’s and now we love both. Running boards are wider and lower. Rear seat access for 5, 7 year old is right through the middle. The only negative is when we have 5 now we must use third row. I would recommend that you shop for a used one within your budget that has your “required” items. You will have less trouble in the long run.

Amazing that the guys that actually sit in the 2nd row before buying usually end up with the rear buckets! lol.