First off, we only have 2 children. The little girl in those photos was just a visitor :)

Travelling with a total of 4 is no problem in the Westy. Living is a different story. We find that the space is very limited. From my perspective, I can't imagine travelling/camping with 5 in a regular westy. If we had 3 kids, I'd be looking at a Weekender, and giving up the stove/sink/fridge unit. With the weekender, the bottom bunk is wider, and you have more seating and belts.

Tom

>Subject: Re: Side Tent on EBay/personal experience
>   From: Joe Chasse <chassehsd@EARTHLINK.NET>
>   Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 11:49:04 -0400
>     To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>Hey Tom -
>How do you like traveling with three kids (and the wife :) in a Westy.
>My wife and I have a 91 Carat we bought last year that we love and I have
>been salivating over the idea of getting a Westy but was concerned about a
>lack of space (especially seating for traveling) with the kids.
>
>My kids are 7,6 and 3 (so in VA that's a seatbelt, a booster, and a car seat
>by law)
>
>Any others traveling with a brood...your comments are welcome.
>
>Thanx
>Joe
>
>ps Thanx for the pictures, got me even more worked up over the idea of a
>Westy my best to your family
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tom Rowsell" <nfld_exile@WARP.NFLD.NET>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 11:33 AM
>Subject: Re: Side Tent on EBay/personal experience
>
>
>> Since it's Friday, I'll weigh in  :)
>> My wife and I can get a full erection from that Bus Depot tent in question
>in about 10 minutes or so :)
>> Yes, the seams were sewn a bit cheaply, and we had to re-sew/strengthen it
>in a few spots.
>> Yes, it's important to stake it out securely, especially in windy
>conditions.
>> Yes, it's a pain to roll back up, especially if you want to put it back in
>the bag that it came in.
>>
>> If I recall Ron's announcement of this tent to the list, he claimed that
>it was suitable for someone looking for a cheaper alternative to the big
>guns, and for someone who was only going to use it a few trips a season etc.
>That info struck a chord with me, and I don't regret buying one from Bus
>Depot for $199 U.S.
>> You get what you pay for...
>> Here's mine in action:
>>
>> http://home.tomrowsell.com/aug2002
>>
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >Subject: Re: Side Tent on EBay/personal experience
>> >   From: Fredrich Hesterberg <FredsVW@WEBTV.NET>
>> >   Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 08:39:46 -0500
>> >     To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> >
>> >Funny thing is people think  old style Campmobile tent is overpriced.
>> >It is heavy duty, sounds easier to put it up than this item, and holds
>> >it's value good.
>> >It does not take an hour to put up, I know that, and doesn't blow away
>> >in wind.
>> >Why buy cheap ?
>> >Get cheap,and aggravated.
>> >
>> >Good Morning,
>> >
>> >Fred
>> >
>> >
>> >Hey all-
>> >Well, I really hate to admit this but... I was one of the suckers that
>> >bought one of these tents. I contacted the guy after the auction was
>> >over and asked him if he would negotiate his price. (But of course he
>> >would!!) So
>> >he sold it to me for $300 plus shipping. I suppose my judgement was
>> >clouded
>> >with dilusions of grandeur, but having just sold my beloved Westy I was
>> >a little weak. I thought this would be the perfect solution to camping
>> >in my
>> >Carat with 2 basset hounds.
>> >WRONG!
>> >This tent has been a bit of a disappointment (for $300, anyway.) First
>> >of all, it is not very well made. Secondly, it takes like an hour to
>> >assemble the thing by yourself. It's just all over the place, and really
>> >clumsy. If my neighbors were watching me try to put it up, they probably
>> >got a good laugh! The seams tear very easily if your not super careful.
>> >It's probably a
>> >good concept if you are going to be somewhere for two weeks, but if
>> >you're just going for a couple nights, it is a large PITA to put up.
>> >Once it's up you have to secure six or eight points or it will blow
>> >over. Very hard to re-pack.
>> >I don't know what I was thinking, but I really don't see us getting alot
>> >of
>> >use out of this thing. I don't mean to dis a product that Ron carries,
>> >but I
>> >just have to pass on my $.02.
>> >ch-chinggggg
>> >Scott
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "The Bus Depot" <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
>> >To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> >Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 7:52 PM
>> >Subject: Re: Side Tent on EBay
>> >There's a "brand new" side tent up on E-bay, no bids yet and the buy it
>> >now price is $350
>> >it looks identical to this one: http://199.217.241.240/tent.JPG that
>> >Ron sells at
>> >the Bus Depot for $199.99 --- presumably also "Brand New". No wonder
>> >there are no bids ---- (and no wonder I don't think much of ebay).
>> >Pretty funny. Yes, it's the same tent I sell, but for almost twice my
>> >price. Lots of questionable stuff in his listing, too. For example, he
>> >claims to have bought two but only needed one, so it's "brand new -
>> >except that he assembled it to take the pictures." Why, if he already
>> >has another one just like it that he is using, did he have to open up
>> >and assemble this "brand new" one to take pictures of it? Also he claims
>> >it fit Eurovans, which it does not without a drip rail adapter.
>> >You're right about ebay. Buyer beware. There are good deals there
>> >sometimes, but also plenty of ripoffs. I often see parts there selling
>> >for more (sometimes much more) there than I and other retailers sell
>> >them for everyday (and without the safety net of dealing with an
>> >established business) . Used parts are a mixed bag - sometimes cheap,
>> >other times more than a new one would have cost! The problem is, of
>> >course, that some people go nuts bidding. I once put a CD burner on Ebay
>> >privately and mentioned right in the description that it sold for $100
>> >brand new. Would you believe it bid up to $125? Good thing there's no IQ
>> >test required to get an Ebay user account. :-)
>> >- Ron Salmon
>> >  The Bus Depot, Inc.
>> >  www.busdepot.com
>> >      (215) 234-VWVW
>> >_____________________________________________
>> >Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
>> >
>> >
>> >Fred