Why do I get stuck parking next to every clapped out Astro van in Long Beach? I know, using "clapped out" and "Astro van"in the same sentence is redundant - still, those vans are usually so dirty I don't dare lean against them for fear of ruining yet another pair of beige pants. But just try helping a small kid into the FJ without touching the car next to you. Once both doors are open you're stuck in "the box." And look at that van's side mirror - it's no picnic moving around that thing while holding a baby or grocery bags or whatever...
The problem gets even worse if you're going to use a shopping cart on the way back out the car - then you'd better just accept your fate and park way out in the sticks where no other cars will block the clamshell doors.
Brian Moody @ 15,550 miles
scott65 says:
02:22 PM, 10/ 6/06
Brian did anyone see you climb on top of the FJ and take that picture? (i assume how that's how you got the shot)
briancam says:
05:26 PM, 10/ 6/06
Yes, but only the soccer moms who frequent Target on Candlewood St. at 9:00 AM. Then again I was singing We are the Champions at the top of my lungs.
As a side note, I did not step on any of the center cross rails of the roof rack.
thebigal says:
08:58 PM, 10/ 6/06
I remember when "clamshell" doors first hit the market in the mid 90's on pickup trucks. Everyone thought they were the coolest things, and indeed they did make access to the rear of the cab much easier, but I wll attest since I own an S-10 with the same door setup, that they are a pain to deal with in crowded parking lots. I usually resort to just flipping the seat forward, which I did for a while anyway since the door handle broke repeatedly, or tossing the stuff in the bed.
I think that the Toyota would have been smart enough to figure that one out and actually, until this post I didn't realize that the door was a "clamshell" set up.
roar02ram says:
08:07 AM, 10/ 7/06
I'm surprised someone hasn't come up with a slider for that demi-door. That'd be way more usable.
briancam says:
11:51 AM, 10/ 7/06
Nissan's extra cab Titan has rear doors that open fully so that they're parallel with the body but I'm guessing just the width of that door is still a little bit of a pain. But to be honest I've never used that truck in the real world so I can't say for sure.
briancam says:
11:53 AM, 10/ 7/06
The Dodge Rampage concept had minivan type sliding doors so that could show up in the future.
spargo says:
12:01 AM, 10/ 9/06
its funny to watch "the dance" as you who already know how to play this game watch your friends try to figure it out.
-Spargo
crashtestdingo says:
12:41 AM, 10/ 9/06
I did some research on the Peugeot 1007 recently. It's a "city car" with two sliding doors and seating for four. It's more expensive than other cars in its class. I bet sliding doors are costlier than hinged doors.
briancam says:
05:32 PM, 10/ 9/06
I was in Paris when they introduced the Peugeot 1007 and what at first seemed like a silly idea turned out to be kinda cool. The main selling point seemed to be that you could park in the most crowded lot and still manage to get out of the car thanks to the sliding doors. And those doors were power operated, or at least that was an option.
The downside is that accessing the rear seat in the 1007 isn't as easy as if it had traditional doors.
jerrywimer says:
12:36 PM, 10/10/06
Sliding doors are generally associated with minivans. In fact, they are single biggest thing that separates many of the "crossover" / car-based SUVs from being considered minivans. Unfortunate. Because I'd love to see them as a feature on trucks and vehicles like this, where they really would make a big difference.