Rental of MPV and driving in Hokkaido during winter

[t0y0ta]

6 hours ago, Atrecord said:

Wow, you're resourceful. I tried looking, but couldn't find such schematic drawings with dimensions! Thanks!

Apart from this, I think i'll go TC to look up my SE to check out the Elgrand in the showroom, to move the seats around and see if it's possible to hold the luggages we have. Keeping my fingers crossed...

My BIL just asked whether the IDP that we need to apply, can allow us to drive Hiace or not? And I must say i'm not sure... I'm sure i can drive a Hiace van here in SG, but not sure if it's a P or C-plate 'bus', so this is a valid question. When you rented the Hiace, was there a need to check the IDP to see whether can drive the 10-seater or not?

I was under the impression Alphard will beat Elgrand for space and utility and flexibility.

[Carbon82]

Elgrand

[Atrecord]

7 hours ago, Heartlander said:

Hi-ace just need normal license. But need to go japan website to book, under V3 class. Normal license can rent cars/vans up to 9 pax, eg Hi-ace.

https://rent.toyota.co.jp/service/car/class/charge.aspx?searchKbn=6

Those bigger van/bus that can carry 10 or more passengers (W4 class and Bus class) need a stamp chopped in the D box of IDP license when applying. Not sure if it is class 4 under our system.

https://rent.toyota.co.jp/eng/drive/

Thanks again! Good to know Hiace van is still an option.

[Atrecord]

3 hours ago, Davidtch said:

Skip all thermal clothes.  Just bring 1 really good down jacket like Canadian Goose, Dak or Moncler.

I only use 1 jacket without thermal when i was living in Beijing.

wah, you the boss! 👍

i'm quite sure we CMI leh 😅

[Atrecord]

1 hour ago, t0y0ta said:

I was under the impression Alphard will beat Elgrand for space and utility and flexibility.

sigh... to be honest, i'm not 100% sure myself now...

Alphard 3rd row is 50/50, so cannot use one seat and keep the other to store luggage, if you have 7 (6+1 in our case) pax.

But Alphard's seats can slide front/back a lot, while Elgrand's seats allow only limited sliding.

Alphard's 3rd row seat folds to the side of the car when kept, so the low low floorboard (cos got no seat there) allows more 'height' to store/stack luggage, but the folded seat at the side, might block some space. Elgrand's seat fold flat onto the floorboard, but it also means the resultant floorboard becomes higher (in order to hid the folded seat)...

And the list goes on...

[Atrecord]

47 minutes ago, Carbon82 said:

Elgrand

ha ha ha... i'm starting to think we might do something similar... 😂

But these looks like they are all 20" luggages, while we have mostly 24" and 28" ones...😓

[Atrecord]

12 hours ago, Heartlander said:

I can only remember that for Hi-ace, the 2 rear benches are fixed, not slide-able. Only last row can be folded down. And the cargo area is really huge, do not worry about space even with the benches in use.

Yes can check out Elgrand for the 60/40 split seats. But my impression of Elgrand is not the last row is not slide-able. From Nissan jp website, 3rd row can slide 24cm, so quite flexible. If you are given the latest Elgrand edition, that is.

https://www3.nissan.co.jp/vehicles/new/elgrand/function_detail3.html

With dimension diagrams, you can actually measure your luggages dimension and see how you can fit them into the space, especially if can put 2 pcs side by side. Good luck.

 

I went to TC to check out Elgrand again, and am still not totally convinced it'll work.

The 3rd row doesn't slide forward/backwar as much as Alphard, so it ends up a bit neither here nor there. If can slide further forward, I'll try to make it like the iMax we rented before in Aust - it had a HUGE boot betw 3rd row and tailgate.

As it is, even if push 3rd row max forward, the space will at most allow one layer of luggage, as the bottom is 'wide' but the top is 'narrow', cos the seats need to be inclined back instead of too upright, and the tailgate tilts the opposite direction - meaning the space is tapered...

I've no idea why Nissan doesn't make the sunken luggage well as wide as in Ody/Estima. The current width of the well, cannot fit in any luggage (not even 20" i think), so it's a bit wasted. It can be useful only if we consider bringing bags instead of luggages, as bags are more flexi, and can be squeezed into the long and narrow luggage well.

I've also tried to see whether we can move the 2nd and 3rd row seats back, to put luggage behind the front seats, but again the front seats are tilted, so it might not be easy to stack them there.

Wife was asking me to check whether can rent Hyundai iMax (or Starex) instead, but looks like there's no Korean cars in Japan... Even Merc Vito/Viano, also won't have... sigh...

[Volvobrick]

4 hours ago, Davidtch said:

Skip all thermal clothes.  Just bring 1 really good down jacket like Canadian Goose, Dak or Moncler.

I only use 1 jacket without thermal when i was living in Beijing.

Each pax wear 1 set HeatTech, 1 set in luggage. Winter time, no need to change clothes, at most 1 extra set in luggage. Take photos also won't notice cos can only see the winter jackets. Plus disposable undies. Thick heavy winter jacket just wear on body. Maybe you can even get away with 2 bags for 7 pax! 

[inlinesix]

3 minutes ago, Volvobrick said:

Each pax wear 1 set HeatTech, 1 set in luggage. Winter time, no need to change clothes, at most 1 extra set in luggage. Take photos also won't notice cos can only see the winter jackets. Plus disposable undies. Thick heavy winter jacket just wear on body. Maybe you can even get away with 2 bags for 7 pax! 

Ya lo.

Hardly sweat in winter. Don’t shower also can

[louisbosco]

i rented and drove around hokkaido and to ski slopes at hanazono and hirafu.. most cars should be AWD up there, but i'm not too sure about the 7 seaters. fun fact: most of the bnb cars that are used as rental as you know (corolla, vios, mazda 3 etc) are actually produced in AWD only for the japanese market..

 tips:

-watch your car going sideways during a corner. even in an awd, i managed to let the rear end slip out. my experience in racing taught me to correct it instinctively, might catch others off guard.

-if you can't stop at a red light in time, floor it and beat the red. because if you react fast and slam on the breaks, chances are you will lock the breaks and the wheels will slide across the ice..

-always look up especially driving at night. the markers help you determine where junctions and roads are when everything is a snow white wonderland.

-be confident. it's usually safe to drive as you are in snow. watch the steering wheel carefully and it's safe going at 100 or 110 on highways. you'll usually find people going much faster..

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by louisbosco

[Jusnel]

On 11/16/2019 at 11:27 PM, Atrecord said:

Am looking for some advice:

We're going to Hokkaido next month, and are looking at renting a large MPV, so hope to get some tips and information on:

1) which MPV is good/best

2) any tips on driving in winter

There will be 7 of us on the trip. 6 adults/children who are 1.7-1.8 m tall, and one 6-yo kid who needs a booster seat. There will also be quite a bit of luggage, tentatively 1-2 pcs 28", 3 pcs 24", 2 pcs 20" luggages.

Looking at the options for MPVs, the larger ones are either Toyota Alphard or Nissan Elgrand, followed by the slightly smaller ones of Toyota Noah or Nissan Serena. Any bigger will be the Toyota Hiace van.

Is there any possibility of accommodating all 7, plus the luggages in Alphard/Elgrand, or is it necessary to go for Hiace?

I vaguely remember that @Heartlander had mentioned before renting Elgrand during a Japan trip, and also owned an Alphard before here? Care to share your experience please? Anyone else with knowledge/experience of these 2 - your opinion is welcome.

If we shift the 3 rows of seats to be more 'forward', will the luggage/boot space behind 3rd row seat, be sufficient for the luggages that we have?

 

Then on #2, driving in winter/snow, apart from going slow, and avoiding icy roads, what else should we look out for? Winter tyres are standard, and there's 4WD option for the vehicles.

Thanks in advance.

One car is not good for so many pax + luggages and stuff.  As you go along the holidays, you guys will be buying more and more stuff.  So the luggages, bags will increase over time.  It will never get lesser.

Take note that you have a child seat, which is already a fixed item taking one space.  so you need to have comfy seats for other 6 pax.

Get 2 cars, split the group and logistics.

2 cars also offer more flexibility in terms of going to places and more comfort for everyone.

Edited November 21, 2019 by Jusnel

[Atrecord]

On 11/19/2019 at 10:59 PM, Volvobrick said:

Each pax wear 1 set HeatTech, 1 set in luggage. Winter time, no need to change clothes, at most 1 extra set in luggage. Take photos also won't notice cos can only see the winter jackets. Plus disposable undies. Thick heavy winter jacket just wear on body. Maybe you can even get away with 2 bags for 7 pax! 

wah your planning si bey sui!

but me no guts to take this plan leh... 😅

[Atrecord]

On 11/19/2019 at 11:05 PM, Davidtch said:

Ya lo.

Hardly sweat in winter. Don’t shower also can

Wah lao... reminded me of an army mate, who went Ex Crescendo 3 wk, then came back SG told us he didn't bathe during the Ex as it was too cold

[Atrecord]

On 11/19/2019 at 11:59 PM, louisbosco said:

i rented and drove around hokkaido and to ski slopes at hanazono and hirafu.. most cars should be AWD up there, but i'm not too sure about the 7 seaters. fun fact: most of the bnb cars that are used as rental as you know (corolla, vios, mazda 3 etc) are actually produced in AWD only for the japanese market..

 tips:

-watch your car going sideways during a corner. even in an awd, i managed to let the rear end slip out. my experience in racing taught me to correct it instinctively, might catch others off guard.

-if you can't stop at a red light in time, floor it and beat the red. because if you react fast and slam on the breaks, chances are you will lock the breaks and the wheels will slide across the ice..

-always look up especially driving at night. the markers help you determine where junctions and roads are when everything is a snow white wonderland.

-be confident. it's usually safe to drive as you are in snow. watch the steering wheel carefully and it's safe going at 100 or 110 on highways. you'll usually find people going much faster..

 

Thanks for the photos, and tips.

1) What are the markers that you mentioned can be seen when looking up?

2) Is it advisable/normal to drive at night over there? Someone told me that nobody drives at night during winter...

[Atrecord]

9 hours ago, Jusnel said:

One car is not good for so many pax + luggages and stuff.  As you go along the holidays, you guys will be buying more and more stuff.  So the luggages, bags will increase over time.  It will never get lesser.

Take note that you have a child seat, which is already a fixed item taking one space.  so you need to have comfy seats for other 6 pax.

Get 2 cars, split the group and logistics.

2 cars also offer more flexibility in terms of going to places and more comfort for everyone.

Yah, luggages incease is also a concern. The only thing that will get lesser is disposable underwear, which is not a lot 😆

We'll take only a booster seat, and maybe even that also no need - if we're taking a van, cos i think it's stated van cannot put child/booster seats...

But we prefer to be in one vehicle if possible leh. Also, i've not driven in winter before so a bit scared scared 😅

[Wildfaye29]

On 11/19/2019 at 10:35 PM, Atrecord said:

ha ha ha... i'm starting to think we might do something similar... 😂

But these looks like they are all 20" luggages, while we have mostly 24" and 28" ones...😓

i see these pics i very confirm ur 7pax n 7 lugguage cannot fit

pls get a 9 pax van

[Tohto]

 

 

 

 

Check on this thread. I also post some winter driving advice here. 

[louisbosco]

3 hours ago, Atrecord said:

Thanks for the photos, and tips.

1) What are the markers that you mentioned can be seen when looking up?

2) Is it advisable/normal to drive at night over there? Someone told me that nobody drives at night during winter...

 

1) if you look at the first photo, you will see the overhang from the street lights etc. it's a little triangle or a red and white arrow, tells you where the road is and what side you're on. since all white, will be hard to tell if you're driving on the correct side so you won't be too close to center line or drift off. think if you google snow markers or markings you can see more for hokkaido.

2) driving at night is normal. although, no different to other winter countries like UK, australia, germany, usa etc. people tend to stay in during winter nights because of the cold. i will say it's absolutely normal. to me, it didn't feel any different to driving elsewhere regardless of season.

my advice if you're not confident, maybe drive around the block to see if you're okay before you venture further. sapporo itself is a grid-like city so it's easy to navigate. driving in the city and highways are okay. it's when you travel to the outskirts with small roads near skiing towns that it starts to get challenging. my night photo was taken on the way back to sapporo from hanazono. went full day trip snowboarding and drove back. left about 10/11plus and got back around midnight/1am