Life without minivans

Chrysler introduced us to the minivan in 1984, and from that time, the wagon went into decline in popularity. Suddenly now, the automakers have discovered "crossovers" which is a fancy marketing name for a station wagon...I'm guessing the term "station wagon" was not a hit in their marketing tests!

Anyway, how many of you have managed to make it for the past 26 years WITHOUT EVER having owned a minivan??? Nothing beats the utility, style, or fun of a REAL station wagon, IMO!

I proudly announce to the world that I have NEVER, ever owned a minivan of any kind!!!

You???

 

I never owned a "Mini" Van, I owned a POS 94 Aerostar Extended AWD with a patheticly gutless 4.0 and a 88 Astro Extended Mark IV Conversion with a powerhouse little 4.3 4bbl. Neither were "minivans", they were not FWD and had alot more towing capacity then the girly little soccer mom vans. Both were used when I was running a private Amish Taxi service and ran a work crew 5 days a week, towing a 22 foot dual axled enclosed trailer full of construction tools and 6 scrapping Amish workers. I averaged 1200 miles a week. So no, I never fell to the crappy Mini Van craze. I do not consider a full framed chevy Astro that uses the complete drivetrain and suspension componets of a full sized 1/2 ton 2wd pickup top be a min, no matter what that worthless Wikipedia site says. They were both Mid vans.

Wagons rule!

 

Guilty, as charged...

'86 Dodge Colt Vista (actually a micro-mini van - very useful)
'88 (?) Ford Aerostar Eddie Bauer (regular size, not the extended one)
Had this one when the 2 girls were about 3 and 4 1/2 - took a long trip without mom, had kids playing in the back without seatbelts when it was safe - seats turned into a large playpen.........
'94 Chevy Astro LT, extended (yeah - not a mini, but I'll list it anyway..... traded it in when I bought a travel trailer (needed truck)

Owned some big vans, too - '76 Econoline E-250 Supervan; '83 Chevy G20 van conversion, '80 Econoline E-150 van conversion

I think I'm done with them........

 

Well, my ex wife had a Chevy Venture. I actually like minivans. Lots of room, comfortable, and not to shabby on fuel. Chrysler made them popular in the US but they were very common in other countries for decades. Here's AMC's concept from the late 70's http://www.torq-o.com/files/944b216fd1bf38417be4ccf3082c267c-116.html

 

Those are all neat looking. I loved the AMC minivan concept. I love the looks of all the AMC cars, that dare to be different approach is just my thing.

 

Interesting concepts there. Did that minivan have a powertrain in it? What was the layout?

 

Thats cool as hell! My wife had an Astro when we met. She now drives a 15 passenger Ram Wagon. I would have bought an 89/90 turbo Caravan/Voyager but they are pretty common in our small corner of the internet. The wagons haven't caught on as well, yet.

 

Nope, Never owned one. The Corvair was a panel truck with pickup sides.

 

no mini van unless you count the 82 ram van with the short-short wheelbase!

 

I consider the Astro and the Aerostar minivans. The fact they are on small pickup chassis, does not alter the fact they were and are considered minivans by 98% of the minivan-buying public. Front-wheel or rear-wheel drive is also not a consideration. Physical size IS.

Yeah, they have a little more towing capability, but their size says they are minivans. Sorry!

All of the Big Three offer full size vans. They also have minivans.

 

I never have, Mom and Dad had an 89 Voyager, I always hated that thing, always will. Their excuse of losing the wagon for it was "Everybody had them, it was the era"

 

Thats all fine Patrick, its all opinion. I never have and never will consider them to be or be convinced of them being a minivan. Minivan to me is a FWD van that is good for nothing except hauling kids to sporting events and grocery shopping. If you can't hook up a load behind it or haul a load in the rear without loosing your rear bumper and not be able to drive and steer from the lack of traction on the drive and steer wheels, then that to me is a minivan. Astros and Aerostars are a midsized van that are every bit as big and even bigger in length then a full sized van. Park them side by side and you will see that they are not mini in size at all.

Fullsize Specs

Wheelbase 110 in (2794 mm) (SWB)
125 in (3175 mm) (LWB)
Length 178.2 in (4526 mm) (SWB)
202.2 in (5136 mm) (LWB)
Width 79.5 in (2019 mm)
Height 79.4 in (2017 mm) (SWB)
79.2 in (2012 mm) (LWB)
79.8 in (2027 mm) (SWB)
81.9 in (2080 mm) (LWB)

Astro Specs

Wheelbase 1995-96: 111.0 in (2819 mm)
1997-2005: 111.2 in (2824 mm)
Length 189.8 in (4821 mm)
Width 77.5 in (1969 mm)
Height 1995-96 Astro: 75.9 in (1928 mm)
1997-98 Astro: 76.0 in (1930 mm)
1995-96 Safari: 76.2 in (1935 mm)
1997-98/2002-03 Safari Cargo Van & 1999-2001 Astro Cargo Van 2WD: 75.3 in (1913 mm)
1997-2005 Safari & 2002-05 Astro: 75.0 in (1905 mm)
1999-2001 Astro 2WD: 74.9 in (1902 mm)
1999-2001 Astro Cargo Van AWD: 75.2 in (1910 mm)
1999-2001 Astro AWD: 74.8 in (1900 mm)

Aerostar

Wheelbase 118.9 in (3020.1 mm)
Length 174.9 in (4442.5 mm) (standard-length; 1986-1991)
190.3 in (4833.6 mm) (extended-length; 1990-1991)
Width 71.7 in (1821.2 mm)
Height 72.2 in (1834 mm) - 74.0 in (1880 mm)

E=Series

Wheelbase SWB: 124 in (3149.6 mm)
LWB: 138 in (3505.2 mm)
Length SWB: 186.8 in (4745 mm)
206.8 in (5253 mm)
LWB: 226.8 in (5761 mm)
Width 79.9 in (2029 mm)
Height 79.2 in (2012 mm)–85.4 in (2169 mm)

 

who made who???

exactly WHO actually DID invent the "mini-van"?..I had a 1960 VW van for about a year and a half...And compared to "full-size vans" like the UPS and FedEx guys drive,it WAS mini!..BUT,they caught the moniker mini-bus,instead...

 

My GF has a Honda Odyssey, and I must say, as much as I have against Honda in general, I was fairly impressed the first time I drove it and pulled out to pass on the freeway. Having said that, my tune quickly changed back when I discovered what a PITA it was to try and work on it.

 

My uncle bought a mini-van when his 1983 Buick LeSabre station wagon was replaced. He bought the Plymouth Voyager around 1987, and now has a 5 year old Chrysler mini-van. The Voyager is still around at my brother's house. They are good trucks for elderly folks because they are easy to get in and out of. I don't care for them personally, and I am not a truck guy, and definitely don't care for the front-wheel drive under your feet.

My mother-in-law has an Oldsmobile which she traded in for a new one 4 years ago. She needed it for my father-in-law to bring his scooter wheelchair along and also because it was easy to get him in and out of, especially with both sliding passenger doors opening. She found that the newer Olds mini-van (Odyssey) was smaller, and she couldn't fit the scooter chair in the cargo area anymore. They made it "sleeker"..aka less interior room.

I was impressed with the older Plymouth Voyager. The 2 newer vans don't seem to be holding up. The Odyssey is rusting and has engine troubles, and he Chrysler is leaking in the rain and the interior is wearing rapidly from daily use.