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I laugh whenever I pass a JDM right hand steering wheel van here in the states. Ship over somebody's Japanese reject camper and they instantly double in price for a underpowered , crampt POS. It always seems to be hipster with a Carhart stocking cap on.Quote:
Originally Posted by gaijin
Old video, but unless the Metris has changed significantly since this review I’d steer clear.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyg82
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sa8kHgmZIiQ
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That guy is annoying as fuck. Now I want a MetrisQuote:
Originally Posted by house
You should’ve included a heads up that was a fkn Doug Demuro vid. The most irritating guy in the car review biz.Quote:
Originally Posted by house
You forgot about this dildo....Quote:
Originally Posted by frorider
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a3565e21a1.jpg
^that grill….
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Originally Posted by fatnslow
i spent a couple of weeks tooling about japan in one of those things. i wish i had the chance to get one of the 4wd versions like this.
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https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...7-6519daa1be1d
fact.
Yeah, we really do miss out on some of the best smaller vehicles in the US. My understanding is that VW makes some good mid sized vans for Europe and Ford has a whole family of midsized Transits that aren’t sold here.
On the upside, I made a quick run upstate in my Sienna this week and it worked really well. I ended sleeping in my hammock but the van was there in case of rain and moved my kayak and gear back and forth stress free.
Since the breaking in period, I’ve generally left the Sienna in eco mode to maximize mpg but decided to try out sport mode this week. I am not sure I could feel the difference between normal and eco but it is a noticeably better driving vehicle in sport mode. Still a minivan but a whole different confidence inspiring beast, almost fun.
On the larger side, my Brother in law in Germany has a really nice VW 4WD full sized van. He uses it to tow a trailer with a tractor up a fairly steep incline to mow his orchard that's slightly out of town. It ain't no 80s Synchro Vanagon, as sweet as those were. My sister did have a mid sized VW like you're talking about, but it got old and they got rid of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brownski
I can't wait to win the megajillions and buy a fully loaded 2024 Sienna. I played around with the configurator and I can't afford the cheapest AWD one right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brownski
I got the cheapest configuration possible and it’s still the most expensive car I ever bought.
Can’t find the land cruiser thread, but it sounds like Toyota is piloting a hydrogen icu in the hiace’s in Australia
https://www.motor1.com/news/695895/t...d-cruiser/amp/
Why can't we have nice things?
I am still hoping for hydrogen icu’s in cars for the Everyman, including 3 pedal cars, and a good network for distribution.
So I've been rocking a loaded '23 Chrysler Pacifica these last couple weeks while car's in the body shop for a minor incident. (women, amiright?) While I can already tell you this thing will be a turd come 100K, while brand new... and a rental, it's... not bad! I can totally see the appeal of a minivan. The stow-n-go seating kicks ass. The glitchy screen that likes to fully crash occasionally however does not. Still, it was hilarious today when buying a Christmas tree and the guy helping asked what I'd be hauling it in, and I told him a minivan as I pointed to it. He was like "on top?" I said, "No. Just toss it inside. It'll fit." Guy was like "You sure?" He continued to seem puzzled when I pulled up and opened up the back. Threw it in with a foot to spare. Dude still seemed baffled. WTF? Is this why people all think they "need" giant ass trucks and SUVs? Much like our wagons we love so much, people really underestimate van's capabilities for real. Not gonna lie. This thing's been great for tooling around with the kids. I got half a mind to stow all the rear seats and take the wife out for a proper "test drive" if you know what I mean.
https://media.tenor.com/wkmv_bDropIA...activities.gif
Maybe he was puzzled because most people with a new vehicle wouldn't put a sap dripping pine needle shedding tree inside it.
That's what I'm thinking.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
Meh. That's what an old sheet's for. I used to haul trees in my XC70 like a champ too. Most people just don't comprehend just how voluminous wagons and vans actually are.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
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I don't think I've ever heard someone complain that the inside of a minivan was too small, they just want trucks and SUV's because 'merica.Quote:
Originally Posted by MontuckyFried
My complaints about the minivan are usually saved for things like how they designed the rear hatch to be smaller than the inside dimensions of the vehicle. Thus making it hard to get large items in it that would otherwise fit. Otherwise, I much prefer the minivan over a pickup truck for 99% of what I do. A small trailer, if I had one, would handle the other 1% of tasks. I don't overland. We don't have a whole foods around here.
A friend is selling an AWD Astro in central OR; pm for deets if interested.
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Holy fucking hell you're right. I kept clicking until AWD was an option and noped the fuck out after that.Quote:
Originally Posted by riser4
What am I missing? It lets me configure a base LE with AWD:Quote:
Originally Posted by alias#?
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Apparently me being an idiot.Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Barron DeJong
At least you have riser for company.Quote:
Originally Posted by alias#?
I can't afford that. Doesn't make me an; idiot, it just makes me poor.
Sorry, thought you were saying you needed to get the loaded one to be able to add AWD.
Ah right, there were three different statements there. 1. AWD is too expensive for me. 2. I need to win the lottery to afford it. 3. If I win the lottery I'm buying a fully loaded one, with AWD. But I stated it in a reverse and ambiguous manner. My bad.Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Barron DeJong
Nah, you said it fine. Most here just have serious failures of reading comprehension. I feel your pain, riser. Haha.Quote:
Originally Posted by riser4
As much as I like having a minivan I can't picture spending 40k+ on one.
Inflation adjusted MSRP on a new XLE AWD is lower now than when we bought ours ten years ago.
What I find amazing is that the other brands have all caught up in price. Any new minivan is gonna be close to 40k now- without the hybrid drivetrain or AWD.
That's fucking nuts.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brownski
They've got that captive audience...families large enough to where a minivan is the only possible option (3rd row SUVs may help here a bit, but they aren't really the same thing at all and are themselves expensive).
I've seen economic research that shows that some combination of child-seat requirements and the need to have a $$$ minivan to legally haul the family has a statistically significant reduction on the fertility rate.
I'm not saying people are actually sitting there saying "I'd have another kid, but I can't afford the minivan," but it can be a significant expense and can subconsciously factor into decision-making.
It's just one of the multitudinous large expenses that reduces the fertility rate. I expect that effect to only get stronger over the next few years.Quote:
Originally Posted by singlesline
https://fortune.com/2023/01/12/mille...ren-birthrate/
Some of us get them because you can't beat the utility. They're also insanely popular for people hauler fleets and rural and suburban schools.
Just don't get a Caravan, I'm about to replace the motor mounts for the third time this year :(
So much torque, eh?Quote:
Originally Posted by gravitylover
Hogwash! Americans are just spoiled AF. I've been around SE Asia where families cruise around on mopeds loaded to the gills with both parents, a baby, a toddler, a couple older kids, the dog, and a whole load they're bringing to the market. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by singlesline