Chrysler Minivans: The ones that ruled them all
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มี.ค. 2024
- Welcome to Auto Chatter! Todays episode is part one of my Chrysler Minivan series. These vehicles were a revolution in family transport when they arrived for the 1980's, and responsible for replacing the station wagon in the United States. Join me for some history on the first two generations of the Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and Chrysler Town & Country. Expect cameos from other minivans too, and some origins of this vehicle class! I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to part two!
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Nice to see the earlier European 'minivans' given their due 👍Though they met the criteria for being meant to haul people and not just cargo, they lacked amenities, bolder styling, and the softer ride qualities that Americans liked 😒Iacocca saw the chance for a new market segment being created and like the Mustang "Pony car" concept he gave the people something they didn't know they wanted till it was handed to them. And just like the Mustang it could be done with existing parts saving a lot on manufacturing costs. All the concept needed was to be sold to the people, and he understood just who made the final car purchase decisions in the average American family: Mom. Dad got enough of what he wanted to be happy, but Mom saw a family-friendly car that was much easier to deal with than a station wagon or larger van 😎Plus it was "American made" which at the time still appealed to most American buyers. GM missed the point with the Astro and even though it was great for what it was and could be used with a family too, it lacked "Mom appeal" in comparison. Japanese offerings weren't "tuned" for American wants, and Ford was too late to the game with versions which quickly became known for their problems. Iacocca didn't invent the "minivan" but he found the way to sell huge numbers of them, putting them into a mainstream category instead of just being a 'niche' in the larger market. In doing so, he also killed the station wagon- oh well, no great loss 🙄
At the time, GM was still being ran with mostly "old school" executives, complete with the problems they never had addressed like going visibly cheap with a lot of components and divisional in-fighting more aimed to keep the other brands in check instead of pushing forward your own brand ☹They were still out of touch with America and acting like it was still the 'good days' of the 60's and early 70's where they had a captive market. They couldn't understand why anyone would want a high-quality well-built trouble-free Japanese car over the crap they were still offering. Ford was lost at the corporate level, having some excellent ideas but failing to put forth the effort needed to make them work 😵And they were feeling the economic money-crunch too by now. They were afraid to venture boldly anywhere unless success was guaranteed, as the 'bean-counters' had taken over running the company. When they did move forward they had to wrest sales away from Chrysler, who by now had a strong grip on the minivan market, and Ford's weak offerings couldn't compete.
Later on GM saw the error of thinking minivans were 'trucks' and not 'cars', and they did do well in finally figuring that out and bringing the market vehicles Mom would want. Although we ridicule those 'Dustbuster' vans for their somewhat weird front end styling, they actually managed to create a competitive vehicle with few inherent problems a new car buyer would be concerned with. They also could be had with the 3.8L V6 which was becoming hugely successful in it's own right, offering an excellent balance of power with good fuel economy. Ford once again blew it, trying to distance itself from the Aerostar which was becoming widely know as having weak transmissions and other issues by bring out the "new" Windstar, which was just a rehashed Aerostar with the problems still unaddressed. America didn't fall for their marketing hype, and seeing they were being scammed people didn't buy them even though the 'beancounter' corporate board thought they would.
I'll save my thoughts on the demise of the minivan for the next episode which I'm looking forward to. And if you ever venture into European cars, the Fiat 600 Multipla would be a good subject with it becoming something of an Italian 'joke' but still being loved, wanted, and hugely popular by giving the people what they needed in a way only Fiat could manage to pull off.
Wonderful read as always! I look forward to making part 2 as well. I feel like this is kind of a spiritual successor to some of my first videos....The Minivan Wars. Chryslers dominance for this class just seemed to me a great spring board for it.
@@autochatterPinned? So that's why that guy is looking to see if both my shoulders are on the mat 🤣 I'm honored, thanks!
@P_RO_ I often pin your inciteful posts! It's becoming a tradition LOL.
now if only the US actually got the renault espace under the AMC brand, things might have been a lot different, because that one soundly beat the Chrysler voyager on all fronts in europe: roomier, better build quality (curtesy of Matra), lighter and from its second gen available with AWD and the 3 liter PRV V6. The best thing the voyager had to combat this vehicle was the sliding doors...
@TheChill001 We know Renault was going to bring it here, but when Chrysler bought AMC, that went away. Eagle was close to getting a Chrysler Minivan too, but it was scrapped.
My Dad had two of the Dodge Caravans in the late 80s to early 90s. I only rode in them for family trips but they were fantastic. Plenty of room for everyone to stretch out and not feel cramped like in a car. I don't remember my Dad saying that he had any issues with them during the time he owned them. They weren't sexy but they were functional.
My Father in law had one with the 2.5 liter and a 5 speed. I don't recall if it was a turbo model as he had it before I started dating my future wife. They were not sexy, but it was a "cooler" family ride than a "Brady Bunch" station wagon.
Minivans were honestly futuristic for the 1980s
It was a big deal.. They killed the station wagon in a similar way crossovers took over sedans.
After Lee Iacocca was fired from Ford, he took his minivan plans with him to Chrysler. 40 years ago he introduced the minivan for the 1984 model year
Yes
Right
Oh man a 1st gen Town & Country in Black with the 3.3 is the dreammmmm
And rare!
I knew someone who had a Town And Country, 1985, black with fake wood sides, it had a 4-banger with a 5-speed! That's the one I'd want. He drove that thing into the ground.
3.3 is the best engine-I've had every different engine available in my vans.
I have one in a 2001 Caravan. No troubles with it at all. Good old fashioned push rod motor.
Is great to keep the insects away from all the blue smoke coming out of exhaust
Another great chatter. I thought these were cool back in the day especially since they basically pioneered the whole minivan movement.
Thanks Rob...I see you have a new one out! I'll be sure to check it out later when I get home.
They were always popular in Europe. Small vans were around since the 50s there.
@@adotintheshark4848 please keep that euro junk over there except the old air cooled beetles and buses and old BMW 3 series they make good race cars newer from Europe are junk like some newer American cars plastic junk
@@sabrehawk-427It seems nearly every car made now has a whole lot of plastic engine parts. And in the case of BMW, expensive plastic engine parts. And if that isn't enough, there's so much electronics that you're no longer driving a car. You're driving a laptop.
@@adotintheshark4848that's why I will keep my 1995 Camry v 6 wagon untill I die
The Chrysler mini van always makes me think of Lee Iacocca.
Me too..It was one of his babies.
Can we take a moment to recognize the brilliant naming of the Caravan and Voyager, especially Caravan? Car-based van = car a van. Caravan = people traveling together. Well done, Dodge. Meanwhile, "Voyager" was straightforward about its purpose. Pontiac did well with "TranSport," too. I didn't respect the van, but the name suited Pontiac's supposed sporting identity and acknowledged the purpose.
Caravan and Trans Port were genius. The original concept Pontiac vehicle from the mid 80s had the same name.Plymouth borrowed Voyager from before as it used to be a trim level on their full size vans. That theme was adopted by others with Quest,Odyessy,Villager etc LOL.
@@autochatterThe Voyager was always a rebadged Caravan. They shared all of the same options. The TransPort was based off the Chevy Lumina APV.
I'd agree that the Chrysler vans were the best minivans even till the end especially for the American brands! That's coming from a Ford guy who's parents owned a 1990 base model XL Ford Aerostar as out first family minivan that they bought from a leasing company back in late summer of 1993. At the time being a small 7yr old it was exciting along with my brother and sister for us to have our own space when we'd all go somewhere as a family especially coming previously from a clapped out Chevy Celebrity car.
They were certainly the best Domestic Minivans through today...The last one standing and currently the ONLY 2024 Chrysler you can buy is one. I drove several Aerostars and borrowed one from work once for a trip involving several family members. I hated how it drove...Felt top heavy.
In high-school during the 80s I looked forward to driving a friend's parent's Voyager every few weekends after we chose a green spot, park, on a map of Maryland, Virginia, DC and West by God Virginia. From Skyline Drive to the Potomac River to George Washington National Forest and everywhere in between. A few years later I woukd work for a Dodge dealership and then a Chrysler Plymouth Dodge dealership with their minivans being my specialty. I could write a book on how these minivans were a big part of my life no matter which of the 8 states I've lived in. Only experienced one failure of a transmission when I was passing someone where it down shifted and never shifted in drive again and of course I was almost 200 miles from home. I believe it was a 99 or early 2000's but as I had a shuttle business with four other similar minivans I used it for parts.
Apologies for the book.
Apologies are not nessesary! I just released a 24 minute "speech" about them!
These vans were a huge part of my life, growing up. When I was very little, my parents had a white '86 Voyager and my grandparents had a green '94 Caravan. After that, my family would always have a Mopar van in the driveway until after I graduated from high school. I even learned how to drive on a white '00 Grand Caravan.
There was never one in my garage, but a lot of my friends Parents had one.
My parents only had a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport. We had it for 10 years. It was a great car until the transmission went out.
@@bjthedjdutchdude1992 The last Mopar van my family had was an '07 Caravan that was rather basic for the time. It had manual locks and windows. Salt corrosion got to it well before the engine could give out.
@@autochatter there was always a k car in our garage being tore down another cracked head computer bad
@@sabrehawk-427 Never said they were super reliable LOL.
This should be sent to every Anti-Minivan MOM!!!
When it boils down to it these vehicles are all about practicality!!
Thank you! I agree.
I’m amazed the sales numbers were that low the first few years. I remember they were popping up EVERYWHERE. 1986 or so even the comic strip family circus traded in their wagon for a Chrysler minivan. Looking back, and knowing how much dodge does this today, I’m willing to bet that was a sponsored product placement move.
I'm sure it was a product placement deal of some sort. Yeah...Putting this together, I was expecting a little higher numbers too then. But they would have stood out on the road more from other rides then, possibly drawing more attention?
@@autochatter good observation.
I had the 85 and 3 kid. Loved it. Got 10 years use out of it with just good maintenence. Don't remember the mileage but it was a lot.
We had a green 94 Town and Country just like the one you show. A very nice van and it served us will until the kids were grown. The fancy digital instruments were a bit glitchy though...
That Guage cluster was cool looking!
Just found your channel, love your style! It's a cross between Bob Ross and Cleavland Brawn talking about various cars, very soothing!
LOL..Thank you! "Let me draw a happy little car over here Peter"
A friend's older brother had a Caravan Turbo II WITH manual. I saw it a few times, and never again have I seen one.
It had to be fairly rare. I've only seen a handful equipped that way myself.
Very rare if was going to have a Chrysler minivan that would the one I of course I am mechanic I could fix it myself when the head cracked or the non intercooled turbo gave out
I bought a new 1994 Plymouth Grand Voyager a new 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport, a new 2003 Honda Odyssey and although I like the Honda Odyssey, the Chrysler vans were more comfortable and my favorites. Minivans in general are the perfect vehicle for the utilitarian usage they offer
They really are ideal vehicles in many ways. I have much respect for minivans! I agree the Chrysler ones were higher on comfort, but the Honda felt sportier to me. Potent engine too if the Honda 5 speed auto didn't grenade on you LOL.
My first Chrysler corp. minivan was a 1995 T&C. It was junk: on its third transmission (at 120,000 miles) when I got it. The paint peeled, the driver’s door broke its hinges (because someone thought they would support the weight of the door) and the heater controls failed just before I sold it. So I bought a 1999, for $1,500 with 225k miles. Why? Because the resale value of the Chryslers is so low that they are a bargain compared to Hondas and Toyotas. Fixed it plenty of times and gave it to my housekeeper. At 230k, it is still running, however barely. Bought a 2002 Caravan with 200k for $2,350 a year ago. Incredibly useful, decent comfort - and those dirt cheap prices. Had to put $800 plus my labor in a complete rebuild of front and rear suspensions, but so far nothing else. But something will break - always does.
As a traveling salesman I am driving a 2016 Chrysler Town and Country. I love the amount of samples a can carry and the comfort of the ride since I’ll put 1,500 miles on in a week with no problem.
I've maintained for years that a lot of people would have been better served buying a minivan over a crossover
Ive owned two USA ford van. the econoline full-size extended version V-8 engines
yes Chrysler got one right, all the other car makers have given up, I own a 2008 T&C 290,000 miles no major repairs, worst thing was the outer tie rods were loose at only 20,000 miles, the parts stores did not have them and the dealers had them back ordered, it was only one year old Orielly auto parts came up with the 2 of the very first moog tie rods, had to fix and align it myself even with a warranty, the dealer would not install my parts but years later it has been a good van, those moog tie rods are just like new 260,000 miles later
I'm on Chrysler mini van number 6-I can haul my music gear, bikes, or an auto engine-works for me! Thanks for the video!
You are quite welcome! I am uploading Part II as we speak!
I love our '07 Town and Country. It's amazing how much room there is with the 2nd and 3rd rows folded down.
@@jeffduncan9140 My wife's Quest she had was like a NY apartment with all the seats folded....Maybe slightly larger LOL.
@@autochatter nice! It's funny. I can remember swearing I'd never drive, much less own, a minivan. My, how family life changes one's views. Now I'm extolling their virtues. 🤣🤣
@jeffduncan9140 My Wife loved hers..I liked it on trips and whatever we bought at a store would fit in it. Best part was we both didn't have to have one and I got to keep my 350z.
A couple comments. One: When discussing the 1950s vans, you forgot the Goliath Express. Front wheel drive, fuel injected, and even sold in the US.
Two: The 87 voyager had the bench seat and sealed beam headlights (I had one). 88 had composite lights and three speed automatic. Had of those also. 89 had four speed automatic with lock-up torque converter, and it's own computer, which would randomly throw you into"limp mode", aka stuck in second gear. Had one of those also.
The Chrysler Corporation minivans were the most comfortable and useful cars I've owned. Wouldn't mind another.
Thank you! Thought the front bench was only in 85. Was it a base Voyager? Because the composite lights were a thing on 87s. That was the mid cycle refresh year with the new lights and optional v6.The 89 was the first year for the 4 speed auto I think...The Ultradrive? As for the Goliath...Never heard of it untill now. Just did a little looking..German company. Had a small van that came out a couple years after the two German ones I mentioned in the vid...Intresting!
You have a very soothing way of speaking. Quite listenable, and for some reason makes me think of Cleveland Brown.
LOL...I hear that alot! Must be some truth to it.
Short wheelbase minivan was what I consider mini. They were about the size of a current compact SUV which replaced the
short wheelbase minivan. I still have a 1991 that I use regularly, still gets a competitive 24mpg hwy and can cruise nearly 400miles
on full 20 gal tank. Full spare tire instead of modern donut or fix a flat. Long ago I observed minivan step in height perfect for
most people including elderly, just step in and belt up. Seats are dated but remain reasonable short trip basic. Towed many U-hauls with this thing. 14 ,15 inch tires are cheap to replace versus 18, 19. I have a similar size 1991 SUV, but the minivan is clearly better ride choice for daily utility use. Nobody, nobody steals a minivan.
Quite a few people in my family owned Caravans we absolutely adore them my mom had three they were awesome. What good times! Long live the Chrysler minivans Long live Lee iacocca thank you for making this well put together❤
I appreciate that! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Part two will be here by the weekend!
@@autochatter you're most welcome oh that's awesome looking forward to it!
@@peachyclean93 it's been a fun series to make so far.
@@autochatter oh I'm sure pretty much anything Lee iacocca touch is very enjoyable to even own he was the man thank you for bringing light to his achievements keeping Chrysler and him alive you're doing a service thank you!
@@peachyclean93 If you haven't seen my Dodge Omni Vid, I chat about Mr Iacocca there too....and the Ford Pinto one.
So calming, so soothing, so informative, so.... Auto Chatter.
Sounds like a nice tag line! Thank you!
I still love Minivans and Chrysler made the coolest, roomy, and reliable vans in decades, next to the KIA Carnival, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, and discontinued Nissan Quest. The Chevy Astro and Venture along with Pontiac Montana and Olds Silhouette is my second favorite and Chrysler minivans is my all time first. Ford Windstar were garbage but Aerostar was good. Back in 2005, I've bought a used 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan SE in white with tinted windows, paid $8500 with 124,000 miles. The second row reclining bench seats had a builded in child safety seats and a third row bench that reclined all the way back into a bed, and I put 15 inch 5 spoke aftermarket wheels to make it look sporty, installed a center console and fold down TV DVD system for the rear passengers. I was 25 yrs old at the time and started a family of my own, I didn't want to buy a boring SUV crossover that sit high off the ground and unsafe, but a Minivan was better. Will I buy another one at the age of 43, yes I would buy one now in red or grey in a R/T version. But the late 90s version I rather have.
Sounds like you had that van tricked out nice!
I absolutely loved my 1994 SWB Voyager Sport Wagon in the then popular green paint. I special ordered it with only the optional equipment that I wanted and had to wait about six weeks for it to come in. With only one child it was more than big enough for all our around town and long distance trips. It was comfortable, handled well and was fast enough with the 3.3L V6. There was a special 10th anniversary edition that year and I bought the badge to stick on mine. It was nearly trouble free except that a few times the dashboard power would cut out and the speedometer would quit for a few seconds. I think the only repair I had to do was have a front axle replied due to a torn boot. I kept it until 2003 when I traded it for a 2002 Subaru Forester which turned out to be an even better car than the Plymouth. I wish I still had them both.😀
Was it that teal green color? I do remember seeing alot of those! My old car was a Subaru (WRX), and I enjoyed it too. Shame the new one is ugly IMO.
@@autochatter Yes it was with the tan interior and silver alloy wheels.
The 2002 Forester was my first of six Subarus including a 2002 2.5RS and a 2003 WRX Bugeye wagon that my son still drives. The current Forester is a size too large for me and no hybrid yet. My current ride is a 2017 Impreza 5 door.
@guylr7390 My Daughter wants a Bugeye or Hawkeye. She was upset when I traded in my 15.
I remember when these first came out
Me too. Some of friends parents had one
Any time we rented a vehicle for a road trip, we specifically asked for the Grand Caravan. When it eventually came with Stow & Go, it was the best configuration. We eventually got a Town & Country to replace our Grand Am and loved the dramatic increase in practicality. That Town & Country lasted from 2005-2018 before finally succumbing to rust and, ultimately, head gasket failure. It still ran, but very poorly. KARS4KIDS took it away on a flatbed, and we we sad to see it go.
Stow and Go was another cool innovation that I will certainly discuss in part two. I want to say Honda was first with a 3rd row that could be folded flat into the floor.
@@autochatter I think that's correct about Honda. 🤔
@@doug6191 I sold a guy a new Isuzu Oasis in the 90s which was a rebadged Odyessey.
@autochatter Just saw a Gen 1 Odyssey this morning.
@@doug6191 I saw a JDM one at a Cars and Coffee recently.
We love our stow and go seats on our 2019 model. The v6 has great power. Great history lesson.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! Just released Part 2 late last night!
I've owned two of these. Both 96s. In 2001 a friend told me he would give me his Plymouth Voyager. It had just blown the transmission and he was done with it. He bought it new and it had the tranny replaced under warranty. This one wasn't so he was just done with it. His wife forced him to charge me $200, I don't blame her. It had like 80kmi and was in otherwise really good shape. I bought it from him and paid to have the tranny replaced (3RD!!!). We drove it for quite a few miles until it popped the head gasket. I brought it to my buddy's auto repair/dealer lot and asked him what he had. He had another one, in the same color for cheap. I told him I'd take it then got the idea to tell my wife it was the same van😂. We swapped the hubcaps, head unit, the guys there even scraped the bumper stickers off the old one. I brought it home and told her they managed to fix it. She happy. The "new" van was a much lower spec and lacked the driver side slider that her old van had😂😂😂. It took her THREE DAYS to realize.😅😅
My sister in law bought a 01 years ago. They had a good extended warranty on it...and got their money back and then some on whatever they paid for it! A couple transmissions and a chronic A/C issue where they ended up replacing EVERYTHING including the rear A/C parts before fixing it right. They only had the vehicle for 3 years or so.
@autochatter You just reminded me that the drive belt would pop off so often that I would keep the necessary tools in the van to pull over and pop it back on. Thinking back I probably should've replaced the belt. Haha. The second van got so rusty that the track for the door rotted through and the door would start to pop out of place. It was the Great Recession, money was tight!
@arieljones4595 They had other problems too..I can't remember as it was some years back now that they had it.
@@arieljones4595Lots of serpentine belts popped off in the rain because the quickie oil change places saved time by not putting the plastic undershield back. Of course they'd say it didn't have one when it came in or that it fell off afterward and they weren't responsible. Most cars you can lose that part without any real problems but not the Chrysler minivans.
@@autochatterA/C problems were common (loss of refrigerant and related failures), trans died young with many (sometimes under standard factory warranty!), some had electrical problems. Rust got to any survivors. I do remember you almost couldn't give older ones away unless it already had a new trans installed which would only raise the sales price by about half of what the trans cost, so many got scrapped before they were 10 years old since they weren't worth fixing. I've seen them sell for $200-$300 with a questionable or dead trans with the rest in very nice shape. Some did well, most didn't.
My childhood friend had a 5 speed standard dodge caravan. It was odd to see but we would rip arpund in that thing. It was pretty fun with that 5speed in it
A 5 speed version makes just about anything more fun 😁
@@autochatter that it does. He spray painted all the rear windows black ripped out the rear seats for a couch and we smoked a ton of pot in that thing. We told ourselves it was the coolest ride ever and on no way ghetto or low class lol. When I got my license i got a Lincoln mark 7 lsc. I'd ride in the burn bus but I sure wasnt owning one lol
@kefwals8722 HaHa!
You did your homework. This was not only informative, but it was good as well. You put a great deal of effort into this video and it shows. I appreciate you telling the story and the footage you used as well. What you said about GM and explained was true and well stated as well about the Nomad II concept and what we got instead. You did a good job explaining the Chrysler vans and how they dominated the segment. I also recall the Ford Carousel. Japan liked the Chevrolet Astro. I did not know they offered digital gauges on the Chrysler vans. I saw it in the video when you talked a about 1995 model year. This part one was quite good. Thank you and good job!
Thanks Olds! I start writing part two today!
@@autochatter Carry on and do your best. It will be interesting.
@OLDS98 Yes Sir! I assume you have watched Antique Tags new vid already? It's about your favorite brand!
@@autochatterI actually just watched the Olds video. It was like a documentary on the History channel 😅
@upbeattvraw-hiphop8242 I got the same feeling..Loved the story telling aspect.
well put together.
Thank you! Had a few twists and turns that I wasn't sure would go over as well, but the Caravan really kicked it all off in a big way.
my friend mikes mom picked us up in one in 86 i think, i literally couldn't believe cruise control
I think Chrysler was first to offer cruise control in the late 50s.
Great job! Very entertaining...
Thank you! Part two will be out this evening!
I had four..a 1988 base model with the 2.5, 1989 with the 3.0, a 1991 with the 3.3 and a 1997 T&C with the 3.8 (my favorite). I bought them all used and had minimal problems (the '91 needed a trans rebuild). I also had 3 Mercury Villagers 1994, 1996 and a 1999. The Villagers were better built and drove better (Nissan Quest with a Mercury badge). I really loved minivans!
The Quest and Villager were interesting. The platform and drivetrain was modified from the Maxima..But alot of the interior was Ford and they were built at a Ford factory.
My Dad had a 99 Caravan . He drove the wheels off of it!!
My Father in law did the same with a 5 speed one.
Great video! I love the first and second gen Chrysler minivans. Just saw a mage clean one on FB with 26k original miles. Think it was a Voyager, probably '93 or so. Id love to find a clean one with the 3.3, but so many were beat to death so not many nice clean ones are left 30+ yeare later.
Thank you! Yeah, most of the older ones have had several owners and are long gone now
Great video! Eager to watch the 3rd, 4th and 5th generations. Such great cars, and a huge impact on the American car landscape. Loved the intro with the europeans models explained. Thanks for posting!
Thank you! Yeah I'm actually putting together part 2 this week! I was a little worried the "intro" might have been a bit long, but to me the minivan story started before Chrysler, so you have to set the stage!
@@autochatter I can’t wait for part two. I guess I’ll go ahead and hit the bell notification! I’m already subscribed.
@postersm7141 I appreciate that! I am working on the script as we speak!
I think the Aerostars in Eddie Bauer trim with 4.0L were the best. rear drive and a digital dashboard...
They were first with a luxury minivan!
I remember my uncle buying one used for his construction company. I seem to remember it being a 1987 model maybe ? It was the cargo version I believe but I remember really enjoying the way it drove and it was just something about it that I really liked. It definitely wasn’t pretty and it had no frills, but there was just something about it, and it was very good for what we use it for business wise.
only problem is I believe it did have the Mitsubishi engine and eventually started smoking due to valve stem seals or seats. but I remember we beat the hell out of that thing and I don’t think it ever died. I think ultimately we got rid of it because of the smoking/burning oil issue.
That wasn't a uncommon thing with those engines then. They did drive nice.Like a car, but you sat up a bit higher. Somthing alot of crossover buyers today enjoy.
@@autochatter totally agreed. Plus after watching your video it just reminded me how much I really enjoyed that vehicle. There was just something different about the driving experience and I don’t know really what it was.
@@postersm7141 No explanation nessesary...I get it!
@@autochatterrode like a wagon with MacPherson struts up front and strait beam axel in rear
I'm a firm believer the minivan was the last great automobile revolution.
It really is a jack of all trades vehicle. But the "cool factor" makes many choose a crossover today instead. I don't find a station wagon with a lift kit cool LOL. Why skimp on practicality and comfort over a minivan?
I miss my old 1988 Plymouth woody!
If I remember correctly these weren’t really the best. In fact, Chrysler/dodge, had to buy back over 4 million vehicles that were built before the year 2006. They refused to install a $10 part that would save millions of lives. A simple shift brake - brake shift interlock system. Made it so you had to have the key turned on and your foot on the brake.
For years while other auto manufacturers had already had this technology, Chrysler/Dodge customers reported 5 accidents due to the lack of safety features.
Intresting. I know cars had A shift lock required for years due to the Audi 5000 in the 80s. With the minivans being classified as a light truck, maybe they were exempt for that reason?
I LOVED the REAL VANS of the 60s-70s, but the Chrysler-built minivans were ALWAYS BETTER than their competition, IMPORTED OR DOMESTIC!
What planet are living on
My dad had Dodge caravan 88, Plymouth voyager 96 and 99
Sounds like he was a fan of them.
@@autochatteryeah he sure was
I miss my Voyager...
Fire engine red 1994.
I remember seeing them that color!
@@autochatter By the time I was done with her, she was all American.
Red body, white front bumper and blue drivers door.
At one time the Chrysler/Plymouth/ Dodge minivans were as ubiquitous as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord became about a decade later.
And today it's RAV4 and CRV!
With a huge difference TOYOTA and Honda will still be running after it's payed off and given to there son's and daughters as there first car where the crapster will be in junk yard
I always felt the Toyota Masterace and Stanza wagon were the best vans to come out of the 80’s.
The Stanza wagon was kinda neat..I drove a few of them. The Toyota van was cool in a VW Microbus kinda way. It was fun to drive and reliable, but I didn't feel like it was the best...minivan...I dunno LOL.
Mini vans were specifically designed to have rear access through doors. Earlier vehicles like the Scarab were not and should not be compared to mini vans. Other than that I have been thoroughly enjoying your videos.
I agree...The Scarab was not a minivan. I mentioned it as it was a spacious vehicle that wasn't truck based then. The Scarab was a expensive oddity. Thank you for watching and I appreciate it!
@@autochatter Thanks for the reply. Most creators can't seem to be bothered by such trivia. Your channel will surely grow.
@jamesjohn834 Well I love car Trivia and invite comments, so it would seem counterproductive to NOT want to reply! I certainly don't know everything and appreciate learning somthing new! Thank you for the kind words again.
You sent me to FB marketplace to look for one :)
LOL..Happy hunting!
Same. I liked them so much I went from Toyota to Dodge as a tech.
@@davidpawson7393going from Toyota dealership to a crapster dealership you will be busy with warranty work
Chevrolet should have kept producing the Safari. RWD and towing machine. They nailed it with the second generation venture (they were everywhere) but killed it with the uplander. It was ugly, taller, used twice the gas and had a rear door seam sitting on the seal that rusted immediately. Replaced our Venture with an Uplander and quickly dumped it. Had two Caravans and a Sedona. Dumped the 11 Caravan but kept the 07 Sedona. Sedona was the best of them all.
I talked about the GM minivans in my corny Star Trek themed episode. The biggest problem with the Venture was the crash tests were horrible. That big nose they put on Uplander addressed it...and they tried to make it look more like a crossover...Didn't work though. I don't think the Uplander was innovative enough either compared to what other brands had. In hindsight, GM had the right idea as most of the remaining minivans try to look more like crossovers today.th-cam.com/video/qp8cjJ75gMI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=rRqtQC1vtCJlTdi5 (link to video)
37 MPG HWY! In a minivan! Today they need expensive 10 spd or sluggish cvt transmissions, hybrid systems, gdi or turbos to match the mpg of decades old tech. Sometimes I think we're moving sideways with technology instead of moving forward. New vehicles cost 10x more to purchase, they're a nightmare to maintain and they aren't any more fuel efficient.
That's true...But modern minivans are larger,safer, and alot heavier. Plus to get that 37 mpg, you had to row your own gears and be satisfied with 100 hp. People demand more standard stuff in cars today too.
@@autochatter My family had an 86 Plymouth Voyager with the Mitsubishi 4 cyl and an automatic transmission. We loaded that poor thing to the max with family and luggage for a round trip from Nebraska to South Florida and many places along the way. It never failed us unless we ran it out of fuel, which we did once in the Florida everglades 😂. Thanks for the video I did enjoy it 👍
@@jessem8690 I bet y'all visited Gatorland ! Thank you for the kind words!
@@autochatterBefore it went 'boom;, my Olds 3.4L was almost as peppy as a 3,8 and hititng 32MPG highway was a breeze. Mid 20's around town. Like stepping on a beer can in a frontal crash though, and side-impact wasn't very good either.
@@P_RO_the 3.4 was Chevy engine would blow head gaskets or pull the rockers studs out which would cause a head gasket to blow but overall not a totally bad engine
You forgot the Windstar mini van that rusted out
Maybe that for part 2
It is..Windstar debuted for 95, but since I'll be starting the next one with the 96 Chrysler vans, I figured it would be better to mention it then. Was trying to take in account video length too. I think this was my longest yet!
The aerostar was worst about rusting out
I'd take an Astro or Safari over any of the others but, that's just my personal preference.
I actually liked them more too. I liked that they were RWD and didn't mind them being more truck like.
My 03 Safari RWD has 'grown on me' somewhat. The AWD versions are becoming quite sought after if they're in good shape. They've qot quirks and issues and the engines are a PITA to work on, but they're pretty solid once you get them right. Having ~600lbs of tools in back, my 4.3L still drives like a sports car at lower speeds. They are the perfect 'sleeper' for hot rodding as a SBC V8 bolts right in, and the AWD running gear is reputed to be good for at least 500HP. The ride isn't smooth because they're truck-based, sharing a lot with the S-10 pickup.
@P_RO_ The 4.3 is basically a 350 with two cylinders lopped off right? I think all the pulleys and such could be transfered over too.
@@P_RO_nothing alike a s-10 pickup the s-10 had a body off frame the van was unibody huge difference
@@autochatterand ett the they got different bore and stoke
FCA and Stellantis just don't understand brand equity or name recognition. The Caravan and Town & Country names have been around for decades and for them to just drop them with no replacements is just foolish. The Pacifica is a nice minivan but they need to fix their reliability.
It's often sad when a manufacturer drops a long running name when a redesigned one comes out. Agreed about the Pacifica.
Please tell me you threw that (and all other K cars) in the fire pits of Mt. Doom
Rofl...Guess you have to watch to see! I was thinking of a thumbnail title and suddenly...One ring to rule them all popped in my head.
@@autochatter 😄
0:02 *Voyagers
Oops...I wrote Yoyager didn't I? You guys don't miss a thing!
3.34K subs + 1
That's great! Welcome aboard!
Anybody 87 Dodge caravan for 200 bucks. Cuz I needed wheel drove it for a year to the brakes went out mechanic said underside was Rusty didn't want to put it on a lift. Left it with title.
Sounds like you definately got your money's worth from it!
The best thing chrysler did with these is stow and go. Very smart. It's too bad they really didn't have any reliable powerplants in these ever. If toyota hadn't gone so wierd they could've kicked chryslers arse. In addition to the way they looked the first vans Toyota had on offer were just plain dangerous to drive. I had a delivery Toyota van at work. It was the slowest thing I've ever driven. It understeered very very badly.if u lost traction on the front wheels you just went straight into anything in your way. The only thing to protect you in a front end wreck was the windshield. I had it on two wheels several times, and not on purpose. Thinking back, that thing was the MOST dangerous thing I have ever driven. I don't think it could possibly b beat by anything with 4 wheels for danger with absolutely no excitement. I really don't think they should have been sold, anywhere. It really was that bad.
That's not entirely true. The three-speed automatic was pretty durable. The 3.0 Mitsubishi was decent. The 3.3 and 3.8 were very reliable, it just took about 10 years for the four speeds to become decent.
Yeah...Those early Japanese vans were better suited for Tokyo than Route 66. Nissans van then had smaller engines overseas. They stuffed a large 2.4 liter 4 from a Hardbody truck for the ones brought here.....and had overheating and possible fires as a result. Most were bought back from Nissan and crushed.
@colinschmitz8297 when your talking price of admission and practicality, the Chrysler minivans were great. I think some models like a Previa was very reliable though....But they were odd and had horrible frontal crash ratings.
@@autochatter for clarification's sake, I wasn't agreeing or disagreeing with anything concerning Toyota. I was trying to clarify that Chrysler did have good power plants in their vans. The primary weakness was the early years of the four speeds and the four cylinders were very hit or miss. The V6 engines whether Chrysler or Mitsubishi sourced were good engines.
Made In Taiwan shipped under britsh influence shipped half incomplete Mitsubishi
I have owned 4, count them 4, Chrysler minivan. They have been, without exception, junk. All the way from a 1984 ram Van, a 1985 Plymouth voyager (The exception to the rule), a 1994 Grand Caravan and another one I cannot remember. Wiring, transfer cases, transmission(s), all failed.
Never owned one myself, but saw plenty of tired examples over the years.
You kind of Missed Dodges original small van with big cargo area. th-cam.com/video/JqclXN8QdLU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=i9AtMqEkCwnejXtJ
The Route Van had a Di Dion rear axle which enabled the differential to be mounted to the floor, which allowed the driveshaft to be near the floor, which was lower to the ground than the competition. That helped operator comfort .
The 2nd gen all-wherl drive minivan also had a Di Dion axle.
Yes..I should have gave it at least a mention. They were not really created for people so much as businesses though...Like a 50s Ford Courier.
The second generation of the Chrysler minivans were absolute junk. I had a '94 Caravan and a friend had a '93 Voyager. Both blew transmissions, and mine smoked like a chimney after 110k miles. They were cheap inside too, with the dash falling apart, and to top it off the windshield leaked water.
I applauded their innovation, but never said they were the most reliable cars ever made!
Nothing based on the K platform could be co side red reliable. They were awful vehickes. Pure Chrysler garbage. Toothpick transmissions, head gaskets that would blow, Mitsubishi engines that seemingly left the factory without valve seals and a myriad of electric problems
@@mmiller1188 the input splines on the transmissions would actually strip out, that's how bad they were. And the Mitsubishi V6 (3.0) was garbage too. That's what I had.
@@mmiller1188100 percent true people who never worked on these POS will never know
12:33 - GM and Ford both gambled wrong with Astro & Aerostar. They were "midivans". Ford eventually conceded and made a proper minivan, but GM never figured out how to make a good minivan. Their U body trash was never worthy.
The Windstars biggest problems were glass transmissions and Ford being reluctant to offer dual sliding doors untill much later. As for the Dustbuster vans, I guess GM was trying to go radical like Ford did with much success with the Taurus.
You may be right strictly in terms of numbers and success. However, the Astrovan cargo van was amazing for all sorts of contractors. I still miss them, and had several of them for my business.
@postersm7141 when your talking commercial uses or needing to tow stuff, a Astro or Aerostar were better options...Totally agree.
@@autochatter yes I run my own business that requires a van. I’m currently in a 2020 Ford transit connect and I love it because of the size and because of what I do but yes the Astro was so good for what I do. But I also agree with you when it comes to non-commercial use. The caravan ect were definitely way better.
@@postersm7141 The Transit Connect was just dropped. Shame that and the Nissan NV small vans are gone. As for the Astros, I still see people working out of them to this day.Hard to beat a solid RWD platform.
Crapster corp junk I say that unlike you I work on these Pos Mitsubishi 2.6 and 3.0 l and the holly carburator 2.2 the 2.6 Mitsubishi blew head gaskets left and right the carburator would screw up the oil pump was driven bye a chain junk the 3.0 Mitsubishi Valve guides would drop and start burning oil but once you take the heads off and take them to a good machinest they run good and last and sertany least the carbureted 2.2 the holly carburator was junk and it neve blew head gaskets instead it cracked heads done hundreds of them leaked oil undered powered .the bottom end was tough though. you can always tell a crapster mini with the 3.0l or 3.3 l by the blue smoke coming out of the tailpipe smart people bought the GMC Safari or Chevy Astro van still see them on the road working ford dropped the ball with aerostar Pos 04ld transmission changed hundreds of them easy job though and they were rust buckets
and the van that ruined society as we know it. I call it soccer Mom syndrome where society became soft.
Horrible transmissions
Yeah..I think the 4 speeds were worse.
Many decades ago I owned a 1986 plymouth voyager. I believe it had a 3.4 litre V6 engine. It was a real pile of junk! It broke down 5 times and was not reliable. It seems that I never learned my lesson because in 2017 I bought a ram truck. Here it sits in my yard almost brand new waiting for brake parts that will never come! I haven't even paid the thing off! The problem with dodge is they went to mexico. They sell junk cars and trucks that nobody wants. If you by a stellantis ram dodge they will take your money and then turn their back on you, beware!
Sorry for your bad experiences. I've never owned a Chrysler product myself.
You're lucky! People always do the Ford vs Chevy thing but whichever side you are on ...the worst Chevy or the worst Ford is better than the best Chrysler
@mmiller1188 I've been in the car biz since the mid 90s, and have seen first hand what holds up better than others.