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  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by MarcusBrody View Post
    I'm with you, Foggy_Goggles and doebedoe. I love smallish, utilitarian vans. I have a Transit Connect (with a removable sleeping platform) now that I really like, but wouldn't mind two inches of extra ground clearance for rutted dirt roads. AWD in the winter would be nice as well, but I haven't really had any problems with FWD and snow tires, so it's more on the nice to have list. I'm averaging 23 or 24 miles a gallon.
    Yeah -- I move between wanting my replacement to be a Connect/NV200/City Promaster vs their larger counterparts. From what I've seen you give up a bit of clearance, a lot of space, and get more maneuverability and a few mpg bump at lower cost with the smaller models.

    I'm thinking a high-roof, short-body version of one of the big Eurovans will be my next camper-ish car.

  2. #27
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    Fuck. If this thing was AWD, I would already have one.

    I am also looking for the cheap awd unicorn van, for ski/bike life, but also because I have big dogs and they like vans better than SUVs.

    I’m a little young for the mini van, but honestly the Toyota Siennas are pretty sweet adventure cars.


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  3. #28
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    Everyone went SUV in the 2000s. Shame really. The van is a better body style for the vast majority of applications.

    A Sienna with $2k of suspension/tire upgrades looks a lot more reasonable than any other van option out there. Otherwise to get a van + AWD/4WD you either have to go full size (Express is still being made), old (Astro or Previa) or $50k (Sprinter or Transit w/ 4x4.)

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by doebedoe View Post
    Express is still being made
    In 4X4? I know there are conversion kits (that get you into Sprinter pricing) but I don't think you can just buy the van that way from Chevy?

  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrenalated View Post
    In 4X4? I know there are conversion kits (that get you into Sprinter pricing) but I don't think you can just buy the van that way from Chevy?
    No 4x4. But I believe you can still order them with AWD unless they removed that option in the last 4 years. (EDIT: Looks like you can only order RWD now. AWD was available up through 2014ish.)

    On the Astro, a conversion from AWD to 4x4 is a pretty straight forward t-case swap from a Blazer or similar. Not sure about the express and if it shares similar parts.

  6. #31
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    Nissan NV200 AWD

    They have AWD express and savanas, but for some reason I thought they had stopped them in 15’ for some odd reason. Are they still making them? I’ve heard its a decent AWD system?

    I dont mind full size, because I can actually use it. Only issues for me are gas mileage and they pollute more.. and the prices are a bit high on newer ones for me.

    Why aren’t smaller and/or cheaper vans made in AWD for USA? There is growing demand for them, and the manufacturers are missing a small piece of the market that could make them more profits.


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  7. #32
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    Is there a growing demand, beyond the young dirtbaggy crowd? From what I can tell, everyone still wants SUVs or Crossovers or even a wagon before a dreaded minivan.

    AWD stopped on the Express apparently when they dropped the 1500 option in 2014/15. One problem with those is that you have a big van on a pretty meh transmission which was already the weak point of the Astros (the 4L60e).

  8. #33
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    I think there is definitely more demand for them, outside of the young dirtbag or surfer/skier/biker crowd, than there was 10 years ago. Lots of rich hipsters are doing it now. People with dirtbikes or motorcycles are considering vans more now.

    I see older 4x4 vans that are sweet. Maybe 70s or 80s? Was there more of a demand for them back then?


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  9. #34
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    Demand is a relative term. The hard numbers aren't there. It's all SUV/Crossover/ whatever you call it now.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
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  10. #35
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    The older 70s / 80s conversions you see were all done by aftermarket fitters like Quigley. There are still the same outfitters doing a larger volume than probably ever before. The AWD vans of the 1990s (Previas, Caravans, Astros, etc) existed because AWD was the hot new "safety" feature for moms driving in occasional snow. Those kid-hauling folks have now mostly moved over to SUV/Crossovers.

    That doesn't mean there is growing demand for them to justify many manufacturers making them available from the factory.

    Realistically my next van will be FWD. Not as cool as AWD, but it'll still get to and from the ski hill and up most dirt roads fine with a good set of tires.

  11. #36
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    Toyota sienna + 3.5" lift kit: http://journeysoffroad.com/siennaliftkits.html .

    It's not gonna be an offroad vehicle. But it'd get you up fire roads and through snow drifts.

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by doebedoe View Post
    Yeah -- I move between wanting my replacement to be a Connect/NV200/City Promaster vs their larger counterparts. From what I've seen you give up a bit of clearance, a lot of space, and get more maneuverability and a few mpg bump at lower cost with the smaller models.

    I'm thinking a high-roof, short-body version of one of the big Eurovans will be my next camper-ish car.
    Yeah I just after the full sized Transits at times (especially since we've become a three person family and the connect has become very tight to try to camp in) but as a daily driver/around town vehicle it wouldn't be worth it for me. The Connect gets 50% better gas mileage and drives very similarly to a car (I prefer it's driving dynamics to the Outback's for instance). The Transit Connect is our principal errand vehicle with my son, so it gets driven by me and my wife are lot. And she bumps into things as it is.

    Our other car is a 10 year old Honda Fit. When we replace that in a few years it will likely be with something a bit larger and (hopefully) electric. That then will become our main errand car and hopefully that will free up the second car to be something a bit more tailored for outdoorsing as my son gets to the age when he can really join me and will have his own gear to add to the haul.

  13. #38
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    Great, lifted Siennas. Now I got one more thing to waste time looking at on the internet.

    In Europe, they got these little shit box van everywhere. They would be perfect.

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  14. #39
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    Are those little shitbox vans AWD? I would guess they are FWD, and therefore just like an NV200, the rebranded chevy (which is an NV200), or a Ram City Promaster.

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by doebedoe View Post
    Are those little shitbox vans AWD? I would guess they are FWD, and therefore just like an NV200, the rebranded chevy (which is an NV200), or a Ram City Promaster.
    I'm not sure. But given the way I've seen they rally under gnarly conditions, I am not too worried about it. As in the USA, it looks like the slightly older models are less pussified and better suited to utilitarian use.

    I guess for me ground clearance and durability is more important the AWD. I've had many friends with mini van that can keep the front clip on the car and just eat through suspension parts.

  16. #41
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    What we need is the mid size class cargo vans that available around the world.

    Toyota HiAce
    Nissan NV350
    VW Transit
    Hyundia iLoad
    Ford Transit Custom

    Mercedes has brought the Metris to North America, but they've done a shit job of it compared to what you can get elsewhere. In Euroland they offer it with AWD and better seating options in the passenger version (the rear seats slide on a rail system and will fold down so you can make a folding bed).

    VW must be thinking about bringing the Transporter to NA. They recently brought over a small fleet of the highest spec camper versions and had a bunch of journo's tour them around California.

    All of the above are made available in different countries overseas with AWD and everything from stripped out cargo van to a loaded passenger van.

  17. #42
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    Oh, ffs, we need a Golf with AWD here in the US, along with dozens of other cars that are super practical that are available in Europe that we don’t get here.


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  18. #43
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    Oh god yes hiace:
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  19. #44
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    Nissan NV200 AWD


  20. #45
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    That one's a one-off that they built on a tundra platform strictly for an auto Show

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  21. #46
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    The Chicago auto show, where afterwards it'll look perfect in the parking lot at the Schaumburg mall. Need that height to find the parking spots, and suppress the emasculation.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
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  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by plugboots View Post
    Oh, ffs, we need a Golf with AWD here in the US
    ehhh, whaaa? I own one: http://www.vw.com/models/golf-alltrack.93607/

    And my neighbor down the street just got a lifted Sienna that's pretty slick. Nice wheels, tires, tint. Looks like a newer, half-pimped Astro.

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Scientist View Post
    ehhh, whaaa? I own one: http://www.vw.com/models/golf-alltrack.93607/

    And my neighbor down the street just got a lifted Sienna that's pretty slick. Nice wheels, tires, tint. Looks like a newer, half-pimped Astro.
    Get some deets from the neighbor. Mostly...how did he fix the CV angle in the front by lifting?

  24. #49
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    Siennas are great candidates. I currently rock the dirtbag Mazda MPV setup, but the Sienna will be my next upgrade. A guy in Utah makes 3-4" lifters for it I believe, but also the handicap conversions for it also do a lift, so it seems easy to do and readily available.

    Short of spending 50k for a Sprinter, I think the minivan is an excellent platform for #vanlife at a reasonable price for people who actually just want to save money not paying for hotels.

    I do wish I could stand up in it and cook (though my buddy and I cooked inside mine in winter this year). God that sucked. Spring is much better when you can reasonably cook outside.

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  25. #50
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    How do you get around the lack of spare tire on the Sienna AWD? I was seriously considering it but the mandatory run-flat tires/lack of spare was a deal-breaker for me. Maybe they've changed the model since I was looking a year or two ago? Storing a spare inside seems like a waste of space and the roof option was too ghetto, even for me.

    Ended up finding a low mileage AWD drive Astro last fall and am pretty happy. fuel efficiency and vintage 2001 Chevy tech, fit, and finish (my 1998 Tacoma is like a space ship inside in comparison) but it's otherwise pretty awesome. If they made a modern version with a more efficient engine and newer tech, I would buy my first new vehicle. For me, it's the ideal size and it crushes it in the winter.

    Last summer in Scandinavia, I saw so many AWD VW Transporters driving around it made me feel ill. For the life of me, I don't understand the American obsession with the SUV.

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