Anyone Use a Mini-Van as Their Ski Vehicle?

**mmmthmtskier** · 09-16-2007, 09:59 PM

No shit, I'm serious! Been curious about this topic for a few years and finally got enough nerve to post. I'm older than most here and remember the days of tricked-out full-sized vans("pussy wagons") in the 70's, so the stigma of a van wouldn't bother me. Just looking into a FWD vehicle, that I could sleep in comfortably(Lay out totally, I'm 5'11"), and has decent gas mileage. I wouldn't have too much of a problem using it as a daily driver, could give a shit what others may think. So any family maggs/magettes use a mini-van as their ski car?

**addict** · 09-16-2007, 10:15 PM

What's wrong with a mini van as a beater ski car? I know people that do it. Of course bubble windows and a mural of a sword-weilding viking girl in a metal bikini riding a dragon on the side of the van would make a mini van rock out a hell of a lot more.....

**wstdeep** · 09-16-2007, 10:19 PM

Astro awd= super ski bum mini van

**cj001f** · 09-16-2007, 10:20 PM

there are/were several AWD minivans. Toyota, Mazda and Chrysler all made imported them at one time. Awesome stealth vehicles for sleeping in.

**weibo** · 09-16-2007, 10:45 PM

I bummed in my Grand Caravan for a few years (I have owned 2) plus a caravan cargo van. Excellent vehicle, easy to get parts not bad on gas 12ish l/100km(about 20mpg). The best was my 1992 AWD Grand, took it to the Tahoe summit and had a great queen size futon set up and all the gear I needed plus. It went pretty much anywhere I needed it to. The thing to look for on these is the tranny it goes at 150ish km (about 100,000 miles) but once replaced they are solid.

**Platinum Pete** · 09-16-2007, 10:52 PM

My 1987 Toyota van is styled out as a pussy wagon. No bubble windows, as it was a cargo van, but I do have a couch that folds into a full size bed and 4WD. Great for road trips, easy on gas, plenty of parts at the junk yard, and stealthy for camping.

**MOHSHSIHd** · 09-16-2007, 10:52 PM

always thought one of these would be $$$ for bumming around. Parking lot paradise.

**Rideski** · 09-16-2007, 10:53 PM

ask these guys

**addict** · 09-16-2007, 10:55 PM

+10 points if you have a sweet ramp setup to drive your sled into the back of it.

But sleeping next to your sled can be annoying, mine always steals the covers.

**shirk** · 09-16-2007, 11:28 PM

Honda Element.

It's actually designed for what you want instead of designed for Soccer moms.

**Jumper Bones** · 09-16-2007, 11:33 PM

yeah and it's totally gutless and anemic too!

**cj001f** · 09-16-2007, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by Jumper Bones

yeah and it's totally gutless and anemic too!

it's a civic that's too be expected

**Spats** · 09-17-2007, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by Jumper Bones

yeah and it's totally gutless and anemic too!

They go up hills just fine. What is this American obsession about always having a motor that can tow a loaded dual horse trailer, even in vehicles that will never see a trailer hitch in their lives?

**P_McPoser** · 09-17-2007, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by Spats

They go up hills just fine. What is this American obsession about always having a motor that can tow a loaded dual horse trailer, even in vehicles that will never see a trailer hitch in their lives?

I rode in an element that had trouble doing 70mph up any hill.

**powbmps** · 09-17-2007, 04:35 AM

I haven't slept in my Odyssy when skiing, but have taken a few nice naps waiting for the kids to get out of ballet. Slip a ski movie in the dvd player, kick back and relax.

As a bonus you can remove the middle seats and lay 4' x 8' sheets of plywood flat on the floor. 10' lengths of electrical conduit will fit as well.

The local rednecks are quite envious of my ride. Plus I fit right in with all the soccer moms.

**laseranimal** · 09-17-2007, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by powbmps

I haven't slept in my Odyssy when skiing, but have taken a few nice naps waiting for the kids to get out of ballet. Slip a ski movie in the dvd player, kick back and relax.

As a bonus you can remove the middle seats and lay 4' x 8' sheets of plywood flat on the floor. 10' lengths of electrical conduit will fit as well.

The local rednecks are quite envious of my ride. Plus I fit right in with all the soccer moms.

Honda Odyssey's are the shit man

I had one back when I was "sail" bumming around NE on the District 7 Laser Sailing circuit (too cheap to spend my hard earned cash on a hotel)

managed to fit a platform in the back where I could throw a full twin mattress in the back with all my gear underneath. Never have I slept SO well in my entire life. Plus generally speaking I had the HUGE bonus of being RIGHT on site for the next day, I never had to dick around with waking up super early so I made sure I could get a parking spot so I wouldn't have to schlep my gear, I could pretty much roll out bed and start rigging my boat.

Sweetness thy name is Odessey

**steve** · 09-17-2007, 10:18 AM

I have regrets about buying a minivan, but none of them are "I should have bought an SUV instead." a 2WD minivan with hakkapeliittas > than a lot of 4wd SUVs with radials.

most SUVs seat 5, mine seats 8.
plenty of interior room, too.
oh, and it gets better gas mileage.

-steve

**P_McPoser** · 09-17-2007, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by steve

I have regrets about buying a minivan, but none of them are "I should have bought an SUV instead." a 2WD minivan with hakkapeliittas > than a lot of 4wd SUVs with radials.

most SUVs seat 5, mine seats 8.
plenty of interior room, too.
oh, and it gets better gas mileage.

-steve

Rationalize all you want, it's stil gay.

**Jumper Bones** · 09-17-2007, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Spats

They go up hills just fine. What is this American obsession about always having a motor that can tow a loaded dual horse trailer, even in vehicles that will never see a trailer hitch in their lives?

My beef with the Element is its total rated capacity - a paltry 675 pounds TOTAL. Two big dudes and some gear/luggage and you've potentially over-G'd the vehicle.

I think 675 is a little low for a vehicle that has SUV pretentions. 1000 would be more forgivable.
I learned the capacity from Consumer Reports, they had a problem with it too.

Also, Honda needs to develop a turbo at some point...I think it'd make their vehicles WAY fun, in addition to a fair bit more powerful at little cost in weight.

I do like the Element, especially now that they've gotten rid of the body cladding/gray body panels, they cheapened the overall look. I really like the concept. Just wish it was slightly more powerful/was sprung for a higher total capacity. It doesn't need to tow a boat.

**kokomas** · 09-17-2007, 12:03 PM

AWD Previa = money

**stew130** · 09-17-2007, 12:28 PM

We had a front wheel drive Chrysler Town and Country for several yrs as our primary ski vehicle and it worked great and in the summer I could put all my windsurf stuff inside including the boards. I'm 5' 11' and could sleep in back fully stretched out. We drove the Caravan and the T&C was much more solid, had better noise insulation(probably better for temp as well) and the stereo was better. We never went off the road once or got stuck with it studded up.
It did take some mental adjustment, but it sounds like your already past that.

**Gerome** · 09-17-2007, 12:46 PM

The Chevy Astro is a rawker as a camping mobile. It's essentially one wheel drive (rear wheel, open differential, little suspension articulation), so it is up there with the worst snow driving and easily stuck while off-road vehicles ever made, but the ground clearance is sick - it's a chevy half-ton truck base, it's way better than the AWD Astro ground clearance. The V6 cargo van still gets something in the neighborhood of 17-20mpg and it has 215,000 miles on it. I'm shooting for 300K with this rig. I drive a subaru to the snow, but if it were my only transportation, I'd get spike-spiders, especially if you are getting a FWD van.

I had a rear seat welded in, then had rails welded in for a plywood deck that sits at the same level as the rear seat when folded down. The trifold futon bed lays on that, leaving storage space underneath, and plenty of room to rock the two 10 inch subwoofer!

**Roo** · 09-17-2007, 12:52 PM

I'm getting one of these babies.

**The Dad** · 09-17-2007, 12:53 PM

We're probably going to replace our Suburban with a Sienna AWD, but probably not until the next generation hits next year or the year after, to take advantage of the expected hybrid option.

**shirk** · 09-17-2007, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by P_McPoser

I rode in an element that had trouble doing 70mph up any hill.

I call bull shit.

I own one and it rocks up and down the Sea to Sky at 140kph (87mph you you yanks) no issues with hills. It helps as with any smaller engined vehicle or something with poor aerodynamics to keep your momentum up.

It's not going to accelerate up hill fully loaded like a v8, but it's not supposed to.

As to the weight limit I really don't see that as an issue. I've had it loaded with 4 people and full ski gear many times from Vancouver to Whistler and it feels the same as when I go up solo.