I joined the minivan generation in November, 1988, when I traded a 1986 Acura Integra for a slightly used (9,000 miles) '87 Mitsubishi Van Wagon.
I bolted from the minivan generation five months later when I traded the Mitsu-beasty for a 1989 Subaru station wagon (since upgraded to a 1990 Subaru wagon.)My short tenure as a minivan owner was costly, both in money and a serious case of buyer's remorse. My kids called it "Mitsy." What I called it is not printable in a family newspaper.
I could rattle on here at length about the shortcomings that forced me to bail out of that vehicle despite the bath one takes when one keeps a car only a few months. But that's not what this article's about.
For the past week, including a 600-mile round trip to Sun Valley last weekend, I've been evaluating a 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan LE, the top-of-the-line minivan produced by Chrysler Corp., the company that invented the breed seven years ago and which continues to outsell all competitors (including sales of the Caravan's twin sister Plymouth Voyager.)
My experience with the Mitsubishi had pretty much soured me on the whole minivan idea. Now I'm not so sure. Chairman Lee Iacocca is right on in this instance: The made-in-the-USA Caravan beats the made-in-Japan Mitsubishi in every way that matters.
The van I've been driving this week is not my first experience with a Chrysler Corp. minivan, having rented a Plymouth Voyager for a couple of weeks last December while vacationing in Hawaii. While it served quite nicely for hauling seven people around Kauai, the luggage space behind the back seat had room for little more than a set of golf clubs and a six pack of Diet Coke.
Not so the Grand Caravan (there's also a stretched Voyager) I've been testing this week. While it's wheelbase is only 7.1 inches longer (119.1) than the standard Caravan (112), what a difference those inches make in carrying capacity.
Even with the rear seat in the full upright position (the back folds down and the entire seat can be removed although not without serious effort) the luggage space in the test car swallowed enough suitcases, satchels, sacks and such to keep a normal family well-stocked for a four-week trip to Anchorage let alone a four-day trip to Sun Valley (the Knudsons subscribe to the you-never-know-when-you-might-need-it school of travel.)
Some comparisons come to mind: My Mitsubishi van rode like a badly sprung truck; the Dodge rides like a limo. Crosswinds made Mitsy feel like it was going to take flight; the Caravan is stable and inspires confidence on the freeway. Climbing up into the tallish Mitsubishi nearly requires ropes and pitons; getting into the Dodge is only slightly more discomfiting than sitting down in a Mercedes-Benz. An aisle between the Caravan's front seats makes the rear area readily accessible; the Mitsubishi, with its engine mounted between the front seats, isolates the front passengers from the rear.
If I had to pick one best thing about the Grand Caravan it would be its seats. I'm not talking about sports-car seats that hold you firmly in place while you play boy racer on your favorite twisty road, but rather captain's chair comfort with dual arm rests and lots of cushy support as you motor down the interstate, cruise control set at a conservative 65. The Caravan is not a "driver's" car but it sure is a traveler's car.
If I had to pick one worst thing about the Caravan it would be the Infinity "premium sound system," a $220 option that bleeps, buzzes, eats tapes, has tiny, complex controls and sounds no better than an average standard car stereo.
Other nitpicks include the lack of a left-foot "dead" pedal and a heater that insists on blowing as much hot air in your face as on your feet. Also, I can't make up my mind about the dark tinted glass that is a $418 option on this vehicle. I guess it would be nice on a hot summer day, but it definitely decreases visibility, and that doesn't strike me as a sound idea on a motor vehicle.
You like gadgets? The LE's got 'em and them some: an outside LED temperature gauge, a digital compass, a built-in case for your sun glasses and a special holder for your garage door opener. Power everything, of course.
I also loved the 20-gallon fuel tank that, with highway mileage of 24mpg from the 3.3 liter V-6 matched with a 4-speed automatic transmission, meant nearly a half-tank remaining after the 300 mile jaunt to Sun Valley. That kind of range is a major benefit on trips.
All of this good stuff comes at a price of course. While the base sticker for the Grand Caravan LE is $18,325, options on the car I've been driving boosted the admission ticket to a hefty $21,705.
Considering how many of these vans I see on the road, a lot of people clearly believe it's worth it. Having been Mitsu-bushwacked, I'm not about to disagree with them.