Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing

I have a chrysler voyager and have nothing but praise for the car/van. 

5 years ago I went shopping for a new car (to replace a rabbit) and I had 
the following (similar) requirements: 

 carry 4+ adults 		for road trips/parties/SF nights etc
 carry sporting goods		windsurfing 
				diving
				mountain biking
				camping
 carry other stuff		wood, tools for garage projects
				

I started with the trendy cars like chevy mini blazer, cherokees, and ford
mini bronco, and was quickly put off. The combination of the higher price
because of popularity and inefficient use of space (I am 6'2" and didn't like
the small car feel and fit of these cars) served to turn me off this kind of
sporting car. I reluctantly went to check out the chrysler minivans and 
ended up buying one. The main benefits I have seen (over the 5 years) are:

1. The car is very quite and comfortable. I have been on many road trips around 
   california+ and always enjoy the roominess and 'space' inside. It is (was) 
   the only minivan built on a car chassis, which means that is doesn't handle
   and ride like a truck (truck chassis= leaning turns and bouncing ride). The
   windows are arranged to give me the best visibility I have ever noticed (
   left/right side turning, backing up, seeing 'corners' of the car). Also,
   being a car-like chassis means that turning and parking is not a hassle.

2. The car is way useful! I have the bed/back seat option, which is a back 
   bench seat that folds down into a bed in the whole back area. This is 
   the coolest thing not only for the obvious camping/sleeping comfort (like 
   showing up to a park at midnight and only having to pull a level to go 
   to sleep), but for all the sports or 'things longer that 5 feet' it works
   great; example when I go windsurfing now I pull the lever for the bed, 
   spread out a plastic tarp and through everything on the bed (including
   9'2" board (touches the front dash), two piece mast, and all the other
   sail-boom-wetsuit stuff. No rack loading/security/noise problems. Other 
   examples of the amazing space available are: fits a brand new full sized
   22 cubic foot refrigerator in its box with the rear gate shut; carried
   11 full sized (8'x12"x18" ~150 oil soaked pounds each) railroad ties
   (slowly with the gate open).

3. I have the v6 (4cyl is supposed to be a dog) and it has plenty of power.
   The car runs well and I have had no major problems. Its easy to service.
   I am pleased with smaller, hard to notice things like the tail gate is
   very square which makes it easy to load and utilize the full cargo area;
   the distance between wheel wells is 4' which means a standard sheet of
   ply wood fits flat.

4. Compared to other cars in this class (astro van, aerostar, ram van ...)
   consumer ranked chrysler voyager first, dodge caravan (same car) second and
   reported that the other ones it tested fell so far short that they did 
   not recommend a third place.

THE ONLY DRAWBACKS I know of are:  there is no egotism to get in a car like
this. Your friends will make baby-seat jokes (while they want to go windsurfing
with your car). It is not a sports car- while it does cruise happily at 70
for long trips (mine has a very useful 20 gallon tank), it is not anything 
like a fast, tight turning car when compared to a honda accord sedan type.

Anyway, I have had the car for 5+ years and still love the thing. I am also
hard pressed to find anything comparable that I might want as my next car. 
Well that's my 5 cents and I am happy to answer any questions you have (like
how many mountain bikes I have fit inside).

Have fun,

Keith Millar

keith@hp-ptp.hp.com

PS: Neither I (nor family or friends) are affiliated with chrysler in any way
    else I would have gotten a free one.


Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing