[ChrisPlatt]

one problem, there was nothing to stick into traffic except the driver and passenger seat in the Microbus

In NHTSA tests of the 3 Chevy Astro vans I drove for work over 15+ years ('86, '90 & '95 models)
it was observed that in a collision the steering column would tend to travel in the path of the driver's head.

I nonchalantly referred to this feature as the "cue ball effect".

Chris

[monochrome]

I’m amused every morning by the string of Priuses roaring by me at 80 while I cruise my Accord V-6 to work in ECO MODE*. What I really hate is when look in my mirror to move over so I can exit the highway and there’s a hipster thrashing a Fiat 500 Abarth 80mph on my right.

* when cruising, my vehicle uses only 3 cylinders.

[Kombivan]

Owned this one briefly a few years back when I had had enough of cycle camping and wanted to sleep off the cold UK ground.Always drove it with a smile on my face but not being technically minded it soon proved to be a bit of a money pit. My website if anyone needs a T3 library https://midnorthcoastvw.com/discussion/all



Replaced with this



And subsequently this

It does help if you do most of your Maintenance yourself. I have 6 2 for now 2 for ron and 2 for spares my first T3 I got in 1995 and is still a daily driver 19 years since last engine rebuild.

[Just1MoreDave]

I am really liking the HUD ( head up display ) on my 2016 Acadia Delani

hud gmc acadia denali - Bing

I've never seen one before

That looks like a cool feature, unless you're a teenage driver and your dad can see your speed from the third row.

---------- Post added 03-16-18 at 10:44 PM ----------

In NHTSA tests of the 3 Chevy Astro vans I drove for work over 15+ years ('86, '90 & '95 models)
it was observed that in a collision the steering column would tend to travel in the path of the driver's head.

I nonchalantly referred to this feature as the "cue ball effect".

Chris

As I recall, the Astro had no room for your feet either. Similar to economy seating on United today.

[aslyfox]

That looks like a cool feature, unless you're a teenage driver and your dad can see your speed from the third row. : . . . .

When would a dad ride in that row???

[cooltouch]

I can understand a certain revulsion when it comes to SUVs, mostly because of the sheer size of them. I've always felt that if someone wants a beast, they should get a pickup and be done with it.

And then along came the crossovers, which changed a lot of minds, including my own. In fact, we just retired our 1998 Volvo V90 -- a wagon we really did like a lot -- for a used Volvo XC90, one of the nicer looking crossovers out there. This is a pic I snagged off the Internet. Ours looks much like it:


Actually the above is the AWD model. Ours is just FWD. I've never cared for FWD cars, but I must admit that this one is better than most. Our XC90 has the 3.2L 32v I-6, rated at 235 hp. That's about 55 more hp than our old V90 had. It's also about a thousand pounds heavier than the V90, but the extra 55 hp more than make up for the weight differential, plus it has a 6-speed transimission as opposed to the V90's 4-speed. Despite its added weight and higher center of gravity, it still feels very stable in the turns. The ride is excellent. One sits at about the same ride height as that in a mid-size pickup, like the Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10, or Dodge Durango. The XC90 is noticeably wider than the old V90 and has about the same storage capacity. My wife uses it as a daily driver to and from work and she really likes all that storage room in the back, because she actually uses it on a regular basis.

Honestly, these days I see more crossovers than full-blown SUVs anymore. It's a very popular segment these days.

Chris, I suspect it's only California and NY that people are paying $4+ for a gallon of gas, and I don't think that's enough for automakers to "sell us all" econoboxes. Down here in Texas, where the state hasn't taxed the crap out of gasoline (like CA and NY obviously have), you can find $2+ a gallon of regular quite easily. I feel for you folks whose state is bending you over at the pump.

And since my last comment is borderline "politics" that's all I'm gonna say about it.

[monochrome]

I can understand a certain revulsion when it comes to SUVs, mostly because of the sheer size of them. I've always felt that if someone wants a beast, they should get a pickup and be done with it.

And then along came the crossovers, which changed a lot of minds, including my own. In fact, we just retired our 1998 Volvo V90 -- a wagon we really did like a lot -- for a used Volvo XC90, one of the nicer looking crossovers out there. This is a pic I snagged off the Internet. Ours looks much like it:


Actually the above is the AWD model. Ours is just FWD. I've never cared for FWD cars, but I must admit that this one is better than most. Our XC90 has the 3.2L 32v I-6, rated at 235 hp. That's about 55 more hp than our old V90 had. It's also about a thousand pounds heavier than the V90, but the extra 55 hp more than make up for the weight differential, plus it has a 6-speed transimission as opposed to the V90's 4-speed. Despite its added weight and higher center of gravity, it still feels very stable in the turns. The ride is excellent. One sits at about the same ride height as that in a mid-size pickup, like the Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10, or Dodge Durango. The XC90 is noticeably wider than the old V90 and has about the same storage capacity. My wife uses it as a daily driver to and from work and she really likes all that storage room in the back, because she actually uses it on a regular basis.

Honestly, these days I see more crossovers than full-blown SUVs anymore. It's a very popular segment these days.

Chris, I suspect it's only California and NY that people are paying $4+ for a gallon of gas, and I don't think that's enough for automakers to "sell us all" econoboxes. Down here in Texas, where the state hasn't taxed the crap out of gasoline (like CA and NY obviously have), you can find $2+ a gallon of regular quite easily. I feel for you folks whose state is bending you over at the pump.

And since my last comment is borderline "politics" that's all I'm gonna say about it.

I think it’s ironic that many people who complain about unnecessary 4WD SUV’s and Crossovers drive Subaru Outbacks.

[lesmore49]

That looks like a cool feature, unless you're a teenage driver and your dad can see your speed from the third row.

---------- Post added 03-16-18 at 10:44 PM ----------



As I recall, the Astro had no room for your feet either. Similar to economy seating on United today.

I can't agree with you regarding no leg room in the Astro. I was invariably in the driver's seat. but there were times I was in the middle row.

I'm over 6' 3" tall, around 240 pounds, have long legs, a hockey knee that I need to stretch out ( old injury from playing defense for a decade) and I found it very comfortable, long trips included.

In fact a work colleague of mine had one...he's 6' 2" and his wife is 5' 11"...both tall people. They recommended I look at the Astro after I was telling them I didn't fit very well in other vans I had tested...ie; Toyota, Honda, Dodge...when we were looking for a new vehicle.

We had ours for ten years , put over 180K on it, wonderful vehicle. We ordered it from the factory, with the heavy duty suspension, locking axle, 3.42 ratio for towing. Rugged, versatile, reliable and durable vehicle.

Lot's of experience. Used it for towing, every day use, commuting to work and family stuff. Good in the winter and our winters last for 5 months +, very cold, snowy.

It was an 8 passenger and there were many times it was fully loaded with people. That 4.3 liter vortec V6 engine had lots of torque to move loads and cargo.

I recall looking at a Toyota Sienna van, that was advertised as an 8 passenger...the back seat was very limited in leg room and space.

They stopped making the Astro in 2005, but I still see a lot of them around. In fact our provincial telephone and provincial hydro utilities still have quite a few of them working every day....some of them 15 years old +...these durable small trucks are workhorses.

[ChrisPlatt]

Chris, I suspect it's only California and NY that people are paying $4+ for a gallon of gas, and I don't think that's enough for automakers to "sell us all" econoboxes.

No, gas is cheap here too, for now. If it ever gets back up around $4 - and I'm quite certain it will - many will be trading in their trucks and large SUVs.

Chris

[Canada_Rockies]

No, gas is cheap here too, for now. If it ever gets back up around $4 - and I'm quite certain it will - many will be trading in their trucks and large SUVs.

Chris

Don't count on it. We pay US$3.684 a gallon here at C$1.279 per liter full serve. There are more full size pickup trucks here (including mine ) than all other vehicles combined.

[monochrome]

No, gas is cheap here too, for now. If it ever gets back up around $4 - and I'm quite certain it will - many will be trading in their trucks and large SUVs.

Chris

Oil prices are in a secular bear market that has ten or fifteen years to run. When oil gets above $70, as it did in January, US frackers open their wells and start producing. Oil is $62 now, on the way to $50. Automobile mileage has lessened demand. The generation of vehicles after the next one - so the 2023 generation, will ALL be electric or hybrid. Volvo will have NO ICE vehicles by 2023. None. GM is moving aggressively to electric. California will mandate electric and we’ll all have to put up with it because they’re a ‘controlling market’.

Now that Iran has the Bomb, Saudi wants lower oil prices to starve them. Saudi is taking Aramco public later this year. Crazy market cap - $2 Trillion for the Sheiks - and what incentive will a public company have to restrict production and hold oil price up in the face of US, Iranian and Russian production? Russia is the world’s largest exporter now and they need money - perpetually. We don’t want them to have high oil prices.

Oil is a form of economic war between the US and everyone else. Enjoy it while you can - it will last until we’re all on fixed incomes - then it is the seventies all over again - and the USA will be the country mounting an oil embargo. That will happen because China will attempt to break the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Then it is Tom Clancy time.

[builttospill]

I am really liking the HUD ( head up display ) on my 2016 Acadia Delani

hud gmc acadia denali - Bing

I've never seen one before

Yeah, I remember when my buddy bought his 1993 Pontiac Bonneville. All of the Bonnevilles came with GM's Heads Up Display. We liked it quite a bit.

[roflwaffle]

I’m amused every morning by the string of Priuses roaring by me at 80 while I cruise my Accord V-6 to work in ECO MODE*. What I really hate is when look in my mirror to move over so I can exit the highway and there’s a hipster thrashing a Fiat 500 Abarth 80mph on my right.

* when cruising, my vehicle uses only 3 cylinders.

That sounds like my wife!

Still, > 45mpg is better than < 15mpg in her Audi A3.

[beholder3]

Don't count on it. We pay US$3.684 a gallon here at C$1.279 per liter full serve. There are more full size pickup trucks here (including mine ) than all other vehicles combined.

We pay 1.40 EUR per liter here. That would be 2.25 CAD / 1.72 USD.

Combine that with no speed limits on many highways, leading to higher speeds and much more fuel consumption and you can guess that a lot of people have a focus on just that fuel consumption.
Much less likely to buy a car that can't even go 200km/h / 124 mph at least as well (if you look for a new middle class car).

[Kombivan]

Come on guys where's the images of your cars or don't you know how to take a photo?

These are for Ron.