Is this a new trend? RTTs on rental mini vans...

[Herbie]

Herbie, 'Stroverlander, do you ever feel like you are standing in the room but totally invisible...

A bit! It's cool, though, for all the people who "get" it. My new braggy-line in my sig is a paraphrase from a gal who we met on our last trip. Comparing my Astro to the lifted monstrosity in the opposite campsite, it was obvious who was spending more time having fun and who spent more time polishing chrome.

 

[T.Low]

That's one of the main reasons I wouldn't consider swapping my 4runner for a crossover type vehicle. The only benefit offered by the crossover is MPG and by the time you lift the suspension and put aggressive tires on, you've built yourself into the same box you just got out of.

I would give up my ladder frame and 2 speed T-case for an honest 10 mpg as long as my towing capacity wasn't too badly degraded. But when I look at the likes of the Highlander and the Pilot, I would see maybe a 3 - 5 MPG gain, if that. Ditto for the minivans.

If there were a vehicle that could climb this hill;

http://youtu.be/ph2uzSGnXCU

Run this trail with zero carnage: (and other Jeep trails)
http://youtu.be/DGeQZ29m1ag

Comfortably road trips 8 adults

Easy freeway cruising speeds of 80mph should you prefer

Sleeps 4 inside (without the Keystone Cops fire drill )

Goes from sleeping configuration to travel configuration in 60 seconds

4:10s, 250 ft lbs tourque, locked rear, Lo range

Tows 5,000 plus lbs

Gets 15.5-17mpg

A long roof line that easily accommodates two sea kayaks AND two whitewater kayaks AND two mountain bikes AND. a basket for wet stinky gear, simultaneously

Cheap to own, reliable,

Excellent daily driver/DadWagon

...would you consider it?


I have to admit, when it comes to mountain biking, paddling, and off road motorcycling, I'm a bit hung up on Stigmas. For some reason though, I look at a truck as simply a utilitarian tool: a duffle bag on wheels, a mechanical Sherpa. No stigma.

 

[T.Low]

A bit! It's cool, though, for all the people who "get" it. My new braggy-line in my sig is a paraphrase from a gal who we met on our last trip. Comparing my Astro to the lifted monstrosity in the opposite campsite, it was obvious who was spending more time having fun and who spent more time polishing chrome.

I wish I had a dollar for every comment I've gotten over the years:

After hiking four hours and sees my van camping at the top of the mountain trail, guy looks back at fellow backpackers and angrily shouts to them," You didn't tell me you could drive a ************* minivan up here! ******?!? ".

Local guy pointing to my van, yelling at my buddy on his enduro, "Hey! He can't take that up there!"

Built Jeep Guy, crossing paths on the Naches Wagon Trail, looking big eyed and furrowed brow at my van, "What? WHAT? WHAT?!!!"

Etc, etc...

 

[Stroverlander]

Herbie, 'Stroverlander, do you ever feel like you are standing in the room but totally invisible...

Haha, yes but I actually prefer it, especially to sticking out like a sore thumb! :luxhello:

 

[ihatemybike]

Driving at a local off road park, fully stock on street tires, in the middle of a line of Jeeps, making our way through an extended water crossing. Huge built rig going the other way passes every Jeep, but has to pause next to me in Grumpy. Looks it up and down and says, "You're brave, but that's awesome." Van did great the whole day and was comfy to sleep in that night.

 

[Martinjmpr]

If there were a vehicle that could climb this hill;

Cheap to own, reliable,

You say "reliable" and then there's a picture of a Chevrolet.
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Those two things don't go together.
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In all seriousness, I know the Astro is an interesting vehicle but it is kind of the exception that proves the rule: If people really wanted vehicles like the Astro or the original Mazda MPV (another mini van with true 4wd) they would have bought them in enough numbers for their respective companies to keep making them.
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I think I'm safe in presuming that Chevy didn't drop the Astro because they were selling too many of them or making too much money off of them. What was the last year of the 4x4 Astro, 2003 or something? Or was it even that late? I know the Astro platform dates back to the 1980's. Also AFAIK they were never available with a 2 speed transfer case.

 

[Herbie]

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I think I'm safe in presuming that Chevy didn't drop the Astro because they were selling too many of them or making too much money off of them. What was the last year of the 4x4 Astro, 2003 or something? Or was it even that late? I know the Astro platform dates back to the 1980's. Also AFAIK they were never available with a 2 speed transfer case.

2005 was the final year. The 2nd-gen body style was manufactured from 1995. The decision to discontinue was based primarily on the cost to re-tool for a 3rd-gen body versus the market shifting heavily to SUVs.

They were never BUILT with a 2-speed transfer case (more's the pity), but they are direct-swap compatible (down to the ECU having an input to adjust VSS input when in 4-Lo) with the 2-speed cases from the S-10 trucks, etc. The cost to convert my AWD van to 2-speed TC was $500. Try that anywhere else.

 

[T.Low]

My 4x4 swap cost $200, and took half a Saturday.

You guys were talking minivans and what ifs, so, I chimed in.

If you want an off road mini/midsize van, the Astro is the one. I researched vans for 6 months, thinking it was between a Delica, a Syncro, and a Yotavan. All spreadsheets lead directly to the Chevy.

For the record, I'm not a "Chevy" guy, or partial to any make in particular. This is my 3rd Chevy since I began driving in 1980. (Built '72 El Camino, '87 3/4 4x4 suburban) and I've had 2 Toyotas ( '95 Tacoma, '71 FJ40), multiple Honda Accord Hatchbacks, F-series 4x4s, Bronco, a few Dodge trucks, a Nissan, etc., etc,

I bought this '03 Astro AWD at 5 yrs old w/ 55k mi for $8k. all I did was take half a Saturday to lift it, half a Saturday to swap in a 2 spd T case and wiring, put 4:10 s and a locker, skid plate, recovery points, and a pop top,

and have spent almost 140 nights in the top, put on over 60,000 trouble free miles, many of which were on dirt in Jeep terrain.

I'm at a loss for words regarding what a great vehicle this van has been. Whenever anyone asks what I may replace it with when the time comes, I can't imagine. Everything else seems so...limited.

I guess I get why people don't get the Astro, I didn't until I really started researching mini and midsize vans, and realized the potential and how easily the platform could be made into something quite capable.

 

[2025 deleted member]

t low that is a nice minivan.

 

[fike]

The one thing that bummed me out about the astro is how poorly it fares in crash test ratings. While I would love to say that offroad performance is the only thing that matters, I will always have at least four hours of high-speed highway driving until I get to the backcountry. That is the same issue that prevents me from getting an old FJ40 too. Newer vehicles have much better fuel economy and much better safety ratings on highways. Too bad because I really love those vehicles.

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/chevrolet/astro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g

 

[ihatemybike]

t low that is a nice minivan.

**cough cough** Mid-size van

Crash test ratings....having been around Astros since 1994, Astro forums just about as long and a junk yard forager since before I could drive, I see that they tend to do pretty well in accidents. There was a thread on an Astro forum a while back where a family was hit head on at speed by a truck hauling a load of the water cooler bottles. The van was smashed pretty good, windows blown out. Front seat passenger ended up with a couple broken bones, but everyone survived. I've easily done over a million miles driving Astros around and feel completely safe in them.

 

[T.Low]

At the risk of sounding like a Homer, I'm pretty sure I've read and been shown that redesigns have greatly improved crash test ratings, as this issue definitely has come up on forums.


Scott C: Thanks for the compliment,

 

[Stroverlander]

The one thing that bummed me out about the astro is how poorly it fares in crash test ratings. While I would love to say that offroad performance is the only thing that matters, I will always have at least four hours of high-speed highway driving until I get to the backcountry. That is the same issue that prevents me from getting an old FJ40 too. Newer vehicles have much better fuel economy and much better safety ratings on highways. Too bad because I really love those vehicles.

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/chevrolet/astro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g

At the risk of sounding like a Homer, I'm pretty sure I've read and been shown that redesigns have greatly improved crash test ratings, as this issue definitely has come up on forums.


Scott C: Thanks for the compliment,

There is this tidbit :sombrero:

In testing performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, the Astro and Safari fared better, improving from a single-star rating in 1991 to a three-star (driver) and four-star (passenger) rating by 2000. In side impacts, the Astro and Safari both received the highest, five-star rating in every year that the test was administered.
Despite these safety ratings, in 2007 the IIHS reported that in real life situations, the 2001-2004 Chevrolet Astro recorded during calendar years 2002-2005 the least number of killed drivers of all passenger vehicles in the United States, as calculated per every million units on the road.

 

[fike]

That IS indeed fascinating. Maybe I should reconsider. I do like the Astros, but my subaru with a RTT is pretty rugged and versatile too. With that said, I like the idea of having a hard-sided vehicle to use for photographing wildlife.