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vicum
Feb 21, 2003, 10:16 PM
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After reading the post about climbing trucks, I'm sold on the van idea...
So what kind of van have people had good luck with? I actually considered buying one(instead opting for a chevy s-10) but the engines are usually so stuffed up under the hood it seems they would be a royal pain to work on. How has that worked out for people? Also, what kind of fuel economy does your van get?
~Arnold
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spacemonkey
Feb 21, 2003, 10:48 PM
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It's rumored in my family that my grandmother is considering giving me her 1995 Honda Odyssey minivan when I graduate from college this May. It gets 21/26 miles to the gallon, is a 4 cylinder, but still has plenty of room, especially if you take out the back seats. Not to mention its a Honda, so it will run until the apocolypse. Keepin my fingers crossed.
With that said, I'd say you should look at the Honda/Toyota/Nissan lines, as they are cheap to maintain, rarely have serious problems, and are pretty reliable. My other grandparents had a Ford Winstar that was nothing but a 4 year long headache and wallet drainer.
Hope this helps!
Brian
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sspssp
Feb 21, 2003, 11:00 PM
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I have a short weel based Dodge Van. It works great for climbing. Beats having to go outside to get between front and back. The clearance is as good as a truck. It's not four wheel drive (that could always be added), but I don't encounter much snow and clearance is a bigger deal on most climbing roads than traction (it has a limited slip differential and I always carry chains--for mud or loose dirt).
The short wheel based means I can drive circles around my brother's full length truck. I do give up a little storage space, though, over a full sized van.
If I drive 65 on level terrain, I can get ~20 mpg.
If I drive 75 on varied terrain, I get ~15 mpg.
I highly recommend it over a truck as a general road tripping vehicle.
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sspssp
Feb 21, 2003, 11:01 PM
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Engine work can be a pain, but I (probably like most people) have most of it done by a garage.
Also, a lot of engine work can be accessed from inside the van.
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onbelay_osu
Feb 21, 2003, 11:25 PM
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Registered: May 5, 2002
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what ever happened to the good old fashioned VW westfalla?
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cologman
Feb 21, 2003, 11:41 PM
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I have had both. An econoline van and currently a ford 1/2 Ton 4X4 with a topper. If you ever plan on carrying cr$p for work or ??? the truck is the way to go. However the van is by far the "Pimp Mobile" as one outdoor friend used to call mine. I see it as pretty much the road-trippin machine. Working on a van is just about as unpleasant as cleaning a septic tank. :twisted:
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cologman
Feb 21, 2003, 11:42 PM
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I have had both. An econoline van and currently a ford 1/2 Ton 4X4 with a topper. If you ever plan on carrying cr$p for work or ??? the truck is the way to go. However the van is by far the "Pimp Mobile" as one outdoor friend used to call mine. I see it as pretty much the road-trippin machine. Working on a van is just about as unpleasant as cleaning a septic tank. :twisted:
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cragmasterp
Feb 21, 2003, 11:48 PM
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Registered: Feb 2, 2003
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my first pair of climbing shoes was a pair of red and white checked lace up vans circa 1985 (spicoli specials).
These sneaks worked admirably well; at least as well as my partners docksiders. :roll:
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moabbeth
Feb 21, 2003, 11:58 PM
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I'm laughing my ass off cragmaster....that is hilarious!!! But weren't Spicoli's black and white? Either way, dude...that is so not bogus!
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nailzz
Feb 22, 2003, 12:26 AM
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Checkered Vans were, are, and always will be the coolest shoes ever made. I have a distinct memory from high school of being out late at night doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing and having to run home (apparently I was being chased by somebody or something). I had my checkered Vans and ran through an empty lot. I stepped in a really thick mud puddle and the shoe came clean off my foot when I tried to step out.
I miss that shoe ...
I loved those shoes.
:cry:
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canrocker
Feb 22, 2003, 1:05 AM
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Registered: Dec 7, 2002
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Dude, I'm wearing a pair a pair of checkered Vans right now 8) ...check out vintage clothing shops, some have a ton of rare models. :D :D
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mike
Feb 22, 2003, 1:06 AM
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Registered: Aug 20, 2002
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Vans are the best. I have a pair I still use when I MTB with platform pedals. I've been thinking about the other kind of van too. Anybody driven one of those new chevy vans with all wheel drive?
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biff
Feb 22, 2003, 1:26 AM
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Registered: Nov 5, 2001
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Seems like this thread has been hijacked .. and has become another SHOE THREAD!!
This is not a shoe thread... they guy is talking about vehicular Transportation.
.. If you want to see some cool vans, head to Greenland. 4x4 vans from GMC, and Chevy , lifted, and have baloon tires to crawl over the volcanic rock. Eveyone has a 4x4 van there .. it is wild country, 4x4 is required.
edit (the look something like this)
http://www.comet-track.com/...8/expedlog/van_1.jpg
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todrick
Feb 22, 2003, 1:51 AM
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Registered: Dec 27, 2002
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actually i thought this thread was about climbing in Vans based on the topic...
yup "old school" vans climber here... like back when i was 10.
On topic... an Econoline E150 would be good...
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weaselman
Feb 22, 2003, 2:07 AM
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my dad has a 1990--something Chrysler minivan. its lasted about 10 or so years (i guess that would make it a '93 then) with lots of backcountry use. and, it cost 16k clams brand new, so you should be able to buy something like that for really cheap used.
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rockclimbingpyro
Feb 22, 2003, 3:00 AM
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Registered: Nov 15, 2002
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they just started making all the "old school" vans shoes agian, checkers, flames, ect. they rock, but a lil on the $$ side. good luck with the vans, we use the chrystler 15 passenger, works aight. :twisted: aint that the best face!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :arrow: :idea: :D :D
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wlderdude
Feb 22, 2003, 3:38 AM
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I learned to drive with a van. 1976 Ford Econoline, 3/4 ton. It was a great vehicle. Yes, I also learned a great deal about car repair on that van. My Dad and I changed the transmission ourselves in the driveway with one we pulled from a junkyard. A seal leaked and we pulled the transmission about 5 times trying to replace the right seal before we got it right!
Yeah, vans are tough to work on. Of course, some repairs are easier since you have the inside cover you can take off, but most are more difficult since everything is crammed in to such a small, deep space. But you don't have to juck it up to work underneath it!
My parents now have a 90 Dodge 1/2 ton van (that's the short model). It really dives well. Despite being severely abused it is the old reliable vehicle. I may get it this spring!
Vans, especially minivans are notorious for depreciating fast. You should be able to pick one up cheap if you are the least bit patient.
Sory about the nostalgia, but if people can remeber thier old shoes, I can remeber my old vans.
As for your question, there exists no better travel vehicle than a van. On a vacation once, my Dad took a Jeep road to cut a few minutes off of a cross country road trip. That 1985 1 Ton Econoline passed every Jeep and truck we saw! I hope to soon have acess to the roads that my little Nissan Sentra just doesn't want to travel.
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w6jxm
Feb 22, 2003, 5:09 AM
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Registered: Oct 14, 2002
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Dude, just get your self a Pinto. They're a lot eiser to work on.
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moabbeth
Feb 22, 2003, 5:51 AM
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Registered: Oct 22, 2002
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http://www.vans.com/mainpage/index.html
Vans rock!! And yep, the classic checkered ones are right there on the homepage. They run $26-38. How much were they back in the day?
Oops, forgot this wasn't a shoe thread.
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theperfectdrugsk
Feb 23, 2003, 6:02 PM
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Registered: Dec 16, 2002
Posts: 51
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VW bus...not the wessty...but the old minibus/khombi/transporter/whatever else you want to call them...the engine slides right out to work on...awesome milage, lots of room...not to mention thr entire kewl ness
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todrick
Feb 26, 2003, 10:04 AM
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Registered: Dec 27, 2002
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In reply to: http://www.vans.com/mainpage/index.html Vans rock!! And yep, the classic checkered ones are right there on the homepage. They run $26-38. How much were they back in the day? Oops, forgot this wasn't a shoe thread.
i had custom black/red/white checkered... they cost $15, i think the standard ones were about $10
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