GM discussed having Cadillac make a minivan, but Cadillac essentially said h#!! no so GM used Oldsmobile to fill the role, calling the Silhouette "The Cadillac of minivans" which was very appropriate. It started well 'loaded' and optioned out nobody else came close. Premium upholstery, better build quality, extra sound-deadening standard. I had a used 2nd gen; it lacked only the 6- disc CD player and driver's side sliding door. The sticker price sheet came with it: $38K, a very high price back then. Maybe one of the nicest vehicles I've ever owned; too bad the engine was nowhere near that good.
I used to own a 1986 toyota van - kinda looked like the Scoobie Do mystery machine. Very weird car to drive because you sat right on top of the front wheels and you had to relearn how to make right turns in it or you would hit the curb
You nailed it. They're in the past, and the designs arguably did not hold up, but yes to me as a kid of that time as well, they still look futuristic and nostalgic at the same time
I love the Previa. I worked at a small tire shop in my home town while I was in high school. I remember the first one that came in for an oil change was wild. That mid engine layout blew my 16 year old mind.
what I like about these old designs is the sloping hoods that let you see what is directly in front of you. no need for front sensors or cameras, you can use your own eyes to check if a toddler or pet hasn't wandered in front of you, and avoid running them over. it's a pity we lost the technology to make sensible features.
The 90s was considered 'the Future'. A far cry from thirty years ago, when technology and design was primitive, the sloping vans were seen as futuristic. I must admit, I loved the dustbuster vans from GM, my favorite being the first generation Oldsmobile Silhouette. Stylish, classy and a good bit of luxury. Lumina APV was practical, and the Trans Sport was pretty sporty.
When I was a teenager, my parents had a 95 Windstar, until it was rear ended. Then they got a 93 Villager. I learned how to drive in both of those mini vans. As a kid in the 90s, I remember all of these mini vans. My aunt had every generation of the Caravan through the early 2000s.
i love the lumina / silhouette / trans sport more than the others because it was just such a radical design that was clearly trying to shake things up and stand out as opposed to just being safe or conservative. it was just such an interesting concept to try to make a minivan, of all things, actually look cool and sporty and futuristic. i like how that design just really went for it without worrying about being polarizing. i wish more vehicle designs were made with this mentality. it's far better than boring and uninspired, even if some people don't like it.
@@landonbenford8369they were, I drove a 97 Villager for a few years that was in my family since brand new prior to me owning it, my grandparents bought it new from the dealership and then my parents bought it a couple years later from my grandparents and my mom drove it for the longest time before I got it.
Last year my buddy and I took a 12 hour road trip in his 93 previa to buy a 93 trans sport from the original owner for $400. It ended up as a week long trip of us staying with friends we knew along the way and exploring around. We decided it would be a good idea to check out a 1990 lumina apv with the full gauge cluster for $1000. he ended up buying it so we drove the trans sport back home and took the previa back up to get the apv. I sold the trans sport to another buddy of mine and the 90 lumina ended up in the junkyard because the subframe fell out due to rust. Still ended up being one of the best weekends of my life. I love minivans
Growing up in the 90s, I recall seeing a lot of Caravans and Aerostars with a handful of Astros, Previas or Dustbusters. Actually in hindsight, my father owned an Astro and a Venture haha just for context I am 33. In the early 00s I recall a good number of Ventures & Windstars being driven, but always more Caravans year over year. Quite a few Odysseys were out & about mixed in with a few Quests, but not much else it seems like. These days it seems like not many of any variety left lol the only real issue with any of them is being 25+ years old with little to no rust repairs being addressed as needed. Thanks for your great videos by the way, this was the first time I caught a fresh post haha
Here in the "no rust belt" you still see a good many of the American-made ones on the road even today. Most (like mine) are being used as work vehicles and for certain trades they are the perfect vehicle. The Chrysler products prevailed back then, but now it's an even mix with the imports rare.
@@P_RO_ That's Exactly why the Aerostar lasted as long as it Did. Trades people letter-wrote Ford not to end the Aerostar run after 1994, which is what Ford wanted to do. A 1998 woulda required dual front airbags and a multimillion dollar redesign of the Aerostar's front end, which Ford wasn't about to do.
That's all my family owned was caravans my brother and my sister only once my brother bought a Nissan quest that thing was a piece of garbage! And my sister bought a Chevy venture it was a turd! They've been buying Chrysler minivan sense and haven't turned back!!
@@peachyclean93 I think you're the First person I've EVER heard say the Nissan Quest was junk.😮 I've heard nothing But Great things about its cousin, the Mercury Villager minivan. Ford & Nissan were partners in that quest, pun intended.🤓
French viewer here and I just want to start by saying that I love your work ! It’s super interesting to learn about those amercian that we don’t see here ! A piece of info you might think is funny : In USA manufacturers compared their minivan with spaceships. Here in France the first Renault Espace (space in French ironicaly) was compared to the TGV (Train Grande Vitesse). A very fast train if you want. It’s like the concorde but on rails. Its very appreciated by french people and a it was seen as a national success. Funny how they came up with the same marketing idea from two différent cultures. You had a space shutle and we had a train to represent the same idea ! It was the future and a fast, spacious and cutting edge way of transportation ! (Ngl I think the space shutle has more aura than the TGV 😂)
@@bigdaddi1629 They also had 3 engine options the 3100 3400 and the 3800. All the ones my brother in law bought had the 3800 only ones I would ever own to because of the reliability of the 3800
I've always been a fan of these egg shaped vans. My main car in Beamng was based off of a Lumina van, and I even have a Hot Wheels car of a Lumina that was discontinued really early on because it wasn't popular at all. Though these designs don't really exist anymore in America, my relatives in Asia bought a Hyundai Staria that's basically a modern version of these little vans, and I got the chance to ride around in it.
Mine's a 2003. The rust-free unbent ones are becoming a little expensive, especially the AWD ones. Not quite collectible- it's mostly enthusiasts driving the prices now. V-8 conversions are easy and popular.
Word on the street is the DustBusters are becoming high demand antiques, especially the Silhouettes, so you'd better get busy!!!!! FaceBook MarketPlace, CraigsList, Project Finders Auto.....
I had a Pontiac Transport “Dustbuster” minivan. It was excellent and oh so versatile. I never had one problem with it. But unfortunately after nine years of being our perfect family car, a lady made a left turn into me. The van was repairable … but I took it to a lousy repair place who left it sitting on their lot with the windows down during a WEEK of rain. The interior was ruined. I still miss that car 25 years later.
With the higher cost of the Previa, the family got an Astro instead. We wanted all wheel drive, and some horsepower as we were moving from a suburban. Other than a fuel pump going out, the Chevy was reliable for 113k miles, which is when we sold it.
I was gifted at the ford winstar gen one with the 3.8. That thing love to eat transmissions Like a kid With a happy meal. nightmare to work on, but god damn I loved the inside space.
I used to own a 1989 Ford Aerostar. Bought it use back in 1994 with 60k miles on it. How I miss it. I had it until 2001 when a Nissan cut me off on a slippery off ramp. I lost control and crashed on a concrete divider totaling it.
@@landonbenford8369 What's funny was when the state trooper showed up, I gave the description of the vehicle, and they went soon after it. Unfortunately, they wind up catching up to 4 white Nissans with NJ plates. Too bad I just couldn't remember the plate number. If I only had a dash-cam at the time.
Sorry for running late getting thru this one. Not disappointed. Can't ever see it happening. Love your style young fella. See you in the next one 👍 🇨🇦 🔧
This old codger of 41 appreciates your videos. What exactly is the younger generation into? When I was younger I appreciated cars from 30 years ago. Were minivans a thing in the 70’s? Lol.
The 'Dustbusters' offered exceptional fuel mileage on the highway beating many smaller cars. They also had sub-prime crash ratings for the front seating, and every one had a list of known problems, some of which were very expensive to have fixed at a shop and very intense for the DIY crowd. Most of the minivans have issues with transmissions with some like the Aerostar having a ridiculously short service life. The sales competition was intense and they weren't well-engineered because of that. Hondas were pricey and the Previa weird to drive sitting on the front wheels kind of like an old VW bus, plus the mid-engine was a beast to work on. Chrysler was the first and has the longest production run of minivans and always sold well compared to the others although they dragged their feet with restyling so they all looked kind of old. Minivans are very practical vehicles for a lot of purposes; they just fell out of style.
Dude?? You gotta bring back the background muzak!! Actually the 1986 Nissan Stanza van was the first in America to offer driver's side sliding doors. 2:58 Now that Trans Sport concept looks. AMAZING!!😎3:26 Is that James Earl Jones??🧐 In the early 1980's there were Many in the auto industry who thought that the minivan concept was a joke and'd surely fail, including a few at Chrysler. But Lee Iacocca kept pressing!😎And came thisclose to making the station wagon obsolete! Now time & nostalgia is resurrecting the wagon once again.😮Stay Tuned!!😊
Love this channel! Growing up in the 80/90s, I’ve been in almost every one of these minivans. You did not mention the 3rd gen (95) Chrysler minivans. They’re my favorite and were so advanced for its time. I miss the more adventuous 90s design and colors. We had an electric blue and bright sour apple color minivans. Now thinking back, I don’t think any of these were particularly safe, especially the previa or the Japanese box vans.
NOBODY (from what I remember) ever thought the Aerostar was good looking at the time--people thought it was corny. The did like that it had a metric fu*kton of seating and space, was based on the Ranger truck, had the 3.0 VC, and could actually tow. Personally, I liked the "Age of the Aerostar" tv commercial. I still sing it sometimes, which annoys everyone around me. I think the real troopers of the 80s minivan age were the Japanese vans. The Previa was the last of the era with the engine under the seat. Mechanics hated them, but I still want one.
Lee Iacocca had the minivan idea when he worked at Ford, but Ford wasn't interested. After he was fired from Ford, he took his minivan idea with him to Chrysler
I would love to own a Lumina minivan. My wife and I both owned Lumina sedans mine a 1991 and hers was a 1992. We both drove them for about twelve years, and they were just so nice. Everything in them worked so smooth. The gear selector column mounted was as I said smooth. The way the crank windows worked smooth. The doors opened and closed with just the slightest bit of effort. I miss them so much.
I had a lumina apv van for work and really liked it. I hate boring vehicles and these vans were anything but. Futuristic and neat. Sure miss this age of vehicles that each were very unique. Also liked the aerostar, mpv, and previa but was too young to afford/need one. All these were way ahead of their time.
Great video. I'd argue that the original 80's Dodge Caravan started the aerodynamic minivan craze and really broke the mold. Before that vans were full-size upright and truck based rear wheel drive vehicles. The Caravan and Voyager were aerodynamic space ships of the 80's, they brought an engine completely in front of the driver, a spacious cabin thanks to front-wheel-drive, and a Mitsubishi V6 that made them quick for a minivan. Yes the Aerostar looked wilder but everyone was playing catchup to the Caravan and Voyager. I really love how all the brands were trying something different as there was no set way to make a minivan yet. I think the biggest reason the Dustbusters, Previa, and Aerostar faded is because they all had terrible front crash protection.
Caravans with the 6g72 from Mitsubishi were in destructable as well as previa rwd tho super reliable we still have a 92 sohc v6 5spd stick caravan short body and a previa rwd. Best cars ever besides civic corolla ect...
The Previa or Tarago as it is known here in Australia, is a common sight. Often beaten to a pulp but carries on. Truly built to take the harsh climate and anything a family or Uber driver can throw at it.
I loved the Toyota Previa. I even liked that some minivans from the 1990s had a 5 speed manual like the Toyota Previa, Ford Aerostar, Dodge Caravan, Nissan Axxess and the Chevy Astro.
i had an AWD eagle summit. thing was amazing tbh. 30 mpgs, pretty quick for how it looked, fit a bike with the front wheel on, fit and finish were top notch. transmission got weird around 140k miles and i donated it
I remember my aunt getting a Chevy Lumina back then and it seemed pretty cool as a kid. She asked me what color she should get and I said the hunter green metallic and that’s what she got. They ran the crap out of that van and spilled every kind of soda and candy in it, the coke was just left there to turn back to syrup, I can still remember the smell. Not great! That crazy long dash was something else and more than once I heard that my cousin opened the sliding door too fast and it flew off the track onto the ground. He was kind of special 😉.
The rural postal service near me uses a JDM previa as their mail transport vehicle. right hand drive and spacious, wonder why they haven’t caught on more!
The Toyota Previa is a GOAT man. I used to work at an auto shop and the owner had 3 of them. One supercharged RWD, one 2.4L RWD and one 2.4L AWD; the AWD was the daily driver. This shop owner used to be into ice racing (look up Minden ice races in Canada). Every weekend for 6 weekends in the winter, we (me included) would load that van to the tits with stuff, slap a car trailer on it and tow a 2600lbs+ ice racer (car) 2 1/2 hours north to Minden. Some hills that little 2.4L would be screaming trying to tow, effectively, 6000lbs of stuff. Thing never missed a beat. The real long wheelbase made it an excellent tow vehicle. Aside from the throttle being to the matt everywhere you went, just throw helper air springs on the rear and trailer brakes on the trailer and the van tows incredibly well. I remember one time we loaded the ice racer on the trailer backwards (1987 Subaru XT6) which left the trailer incredibly tail heavy....didn't we get into trailer sway; hardly knew it was happening till I saw clearance light in mirror, no clearance light, clearance light, no clearance light as the trailer swayed and it was swaying at least into half the next lane (I wasn't driving, van owner was). Got it stopped just fine and moved 8 5gal gas can's to the trunk of the car on the trailer (instead of the back seat, front seats). Incredible vehicle. I think he finally retired it when the rust started getting soo bad; he ended up fixing up the RWD supercharged one; it was quick but nothing spectacular; not worth giving up AWD for in Canadian winters.
Minivans need to make a comeback. Way more convenient and practical than SUVs. Very few minivan options and they are insanely expensive. Wish we could diesal versions like sold in other countries. A diesel plug in hybrid could be very efficient.
As a kid, we had an MPV. My dad traded it in when he bought his first brand-new truck in 20 years. They agreed on price on a Thursday and the truck would be ready the next day. On the way there, it lost its last gear. They drove it around the block to make sure all was well. That didn't need the last gear. So off we went with the new truck, no problems.
As a kid in the 90s I had 2 different family members that had a used Aerostar and a red Pontiac Trans Sport bought new. I actually kinda loathed them both. The Pontiac was always so freaking hot on the inside with all that glass (South Carolina here). I've come to appreciate them in retrospect. I think the dustbusters look especially good in white for some reason. Maybe it completes the space shuttle look?
The Previa was my favorite minivan and was light-years ahead of its predecessor. The rear glass sunroof was amazing for the time. Also that it had a min-engined layout with the engine canted 75° and optional supercharging. IMO it also more closely resembles Pontiac's 1986 Trans Sport concept than the production U-bodies did. Also the -e isn't silent when pronouncing Porsche.
Full disclosure, I never liked any minivans until later in high school, then they proved their worth. The Previa was the first one I liked. Now when I got to drive it, I liked it even more. No, the Aerostar was shite. So freaking ugly. Give me a windowless Dodge van over the Aerostar any day. Oh, and that Mazda was another I started liking later on. It was different, and I loved the regular door over the sliding variety. Another great video. Thank you!
Fun Fact: Those first gen odysseys were used as NYC taxis for a few years. It was chosen BECAUSE it had normal opening doors, or at least thats what people said at the time. Also, have you seen the movie Carpool? It heavily features a Toyota Previa. You'll probably like it.
-The GM dustbusters and the Previa are pretty cool imo. -The Aerostar still looks quite boxy (and ugly) to my eye, but by all accounts it was actually pretty decent. A more trucklike alternative to other minivans of the time, but with more creature comforts than traditional van-vans. -I like the Quest/Villager clones alright. Our neighbors across the street had one when I was a kid. I think it was the Mercury version. -Don't think I've even heard of the Diamond Star Motors Vista Wagons until now. -The Chevy Venture looks okay if a bit boring and inoffensive. Looks like the Buick of minivans styled to appeal to old people. I do have a childhood memory of picking up a Maisto diecast of one at the Spruce Pine, NC Wal-Mart while we were visiting my grandparents up there and thinking it was an interesting find because "who would even think to turn this model into a toy car for kids?" -I remember liking the look of the second-gen Ford Windstars at the time, but my family's Windstar was an ugly, terrible first-gen, a '96 I think, that put my family off of buying American until recently. I'm nostalgic for a lot of the 90s Fords I grew up around, but that POS certainly isn't one of them. The daycare that kept me and my brother during summers off from school had a third-gen Grand Caravan (and I think a fourth-gen later on), which was just as prone to being in the shop (because Chrysler), but I think I could tell even at the time that it was nicer than my mom's Windstar in addition to being much better looking, the best looking minivan ever made for the North American market imo, while the Windstar just looked like an obese Ford Aspire.
My parents had a red Ford Aerostar when I was little which was pretty much the only minivan we ever bought new. The most recent minivans we've had were all used and one of them was indeed a 95 Lumina APV. But this was probably around 2015 or so. The only one out of the two more recent minivans that I got to have and drive myself was the Ford Freestart. The Freestar was probably the closest thing to a car that I've ever owned. Everything else I've owned including now were mostly pickup trucks.
The silhouette van part with the start trek influence in the ad at 3:48 reminds me of that Dexter's lab star trek comic con episode way back when. Not sure if these are some how Inspired by each other
Wow. For a minute there, i was watching the Nimoy advertisement and conpletely forgot i was eatching stoutibe video.... Gosh! I miss commercials of 80's and 90's
I have worked on a Previa, once. It was unique to say the least. The OBD port is in the top of the dash! That being said, I have driven a Lumina APV quite a bit. They were bouncy and not very inspiring to drive, the brakes were even truck derived.
I liked the TransSport most of all. I still recall the picture of it with the Disney monorail in the background. It never delivered on the looks. There was an AWD concept with HO V6 and IRS that supposedly fixed the dynamics and made it sportier, but GM wouldn't greenlight
Bummer couldn't find the poll, guess it was already taken down. But of the two you showed on it? I'd go for the Previa. Definitely wonder what it'd be like fitting a Tesla system into it now. Ha! Did notice your post from about 12 days ago. Do hope you are your family are alright as well! How is Blue?
"when people talk about dsm,these cars are never brought up" I mean he also said the correct wording. Captive import. But of course they are not part of the conversation when they are not dsm.
@@blue_lancer_es Actually, according to Wikipedia, the Mitsu Expo was manufactured in Japan AND its cousin the Eagle Summit @ Diamond Star in Normal, ILL.!! As a Chicagoan, I shoulda known that!😯🕵️
The fact that the Olds Silhouette came with a key fob opening side door was really awesome.
GM discussed having Cadillac make a minivan, but Cadillac essentially said h#!! no so GM used Oldsmobile to fill the role, calling the Silhouette "The Cadillac of minivans" which was very appropriate. It started well 'loaded' and optioned out nobody else came close. Premium upholstery, better build quality, extra sound-deadening standard. I had a used 2nd gen; it lacked only the 6- disc CD player and driver's side sliding door. The sticker price sheet came with it: $38K, a very high price back then. Maybe one of the nicest vehicles I've ever owned; too bad the engine was nowhere near that good.
@@P_RO_ Hell Yeah that was high. I think the Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer was less than $33,000.00 US Dollars.
Loved the Silhouette! Couldn't afford it but still loved it. 👍
I used to own a 1986 toyota van - kinda looked like the Scoobie Do mystery machine. Very weird car to drive because you sat right on top of the front wheels and you had to relearn how to make right turns in it or you would hit the curb
My 96 Trans Sport I drove about 20 years ago had that feature.
Somehow they still look futuristic
You nailed it. They're in the past, and the designs arguably did not hold up, but yes to me as a kid of that time as well, they still look futuristic and nostalgic at the same time
@@gdickensIIIretrofuturism
They look more futuristic than the actual future. Cars are boring now
As a kid, I LOVED these futuristic "spaceship" designs
Me too!
I love the Previa. I worked at a small tire shop in my home town while I was in high school. I remember the first one that came in for an oil change was wild. That mid engine layout blew my 16 year old mind.
Better check out the crash test results on a Previa. It is horrible. They REALLY fold up in a crash.
what I like about these old designs is the sloping hoods that let you see what is directly in front of you. no need for front sensors or cameras, you can use your own eyes to check if a toddler or pet hasn't wandered in front of you, and avoid running them over. it's a pity we lost the technology to make sensible features.
The 90s was considered 'the Future'. A far cry from thirty years ago, when technology and design was primitive, the sloping vans were seen as futuristic. I must admit, I loved the dustbuster vans from GM, my favorite being the first generation Oldsmobile Silhouette. Stylish, classy and a good bit of luxury. Lumina APV was practical, and the Trans Sport was pretty sporty.
As a 52 year old genx'r its a good feeling to know there's a new generation of car guys like you to carry on these beauties...good work 🤘
When I was a teenager, my parents had a 95 Windstar, until it was rear ended. Then they got a 93 Villager. I learned how to drive in both of those mini vans. As a kid in the 90s, I remember all of these mini vans. My aunt had every generation of the Caravan through the early 2000s.
i love the lumina / silhouette / trans sport more than the others because it was just such a radical design that was clearly trying to shake things up and stand out as opposed to just being safe or conservative. it was just such an interesting concept to try to make a minivan, of all things, actually look cool and sporty and futuristic. i like how that design just really went for it without worrying about being polarizing. i wish more vehicle designs were made with this mentality. it's far better than boring and uninspired, even if some people don't like it.
parents had a 1999 villager when I was growing up. I still remember what it feels like slamming those sliding door shut. So satisfying.
@@5oclock_Charlie I heard the First Generation Quest/Mercury Villagers were VERY Reliable. Back when Nissan was a Big Dog!!😎
@@landonbenford8369they were, I drove a 97 Villager for a few years that was in my family since brand new prior to me owning it, my grandparents bought it new from the dealership and then my parents bought it a couple years later from my grandparents and my mom drove it for the longest time before I got it.
Last year my buddy and I took a 12 hour road trip in his 93 previa to buy a 93 trans sport from the original owner for $400. It ended up as a week long trip of us staying with friends we knew along the way and exploring around. We decided it would be a good idea to check out a 1990 lumina apv with the full gauge cluster for $1000. he ended up buying it so we drove the trans sport back home and took the previa back up to get the apv. I sold the trans sport to another buddy of mine and the 90 lumina ended up in the junkyard because the subframe fell out due to rust. Still ended up being one of the best weekends of my life. I love minivans
The Mitsubishi Expo (and its many badge-engineered variants) had a trick sliding rear door on such a short vehicle.
Growing up in the 90s, I recall seeing a lot of Caravans and Aerostars with a handful of Astros, Previas or Dustbusters. Actually in hindsight, my father owned an Astro and a Venture haha just for context I am 33. In the early 00s I recall a good number of Ventures & Windstars being driven, but always more Caravans year over year. Quite a few Odysseys were out & about mixed in with a few Quests, but not much else it seems like. These days it seems like not many of any variety left lol the only real issue with any of them is being 25+ years old with little to no rust repairs being addressed as needed. Thanks for your great videos by the way, this was the first time I caught a fresh post haha
Here in the "no rust belt" you still see a good many of the American-made ones on the road even today. Most (like mine) are being used as work vehicles and for certain trades they are the perfect vehicle. The Chrysler products prevailed back then, but now it's an even mix with the imports rare.
@@P_RO_ That's Exactly why the Aerostar lasted as long as it Did. Trades people letter-wrote Ford not to end the Aerostar run after 1994, which is what Ford wanted to do. A 1998 woulda required dual front airbags and a multimillion dollar redesign of the Aerostar's front end, which Ford wasn't about to do.
That's all my family owned was caravans my brother and my sister only once my brother bought a Nissan quest that thing was a piece of garbage! And my sister bought a Chevy venture it was a turd! They've been buying Chrysler minivan sense and haven't turned back!!
@@peachyclean93 I think you're the First person I've EVER heard say the Nissan Quest was junk.😮 I've heard nothing But Great things about its cousin, the Mercury Villager minivan. Ford & Nissan were partners in that quest, pun intended.🤓
They look more fun than most novadays family suvs :D
French viewer here and I just want to start by saying that I love your work ! It’s super interesting to learn about those amercian that we don’t see here !
A piece of info you might think is funny : In USA manufacturers compared their minivan with spaceships. Here in France the first Renault Espace (space in French ironicaly) was compared to the TGV (Train Grande Vitesse). A very fast train if you want. It’s like the concorde but on rails. Its very appreciated by french people and a it was seen as a national success.
Funny how they came up with the same marketing idea from two différent cultures. You had a space shutle and we had a train to represent the same idea ! It was the future and a fast, spacious and cutting edge way of transportation !
(Ngl I think the space shutle has more aura than the TGV 😂)
I appreciate that man, thank you!
Thank you for making these videos, they bring back a lot of the vehicles that I remember from back when dinosaurs roamed the earth 😅
Thank you for watching!
I loved those vans. They had the 3800 in it which was a 400k engine when cared for.
Except the structure rusted out underneath them.... ask me how i know
@@ksmith1298 Im from Wisconsin all unibody vehicles rust out
And they're already quite powerful back then, about 175 HP
Umm…
Actually they first had a distributor tbi 3.1
One thing I remember was the wiper transmissions would cost you a finger if you weren’t careful
@@bigdaddi1629 They also had 3 engine options the 3100 3400 and the 3800. All the ones my brother in law bought had the 3800 only ones I would ever own to because of the reliability of the 3800
I've always been a fan of these egg shaped vans. My main car in Beamng was based off of a Lumina van, and I even have a Hot Wheels car of a Lumina that was discontinued really early on because it wasn't popular at all. Though these designs don't really exist anymore in America, my relatives in Asia bought a Hyundai Staria that's basically a modern version of these little vans, and I got the chance to ride around in it.
i have a 94 gmc safari with a digital dash that ive travelled all over the country in. i think my spaceship knows which way to go....
Mine's a 2003. The rust-free unbent ones are becoming a little expensive, especially the AWD ones. Not quite collectible- it's mostly enthusiasts driving the prices now. V-8 conversions are easy and popular.
We had a Chevy Lumina APV when I was a kid in the 90s, I remember my mom's friends going nuts over it
I LOVE those old DustBusters! Wish I could get my hands on one, it'd be a great road trip mobile.
Dust busters 😂. So true and I remember those too 😂
Word on the street is the DustBusters are becoming high demand antiques, especially the Silhouettes, so you'd better get busy!!!!! FaceBook MarketPlace, CraigsList, Project Finders Auto.....
In 2001, 4 of us took a road trip from Port Dover Ontario to Nelson British Columbia and back in a 92 Lumina van. They are great for traveling.
Takes me down memory lane going on trips up north in Michigan in my 96 Trans Sport, it was great for that.
First Gen Aerostars were great, it was a ranger as a van.
The Possum Van!
Loved my Axxess. Was five speed with both rear doors that were sliders which made loading the kids easy.
I had a Pontiac Transport “Dustbuster” minivan. It was excellent and oh so versatile. I never had one problem with it. But unfortunately after nine years of being our perfect family car, a lady made a left turn into me. The van was repairable … but I took it to a lousy repair place who left it sitting on their lot with the windows down during a WEEK of rain. The interior was ruined. I still miss that car 25 years later.
Man, that is disappointing.
With the higher cost of the Previa, the family got an Astro instead. We wanted all wheel drive, and some horsepower as we were moving from a suburban. Other than a fuel pump going out, the Chevy was reliable for 113k miles, which is when we sold it.
One of my friend's parents had a Previa and we always jokingly called it the June bug.
Parents had an 1989 GMC Safari. It was freaking awesome. Wish I had one.
I have a 92 Toyota Previa. It still runs like a Swiss watch but won’t beat anyone in a race
The Oldsmobile Silhouette was immortalized in the movie Get Shorty, when John Travolta referred to it as the Cadillac of Minivans
The Previa has been a longtime favorite of mine since I saw it in the movie Juno.
Such an insane van, but a timeless classic.
Great vid Hawk! I love doing minivan vids too!
Thank you!
I remember we had a gold oldsmobile silhouette when I was a kid, first car I remember being in. We had a blue grand caravan for a bit after that too
I absolutely love these videos, thank you so much. They just bring back memories of the wonderful early colorful 90s :)
Dude I love your videos please keep it up this is awesome!
Appreciate that!
Those are actually very nice futuristic designs
I was gifted at the ford winstar gen one with the 3.8.
That thing love to eat transmissions Like a kid With a happy meal.
nightmare to work on, but god damn I loved the inside space.
We had a Villager, it was a great family vehicle when my kids were little in the mid 90s.
I love minivans since i was a kid,
Thanks for uploading the video ❤😊
I love it❤
Looking forward the Full-size SUV from each of the 70's, 80's, & 90's. Heck Jeeps alone from each decade are a video in itself.
I used to own a 1989 Ford Aerostar. Bought it use back in 1994 with 60k miles on it. How I miss it. I had it until 2001 when a Nissan cut me off on a slippery off ramp. I lost control and crashed on a concrete divider totaling it.
Lemme guess: the Nissan driver got away??🕵♂🕵♀
@@landonbenford8369 Yep. I can only remember that it was a white Nissan with NJ plates.
@@TheDanMan01 I'm truly sorry to hear that. @$$#ole nissan driver.
@@landonbenford8369 What's funny was when the state trooper showed up, I gave the description of the vehicle, and they went soon after it. Unfortunately, they wind up catching up to 4 white Nissans with NJ plates. Too bad I just couldn't remember the plate number. If I only had a dash-cam at the time.
Sorry for running late getting thru this one. Not disappointed. Can't ever see it happening. Love your style young fella. See you in the next one 👍 🇨🇦 🔧
Likewise man, cheers 🥂
Oldsmobile van was in Get Shorty movie Cadillac of minivans. Great movie
Cool vid! Those dust buster vans were revolutionary when they came out! Btw on the Previa you had to check the oil under a hatch in the drivers seat.
This old codger of 41 appreciates your videos. What exactly is the younger generation into? When I was younger I appreciated cars from 30 years ago.
Were minivans a thing in the 70’s? Lol.
I smile every time _Lady Bugs_ is on when a whole row of corporate Lumina APVs is shown.
The 'Dustbusters' offered exceptional fuel mileage on the highway beating many smaller cars. They also had sub-prime crash ratings for the front seating, and every one had a list of known problems, some of which were very expensive to have fixed at a shop and very intense for the DIY crowd. Most of the minivans have issues with transmissions with some like the Aerostar having a ridiculously short service life. The sales competition was intense and they weren't well-engineered because of that. Hondas were pricey and the Previa weird to drive sitting on the front wheels kind of like an old VW bus, plus the mid-engine was a beast to work on. Chrysler was the first and has the longest production run of minivans and always sold well compared to the others although they dragged their feet with restyling so they all looked kind of old. Minivans are very practical vehicles for a lot of purposes; they just fell out of style.
Dude?? You gotta bring back the background muzak!! Actually the 1986 Nissan Stanza van was the first in America to offer driver's side sliding doors. 2:58 Now that Trans Sport concept looks. AMAZING!!😎3:26 Is that James Earl Jones??🧐
In the early 1980's there were Many in the auto industry who thought that the minivan concept was a joke and'd surely fail, including a few at Chrysler. But Lee Iacocca kept pressing!😎And came thisclose to making the station wagon obsolete! Now time & nostalgia is resurrecting the wagon once again.😮Stay Tuned!!😊
Don’t forget that many of these early 90s vans were available with a manual transmission.
The previa makes a sweet sleeper and surprisingly good handling. Especially with some suspension upgrades.
Love this channel! Growing up in the 80/90s, I’ve been in almost every one of these minivans. You did not mention the 3rd gen (95) Chrysler minivans. They’re my favorite and were so advanced for its time.
I miss the more adventuous 90s design and colors. We had an electric blue and bright sour apple color minivans.
Now thinking back, I don’t think any of these were particularly safe, especially the previa or the Japanese box vans.
Toyota's mid-engine RWD vehicle, sounds like a blast haha
They were available with a 5-speed manual and there were supercharged models as well, iirc, but I don’t think you could have both in one vehicle
NOBODY (from what I remember) ever thought the Aerostar was good looking at the time--people thought it was corny. The did like that it had a metric fu*kton of seating and space, was based on the Ranger truck, had the 3.0 VC, and could actually tow. Personally, I liked the "Age of the Aerostar" tv commercial. I still sing it sometimes, which annoys everyone around me.
I think the real troopers of the 80s minivan age were the Japanese vans. The Previa was the last of the era with the engine under the seat. Mechanics hated them, but I still want one.
Beautiful. Thank you again.
I LOVED these designs as a kid! These vans seemed straight out if Back to the Future Part 2!
Lee Iacocca had the minivan idea when he worked at Ford, but Ford wasn't interested. After he was fired from Ford, he took his minivan idea with him to Chrysler
Thank God for Lee iacocca!!
I would love to own a Lumina minivan. My wife and I both owned Lumina sedans mine a 1991 and hers was a 1992. We both drove them for about twelve years, and they were just so nice. Everything in them worked so smooth. The gear selector column mounted was as I said smooth. The way the crank windows worked smooth. The doors opened and closed with just the slightest bit of effort. I miss them so much.
I had a lumina apv van for work and really liked it. I hate boring vehicles and these vans were anything but. Futuristic and neat. Sure miss this age of vehicles that each were very unique. Also liked the aerostar, mpv, and previa but was too young to afford/need one. All these were way ahead of their time.
I LOVED my Previa! My daughter was a baby in her car seat when I bought it and then she drove it to the dealership 16 years later when I traded it in.
Great video. I'd argue that the original 80's Dodge Caravan started the aerodynamic minivan craze and really broke the mold. Before that vans were full-size upright and truck based rear wheel drive vehicles. The Caravan and Voyager were aerodynamic space ships of the 80's, they brought an engine completely in front of the driver, a spacious cabin thanks to front-wheel-drive, and a Mitsubishi V6 that made them quick for a minivan. Yes the Aerostar looked wilder but everyone was playing catchup to the Caravan and Voyager. I really love how all the brands were trying something different as there was no set way to make a minivan yet. I think the biggest reason the Dustbusters, Previa, and Aerostar faded is because they all had terrible front crash protection.
People from other eras would think the same of the goofy looking things we consider cool today.
Previa is the GOAT. I don’t care what anyone says.
My uncle had Euro spec Pontiac - with 2.3 Quad 4 and stick. I still love that shape! but my vote goes for Previa
Cool vid i remember growing up in the 2nd gen ford windstar
Caravans with the 6g72 from Mitsubishi were in destructable as well as previa rwd tho super reliable we still have a 92 sohc v6 5spd stick caravan short body and a previa rwd. Best cars ever besides civic corolla ect...
I pronounce it preevia ps- japan was using uk english in the 80s and 90s so "4wd" was actually awd, uk 4x4 is actual 4wd
I was a big fan of the Previa's design back in the 90s
The Previa or Tarago as it is known here in Australia, is a common sight. Often beaten to a pulp but carries on. Truly built to take the harsh climate and anything a family or Uber driver can throw at it.
I loved the Toyota Previa. I even liked that some minivans from the 1990s had a 5 speed manual like the Toyota Previa, Ford Aerostar, Dodge Caravan, Nissan Axxess and the Chevy Astro.
i had an AWD eagle summit. thing was amazing tbh. 30 mpgs, pretty quick for how it looked, fit a bike with the front wheel on, fit and finish were top notch. transmission got weird around 140k miles and i donated it
I remember my aunt getting a Chevy Lumina back then and it seemed pretty cool as a kid. She asked me what color she should get and I said the hunter green metallic and that’s what she got. They ran the crap out of that van and spilled every kind of soda and candy in it, the coke was just left there to turn back to syrup, I can still remember the smell. Not great!
That crazy long dash was something else and more than once I heard that my cousin opened the sliding door too fast and it flew off the track onto the ground. He was kind of special 😉.
I was 16 in 1990, known all those vans through friends and relatives. I went on a road trip stage party sat in the very back and it was amazing.
The rural postal service near me uses a JDM previa as their mail transport vehicle. right hand drive and spacious, wonder why they haven’t caught on more!
I saw some clips of those vans!
As a kid in the 90s, the Previa was a thing of beauty
The Toyota Previa is a GOAT man. I used to work at an auto shop and the owner had 3 of them. One supercharged RWD, one 2.4L RWD and one 2.4L AWD; the AWD was the daily driver. This shop owner used to be into ice racing (look up Minden ice races in Canada). Every weekend for 6 weekends in the winter, we (me included) would load that van to the tits with stuff, slap a car trailer on it and tow a 2600lbs+ ice racer (car) 2 1/2 hours north to Minden. Some hills that little 2.4L would be screaming trying to tow, effectively, 6000lbs of stuff. Thing never missed a beat. The real long wheelbase made it an excellent tow vehicle. Aside from the throttle being to the matt everywhere you went, just throw helper air springs on the rear and trailer brakes on the trailer and the van tows incredibly well. I remember one time we loaded the ice racer on the trailer backwards (1987 Subaru XT6) which left the trailer incredibly tail heavy....didn't we get into trailer sway; hardly knew it was happening till I saw clearance light in mirror, no clearance light, clearance light, no clearance light as the trailer swayed and it was swaying at least into half the next lane (I wasn't driving, van owner was). Got it stopped just fine and moved 8 5gal gas can's to the trunk of the car on the trailer (instead of the back seat, front seats). Incredible vehicle. I think he finally retired it when the rust started getting soo bad; he ended up fixing up the RWD supercharged one; it was quick but nothing spectacular; not worth giving up AWD for in Canadian winters.
Minivans need to make a comeback. Way more convenient and practical than SUVs. Very few minivan options and they are insanely expensive. Wish we could diesal versions like sold in other countries. A diesel plug in hybrid could be very efficient.
Very Interesting.
You should so do a video on the strangest early crossovers (late 90s-2000s)!
As a kid, we had an MPV. My dad traded it in when he bought his first brand-new truck in 20 years. They agreed on price on a Thursday and the truck would be ready the next day. On the way there, it lost its last gear. They drove it around the block to make sure all was well. That didn't need the last gear. So off we went with the new truck, no problems.
As a kid in the 90s I had 2 different family members that had a used Aerostar and a red Pontiac Trans Sport bought new. I actually kinda loathed them both. The Pontiac was always so freaking hot on the inside with all that glass (South Carolina here). I've come to appreciate them in retrospect. I think the dustbusters look especially good in white for some reason. Maybe it completes the space shuttle look?
The Previa was my favorite minivan and was light-years ahead of its predecessor. The rear glass sunroof was amazing for the time. Also that it had a min-engined layout with the engine canted 75° and optional supercharging. IMO it also more closely resembles Pontiac's 1986 Trans Sport concept than the production U-bodies did. Also the -e isn't silent when pronouncing Porsche.
The extended Aerostar with the upgraded sound system was the party van!
Windstar had the comfiest seats.
First gen Odyssey was really reliable.
Full disclosure, I never liked any minivans until later in high school, then they proved their worth. The Previa was the first one I liked. Now when I got to drive it, I liked it even more.
No, the Aerostar was shite. So freaking ugly. Give me a windowless Dodge van over the Aerostar any day.
Oh, and that Mazda was another I started liking later on. It was different, and I loved the regular door over the sliding variety.
Another great video. Thank you!
Fun Fact: Those first gen odysseys were used as NYC taxis for a few years. It was chosen BECAUSE it had normal opening doors, or at least thats what people said at the time.
Also, have you seen the movie Carpool? It heavily features a Toyota Previa. You'll probably like it.
We had a Pontiac Trans Sport. Lots of room, and very comfortable. We never called them Dustbuster vans though. Not back then.
That Starion @7:28 is super clean
-The GM dustbusters and the Previa are pretty cool imo.
-The Aerostar still looks quite boxy (and ugly) to my eye, but by all accounts it was actually pretty decent. A more trucklike alternative to other minivans of the time, but with more creature comforts than traditional van-vans.
-I like the Quest/Villager clones alright. Our neighbors across the street had one when I was a kid. I think it was the Mercury version.
-Don't think I've even heard of the Diamond Star Motors Vista Wagons until now.
-The Chevy Venture looks okay if a bit boring and inoffensive. Looks like the Buick of minivans styled to appeal to old people. I do have a childhood memory of picking up a Maisto diecast of one at the Spruce Pine, NC Wal-Mart while we were visiting my grandparents up there and thinking it was an interesting find because "who would even think to turn this model into a toy car for kids?"
-I remember liking the look of the second-gen Ford Windstars at the time, but my family's Windstar was an ugly, terrible first-gen, a '96 I think, that put my family off of buying American until recently. I'm nostalgic for a lot of the 90s Fords I grew up around, but that POS certainly isn't one of them. The daycare that kept me and my brother during summers off from school had a third-gen Grand Caravan (and I think a fourth-gen later on), which was just as prone to being in the shop (because Chrysler), but I think I could tell even at the time that it was nicer than my mom's Windstar in addition to being much better looking, the best looking minivan ever made for the North American market imo, while the Windstar just looked like an obese Ford Aspire.
Great review. I wish Ford brings back the Windstar/Freestar Minivans
My parents had a red Ford Aerostar when I was little which was pretty much the only minivan we ever bought new. The most recent minivans we've had were all used and one of them was indeed a 95 Lumina APV. But this was probably around 2015 or so. The only one out of the two more recent minivans that I got to have and drive myself was the Ford Freestart. The Freestar was probably the closest thing to a car that I've ever owned. Everything else I've owned including now were mostly pickup trucks.
The silhouette van part with the start trek influence in the ad at 3:48 reminds me of that Dexter's lab star trek comic con episode way back when. Not sure if these are some how Inspired by each other
Loved my 1993 Silhouette minivan.
Wow. For a minute there, i was watching the Nimoy advertisement and conpletely forgot i was eatching stoutibe video.... Gosh! I miss commercials of 80's and 90's
any chance that you can do conversion vans?
Possibly in the future man!
I have worked on a Previa, once. It was unique to say the least. The OBD port is in the top of the dash!
That being said, I have driven a Lumina APV quite a bit. They were bouncy and not very inspiring to drive, the brakes were even truck derived.
The Lumina APV was amazing my parents had one for 20 years
I liked the TransSport most of all. I still recall the picture of it with the Disney monorail in the background. It never delivered on the looks. There was an AWD concept with HO V6 and IRS that supposedly fixed the dynamics and made it sportier, but GM wouldn't greenlight
Remember in the movie, Get Shorty, when John Travolta called the Oldsmobile Silhouette the “Cadillac of Minivans?”
Bummer couldn't find the poll, guess it was already taken down. But of the two you showed on it? I'd go for the Previa. Definitely wonder what it'd be like fitting a Tesla system into it now. Ha!
Did notice your post from about 12 days ago. Do hope you are your family are alright as well! How is Blue?
Loved my 92 eagle summit wagon.
The Windstar’s were very reliable, I still see some being driven today
Eagle summit 7:26 expo aren't DSM
He didn't say they were. But it IS amazing how many people've tricked out those Summit vans!!😎😎
"when people talk about dsm,these cars are never brought up"
I mean he also said the correct wording. Captive import. But of course they are not part of the conversation when they are not dsm.
@@blue_lancer_es Actually, according to Wikipedia, the Mitsu Expo was manufactured in Japan AND its cousin the Eagle Summit @ Diamond Star in Normal, ILL.!! As a Chicagoan, I shoulda known that!😯🕵️