Our family has a long history of trading cars, trucks, whatever, back and forth. "you need a car, here I've got an extra." "You can't fix that POS? Well I'll take a stab at it."
So my brother calls me up a week ago and says "hey, you want my '98 Dodge Grand Caravan...I don't have room for it any more and I'm going to get rid of it." "How much do you want for it?" "Standard family price...come get it out of my driveway and its yours..." Usually, since I'm the car guy in the family (well except for Dad, but he's not in the trading rounds anymore at 73) it means that whatever ails the vehicle is befuddling whomever currently has the car. Last time this happened my sister gave me back the family ranger cause it would over heat and cut out while jr was driving on the freeway (when the timing is set at tdc, things don't work right, but that's another story).
Anyhow, I was in the market for a cheap DD while I finish recuperating and finally attack the "Red Furd" SVO. So I was game.
The Caravan has lived a rather well traveled life. My Bro had gone through a divorce and was commuting 320 miles a day round trip in order to maintain a well paying job and still help raise his kids. The vehicle had 322,000 miles (yep thats right) with the usual deferred maintenance. (why can't I say no to "free") So he gut hooked me and I drove down to San Jose to pick up the "diamond in a goats ass."
Now you have to understand that I've been driving an F-350 diesel 4x4 pickup gets 10 miles a gallon on a good day. My weekly fuel bill was pushing close to $200 a week given the amount of work that I was doing out of town. So I was in a weakened state, ripe for the picking. And, I thought, not having to crawl up into that truck would help with the rehabilitation of my back...funny how you can rationalize these things.
So my youngest son and I borrow my oldest son's MINI (can you say 30 mpg...with a blower!!) haul ass down to San Jose and pick up "Incognito." The white suppository of a mini-van.
So I get there and we start to hear the rest of the story...tags are up in October (this is October, right) the struts are soft (!!!!!!) it leaks a little water (uh oh) and the power steering leaks a bottle every day. And looking at the tires, they were bald 5,000 miles ago.
But all I'm thinking is FREE! Always my favorite price.
So, my Bro signs over the pink. And frankly, I'm thrilled. I refused to buy one of these things when I should have. When the kids were around this thing would have been great. But I was an idiot, no way would I purchase the best people mover the world has ever seen, I wasn't a soccer dad tied to the chore of child rearing. No Way! Man was I stupid... What a great concept, easy to see out of, easy to get into, can swallow so much cargo we could have gone on vacation with out all the endless arguments of "you can't bring that, the kids crap is taking up all the room, tell your parents that they'll have to ship that stuff, etc. etc. etc."
So I'm hooked hard. Then the drive starts home. HOLY CRAP! "The struts are soft" Hell I'm not sure there are struts. One of the things we pride ourselves on is that we can drive "car guy" safe vehicles. You know what I mean. Vehicles that aren't safe for the general public are "car guy safe", cause we know how to baby those pieces of crap and get all we can out of them.
THIS WASN'T EVEN CAR GUY SAFE!! I'm over in the slow lane cowering as it wallows its way back and forth. Finally, mustering my best "300" mental growl I think "this is a good day to die" and power that POS up and hold on. I swear to God that over the Altamont Pass the tires actual hit the top of the fender well. YeeHawwwwwwww.
Best thing is I only used a quarter tank of gas running from San Jose to Wilton...Awesome, considering that I figured that it was going to cost over $200 to drive the F-350.
So, what have I done since I got "Incognito" (my brother's nickname for the "White Suppository"). Monday it went in for struts, KYB's. I got a call from the guys doing the work. Apparently, the bearing plates were cracked, (). So that's been fixed.
I had the codes pulled on the check engine light, catalytic converter needs to be replaced...You think? Hasn't been replaced in 322,000 miles. Maybe that's why its a dog, overheats, and has an exhaust leak. But, I found a guy (everyone needs this kind of guy in California) that'll install a CARB legal cat for less than I can find the part for.
One problem...that overheating problem.
Yep, the Suppository set a record for needing a tow. Three days of ownership. I love my insurance agent. When I call and tell them "I need to insure X for the state minimums", they automatically know to put towing on it. Saved my ass today. Lower radiator hose blew out, leaving me on the side of the road.
So where do I go from here...Well I'm hoping you guys can help.
How do you hot rod a minivan?
So my brother calls me up a week ago and says "hey, you want my '98 Dodge Grand Caravan...I don't have room for it any more and I'm going to get rid of it." "How much do you want for it?" "Standard family price...come get it out of my driveway and its yours..." Usually, since I'm the car guy in the family (well except for Dad, but he's not in the trading rounds anymore at 73) it means that whatever ails the vehicle is befuddling whomever currently has the car. Last time this happened my sister gave me back the family ranger cause it would over heat and cut out while jr was driving on the freeway (when the timing is set at tdc, things don't work right, but that's another story).
Anyhow, I was in the market for a cheap DD while I finish recuperating and finally attack the "Red Furd" SVO. So I was game.
The Caravan has lived a rather well traveled life. My Bro had gone through a divorce and was commuting 320 miles a day round trip in order to maintain a well paying job and still help raise his kids. The vehicle had 322,000 miles (yep thats right) with the usual deferred maintenance. (why can't I say no to "free") So he gut hooked me and I drove down to San Jose to pick up the "diamond in a goats ass."
Now you have to understand that I've been driving an F-350 diesel 4x4 pickup gets 10 miles a gallon on a good day. My weekly fuel bill was pushing close to $200 a week given the amount of work that I was doing out of town. So I was in a weakened state, ripe for the picking. And, I thought, not having to crawl up into that truck would help with the rehabilitation of my back...funny how you can rationalize these things.
So my youngest son and I borrow my oldest son's MINI (can you say 30 mpg...with a blower!!) haul ass down to San Jose and pick up "Incognito." The white suppository of a mini-van.
So I get there and we start to hear the rest of the story...tags are up in October (this is October, right) the struts are soft (!!!!!!) it leaks a little water (uh oh) and the power steering leaks a bottle every day. And looking at the tires, they were bald 5,000 miles ago.
But all I'm thinking is FREE! Always my favorite price.
So, my Bro signs over the pink. And frankly, I'm thrilled. I refused to buy one of these things when I should have. When the kids were around this thing would have been great. But I was an idiot, no way would I purchase the best people mover the world has ever seen, I wasn't a soccer dad tied to the chore of child rearing. No Way! Man was I stupid... What a great concept, easy to see out of, easy to get into, can swallow so much cargo we could have gone on vacation with out all the endless arguments of "you can't bring that, the kids crap is taking up all the room, tell your parents that they'll have to ship that stuff, etc. etc. etc."
So I'm hooked hard. Then the drive starts home. HOLY CRAP! "The struts are soft" Hell I'm not sure there are struts. One of the things we pride ourselves on is that we can drive "car guy" safe vehicles. You know what I mean. Vehicles that aren't safe for the general public are "car guy safe", cause we know how to baby those pieces of crap and get all we can out of them.
THIS WASN'T EVEN CAR GUY SAFE!! I'm over in the slow lane cowering as it wallows its way back and forth. Finally, mustering my best "300" mental growl I think "this is a good day to die" and power that POS up and hold on. I swear to God that over the Altamont Pass the tires actual hit the top of the fender well. YeeHawwwwwwww.
Best thing is I only used a quarter tank of gas running from San Jose to Wilton...Awesome, considering that I figured that it was going to cost over $200 to drive the F-350.
So, what have I done since I got "Incognito" (my brother's nickname for the "White Suppository"). Monday it went in for struts, KYB's. I got a call from the guys doing the work. Apparently, the bearing plates were cracked, (). So that's been fixed.
I had the codes pulled on the check engine light, catalytic converter needs to be replaced...You think? Hasn't been replaced in 322,000 miles. Maybe that's why its a dog, overheats, and has an exhaust leak. But, I found a guy (everyone needs this kind of guy in California) that'll install a CARB legal cat for less than I can find the part for.
One problem...that overheating problem.
Yep, the Suppository set a record for needing a tow. Three days of ownership. I love my insurance agent. When I call and tell them "I need to insure X for the state minimums", they automatically know to put towing on it. Saved my ass today. Lower radiator hose blew out, leaving me on the side of the road.
So where do I go from here...Well I'm hoping you guys can help.
How do you hot rod a minivan?
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