Oh the irony of a chiropractor advertising on the side of an Astro. They’re the best little work van ever made bar none, but even a big fan like me will admit they’re not the best place to be in an accident.
To my New York eyes (only have lived on the West Coast barely two years) this screams of Californication because I never saw vehicles wrapped like this around Ithaca or any place far from Californication.
I bet GM could have made a 3rd gen Astro or kept making the 2nd gen for a few more years because the Uplander is not up to snuff, midsized vans are coming back (NV200, Transit Connect) and now Chevy is introducing the City Express.
I’ve known several people who were fans of these things, I’m sure if it would have lived past 2005 they would have bought at least one more. I don’t think the 1980’s chassis in these things would survive the crash testing that is required now.
The heavily revised U-vans weren’t half bad as far as I know. I tried very hard to get my wife into one (which really sounds creepy now) but she really wanted another Aztek. I drove a SV6 and an Uplander (both with 3.9 V6), they were pretty decent drivers. But even with the revisions, they probably weren’t ready for the newer crash standards, either. GM was right to abandon the U-vans for the Traverse/Enclave/Acadia.
Now that GM is re-badging the Nissan NV200 (why? why????)(can’t they federalize an Opel or something? FCV did it with the Ducato!) doesn’t necessarily indicate a return to the minivan arena. At best, it’s a poor shadow of the Astro. I don’t imagine it will be as robust as the ‘Stro.
I’d like to see the 2015 version of the Uplander. Based off of the Epsilon II LWB chassis (think Impala-based minivan), it would check off a lot of people’s boxes. But, it would probably cannibalize Traverse sales…
Kia’s new Sedona minivan looks gorgeous in the higher trim levels, based on styling alone that would be my new winner…
I worked at a car dealership of a foreign car company that sold a Chevy Uplander to this family and even funnier than that they stuck a dealership sticker on the tailgate. I was there less than a month, but it was always there, at least 4-5 times. In my opinion the sales person was silly for not dumping the Uplander in the trade in lot out back (I bet they got fired), the dealership is screwing itself due to the warranty that was also sold, and the family was silly for buying a Chevy Uplander. Also, the Uplander and their kin I have seen in junkyards are so worn out. You are probably right though, they were probably halfway decent in their GM way, but considering my bad experiences with Ventures I rather avoid them. Though I would like to buy a Montana SV6 then slap on Trans Am/Montana, Silhouette, Venture, Relay, Uplander, and Terraza body panels on it.
I have an (illogical?) dislike of Kias/Hyundais due to my folks crappy 05 Sedona and the fact that the current interiors smells like spray paint
My wife drives a Kia Forte Koup, 2012, that we bought new. I don’t recall the interior ever smelling like spray paint, or anything similar, though I know that’s a common complaint. Just sayin’.
Back on topic, dig those rims on the Astro! Hello late 90’s.
CARMINE
Posted July 31, 2014 at 5:09 AM
Nice Rims!
What issue of MiniTruckin’ magazine did he see those in?
I’m convinced that any stopped car on the shoulder of an L.A. freeway will slow traffic down at least 10 mph, so parking such a truck there, say on an overpass, would bring it to a dead halt.
Sometimes traffic slows down for no discernible reason whatever.
She is sprouting her angel wings. They are a bit tender and sore to the touch…
Too high up to call Love Handles.
How about “We’ve got your back!”
I’ll bet.
Oh the irony of a chiropractor advertising on the side of an Astro. They’re the best little work van ever made bar none, but even a big fan like me will admit they’re not the best place to be in an accident.
So she was wearing just a bra when she crashed her car? Odd. 😉
But the question is, where was she (and what was she doing) to be wearing only her bra in the car?
Maybe the crash was so severe, her shirt flew off.
other driver was probably so distracted he lost control.
“I dreamed I crashed my Astro in my Maidenform Bra!”
Hehehe
A double-locking bra, no less.
That’s why only her shirt flew off!
To my New York eyes (only have lived on the West Coast barely two years) this screams of Californication because I never saw vehicles wrapped like this around Ithaca or any place far from Californication.
I bet GM could have made a 3rd gen Astro or kept making the 2nd gen for a few more years because the Uplander is not up to snuff, midsized vans are coming back (NV200, Transit Connect) and now Chevy is introducing the City Express.
I’ve known several people who were fans of these things, I’m sure if it would have lived past 2005 they would have bought at least one more. I don’t think the 1980’s chassis in these things would survive the crash testing that is required now.
The heavily revised U-vans weren’t half bad as far as I know. I tried very hard to get my wife into one (which really sounds creepy now) but she really wanted another Aztek. I drove a SV6 and an Uplander (both with 3.9 V6), they were pretty decent drivers. But even with the revisions, they probably weren’t ready for the newer crash standards, either. GM was right to abandon the U-vans for the Traverse/Enclave/Acadia.
Now that GM is re-badging the Nissan NV200 (why? why????)(can’t they federalize an Opel or something? FCV did it with the Ducato!) doesn’t necessarily indicate a return to the minivan arena. At best, it’s a poor shadow of the Astro. I don’t imagine it will be as robust as the ‘Stro.
I’d like to see the 2015 version of the Uplander. Based off of the Epsilon II LWB chassis (think Impala-based minivan), it would check off a lot of people’s boxes. But, it would probably cannibalize Traverse sales…
Kia’s new Sedona minivan looks gorgeous in the higher trim levels, based on styling alone that would be my new winner…
I worked at a car dealership of a foreign car company that sold a Chevy Uplander to this family and even funnier than that they stuck a dealership sticker on the tailgate. I was there less than a month, but it was always there, at least 4-5 times. In my opinion the sales person was silly for not dumping the Uplander in the trade in lot out back (I bet they got fired), the dealership is screwing itself due to the warranty that was also sold, and the family was silly for buying a Chevy Uplander. Also, the Uplander and their kin I have seen in junkyards are so worn out. You are probably right though, they were probably halfway decent in their GM way, but considering my bad experiences with Ventures I rather avoid them. Though I would like to buy a Montana SV6 then slap on Trans Am/Montana, Silhouette, Venture, Relay, Uplander, and Terraza body panels on it.
I have an (illogical?) dislike of Kias/Hyundais due to my folks crappy 05 Sedona and the fact that the current interiors smells like spray paint
My wife drives a Kia Forte Koup, 2012, that we bought new. I don’t recall the interior ever smelling like spray paint, or anything similar, though I know that’s a common complaint. Just sayin’.
Back on topic, dig those rims on the Astro! Hello late 90’s.
Nice Rims!
What issue of MiniTruckin’ magazine did he see those in?
Surely they could have painted the handles to make them less prominent? But they are in an unfortunate location.
At least they’re symmetrically positioned. Sort of.
She’s cured !
I’m convinced that any stopped car on the shoulder of an L.A. freeway will slow traffic down at least 10 mph, so parking such a truck there, say on an overpass, would bring it to a dead halt.
Sometimes traffic slows down for no discernible reason whatever.
They’ve got a brunette too !