Faults:

Broke an oil pump when I hit a rock in Honduras. Temporary fix by rubbing soap in the cut oil pan. It ran on one half oil pressure for 9,000 miles until I could get a new oil pump flown in from the US. When I lowered the oil pan the pump came out in pieces. Solution to problem: Bought taller tires.

General Comments:

I pulled a Datsun pickup bed trailer with a topper on it filled with scuba gear and compressor all through central Mexico and Central America fording rivers and filling in road beds to get through. I camped in the van for many months. The rear heater was used as a water heater by putting a gal jug of water in front of the vent and turning the fan on high. When I returned to the US, I used it as a delivery van in my new business for two years. When I sold the business I drove it to Alaska (with taller tires) and camped out for 4 months in the Yukon and Northern Alaska. It got 27 miles per gallon on the highway and 21 when pulling the trailer on US gas. Less mileage on South of the border fuel. Those years were some of the best and carefree times of my life and that van played an important role in that I always had faith that it would get to where I wanted to go. Also very comfortable. I am 6'2" and 190 lbs. at the time. Heavier now. Great time and fantastic vehicle, but I don't recommend breaking rocks with it.

Faults:

Had a bad alternator when I bought it - not unusual for these.

I was told the transmission had been rebuilt or replaced by a former owner.

Power door lock switch broken.

Little too much play in the steering.

General Comments:

My wife calls it the "terrorist van" due to its appearance in Back to the Future. I call it the Golden Turtle and love it beyond reason.

I haven't owned it long and paid $650 for it when I bought it. It's in amazing condition for being 23 years old - everything works and there are only small dings and scrapes on the outside, and slight fading inside. I spent another few hundred on it, new tires and a new alternator, will probably engineer a fix for the power door lock switch, but beyond that I don't plan to do much except keep it running and drive it for the next 200k miles.

I've owned lots of quirky vehicles and I don't know what attracts me to them, but it's hard at work here. There's just something about the van's moon-buggy-like appearance and ride, it's wonderful layout and design that just makes me giddy.

It IS severely underpowered as far as off the line acceleration goes, this is no hotrod, but it has more than enough power for normal driving and for sustained speeds of 70mph on the highway.

I originally bought it as a dump runner, to haul trash or pick up yard supplies with, but now I find I can't bear the thought of taking the seats out of it or messing up the interior. As a result I am buying a small 4' x 4' utility trailer to haul behind it, for those times when I wish I had bought a pick up.. it has a tow hitch and trailer harness, though I think it would be ill advised to tow anything very heavy with this particular vehicle.