Faults:

Bought under "Certified Previous Owned" program. Had computer, radio, cruise control, and rear A/C freon control solenoid replaced under warranty.

After warranty expired, replaced the clutch at around 96000 (1997) due to faulty throw-out bearing.

At ~150,000 (1999) had several water hose connectors replaced due to severe leaks caused by corrosion in the cylinder head. Also had the oil cooler replaced at this time because is cracked and was leaking water into the oil.

On a trip to Maine (2001), had the 2 hoses going to the oil cooler burst. Bypassed the cooler and limped the last 50 miles to get new hoses ordered.

In 2001, A/C went completely thanks to upstate New York's road salt program. The overpressure valve on the A/C Filter/Reservoir rotted out and leaked all the freon.

One long term item is the power steering rack and power steering pump. The seals in the rack are weak and the system was never flushed properly. So the thing constantly howls in the parking lot, but is not affected on the road. Replacement cost $500+ not including labor.

Also in 2001 had a deer collision which resulted in over $3700 in damage. The repairs were made; however, since there are so few of these around the US, there were no experienced technicians to do the work correctly. Several plastic parts associated with the radiator and fans were never replaced and the fans are bent causing a horrible vibration. If it was in another accident, I would argue to have it totaled due to the rarity and lack of qualified repair personnel.

General Comments:

Overall?? We have many memories of great trips we've taken in the van. i.e. -- Fording flooded arroyos in Big Bend National Park; many trips to Colorado for spring break skiing; scaring the crap out of unwitting motorists by barging right up to their rear bumper in the white bread box.

2. It's paid for.

3. At 215000+ miles, it still has all the power it did when I first bought it and gets 21mpg. Not bad for a brick on wheels.

4. The kids and their friends love the opposed seating the the rear along with the table and fold out bed for long trips.

5. I can load 2000 lbs. of wood pellets in the rear cargo area and drive down the road without any complaints from the motor.

6. It isn't that cheap crap that comes out of Detroit and gets 10mpg.

7. It isn't a mini van nor a full size van. It's a Euro van!!!

Faults:

It never ran quite right though the mechanic didn't find a fault with it. It always idled on 4.5 cylinders. I expect it was a bad injector but was unwilling to pay for exploratory surgery. The side door had a bad tendency to not be able to unlock. You had to twist hard on the key to even open it, then the problem would mysteriously go away. Heater fan made an awful noise sometimes. Brakes howled even with new pads and rotors and shoes.

General Comments:

The famous fault with the Eurovan was that it didn't have enough power for the American market. I live at 5000 ft and regularly make trips over 10000 ft. I always felt like it had an amazing amount of power for the engine size. I passed lots more people than passed me. It was comfortable and handled great for a minivan. The heat was great - it could cook you out of the car in very cold weather.

Faults:

The air conditionning failed in 1999. Minor inconvenience. Easily fixed.

General Comments:

This van is a great kid hauler in town and a terrific and versatile long distance cruiser. It has a great amount of torque allowing it to keep 90mph speed fully loaded (7 persons, plus luggage) in mountain passes, and has excellent gearing making it easy to pass at will.

It is surprisingly adept on dirt roads thanks to its great suspension and ground clearance, making it a great recreational vehicle. Equipped with good tires ("Michelin Agilis" for example) it can tackle snow with great confidence. I have never had to put on chains in 7 years of ski trips in the Cascades Mountains.

The seating configuration allows the entire family to load through the large sliding door, making it easy to tie down babies and then move to the front seats without going back out in the foul weather.

The easy to remove middle seats allow you to load an enormous amount of cargo, making the van almost as utilitarian as a pick-up truck to carry boxes, bags etc..

This van is not pretty to look at, but I have found it to be a most unique and smart vehicle that has no equivalent in North America. I plan on replacing it this year to make sure I can drive a newer one for the next 6 to 8 years.