Originally Posted By: StevieC
I disagree... Try changing an alternator on one of these "Pigs" it's a real PITA and you need access from under the hood and inside the vehicle and it's a 2 hour job!!!! On my dads van it's a 15 minute job.
And what kind of hogwash is "The design requires it, all vans are like this"
My dads '94 Caravan isn't like this, my 85 wasn't like this,
It's only newer vehicles which the domestic (and some "foreign") manufacturers put out which seem to be made into "Make work projects" to make the dealerships money IMO.
Back in the day it wasn't a 6 hour job to do spark plugs but with the advancement in technology it is somehow now?
I don't buy it...
And for the record, My Hyundai is a PITA to do spark plugs on and you have to remove the Plenium/Intake etc. But at least you can easily get to it without having to be a monkey and have 5 arms like on Domestic vehicles.
It took us 6.5 hours to do spark plugs on the Ford Windstar van we were given because you have to take off the plastic part near the wipers under the windsheild to access the back of the engine. ??? Gimme a break!
Same old Stevie...
By the way - you can't compare a "real" van (meaning full frame truck tough) to those car vans. Of course they will be easier to work on. But it DOES NOT take 2 hours to change an alternator on an Astro and they are not "pigs". They served a certain purpose in life and did it well.
And what I meant by the design requires it was easy to understand (sure everybody else got it). The stye of a true van always had some misgivings on maintenance - you can't stretch out the front like a car. That's just a van. Well, GM did try that with the dustbuster era minivans - but they were ugly.
I disagree... Try changing an alternator on one of these "Pigs" it's a real PITA and you need access from under the hood and inside the vehicle and it's a 2 hour job!!!! On my dads van it's a 15 minute job.
And what kind of hogwash is "The design requires it, all vans are like this"
My dads '94 Caravan isn't like this, my 85 wasn't like this,
It's only newer vehicles which the domestic (and some "foreign") manufacturers put out which seem to be made into "Make work projects" to make the dealerships money IMO.
Back in the day it wasn't a 6 hour job to do spark plugs but with the advancement in technology it is somehow now?
I don't buy it...
And for the record, My Hyundai is a PITA to do spark plugs on and you have to remove the Plenium/Intake etc. But at least you can easily get to it without having to be a monkey and have 5 arms like on Domestic vehicles.
It took us 6.5 hours to do spark plugs on the Ford Windstar van we were given because you have to take off the plastic part near the wipers under the windsheild to access the back of the engine. ??? Gimme a break!
Same old Stevie...
And what I meant by the design requires it was easy to understand (sure everybody else got it). The stye of a true van always had some misgivings on maintenance - you can't stretch out the front like a car. That's just a van. Well, GM did try that with the dustbuster era minivans - but they were ugly.
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