Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater
I've done it. I bought a minivan.
What's funny about this is that everyone I know has asked me questions like, "Why are you buying a minivan?" and "Are you crazy?" These are closely followed by, "I wouldn't want to be caught dead driving a minivan!"
Then they lose a bit of hyperbole, and just start making jokes about soccer balls.
As I've mentioned before, a minivan is actually a really excellent match for what I want to do: haul boxes and building supplies, and later maybe people and theater stuff. And, I've actually dreamed, on and off, of having a minivan for a number of years now. Strange as it sounds, they've long appealed to me for their immense practical value.
Anyway, the van I picked up is a 1995 Toyota Previa. It's the rear-wheel drive version (versus the all-wheel drive version), and being a 1995 model, includes a supercharger. Yep, I own a supercharged minivan. Dear god. I actually can't tell there's a supercharger there, although I'm assured there is. It doesn't make that cool turbo whine or anything.
My new minivan (which I shall call any of "TIE fighter," "Godmobile" or "The Jelly Bean" -- the first due to its license plate, the second due to its previous owner (a Brazillian missionary), and the third because it looks like a jelly bean) came with 198 thousand miles on the odometer, but doesn't really look like it. That is to say, it's in very good shape. It drives like a minivan, and not like a tired old minivan. The inspection revealed almost no problems.
One very interesting problem is that the windshield washer doesn't work. "Interesting?" I hear you mockingly ask. Actually, yes. I popped the hood, and peered down into the washer tank. It was bone dry. "Oh duh," thought I, and grabbed a pitcher of water to pour in. I started pouring, thinking "This is going to be the cheapest repair ever!" Then, I noticed the noise. It was the sound of water pouring onto the ground. Apparently the reservoir tank has a hole the size of Michigan in it. I wonder if epoxy will stick to that plastic... (Ok, maybe it's not interesting to you. It was to me.)
Anyway, when it's all said and done, I'm really glad to have that off my mind. I was spending too much time cruising Craigslist and Auto Trader looking for minivans. Now I can get my mind back on more important things, like packing, and writing journal entries.
Posted at 23:36 permanent link category: /misc
Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater