jeh@ritcv.UUCP (Jim Heliotis) (06/19/84)
Some of you may recall that I put out a blurb of my first impres-
sions of the 1984 minivans back around new year's, and that I
said I ended up ordering a Plymouth Voyager. Well, it came in
about 2 1/2 months later (long after they stopped taking orders),
and I have waited from March until now to give a review because I
wanted to take a long trip first. So, my apologies to the person
who recently requested opinions and has already posted a summary
of opinions.
In general, my wife and I are very happy with the car. Here is
how it is equipped:
2.3l engine, 5-speed manual xmission (standard)
"SE" package (doesn't mean much)
3rd bench seat (7-passenger)
lighting package
gauge package (includes new dummy lights for things o/w unmonitored)
dark tinted glass on rear & rear side windows (didn't get AC)
front wiper delay circuit
rear washer and wiper
AM/FM/Cassette player
Full size spare tire
Remote Control right mirror (control is on right door, though)
Luggage Rack (nice--it's adjustable)
When we first got the car, it got 18-20 mpg in mostly city driv-
ing. That figure is up to 22 now. On our 300 mile trip consisting
of much expressway driving, and some 2-laners going through
towns, we got 27mpg. On the way back, I took a different route
(NY17 through the Catskill Mountains), and got only 20mpg. I
think the car can even do better, because I had some stuff tied
onto the roof rack, so that may have increased my wind resis-
tance. More on power later.
The ventilation system in the car is excellent. I like having
the rear vent windows, rather than cranked ones, because it real-
ly encourages the air to flow through the car. Unlike some cars,
the vents that you would get with A/C are still there and can
blow forced air. So, if you live in a not-too-hot area (I'm in
upstate New York), you might think about saving your air condi-
tioning money for other things. Yes, I've been uncomfortable on
occasion (northeasterners must remember the heat wave of 6/7). I
just wish I had gotten the remote control rear window openers.
The other reason I did not get A/C has to do with my next point:
The engine looks VERY easy to work on. Lots of space to get at
everything (I have not figured out where the computer is yet,
however!). Most people are surprised at how small the engine is.
Which brings me to ...
... power. It is quite adequate going around town, but if you
drive on hilly highways, you will notice that you cannot stay in
5th gear all the time. In fact, on one or two steep hills in the
Catskills (this is nevertheless an expressway), I had to go down
to 3rd!
Before I praise it some more, let me point out its problems.
There was a faulty contact in the ignition switch which kept the
radio, blower, and a few other things from coming on sometimes.
It was fixed with instructions from a Product Service Bulletin,
no problem. After our long trip, we started having charging sys-
tem problems -- low battery power, whining alternator. That is
being looked into today. Finally, the clutch was making ghastly
noises when the pedal was pushed all the way down, and I could
not get into reverse without grinding the gears. This was fixed
with a PSB also (new spring, I think), but not perfectly in my
opinion just better. The transmission system in general sometimes
sounds a little funny, and I have the feeling that this will be
the week point in the car. (BTW, I also heard that the Auto-
Trans. does not shift very smoothly.)
I agree with others that it is comfortable and handles very well
for its size, but it's not like my Rabbit. I still prefer the
latter for short errands. Did you know that the minivan is an
inch or two shorter than the K-car wagons?
The best thing about this car is its versatility. You can remove
the short 2nd seat and the longer 3rd seat, and if you wish, put
back the long seat in an in-between position for better leg room
with decent cargo space. The 3rd seat slides to 3 positions,
too, to adjust for cargo needs without removal. In its furthest
back position (the only one comfortable for adults), you can fit
a row of 8 grocery bags behind it. But don't forget, the seats
are not solid all the way to the floor, so you can put 8' planks
of wood in the car without removing the seats! (Skis, too) The
seats are not TOO hard to remove. I can do it by myself, but I'm
pretty big. I'd normally recommend 2 people work together. The
seats are heavy, and hard to latch/unlatch, but I guess I feel
safer with them that way -- I know they will hold their
passengers (seat belts are attached to seats, not the floor).
With both seats out, you can almost lay a 4'X8' piece of wood
down (width between rear wheel wells not quite 4') flat. On Sun-
day, I put all the parts of a double bed back there, no problem.
Oh yes, the third seat folds down, too, so by sliding it forward
and folding it, you can often avoid removing it, if you have <=4
passengers. One thing may surprise you: the front passenger seat
does not slide! I guess that's because of that storage drawer un-
derneath it. It is positioned almost as far back as the farthest
back position of the driver's seat.
Oh, yes, I think factory-installed radio / tape players are get-
ting better, so if you want all the features they give you: Dol-
by, auto-reverse, digital radio tuner with digital memory for
stations, station seek, professional installation of radio and
four good speakers, I think $350 is not unreasonable.
Repeating, we are in general very happy with the car, and look
forward to lots of fun adventures. If you are curious, we
currently have a one-year-old daughter and a 35-lb dog who typi-
cally travels with us. Other than that, I think I can say that I
agree with all the feelings other people on the net have had
about the car.
Any questions?!
Jim Heliotis
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