Astro a mini-van?

[pengyou]

I parked my astro behind a Chevy g20 today. It seems that the G20 is 4-5 inches taller than the Astro, maybe an inch or 2 wider and maybe 5-6" longer.

Why do they call the Astro a mini-van?

Practically speaking, what is the difference between a G20 and an Astro? besides the few extra inches of size?

[zombie{[six]}]

g20 came with 5.7L v8, stronger suspension, and full frame
astro came with gm B body suspension, subframe + unibody, and 4.3L v6

[lockdoc]

The Astro\Safari is not a Mini-Van. It is a Mid-Sized van. It is based on a truck rather than a car.

[CaptSquid]

Only heathens, savages, and little blue people from PQ call the Astro/Safari a mini-van.

[ihatemybike]

GM even used the tag line, "Life is too big for mini." when they were advertising the Astro / Safari twins.

[skippy]

As your finding out , minivan is a BAD word around here & forbiden to be spoken on our forums !!!

[thevalleyboy]

I call it a MAN Van - bigger vans would be work vans or personnel carriers... LOL maybe even party mobiles

[pengyou]

Please forgive me for I have sinned! I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan I will not call my astro a mini van I will not call my astro a minivan ...to be continued on the next posting

[LiftedAWDAstro]

That's funny!

[LaGrasta]

Make no mistake, my stump-pulling Astro is a MAXI-VAN!

[ihatemybike]

But Maxivans are full size Dodge vans.

[zombie{[six]}]

and it makes our glory chariots sounds like feminine hygiene products

[Moreforles]

you have to think back to when they first came out, the import mini vans as well as plymouth/dodge/chrysler had their voyager, caravan and town and country - and they were being marketed quite successfully, I think that GM just wanted its share, not to mention that the shorty astros, while not a significantly smaller than the extended version (if it was available in the first few years) but when compared to full sized and especially extended full sized models, the name definitely applies.

Now with the influx of the Sprinter models, I think they could easily have made up for the lack of width and length by making a higher version. I still don't understand the discontinuing of the Safari/Astro line.... from as many as you see on the road as personal vehicles as well as fleet and commercial uses, it makes little sense (at least to me) to not continue, and improve a already good selling vehicle. adding an extra gear (or two) to the transmission would have made considerable difference in the mileage, and making it flex fuel compatible.

but it wouldn't be the first time I didn't understand what engineers or executives are thinking, much less how they think (or even if they're capable of thought in many instances)

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I still don't understand the discontinuing of the Safari/Astro line.... from as many as you see on the road as personal vehicles as well as fleet and commercial uses, it makes little sense (at least to me) to not continue, and improve a already good selling vehicle. adding an extra gear (or two) to the transmission would have made considerable difference in the mileage, and making it flex fuel compatible.

but it wouldn't be the first time I didn't understand what engineers or executives are thinking, much less how they think (or even if they're capable of thought in many instances)

I think this is why we are going to have to bail out the multi-millionaire executives, I mean GM, with their part of a $25 Billion bailout! I did see where they were gonna give up a few of their private, personal jets...WTF is wrong with us! I am sure they discontinued it in lieu of a cheaper-to-produce Uplander which was already in the making. It was time for a re-tooling of the Astro and Safari so that is probably why.

[Moreforles]

that's the point (one of many) I don't get, The Astro was still selling fairly well, and with the price of gas going up and up, you would think they would consider discontinuing the full sized express or at least only having in the extended version for people who needed the larger hauling and towing capacity of the Express. While improving the Astro just a little, it didn't need a major retooling. some mileage improvements, whatever changes that needed to be done to make it flex fuel compatible like some of the full sized suv models.

GM executives make mega bucks and while work force is being laid off and jobs elemenated, they have to suffer with smaller bonus checks or less stock perks....

GM seems more interested in their real estate business than selling cars any more. Discontinuing the Astro line is almost as stupid as Ford discontinuing the Crown Victoria... (Police Vehicles, Taxis and many other government sales.... gone because someone decided to eliminate a gauranteed selling vehicle.... Same with the Astro, while some Equinox and the other new models might sell, I think the Caravans and Town and Country will end up picking up quite bit of it, along with some imports (MPV ect...) Mid to small vans are the way to go.... even smaller sometimes is better... myself I liked the look of the Eagle Summit, Plymouth Colt Vista - ultra mini was appealing, but at the time..... it was too small the my needs, if they had continued or reintroduced something similar while the price of gas was over three bucks, I think it might have been or still could be a good seller.....

I also liked the Subaru Baja.... four door version of the brat... liked the brat as well, my uncle had two of them and drove the %^& out of them, hauling animal feed and kids around his farm and driving into the nearest town.... got great mileage, could use it haul small loads...

Like everything else.... has to be a great seller or why make it.... The Baja was cool, saw it at the car show the year they brought it out..... even had an optional tent that fit in the bed.... would have liked it better like the original test model, with the fold down panel between cabin and bed... it was actually the first vehicle that I was thinking about buying a new one of since my only other new car purchase..... Celebrity wagon... that twin bed fit between rear wheel wells, as long as I slid the front seat forward a couple inches. It was one of those magnetic vehicles...other cars seemed to be pull into it constantly, it was hit five or six times the first two years we owned it.... it was totaled by the time I paid it off...... but was nice for trips.... kids could sleep in back while we drove..... nice for camping, no rocky wet surface to sleep on...