On the road again

When I got pregnant in 1999, it was obvious that my Berreta coupe would be inadequate for a family of six.

What we found was a white with red interior Plymouth Grand Voyager with 75,000 miles and a 10K sticker price.
We traded in the Beretta and took the van, promptly christened "V'Ger," home.

The first time it rained, I found out the serpentine belt was the wrong size. It slipped off the driveshaft, and I lost all power. After the second time this happened, I had the belt replaced, not just put back on.

The brakes are effective, and require maintenance about every year and a half.

The van has a 6 cylinder engine, which provides it with enough power to climb hills without chugging (unlike the older 84 Dodge Caravan). It gets fair gas mileage: about 22 mpg in a combination of city and highway driving. Not the 40 of my husband's Dodge Neon, but better than 18 mpg of some older models.

We have 2 captain's chairs in the front, a mid-rank bench with built-in car seats and a full-size rear bench seat. The cargo space between the rear seat and the trunk holds about 4 full-size suitcases, or 2 suitcases and a stroller.

Both rear seats are removable for more cargo space. Unfortunately, they are heavy, and moving them is a 2 person job. I have done it alone, but I was sore for 3 days. Also the hook and latch style is awkward to coordinate.

Ours has a lot of special amenities: an outside temperature sensor, power doors, power windows, a gas milage tracker, compass, driver side airbags and rear window defroster. The cassette player has quit working, but the AM/FM radio is fine.

The kids have enough space that they don't fight. The back seat is roomy enough for a seven year-old, a carseat and a booster. They also have cup holders, and a rear climate control.

On the whole, it was definitely a good buy. I look forward to a smaller car after the kids are gone, but I would definitely buy another Voyager.