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My dad's friend got 400K miles out of a 5-speed Astro!

4K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  Jimmy111 
#1 ·
I do not know the exact mileage, but it was close to 400K. If I remember correctly, it was two-tone with dark red upper paint and silver lower paint. All of the hubcaps were long gone and it just had black steel wheels. The paint was in horrible condition, but the body was rust-free and straight. The only significant problem with the van was that the A/C didn't work.

My dad was in the Navy for 25 years (1982-2007). He joined right out of college and retired as a Captain. From 2000 until 2002, we lived in Oak Harbor, Washington while my dad was stationed at NAS Whidbey Island. One of the guys in my dad's squadron was reservist officer (To the layperson; Reservist means part-time and they have another job outside of the military; My dad was what you would call active duty). This guy was a principal at a middle school on the mainland, about two hours away from the NAS Whidbey. His beater/commuter was a 1987-1989 Chevy Astro with the 4.3L V6 and 5-speed manual transmission. I did not know stick shift Astros existed prior to seeing this van for the first time. Back in 2001-2002 it had close to 300K miles on it. I'm 99% the engine was original, but I do not know about the transmission. If the van had A/C (which I'm sure it did at some point), it hadn't worked in years (in this part of Washington, A/C was rarely needed). The engine ran like a Swiss watch. The steering, brakes, heater, radio, etc all worked too. Over the course of the next decade, the van was used less and less, but still kept registered and insured as a backup vehicle.

My dad's Navy buddy knew how much I loved that van, and remembered me when he donated it somewhere in the range of 2011-2013. He was still in contact with my dad, and he told my dad to "tell Charlie." The odometer reading was at least 390K and it was still running, but by this time the van was about 25 years old and just not worth sinking anymore money into.
 
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#7 ·
I dont know why people knock these vans with a stick. I was servicing Telecommunication towers in 1988, I usually drove a full size chevy van but coming down the hills was a problem. Needed some engine breaking. I decided just to buy a pickup with a stick. When I walked into the chevy dealer they had a Cargo Astro with a 5 speed in the showroom.. I bought it right away. Drove it for years up and down the mountains. Never a problem. I liked that van. Unfortunately it was broadsided by some kid in a Subaru.
 
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