Red alert; red alert! The Austria-built minivan of your dreams — a vehicle you always thought would be outside of your grasp due to it never having been sold in the U.S. — is for sale. In Ohio! And someone whose name is not David Tracy needs to eject $2,200 from an AMT and slap that those 22 bills into the current owner’s hand. Because there’s no better way to spend $2,200. Trust Me.
In 2020, my friend Andreas Aron from Germany bought a 1994 Chrysler Voyager Diesel 5-speed on my behalf after I’d been asking him to be on the lookout for one. You see, I grew up in a first-generation Voyager minivan, and I recall my dad rowing through its stickshift when I was a kid. I wanted one of my own, but I didn’t just want any Voyager — I wanted the ultimate.
That van is the diesel model built in Graz, Austria and never sold in the U.S.
Technically the diesel manual Chrysler minivan that I bought is a second-gen, but that is based on the first-gen that my dad brought me home from the hospital in, and when I first sat in the 500 Euro van that Andreas had bought for me, the vehicle immediately felt familiar.
Anyway, that van became a legend, as I repaired it during the pandemic when most people were in lockdown and had nothing better to do than watch a single, grown-ass man fly to Europe to fix a 250,000 mile minivan.
That machine has been on some legendary trips, including this one to Belgium:
This one to Sweden:
And this one to Istanbul:
But the most popular story about the van wasn’t any of those road trips, it was this piece on what it was like getting that ol’ beast through Germany’s incredibly rigorous “TUV” inspection:
Anyway, all of this is to say: The minivan exceeded my already-lofty expectations. It has never let me down, and is in fact my dad’s daily driver since his 2011 Chevy Equinox’s 2.4-liter EcoTec decided to blow up.
All of this matters because of this:
That’s right: Someone imported the greatest minivan ever to the U.S. That “someone” was apparently in the military, as the seller told me over Facebook:
Guy was in the military and had it shipped here. I guess that our government gives a good deal on shipping vehicles to soldiers.
Indeed they do! The military will ship a car for free for service members. That someone would import this one as their sole “free” car given that it must have been at least 25 years old at the time (since it wouldn’t be allowed into the U.S. until it was 25, per the 25 year import rule) is a bit surprising to me, but maybe they were big fans of the van?
I mean, I get it. Mine has been unstoppable since I got it back on the road.
This one has under 200,000 miles on the clock, while mine has 260,000. That might have you thinking “Oh, then this thing has lots of life left in it,” but the truth is that mine had its cylinder heads replaced sometime around 2009. They tend to crack, and I’d be worried if this van’s heads were the originals.
Or maybe I’d just say screw it and give up the two grand. I mean, it’s a diesel manual Chrysler minivan in America. It’s priceless, really.
h/t: Josh!
How can it be the greatest, if it’s cylinder head tends to crack?
My 5 cylinder diesel VW T4 “Eurovan” had 300K miles on the clock when I sold it, without any of that. Thinking of getting another one actually, now they are old and approaching classics.
Because they tend to make their own definitions of reliability around here:-)
It’s in Cleveland! May have taken a spin down Lorain Road too! This is pretty awesome to see stateside…
Sorry but been unemployed for 15 weeks. But I would only buy it if I got a DT ROAD TRIP from pickup to my house. And ST Signs the glove box.
David,
the ad reads “300,000 miles” yet you write that it’s got fewer than 200,000 miles. So which is right? Are you assuming that the seller meant KMs and not miles given that it’s a European model? Because with fewer than 200k, this would be amazing, assuming it’s been properly cared for.
Buy the van, DT! You can use it for a parts car for your van in Germany and ship parts as needed to your Dad!
Would this of been eligible to come here before the 25 year rule since it was a vehicle (kinda) sold in the us, or does the diesel render it ineligible? I know my rhd 95 xj came over from japan before the 25 year rule despite it having options the usdm version doesn’t.
Was the XJ imported by a mail carrier? RHD/JDM cars and small trucks are popular among rural carriers that use their own vehicle, and there might (have) be(en) some exception for them.
I heard that members of the military used to be allowed to bring over one vehicle not conforming to FMVSS and less than 25 years old, but that might not be the case anymore.
I am a rural mail carrier. We do not get special privileges on importing vehicles.
That seems possible, as IIRC it’s easier if you can demonstrate vehicle was engineered to comply with US safety regulations. Just less likely since most such cars the novelty doesn’t outweigh the cost vs. buying one already here.
Perhaps it came by way of Canada too since that’s 15? years instead of 25.
No. It was not a recognized configuration by the EPA so it was never tested for emissions with that motor here. Minor differences might be ok but not an entirely different drivetrain.
Are there any emissions controls on this, like a DPF, or a DEF? That is what concerns me out about diesels….
None for diesels from that era
Possibly EGR and some sort of diesel cat, 1994 should be Euro 2 emission class, so around this time there were some changes needed.
“ it was this piece on what it was like getting that ol’ beast through Germany’s incredibly rigorous “TUV” inspection:”
And the thing I remember from the writeup related to that was the discussion between your friend and the guy doing part of the the TUV test related to the brakes:
“It’s not good”
“But is it good enough?”
Well.. as my Grandma used to say: ” for every pot, there is a lid” and anyone whom actually desires this vehicle has flipped their lid! 😉
( Or is a lovable nerd like DT) (•‾⌣‾•)و ̑̑♡
My condolences in advance to whoever decides to voluntarily get theselves into a VM-Motori propelled car in the USA. Also, just out of curiosity, let me know what the underwear situation is like when you grow a second pair of testicles.
EDIT: my bad for assuming whoever buys this has balls, but the underwear joke wouldn’t hold up otherwise.
I Do Cars just did a tear down on a 3.0 Eco Diesel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lSHuzkv_RU
How Mopar gets away with offering such trash engines in american models is beyond my comprehension.
In response to your nutz commend.. most of the buyers are RAM / Dodge truck bros.
Oh so the pair grows out of the rear bumper, gotcha. No underwear situation I suppose.
Owner’s Wife: Did you get any emails on the van?
Owner: Nothing since yesterday, but I’ll che… Oh shit. I got 800 of them.
Wife: What?!
Owner: What the hell is an “Autopian”?
Wife: Sounds like a cult.
Owner: You may be right. This one just wants to come so he can touch it.
“Owner: Nothing since yesterday, but I’ll che… Oh shit. I got 800 of them.”
this, right here. Nothing like getting off work, grabbing your phone, and then seeing that you have like 100 unread emails.
Touch it? Hell … that layer cake taillight made me swoon and it’s just a picture.
I mean, it’s no maroon awd Sienna, but still…
If it wasn’t going to be impossible to get parts for, I’d be really tempted.
Like, really really.
Difficult, not impossible. Italian ebay or other euro variants. Search 2.5 vm motori. The ”motori” was fitted to a number of cars and vans, including Alfas and Fiats, range rovers, Ivecos, mopar.. sold in Italian market but also elsewhere. Also boats etc.
Jeeeez, don’t encourage me. 😀
Hm…..
It’s an hour north of me. It’s absolutely KILLING ME that it’s so close.
I could probably walk there in an hour. I hear ya.
Want to go in on it? halfsies?
Joint custody of an unloved treasure. It’s the most Ohio love story ever.
I think that’s what tonight’s Dateline is about…
DO IT 😀
I’m in Summit County….i’m trying to stay strong and remember i dont need any projects
Carroll County here…..I just paid $7K for a garage, so I’m drained at the moment, BUT MAN WHAT A PERFECT CAR TO PUT IN MY GARAGE lmao
I’m not kink shaming, but why? It’s an ancient stinky shitbox with no paint that’s going to rust through by mid February next year. The head will probably go. It has 200k miles of cheerios/tobacco/flatulence/whatever the owners and passengers were into.
Old-ass diesels are miserable to drive.
I do not get it.
Well at least for me, I love chrysler vans. My dad would bust his ass 7 days a week working construction and driving 200 dollar shitboxes so he could make sure my mom could cart us kids around in the newest vehicle possible. So my entire childhood was spent in a series of them, I had my first date in one, learned to drive in one, more memories than I could list on here.
2nd, I have an affinity for shitboxes. It’s very freeing to have at least one vehicle that you can use as an automotive pair of old coveralls and do any dirty job, whether its hauling scrap, filling up with messy plants and mulch, let it get washed when it rains, and do funny stuff like screwing a lightbar directly to the hood or letting the kids paint flames on.
3rd, it’s the RARITY of it! Even if it breaks down here and there, the novelty of a clattery diesel stickshift minivan is so worth it. I know people that spend a grand to go see a concert, or pay 1500 dollars for a phone that performs moderately better than their old one. If this thing runs for a year and kicks the bucket, I still got a lot of laughs for the money.
I have a new van for family duty, 2 old jeeps and a Hornet R/T, so daily driving/fun to drive/ nice vehicle stuff is covered.
Thank you for the perspective!
Could Torch and his family use another vehicle?
Otto will be driving before we know it and this would be a good first car for him.
But how’s the HVAC design?
Not a screen or haptic control in sight!
The taillights aren’t interesting enough for Torch.
We all know this ends with David buying it anyways. Or possibly waiting till someone else buys it, breaks it, THEN buys it.
And then for some inscrutable reason shipping it back to Europe to be his dad’s parts van.
No.
Heh, I saw this on OPPO and I knew it wouldn’t stay secret for very long. I mean, what are the odds David wouldn’t sniff out the only other diesel Voyager in the lower 48?
“In the lower 48?” They’ve got more in Alaska and Hawaii? Maybe in Canada?
Shhh! They’ll find out!
This would be good for someone who likes Chrysler minivans but not their shitty automatic transmissions
I was sent the ad this morning, couldn’t believe it!
AMT is (was?) a plastic model kit producer and I can totally see somebody who doesn’t trust banks stashing cash in a box on a shelf in a hobby room.
…And then I read it again and understood.
Esp. as during the pandemic, everyone was looking for indoor hobbies and models made a big comeback for a bit – I have a couple of AMT kits I picked up on clearance at Walmart when that fad waned.
My dad has always built model trucks and still has hundreds of kits from AMT/Ertl and many others. Apparently it stood for Aluminum Model Toys but they were acquired by a parent company and it’s not immediately clear if new kits are produced under the name AMT.
Just another three-letter acronym probably associated by all sorts of people with random stuff alien to anybody outside that fold. Typos are fun!
I think it’s just the name, as at this point, “Big Model” seems to own them all – Monogram, Revell, etc. But I love how they’ve used the era-appropriate retro graphics on the boxes.
I’m now looking at my ’69 Ford Torino Cobra kit and thinking I need to build her!
A company called Round2 produces model kits under the AMT and MPC names (using the old molds as well as the occasional newer one), as well as diecasts under a couple of other brands (I’m not as into diecast). I believe they also have the old Lindberg line as well.
Revell was merged with Monogram a long time ago, and Revells current corporate owner has stopped using the Monogram name on model kits, but does reissue old Monogram kits.
Moebius, Tamiya, Hasegawa, Aoshima, etc. are all separate companies.
Lindberg – wow that takes me back. I recall trying to complete some of their ship models when I was a kid – damn they were complicated!
I assumed there was some kind of diesel manual minivan credit I hadn’t heard about that one could apply to the US Alternative Minimum Tax. (Biden is a cat guy, after all.)
Pretty sure Biden is a dog guy.
I hate auto-correct, especially when it decides to become feli-correct.
SO that’s where all the cat converters are going??