The lynchpin becomes the transaxle, traditionally the weakpoint on these fwd-sedan based minivans.  We’ve got a 2016 Town&Country and a 2006 Suburban, I’ve contemplated consolidating and turning our van into the tow rig (nothing too heavy, motorcycles on a trailer, landscaping stuff), it’s got plenty of power and is a…

Load it up with 7 people and get back to me. There’s a damn good reason we arrived at 270-300hp minivans in the first place.

“Why does it need more power”

You’re a car guy?

LOL douchebag

They both had 5spd autos at the time, an E430 Eclass had an edge in power (275hp to 252) and a half-second edge in acceleration to 60... but it smells like you’re just moving goalposts here bub

“Beyond that, the people looking at C8's and Dodge (insert menacing hell demon red cat name here) aren’t cross-shopping GT-R’s.”

What a lame way to move goalposts

“The Armada is considered the worst deal in full-size SUVs, even with its new re-design.”

Oh contraire.  IMO they make a very good case for themselves against the Tahoe stalwart, especially the newest, ugliest-ever GMs.

Was Mercedes any different by that point?

Speak for yourself, I’ve owned old and new and to me the 70s era of “UJMs” is the sweet spot all around.

FIFY

It’s generic in that everything is ugly, and this is ugly too

3rd gen Prelude is to me peak Honda all around: insanely low cowl, really low-wide stance, some cool tech (that works, reliably).  Just wish they had some more motor from the factory than that bastard-child B21

The old enduros are REALLY starting to climb in value.  Most were (rightly) thrashed to death offroad, the remaining ones have turned into nostalgic buys for Boomers with cash.  I’d love to have an old big bore Yamaha RT/DT.

My and my brother’s introduction to motorcycles was exactly this: picked up a trashed ‘81 Yamaha XS400 Special off the side of the road with a “free” sign on it.  Threw it in the back of his old minivan and dragged it home.  Parents were mildly horrified but let it go.  First got it running on one cyliner, took turns…

Over under on CVT longevity with anywhere close to 700lbs on the roof and climbing some of these 40% grades?

Coworker had them put an alternator in a 2011 Town&Country for something like $950.  I mean the van runs fine, but yikes, labor time on that job is I think all of 1.5 hours.  Must have been one of them gold-plated alternators.

That’s Mazda DNA in those escorts/tracers.  Great cars actually, with a stick and the Mazda 1.8 especially.

Shop owners I know have no problem banning idiots like that from the premises.  They keep busy enough as it is backlogged for a few weeks and don’t need the headache

It’s shit for Camry too quite frankly

I have a one step program for you:

“not Susy Creamcheese and her equally shitty 96 Continental”

Sounds racist bruh