andy_george

A few on here have put LEDs through the cabin, including myself. I don't recall anyone having side-effects. Happy swapping!

I will say that the NV's sell in smaller numbers than most of the euro-competitors do now, and that certainly has something to do with the light traffic here. But I still certainly agree with your point about dependability.... This chassis and drivetrain, you know, the BIG stuff, may not be the lightest, fastest, or get the best mileage, but for those looking for the MOST dependable option out there I really don't think anything else would come close. And I know it's painful to fill up every week and wish for a few more mpgs, but one major repair can eat up any mpg gain over night. Good post, Chris. And I personally like the lighter traffic as it makes keeping up with posts soooo much easier!

Mine sits perfectly flush. Usually when I have a windshield replaced, it's never quite like it was from the factory, and that had always puzzled me as to why.....

Those tiny rust specs happen to any vehicle from any manufacturer. Definitely worse during the winter if you live in a road salt state. I'm not sure if it's brake dust, or just tiny slivers of metal that stick to the surface and bleed orange rust. The only way to prevent them is many coats of polish every year.... My motto is that it's always easier to wax before it needs it! Clay bar takes them off quite easily, but it's still a huge vehicle, especially if they are 6' up:(

It's quite easy in the NV, something that can't be said for the majority of new vehicles today. When removing the filter there's a nice "funnel" built in that directs most of the oil in one direction, instead of a big slobbery mess. Also, the drain plug is a wierd little copper crush washer, that visibly crushes when tightened. Not sure if that is necessary or not, but my dealer gave me a freebie pack when I told them I do my own changes. Be sure to take time to appreciate the beefiness of everything while you're under there! Good luck!

We own a trailer that we bought in 2000 from a guy who was a religious bearing packer. He could hardly pull his trailer to the end of his driveway and back without feeling like it needed to be pulled apart and repacked. I am more of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" type.... I jack up the axles and check for tightness or chucking yearly, but a good bearing is a pretty amazing piece. I just replaced the first bearing this spring, 15 years after we bought it from him....

Just my opinion, but if I owned anything that said it needed the bearings repacked every 3-5k miles, my first move would be to rip out those crap bearings and put something decent in. That's insane....

Wow, mark me in the "jealous" column! Good for you, enjoy your trip!!

Sounds logical. I use a foil sunscreen in the windshield most of the summer, guess that should be making a difference....!

I'd imagine it would have to make a difference. Wether or not you'd notice the difference is hard to tell. Be the first to try it and let us know:)

Looks good to me. Hard to make the brushed aluminum slider door track blend into anything....

Dang, that's a nice setup. Love the rear door right into the bedroom...

I approve of both!

Wierd.... I forget the longest, steepest grade we hit.... Mount Eagle maybe?... And I remember vividly being able to go as fast as I wanted in 3rd gear, with the only limit being how fast I wanted to rev it. Maybe someone accidentally shoved his fuzzy bunny slippers in your air intake;)

All the stop and go city driving you do must just kill your mileage, that's my best guess. But it almost seems so low that there has to be more to blame it on... I'd love it if you could drag our trailer from Florida to California for us, as a little test. I've always wanted to RV out west. You may realize your best mileage yet!;)

Your towing experience seems very different from our van. I gave my towing review back in February, towing a 7000 lb. camper with our family of 6, loaded up for 2 weeks of camping. Traveling from Michigan to Florida, crossing the smokies in very similar circumstance you describe. It shifted a lot, but I, like you, controlled it a lot with the manual selector. 3rd gear was necessary for a lot of the hills, but in that gear I could pick up speed and pass anyone I wanted, at will. It felt surprising snappy IMO for the load we had on it. I didn't feel underpowered next to anything short of a diesel pickup. How could we have weighed more going through very similar terrain and have such different results? Btw, my mileage was about the same as yours.... I saw from high 7's to mid 8's...

Ditto on having vans shipped. Bought mine from my closest michigan dealership, but it had to be flatbedded from Tennessee or it would have been 4+ months.

My $.02.... It is fantastic your so concerned about finding a safe setup that will work for your family. Too many people hook what they've got to what they want and never think about a single detail. That being said.... The NV is a an extremely solid van. Don't think about it too much.... *Most* trailers around 32ft. or less will hold your family and not overload your NV. Even through the mountains. The tounge weight rating is much higher with a weight transfer setup. Grab an NV, a trailer, and a weight-transferring hitch and see this beautiful country!;)

Bahahaha! I'll do whatever it takes!:) I've gotten decals here, to put on enclosed trailers.... Seem to be holding up real well after 5+ years.... http://www.customautotrim.com/graphic-kits?page=all

I had a professional pinstriper put a double stripe on my van. Vinyl decals break It up more, but I was going for something more subtle. Also I don't like the way Wax hangs around the edges of vinyl. Sorry, the glare makes it hard to see in the front.... If this is upside-down, can someone please tell me how to flip it? Every time I attach A pic to this forum it show it upside down, and I don't know why....?

I agree, 75 series is what I'd run. I always switch to winter tires in the snowy months, and usually to get the best bang for my buck I go to a taller tire. Never, ever, an issue, even going up 4% diameter. Just have to keep in mind the speedo is off. Luckily cars aren't smart enough to go into limp mode when the wrong size tire is mounted, but I'm sure we will see the day that is a no-no :(.

Sounds good to me....

The navigation isnt very good. I've never once used it and felt like it was better than my phone for what I did. The only reason I got the tech package was for the backup camera for the wife (but I'll admit I like it too) and for resale *way* down the road. Being the only SL for sale without being "loaded" makes it too easy to loose $500+ on the sale. I love the van though. The setup may not be the most luxurious or prestigious, but it makes so much more sense for a large family than an SUV. Just cleared 16,000 miles and have no regrets, other than the monthly payment:( My sister and her family a kicking around buying a used NVP. What's the going rate for the 2013's right now?

High roof passenger option may not be real popular, but I too am surprised it's not an option. Yes, the passenger models all come with rear ac....

Congrats! What part of the country are you in?