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It probably tied with a chevy van because it *is* a chevy van. The GMC Safari and the Chevy Astro are the same bag o' bolts.
It may not rate the best vehicle in the world, but for better or worse (hopefully better) it's more or less what I was handed, and it's what I'll roll with for now. It has a bit of go to it, can carry or tow a buttload, isn't horrifically uncomfortable to cruise in, eats gas and requires some maintenance.
I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, but I can change my own oil. Usually I end up paying someone else for it, though, just out of pure convenience - it doesn't save that much money given the hassle. Though actually, with this beast now big enough for me to actually slide under - unlike my old car that I had to drive up on blocks or similar - it could be easier to do a bit of work on it myself. The only other car work I've done is (besides changing a tire) replacing the spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor in my old car once. And I know enough not to fall for the old "this here is your air filter, want us to change it for only $40" trick.
I need to get the complete service guide/chilton's or similar for this so that I know how to even begin working on it. The downside is that the hood being so short it looks like a bit of a PITA to get in without disemboweling a whole handful of ancilliary systems on the way in. The upside is that I've learned a good bit about it.
I also actually found an independent mechanic's shop that I think I trust, unlike the gross chain I was going to. I get the impression that I may not have even needed to replace my old car if I'd been taking it to them first. Slightly more expensive hourly (and out here, that's saying something, hello California), but after a couple conversations with the actual shop owner I was impressed as hell.
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