And man, minivans have changed a lot since it was built.
As the hand struck who-knows o'clock, the online car shopping vortex sucked me in once again. For months I'd been on the hunt, motivated by whimsy as much as need. Instinctually I punched in my search parameters. Image? Has. Color? Green. Transmission? Manual. Price? A Camaro's convertible top costs more.
By that point I was used to miscategorized ads, but this one said"five-speed manual" right up top. The photos confirmed it—a shifter wrapped in a rubber accordion boot stood proud on the floor. Calls were made, dollars were extracted, papers were signed. Next thing I knew, I was cruising home in my 1994 Dodge Caravan minivan.This is no hoity-toity Grand Caravan, mind you—rather, it is shockingly basic. Five seats and a single sliding door is about all there is to it.
See, this came from an era when a three-speed automatic was an upgrade. Most buyers chose it; the manual is quite rare. Also rare is this example's condition: a one-owner California car with just more than 70,000 miles. A few blemishes aside, the tan cloth upholstery and emerald metallic paint present beautifully.I adore this machine. I revel in its starkness. I care about it more than any car I've owned. You probably wonder why, and you probably wonder what's wrong with me.
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