Here’s how the GM Dustbuster vans failed to live up to their space-age design

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In this episode I provide the history of the General Motors' "dustbuster" vans from 1990 to 1996, GM's first front-wheel drive minivans with a design so bizarre that it resembled the 1980's handheld vacuum. GM marketed them as the Chevrolet Lumina APV, the Pontiac Trans Sport, and the Oldsmobile Silhouette. Despite having some features that their competitors did not, they couldn't approach the sales of Chrysler and Ford's minivans, and went through a complete redesign after only 6 years. GM tried two generations of more "normal" looking minivans but still could not compete, resulting in ending all minivan production by 2009, except in China where the Buick GL8 is still made today.

[@whoami7721]

I was 14 when these came out and I was into car design. With the GM "Dust buster" vans, alongside the Ford Taurus, I remember thinking, The future is here!

[@gsxerwhite]

I was 12. The vertical tail lights made me think the same.

[@778manny]

I agree

[@thecianinator]

And then it turned out the future wasn't here, Star Trek was just popular at the time and car companies were basing minivans on the shuttle craft

[@dkt1976dt]

@@thecianinator Exactly, look at the Toyota Van, the Ford Aerostat and Toyota Previa Vans, they all had the sloped front ends.

[@archiveseeker]

Same, same!

[@DarkRaptor99]

I miss the old GM where they would actually put crazy ideas into production.

[@Henry_Jones]

Nobody wanted to buy them. Thats why they stopped.

[@JayBee3237]

Yeah, just look at the Aztec🤣

[@davidkane4300]

Why I'll always be weary of first models years: My sister's husband's parents had a '90 Silhouette (maroon-ish with red cloth interior) they bought new; 8 years later, it became his to drive to school in, but by then the body was falling apart... Both outside handles on the front doors broke off, necessitating entry from the sliding door if the front doors were closed (often, he just left them open and used the handy interior light off switch, which needed to be off all the time for a different reason), the opposite with the sliding door as the interior handle snapped, so rear passengers had to crawl out the front unless the front passenger let them out (no power door). Both front door panels (cards) fell off; the driver's side dining completely off, so they detached the power window controls and just tossed them in the bottom of the door... The upper portion of the passenger side was still attached, so it's window/lock control was still mounted. Since the body was fiberglass, and they apparently used the same dome light switches from regular cars, the one for the sliding door carved out a groove in the fiberglass to the point where the interior lights would be on at all times unless the switch that prevents the lights from coming on at all was left off. The gauges had an electrical fault; the only reliable one was fuel (and it should be noted that all of the idiot lights worked as intended)... All of the others did wacky things. The oil pressure and temp gauges would show weird readings, often saying it was overheating when it wasn't and the oil pressure seemed like it had an intermittent ground, so would kinda wiggle around randomly. The tach generally worked, but would often drop to zero (other gauges still "working"). The speedometer was the best... It always operated, but seemed like it was programmed with the wrong multiplier for whatever pulses the ECU received from the VSS... It would start at zero, then climb exponentially to the point where at around 55MPH actual speed, it was buried past 120MPH. *Maybe* what happened here was that the wrong VSS was installed for the final drive ratio, but it would have had to have been the dealer doing it and not telling them, and they didn't notice right away as it seemed to work at low speeds, then just didn't care as it was already a POS by then. All of the pop out windows in the back were loose... You'd close them, and they'd open back up after driving a bit, and it had soft suspension, so it wasn't banging around on bumps causing it. The passenger side seat belt broke, which was replaced with a tan colored one... The passenger front door pin unscrewed itself from the body and fell off, which then they used the passenger seat belt tied around the door skeleton (remember, no lower door panel on that side) to hold it closed, so note everyone exited through the driver's door. I later found the door pin in the gutter a year or two later at the house we used to live in for maybe a couple of months when they first started dating. My last interaction with this van was after he married my sister just after joining the Navy and was in A school. His dad and I drove to visit them in it as it was the most reliable vehicle any of us had... On the way back home, I was driving on an interstate doing roughly the speed limit, the engine went from running fine to clattering like crazy with the oil pressure light on... Luckily there was a truck stop at the next exit, which was right after it started acting up. No oil on the dipstick, no leaks when we poured oil in, and no further oil issues for the life of the van... It should be noted that I checked it at the last fill up, and it was full... It just mysteriously lost 5qts at highway speeds without leaking, a cloud of burnt oil, nor oil on the coolant. It also ran fine after this... Which is weird because I know the car 2.8/3.1s were not known for super reliability. Weirdest vehicle ever... I should note that, even though it had nothing to do with reliability, some neighborhood punks (it was rumored to be people who hated his brother) used the tailgate and driver's rear windows for target practice. They replaced them twice before giving up, although it was weird they never shot out any other window or body panel... Just added to the jankyness of it.

[@Michael-ft3vg]

Back when I was a kid, my grandparent's neighbor had a Trans Sport and I remember thinking that it was the most alien looking car I'd ever seen. I thought it was so futuristic and interesting. This was probably around 2010.

[@patrickwilson2726]

It would have been 14 to 20 years old then.

[@alexsperring7545]

@@patrickwilson2726 🤦

[@zyxzyx3030]

@@patrickwilson2726 these were all gone by 2010.

[@ryanwilliams6559]

I don't care what anyone says, these were great vans. My mom had one with the 3.8. It was comfortable and hauled reasonable ass. The utility was pretty fantastic too.

[@stephenj4937]

They were great, except for the transmissions made of glass.

[@ryanwilliams6559]

@@stephenj4937 yup, 4L60E. Ours went on that van. Later I had a suburban with the same transmission that also ate shit and I rebuilt it. There's a job I never want to do again.

[@awesomeferret]

@@stephenj4937 they had the 3.8? 3800? My Old Car got his performance metrics wrong if that's the case. Those engines have a bit of pep for what they are, and certainly give well over 140 HP.

[@sean70729]

That 3.8l engine is legendary.

[@anthonyintawiwat3215]

Big mistake on GM to retire the 3.8 V6, the engine was just about on par with the Toyota V6 reliability. The current GM 3.6 is full of problems.

[@craigjensen6853]

I also like when they did the 94 refresh, they just plucked the Bonneville headlights on the front. Yes, those are the same exact headlights they used on the 92-96 Bonneville. Parts bin special. I always thought it looked goofy and the original rectangular ones suited the look much better.

[@J.Gainez]

the pre face lift was just lumina headlights and tail lights, still looked better though

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

The Silhouette Chronicles!! The 3.8 Buick engine is solid, but man the interior quality just doesn't age well compared to the other 90's vans. It definitely turns heads nowadays :)

[@MidnightMechanic]

The 3.8 is a 305 V8 with 2 cylinders detached. People didn't know how good of a drivetrain the 3.8/4T65 combo was, hence the poor sales.

[@phantom0456]

Many of these had the 3.1 60 degree V6, the 90 degree Chevrolet 3.8 was the upgrade engine... but arguably the 90 degree Buick 3.8 was the better of the two GM 3.8L V6’s, and was much more widespread. If you’re going to put the “chopped” Chevrolet V6 into anything, you might as well use the 4.3, since you get another half liter of displacement for a negligible fuel economy penalty, though as far as I know it was never used in any transverse applications. At least GM had the good sense not to offer these vans with a 4 cylinder, since even the 3.1 V6 was already overtaxed as a base powertrain.

[@MidnightMechanic]

@@phantom0456 Oh they had a transverse 4.3 V6.... it was a freaking Diesel!!

[@RobertNES816]

@@MidnightMechanic the 4t60e was junk though. That's what was in most of the first generation w body cars and the first generation u body vans. GM had allot of issues with longevity. The 4T65 was a huge improvement so long as you didn't beat on it too much.

[@RobertNES816]

@@MidnightMechanic but the transverse 4.3 diesel was only in the 80's unfortunately.

[@edwardpate6128]

I worked at the GM Tech Center back in the mid to late 80's(Still do actually). I can recall doing some work on network equipment at what was the the just renamed Chevy-Pontiac-Canada(CPC) headquarters, which was formerly Fisher Body. I saw the clay models of the APV vans and in 1987 timeframe I was flown away by their looks. I still think they are pretty neat looking and their space frame with plastic body panels a great idea!

[@liftedmage8102]

Your guys marketing team sucks if yoy could get around some of the safety issues obs Chevy are highly sought after and im sure anyone would lobe one all new on the inside, car design looks like shit now adays

[@zyxzyx3030]

You don't sound truthful.

[@rocketsalad]

@@zyxzyx3030 oh, ok then, "zyxzyx3030," thank you for the note.

[@digitalkoh]

Truly innovative design that wouldn't look out of place today. The world just wasn't ready for it back then.

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Maybe the US, but the rest of the world had other, better options from Europe and Japan, such as the Renault Espace and Toyota Tarago (or one ofthe many other names the Toyota was known by).

[@daniellove162]

@@owenshebbeare2999 - My mom actually baught one new. The 3800 engine was indestructible and outlasted the frame. 250k and the frame broke.

[@johnbockelie3899]

By naming the town " Sleepy Hollow" . you would also expect a headless horse man.

[@arkeetek613]

Brings me back, my dad had a Lumina APV and I learned to drive with it. Those seats where a pain to remove and put back in.

[@juhansuits6555]

I always thought these were the easiest seats to remove - good luck removing that bench seat in a good old Dodge Caravan of the day... ;)

[@jamesking1971]

Or the rear bench of a Suburban

[@Perich29]

Those back seats in these van looks like the seats in the movie theater.

[@timweeks6191]

When my kids were young, we bought a Pontiac Montana. It was actually a great van. Had some of the typical GM electrical issues, but nothing major. Lots of trips in it.

[@sniperassasin1264]

My dad loved his montana. Ran like crap longer than his rav4 ran.

[@MrSGL21]

friend of mines family had the lumina apv. we all liked it...we were all star trek nerds and TNG was in full swing then.

[@trentpettit6336]

Which year model was this Montana?

[@vicchavez6570]

Montana's are good vans .

[@zyxzyx3030]

@@sniperassasin1264 lol sure..

[@manthony225]

If the production models had the stance and wheel size of the concept, these would have looked awesome.

[@Pr3ct]

If.

[@awesomeferret]

Am I the only one who thinks these look legitimately good? Sure, it's in a "this car screams the era it was created in, which just happens to be my favorite era" way, but that's still legitimate.

[@nicotrex6690]

I love this design

[@fringestream990]

I want to buy one now lol

[@KenanTurkiye]

@ awersomeferret You legitimately have made a legit comment, the car and the era was legitimately good.

[@randallcox2238]

I agree. These vans were awesome. I always wanted to ride in one but still haven't yet😔

[@GHC3]

No, I like it too. Wish more cars were made like this

[@dtay8913]

I remember Doug demuros review of the Oldsmobile van. I to this day think that fold out car seat was one of the most innovative items.

[@brentonmcclean3647]

I really enjoyed this vid, as a matter of fact...all your channel has to offer is quality content. Good job man...Hopefully your channel takes off and becomes very successful.

[@christopherweise438]

31 years after they debuted.......and i've never heard them called "dustbuster" vans. That's the perfect description.

[@NOLAgenX]

Excellent history and telling of the history of these unique vehicles! Probably the strangest vehicle that I’d love to see you cover is the Aztek. It is so different and failed that I would love to find one in decent condition.

[@Lexrolla-1]

I had one for a few years recently...comfortable...handled like a grandprix...spacious...very...very reliable...just not very powerful or overall fun to drive..very squishy setup.but unique...I sold it still running to a guy who chopped someone up and put them in the back of it....I wish I was lying

[@NOLAgenX]

@@Lexrolla-1 😳 I think you win The Most Crazy Car Story of The Year award!

[@settledontheprairie5524]

@@Lexrolla-1 I actually liked the Aztec. Our local Pontiac dealer had a bright yellow one and I rode in it a couple times when my Sunfire was in for repair.

[@Lexrolla-1]

@@settledontheprairie5524 I wish it had the 3.8...it would have been awesome then..but was good for what it was

[@Lexrolla-1]

@@NOLAgenX yeah ,I could not believe it...but its evidence in gruesome murder rotting away in some impound lot in nova scotia

[@montecarloss305]

Oh man, I remember when our neighbors came home in their new black APV. It looked so futuristic compared to our 89 Astro. Between that and the Ford Probe down the street, it was like the cars in Back to the Future II were coming to life.

[@FatTracksMusic]

This has gotta be the most underrated channel on KZbin!

[@terrrtaz]

You're right about the non rusting body. My father had one up in Canada, from 1992 and it was used daily until 2015 when the transmission blew out. Not a speck of rust even when it was towed away.

[@dkjoses12]

I haven't seen one of these in years but I always found them somewhat interesting back in the day

[@ItsDaJax]

I see them every once in a while. There's a white Trans Sport or Sillouette, probably still down the street from me.

[@Henry_Jones]

Thanks for doing a pretext, covering the astro caravan, aerostar, toyota van, etc. Its important to know where gm was coming from in the 80s that lead them to design the dustbusters as bizzarely as they did.

[@aipo86t]

In 1995 when I needed a minivan Chevrolet was the best. It looked weird it was better than what Ford and Chrysler offering at the time. I ran it 200,000 miles all my kids learned to drive in it. The fact that it survived all that is a testament to how well it was made. Mine had the 3.8 L

[@generalzod7959]

the 3.8 v6 was the best engine gm ever made.

[@EricFortuneJr.]

When I was growing up we had a 96ish Pontiac Transport fully loaded. It was the biggest piece of shit I’d ever seen. The power sliding door would open while we were on the interstate and the transmission would slip, jerk, slam and shudder at times. My family purchased it brand new, but only had it for a few months. My mom parked it because she was afraid to drive it.

[@fhwolthuis]

I remember the first gen Trans Sport was quite popular over here in the Netherlands, especially in white. It was a great looking car. All later generations were watered down and actually pretty bad

[@trentpettit6336]

Was it sold as a Chevrolet in your country instead of Pontiac? I know the Trans Sport was sold as a Chevrolet in Spain, so perhaps it was sold with that name in the rest of Europe too?

[@fhwolthuis]

@@trentpettit6336 could be, after the facelift. But the first gen was a Pontiac and that one was quite popular

[@CarringtonHollister]

Hot damn my old man had one of these Dustbusters (Chevrolet Lumina APV) in solid white

[@mikecronin8825]

I had one for a few years I used for a van pool in Maine. One of the best vehicles I've ever driven in the snow. The wind seemed to actually push it down to the road. Loved that van. Mike from Maine.

[@johnnymason2460]

The Toyota Van, Nissan Van, and Mitsubishi Wagon (all mid-engined minivans) all deserve a video of their own. They were very interesting minivans (at least to me).

[@mikezerker6925]

My family had a 1993 Chevy Lumina APV growing up! I thought it was cool and space age looking. I remember people looking/staring at it from their cars when we were driving down the highways on family trips!

[@ericnazario2369]

The concept at 3:07 was stunning. Definitely would have changed the game. I am a current owner of a 1995 previa with 307k on the odometer and still going strong and will be looking forward to that episode.

[@BELLEVERIC]

KZbin recommendations been killing it. My dad passed away almost a year ago in a couple of days from now and he used to have a 1992 Pontiac Trans Sport GT and around here, we were never ever seing anyone rock that GT model. He had that van from like the time where I was 4-5 years old till my 19th birthday and the thing was just always breaking at the end... but still one of my most memorable car. He loved that thing so much I'm trying to find a similar one but without any success!

[@matthewbowen5841]

GM considers the GL8's GM258 platform a direct evolution of the GM199/200/201 U-Body. I am obsessed with your criminally underrated channel. And can think of about 300 models you can use for future subjects.

[@JSFGuy]

I do remember along with the Pontiac (Olds) 🤷 silhouette.

[@darrens3]

Its funny how they dubbed them the 'Dustbuster Vans' despite the fact they look quite dynamic, even now especially compared to their literal brick shaped counterparts.

[@veryfunclub]

I’m the second owner of a ‘93 Trans Sport with the 3.8 in the obnoxiously 90’s bright blue metallic. It’s so much fun to drive just because of the looks I get. Not very often you see a 30 year old spaceship driving around

[@jackschissler255]

When they switched it over to the Montana I fell in love, both with the name and sports theme of that van. I so wanted one.

[@420funny6]

My parents had one, we called it the pizza getter because it could fit 2 larges side by side on the dashboard 😅

[@byrnc927]

That's funny I too transported pizza on our Dustbuster dash. Great minds think alike.

[@urdnal]

Well I liked them. They reminded me of the shuttle craft from Star Trek TNG. We had one for a bit when I was older, still liked it.

[@ItsDaJax]

Same. Thought they were spaceships.

[@trentpettit6336]

Funny because Leonard Nimoy himself was in a 1989 commercial for the brand-new 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette!

[@cjsebes]

A friend of mine gave me a bumper sticker for my Trans Sport that had the Enterprise shuttle's designation on it. I had it in the side rear window for years until it fell out one day and I didn't realize it.

[@buttguy]

Last year my daily driver was an incredibly clean silver 1990 Lumina APV I randomly found out in the sticks for $800. Nice interior, pretty clean body, and even underneath was in great shape. However, it got mediocre gas mileage with the 3-speed non-overdrive transmission and 3.1L engine, and really after a few months I got so bored of driving it, I quickly cured myself of my longtime desire to try out a dustbuster van. Luckily I found a good home for it. It was great for what it was, I can just only take so much of any FWD GM vehicle before I need something completely different in my life. One interesting thing about these vans is I'm pretty sure they were the only vehicle to ever get the GM 3100 engine with TBI like the trucks and bigger vans had. Made it pretty easy to work on since I'm already very familiar with TBI. Thanks for the video!

[@WillmobilePlus]

NGL, I was absolutely enthralled by that van as a 12 year old, and still like to look at them the rare times I see one driving around. Heck, if one was in good enough shape, I would STILL like the own one. But man, back in 1990, this was the most futuristic thing on the road!

[@robcohen7678]

same I remember going with my parents to test drive one and I really wanted them to get it because I thought it was awesome and futuristic. I think we were looking at the Pontiac. Neither of my parents were impressed with the way it drove apparently and also didn't trust it to be reliable since GM cars still had a pretty bad reputation at that point.

[@jerrywalters8885]

I had 3. Still my favorite vehicle ever owned

[@byrnc927]

I had three also. One of those still sleeps in my garage.

[@denny1435]

I still own and drive my 94 Lumina mini van. Bought it used in 2007 for $900. Yes, I did a lot of repairs over the years but the engine is still doing well with 230k miles on it. The interior is in good condition with no rips or worn spots on the seats. The dash is like new also, we use a sun shade when we park. I've had some rust issues underneath it's still fairly solid for a 27 year old vehicle. I had a 93 prior to this one. It had a 3.8 engine. It spun a cam bearing at 170K miles. I had all the parts to repair it but I was made an offer and I sold it. I wish I hadn't, the guy junked it a short time later. I think he tried to drive it as is with low oil pressure. I wish I could find another in solid shape maybe from a southern state with less underside rust. I didn't like the 93 look but the 94-96 looks good to me. I like the plastic body panels that don't rust. The same goes for Saturn. Is it any surprise I also own a Saturn SW2 wagon? I had many GM cars that rust came through the body panels in about 5 years in spite of "rust proofing" I just wish car makers would make cars last a little longer before rusting through, especially since they around $30k and up.

[@mistert7958]

Planned obsolescence, my friend.

[@areasevenpro]

I'm surprised the Trans Sport Concept was never used in Demolition Man, given how much creative input GM had in that film.

[@NikateeN]

I can’t get enough of these videos. Great job as always!

[@Henry_Jones]

I can only imagine how much work and capital it took to retool a 100 year old plant to make the dustbuster vans with their space frame design and plastic body pannels.

[@303nitzubishi4]

Not much considering the plant was already set up to assemble A body cars, which are the floorpan/chassis that the U vans spaceframe was based on

[@nairongruendling4434]

In my opinion they were much better looking than the Ford and the Dodge minivans. I remember that at the time they looked very futuristic and cool (compared to the others). Don't know about living with one, but I always liked the style. Oh... I'm a Mustang guy, and don't like SUVs, minivans, jeeps...

[@pbscars6320]

Please do the Lumina and the Pontiac Grand Prix! I love the 80s-2000s GM era. They are often ignored nowadays, but they hold a special place in my heart.

[@bidensucks6792]

Hi, I recently found this channel and wanted to thank you for reminding me of so many cars from the past... Thanks for the memories..

[@albear972]

Back in late 89' when I was in my mid-teens I thought that the Chevrolet Lumina APV was the coolest thing. I mean, it looked so futuristic. I don't care what folks think now, even as a middle age dude I still like it.

[@theadvocate4698]

Same here! This video brought me back and made me remember of how pontiac was cool in the 90's, grand prix 2 door, bonneville sedan...I miss the spirit of that brand....miss the cladding too!

[@Henry_Jones]

In his book On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors, John Delorian says the Tarrytown cars were the worst and dealers didnt want them because theyd have to be fixed right off the truck. That was in the 60s. By thr time the dustbusters were in production things must have improved alot there since they were no worse than any other gm car of the time.

[@scottwagner646]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED my Olds Silhouette!!! I used it for my work truck as a Cable Installer. I cleaned it out and cleaned it up to drive my sister's groomsmen to her first wedding. 7 leather bound captains chairs made it perfect.

[@GratefulPanick]

Man these videos are awesome! They bring back so many memories! A wondrous piece of mechanical ingenuity that I've owned 2 of is the late 80s (87 for both) Chevy Nova/Toyota Carolla. I had the 5 door hatch back in the early 90s and the 4 door "sedan" a couple years ago as a beater work vehicle.

[@devilman3806]

I remember my mom test driving one of these. She got it on the highway and was saying she couldn't get it to accelerate. We were all puzzled as she passed 75mph in the 55 zone. It was then she realized she was looking at the tachometer, which had barely climbed above the "3" mark.

[@vincentzincone8012]

Chrysler still owns this segment. I work at a rental car lot and we can't get enough of them. The interiors are luxurious, functional, and they even came out with a hybrid.

[@TooLooze]

I thought they were trouble prone after the first 2 generations. I had both and loved them.

[@Henry_Jones]

Yep but sadly its a segment that has been shrinking for a long time.

[@vincentzincone8012]

@@TooLooze I see very few go into service and it's usually something minor. Chargers, 300s, Challengers, Pacificas, Voyagers, Ram trucks, and Jeeps are rented frequently. I put 300s and Chargers on the lot and they're gone in 15 minutes! These have all been tweaked for years and the chances are major manufacturing defects have been corrected.

[@TooLooze]

@@vincentzincone8012 Thanks, I had a Gr Wagoneer that was crappy. I rented a 300S and was very impressed. I'll have to look at the MOPARS again.

[@TooLooze]

@@Henry_Jones I don't get it. That are so much better than the SUVs and 4-Door trucks.

[@kellybanning2013]

I remember when a boss I had purchased one of these. He had to get some maintenance work done on it, but enjoyed it. We were talking about the sleek windshield, and wondered how you would remove the engine, if it ever needed replacing, and learned that you would have to remove the windshield and dash to get to the engine. Also in '94, the cost for the windshield replacement was around $1500.

[@moeanthony9308]

Good memories. I do recall these vans were notorious for broken windshield wipers. You would see many on the road blades halfway crossed. Criss crossed blades which was odd then.

[@dwaynesievers1397]

I’ve always loved these vans! In the early 90’s me and my wife and 3 kids lived in Lafayette, LA. My parents lived in southern IL. We would make the trip back to IL about every other month. We rented several of these over the years. I believe, that they would have been much more popular if GM had put an overdrive transaxle in them. With that, they would have gotten great gas mileage!

[@telcobilly]

I agree. I had the 3.1L with the 3 speed. It was a stout simple trans though. We pulled a 12' U-Haul trailer long distances and the van soldiered on. It liked to eat alternators though, it was on it's third one by the time we got rid of it. I did the water pump once as well, easiest one ever because it was a two-piece. I simply loosened the serpentine belt, took the five bolts off and removed the impeller and plate assembly, leaving the pump body on the engine. $25 & 30mins and it was good..

[@AlexSpalex1]

Could you do a My Old Car on the first Kia's in the US? The Sephia/Spectra, and the Sportage.

[@j.d.leston4666]

👆👆🔥🔥

[@TechGorilla1987]

This may be irrelevant, but I will share a story: In 1985, my parents overextended themselves and bought one of the very first Chrysler mini-vans sold in the US - central PA to be exact. For the first year that we owned that van, we would find random people looking through the vehicle upon exiting a store and always had to answer the questions of the curious that weren't into rummaging through a strangers vehicle. The 80's were a different time and what seems like a million years ago. Quite often, if dad was in a good mood, he would randomly remove the rear bench seats in the middle of a crowded parking lot just to show off to folks. It was really a great experience, and one I won't forget. Great video! Merry Christmas 2021

[@elfpimp1]

I worked at a Pontiac dealership in Syracuse NY when the Trans Sport came out. I liked it. And I showed a customer how the fender panels were not metal. I whacked the left fender so hard it bowed in and rebounded like nothing ever happened to it. He was impressed and bought it right there. His first words were "Hopefully this keeps the missus from messing it up."

[@williamsinger4124]

It's the Cadillac of minivans

[@kens97sto171]

These were some weird looking vans when they came out.. You either love it or hate it. I kinda liked the Trans Sport version. Later I found out these were HORRIFIC when some crash testing was done... IIHS tested these.. was really bad. The Front bends DOWN, as you go forward, and you end up mostly UNDER the dashboard with your head almost under the steering wheel. I started calling them the Death Vans.. cause that is what would happen to you.

[@ludercoarms]

I worked in the shop at a Chevy dealership in the late 90's, and we had a early Tran Sport on the used car lot that ended up needing an engine rebuild. I got stuck with the job, and that thing was a nightmare to work on. To pull the engine for rebuild, you had to drop the entire sub frame out of the front of the van, and then once that was on the floor and out from under the lift, you pulled the engine from the sub frame like you would pull an engine from a normal car. Double work. Hated them ever since!!!

[@Pillowbiter84]

Another great video. Can't wait to see what you have for next week

[@MrKnash1]

Loved my dustbuster. I had an olds for 7 years. Actually it was very reliable and the 1st mini van I had

[@realazduffman]

GM at this time was filled with "marketing" people who did not come up as "car people" and had no sense of the market. They thought that they were selling soap or detergent or some other consumer good and people would try the weird. What they did not understand is when you plunk down $20000+ for one of these back then you did not want weird stuff. It is a testament to the GM dealer network they moved as many as they did.

[@awesomeferret]

Ironic then how well it aged, and how many people wonder why they mocked it. Sometimes designs age well with time. Also ironic how today we have problems with all cars looking the same, so buying a unique looking car is a selling point now.

[@turdgoblin6113]

I loved my pontiac Trans Sport. Thing was a beast! I inherited it from my grandmother a bunch of years back. Wish I could find another one. After that van I bought a Pontiac Aztek. Never regretted it for one second.

[@jacobtwofour24]

Awww geez eh! i hate seeing these vans, my grandma had one and seeing them makes me miss her a lot. Bless you Grandma

[@subiesubie]

I remember these from the early 2000's. I grew up in Switzerland and you saw them on a regular basis. Mosty due to the fact that European brands didn't sell Minivans and if they did they were too small.

[@subiesubie]

Little add on: As a small kid I had a weird obsession with Minivans, my favourite were the Dustbusters and the Toyota Previa (the eggshaped one) and 1st gen VW Sharan/ Seat Alhambra.

[@moedais1]

The poor visibility caused my aunt to run over a kid at an elementary school in 1994. Wish I was joking 😥

[@burnerphone5120]

Bruh I'm dead 😂🤣☠️

[@9ZERO6]

Jesus dude.

[@gititgiitit5450]

to the commenters here, there was about 4 feet of dash board to the bottom of the windshield in these vehicles. there was another 4 feet or so of nose in front of that you could not even see any of. So that made judgement difficult. if a small child was directly in front of your van, you'd never see them.

[@ultimate_gaming_jr]

On the topic of GM minivans, plz do an episode explaining more on the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari vans. They are very awesome vans and have a great cult following.

[@johnnymiller8938]

My family had an APV van when I was a kid. It ran reliably for years. When my dad sold it, it had over 300,000 miles on it.

[@GaemerJosh]

You never fail to do an amazing job with your research and knowledge! Every video is great! I’ve learned more than what I thought I would. Thanks man! ❤️ like you I love weird obscure cars from the past few decades! Idea: maybe k-5/blazer/jimmy ? I had a 95 4X4. Tore that thing to hell 😂🤷🏻

[@thehighllama8101]

I remember seeing a presentation of the prototype Pontiac Trans Sport at the New York City Auto Show, back in the late 80s. I was probably 12 or 13 years old at the time, and I thought it was a great looking vehicle, with impressive, futuristic features. For example, it had a feature where you could press a button and the windows would automatically become hazed (or frosted) for privacy. When the production model Trans Sport was released, I remember wondering 'What the heck happened? How did GM take such a great concept and turn it into something that looked so terrible?' It's when I really became aware of GM's incompetence.

[@JustJay1281]

cause GM is run by bean counters first and for most, They have had some great concepts. Actually almost all their failures were good concepts, and good on paper. Between concept and production the bean counters get their hands on it, and turns to crap. Though the Trans sport was more likely modified to meet safety regulations, The Feiro and even the Aztec were interesting concepts that were ruined by GM bean counters.

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

These minivans shared a lot of the look of their 70's GMC motorhomes.

[@joshuarooney1976]

I love these vans! Thanks for making an episode on them 👍

[@charlietallman9583]

I visited that goofy archaic Terrytown plant many times. It was nearly under the Tappan Zee bridge. I was working for one of the companies that made the plastic (SMC) body panels, for the van. "Free Gotti" was graffitied everywhere, and workers drank beer right on the assembly line. The plant had a HUGE repair area, where you would see things like Chevy exteriors mated with Pontiac interiors.

[@ctprecast7437]

I knew a guy who worked @ n.tarrytown plant and he told me reason.some of the QC was bad one of the inspectors had a little coffee business.on the.side.and.walk off assembly line for over half hour to.tend.business nobody covered those.cars.and the place was.too.big.to miss.him. . Condos now I del there years ago.

[@jeremiahallyn4603]

Please do a video on the Chevy Lumina! I used to drive a 1995 model and I loved that car.

[@byrnc927]

Loved my 95 Lumina. That car reliably helped me through some rough times in my life. I miss it dearly.

[@75aces97]

Were these failures, though? I poked fun of them at the time, but this platform had a lot going for it. They sold pretty well in North America and Europe. Their modular seats weren't as easy in/out as you'd want, but giving the choice to configure your rear seating and cargo options was a brilliant innovation. So were the power sliding door and dual side doors. GM addressed features that customers actually wanted, for a change.

[@86twin]

It probably would have done better if GM shoehorned the 3800 with the transmission to match.

[@user-kw5ze5ky5q]

These vans bring back good memories. Many roads trips in my aunts 95 green Olds. Back in 03, a 95 Olds identical to my aunts, was the first vehicle I legally drove on the road in my drivers Ed class.

[@KenanTurkiye]

0:57 with them hubcaps, a retro-modern mishmash, looks good, I always liked the Lumina/TransSport.

[@catsspat]

I always thought Toyota's nameless van would be very good at rolling over, because it had ridiculously short wheelbase for being so tall and long.

[@morimo11]

I worked for a bbq restaurant when I was in high school (1987ish) and we had the Toyota for deliveries. It handled oddly well especially considering we were teens and drove like idiots.

[@sharksport01]

My persnickedy friend put a million miles on his.

[@lmiller9178]

They tried to be "avant-garde" but failed spectacularly similar to the Pontiac Aztec.

[@christopherweise438]

I miller - The Aztec was atrociously hideous. Whoever gave the green light for that should've been banished to a deserted island.

[@merafirewing6591]

​@@christopherweise438 jokes on you, the Aztec has gained a following because of Breaking Bad.

[@march24-lp4pv]

​@@merafirewing6591The libtard show.

[@captlazer5509]

My brother in law bought the Lumina APV new and loved it so much he swapped the engine twice to keep it going. Must have had 750,000+ miles or more on it. The plastic body panels held up.

[@Cammi_Rosalie]

Ahhh, the Lumina APV. My head still aches when I think of one... Those friggin' doors with their angled window frames! They had been around for years, but the first time I actually got close to one was while working at a car wash. One of those big, full service car washes.. A Lumina APV rolled through the dryer and off the track. It was a busy day, so I was going to jump in and pull it out of the bay and take it to the drying/vac/finishing area outside. I rushed up to it and gave the door a tug and whipped it open at the same time ducking forward to get in.. Got knocked for a loop! I heard a loud crack, saw a flash, heard co workers laughing. I picked myself up off the floor while someone else drove it away. I grew a nice goose-egg that day.

[@RomainSandt]

I really liked the design of this car. I remember the first time I saw one in Montreal's airport thinking, looked cool and so modern. So much more fun than what GM did for decades later. Too bad it had crappy engine and gear box, but as a kid I didn't care, just looked more cool than our boxy Volvo station wagon.

[@landyachtfan79]

This was a vehicle that I REALLY wanted when we were shopping for our 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon Carat (I'd sure love see an MOC episode on the Vanagon), but it proved to bee too small to accommodate a wheelchair lift. This is the videotape that made my family buy our 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon Carat back in the day. The main reason why we chose this over everything else we looked at at the time was because of the ease of conversion. No need to lower the floor or raise the roof in order to make the modifications. Just stick the lift & tie-downs in, & you're ready to go. Oh, & it drove a hell of a lot better than, say, the Chevrolet G-20 van we looked at. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHTYc5WjaKaIeqs

[@TooLooze]

You still see a lot of Vanagons, tho.

[@michaelconverse5127]

I had an 88 Vanagon and loved it. Roomy, solid, comfortable and it handled well. When I sold it, it had 140,000 miles in it and felt like it was barely broken in.

[@ActuallySanFrancisco]

well, you've got a new subscriber. i've always felt like these vans need more love on youtube. growing up as a kid my family had astros, but (and i guess this was the future designer in me) i *always* wanted us to get one of these instead even though my dad never did. they were so unique looking and i've always appreciated that, regardless of what their broader reputation became.

[@mcgiant1983]

When I was little, my grandpa was on hospice, and I always got excited when one of his nurses came, because she drove one of these vans. I thought they were so cool! They still are very interesting looking vehicles.

[@jeffzekas]

At the time, many folks compared the Dustbuster to the Ford Edsel, both were extremely ugly

[@merafirewing6591]

I'd call them fugly.

[@luismanuelvrf]

Iconic car for 90´s kids like me, thank you for having my request!

[@rbikidportland]

When I was a teen (early 2010s) I was enthralled with odd vans. And loved the silhouettes!!! And I owned a previa for 2 years as an adult until the head gasket blew a few weeks ago. I would love a video on the previa 💚

[@crise6971]

This was a fun video! Thanks. Brings back memories ❤😄

[@onixfieroandscalemodelworks]

Great video. I love how your videos just present the vehicles as they were . Waiting for you to do one on the Pontiac fiero. I have one if you need a filming subject.

[@cjsebes]

I had a 1990 Trans Sport. I saw it at a car show in 1988 or 1989 and thought it was awesome. I was only about 15 at the time but I remember my dad commenting on how big the dashboard was. In 1993, I needed a newer car and found a seller who worked for GM who was selling his Trans Sport only because his lease was up and was getting a new one. Yea, you're not going to find too many 19-year-olds who want a minivan. But this one had the looks. I loved it. I drove it until 2000 with 192,000 miles on it when the new owners drove it away. The transmission was starting to act up, but that was the only problem I ever had with it. It never left me stranded. And that included a few round trips from NJ to FL. To me, It was one of the most enjoyable vehicles to drive, despite it only having the 3.1 liter engine and a 3-speed automatic transmission. I could fit seven people, a whole bunch of crap, or anything in-between. I really liked the individual seat that I could arrange any way I wanted. That came in handy quite a few times. I would love to have another one and would probably buy one today if I could get my hands on one in good condition for a reasonable price. Yes, I liked it that much.

[@mbryson2899]

I drove my neighbor's Lumina APV off and on for a few years. It got the job done with no muss no fuss, plus it didn't dent. Nice collection of customs at the end!

[@reallyrandomrides1296]

I'm so happy you made an episode on the GM Dustbuster vans! One of my favorite minivans, and I'm not even a big GM fan, and I've owned lots of minvans over the years. I always wanted one of these. Ideally the luxury oriented Oldsmobile Silhouette, the sporty and heavily body clad Pontiac Trans Sport or the more basic and streamlined Chevy Lumina APV. A friend of mine is looking to buy a minivan now, and wanted one of these. They are virtually impossible to find, and if you do find one, they've either been beat up, rusted out (underneath, not the plastic body panels), or they're in great condition, but across the country and for some outrageous price. I can see these becoming somewhat of a cult classic in another decade or two, kind of like the originally unloved Pontiac Aztek which has now become a cool vehicle with cult car status.

[@johnnymason2460]

Buick should have gotten a version earlier. It would have been the most luxurious.

[@reallyrandomrides1296]

@@johnnymason2460 Yes, I always considered Buick more luxurious than Oldsmobile, like one step below Cadillac.

[@bhobg]

Amazing how you put these together :)

[@sean70729]

Thank you for posting this great video I think that design stands out in any era and will probably never look outdated.

[@Richard4point6]

Good presentation. A classic example of why I have never owned a GM car.

[@gustavolara9919]

I miss the Chevy Lumina! I went on a family trip to Orlando in one, the three rows was spacious. Love your channel!