Rest In Pieces

Our faithful van finally gave up the ghost. One day while getting off the freeway to go to work the car started shaking. We limped it along for a couple of weeks trying to figure out what it was before we finally gave in and took it to the mechanics for a diagnosis. They called us back the next day and gave us the bad news. It had a dead cylinder. Our options were to either replace the engine or get a new van.

We got our Sienna 4 years ago from Landon's parents. They gave us an extremely good deal and it was a very generous gift. Since then it was driven for two years for my courier route putting 80 plus miles on it a day. It also served as our only vehicle for 3 years. It had over 200,00 miles on it.

Landon got in one really good wreck in it where we had to replace the axle and a couple of little fender benders, one which left the front driver's side of the bumper crumpled and a broken headlight. Two years ago the driver's side door handle started having some troubles and then finally broke. You had to open the door from the inside. The door panel on the driver's side back door would occasionally come off and you would have to pound on it to get the door open. One of the seat belts in the back didn't work. The windshield was getting to the point of barely being able to see out of it.

You get the picture...it was a very good van and treated us well, but we thought it best to let it Rest in Pieces.

This is our new van. A 2003 Chevy Venture. It is an 8 passenger which is nice and is an extended body. It too has some of the little idiosyncrasies that come with used vehicles, but we liked the price and we are loving the van. So, welcome to the family little van. I hope you do as well for us as our last one.