Can ownership of a Day Van really make a big difference to your life? Paul Guinness takes a look at what theyre about, whats involved – and what the real appeal is…
Its a funny old world. There are numerous manufacturers around the globe regularly hailed by the motoring press as masters of the MPV. You know the kind of vehicle: the multi – seater hold – all thats ideal for hauling around large families and most of their worldly possessions. Yet the same members of the press inevitably overlook the ultimate in Multi – Purpose Vehicles: the ail – American Day Van.
Ah yes, the Day Van. Its one of the best – kept secrets of the American vehicle scene here in Britain. Not because you dont see them out and about at American car meets and American – themed get – togethers ; no, its a well – kept secret because the Day Van is generally overlooked by so many other folk. And yes, that includes the general motoring press.
Thats not necessarily a bad thing. It gives the good old Day Van a touch of exclusivity among British owners. And for enthusiasts of the genre, theres something quietly satisfying about choosing a vehicle thats vastly more practical than any modern – day MPV, yet is rare enough to be probably the only one of its kind in your neighbourhood.
Turning Japanese
Its easy to see the appeal. For the same price as the smallest, nastiest brand new city car on sale today, you can get yourself a superbly presented Day Van with many more years of use ahead of it. Yes, just ?6000-?8000 can get you behind the wheel of a Day Van from the mid – to late – Nineties, with versions based around the high – roof Chevrolet Astro – and its almost identical cousin, the GMC Safari – being among the most popular.
That kind of money gets your Day Van supplied by a specialist, which inevitably means it comes fully serviced, immaculately prepared, newly MoTd and ready to be pressed into immediate use. But youd be wrong if you assume that most such Day Vans have been imported from the States.
No, weve our friends over in Japan to thank for the majority of UK – registered modern Day Vans. For many Japanese buyers, the Day Van is a seriously sought after vehicle, seen by many as the ultimate in luxuriously practical family transport. But, as with any vehicle in Japan, once a Day Van is past its first flush of youth, it becomes prohibitively expensive to keep on the road, thanks to the notoriously strict vehicle testing rules over there. And that makes any second – hand Day Van prime export material.
Unlike most used vehicles imported to Britain from Japan, Day Vans are generally left – hand drive, despite Japanese motorists driving on the left – as in the UK. But for American vehicle fans based here, thats great news, giving any Japanese – spec Day Van more of an authentic American feel.
That, of course, is as it should be. These are, after all, fully – fledged American machines, oozing Stateside style, comfort and luxury. They just happen to have arrived here via Japan… but we wont tell anyone if you dont!
Under the hood
When it comes to powerplants, the American Day Van scene is as youd expect – though there are variations depending on the age and size of the donor vehicle. Full – size Day Vans often feature V8 power – hell, theyre American, so of course theyre V8s, right? And that can
mean anything from the 5.0 – litre lump fitted to the Chevy G20 of the 1980s through to the 6.0 – litre V8 installed in the more recent Chevrolet Express.
Increasing numbers of Day Van buyers, however, are now opting for more compact, more frugal offerings like the Chevy Astro weve already talked about – a model with more than enough power when fitted with the commonplace 4.3 – litre V6 engine.
In this guise, the Astro is more than quick enough for most British buyers, yet with a gentle right foot can still return fuel consumption figures in the mid – 20s when cruising. Buy one with an LPG conversion and your Day Van suddenly becomes an even more practical proposition.
Almost without exception, your Day Van will also come with automatic transmission – as youd expect of any American vehicle purporting to be a luxurious mode of transport.
Quite a package
So what can you expect to find on board your Day Van if youre about to take the plunge into ownership for the very first time? Well… lets get one thing out of the way immediately: these are not camper vans. Okay, so the vast majority feature rear seats that fold flat to make a double bed of some description. And youll usually find some kind of a rail for a few coat hangers. But thats about it: no cooker, no sink, no fridge and definitely no family – style holiday accommodation.
But to be disappointed by that is to miss the point of the Day Van completely. These are vehicles that act as luxurious transport – usually for up to seven people – in total comfort. Youll find captains chairs up front, swivelling chairs in the middle, plus a bench – style back seat that folds into the aforementioned bed. Youll find wood – veneer trim a – plenty, youll find an impressive sound system and TV and youll often find some amazing overhead lighting effects.
Imagine being in a luxury airliner, albeit one designed for cruising at zero altitude, and youll then get an idea of what the Day Van is all about. As daily family transport – from the school run to the weekly shopping trip – it excels. And for those weekend days out which might occasionally evolve into a quick sleep – over or simply a romantic tryst of some description… well, need I say more. In fact, maybe thats it; maybe weve just stumbled upon the real reason why many people secretly adore the concept of the Day Van. For those of us who are less nimble than we were 20 years ago, the… erm… physical side of Day Van ownership is undeniably appealing.
Real appeal
We joke, of course. But it just goes to show that a Day Van has many different uses. No wonder companies like Starcraft, Sherrod and Tiara created names for themselves in the Day Van market over the years, offering buyers a combination of luxury, opulence and sheer practicality. And no wonder their products are still sought after by a small but loyal band of British admirers.
And hopefully the numbers of Day Van owners will be increasing in the years ahead, as extra supplies of well – specced, well – maintained Astros arrive here from Japan. Interestingly, Spurr Classic Cars – a specialist in used Day Vans – reports that many are snapped up by Brits with holiday homes abroad, attracted by the Astros left – hand drive layout, excellent cruising and sheer long – distance comfort. All of which means that many vehicles will have gone from the US to Japan, over to Britain and then regularly driven to France, Portugal or Spain during their lifetimes.
So is something like an Astro – based Day Van the ideal vehicle for you? Well, it might have had at least one or two previous Japanese owners during its career, but its still an American vehicle through and through. And wed even suggest it falls into the modern classic category for its clever design and sheer usefulness.
You dont agree? Then by all means drop us a line and let us know your thoughts on the Day Van scene. For us though, this is one sector of the American car market that offers plenty and delivers more – and all without breaking the bank. The Day Van itself may have changed – and downsized – over the last 20 years, but its appeal remains as big as ever. And long may that continue.
When only new will do…
The Day Van is alive and well in the USA, with various different versions available on the new – vehicle market – despite demand having been affected by the economic downturn and the general decline in sales of luxury vehicles.
One of the most successful Day Van manufacturers is Sherrod, still going strong with conversions based around the latest Chevrolet/GMC and Ford panel vans. But its a sign of the times and the changing demands of Amercan buyers that the
company also offers a Day Van version of the Mercedes – Benz Sprinter…
Here in Britain, Sherrod is represented by Essex – based David Boatwright Partnership – sole UK importer of new Sherrod
Day Vans for the last 16 years. So if only brand new will do for you and youve got a generous budget available, call 01376 552399 for a quote on the specification youre looking for. Or check out the website at www.boatwright.co.uk.
Buying a used day van
If youre tempted by the Idea of owning a Day Van, youre not alone. But, as Tony Seedhouse – Day Van specialist at Sheffield – based Spurr Classic Cars – points out, the success of your purchase will depend on the size of your budget: “Older full – size Day Vans can be bought for little money these days, but buyers need to tread carefully as there are always lots of abused or tatty examples around.”
A budget of ?2000-65000 will buy a Day Van from the 1980s, usually based around models like the Chevrolet G20, Dodge Ram and Ford Econoline. But the lower end of that price range will usually mean a van that needs work, particularly when it comes to cosmetics. And that can be both time – consuming and expensive to put right.
Increasing numbers of buyers are opting for later, more compact models these days, explains Day Van man Tony: “Our best – seller is the Chevrolet Astro – a Day Van thats still a decent size compared with European vans, but more suited to UK use than the larger, older – style Day Vans.
So how much can you expect to pay for an Astro – based Day Van? Anywhere between ?6000 and ?10,000 depending on its age, mileage and overall condition. At the time of writing, Tony is selling a 1995 top – of – the – range Astro Starcraft GX, described as stylish and exceptional and surely a good buy at ?6500.
When buying any Day Van, its important that the cosmetics are in good order, and that the interior is excellent – including the drivers seat, which often shows signs of wear. And check that the interior electrics and lighting are all in working order.
Make sure the vehicle shows signs of having been well looked after too – its not unusual for owners to forget that the Astro features grease points, leading to premature wear of ball joints, idler arms and so on. Tony Seedhouse also suggests that you avoid any 4×4 versions of the Astro, due to their largely unnecessary extra complexity – and extra expense should you encounter problems with the transmission or running gear.