I don’t like minivans. Yes, they are the most practical of passenger vehicles, and the most comfortable, they drive well, and more fuel efficient than other types of vehicles similar in size, but I just don’t like them and as a rule, I will never own one.
But there is always an exception or twoto every rule. The first such exception has always been the original Renault Escape, which was mind blowing at its time because there was nothing like it. The second was the original Toyota Previa LE with a supercharged, mid-mounted engine. It was the second time when I said to myself “wow, I want this minivan!”
[Source: Atlanta Craigslist | Thanks for the tip, Leo! ]
From the ad:
1995 TOYOTA PREVIA LE/SC DUAL MOON ROOFS! Factory Supercharged! – $2400 (Buford, GA)
Up for sale is this 1995 Toyota Previa LE which is factory Supercharged. It has dual moon roofs with 4 captains chairs. It has COLD air conditioning in both the front and rear so no one will get hot this summer. I have just replaced the front brake pads and machined the front rotors. I have also replaced both sway bar end links. It has just had major service work completed to include a new head gasket, cylinder head, valve cover gasket and distributor O-ring. Within the past year it has also had the spark plugs and wires replaced. It runs and drives well and had a good alignment with decent tires. It also has a class III factory towing hitch from Toyota. However, I have never towed with it I know it is rated to tow 3,500 lbs. It tracks straight down the road and doesn’t pull. It drives well with good power and decent economy and will carry up to 7 people comfortably. It’s not a new car and does have a couple little dings. All the power windows and locks work well. The cruise control works. The front sunroof pops up and the rear sunroof is a power slider. Both have sun shades. It has upgraded factory Enkie aluminum wheels, 4 wheel disc brakes, Anti-lock brakes and more. The interior does have some stains stains in the carpet and the leather has some cracks. However the van is clean and comfortable to drive. It’s cheap and reliable with a great deal of utility and it’s a Toyota! 224k miles
Call, Text or Email
770-298-3XXX
Too bad there are no interior pictures, but I would imagine them to be dark gray cloth, typical of that Toyota era. The interior was available in leather, too, so who knows. This also is not the super describable AWD All-Trac version, but it is rear wheel drive.
Some interesting fact about this Previa: while the engine is located mid-ship, under the front seats, there still is a conventional hood in the front. Under the hood is an access to “the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, and radiator fan”. All of those are driven off the front of the engine “by an accessory driveshaft”. Sounds like a mechanic’s dream.
The Previa was either rear or all-wheel-drive. A manual transmission was offered on the naturally aspirated models between 1991 and 1993 but good luck finding one of those. The supercharger is engaged on-demand by an electromagnetic clutch, based on input from the ECU. The S/C model had a smaller displacement due to reduced compression ratio.
More from wikipedia, because I’m too low on time to do actual research (sorry):
Starting in 1993, Toyota solved this problem by offering a Roots-type supercharger with air-to-air intercooler, providing 6psi of boost (these models were called the “S/C”), bringing the engine power up to a competitive 160 hp (120 kW). Initially, the S/C engine was only available as an option on the LE for 1994 and all models for 1995. For 1996, the normally aspirated engine was discontinued, and the S/C became the standard engine on all trim levels. The United States version of the Previa was discontinued after the 1997 model year, replaced by the more traditionally designed, front-wheel-drive, U.S.-designed and -built, Camry-based Sienna.
224,00 miles, $2400 for one of last really great Toyotas of its time. Please, can some hoon snag this and install a smaller pulley?
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