Does anyone have any experience using an AWD minivan in sand? I drive mine on the beach in deep sand and am curious if I'm the only one. I'm curious because I'm planning on buying another one. I know that they are no longer made, but there are 04's to be found. Thanks, David
I don't think the awd system was made for that. It was designed to aide you on wet roads or snow covered roads.Driving on a beach could be considered off roading which the caravans system wasn't made for.
Not sure how the AWD system works in the Caravan's... I've got an Isuzu Trooper with the "Torque on Demand" system - basically the front wheels idle along and a clutch engages varying degrees of power to the front wheels as the electronically controlled feels is necessary. We took it to the beach on the Outer Banks of NC and it was doing great till we got to the deep, soft sand. The system didn't kick in the front wheels very much until the rear wheels had started to spin and the vehicle lost some momentum. Since that first time I've put it into 4-low and it locks the front wheels in just like normal 4wd does, and it does a fine job. If the caravan's system is a "reactive" system like the TOD in the Trooper, it may not do you much good. I think Isuzu markets it is a "proactive" type of system, but I've not been overly impressed (though it is handy not to worry about the dry pavement spots tearing things up). Anyway...the biggest thing I would see being a problem (at least on the NC beaches - may be different where you're thinking of going) is that often the ruts in the sand that you follow tend to get pretty deep. I can't imagine a caravan would go too far before getting stuck due to the sand being too high between the wheels...
Wesley
"D&LBusch" wrote in message news:nlq%d.1159$ snipped-for-privacy@news02.roc.ny...
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