That’s not a typo within the identify of as we speak’s Good Value or No Cube Stepwgn; that’s really how Honda named it. Let’s see if the value of this privately-imported mini-camper additionally appears to be like like a mistake.
Many feedback on yesterday’s 2000 Ford F-150 Stake Mattress famous its utility and money-making capacity. The draw back of getting such a useful truck is rarely having a free weekend at month’s finish, as buddies are all begging for assist transferring heavy stuff. Nonetheless, that’s not too huge a worth to pay. Neither too was the $4,700 requested to purchase the truck, as evidenced by the huge 88 % Good Value win it acquired.
As we speak’s 1998 Honda Stepwgn Subject Deck could be much less useful for renter relocation, however on the plus aspect, it presents sleeping quarters, making a trip residence pointless.
Honda launched the Stepwgn in Japan for the 1996 mannequin 12 months. Based mostly on the modern Civic platform, it crammed the area of interest of the normal minivan with a single sliding rear door on the curb (on this case, proper) aspect and as much as eight seats. This was at a time when Honda’s better-known minivan, the Odyssey, featured 4 swinging doorways and solely as much as seven seats.
In 1998, Honda took a web page from the VW playbook and launched the Weekender-like Subject Deck as a Stepwgn choice. Adjustments to the usual van included a fold-out desk within the rear of the cabin and a pop-up high with a roof-mounted mattress. The Subject Deck version ended with the Stepwgn’s redesign in 2001, however Honda nonetheless sells a model of the usual mannequin to this very day.
All of these first-generation Stepwgns had been FWD, that includes a 2.0-liter, 123 horsepower B20B 4, and a four-speed automated. Honda by no means deemed the mannequin worthy of federalizing for the U.S. market, however because of the 25-year rule, a quantity can now be discovered on provide from non-public importers.
That’s simply how this one discovered its method right here, supplied by an organization referred to as Bike Warehouse, Inc., which makes a speciality of bringing older JDM vehicles and vehicles to the U.S. Because of its RHD structure, the Portland, Oregon-based reseller humorously claims that the Stepwgn could be appropriate for postal supply. It makes you marvel if the USPS ever even thought-about previous Japanese vehicles and vans as a substitute for its getting old fleet of mail carriers. The vendor doesn’t counsel what a postal service would possibly do with the Subject Deck’s sleeping preparations, and truthfully, so long as I get my mail on time, I don’t need to know.
For the remainder of us, the van is claimed to be in good situation and to have 131,000 miles on the books. Based mostly on the plethora of stickers and decals festooning the home windows and passenger door, it should have led an thrilling life whereas accumulating these miles.
Aesthetically, the appliance-white paint and black-painted metal wheels make the van look a bit boring and institutional, so the stickers do add some aptitude. The Volvo-esque crazy-tall hind lights assist as nicely.
Within the cabin, issues are tidy and clear if backward for our driving atmosphere. The automated helps as neophyte right-handers received’t must create a novel muscle reminiscence for left-hand guide shifting. A brand new Kenwood iPad-like stereo head unit befouls the sprint, however there are drawable curtains throughout in order that disgrace might be hidden from view when the van is parked.
The title is clear, and other than locations like California, the place the State’s smog guidelines prohibit registration with out costly mods, it might doubtless be pushed and loved wherever one needs. The asking worth for that enjoyment is $9,950.
What do you concentrate on this oddball weekender van and that worth? Does that appear honest, given its uniqueness and flexibility? Or, for asking that a lot, can this JDM van GTFO?
You determine!
Seattle, Washington, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
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