Well, even the ancient diesel in the Crosswind doesn't have a glowplug anymore... it's always "stick-the-key-in-and-turn-it-and-it-starts-right-away" (I'm like a broken record on this... it's one of the few things I love about the vehicle). Modern diesels are a long way from the glowplug-equipped clunkers of the 60's and 70's.

Coming from a Cefiro or Venture, the AUVs will seem very crude, slow, rough-riding and noisy, but they're utterly reliable and dependable. In fact, we're having a hard time deciding whether to trade in the Crosswind for an SUV right now... we'd rather have the SUV, but the Crosswind is so useful.

And durable. While there are endless horror stories about the exhaust on the Crosswind, the engine is indestructible. It's got no timing belt or chain (gear driven cams), no fancy injectors (like modern CRDis) and it's a very thick iron block.

We have three in the family/company. And while we've been through a lot of busted diesel van engines, even the oldest Highlander is still awaiting its first overhaul.

And thus, secondhand prices are pretty high. That's the only drawback to looking for one.