My 97 Safari AWD van... I call it my poor man's Syncro...just turned
300,000 miles yesterday.
  I got this Safari a few years ago for $1800, very nice, leather inside
auto tranny, fancy fancy... but surprisingly, nothing much has broken or
worn out in the ~60k miles I've added to the original owner's​ miles.
  I really wanted a Syncro but I guess the Safari AWD van, at about 1/28th
of the going price of Synchros, it'll do.
   I got the Safari as a work vehicle, needing something capable of moving
on NW US winter roads... but it's now getting a LOT of use.
   I've tracked my gas in both vans, the Safari AWD costs me ~$.13/ mile,
the inline ABA Vanagon, ~$.12/mile... (Fuelly app)
   I've learned to live with the automatic transmission...The AWD in this
year's van?, full time and very effective... Towing rated at 5000lbs with
it's V 6 motor...a shortened version of the venerable 350 Chevy V8...
   OK, the downside?
Awful to work on the motor, it being crammed into what they call "the
doghouse".  The handling is inferior to my tintop.  The inside roof is too
low.  When driving the Safari, you get more scowls than grins from other
drivers, Downtown...These NLA midsized GM vans are what many of our
farmworkers seem to drive... Not "cool" like the Vanagon.  Out in the
country, I get more love in the GM...
  The upside?  I guess I could make this into a real Super Van if I
invested a Syncro's purchase price into a few mods on this van.
   Or maybe just get 20 or so "spares" for backup with the money I didn't
spend on that Synchro.
  I love my 5sp tintop...but the Safari has really been impressive! I
expected...."blah! It's just gotta get me and my tools to work.. I don't
have to like it". but Jeeze!   I think now I like it.