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Comments
I got the door panel off the sliding door, which was a trick with the door stuck closed. If you do this, get the low cost tool and while you're at it, a few replacement "christmas tree" things that attach the panels to the car. The book say to remove the trim parts that go up the pillars before, and yes, that's a good idea. The door handle has a clip that's very difficult to see (at least when your vehicle door is stuck shut).
Anyway, my latch turned out to be OK but the automatic latch motor that unlatches and latches the door when used with the power door, it seems to have broken. That kept the door lock from letting the handle open the door. Fun fun!
While I was at it, I checked the cable tension on the automatic door, as the book mentioned something about adjusting it, and we had some trouble with it closing all the way at 100k miles. Removing the rear side panel to access the part was the hard part, had to unattach the seats, seatbelt anchors and rear floor threshold, etc. Mine was out of spec, had to remove tension and adjust. Since I'm still awaiting time to get the part for the latch motor, I don't know if this really made a difference.
I actually took some pictures if anyone wants to attempt the cable tension adjust.
DD
I am new to this board. I am looking for a new van and have narrowed down to the Venture or Montana. Checked out the specs and realize they are pretty much the same, but it seems that the Montana is roomier. I need some guidance on what difference there are between the two. So far, it seems like the Montana is a bit sportier than the Venture. Still am having trouble on which one is the better choice. I have two kids, 6 and 8 and my mom lives with us. So we need room for 5. Thanks, Cheryl
If you are Canada like us, lease it. You get $5250 in lease cash plus the low 0.5% lease rate for 4 years. It's a much better deal than buying where you choose cash or the 0% rate. We will buy it out at the end though, we only leased cause it's a better deal.
I have not seen anything saying that the running gear is different (shocks/ sway bars/ springs) on the different models, but I'd get the upgraded wheels/tires, as I've driven "base" models and the difference between the one with el-chepo tires and a set of 16" Michelin's was unbeliveable.
If you have kids, the leather is easy to keep clean IMO. ALso, check the seat configurations, I think the Pontiac had some pretty flexible seating, while my Olds each of the four back seats has to fit where it goes, but I thought the Pontiac could be done differently.
I'd also check the Honda and Nissan in my opinion, great resale but they have their drawbacks.
We would strongly consider another GM van, if I wasn't such a cheap sob and going to put another 100k miles on our '98....
DirkDaddy
Now, I believe that most of the difference will be in taste. I traded a Bonneville for my Olds van and I like the looks of the dash lights better (never could get use to red/pink) on the Pontiac.
I looked at the Honda/Toyota vans and just couldn't live with the interior or the ride quality. My Silhouette rides like a dream and the seats are as soft as butter! The Honda/Toyota would have been 7-8k more than my Silhouette GLS. If the Silhouette resale is less than Honda/Toyota, so was my purchase price.
I don't think that you will go wrong with any of the GM trio, just a matter of taste.
Good Luck!
Thank you all for the opinions. I have chosen the Montana. I liked the looks of it better. It is equipped with the sport package. I know, it's a mini van - how sporty am I gonna get? Ha Ha. I will be picking it up today or tomorrow. Thank you all for your help.
Cheryl
the extended van - its already a van, why not use the extra room?
also, the rear AC if you get the EX version
the trip computer thing is pretty neat, and it shows I've been getting about 23mpg mostly rush hour traffic commuting, which is great in comparison to competition.
DD
We have a Sport RWB also and I think it looks pretty darn sporty for a van. Being the regular version it fits in our tiny garage where the extended version does not.
Hope you also got the power door. It's awesome with little kids!
RE: rentals - Since the engine is mated to eletronic controls and automatic trans, its hard to really abuse it on a vehicle like minivan.
The transmission potentially could be abused by doing teenager type stunts (the netrual drop to get tires spinning for instance, or downshifting using the gear selector at highway speeds) but in general the same thing applies. A good mechanic could look for trouble signs such as slipping (test against the brake), burnt fluid, rough shifting, etc.
Generally if everything looks like it has been maintained, they can be decent vehicles.
Rentals tend to not be very rich in options, so choose wisely. There are other vehicles - ALWAYS, so don't get too excited about one until you do research to see how good of a deal it is.
If you read a lot of the posts here which it seems you have, you'll see that you are not crazy to be considering a GM van.
RE: 2005 - I disagree! I've seen pictures of the new models and they have a big nose stuck on the front where its extended to make it look like a SUV or something. Honestly, I think GM is making a huge styling mistake like the old Ant-Eater vans based on the 3800 powertrain. That nose isn't going ot make fitting your garage any easier.
The steep depreciation curve of most cars, but GM in particular, makes used a good option if you are looking for value.
I think that I would buy a "lease" return before a rental van. A person who leases will have to take some care or pay when they turn it in after the lease is over.
Any vehicle can look new under the hood, that is an old trick called "steam cleaning" and it will hide an oil leak.
Maybe get it checked to by a mechanic to make sure it was not abused. Big plus on the 04's is there is a 5 year power train warranty.
The 29 figure was due to cruising the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN. I cruised at 53-54 with a speed limit of 50 (Shame on me). The Trace is a nice escape from frantic interstates with little of no traffic, scenic and historic stops, and restricted access(no braking). I filled up in Jackson and still had 1/2 a tank left when I got on I40 near Nashville (354 miles later). When I got home I did the math and found that the Trace is about 1 hour slower than the interstates from Jackson to Nashville.
The van drove great but I did notice a little rattle from the second and/or third row side windows. Just a faint rattle, but I also noticed the same noise on my aunt's 98 Olds Silo. Does anyone know if applying a conditioner to the gasket material will make this go away? Thanks.
Only an hour's difference? That's pretty amazing - I need to link this to I Don't Like SUVs as a reason to build some auto-only roads. The interstates are nuts anymore.
I'd try something on the gaskets; maybe try some 303 Protectant, or VinylX or that Shin Etsu grease that the Honda dealers use on Odyssey sliders.
Steve, Host
I am looking at purchasing a van long distance at a great price but the auction house has no one to go out and check the equipment for me.
7,380 miles: Belt squeal, serpentine belt replaced.
12,130 Miles: Pass. Rear door motor assembly replaced, door opens while driving (recall), Driver side rear door latch replaced, Serpentine belt and tensioner replaced (belt squeal), Rear brakes replaced, Rough idle, can’t duplicate. Front suspension bushing replaced(noise) alignment checked.
14,473 miles, Serpentine belt replaced(squeal,chirping).
14,990 miles, Water leaking at rear hatch, Rear intake leaking oil( oil pan bolts, oil filter, drain plug tightened) Questioned fix and was told that’s how they fix Honda’s., Front alignment( Paid by me)
17,578 miles, Serpentine belt squealing and chirping( belt replaced) Water in LR taillight(replaced)
19,696 miles, AC pressure valve blew out.(replaced) AC air is warm and spitting water out vents. This is Aug. 2003
19,826 miles, Told AC is working Fine, use recirculate to cool Vehicle. Water coming out of vents normal. Was told no problem with serpentine belt, tensioners, pulleys etc. Belt squealing and chirping normal. Some belts do this(This is 4th belt since new) At this time I made the mistake to contact GM Customer Service, then the BBB. Both said they would help me neither did. All I have ever got is to be told to take it in for repairs. Dah! That’s what I have been doing.
20,752 miles, AC recharged, Vents stopped spitting water, Air cool at times but not close to what it was, mostly warm and humid. Belt squeal was used on belt many times and did not fix. Belt noise to be fixed for last time Per area Service Manager. Dealer saturated the belt with belt lube, then told me they could not duplicate problem. Belt still squealing and chirping. E-brake not holding, brakes not stopping van. Rear brake parts fell apart.
21,380 miles, Belt problem addressed again, pulleys not lined up properly, seems to fix. AC still not working right, told cannot fix unless hot outside. Begged them to fix so I could travel to Arizona and Florida, they refused. Pleaded with them to compare to other like vans( I did) they refused. 60 degrees outside, drive all day long will AC full blast and not be cold.
Arbitration Hearing, IMPARTIAL Tech. Determines AC is working properly( 35 Degrees outside) Failed to mention noise in vent for which there is a TSB on. Offered extended warranty, Told GM I couldn’t get it fixed with the one I had.
23,296 miles, Loss of power, bad gas mileage, Oil leak, anti-freeze in oil, rough Idle( intake gasket replaced) engine oil overfilled 3/4 Qt. AC checked(warm outside) No Problem found. Although dealer claims they did not work on AC, works a little better.
24,000 miles to current 25,600 miles, Oil leak continues, Oil dripping from engine since May 2003. Engine stumbles or bucking while driving, Transmission slams into gear and slips. Driver window slow or almost stops midway. AC Blows warm humid air with moldy smell. Before AC was repaired you could have made ice-cream and van smelled new. I had to turn rear unit off cause kids were too cold. Dealers have never driven Van more than 2-3 miles. Vehicle never wrecked or abused and serviced above normal.
25,848 miles, Engine problem caused by spark plug wires not attached properly when intake was done. Bracket not connected and wires shorted out on egr tube. Had AC checked by a private tech. To confirm AC was not working properly. Then had GM dealer check again. Both agreed it was not right and has low charge. After 3 last chance to repair and 5 attempts to get fixed in almost a year I had an attorney file for repurchase under lemon law. GM refused my claim on that primary concerns have been fixed and AC problem cannot be duplicated. GM has flat out refused to fix the AC and properly diagnose problem since Aug. 03. At times AC vents look like a steam iron and now Recirculate/outside air switch will not work. I have gone to different dealers. Yes this is a true story, I wish it wasn’t.
Has anyone tried to use a radiator stop leak in the 3.4 engines? If so, How did it work?
If this has happens to most of the 3.4 engines, why hasn't someone sued GM?
All other items are continuing to work well, the paint/exterior has held up quite well compared to other cars we have had, as well its performance has been quite good: economy is near 22 mpg --combined driving, handling in the snow and icy conditions are quite good (good tires help emensely (sic)).
Our only major concerns now are the transmission and engine, we hope they hold out for a while. The 2005 looks like a Subaru - UGLY! How could a division like Pontiac have such nice looking cars (Bonneville, Grand Prix, Firebird, GTO,...) also have such ugly ones (2005 Montana, Aztek...)???
I ordered a pair and sure enough, they were an easy 20 minute swap. The hoses were a perfect match, and what a difference in ride with good shocks. For what it's worth, don't always trust your local parts guy to know what will work on your car.
I recently bought a '99 Montana and about 30% of the vans I test drove (all used) had a window rattle/creak, including the one I bought.
After digging into the problem, I discovered the window on the sliding door was actually LOWER than it should have been -- just slightly. Kinda as if it was "sagging" ... Since the windows are recessed from the door beneath it, at times (usually during a bump) the glass would barely touch the metal where the recessed part ended and the main portion of the door below began.
You just need to readjust the window to position it a little bit higher. You need to adjust the inside lever which allows you to open the side window is mounted to the door. From inside with the door closed, look where this lever mounts. You'll need to hold back the door's rubber seal on the rear side to expose 2 bolts which hold the lever to the door.
I think it's best with 2 people (1 inside and the other outside) -- just loosen both bolts and have the outside person try to lift the window, then retighten the bolts. It took a lot of upward pressure for us to get the latch retightened only 1/8" higher than it was, but we eventually got it. Now, no more rattles or creaks and it didn't cost anything to fix it
Good luck!
Dave
I've heard the red coolant doesn't cohabitate too well with GM's gaskets, and a common problem is antifreeze leakage into the crankcase due to gasket failure. (I need to occasionally top off the coolant in both vehicles -- maybe 1x or 2x a year, so I don't know if I have a gasket problem or not.)
Both vehicles need their coolant system flushed. I was wondering if there are any pros/cons to using the older-style green coolant after I clean out the system... ?
My Bonne has 100k and the Montana has 79k miles.
Thanks
There probably isn't a good answer to your question. Certainly Dexcool isn't without controversy.
My 98 Montana came with Dexcool however I've changed it a couple times during it's 104K life. Personally I think the manifold gasket problem wasn't related to the coolant. When I changed the gasket (which was only seeping at the time) the coolant passages were very clean with no signs of corrosion.
Also in the recent past I found a link to a discussion on Dexcool that may answer some of your questions. I think it violates the terms of this board to post this link however if you do a google search and use "dexcool stant 10231" as your web search terms there's only a few hits. Recalling it was the article at imcool. In any case I did change the pressure cap to a Stant 10230 as recommended in this article.
The AC issue - I live in Houston and can tell you about humidity. You MUST use Recirc with AC to get most cooling and humidity reduction, mixing with outside air will give that fog from the vents and/or warm air.
The smell? Like a drink can removed from a cooler outside in the summer, the cold AC evaporator becomes dripping with water from the air condensing on it when you use it. Leaving it wet when you park the vehicle can encourage mold and other things in the system. This is a common problem among cars with AC, its not only a GM problem. I turn off the AC about a block from my destination and let the thing warm up with air blowing over it to dry it off somewhat.
You can also buy a product that foams and is supposed to get sucked into the AC core. Perhaps if you sprayed into the compartment for the AC air filter it would get sucked in.
Too bad the dealer has such baffoons working on your van. I honestly think that is why people have trouble with vehicles after about 120k miles, is because of the things the "shops" have "fixed" start to accumulate and the vehicle eventually is unreliable and a rolling junk pile.
I do my own repairs and have 105 miles on our 98 olds van and its solid, gets 23 mpg has been paid for a long time. I just got new Michelin tires with a 60k warrenty, so I guess we'll drive this for about 4 more years!
Dirk
You might have some trouble with something else and then the warrenty might be good. BUT (big one) realize they have a deductible and some repairs are not considered covered like brakes or other wear items, so you'd need two failures to probably recoup the cost.
In closing I'll just say they make money on these. The majority of the time they come out ahead. If you consider you're only making like 2-3 payment equivilants, its sometimes worth it to forgo the warrenty.
Also, most folks have found these vans to be pretty reliable overall. That's why you bought it.
D
almost all items are covered by major guard, including some wear and tear items. the exclusion list is minimal. the new gasket was phased in february 2003 so i have the old one.
the biggest repair i had under the new car warranty was the replacement of the ac compressor. that cost gm about $900. my biggest worries are the intake manifold gasket, the ac system, and the transmission, which has shifted oddly only about 7 times in 20,000 miles.
i'll think about it tonight. peace of mind just may be worth it since money is tight. my venture is very reliable. that and because of previous excellent chevrolet vehicles is why i bought it. plus, it was priced very well. a comparably priced odyssey had twice the mileage. and it's now known honda's aren't perfect (auto transmission problems).
I keep running into problems getting body panels used. I can get them from the dealer but would rather run other options first. All the wrecking yards around here say that they don't have any vans in there yards and don't find any on thier searches.
2000 chevy venture: looking for front right fender, and front bumper.(lt brown) I would also like to find the jack compartment tools and cover. (tan)
Any help would be appreciated.
Steve, Host
How rough is it? How much did you pay?
Dirk
There's no obvious "play" in any of the componets. It appears both Gabriel, Monroe & Delco make replacement struts. I liked the Pontiac's handling but have no idea how these replacement units compare to the OE FE2 option suspension components. Any recommendation(s)? Did you replace other components such as ball joints, rack & pinion unit and/or strut bearings?
On a side note, I still use 5W-30 Mobile 1 @ 104K miles in Arizona. Occasionally pull our popup tent trailer. I did install an aux. transmission cooler & temp. gage. Transmission fuild temp. rarely exceeds 200F & still has firm shifts. I installed a drain & annually change the filter & replace 6 1/2 qts. of ATF. Wife loves driving it.
I'd agree dealer repair errors can make or break a customer's experience. While I'd agree the problems shouldn't exist in the beginning, not repairing them correctly for the long-term can really reflect in a customer's opinion. I had several problems when our van was new. It took an extra ordinary effort to "convince" the service dept. that 50 deg rear discharge air temp. (which was the same as their shop temp) was not satisfactory. I finally installed a RadioShack temp. probe on the rear suction line to show it was near ambient. The rear unit TXV wasn't opening! There are differences in dealer service dept. however unless a warranty item I try to avoid them altogether.
I went with Gaberial struts to match the rear air shocks. I had other vehicles with Monroes, I don't know if there is much difference for this application. The rears made the most difference, but the fronts are stiffer and you don't get front end dive like I used to and cornering is good enough to elicit my wife to yell and curse at my technique long before its even close to squealing the Michelin's. The handling of the Olds (not sure of the other makes) will surprise people. I did not replace anything else, the strut bearings are usually OK, and I had done the outer tie-rods before. Grab the wheels when its jacked up and try to move them side to side, if you get just about ANY play, something is messed up. If you suspect the ball joints try out and in from the bottom for play.
Anyway, I had the factory manual (a waste of money in my opinion, nothing like the excellent Dodge manuals I've had) and it said "remove top bolts, remove lower bolts, remove strut." or something like that. The upper bolts are located way far under the dash and with the engine and windshield wiper linkage to contend with, its barely accessable by humans. You have not even enough room for a 1/4" socket wrench and socket, nor a air-ratchet, you have to use a hand wrench and only can turn it like 1/4 turn at a time! Adding to the frustration is that the nuts are dented ones that are a sort of "lock" nut and will not spin off in your fingers once loosened up, they must be turned all the way off with a tool. I'd recommend getting those new fancy ratchet box ends (from Craftsman or some quality brand like that. Yea, they are like $50 but this job is perfect for them!! An excuse to get some new tools too!) I didn't (???) as I was already into it (had planned on using my air ratchet but it didn't fit). Oh well.
The lower bolts on the hub use large fasteners, it helps to have a FULL set of metrics, I'm talking like a 24 or 26mm. Then the bolts must be driven with a small sledge hammer - the book said nothing, I had to call a mechanic friend.
Anyway, its doable. I haven't even covered using the spring compressor to change the struts. I used a air wrench to make that go faster, turning by hand might take a while.
If you don't have the above tools and like using them, its not for you!
I also found earlier when I bought the van used was the outer tie-rod end was worn out, but I replaced that and the front end is solid. The wierd sensations you get turning a lot like in a parking garage are I think the struts/spring package and many GM FWD vehicles have this same feeling.
5x30 sounds thin for such a hot climate, I use 10x30 synthetic on my '98 that now has 107k on it. I used to use Mobil 1 (its great) but the Wal-Mart Tech brand synthetic is a dollar less /qt and for such an old van seems to work well and not burn off. I don't have to add any until nearly 5k miles on a change, and I change it about then anyway.
I need to change the trans fluid and coolant soon, but I'm waiting for a free weekend.
Hope this helps -
Dirk
Previously I had changed the leaking OE rear air shocks with Gabriels. Also removed the rear resonator muffler that was close to the leaking shock and replaced with straight pipe. No noticeable difference in sound, both inside and out.
The worst job I ever undertook on the van was changing the thermostat. The manual stated to remove the cross-over exhaust pipe which looked to be more difficult than the one paragraph in the manual! So I made a "curved" wrench.... and 5 hrs later it was changed! Later I found it was much easier if the upper manifold was removed.
Oil..... I've used 5W-30 for many years without a problem however I change oil around 4000mile intervals. Walmart's brand of synthetic is harder to find on a regular basis. I looked yesterday in a super WM store and none in stock.
Yes the van does handle reasonably well. The Pontiac came with the towing package which included FE2 suspension option. I replaced the OE General tires (noisy and harsh) with Michelins. I think they would run forever but I hit a curb and damaged the sidewall and couldn't blame it on my wife (she was with me!) So I had Costco put on a set of BFG's.... and quite honestly was pleasantly susprised. They are quieter and less harsh than the Michelins however don't know how long they'll last. About 1/2 the cost.
While it sounds like a job for the not-faint-of-heart I'll probably delay doing until next spring. Again thanks for the info.
BTW, this is a GM van forum, in case you wondered.
Dirk
After all that work to reinstall, I had to take off those upper bolts - again, and drive out the lower bolt - again, then remove the spring from the strut, again, and then reassemble. I guess that's why it was so tramautic. And the wife kept coming outin the driveway asking me "is it done yet? what's taking so long?"
After washing and blowing the filter out 3 times I re installed it. WOW what a difference. The cab actually cools down fairly quickly with some real force in the air now.
I'm adding this to my regular maintenance now and recommend that if you haven't done so yet that you do it. you might be surprised.
Still underwater on our trade even after three years of 0% payments on a van bought below invoice! (GMS pricing)... The new one, while leased, is $150 less payment-wise then the Montana, tough to beat
Good luck everyone!
Dan