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Comments
I picked up one statistic that indicated that the quality of first year vehicles is about 17% below a company's average (diffferent for different makers) and builds back up afer a few years. This was a consideration in choosing a 1999 model over a 1998 - this is the third year of Venture production and most kinks should be worked out.
Question -
The standard middle seat looks pretty good, with the 60/40 split that reclines and slides back and forth.
However, we think that the 3 seat option would be more versatile over the long haul.
Comments regarding the two options would be welcome. Do you wish you had taken the 3 seat or stuck with the split bench?
Packaging Beef- Chevroet vs. Pontiac
I prefer the look of the Venture, but in order to get the three middle seat option, I have to take a $2,755 (CAN$) option package -most of which I don't want, and doesn't inlcude a CD or Cassette.
The Transport has a higher base, but includes more standard items, and 3 middle seats comes as a stand alone option.
But, the base price of the Transport is $545 higher than the base Venture + the individual options that are included with the Transport (if they could be bought as stand alones). Wow, I get to pay $545 (CDN$) for ugly body cladding and the Pontiac name. gnash, gnash, gnash.
Not much I can do about it, but it's clear that GM is segmenting with artificial manipulative packaging.
What is a "PEP" vehicle?
Is the $1500 rebate still available after getting an invoice price?
1) Since the seats remove individually, they are a cinch to remove, three lever flips and they carry away as easy as a suitcase (they only weigh about 35 pounds).
2) it offers the most flexibility. I recall putting 3 preople in row 3 and a grill and one person in row 3 on one trip! you can only do that with the 3 seat option.
3) You say you hardly use the 8th seat? No problem. Leave one in the garage.
Also, the oldsmobile is in the same family, and again, GM features them differently the pontiac and Chevy. Good luck.
Older people, like my Mom, like to have seats right beside the door for easy entry and exit.
I have had to take the van in for a hole in a rear shock which caused the air compressor to not turn off until I heard it pumping and turned it off manually.
Also, the power door does not work now because the module went out on it 2 weeks ago. It has been more than a week since they ordered the part, but I haven't been called to bring it back yet. (I think, knowing what I know now,I would have by-passed the power door because those doors open & close manually very very easily.) I also would have preferred the power door on my side where I usually head when leaving the grocery store.
I still like the vehicle,23-26 mpg. Smooth riding and lots and lots of room. I think I will be glad I have the Front Traction option this winter in the Ozarks.
I visit family a couple hundred miles away, and when we get there, it will be nice to have seating for three more people. Right now, we must take two cars for everyone to to go on short trips after we arrive.
Since the back seats flip and fold forward out of the way, I will be able to load up the whole back end with luggage, bikes, etc., (sounds like the load leveling option is a must), and have the three extra seats available after we arrive, unpack, and flip the back seats back into place.
With the three middle seats, my children will all fit and the whole back end will be available for all the junk (just short of the kitchen sink) that we bring with us.
Best of luck,
VentureMan
Im looking for mud flaps that are made for Venture. Anyone found a website for minivan acessories ?
Enjoy!
4 STAR for Front seat side impact;
5 STAR for rear seat side impact.
It will be interesting to see how well the other minivans perform in this test. A 5 star rating for rear seats is very good news as this is where children will be seated. Sounds like a very safe minivan for children. The front impact is okay, but certainly has room for improvement.
I was reading Consumer Reports and noticed that the predicted reliability rating of the GM minivans has improved from -86, reported in 1998, to -25. A -20 score is considered average. When
three model years are included in their survey, I would expect another improvement. It sounds like GM is paying attention to reported problem areas.
Go American!
I've got to go and wont be (posting) back until Jan 04, 1999. I've enjoyed my conversation and point of arguments with all you folks. Hope everyone gets the minivan of their choice during the next two weeks. I will find out when I come back.
I will have my NEW Chevy Venture by Jan 04, 1999.
As always...
Best of luck,
VentureMan
We really like the van, the dealership, and the financing through GM Canada.
So take a closer look, you may be pleasantly surprised.
I just bought a 3dr base Venture last weekend.
It was the lowest trim level except for the addition of a cassette radio. I paid $21200 out the door with 0.9% 36 month financing w/ zero down. ($1000 rebate is not available in CA) Now I just heard about some $500 loyal GM customer rebate.
I have an '86 Nova...am I too late to get the $500?
Only problem so far is a slight, but annoying, steering pull to the right.
A quick trip to the Chevy home page tells me that the $1,000 rebate (or 2.9% financing) on '99 Ventures has been extended (if I remember correctly, through the end of March).
This makes me less suspicious, but still leaves me wondering.
My dealer only list 17999, not the 16999. I will take it if you could get that price. Let me know if you get the van, I am also considering that van.
thanks.
Don't forget the dealer's got a 3% holdback and
another $500 dealer incentive. Of course, he's
not obliged to share these incentives with you.
Also, make sure the 16999 includes the $580 dest.
charge. My deal of $21200 OTD was actually $300
below invoice by my calculations. My Venture had
some fit & finish flaws and 125 miles.
One more thing, the power door and AC are are
not options. They are standard even on the base
model, as are 2 side air bags and anti-lock
brakes.
I believe the van you're looking at is like mine,
minus the (radio w/ cassette).
The MSRP would be $20745 + $580(dest. charge) =
$21325
Anyone with tips on a slight steering pull to
the right?
First off, thanks to everyone who replied.
It was just a case of an overzealous salesman. When I called him back, he said my deal wasn't enough. In fairness to him, he was a good guy just doing his job. He even told me, right there on a Chevy lot, that he bought a Caravan!
However, I just received a call from a Plymouth salesman I had visited earlier, and he found a new 1988 Plymouth Grand Voyager SE that he says I can have for $17,000 + my car - off the lot.
Here we go again.
Walt.
p.s. I couldn't find anything on this website about rebates or incentives for the 1998 models. Anyone have any news?
Sorry, my brain apparently has a Y2K problem. It's a NEW 1998 van, not a new, 10 year old 1988 van.
Walt.
Does anyone have the correct (if there is such a thing) GM Venture rebate info. So far I've seen the current $1000 rebate expires on Jan 31, Feb 28 and the end of March. On top of that, one of the above threads says there may be $500 loyalty rebate. Does anyone have the correct story?
Click here to see Edmund's list of incentives and rebates available.
Hope this helps!
KarenS/Vans
I called the GM Customer Assistance and was told a Teal roof comes with the Teal interior but the dealer says no it doesn't.
I need data.....has anyone out there purchased/seen a 99 Venture with Teal interior and Teal roof?
All responses welcome as I'm trying to find out if GM has even bothered to make a Teal interior roof.
THX
P.S. See if you can get GM to put the color info in writing to show
I'll post an update when it is resolved (one way or the other).
Again....thx.
Any input will be greatly appreciated
DNAWEZ
How did you get the build sheets for your van?
The dealer told me today that GM says there are no teal headliners and all headliners are grey.
I'll call the 1-800 line and ask them for the teal part number and see what I get.
More later.
I am looking at mini-vans for the first time. One
that has intrigued me is the Chevy venture. It
seems to offer a good package for the cost and I
have to confess I even think it is cosmetically
appealing (hard to believe for a mini-van!)....I'd
like to hear from some venture owners. Give me
your opinions - good or bad ! You can Email me at
davec@toast.net or post them here. Thanks.
I own a 97 4dr Venture. Had the service engine light start blinking on me during a really cold snap here in Vermont. Owners manual and service center advised was a fuel mixture warning. Added a can of dry gas and tank of high test with detergent and everything went back to normal. Was told by a GM tech during cold weather impurities in gas will cause some computers to activate this light. Don't have an explaination for southern climates like yours though.
I was wondering if anyone could tell me whether or not I should get an extended warranty if I buy a 99 Venture Extended? I know the warranty is a MUST
HAVE for a Caravan/Voyager and probably a waste of
good money with a Toyota/Honda/Nissan. But I don't know about Chevrolet. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.
#107 of 107: Need advice on options (sld1) Thu 18 Mar '99 (02:20 PM)
Am working with Auto-by-tel, looking at two 1999
Venture Extended LS vans. Need some advice.
Could live with 1st option he gave me. But 2nd
option has self-sealing tires, touring suspension
group and power sliding door added to it (and loses rear audio which I don't care about). It's and extra $705 (plus tax).
My question is, are those three extra options
worth it? I'm up for the tires and suspension
group. Have concern about power door because when I test drove one, the door acted up, wouldn't open
and then wouldn't close, alarm went off for no
apparent reason. I'm wondering if it would be more
of a headache than it's worth, one more thing to go wrong.
Need advice/opinions ASAP please. Thanks a bunch
for your help!
with your statement about honda/toyota/nissan, but toyota does give alonger warrentee (72K miles?) on the power train if memory serves me correct.
As for the options on your venture, if you are negotiating sight unseen, I would ask the dealer to fax the window sticker (or invoice) to make sure he has everything right. I though rear audio implied the 2nd AC compressor also, but maybe this is applicable to pontiac/olds only. As for the power doors, do a search here on edmunds and I think you will find frequent problems from almost all manufacturers.
sting at GM assembly
plant in Georgia
March 21, 1999
Associated Press
DORAVILLE, Ga. -- Thirteen employees of
a General Motors assembly plant have been
arrested for allegedly selling drugs to an
undercover police officer who spent 18
months posing as a co-worker.
The workers were arrested Thursday and
Friday at the plant 12 miles northeast of
Atlanta.
"We pretty much caught them by surprise,"
said Doraville police Col. Clifford Edwards.
"They had no idea what was coming."
Edwards said the officer gained the trust of
employees while working among them on the
plant's assembly line before purchasing
cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and
bootleg whiskey.
More drugs were found after police dogs
searched the cars and lockers of GM
employees.
GM cooperated with police, giving the officer
a job and providing money for him to make
drug purchases, Edwards said.
The plant has about 4,000 workers and
assembles four models of minivans.
I've been reading the Town Hall for weeks, and
haven't seen much (good or bad) relating to the
Chevy Venture. I have seen topics on the Montana, and while same van, just want opinions from Venture owners. I've been looking at purchasing for 6 weeks, and have moved from the Sienna (too small) to the Venture. Let me know your experiences with your van! Thanks.
Thanks.
info will not apply.
1) on trip over Christmas holidays we awoke at the hotel to a snowy rain mixture. The windshield wipers would not clean up the mess. We stopped at a Chevy dealer in a small PA town who replaced the wiper blades and assembly (20 minutes). It appears that my blades were left overs and were already old rubber. PS- this dealer was great helping us.
2) our power door was acting up (not closing) in Nov-Jan timeframe. To close we needed to hold the door as it moved into the frame. This little added pressure was enough to make it work. Every time I tried to get it to the dealer it would work perfectly so they did not want to adjust it at that time. The problem has not come back since Jan. (We live in eastern PA). Perhaps the humidity/temperature combo affected it.
My kids still think the the power door is the greatest. They also get a big kick out of the rear audio.
The only other problem is that the plastic cover around the base of the seatbelt strap on the last row passenger side catches on the seat frame as you move the seat forward and back. This has put a tear in the plastic cover that catches and hinders your moving the seat. A minor inconvenience and not a safety hazard. I will have it replaced when I take the van to the dealer in the future.
Both Chevy dealers that I have dealt with for the Van have been fantastic. Much better than my prior few years dealings with Olds and Acura dealers.
If we needed to purchase another minivan today, no question it would be the same exact vehicle.
I decided that the Venture is just sort of boring for some reason, but a decent quality van. I got the extended version with 8-seat option and have been very happy with it. Kids like it too and other adults who've ridden with me in front seat or in middle seat say it is comfortable with lots of room.
Re: comment above about sliding door - I just within the past week got a notice in the mail to take my new van back to the dealer so they could make a change to the door. I personally haven't had any problems with it, but apparently a problem has been identified and they're going to fix it.
I went with Venture because: Honda too expensive and didn't really like it (too big on outside with not so much room inside); Sienna and Quest too small; Windstar and the Caravan/Voyager have too much history of quality problems. The Venture is not quite as roomy as the Grand Caravan/Voyager, but seems to be built better.
Another major plus for me with the Venture was that you can get the 8-seat option which isn't available in any other minivan that I know of. Being involved with sports and scouts, the ability to fit one more kid in (esp since they can't sit in the front seat) is very important.
I think I made the right decision for me (time will tell re: quality). Good luck with your decisions!
1) Seems most people are happy with the 8 passenger seating so I'll go with that.
2) Is the rear A/C standard on this model (4 door extended)?
3) On the dealer hold back (3%) and the current incentive I see in the papers in NJ ($1,500), do I deduct both of these amounts from the total MSRP or what?
4) I guess on the options I really would only like to get rear A/C (if not standard)and the power back vent windows (for convenience purposes) but it looks as if I have to spend a couple of grand to do that via the option package. Any suggestions?
Think I'll stay away from the power option door if possible. Mother in Law has it on her 98 Silouette(sp?) and has had problems. Anyway, the kids are young and strong so they can open it manually!
Any input is greatly appreciated. Hopping to buy in mid July off a lot somewhere.
Also, is $23,000 a good price for a '99 4 door extended Venture with a preferred equip. group 1SB package with luggage carrier?
Any imput would be appreciated.
The rep. has stated that it will cost me $100. more to get a van if he has to do a dealer trade.
My question is: Is that a legit charge or is that part of doing business?
I know that dealer trades are done all the time. But is normal to charge the customer for this service?
Also the rep stated that current incentives and fin. are good through Sept. I thought that the current exp. date is 7/30/99. I would hate to take the dealers word and loose out on 0% for 36 months. But then again I also want to get what I want and not just buy something to beat a dead line.
Has anyone else heard anything about deadline for current incentives? Edmunds states 7/30/99.