great a/c
powerful
good gas mileage
paint job holding up well
nice overall design
window tinting great
easy to get at oil filter if you change it yourself

cup holders could have been more strategically place (big deal, right?)
have to pull straight out on side door handle to open
removable seats easy to take in and out but quite heavy

Has been a dependable vehicle. Didn't want power doors and have been happy that we didn't, very easy to open and close without. Headlights were replaced under warranty after collecting water, otherwise zero maintenance. Comfortable and handles wonderfully, great power and transmission. Have put over 30,000 miles on it since buying it used and hope to put on another 50k before looking at another, but will definitely consider the Venture at that time.

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Large fuel tank
Fairly comfortable
Plenty of room for baggage

Power sliding doors
Power windows
Overall quality

Recently I took the train to Vermont instead of my Mercury Villager. I rented a Venture while there that I was very unhappy with. I had read about the recall on the power sliding doors but I had not thought much of it. I was driving down a busy U.S. highway, and the automatically locked sliding passenger door just opened and my sister's suitcase fell out into the highway. Then the power passenger window just started rolling itself down. The passenger control wouldn't work to get it back up. I had some minor gripes to:

"Change Engine Oil" light stayed on for about 3 miles every time I started it.

Equipped with Firestone FR680s (Firestones make me shaky.)

No trip odometer (What if the gas gauge breaks?)

Even though this van is actually more powerful than my Villager, you sure can't tell it.

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my '99 Mercury Villager- there is no comparison. The Villager is WORLDS better.
a '94 Lumina minivan that I had- had the same kind of quality problems. No more GM for me.

RIDES LIKE A CAR NOT A TRUCK.
DRIVES GREAT .
REAR SEATS LIFT OUT FOR EASY VACUMING .(WITH 5 KIDS THIS IS GREAT)
DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTS WELL FOR SHORT DRIVERS (WIFE HAD ME ADD THIS)
LOOKS GREAT
SOUND SYSTEM WORKS WELL
LIGHTS COME ON WHEN ITS DARK
POWER DOOR ON PASSANGER SIDE

BRAKES MY 1999 AND 2000 BOTH HAD THE PASSANGER SIDE FRONT BRAKES WEAR OUT .
THE INNER PAD WORE OUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ON THE 1999 AND RUINED THE ROTER SO I REPLACED THEM AT MY EXSPENSE BECAUSE I FELT I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS .THE 1999 ONLY HAD 18000 MILES ON IT THEN WHEN HAD TO DO THIS BRAKE WORK .I PURCHASED THE 2000 WITH 10000 MILES ON IT AND AT AROUND 23000 MILES IT DID THE SAME THING . I SPOKE WITH SOME PERSONAL CONTACTS AT A RYBESTOS COMPANY THAT MAKES BRAKE PADS AND OTHER COMPANYS THAT REPLACE AND DO BRAKE WORK FOR A LIVING AND THEY ALL SAID I HAD A BAD CALIPER BUT WHEN I CARRIED IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT THEY SAID THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND THAT THEY WANTED $125 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THIS . FUNNY I DID IT FOR LESS THEN $50 AND I REPLACED ROTER AND PADS . I FEEL THAT CHEVROLET HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKES AND I HAVE RECEIPTS AND WORK ORDERS FROM CHEVEROLET SO WHEN THEY FINELY LOOK INTO THIS I MAY GET SOME SATISFACTION .HOPEFULLY NOT AFTER SOMEONE GETS HURT . I CAUGHT MY PROBLEM THEY MAY NOT .ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH SWITCH THAT CONTROLS PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FROM DRIVERS SIDE AND THE REAR WINDOW WASHER HOSE KEEPS COMING UNDONE IN THE REAR DOOR .
NEEDS POWER DOOR ON DRIVER SIDE

I HAVE ENJOYED THE COMFORTABLE RIDE AFTER DRIVING AN AEROSTAR FOR SEVERAL YEARS . I DROVE A 1999 VENTURE FOR 1 YEAR UNTIL I WRECKED IT AND AS FAR AS SAFETY I AM SATISFIED.THATS WHY I BOUGHT A 2000.YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN MY 1999. MAY IT REST IN PEACE . I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE BRAKES ON THE 1999 NOR THE 2000 .

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LOOKED AND DROVE EVERY BRAND OUT THERE BEFORE I PURCHASED THE VENTURE AND I OWNED A 1992 AEROSTAR

Comfort of drive, power sliding door, load level feature that automatically raises or lowerers the vehicle to adjust for added weight when packing it full.

Had to replace an engine gasket at 30,000 miles (thankfully was covered by the warranty).

Fun to drive vehicle w/ tons of space. The best thing about the Venture is it's ease and comfort to drive. We (my wife and 2 kids) use it to travel almost monthly and it very comfortable. Average 23 to 25 mpg on the interstate and about 20 or 21 around town.

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