Good van - easily seats eight adults. Built like a rock (to a degree that is. Sits up higher than other "mini vans". Comfortable ride, not bad on long trips. Looks good from the front and side. Gas mileage is fairly good considering its "heavy duty" type structure.

Front brakes do the shakes when in need of a "panic" brake. Stalls out when cutting the wheel and backing out of parking space. Only has a 3yr/36000 mile warranty.

I purchased this Safari used (GMC certified) with 15,700 miles on it. I checked carfax and found that it had been registered once with a major car rental co. The battery went dead after 1 mo. (got reimbursed though). The blower for A/C went bad after 8 months (they replaced it n/c). Needed front brakes at about 28,000 mi (paid for those). When backing out of a parking space slowly and wheels turned sharp left or right the engine stalls. Driver electric window motor went at 38,000 mi (dealer replaced at n/c). Other than the few "dumb" things that have gone wrong I really enjoy this vehicle..ride is good (bit like a truck over bumps) but overall a good riding vehicle.The gas mileage is reasonable - avg of 20 mpg. The dutch doors are an excellant feature. These Safari''s have a good track record (most of them) from the mechanics I know of lasting from 200,000 to 300,000 miles. I would however sleep a lot better at night if GMC would have warranted the vehicle for 60,000 miles bumper/bumper and 100k on the engine & drive train - like other companies do.

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Dodge Caravan/ GMC 1978 Vandura / Chevy 2000 Express Van

What can I say? Great towing, good paint, little rust ( original paint ) great visibility, strong defroster. Great transmission ( only changed oil every 60,000 kms ) Good engine, although newer models have higher horsepower.

Poor sound system, some electrical switches, poor weather stripping around doors & windows (leaks water sometimes, but can''t seem to locate source of infiltration ).

My wife & I love this van. A commanding view of the road, good visibility all around. When purchased in ''93 it had 105,000 km on it, & the engine purred like a kitten. Good power, had great gas mileage in the beginning, 34 mpg on the highway, but now with 230,000 kms mileage is suffering, down to around 20 mpg. No major problems with this van. Air conditioning still ice cold & has never been recharged. Power windows are slow moving either way. Great towing power. Engine still purrs.

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Borrowed a 1996 Ford Windstar for a trip to Toronto, not enough power for passing, lots of rattles compared to the Safari. Also a 1993. Dodge Caravan, better than the Ford, but poor transmission

looks,power,reliable (so far),fuel economy(i used to own a big block p/u).
shifts nice.

paint,corrossion,stock brakes,stock suspension(whats with the fibreglass
leaf spring????).stock exhaust,accessability to engine compartment is poor.
all cargos have a funny engine noise,(like there is a cricket hiding in it)

nice van ive lowered it for some fun looks,it stubby in the nose.ive replaced the front disks to 2nd oversize with oversized calipers & pads.
plenty of room,basic but reliable,love that overdrive gear,saving money as i roll.v-6 not bad lots of poop for basic needs.

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chevy savanna ford areostar..yuk!..

THIS IS A SOLID VEHICLE , GREAT FOR EVERDAY DRIVING AND LONG TRIPS . YOU CAN REMOVE THE BACK SEATS AND HAUL LARGE LOADS IN IT . THE STEREO SOUNDS GREAT . MINE HAS THE 6 SPEKER SYSTEM . ENGINE HAS LOTS OF POWER . RIDES SMOOTH . IT GETS GREAT TRACTION . I HAVENT GOT STUCK IN IT YET . IT GETS ABOUT 20 MPG HIGHWAY .

AT 60000 MILES THE EXHAST VALVES NEEDED REPLACED . AT A COST OF $800.00.
REAR DOOR LATCH GETS STUCK . STOCK SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE TOO LIGHT .
I REPLACED MINE WITH HEAVY DUTY ONES .

I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO SOMEONE LOOKING FOR A SOLID VERSITILE VEHICLE . THIS VEHICLE HANDLES LIKE A TRUCK NOT A CAR . IF YOU WANT A VEHICLE THAT HANDLES LIKE A CAR , I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT TO YOU .
IT RIDES SMOOTH , BUT YOU CAN TELL IT IS A LARGE VEHICLE ESPEACIALLY IN THE CITY . YOU JUST NEED TO RESPECT IT`S SIZE .

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None

Roominess and Power

Uncomfortable front seats. Do not recline.

This van is the only van we have ever owned. Our Van now has almost 130,000. miles on it, and is still running strong with no major problems. We bought our van in 97 with about 40,000 miles on it. It is still running as strong as the day we bought it. With a 3 and 5 year old our van is starting to look run down. We are in the market for a new van but only for the reasons of the kids and the pealing paint off the front of the van. We use our GMC safari for everything (You can haul sheetrock and lots of other big things when you remove the seats)

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Great van no comparison other than the Chevy Astro

Roomypeople should be sure to check the spare tire for the proper size. I had a flat in the middle of nowhere and had the wrong size minispare, this is
extremely hard on the drive train and must be avoided.

to hard to service the engine. I still have not been able to change all the spark plugs.

My van has over 200,000 Kms but even with the damage done to the drivetrain(driving over 40 Kms with wrong size spare) the only noticeable
problem is some noise in the rear end. This drivetrain must be very durable. If I could service the spark plugs and do a tune up myself, I would like the van better.

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never owned any other mini van

The Safari is an all-around good quality vehicle. Riding on a full-size Chevrolet/GMC truck frame, the Safari is a rear-wheel-drive vehicle which enables it to tow up to 5500 lbs. properly equipped. It has a 4.3L V-6 with 190hp and 250 ft./lbs. of torque which provides ample grunt for pulling heavy loads. Merging onto a freeway is on problem, nor is racing the other guy off the line occasionally when he doens't expect it! The 0-60 time is a strong 9.9 seconds, making that just as fast as the Chevrolet Venture. Also, interior room is exceptionally great, especially if you have a large family. This van will comfortably seat 8, as well as carry loads of cargo. Take out the two back seats and you've got room for a 4x8 sheet of plywood, with room to spare. Another great feature is the upgraded stereo system. Taken out of the Corvette, this stereo when properly equipped provides crystal-clear sound and great bass.

A big downfall of the Safari is the styling. Though when viewed from the front, it does look rather muscular, a clear look at all of it will show that it is quite boxy. The result is less than great aerodynamics, accompanied by none other than bad fuel mileage. An as tested result yeilded about 15 mpg in the city and, if you've got a light foot, about 20 mpg on the highway.

This vehicle I paid about $28,000 Canadian for. With taxes, mind you. When outfitted with all the options I selected, the price was about $24,000. This was also during a sale, so confer with your local dealer to find out more prices.

I would definately recommend this vehicle to anyone who requires more room than a regular minivan will provide. GMC's slogan for this van is "when life is too big for a minivan". If you're in that scenario, this is a great vehicle. Quality is excellent, ride is truck-like, no doubt about it, but some people, like myself, enjoy that. Overall it's a great deal.

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In comparison to any other minivan, yes this one rides like a truck. But for towing capacity, cargo room, and family comfort, this is one hard van to beat. If you do need the extra room, the next step up is a fullsize van. In terms of quality, it is nothing short of what you have come to expect from GM trucks. Only the best.

190hp V6 has plenty of power, seats are comfortable, visability and handling are good with road handling package ie rear sway bar, mileage is good.

Brakes front rotors had to be turned at 44,000km, now at 57,000km again, dealer has agreed to replace under warranty. Transmission torque convertor failed at 6,000km,tranmission required rebuild. Reocurring engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) as a result of sticking in EGR system.

Vehicle drives and handles OK although road noise is there, undercoating helped. Interior spacious and comfortable. Purchased this van because of it excellent tow ability. Drove on a trip to Arizona handled freeways,winding roads and heavy city driving equally well. Front brake rotors are obvious inferior material and substandard in performance. This vehicle has majority highway mileage, I shudder to think how brakes would last in stop and go city driving.

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85 dodge van 250,000km original rotors.

Mechanily sound

P A I N T P E E L S and chevy says tought luck in the words of there customerservice rep J. Kizer "you need to take ownership of the problem" Our Astro was always clean and ALWAYS in the garage

Have enjoyed this truck sence it was new am real disapointed that chevy wont fix the paint envn though they admit that there primer is defective.

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None

I,m very pleased with the room for a small van. The visibility is great. My kids love it over the Intrepid we own due to their enhanced visibility also!! The 4.3 has plenty of power. We have the SLE all power and tow package. Super!!!

Suspension is mushy. Will try new shocks and sway bar bushings. Typical General Motors- Brakes are short lived. Door seals are needing replaced to block out air noise.

We will breath new life into our Safari when she gets ready for a face lift and new muscles. A really great all purpose vehicle both for work and play. Whether it's the kids or something connected to work it's never a problem.
I would reccomend an old Safari or Astro as quickly as a new one. If you find one a little neglected, spend a little time and money to bring it back and you won't be disapointed.

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Dodge Caravan, Ford Aerostar and Windstar. The GMC Safari is a stronger feeling vehicle. Very comfortable, but not wimpy!!