good looks, cheap financing, rebates

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A fair van - here's my laundry list of problems for your enjoyment: ~150k - intake manifold seal - mechanic says he does these before first tune up on Montanas. Cost $700. Did spark plugs while in there ... wires were welded on to tops - took 2-3x longer to hack off wires and extricate plugs - cost ~ $300. Mechanic thinks DEXCOOL may be the problem, since he has done many GM engines with these gaskets. Replaced Dexcool with regular antifreeze. ~140k - wipers broken again. Froze on to windshield, didn't free them. Could not turn them off fast enough - they killed themselves. $100 for some unknown component. Terrible design, especially where it snows. ~130k - water pump ~120k - wiper park problem. Up here in Canada, snow collects at bottom of windshield where wipers want to park. If they are blocked at all, they kill themselves trying to park. New wiper module - $250 ~110k - replaced EGR valve. $150. check engine light on again - phantom codes - no diagnosis. ~100k - Dash lights burn out easily. They are also not easy to repair like the old days. Cost a couple of hundred to replace a few bulbs, since dash has to be pulled and new bulbs soldered in. ~75k - Front wheel bearing started howling - found a used one and replaced it...$250 ~20k - check engine light always coming on. replaced a few O2 sensors

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Chev Venture gave me no problem, which makes no sense, since it's the same van essentially. I read way more problems about Montanas.

Low price because of high mileage (80,000 miles at two years old). Good acceleration and mpg. Decent sound system and exterior design. Air bags and family-friendly seat belts.

Intermittent engine coughing and sputtering. Mechanic thought it was a bad fuel pump given computer error codes ($550). I later discovered a mouse had shredded the air filter and filter paper was getting drawn into the intake causing fuel/air flow problems. Problem totally solved by me for 8 more dollars for a new air filter. Transmission sometimes clunks into gear instead of shifting smoothly. Drained and refilled transmission two times to make sure it was totally clean, added a super duper transmission conditioner and new ATF and haven't had any more problems (thank goodness). Estimate for transmission replacement was $2600. YIKES!

We like the van, but I really should have bought the extended version for the extra cargo space. We have 3 kids, and not enough cargo area for all the stuff we need when traveling overnight. We've removed one passenger seat in the middle and piled light cargo there, which works, but would be bad if we were in a collision because stuff would fly everywhere and could hurt someone. Overall, I like our van for the price we paid, but should have spent the extra $ and bought the extended version.

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1992 Pontiac Transport SE with 80,000 miles. Loved that van, but it got totalled when we were rear ended by a guy on a cell phone. Wife and I are still suffering neck and back problems, but thankfu

It looks nice and provides lots of seating for our family.

In the span of a year: Rear A/C replaced Transmission

We bought a previous daily rental from dealer. This vehicle had 28,000 on it when we purchased. Now we have had it a little over a year. We have 54,000 on it now. We took it in after a strange humming noise two days ago. Now we are told that the transmission must be rebuilt or replaced because of a defective cylinoid. We are disappointed that this major work has to be done this early on with the van.

Comfortable, versitle and 24 cup holders. Great gas mileage. Good pick-up and handling. Easy to view surrounding traffic by sitting higher than a car, but lower than a truck

New Stering columne within first week: Warranty resolved and w/o issue. Front end Toe replaced, warranty provided four new tires at 10K miles. Front end begining to roar at 34K miles... another trip to the warranty department for new tires and CV joints I expect. Very poor cup holders in the front. Easy to tip my coffee cup out (about 25 times now and a center console is going to be my Chrismas present. I will be buying an extended warranty; I expect I'll need it.... still luv the van.

Great Gas mileage: 21.9 MPH. Comfortable for the family and easy to drive. Great creature comforts. I am a sales guy and I take many customers out to lunch etc. (My friends and customers give me a hard time for driving a mini-van, until I load it 7 persons with golf clubs and a cooler.) I realy like my mini-van. The bucket seats and leather in the extended package has work well for my life style. I have moved 2x and used the can to tranport many large items. Even used it as a truck loading some lumber and building materials. seats are a little heavy and cumbersome to move, but still a great feature. I have some negatives: see below

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Chevy S10 Balzer: The Montana is 10x the vehicle. I am a chevy fan. I expect I will continue that way.

Ride,can fit half a soccer team in comfort,sound system

Body integrity,cheap plastic interior Can't wait for the redo, I think GM can do a lot better

35,000 miles and not a problem yet.Like the way it handles fora van,engine could be quieter. Body creaks at speed when turning.

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venture.caravan

None

Just about everything.

Lemon: 2 days after purchasing, the starter went. Had to have it towed back to dealer. It took two days to replace. after just 2500 km, the transmission went. It would not go into reverse. Another week to replacce. After 43000 km front brakes (Rotors and pads) had to be replaced.

POWER SLIDING DOOR,ON STAR SYSTEM,THIRD ROW FOLDS TO ALMOST FLAT,GOOD ACCELERATION,NICE LEG ROOM FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD ROWS(ESP. BUCKET SEATS),SPORTY LOOK

LIKE TOYS R US PLASTIC INTERIOR,THIN PADDED SEATS,WIND NOISE

overall- I have nothing to complain about this van. Have driven it for 10,000 miles withOUT a problem. Can accomodate 7(full sized) adults and still picks up good on acceleration(engine). Like the sporty look and with a good price for all its amenities(on star,rear a/c and climate control,automatic load leveler(does not tip up when the load is heavy). convenient contrls for stereo(am/fm-cassette tape/cd)right on the steering wheel. CROSSING MY FINGERS THAT NOTHING WILL GO WRONG IN THE NEXT 10-20,000 MILES... AS I HAVE READ THOSE HORRIBLE STORIES( IT HAD 3000 MILES WHEN I PURCHASED IT)

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DODGE CARAVAN

Comfortable

Too many to list

I am so upset at this point I don't know what to do. Our Montana has more problems than I could begin to tell about. We have owned it for 4 1/2 months and so far the fuel pump and a fuel module of some sort has been replaced. Fuel pump is now LOUD again and the van feels like it gets a surge of fuel when you push the accelerator. The passenger sliding door is almost impossible to open. When you put the van in gear...well the "D" is lit...van won't go...kind of slips into gear. We live on a dirt road and with outside air vent OFF and windows closed the van still fills with so much dust you can't breath. The list goes on. Oh...today...as has happened many other days...it took 3 tries to start it!! I had a 1999 Montana and LOVED it which is how we ended up buying this one. Dealership offered us a Chev. Venture worth less money financed 6 months longer as a replacement. The only thing we can do now is keep taking it back for repairs and hope that eventually things will be fixed. If you look at a Montana...even if you have already owned one...make sure you take it on a LONG test drive and check things over and over to be sure.

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1999 Montana

Roomy.

Not reliable. Scared to take on long trips.

Leased car in 1999 - within 6 mos the cd player broke, the driver's side window broke. They "fixed" the cd player by taking it out and shipping somewhere to fix. Needless to say I drove around for a week with a hole in my dashboard. Some idiot at the dealership told me that Pontiac "greases" their windows during an oil change and if I brought my car there for an oil change, my window wouldn't have quit going up and down! Complained to dealership and no response. 2002 - Battery quit working, cd quit again. Had battery replaced and cd replaced. The dealership kept my cd in the player. I could not get it out b/c the car wouldn't start! In May of 2002, 38K miles, I had to have my rear brake cylinders replaced. In July of 2002, 41K miles, my intake gasket broke ($700 to fix). The dealership "goodwilled" these last 2 items for me mainly because I told them that it was a lease up in April 2003 and they could keep the van for all I cared. Hunk of junk! Needless to say, I am going to turn the car in and let it become someone else's problem! I will not purchase another Pontiac.

Roomy enough for my needs; very easy access to all areas of the van; quiet; good radio/CD sounds; and I really like the remote rear window vent opening.

It's a little too tall for me to easily wash the top, but then, most cars are.

I'm probably too new an owner to really comment on the use of this vehicle, but so far, I love it. My son bought it for me so I'd have something reliable to travel in. I have dogs that I travel with to agility trials, and my previous vehicle just wasn't getting any younger. There's plenty of room for all three dogs, canopy, chairs, coolers and whatever other paraphenalia I might choose to haul with me, and still have room for two passengers, and more if I take out the second seat in the second row.

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Haven't driven any. Have ridden in the Kia Sedona, also a nice vehicle, but the interior in the Montana is better set up for me.