2002 Chevrolet Venture from North America
Summary:
Very good, but problematic
Faults:
I have had to replace transmissions twice!
The fuel gauge fluctuates widely and is completely unreliable.
General Comments:
In terms of driving, I love this car. It's been a real workhorse.
When the second trans went out, I was very upset, but fixing it was cheaper than buying a new car.
Now the gas gauge has gone screwy. Like many others, I now have to use the odometer to make certain I don't run out of fuel. I will I fix the gauge? Not at $ 400 - $ 600! I want to keep the car until 180K miles.
Would I buy another Chevrolet? Sure, but I will check out potential weak points before making a decision. Today, I only buy used cars. New cars simply cost too much plus all the lousy taxes. The depreciation is terrible and it isn't tax deductible.
All in all, I prefer an American car over foreign because if necessary, I can always go to the junkyard for parts! I've owned probably 15 other GM cars. This one has had the most problems, but you have to be philosophical about it.
I owned three MB too. Nice looking car, but that's where it stops. Simply too expensive to own, maintain and operate. Whenever I'd go the dealer, I thought my pocket was being picked! Never again.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 24th March, 2007
15th Mar 2005, 18:07
Addendum to the comment about insufficient headlight capability.
With relatively little effort I added a small pair of Cibie driving/long range lights to the front of the Venture, in front of the molded slats/grille type area in the lower bumper surround. Did not have to drill any holes, was able to use pre-existing holes in lower front cross member behind bumper surround to bolt in small mounting brackets. The black body of the driving lights nicely integrates with the black bumper surround inserts - looks sharp (even wife agreed). I wired them with a relay and 30 amp fuse for safety (easy to do), and powered them with a lead off the high beam wire behind the front headlight (the owners manual says how to remove the headlight to change a bulb). The driving lights come on automatically with high beam - no switch required in cabin or dash - and light up almost a mile down the road, about 5000 feet (!) The standard high beams look like parking lights in comparison. Low beam lights seem to be OK as they are, but this relatively simple add-on really solved my high beam-insufficient light issue. My selling dealer has seen them several times, no flack from him on a leased vehicle - all the work is removable back to original status very easily, with no "scars" at no cost. I got the lights on Ebay quite cheap, also.