Faults:
At 97,000 miles the transmission had to be rebuilt.
Replaced two sets of ball joints, and the tie rods twice as well.
The rear struts/shocks had to be replaced at 150,000 miles. (None of this is bad considering the way I drive-man this van takes a lickin and keeps on tickin!!!)
I have not had the Intake Manifold Gasket problem ever, but am now beginning to wonder because I am losing about a half quart of oil between changes.
General Comments:
First off, for a minivan, this thing FLIES!!! You put your foot into the throttle, and it has absolutely no complaints.
My family has grown to love her, and we will be sad to see her go. If they still made these vans, or had a used one with lower mileage, I would be first in line to buy it.
I love the long, sleek nose, and although it doesn't offer the most superb comfort for tall people (unlike my Olds Intrigue), it does very well.
The modular seating in the rear is one of the most brilliant ideas ever. It makes transporting things so easy, and the seats all lift out with the squeeze of a lever. Nice cargo carrying capabilities too.
The interior and exterior of the van have held up very well, fiberglass composite exterior will never rust, and the interior seems as though it was constructed of high quality materials. We love the power sliding door (A GM INNOVATION!!!) which also makes a variety of tasks a lot less complicated.
Also, the Trans Sport of old was rated very well in the crash tests/rollovers. I wish the same could be said for the new Montanas...
Bring back the Trans Sport GM!!! You had a very safe, reliable automobile going for you guys!!!
21st Jul 2005, 22:38
I recently bought a 1996 Trans Sport with less than 50,000 miles. I look forward to adding at least another 150,000 miles to it. By the sounds of these reviews, it IS possible.