I got rid of my piece of junk!!!!!

I finally got rid of my 1998 chevy venture, needless to say it was a piece of junk!!! too many problems to list, mainly a rebuilt engine, that still has problems. DId my research on my new vehicle though. I got a Kia Sedona, fully loaded. the best warranty out there, and have heard nothing but good news so far. Cant be worse then the venture!! :disappoin . good luck on your ventures, as I will never buy another GM product, because they wont fix the problems that exist. thanks to all the people who helped me try to fix the piece of junk though. as soon as I got one thing fixed, something else went wrong....thanks again.

I wish I could get rid of MINE!!!

Good for you!! You are right.... they are junk! Gm is losing customers alot in the last number of years for putting out throw away vehicles.The venture being one of them. You have to fight with them to get warranty work done for which you are entitled!! See Ya MR. Venture!!

Ha. Wait until you try to get warranty work done on your Kia. Go to ripoffreport.com and do a search for "Kia".

rip off report .com = SCARY!!

Try typing "Kia Motors" if you want some bad stories!

I like my '98. No more issues than any other car Ive owned.

rip off report .com = SCARY!!

Try typing "Kia Motors" if you want some bad stories!


Cant be any more scary then Chevy!!!!! After all they KNOW what the problems are and wont even fix them, and it has happened on ALOT of the venture's not just mine. Take a look at the forum for Venture , and then look at the forum for Kia , or any other foreign made car Huge difference.... I have always bought american cars in the past, because I believe in keeping the business in America, but when your on a budget, and cannot afford a car payment PLUS repairs, it seems logical to get one with atleast a warranty, besides almost all cars regardless of the maker are foreign, atleast the parts anyway... Anyway, I have no more stress over that piece of junk, and will NEVER buy another GM product.!!!

I just looked at the rip off report site, and I looked under Kia Motors, and then I looked Under General Motors, Kia had only 24 reports, and General motors had 79!!!! Hmm.....

GM sells about 40 times more cars than KIA in the U.S. but only has 3 times the number of complaints. What does that tell you? Hmmm.

Well I personally think all car makers are rip off's, but I just wonder how well GM did when they first started off. Look at Dodge, Plymouth, and the problems they have with ALL of their vehicles with their transmissions. And they have been out a really long time. You are not going to find a perfect vehicle maker. but It gave me piece of mind that I atleast had some leverage, I just could not afford to replace the engine again. It had already been replaced once. Several problems with the power door, which I did not have on my new van and am glad!! just one more thing to go wrong, any way, good luck to all...

Whether or not Kia is better, is unknown, but at least you have something DIFFERENT! Nothing burns my butt more than a lemon vehicle. Good luck with your Kia , can't be worse than what you had!!

Whether or not Kia is better, is unknown, but at least you have something DIFFERENT! Nothing burns my butt more than a lemon vehicle. Good luck with your Kia , can't be worse than what you had!!

Kevcules, thanks for understanding and for not being defensive like some other people, all I was saying was I am glad to get rid of my lemon, just to vent I guess... not really meaning to start anything. Me and my husband bought our venture about 3 months ago, with all of our tax refund. We have 4 kids, so we need something that would be reliable, which the person we bought it off of was trying to get rid of it too, apparently, he even went as far as going to auto zone and getting the service engine soon light reset, when he knew we were going to buy it. I confronted him with this after we traded it in, and he admitted to it. said he had some work done and the light just needed reset. but needless to say it with ALL the problems it had, it is someone elses problem, and I was truthfull when I traded it in, that is why We lost all of our tax refund on it. pretty sad huh??, hopefully anyone interested in buying a new vehicle, will look on these boards before purchasing a new or used vehicle.. I wish I had found this website BEFORE I bought mine. Thanks to all.....

My problem is that you buy an apparently poorly maintained 7 year old Venture with a rebuilt engine from who-knows-where with 32k on the rebuild, and from that you conclude that all GM products are crap and that a KIA is somehow better. If I sounded defensive it was because you sounded offensive. I'm sure you had lots of problems with your Venture, but if, for example, the previous owner never changed the oil, it isn't GM's fault. Good luck, and stop back in a year or so and let us know how the KIA works out for you.

My problem is that you buy an apparently poorly maintained 7 year old Venture with a rebuilt engine from who-knows-where with 32k on the rebuild, and from that you conclude that all GM products are crap and that a KIA is somehow better. If I sounded defensive it was because you sounded offensive. I'm sure you had lots of problems with your Venture, but if, for example, the previous owner never changed the oil, it isn't GM's fault. Good luck, and stop back in a year or so and let us know how the KIA works out for you.


Whatever, you didnt have to read the thread.. Evidently I am not the only one with these problems, I have receipts for all the oil changes,and maintenance that has been done on the van. you cant help it when you buy something used, I understand that, but there are plenty of people on this website, that have had very similar problems. Apparently you have had some problems, or you wouldnt be on here either. Grow up!!!

Well Chicksmom !! Wish I had your resources to trade the car in.
I got 2 Montanas( same engine as Venture ) I changed intake manifold gasket on one 2 weeks ago I just noticed the other one is leaking too.So I have change that one before damage is done.
I am not too impressed with GM as for now.
Needless to say I will be moving to different vehicle as soon as I am financially able.

I think to each his own. I have an '04 Venture - so far so good. I hope the intake problems are fixed.

I have always been a chevy fan. when we found out we were having twins we needed a bigger vehicle (we already had 1 child) So we went with a Plymouth Voyager. worse mistake of my life. total junk. turd on wheels basically.

I admit - it appears Chevy has some problems with the intake, but ALL manufacterers do.

Wish you the best with the KIA. I know nothing about them. Keep us posted.

Grow up? I'm not the one that felt the need to "vent" (your word) on an auto technical forum. Whatever. Good luck with the KIA.

Beepster !!
Intake manifold gasket issue was corrected starting 03 model year. They changed to better material which is what you get when you buy replacement gaskets from auto part shop. All 3.4 engine built between 97 and 02 are suspect. Mine is 99 and 02 so I was double unluckey in this case.
Brightside of things I done 02 couple of weeks ago so it should be easier this time and weather is warmer too.

My problem is that you buy an apparently poorly maintained 7 year old Venture with a rebuilt engine from who-knows-where with 32k on the rebuild, and from that you conclude that all GM products are crap and that a KIA is somehow better. If I sounded defensive it was because you sounded offensive. I'm sure you had lots of problems with your Venture, but if, for example, the previous owner never changed the oil, it isn't GM's fault. Good luck, and stop back in a year or so and let us know how the KIA works out for you.

I have owned GM most of my life. My wife has a 93 Saturn with 240,000 miles and it is still going strong. I bought a new Saturn when my Venture blew the head gasket. This will be my wifes should her 93 ever quit. I fixed my Venture and now I am driving it again (600+ miles each week) I love the way it handles and I love the ride. It has more problems then I am use to but this forum really helps and I am not allergic to a wrench now and again.

Deny

Grow up? I'm not the one that felt the need to "vent" (your word) on an auto technical forum. Whatever. Good luck with the KIA.

Why don't we all add our opinions on these pieces of junk(Hi Chicksmom) and not direct negative responses at anyone. Chicksmom can vent all she wants , she's not doing it to you ,or anyone here, she's talking about a vehicle. For those who own a venture or GM and have had good luck...great! But, I hope you realize there aren't many of you on that side of the street. LOL The rest of us are constantly fighting for warranty repairs and dealing with arrogant sales clerks. I am another who will not buy GM again , foreign for me from now on.
Also , I do agree that all manufacturers have problems, but I strongly disagree that the foreign market has "as many". When a mechanic can tell you what is going to happen to your vehicle at a certain mileage and is right, he must have seen a pile of problems over and over and over!!!
Oops , I think I just vented a little. :naughty:

http://www.gmsucks.net/index.html.... Check this out. Some guy started a web site because of all the GM bull. HA!

Also , I do agree that all manufacturers have problems, but I strongly disagree that the foreign market has "as many". When a mechanic can tell you what is going to happen to your vehicle at a certain mileage and is right, he must have seen a pile of problems over and over and over!!!

While the vehicles from 'foreign' manufacturers may not have "as many" problems as 'domestic' vehicles, when they do break down, often times they are more expensive to repair, both in parts and labor. I've seen my share of problems in all vehicle makes in the shop, and most mechanics who have been in the business long enough can tell you what problem in a vehicle will likely occur and when, no matter the vehicle's manufacturer, whether foreign or domestic.

You are right when you say most foreign vehicles require more expensive parts when they break down and, I'm not sure more labour, but the fact is simply they don't break down nearly as often. Talk to people who own them. If the foreign market of vehicles broke down as often and cost more to fix, why would anyone drive one? You get what you pay for. I can tell you have had good luck with your venture , and good for you , but you can't dispute the abundance of problem after problem threads just in THIS forum, on this site alone. GM can make a quality vehicle, most of us agree they didn't in this case. As I said before , you may have had good luck with your vehicle , but they are not GOOD vehicles.
Good point about the mechanics being in the business long enough, will know what will happen with most vehicles. I agree. But...I wonder what vehicle a mechanic would buy, if they were all the same price. I don't think you would see many GM"s on the road. I think we can agree vehicles like the venture aren't sold by their past performance or reputation, I think it is something called "less $$$$$$".