Chevrolet Astro Minivans | Wagons
Chevrolet Astro Minivans | Wagons
[Jul 19, 2001]
Colin Reynolds
Strength:
Pretty, dependable, firm ride (nice trade between too rough and too cushy), tremendous amounts of power... so much so that I have to make an effort not to spin the tires THROUGH first and INTO second when the road is wet... great turning radius, good gas mileage for such creature comforts as hauling the entire family, power everything, running boards, etc. I was afraid that this van would turn me into a Soccer Dad or something, and it has in a way, but still allows for tremendous coolness what with my aftermarket stereo and tire spinning ability. Want the best of both worlds? Get an Astro!
Weakness:
Eh, none that I can think of, other than just typical repair type things. at 173,000 miles- alternator, radiator, tune ups, brakes, tires, windshield wipers, and a small spot here and there where the paint needs touching up. All in all, really good for a 12 year old vehicle. The oil still looks clean even after 3,000 miles on it. Great running motor, tranny, and entire drivetrain. Overall a great vehicle. Firstly, it is a Chevy, it is big enough without being too big, nice turning radius, wonderful for long trips, can haul all kinds of goodies and people depending on how many seats you put in or take out, pretty van, and very disarming look to it (especially in white like mine). You can speed anywhere and not have to worry with the cops coming after you. :) Similar Products Used: Trucks, cars.... I like my van. |
[Jul 28, 2001]
Matt McCoy
Model Reviewed:
Astro
Strength:
Dependable, tough, roomy, good towing rig.
Weakness:
Not a Suburban. This has been a great family van and is still running good at 270,000 miles! I have 6 kids and tow a trailer from time to time and this rig has been perfect. I had the motor replaced about 70,000 miles ago because Oil Can Henry's in Woodburn didn't tighten the oil plug after an oil change and it came out and the motor blew. I had to sue them but that's another story. It's front end is getting a little sloppy and the paint is giving up but it's still a good truck. I'll be selling it soon but just because I bought my wife a new 2001 Astro, boy is it nice. Similar Products Used: Fullsize v8 van was about the same. |
[Aug 04, 2001]
Rodney
Strength:
Roominess. Good ride. Seats comfortable. Ground clearance. 17 mpg highway. Brakes. Power. Ability to turn interior lamps off when doors are open. Middle seat folds down into a table.
Weakness:
Front passenger leg room is poor. Rear window wiper has no intermittent control. Engine maintenance is difficult in tight compartment. Windshield wiper has recently not worked. I've owned my 1995 Astro LS AWD van with very few problems for the 80,000 miles I have to date. I would buy another one. Similar Products Used: Drove other vans before buying Astro. Chose Astro for its room, value, capacity, and sound. |
[Aug 04, 2001]
Tony L
Strength:
Roomy, nice looking van, nice a/c I was in love with it!
Weakness:
A lot of little rattles, bad service departments (I tried two different dealers, they both suck. They give you the round and round when you ask them to honor the extended warranty (which I bought) Nice looking van, with a lot of potential that won't be there when you need it.I had several problems when I bought it brand new, but they were fixed right away. Now after 60,000 miles I have taken it to the dealer 5 times and still they have not been able to fix the problem regarding why I lose power when I'm doing 75 miles and going up hill. I don't mean the normal overload in a car in such conditions, but I lose the acceleration down to 45 miles per hour until it starts speeding up again, which causes a very dangerous situation, especially when you have some semis behind you.I adored my van until I started having these problems after 52,000 miles. Conviniently my warranty expired at 60,0000 (coincidence?) So far the service department at the dealer has left a lot to be desired from their mechanics, in other words..... they suck! Similar Products Used: I cannot compare it to other vans, this was my first one, but it makes me doubt about buying another one like it, no matter how much I liked it |
[Aug 06, 2001]
Greg
Model Reviewed:
Chevy Astro
Strength:
Towing and hauling room. Roomy and comfortable to sit in.
Weakness:
Transmission or rear end clunks when put into drive. Van looks and runs great. Vans has a lot of rattles and the ride is very bad. Have done all the repairs myself or I would be broke. Similar Products Used: I have talked to other Chevy mini van owners who have this same mysterious shake. Poor workmanship in the drive train and suspension. They build it just strong enough to last past the factory warantee. |
[Aug 07, 2001]
ED
Strength:
Great towing vehicle, and good overall use as a work truck..... would not buy it for a family vehicle..... Get a Honda Odessy
Weakness:
Rattles and odd noises, and as with all gm's the headliner sags (bigtime). poor gas milage aprox. 15 mpg at best. slow acceleration, front passenger leg room Me and my cousin originally bought this van used for commercial purposes as a basic work truck, and to tow our race car. We took it on a trip from Howell NJ to FT. Lauderdale Florida. I really cant complain with 130,000 miles on it it didn't break down (even with 2 20 year old guys beating the hell out of it and driving so fast the needle on the ugly speedomoter dissapeared (got a ticket in Virginia too 95mph) the only thing i can complain about is that for whoever is riding in the back the a/c sucks, and you get bounced around alot. The van has been involved in 3 accidents and u can hardly tell......IT'S TOUGH!!! No rust anywhere, needs paint but not bad, had to replace tires, shocks, starter(gave me very little trouble with not wanting to crank when it got hot), battery, alternator, brakes, headliner, floor carpet, and other expected odds and ends......all with out going broke. Similar Products Used: fullsize chevy van.....i own an 86 honda prelude and an 87 toyota celica, as far as an overall value the van cant even come close to touching them, but then again it's a CHEVY and it's a van... |
[Aug 20, 2001]
Russio
Strength:
*Power from 4.3 Lt Vortec Engine (When A/C Off)
Weakness:
*Transmission/Drive Train - Has same "Clunk" Noise when it shifts that everyone else in the reviews and everyone I know who owns an Astro Van have complained about. Chevy plays stupid about the problem. Also shifts hard into 1st and 2nd when Cold. Gets better after it is driven for awhile at highway speed. Even with all the nuisance repairs listed in the weakness section, I have gotten my money's worth out of my Astro Van. At $12,800, (1 1/2 Years old with 17,000 miles) it was a STEAL! However, I would not buy an Astro Van again. I feel for those who have paid full price for their vans and have had similar problems like mine. Ironically, the best part of this van has been the interior ammenities and they were manufactured and put in there by a company other than Chevy (a Van Conversion Company). I would be less bitter about the problems I've had, if for once, Chevy Customer Service would side with the customer and not give the customer the run around. They must hire out-of-work telemarketers who finally wear you down. I don't understand why Chevy does not fix known problems in their products, ie, the faulty windshield wiper motors, the "clunking" noise in their transmissions, etc. Would get more of a sense that they do care about their customers if they would just fix known problems or stand by them. It's discouraging to see by reading these reviews and talking with other Astro Van owners that some of these problems are inherent in vans spanning a 10 - 15 year period without these problems being resolved. I have about 105,000 miles on my van and plan to dump it in a year or two. I have to take it in to the shop again tomorrow - go figure. More nickel and dime stuff.... Similar Products Used: *1989 Dodge Caravan - 4 Cylinder Sled, no power or comparison |
[Aug 20, 2001]
Gary
Model Reviewed:
Astro
Strength:
AWD is van-tastic. Roomy for the soccer kids and moms. Dependable. Sets up high and gives a safe feeling. I feel safe knowing that my family is in it. That in itself carries a lot of weight.
Weakness:
Something going wrong all the time. But in all fairness if I was not spending money repairing it I would just spend it on something else - vacations maybe. My Astro has 64,000 miles on it. Windshield wiper works when it wants to. Can not find the problem. Gas gauge either reads empty or full. Dealer now wants to drop tank. Replaced all front end components at 35,000 miles. I am now on my 4th set of tires. Van road walks bad. You really have to pay attention. This gets annoying on trips! Sqeaks and rattles are terrible especially in the dash. Wind noise is heavy. Brakes must be closely monitored. It wears them out quick. Driver leg room, due to the wheel well is terrible. Basically its a van body dropped on a truck frame. Now for the good stuff. It has been dependable. Nice for the kid and friends. AWD is a must. I would have to think long and hard before buying another. GM has made this van for years and needs to do some major engineering changes. Similar Products Used: Hard to beat a 4-Runner |
[Aug 20, 2001]
Robert burke
Model Reviewed:
Astro AWD
Strength:
I think I got a "monday" built van...
Weakness:
It could, at any time, turn into a "friday" built van.. bummer... This is an addendum to my review submitted on 3/4/01... Similar Products Used: ........... |
[Aug 18, 2001]
Eddie
Model Reviewed:
chevy astro
Strength:
doesn,t burn that much gas,very reliable, had for a year all i had to do was get a tune up and brake pads. very roomy
Weakness:
poor acceleration when using air conditioner.rear bed uncomfortable, Out of all the vans I owned the 94 model by far is the best(1986,1989) Similar Products Used: 1986 and 1989 model |