REAR DRIVE FOR TOWING.

POWER WINDOWS.(MOTORS)

Power windows have been major problem. First drivers side motor went,just before warranty ran out. Then about six months later the passengers side went. I replaced it with rebuilt unit which seemed as good or better than OEM. That one lasted about 8 months and almost burnt the vehicle. The motor shorted and burned the wiring to the point of flames inside door. Luckily I had a fire extingiusher to put it out. Now to replace another motor and hope for the best.

I would like to know why my fuel pump is constantly going out. This van has had a pump put on it twice in one year. I would like to know why this keep happening. Is it because it has over 2 hundred thousand miles on it. I am tired of spending bad monies could you please tell me what I need to do.

I love the power and torque this van gives me. Easy to 80 to 90 on the intersate. Sometimes more! It is a conversion van and gives my family a lot of room. I tow a trailer as we go to auctions and have towed other things, it feels like a truck. Insurance on this van is low, so we save money there. They rate this as a safe vehicle.

Need to replace a Mapp sensor as I am getting poor gas milage. Not to bad...It was due, moisture got in air filter housing from a heavy rain and the airbox is cracked. Gorilla glue will fix that. Fuel filter needs constant changing as it's location is aweful and collects dirt and water. Maintetance is high. I replaced the front end, shocks, brakes at 85,000 miles. Also replaced the A/C motor, panel control switch, resistor. Must have a vacuam problem, Hard to locate/isolate problem as I lost air flow from the A/C when on high. Put a portable fan on the dash, yeah it works. Factory tires suck. Put on larger and better tires this improved the ride so much better. Worth the money for better tires, such as off and on raod terrain tires. Sound system sucks as I need to get a premium system installed. Not all locks work now. As in older cars they are harder to keep em going. We do not slam the doors as it is hard on all cars electric motors if you do.

This van has been great. Fits 6 easy! We paid this van off about two years ago. I have paid other vehicles off and had to get something more reliable, therefore trading them in. I can't seem to let this one go. This is a keeper and I have had offers for this vehicle. The kids love it! This is a great vehicle for a family. It never left us on the side of the road stranded as it is reliable. ONLY LIKES SHELL GASOLINES, Do not know why? Does not like cheaper gasolines. No problem there.

Similar Products Used:

Multiple.Chevy trucks, Fords Imports

it acutally pulls alot of weight and it got an accident and still was fine it very strong

the brakes a very bad i wish it had a dvd player and first second and third row heated seats and have ac on the second and third row seats.

the whislter safari that i have is a great van i had no problems with it and it is now at 100000 miles its 8 passenger i me and my family go on long drives every year and nothing is wrong with it. It leads the way on the highway.

Similar Products Used:

chevy astro

190 hp at 4400 rpm. 250 lbs. of torque at 2800 rpm. Do a simple ratio comparison with modern engines that advertise big hp and torque numbers. At what rpm do they produce them? Too high for real-world driving. / Dutch doors and a handy set-stuff-on-it rear bumper. / Every seat reclines. / We can play the kid's CD's AND our cassets through 8 fine sounding speakers. We are now spoiled by the remote door locks, on board compass and outside temp. read outs, power seats, etc., etc., etc. / 27 gallon gas tank. / 3.73 gear ratios in all 3 differentials for quick take offs and impressive towing ability. / Commanding seating hieght and great view thru the large, tinted windows. / Vast interior space. We can carry multiple people AND bikes, plants and groceries, AT THE SAME TIME. / Excellent in the snow! / And last but not least...we picked ours up for a song because it is considered to be unreliable and outdated by so many folks. / P.S. And when anything does go wrong, there are lots of them out there for parts. (They were built for 20 yrs.)

The brakes are weak to terrible. I wish it had heated seats and outside mirrors. I wish the driver and front passenger had more foot room. I wish I had long, skinny, double-jointed arms; so I could change the spark plugs without pulling out my hair and screaming. I wish the rear seats would fold down into the floor. I wish I could lay a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on the floor and shut the rear doors. Did I mention that the brakes were weak to terrible?

The newest,prettiest,and fanciest vehichle we have ever owned. We still use the 1993 AWD Astro van we had before this one, as our work van. (It has over 190,000 miles on it, and has been used for everything from hauling landscaping rocks to pulling stumps out of the ground.) Our "new" '96 has 147,000 miles on it, and has just completed a trouble-free 1,700 mile round trip to Michigan. True, we had to put new idler arms and correct-size tires on it before we left, and install a new water pump on it a week after we came back; but it was a joy on the trip and averaged between 17 and 19 mpg the whole way. Not bad for a 4,350 lb. AWD comfort cruiser! Ours is the SLT model, with all the bells and whistles, and they all still work except the front AC shuts down when going up a hill. Locally, I'm known as the van man, and I consider the Safari to be the ultimate van. It is way more handy to drive and park than a full-sized van, and way more capable than a car-based "van". It has a "real" engine with a cast iron block and heads, and a front subframe with solid steel tubular a-frames. The "GMC Truck" logos on the steering wheel and back door say it all. My personal favorite feature is the "old days" style of the body. If I designed the coolest style van possible, it would look just like our Safari. The only change I would (and am going to) make, would be to remove all of that lower body cladding that holds dirt and moisture against the metal and invites rust.

Similar Products Used:

A long line of Ford, Chevy and Dodge full size vans, and one Pymouth mini-van.

Size/roominess.

First the CD player went. Then the lights on the radio started going out. Then the lights for the rear A/C and heat. I have to turn on the overheads at night to see the radio. Then the back hatch wouldn't open. I found out it was because I'd closed it too hard and I had to take it apart to fix it. Same for the sliding side door. The power windows are starting to go. It's hit or miss on how long it'll take to roll them back up. The driver's side door doesn't unlock with the keyless entry. The A/C is leaking freon. Now I suspect I need a new alternator. I'm sure there will be much more work to do on it.

Loved the vehicle during the first year. But it slowly started deteriorating after the warranty expired. I still owe too much on it to get rid of it, so I'm stuck with the piece of junk.

Power, and the AWD is great in the Michigan snow.

The transmission!! I would look for something better only because of the transmission problems. Maybe a Ford?

Absolutely love the van, in spite of the crappy MPG. The real issue is the transmission. I had a 1999 Astro with a hard shift between 1st and 2nd gear, and the same with my '97 Safari. But recently, after a 90 minute ride at hwy speeds, the 1st to 2nd shift just slammed several times. I turn the van off, and restart - the problem goes away. That is until I drive hwy speeds again. Then 1st to 2nd shift slams very hard.

Similar Products Used:

1999 Astro (Gemini conversion).

FANTASTIC in winter snow conditions, roomy,strong engine, smooth ride, lots of room,handles well

Purchased used w/ 62,000 miles, engine blew up one wk later. Engine replaced, I felt confident in having a "new car" 1) A/C failed twice-dealer doesn't believe they installed bad gasket/seal after re-hooking up A/C after engine install 2) Mass Air Flow Sensor replaced 3) Torsion Arms replaced after 3 shops could not do proper alignment 4)Power window motors replaced 5) Every so often, the power door locks decide to activate lock/unlock by themselves, even w/ engine off. Dealer told me I had a "ghost" I prefer to believe there is an electrical problem 6) Ignition coil melted- my mechanic said he has NEVER seen that happen for no reason----Reason? LEMON! 7)Ignition Rotor Cap and Dist Cap replaced w Ignition Coil 8)Went thru TWO alternaters in one month 9)Serpentine Belt replaced 10)Seals on door come off track, Wind whistles thru car 11) Pins holding levers that clasp side pop=out windows vibrate loose and have to periodically be pushed back in. 12) Universals are going bad-this news 5 days after ignition coil repair 13)Engine failure for whatever reason causes steering and braking failure-An accident waiting to happen 14) I have had this van towed 5 times in 2005 by July and God knows how many times in 2004-way over the limit my AAA allows me. I must carry TWO tow policies to cover owning this vehicle!

This was the newest vehicle I ever bought w/ the least amount of miles . I expected less repairs, a safe car I could confidently drive on long trips, and I am afraid to take it more than 50 miles from home. I am still paying on my loan and spending an average of 35.00 per wk on repairs. I hope I got a lemon, coz I haven't found a minivan I like as much as this as per my lifestyle

Similar Products Used:

1989 and 1993 Ford AeroStars-both over 120,000 each w/ NO major repairs and a 1995 Ford Club Wagon 140,000+miles still going strong

Interior room, 5500 lb towing capacity, better mileage than a SUV. Macho outdated minivan box styling.

Maintenance issues/quality control, rough ride, less mileage than a front drive minivan. Macho outdated minivan box styling.

After eight years, over 138,000 miles, driving up and down both coasts, I've developed quite a respect for the Safari van. This van is a capable tow vehicle. It is nimble people/cargo hauler compared to it's full size equivalent. It is not as comfortable or user friendly as a traditional minivan. After reading the other reviews here, I thought I'd offer my two cents. My van has the usual problems I've read elseware. The brakes pads need replacing every 30k miles. The rotors needed turning at 100k miles and need it again. U-joints went at 120k miles. The windshield motor quit, but I was reimbursed for the repair by the dealer under a GM recall. The passenger door latch only unlatches using the inside door handle. The driver side window motor quit. Oh yeah, idler arms. The dealer got me for that too. All this was fixed by the dealer. Some problems (brakes, door handle) still remain a problem, and I learned to live with it. Some unique problems remain. The transmission tends to hard shift between first and second gear when hot. I found out that if I shut the engine off for a few seconds at a stoplight and restart, it cures the problem for a while and the transmission shifts smoothly. The fluid and filter has been flushed and replaced twice to no avail. Various people have told me various things that are wrong with it, but it ultimately means a new $2300 transmission. It's cheaper to turn the van on and off. Another problem is the stupid "service engine soon" light. O2 sensors were replaced, but it continues to be more of a nuisance than a real problem (over 50K miles with it intermittently on). One dealer told it is linked to the transmission, but I don't know. I also notice that the driver's door tends to bow and bend in high side winds, causing a whistle from the seal. Annoying. The interior is holding up well, with Maine's mud and snow season thrown at it. The van handles nicely in snow with Bridgestone Revo AT P225/70 15 tires on it. The ABS saves me from myself once a winter here in Maine. The van hates frost heaves, or rather my wife does and she lets me know about it. She also hates the room in the passeger foot well. The kids like the back seats, and I like the fact I cans seperate them in separate rows if need be. We all like the room for hauling all our stuff, and it tows a tent trailer nicely. Bottom line: The Safari is a great van for guys who like vans. But don't expect it to be maintenance free. I'm keeping mine for as long as I can before it explodes. I refuse to put any more high dollar maintenance into it. I would buy another one, but I hear they will discontinue them in 2006. So I'll go for something with better mileage since I don't tow any more. For a vehicle the tows more than a minivan, more interior room than a Suburban, and better milage than the average SUV, I wonder why they did not update such a niche vehicle.

Similar Products Used:

Ford Econoline, Chevy Express, Chevy Suburban

traction, hight, space for family, good handling for what it was designed to be.

Repairs for brakes, 6 times, Bad vibration from the drive train, leaks rear window(dutch door),Several Electrical problems from siding side door.Air conditioner noise since new been in shop over 3 months sine new. First month of ownership in shop.

Love the van size, style, roominess. Can carry my Grand kids (twins),my dogs with me all the time. Travel is good for my needs.

Similar Products Used:

Ford Vans (plain and a conversion Mark111 raised roof)Dodge vaans (3) of them from plain hauler to custom.