“Also consider that 2004 was the last year GM built Oldsmobiles. Parts will become increasingly hard to get.”
Almost all the parts are the same as the Chevy Venture and Pontiac Montana, which were built for one more year. If the parts are hard to get, it is because the model lines were phased out in 2005, not that it is and Olds. In any case, we have not had trouble finding parts for our 2003 Silhouette.
Thank you to all. Your comments were invaluable. The unnerving crash video was the deal breaker, although I had hit deer twice and nothing like that happened–fortunately.
I purchased a 1998 Saturn with a clean Carfax, 105,000 miles for $3000 and feel I made a wise choice. (I haven’t watched the crash video.)
That’s $3000, not $300
Unless you can get it real cheap,stay away from it(I’ve bought too many bad vehicles from dealers)-Kevin
body parts yes but not hard parts .
GM and Ford could not design a safe minivan for the life of them. Especially Ford is waiting for them to all die off and be sent to the crusher.
Chrysler is the way to go. They have some known issues but are far more plentiful and competitive. Not a Sienna or Odyssey but do the trick.
@raj When I bought a Ford Windatar back in 2000 it had a much higher safety rating than any of the other minivans at the time.
Some years back, the manager of the vehicle fleet at the university where I was employed said that he would not authorize the purchase of Chrysler minivans. The vehicles purchased were Ford Aerostars and Chevrolet rear wheel drive minivans. This was before Ford and GM offered a front wheel drive minivans. When these Ford and Chevrolet minivans were no longer serviceable, they were replaced with the front wheel drive versions of these vans. Chrysler vans were never considered for fleet use.
I had Ford Aerostar that was quite satisfactory. When I was ready to replace it, I drove a Dodge minivan, but I didn’t like it, so I bought a Ford Windstar. I probably would have replaced the Windstar with another Ford minvan, but Ford quit making minivans. I purchased a Chevrolet Uplander which my son now owns and it has been very trouble free and reliable. I would have purchased another GM minivan, but GM discontinued the minvan. My independent mechanic recommended either the Honda or Toyote minivan based on his experience with customers. He didn’t think that Chrysler was the way to go.
I have had no experience with Chrysler minivans. However, it seems to me in an older minivan such as the one the OP was considering, the condition is much more important than the make.
This is all a moot point and I’ve never owned a mini-van (don’t want or need one) but a quick look at the crash test rating for a Windstar against a Caravan shows the Ford to be a bit better with 5 stars for the Windstar and 4 for the Caravan.
Insurance claims have as much, or more, to do with drivers than vehicles. My guess is those Oldsmobiles sold to far older, safer drivers than most minivans. With fewer kids to distract them.
Not so moot whatsover. Ford and NHSTA blew off data of failures. Finally NYT pushed them over the edge although one gentleman passed due to dreadful engineering failure with Ford’s (old) attitude of addressing problems.
Windstars are being junked or having their axles replaced due to fracturing mainly in salt environments. Nothing I would drive or let alone put my family in. My mother in law got a $2500 check for her $1000 minivan from Ford during this recall.
Time 1:28 for the failure(forced) results.
“Insurance claims have as much, or more, to do with drivers than vehicles.”
@MarkM, I agree. But there is still the issue of how well the test mimics real life. I see at least 2 issues:
The vehicle does not brake when it hits the barrier and the angle of attach is not the same as a real crash.
This is only one of dozens of different ways a vehicle can be in an accident. The real life costs for medical issues tells a more complete story.
Or, as you seem to say, it doesn’t matter what you buy if you are a defensive driver.