Kia Sedona vs. Chevy Venture

[mbt]

Pros of venture:
- quiet
- soft, cushiony ride
- reasonable city mileage (5.0 km/l), good highway mileage (9 km/l)
- carlike steering
- responsive gas engine (though not really all that powerful, it will in fact breathe hard on hills)
- long-wheelbase interior space (particularly with four bucket seats like ours)
- if you want a LWB gas-powered minivan, you have no other choice besides the chrysler town & country. previa, starex, sedona technically aren't in the same class as the LWB venture.
- the stock tires last very long (but replacement tires of the same brand and model are not available unless you go to china)

Now for the cons:
- breaks down all the time, downright unreliable (heck, even the casa mechanics say so!)
- regular preventive maintenance costs are on the high side
- parts are downright expensive and are often out of stock
- piss-poor resale value
- you've got nowhere to go for service but the pricey dealer
- dealer service in my experience is rather horrible (it got better though)
- prone to rattles, shakes, creaks, squeaks, groans
- aircon is unacceptably weak (and the expensive cabin air filter always fouls up prematurely too)
- audio system is not very good, because of the poor speaker placement
- interior plastics are horrible, kind of like a Fisher-Price playground set
- not maintenance-friendly (you need a special screwdriver to change a tail light bulb; changing a fan belt is harder than it should be; changing a battery will need one day, etc.)
- shoddy build quality (check out those door handles that feel like they're ready to fall off... even on new ventures)
- pathetically weak headlights (the foglights are bright though)
- spongy brakes

the verdict: Never again. Fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice, shame on me. In 2002, there were really no alternatives, but in 2006, there's no point.

[patbayns]

Pros of venture:
- quiet
- soft, cushiony ride
- reasonable city mileage (5.0 km/l), good highway mileage (9 km/l)
- carlike steering
- responsive gas engine (though not really all that powerful, it will in fact breathe hard on hills)
- long-wheelbase interior space (particularly with four bucket seats like ours)
- if you want a LWB gas-powered minivan, you have no other choice besides the chrysler town & country. previa, starex, sedona technically aren't in the same class as the LWB venture.
- the stock tires last very long (but replacement tires of the same brand and model are not available unless you go to china)

Now for the cons:
- breaks down all the time, downright unreliable (heck, even the casa mechanics say so!)
- regular preventive maintenance costs are on the high side
- parts are downright expensive and are often out of stock
- piss-poor resale value
- you've got nowhere to go for service but the pricey dealer
- dealer service in my experience is rather horrible (it got better though)
- prone to rattles, shakes, creaks, squeaks, groans
- aircon is unacceptably weak (and the expensive cabin air filter always fouls up prematurely too)
- audio system is not very good, because of the poor speaker placement
- interior plastics are horrible, kind of like a Fisher-Price playground set
- not maintenance-friendly (you need a special screwdriver to change a tail light bulb; changing a fan belt is harder than it should be; changing a battery will need one day, etc.)
- shoddy build quality (check out those door handles that feel like they're ready to fall off... even on new ventures)
- pathetically weak headlights (the foglights are bright though)
- spongy brakes

the verdict: Never again. Fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice, shame on me. In 2002, there were really no alternatives, but in 2006, there's no point.

yeah mbt i read that thread, it was really a horrible experience, management and service has really fouled you up.

mukhang walang gaanong neg comments sa sedona, siguro wala masyadong bumibili.

[oldblue]

in our case naman, we dont have problems sa chevy libis casa. kahit driver lang ang nagdadala doon for servicing, ok naman ang service and usually less than a day lang ready na sya.

aircon is adequate and powerful (it's dual btw). the audiovox sound system is simply superb. we installed a pioneer 12 disc changer and maganda ang output. I used my Ipod with it using FM transmitter, mas stable ang reception nya compared to my other car that uses Kenwood. siguro dahil the antenna of the venture is a windshield antenna.

I dunno about mbt's venture pero just as what Raul said: it terms of comfort, one of the best ito sa mga naging tsikot namin. the plastic is malutong in a sense but ganun na din material ang nilagay ngaun sa Fortuner.

i've had two gasoline cars prior to the our venture. a honda civic esi and honda crv. ito lang talaga ang masasabi ko, mas responsive ang venture and mas smooth sya i-drive compared to those 2 independent wishbone honda machines. my only problems are pag nag-turn, medyo mahaba sya. but i guess the same is true to a sedona.

it's a matter of perspective talaga. I suggest you test ride or drive a venture vs. a sedona. and if you value comfort more than pagtitipid, then this car may be ideal for you.





here's one thing I noticed nga pala about sedona. madali mag-depreciate ang exterior nya, madali mag-fade yun paint and even yun body nagi-ging baku-bako yun reflection ng light. but I guess this is true to any other Kia car - parang madali talaga sya magmukang wash-out.

[patbayns]

...they have the same 2.5 gas engine describing the same engine problem and the same remedy, which is to do a short engine replacement.

wow, kung ganon nga dapat diesel na. ang isang masakit nyan pano kung labas na sa warranty, di buti pa bumili na lang ng bago...