What Family MPV - Venture or Zafira

**userfriendly** · November 29th, 2007 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by cbcnestormn

Hello Userfriendly: Thanks for your detailed comments, its a great help. The owner of a Venture with only 32tkms says worst case he got 4kms/liter, average of 5 kms/liter and best of 6 kms/liter city driving.

What mileage did you get after using the lighter engine oil?

What fix did the casa do for the slow turning radiator fan? Was it a loose connection only>?

I appreciate the reliability of Japanese cars but I am much attracted by the huge people carrying space of this car and low purchase price relative to age of the car.

I now average 5 km/l city driving and 10 km/l highway. Combined is 14.4L/100kms = 7 km/l. With 10w40 oil I was averaging 18.8L/100kms = 5.32 km/L.

Casa just fixed a loose connection.

I just buy my filters from Thunder and have it serviced at Speedyfix. Will try Royal Purple 5w30 on my next oil change. Migs, T-cash ang bayad ha.

**cbcnestormn** · November 29th, 2007 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by userfriendly

I now average 5 km/l city driving and 10 km/l highway. Combined is 14.4L/100kms = 7 km/l. With 10w40 oil I was averaging 18.8L/100kms = 5.32 km/L.

Casa just fixed a loose connection.

I just buy my filters from Thunder and have it serviced at Speedyfix. Will try Royal Purple 5w30 on my next oil change. Migs, T-cash ang bayad ha.

Userfriendly: Tks again for sharing your owner experience, its valuable. I am more hopeful if I finally buy one, i will be as lucky. I can promise you I am a careful user. Mileage of 10 kmsliter or even just 8 -9 for me is great considering the comfort you get. Vinj is right that the risk remains of unexpected roadside breakdown...eh bahala na

I believe in gambling on probabilities that w/ good maintenance and a dose of luck siguro di ako itirik nito. If I get one, I will keep you posted. I hope this is a budget Previa...no offense intended on anyone ha...I would love a Previa but wont pay Php 1M even for a used one.

I called Roy of Chevy QA and he was cooperative enough to explain to me the critical parts of the car that need regular checking (i.e radiator blower functionality, wiring connections must be clean/tight etc.), etc. He said, overheating is the most common problem of this car. Electronics (ECU related problems) are not common.

Thunder auto supply then told me what parts sell well i.e. breakdown commonly - fan belt idler pulleys/tensioners, less common but happens are replacement of alternators.

Thanks for Coiter suggestion about the Kia Carnival, but interestingly they have a bit higher resale value

But I am not fond of non-crdi diesels, and I think costs of fixing old high mileage diesels is not cheaper than an 2nd hand venture with low mileage that I find is easily available. But if I could afford, a Starex CRDi is nice, a Ford 2.0 TDCi is great

**cbcnestormn** · November 29th, 2007 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by vinj

There's a reason for the low 2nd hand purchase price... i don't know for what reason but i have two acquaintances who've owned one and the last time i saw their garages they already disposed their Ventures (and coincidentally both got a 2nd hand Starex in exchange). My main discomfort in owning a Venture is the experience MBT had with his before... sa Podium pa lang and the car conked out and he had no support from the CASA to have it towed to their shop... what the more if this happens while you're on an out of town trip?

But if you feel you can live with that, you know where to get parts and service, and you're confident on driving the van out on long trips without encountering problems then it's a good deal indeed since i see 2 year old units selling for as low as 350 to 400K. If not... why not look at a Starex as well? Space, comfort, more parts and service knowledge...

Vinj, the Venture offered to me at php 350k is a 2002 model or 5 yrs old, where did you see a 2 yrs old unit at the same price? Then I should look around more? A 2005 unit with 16Tkms is advertised at php 490k, imagine this was Php 1,150k brand new!

**vinj** · November 29th, 2007 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by cbcnestormn

Vinj, the Venture offered to me at php 350k is a 2002 model or 5 yrs old, where did you see a 2 yrs old unit at the same price? Then I should look around more? A 2005 unit with 16Tkms is advertised at php 490k, imagine this was Php 1,150k brand new!

I saw one on the Manila Bulletin a few weeks back (sometime October or early November)... the owner advertised it at around "400K neg" for a '05 model. We're also in the market for a family van and the Venture was tempting due to the price but after my not-so-happy experience with the GM Autoworld service on a relative's Suburban before and the feedback of some people we decided to look for a Starex, Innova, Ford Everest or Sedona instead.

Once in a while there are reasonably priced Chrysler Caravans/Town and Countrys in the classifieds (bet. 300K to 600K)... Also late 90's Previas. Another okay van for me, although it's already old, is the Mazda MPV actually.

**userfriendly** · November 29th, 2007 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by vinj

Once in a while there are reasonably priced Chrysler Caravans/Town and Countrys in the classifieds (bet. 300K to 600K)... Also late 90's Previas. Another okay van for me, although it's already old, is the Mazda MPV actually.

Caravans are nice. I used to drive one when I was in North America. Weakness ng Caravans ang AT. prone to breakeage ang AT nito at hindi pwede ang regular Dexron III ATF.

Dont expect to get 8 or 9 km/L. most of my driving is highway, SLEX and Star Toll. Although SLEX is better described as a crawl way. My best FC was 12km/L pure highway.

BTW, check the radiator of the unit. I've read a lot of internet gripes about GM's Dexcool coolant turning into jello. You can google "dexron collant problems" or something to that effect if you want to read about it. I just use ordinary premixed Prestone and so far so good.

**cbcnestormn** · November 29th, 2007 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by vinj

I saw one on the Manila Bulletin a few weeks back (sometime October or early November)... the owner advertised it at around "400K neg" for a '05 model. We're also in the market for a family van and the Venture was tempting due to the price but after my not-so-happy experience with the GM Autoworld service on a relative's Suburban before and the feedback of some people we decided to look for a Starex, Innova, Ford Everest or Sedona instead.

Once in a while there are reasonably priced Chrysler Caravans/Town and Countrys in the classifieds (bet. 300K to 600K)... Also late 90's Previas. Another okay van for me, although it's already old, is the Mazda MPV
actually.

Tks Vinj, I will look again. I actually had closely followed each weekend of the Manila bulletin and Buy n Sell but did not see such a low priced Venture. I will look again, but if you see it again, pls post me the contact tel no...tks. I am afraid of automatic tranny problems as those are expensive to fix too. I am less interested in Chrysler as parts are more difficult to find I assume. The Venture worst case I can get parts on the internet from the U.S. and in China during one my my visits there I think.

**cbcnestormn** · November 29th, 2007 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by userfriendly

Caravans are nice. I used to drive one when I was in North America. Weakness ng Caravans ang AT. prone to breakeage ang AT nito at hindi pwede ang regular Dexron III ATF.

Dont expect to get 8 or 9 km/L. most of my driving is highway, SLEX and Star Toll. Although SLEX is better described as a crawl way. My best FC was 12km/L pure highway.

BTW, check the radiator of the unit. I've read a lot of internet gripes about GM's Dexcool coolant turning into jello. You can google "dexron collant problems" or something to that effect if you want to read about it. I just use ordinary premixed Prestone and so far so good.

Tks Userfriendly for the new tips about the coolant. one unit I am seriously considering has an Aeronox gas saver installed on it, the owner says he gained 1 km/liter saving on consumption so his previous 4 -5.5 km/liter use is now 5-6.5 km/liter...I wonder if true....can this gadget damage the engine? what stops me is a loud bearing noise that remains even after the crankpulley and belt tensioner has been changed...the owner said the casa mechanics said the noise was normal.

**userfriendly** · November 29th, 2007 09:05 PM

I dont trust those fuel saving gadget. I tried one called HOB and it was crap. Think about it, car manufacturers spend millions on engine design and research. I would think that they know more about engines and fuel consumption than some inventor.

I'd think twice or look for another unit if that one has bearing noise. My 2 cents.

**cbcnestormn** · December 4th, 2007 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by userfriendly

I dont trust those fuel saving gadget. I tried one called HOB and it was crap. Think about it, car manufacturers spend millions on engine design and research. I would think that they know more about engines and fuel consumption than some inventor.

I'd think twice or look for another unit if that one has bearing noise. My 2 cents.

Tks Userfriendly, your comments have helped me suspend a quick decision on buying that nice clean red venture, not the least until I let the reality sink in. At Php 350, + Php 50k for repairs the cost becomes Php 400k...not sure if its worth it. So am planning to look at a Kia Sedona Gas V6 a/t w/ 28Tkms offered at Php 430k, any opinoins on its gas mileage and maintenance experience?