Used 2003 Chevrolet Venture Consumer Reviews
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Marred by crash test
This is a pretty good vehicle overall. Our family loves the VCR entertainment system. It pulls away pleasently from a stop and has pretty good passing power. It is a bit noisier inside then I would like, but I guess its ok. The ride can really thump over some bumps but is very good over smoother roads. The seats are fairly comfortable, but the second row is a little claustrophobic with the car's dark interior and narrow dimensions. The only thing that is truly disappointing is the IIHS crash test rating, which was the poorest they have ever tested. This alone has motivated us to get a new car.
Pretty good as minivans go
We replaced an Olds Bravada with this Venture, so the bar was set a little high for features. So far it's a very comfortable ride, easy to drive, with one minor problem to date (a left headlight that holds moisture) that's being addressed as I write this. Storage is excellent overall, especially in the van's rear. I miss OnStar, but it wasn't available on this trim level. Mine is the 7-seat version with leather and captain's chairs.
- LT Passenger MinivanMSRP: $3,995269 mi away
- LT Passenger MinivanMSRP: $6,500649 mi away
- LS Passenger MinivanMSRP: $8,495680 mi away
A pretty good van -- one problem though
The van has been pretty good to us so far. We've owned this van for 8 months (10K so far) and the only problem (a recurring problem) is with the struts on the driver side. The dealer cannot seem to find the problem with the struts. There's a noticable clunking (metal on metal) whenever we hit certain bumps in the road. I hope they can figure this out soon, we're going on our third round of service calls for this issue. A side from the strut problem, we've been mostly pleased with our new Chevy Venture!
Wow!
This van is simply mind boggling! Amazing. I love it. i have three of them. what else could you ask for.
Dear lord I didn't want a minivan
But since I've had this one I've enjoyed it, in relative speaking. I like my wifes Dodge van better for less money. I can't wait until the kids get older and I can have my pickup truck back.
My Last GM Product
This van started falling apart at about 50000 miles. Door handles breaking, DVD player quit working, backup sensors quit working, seat side plastic plate broke to name a few. It now has 105,000 miles on it and I took it to the dealer with a list of things I would like to have repaired and asked them to give the van a good once over for problems. The total came up to roughly $5,000. The good ol' manifold gakset needed replaced, new shocks and struts, new brakes and rotors, a new computer, new plugs and wires and they wanted $183 dollars to fix the cheap plastic seat side plate. I'm going to have the stuff repaired, but not by those crooks. My 1997 Nissan Quest has 206,000 miles. Hmmm.
Discontinued for good reason.
Year one - transmission rebuild, brakes gone at 22000, interior lighting failing, engine overheating in summer. Year two - additional interior lighting failure, power door locks no longer function, lift gate strap pulls off, arm rests come loose on driver door and front passenger door, engine still overheating after several repairs. Year three - down to two or three dash lights no center console lights left, engine still overheating after additional repairs, transmission shifting hard and clunking (dealer replacement in year one). Year four plus - barely driveable despite regular maintenance and numerous dealer repairs.
Best mini van in the market
This is by far the best family vehicle I've ever owned.
Good Vehicle
I bought this van brand new because I got a great deal. It's a little cheesy (needs extended visors, pockets on back of front seat, road noise a little high, fit and finish not very well done), but I find it comfortable, easy to drive, and thus far, extremely reliable.
Excellent ride
Despite the real rating, we manage about 25 mpg on our Venture. It now has 184,000 miles and probably thanks to regular servicing it has never offered any serious problems. Little things like brake linings and light bulbs are to be expected, and the only complaint I have is that one headlight has condensed water inside it! Comfort is wonderful, size and space is fantastic, it looks like new and it is totally and absolutely dependable.
Happy with Chevy Venture WB Edition
We wanted more room, so we traded in our Chevy Blazer for the Venture. We were close to buying the Montana Vision Van, but were able to get a better deal from Chevy. The Venture has loads of features geared toward families on the move...DVD player w/remote, in-dash 6 CD changer, air compressor, rear organizer, seating for 8...I could go on and on. We are extremely pleased!
Great Minivan with lots for goodies
We purchased this WB edition specially for our kids, and long drives and commutes. Lots of room, and 8 people can sit without any problem. Fuel consumption is good, and we are getting 18/26 as per books. Engine is fine, but need more power, as some time feel that this big box is not moving. There is no RPM gauge in Venture, but in other sibling (Montana) its there..over all great buy, saved over 7000 on msrp.
Warner Bros. Chevy Venture
This is the second Venture that we have purchased. The first was in 1996. We purchased the Venture again due to the exceptional performance that we had with our first car. Not problem over all the years that we had the van. The new van is just like the old one as far as reliability so far and the two issues that we had with the first ( lighted mirrors and horn honking when car locked) were corrected on the newer model. We are very pleased with this car.
Service gets to see it alot
I have to say when I first got the Venture, I was thrilled. It fit 8 people comfortably, the kids had room and entertainment. However, in 1 year I have had the brakes replaced and the rotors. The rotors cannot be turned on a Venture....strike one Then we had to get a new Hub Kit...the wheel bearing went....strike 2 Not sure I would get this one again. Expensive van and something we purchase as a safe reliable family vehicle.
My vacation
My first Venture was a lemon being towed three times in one week. The last time being the Friday I was leaving for Vacation. My plans where to go to Florida with my grandchildren and spending the day in a dealer ship (Meisner)was not my idea of a good start. After getting a lawyer and GM buying that one we really liked the van so we went to a different dealership and purchase our new one. We have not had any problems with this one and its great when you have 5 grandchildren.
my van
I have my van about 2yrs and I still love driving it around. I have 4 full size teenager boys and one dog + one husband. We all fit in the our van very comfortable.
My First Venture
Changing from a SUV was a bit of a challange but from the start, this vehicle was easy to enter, easy to operate and has plenty of room to take the entire family with us. One must for us is a vehicle that we can take out of state family members on tours of New York City and Ocean villages. Both are easily accomplished with our Venture. I love to shop and with the 3rd seats down can get about any furniture inside.
Venture is the best
We were so impressed with our first Venture we bought another one and kept the first. Have had no trouble with either vehicle. The first is a 1998.
Great Van
Great for family with lots of room. great flexability for all family functions. Great choice of options for different needs.
New veh review
This vehicle gets around very easily and is responsive to driver inputs.The acceleration is quite adequate for a vehicle of this size.Having driven a Windstar with a larger engine during my evaluation process, I find the smaller engine very adequate and the fuel economy offers a savings in fuel costs.
Why I own a Venture
I own a 1998 LS Chev Venture. I love it. The mileage is excellent and it is a joy to drive. Driving on long trips is a pleasure. I would buy another one in a few years if I decide to sell it.
Venture Stacks up to the competition
I have owned mini vans since 1992 and with three children purchasing another mini van was a no brainer.I test drove the Town & Country, the Windstar, the Oddessy and the venture. I had no real complaints with any of them but I felt with all the incentives from General motors the venture was the best bang for the buck.
A Really Good Van!
No problems through 6,000 miles to date. Excellent performance, a very satisfactory Van.
Great for kids or drywall
Great for hauling kids or drywall. Will fit anything. Heated seat great and can fly by SUVs in the snow. Great milage for the size also. The DVD is great for long trips
Excellent
It is an excellent vehicle and fun to drive. I generally bring 5 17-20 year old hockey players to their practice, and have plenty of room
Venture LS is Great!
We replaced a 1998 Ford Windstar with a 2003 Chevy Venture and we couldn't be more pleased. Venture has lots of room for people because it seats 8 instead of 7. It's got less horsepower than Windstar, but it still seems to have the same amount of get-up-and-go. The features that come with the LS make the Venture a great value for the money. If you are in the market for a used vehicle, you can easily get into a Venture with alot of extras for less than you can get into an older Ford Windstar. Venture is comfortable, easy to drive, has a smooth ride and still has room for all of your stuff.
love it -great price
Still getting acquainted with the long list of features. Wonderful ride, great sound system, very quiet inside. No kids...got it for the convenience and for traveling, and couldn't be more pleased so far. Dealership (Feldman/Novi) made buying a really positive experience.
DON'T buy a Venture!
I previously owned a 01 venture (and was happy with it) and traded it in for the next model up, only to find out GM totally stripped a lot of convenient features from the 03 ventures that were on my previous van,which was a cheaper model. I am totally dissatisfied with it and plan on trading it in on something else as soon as it is financially feasible. I also lost quite a bit of money on my trade-in because ventures don't hold their value. The only thing that seems to be consistent from 2 years ago is the air leaks under the dash, which has to have more foam put in at the dealership to keep the cold air out.
Wonderful and fun to drive
I am a soccer mom and I spend a lot of time in my Venture. It is a great van for anyone with an active life.
Love this van
The whole family loves this van! I originally decided on the Venture to use my GMCard dollars - I paid less than 22K. We had a 98 Venture that we were very satisfied with. I was happy that they had made several improvements - 2nd row lights, seat reclining is easier, cupholders are much better now. It seems minor, but I also like that the accessories stay on when you turn off the ignition until you open the door. We ended up with the towing pkg and DVD, which is great - the air compressor is really handy, DVD keeps the kids occupied. I've had no problems with it so far, but I haven't had it very long. I'll check back in in a couple years.
1st vann owned lt fwd
this is the first vann i have owned. i like driving it. with leather seats, it is easy getting in & out. we also like the heated seats and sitting up higher which provides better vision. 1walt
Seating for 8
We have the WB edition. We have seating for 8. It's a solid vehicle. I am not blown away by it but I am not disappointed in it either. The third seat will fit three mid-sized kids. Don't bother putting a car seat back there if you need all the seating positions - it will take up two. The middle seating position in both rows only has a lap belt. It is also difficult to get the outer seats in the second row to pop forward to enter the back row. On the positive side, the van has great pickup - it doesn't lag even with the A/C. Cargo is good. Seating is confortable and the ride is smooth. Dual power doors are a nice bonus too.
cant beat it
I HAVE DRIVEN A LOT OF VANS, BUT THIS VAN HAS OUTDONE THEM ALL,
2003 Venture Warner Bros
So far the 2003 Venture has been a very reliable and versatile vehicle. It is comfortable on long trips and the gas mileage is averaging around 21 miles per gal. I have used it for trips to the lumber yard to pick up lumber and materials and with all rears seats folding flat is makes it very easy to load.
Wouldn't change much
We rented the Venture back in April to take a trip to Hershey, PA for vacation. I fell in love with it! I looked around at other minivans and found Chevy to be the best for what I was looking for.
1st time minivanner and joyed about it
Just bought our venture because a 3rd youngster is on the way. Extremely pleased with the venture that bested out the caravan and the odyssey. The cornering stability is suprising and the engine, while conservative, is enough to power the luxurious cabin. This may be my first car I can sleep in while traveling. Only complaint is the gas mileage, UGH! Kudos Chevy (from a Ford man)!
Chevy Venture
I can't believe wqhat a great car this is...Hard to believe it's a Chevy! Tip of the hat to General Motors.
not too bad
I have only had my van for 3 months now and so far I like it. My kids complain that there are no arm rest on the middle row seats, but other than that, it seems to be a nice van. I did have a key go bad on me on the second day I had it. I was lucky enough to have a spare. The car won't start if it doesn't like the key. I had a Pontiac Transport before this one which had steering wheel controls for the radio. I miss that in this one. I hope to get at least 100,000 miles out of this before I have any major problems....I hope.
DON'T WANT ANOTHER ONE
POOR HANDLING QUALITIES ON THE ROAD. THIS IS MY SECOND VENTURE, HAD SAME PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS ON THE 2001. ALOT OF ACCESORIES THAT WERE STANDARD ON THE 2001 ARE MISSING ON THE 2003. AMAGINE A 30000.OO AUTO AND NO GLOVE COMPARTMENT LITE. MILEAGE ON THE VAN IS WAY BELOW EXPECTATIONS.
Better than expected
I bought this van for my wife, expecting a good vehicle. It's a great van - a nice surprise. It is comfortable, roomy, not too wide on the outside (easy to park!), and economical - for a van. My wife loves it, and I enjoy driving it, too. My only concern is the longer term problem with intake manifold leaks. Is it fixed on the 2004? Time will tell. Still, we're happy with it. It 's a great value.
Seems like a solidly built van
This is our first mini van. We were motivated to purchase a GM van because of rebate money from our credit card, but I was pleasantly suprised at the quality we found in the Venture. The ride is smooth and quiet. The body is tight and seems well built. So far, no problems or glitches. The 8 passenger seating option is nice and the seats are easy to adjust and/or remove. We are very happy with the van.
Suits its purpose
I am in a van because I need to be with 3 year old twins. Going in to it I decided I wanted bare bones only with no fancy extras like power doors, etc. However, this is my second van and there were some must haves like rear air and 8 passenger seating. I've owned the van for 1 year and have been very happy with it. It definitely suits its purpose and I have no major complaints. Overall I am very satisfied with this vehicle.
Great Value
Compared all the minivans and for what we wanted determined the Venture was the best fit. The price was right and the 0% financing was great. It is everything we had hoped for. The power sliding doors are great and backup sensors keeps my wife from bumping into things. The backup sensors actually work better than I had expected. In two years and 30k miles we have not had a single problem. The rear audio controls solve alot of problems with our teenager.
economical people mover
Reliable, 28mpg + hauling my fishing buddies & gear,no breakdowns
Reliable
I owned a 2003 Venture and the only thing that ever broke was the transmission at about 175,000 miles. Of course a battery every 5 years, and other small easy stuff I could fix myself. The very best thing about this vehicle model is it never, ever got stuck in the snow. I had the FWD model and the 9" ground clearance let this van push the snow off it's front bumper. Mine lasted until the door fell off, no BS, the sliding door rusted out and fell off. 346,000 miles and I cried when my daughter took it to the junk yard. If anyone has the opportunity to find one in great condition with reasonable miles on it, you'd be crazy to pass this up.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
A Venture Review
Standard Driving for a basic van No more No less
Great van
This van drives like a car. Out of the other vans I drove this van gives more bang for the buck. It has good power,yet good gas mileage. I got the Warner Brother package for only $22,400.
Worst Vehicle I ever purchased
They forgot to give us all the little extra like the netting for the back. We found stains on the chairs.