Used 1999 GMC Safari Minivan Consumer Reviews
My 4th Astro/Safari Van
Excellent overall Van - I have owned 4 of them, and probably 5 full sized fords before that. Bought one new, put 200,000 miles on it without a problem. Bought 3 used with 100,000 miles at about $5,000.00 each and ran them to just over 200,000 miles each, and sold or traded them for about $2,500.00 each In all four combined, I replaced 2 window motors ($26.00) a couple blower fan relays ($6.00), a couple fuel pumps ($200.00), one drive chain ($300.00), and one CV joint ($60.00). Do the math - $12,500.00 vehicle cost: got 500,000 miles, about $600.00 in repairs. No brainer - this is a great little truck (and it IS a truck), hauls a trailer well, fits lotsa people, extremely comfortable,
Safari van
I have owned Safaris since 1986, have been reliable vehicles. Good gas mileage for the 1999 unit, no problems except for A/C repair at 65,000 mi and brakes and front idler arms every 35,000 mi.
Give and take
Major Safety concern - no door ajar light/ alarm for doors other than driver side door and even then, door has to be completely open. We have driven with door ajar several times. Have had many water leakage problems with all doors. Not much room for taller drivers. Rattle at slow speed but service department can not fix.
GMC Safari
$800.00 to replace fuel pump at 65,000 mi. $1800 to rebuild transmission at 70,000 mi.$100.00, 3 times to clear throttle sticking condition off idle. This is my first GM product after 20+ years of Ford and Dodge. I wont buy another GM. Never had expensive problems with the other brands.
Expensive to own/maintain
Purch 1/99; 4/99 transfer case prob; 7/99 8k mi trans replace solenoid-2 visits; 3/00 17k mi transfer case; 5/00 21k mi overhaul trans asmbly; 7/00 24k recondit'd valve body/trans; expensive brake, trans + transfer case maint for life; 1/02 53k idler arms $600; 1/03 74k intake gskt $500; 5/03 76k AC comprsr, door lock actuators $1,300; 7/03 82k NEW ENGINE $7k (spun bearing, threw rod)on family trip from NC to NY; 8/03 83k AC control head $350; 11/03 85k ignition coil/rotor $400. Expensive to own; has been a $10,000 year.Sadly, this Safari has never "wanted" for anything + the maintenance schedule has been followed +/or exceeded.