ATT:05,06,07,08 Owners!!

[Colt Hero]

I'm sure this one came from the auction block. This guy only has around 25 cars on his lot - most of them vans for some reason...

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by Colt Hero

I'm sure this one came from the auction block. This guy only has around 25 cars on his lot - most of them vans for some reason...

Probably because they were former rentals and the rental companies were through with them and sent them to the auction. There is a used car business in our area, an extension of a Chevrolet dealership, kind of a "side business" for the dealership. They are running commercials on our local tv now touting they have over 40 Uplanders in stock with '08s starting at $16,990. This place has over 400 vehicles with most of them purchased at auctions as former rentals and other classifications. They have everything from vans to SUVs and other popular rental vehicles. This has become a lucrative business in recent years. You didn't really see this 10 -15 years ago, but the industry has changed a lot in that time.

[Colt Hero]

Those '08 vans starting at $16,999 are probably LS's right? If so, I wouldn't touch it. According to Edmunds, the LS Invoice is $22,674 on a base LS, and with the $3000 rebate right now, you can get one for $19,000 without even putting up a fight!

While I'm here ... I'm probably going to buy an '08 Uplander at the end of this year or early next year, so let me share some of my research/observations with those of you who might also be looking to purchase one:

1.) Looks like it is impossible to buy an LS model with the 2nd row captain's chairs, so don't bother looking for it. The only chair option on an LS is a child integral seat and it's pretty rare that you'll see an LS with it added.

2.) I think I remember seeing somewhere where the LS bucket seats still come with no armrests (pathetic).

3.) LS: No standard cruise control (Must add on for $250 retail/$208 cost)

4.) LS: No rear A/C (must add on for $475 retail/$394 cost)

5.) LS: No visor mirrors (and it looks like no way to get them)

6.) LS: No power rear quarter windows

7.) LS: No deep tinted glass, No window wiper/washer/DEFOGGER! (must add CLIMATE PACKAGE - which also adds heat to power mirrors ($645 retail/$545 cost)

7.) LS: No luggage rack! (and apparently no option to get one, although you could probably order the LT rack and have it installed on your LS)

8.) LS: No side airbags standard (must add DUAL STAGE FRONTAL AIRBAGS package for $350 retail/$291 cost).

9.) LS: No UTILITY TRAYS (must add on - and only front tray is available for $75 retail/$62 cost.

10) LS: No OVERHEAD RAIL SYSTEM (must add on for $150/$125).

Most every LS I've seen so far comes with the CLIMATE PACKAGE and CRUISE CONTROL added on (these must be the highest frequency added packages). Makes sense to me. After that, less frequently, you'll see the REAR A/C, SIDE AIR BAGS, and POWER DRIVER'S SEAT added on. To even a lesser frequency, you'll find add-ons for UPGRADED CLOTH SEATS, UTILITY TRAYS, and ALUMINUM WHEELS (steel wheels are standard on the LS) and FLOOR MATS (no mats given with the LS, unbelievably).

Bottom Line: Forget the LS. By the time you find one with the options added that you want, you'll be in LT-price country anyway (but maybe still without some of the niceities you'll wish you had gotten). Look for an LT that has everything except the very top-of-the-line options so that I'll end up paying in the neighborhood of $25k after rebates

['97ventureowner]

Actually the bulk of the ones at that dealership are LTs . They also had Pontiac Montanas that were probably a good deal of them former rentals.A very large percentage of these vans are decently equipped with front and rear heat and A/C, DVD players, overhead rail systems, tinted glass with rear washer/wiper/defogger.
The Pontiacs have more standard options and these options seem to be lumped together in better option packages.

[Colt Hero]

I'm looking at NEW inventory right now where I am (I never buy used vehicles) and it's pretty much split down the middle with LTs and LSs. Unbelievably, there are still a fair number of 2007 models (NEW) out there! I made a few offers in March on several of these vehicles and got nothing but standard counter-offers in return (retail less rebate). Maybe now some of these dealers would be more flexible One problem I'm seeing, though, is that there aren't many vans out there (even 2008s) right now, and they're spread over multiple dealers. With only one exception, I'm not seeing any one dealer with multiple vehicles. It's pretty much one vehicle per dealer, and when that's the case they usually sit on the vehicle forever until they get their price.

But I never buy a vehicle under duress. I can buy now, at the end of this year, the beginning of next year, or even not at all.

['97ventureowner]

That's one of the problems I noticed while shopping for an Uplander back in Oct. 2006. Most of the dealers I visited had very little stock on hand, and those that were on the lot had the wrong combination of options or something I didn't want or need. And the salesperson's unwillingness to negotiate . Whenever I buy something, I heavily research it so I know what I'm getting into and what to expect. I also get my financing lined up ahead of time so I know what the payments will be like. I didn't tell them ahead of time of this fact and I wanted to see what they would quote me. ( My monthly payments would be under $300/mo. for the van I wanted within a certain price range.) One dealer found a van I was interested in with the options I wanted and it was within 150 miles. He quoted me a payment of $533/mo. . My payments ended up being $291/mo. with the van I purchased. I'm just the opposite , I won't buy new anymore, learned my lesson enough with the depreciation and all that.

[Colt Hero]

I do the same research and FAX out my offers, never setting foot in the dealership until I get an acceptable counter-offer on paper. Then, I show up and buy the car and leave. This is how I bought the last car anyway. Not all dealerships are receptive to this method, however.

Buying a used vehicle is certainly your best value, but you never really know what you're getting unless you buy the car from someone you know. So I buy new and drive them until they've got nothing left. I got 250k out of my first new Japanese car and I'm looking to get at least 200k out of my two American-made cars.

10 years or 200k miles - whichever comes first is my motto. But that's just my metric for calling the vehicle a success! If it's still in good shape and running reasonably well, I plan to keep driving it. I never worry about depreciation because I never trade cars in. In fact, I cheer on my odometer. That's my measure of success with a vehicle...

['97ventureowner]

Yeah, I'm the same way. I squeeze all I can out of my vehicles, and most leave my property on a flatbed headed for the scrapyard. Unfortunately, where I live, they use a lot of salt on the roads in the winter, so the bodies wear out much faster than the rest of the vehicle.

[Colt Hero]

I grew up in New England and watched cars routinely rot away from road salt (and bad paint jobs) when I was younger. But I thought they solved that problem - either by using sand or just painting cars better. Back then, you'd see the Datsuns and Toyotas rotted out in the rear quarters, but I haven't seen anything like that in over 20 years...

Took a look at the Ford Flex and the Ford Edge this past weekend. The wife hated the look of the Flex (looked OK to me). Neither vehicle is really what I'm looking for. The MPG numbers were pretty standard, too: 16 CITY, 24 HIGHWAY. Uplander is still the favorite I guess. Maybe I should take a look at the Dodge Magnum. That's probably the closest to what I want. But I'd bet the MPG numbers aren't much different than the Uplander (in which case I'd rather have the van)...

[ritchi64]

I dont know if you find your answer but something you may want to know. there are always six chair clamp in all uplander 2nd row. they are the same as the one on the old venture, but this time, if it not use, they are under the carpet.

So if you ave the regular seat, you are using clamp 1-2 and 5-6. for bucket seat with hamrest you will use clamp 1-3 and 4-6. they only change the 3rd row clamp. they are at the same place but little bit bigger.

So if in your case, all the six clamp are visible in the 2nd row because of the big cup older in the center, you should be able to put the bigger bucket seat with arm rest without problem.

hope it's help