Astro/safari?

[benwa]

What is the difference between the two? I would like to buy one of the two but don't know what one. I called on three Astros. 90, 93 and 95. All had rebuilt motors! The 90 at 100,000 the 93 at 109,000 and the 95 at 50,000! What is going on with these? I have a 93 s-10 blazer with a 100,000 and it is a great vehicle. I don't want to give it up but I need room for the family and something that can still tow. Help! Thanks for any info!

[CD Smalley]

One's a GMC and the other is a Chevy in the big difference.

I'd worry about those vans with rebuilt engines at those mileages. Well maybe not so much the 100K engines. Point is this, my 92 has over 200k on the clock right now and runs like a top. Oh it smokes a little on start up, but that's just the valve guide seals.....

To qoute my step-dad "There's a lot of smoke in a quart of oil.".

[bduff509]

My wife's a Safari freak & will argue all day with a Chevy dealer that the GMC is better than the Chevy. They're the same except for some trim & where they're made. 50k isn't many miles. Maybe they beat it, maybe they got unlucky. They all turn out junk once in a while. Mine went through a lot of idlers & always wore the front tires funny. 5 alignments & they all said it was in spec. That may be because the shims are so hard to change. Overall, I think they're a pretty good vehicle.

Good luck!

[Intigue]

My dad used to get Astros and Safaris dirty cheap from when his work would be selling of the fleet looking for new vehicles. Every 4 or 5 yrs. Anyways, I don't have a prefference, but my brother got a '92 Astro with 102Km (61Miles) one year, and I ended up getting a '93 Safari about a month or two later with 94km (59 Miles).
Well, we had 'em for about 5-6 years. And boy, I don't wanna say one is better than the other; but I sure spent alot less money on repairs than my brother did. I really didn't have any problems. He on the other hand; around 120km had the motor go on him. I worked a local department store that had an auto shop, so I saved him some money on the discount and stuff. But that aside, he had man other problems as well.
Fuel pumps, blower motors, wiper motor, U-Bolt, and many others.

Second, Safari sounds better than Astro. (LOL)

I still think the are pretty much the same vehicle, it's just how well it's treated will determine how long and how much trouble it can cause.

[Maifirehawk]

To answer BENWA question, Astro and safari are the same in construction of the vehicle, the differences are interiors and options. Overall they are good vehicles, the only issue with these vehicles is the Engine, GM 4.3L V-6 is not a good one after the 50k mark, in late 80s and early 90s they have BIG problem with Engine Oil cooling, pressures and leaking out of cooling line and filter. In mid and late 90s, Head gasket, Main and Rod Bearings.
Just so you aware what you are getting,
Mai
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[broughy84]

4.3 is a good motor! My inlaw's have had several astros. the ones with the 2.8 were junk. The one that they have now is a 93 and it has about 257,000 miles. bought brand new, not major probs.

[geodesygold]

As noted on prior posts, the two vehicles are "except for trim" the same. As far as the drive train, they can not be beat! if you are looking for a dependable, rock solid V6, then the 4.3 is the king....they are a 90 degree configuration, they are a small block 350 with two cylinders lopped, and built to tow and haul heavy loads, make great race motors (we use several) and will run 200-300 k miles if cared for properly in you van...like its Mother Block, the small block V8 it can develope a little smoke at start up (valve guide seals.. which can be replaced at home in half a day)....Also these are the only minie van that will pull 6000 pounds and has arear wheel drive.....simply BULLET PROOF!
Our company owns 8!