Chevy & GMC Vans

Hi guys and girls. S.O.B. is back. I haven't been around stalking the posts recently. Truth is, for the past few months I've been on the lookout for a new vehicle (keeping in the GMC "gated community" family of course...and not moving over to the Dark 'Chevy' side, haha). I just picked up a 2005 Envoy, so it looks like the Safari has to find a new home.

After being part of this community and the other site for about 5 years, I hate to give the van up. It's been in my family for about 16 years...and I'm only 23, so there are plenty of memories and my own loyalty to it. Sadly though, it has been through some tough Michigan winters and just doesnt seem (to me) to be a special 350 candidate or project vehicle for now. However, for it's age, it's looks better and runs better than most vans of its year and newer.

It doesn't mean I'll be disappearing...there are just too many good people, stories, and projects going on here for me to just simply jump to another "envoy forum." I definitely appreciate all of the help many people here have offered me directly and indirectly. I've learned a lot and put much of that into making the van what it is today.

I'll soon be posting the van up for sale here soon. It has its good and bad qualities but can be great transportation for anyone as it has for me through the years.

Hate to say it but in a year or 2 you will wish you had the van and not the Envoy. We have a 2005 Trailblazer and the build quality just is not there. A little over 73k miles and so far...both tie rod ends, both front wheel bearings, front pinion seal, secondary air injection valve, idler pulley and of course brakes all around. Currently the rear wiper motor is shot as well. This is definitely the crappiest vehicle I have ever owned. And my 1st car was a "K" car too! I know way too many people that have the 02 to 05 Envoy/trailblazer platform and have nothing but troubles.

LiftedAWDAstro wrote:Hate to say it but in a year or 2 you will wish you had the van and not the Envoy. We have a 2005 Trailblazer and the build quality just is not there. A little over 73k miles and so far...both tie rod ends, both front wheel bearings, front pinion seal, secondary air injection valve, idler pulley and of course brakes all around. Currently the rear wiper motor is shot as well. This is definitely the crappiest vehicle I have ever owned. And my 1st car was a "K" car too! I know way too many people that have the 02 to 05 Envoy/trailblazer platform and have nothing but troubles.

Ouch! The van has been VERY reliable to us for all the years we've had it. No major problems other than normal things you'd expect to break/wear over the years. I just hope that the attention I put into the Envoy (as I have into the van) rewards me down the road. We all know that things don't break within the warranty timeframe, but if they do I hope it's within my 12 months! So far, people I've talked to haven't had any major issues with theirs, which was a factor in my decision to go with the Envoy. I have read about the common issues...either recalls or problem areas which have been fixed. My parents have had two Trailblazers and haven't had any issues yet.

Thank you for the input. I'll definitely be checking the things you mentioned.

Good to hear you'll be droppin around, I still get a laugh over that vid you made awhile back

Best of luck......you'll be back as an owner too!

i've heard the same as lifted i just hope you got one of the good ones.

I bet you'll end up owning another stro sooner or later....

Sorry to hear the van is going to history but glad you'll be hanging around from time to time. I also bet you'll be back with another van.

Zam...
Haha, yea, I'm glad you liked it. I think the video got lost from the crash of the old board. I should upload it here too.

Dunedog, Cobra...
I'd love to find a cheap "rust free" van for a project down the road. Next on the want list involves house shopping. Then, I'd have more room and the roommates (Parents, haha) won't fret over the driveway/garage space I'm taking up!

Rebel...
I hope i find a good home for it. It's been a staple with me friends say, haha. I'll definitely miss the cargo area and the comments about it, good and bad!

I started to clean out the van by removing the mods that I've done over the years (stereo stuff, power inverter install, etc.) and it was like i was betraying a friend or something. It's sad!

The good news though is that i might have a buyer that is in need of a vehicle. The possible buyer is a neighbor's friend and has seen the many projects and hours of work I've put into it so that's a plus. He visits my neighbor quite a bit so i'd likely see the van often.

I just like the thought of the van going to someone who will appreciate it instead of donating it to someone who might not appreciate it and trash it. [-o<

Burn him at the stake, I say

safariobsession wrote:I started to clean out the van by removing the mods that I've done over the years (stereo stuff, power inverter install, etc.) and it was like i was betraying a friend or something. It's sad!

were there any tears?

safariobsession wrote:it was like i was betraying a friend or something. It's sad!

I know the feeling. I still miss Red (1994 Astro, 211K miles when sold). It was a good van.

Haha, I was sobbing so much i think i shorted out my stereo with my tears, when pulling it out.

The possible buyer is a smoker...so I just might mount a No Smoking sign up for when he comes to look at it. [-X Dunno if i'm gonna burn him at the stake...that kind of thing is illegal around these parts!

A couple days ago I announced to the facebook world (friends) via a status update about not wanting to get rid of the man van. Quite a few people respnded and it sounds like they'll kill me if i get rid of it....saying i need to store it and bring it out for special occasions, haha. So that puts me on the search for a house, WITH a nice garage, to store her if i can. By the sounds of it too, there is probably a "Save the Man Van" (Save the Whales) type group starting too!

Is it really that bad just to keep it? How much money do you think you'd get selling it anyway? I know I love having two vehicles right now, I don't think I'll ever limit myself to one again. So nice to be working on one and have another to get to work, go get parts, etc with.

Unfortunately there's just no room in the driveway. Living with my mom, dad, sister, and having a work van myself, there's just no room for 6 vehicles. We have the great family car shuffle every night just to get everyone lined up in order depending on who has to leave first in the morning, haha.

With the van burning oil and rusting apart at the bottom, my dad (the owner) was just looking to donate it somewhere as "it owes him nothing." (Costing ~$63 a month to own haha) It has been a VERY reliable vehicle and cheap to maintain and I am gonna miss the damn thing. It's been a staple with me with friends.

Good news is though that the possible buyer who is my neighbor's buddy needs a car pretty bad. He's over there all the time so i'd still get to see the van, haha...just not in as good of condition as i've taken care of it probably. If i had my own house i'd definitely try to keep it if funds were there. I agree about having two vehicles though. One as a DD and one as a possible toy. Hope someday i'll find a nice van when the conditions are right, you know. There's just no comparison with cargo room between the envoy and safari, and they're practically the same sizes length, width, and height.