Fair deal?

We are looking at a 2001 Olds Silhouette minivan, dealer is asking 5400 with 109,000. Nice condition, it has a 3.4 in it. I don't care for minivans, but the better half will be driving it to work, our 94 cutlass has 240,000 on it and is getting tired.

I just pulled up a quick NADA value on it, using my Sister's zip code back in Nebraska where they would bring more.

It came back as $4550. About 900 too high NADA.

Also check out Kelly Blue Book (KBB) and Edmund's.

Run a Carfax on it by VIN.

If it is a local dealer, and you do happen to know the prior owner, that is worth a little more. But that is not likely. DOUG

240K on the wife's car and it is getting tired?

To borrow a quote from Clinton: define tired.

Does she just want something with less miles? My current mail route car has 259K on it, I put about 50K of that on it.

The one before had 230K on it when I hit a snow drift so hard it popped the RH front strut tower through the hood.

One before that had 473K when it shorted the electrical system. I put 105K hard mail route miles on it.

All three are Toyota Corollas. Two of the three are USA built.

Just don't get in a hurry. DOUG

I think those may have a head gasket that is almost a regular deal. Check if it has been replaced lately.

My buddy has one, perfect shape, poof went a pile of money to fix it. Just a fact of life with aluminum heads.

Not to rain on you but, I would think about something newer, gm is a hurting, others in the same boat. You can get some good deals on some new ones, and obamma will stand by them, even if your great grandchildren have to pay for them.

I would be careful, those are know for head gasket problems. I had one and the head gasket was replaced 3 times in the 70,000 miles I had it. Once by a shop and 2 times by me. It is a terrible job to do. On an up note my dad has a Pontiac Montana, has the same motor as the Olds, 100,000+ miles and no problems. Just something to think about. Just my 2 cents.

I'd suspect if you looked around You could buy one similar for a lot less

Those GM 3.4 are bad news. Intake leaks,head gaskets and harder to work on then others.

My 1994 Cutlas Ceira has 245,000 hard miles, rural paper route 140 mile stop and go miles a day, and just getting ready to put a second replacement transmission in it so 140,000 tired?

Buying it is up to you, but I believe in 01 GM went to an updated style of head and intake gaskets. Wife runs an 00 Impala with 170 on it. At 110 the intake was leaking, so I put both head and intake gaskets in it. Aftermarket actually has better gaskets, steel.

If you don t need a van, I d look for a GM car with a 3.8. Like a LeSabre, bonne, impala.
If you go with the 3.4, they are alot easier to work on in a car. If you go with a van, I believe they put the 3.8 in the silloutte also.

$900 over book? Its not like its a car in high demand (like some of the economy cars were when gas was over $3.50 a gallon).


Lets face it, NADA and Kelly are both usually 10% to 20% high anyway. Instead of $5400 it should be around $3900. As for the intake manifold gasket - it part of the cost of owning a car. Chevy has issues with intake manifold gaskets on their 454, 350, 3800, 3400 and a few others. Ford has issues with head gaskets on the their 5.4, and 3.0. Dodge just has issues.

The 3.8 has the same issues with the intake manifold gaskets. We had 5 from 1998 to 2002 - 4 needed the intake manifold gaskets replaced near the 100k mark.

I don't think it makes a differance but the two Pontiac Bonnevilles with 3.8s were run up to 150/160K without an issue - the guy that drove that car ran the **** out of it - just needed the intake manifold gaskets replaced. The three Buick Le Sabres (1998, 2000, 2002) all suffered internal lube failure. The 1998 had a failed oil pump - replaced the pump and sold the car at 110K. The 2000 suffered a failed oil pump at 100K, replaced the pump and rebuilt the upper end of the engine - immediately sold the car. The 2002 spun a bearing and locked up the engine at 120K (failed oil pump?) replaced with a salvage engine and sold. The Buicks were driven by the company owner and his wife with oil changes at Midas every 3K. I hear they are great engines but they didn't impress me much.

The new 3.9 in the Impalas seems to a be a good engine. We have 2 with 80k and 1 with 50k, none have been to the shop for anything but oil changes. They are unassigned and with mixed driving they average about 25-26 MPG with everyone running the **** out of them.

I have a 2002 Chevy Venture sitting in the yard,
139000 doesn't use a drop of oil, never had an engine problem, only problem is those unneccesary
antilock brakes. wife just got an Eqinox, and wanted to trade in the venture, I asked what she would drive in the NY winters, because of all the salt. We kept the venture.

Well we bit the bullet and bought it right or wrong. It is like new inside and out and is a one owner machine, it was owned by a funeral service, hoped they werent hauling around stiffs in it. LOL. Talked to the local mechanic and he claims its a better engine than the 3.1 thats in our cutlass, and we have never had any engine trouble with the cutlass, only one transmission a few years back. We bought it with a 140,000 on it about nine years ago. I will keep an eye out for any leaks, mechanic said to make sure you catch it right away and he usually gets around 600-700 for the intake gasket installation. Looking at that engine compartment it is going to town for service, i dont know how they work on those things. Thanks for all the information, hopefully it works as well as our car has.