What are the best years of the Pontiac Trans Sport?

None of the judged years of the Pontiac Trans Sport came out Worthy. Each one came out Maybe or Pass, from its owner complaints to NHTSA against a typical year of the Pontiac Trans Sport at the same age. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Which Pontiac Trans Sport years should I avoid?

The 1995, 1997 and 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport are the years to avoid: Pass years come first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA against a typical year at the same age. 1995, 1997 and 1998 came out Pass. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold. Have any car inspected before you buy.

How do you decide which Pontiac Trans Sport years are best?

Each model year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA are held up against a typical year of the Pontiac Trans Sport at the same age, never against another model. The typical year leaves out years that were high themselves, so a run of bad years cannot set its own bar. A year with at least 5 complaints and under 2 times a typical year (1.2 times when most are about costly parts such as the engine) is Worthy, unless its complaints about costly parts alone reach 2.5 times a typical year's, or the years on both sides of it came out Maybe or Pass. A Maybe or Pass on its complaints needs enough more of them to rule out chance. The best years named are the newer Worthy years with the fewest complaints for their age, never right next to a Maybe or Pass year, and the years to avoid are the Pass years first, then the Maybe years. The newest 2 model years are too new to judge. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Best and worst Pontiac Trans Sport years to buy

Every model year, judged against the others.

Best and worst Trans Sport years

Skip 1995, 1997 and 1998. Careful with 1996.

Best years

None of the judged years of the Trans Sport came out Worthy.

Years to avoid

Pass years first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints against a typical year at the same age.

From owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Only years old enough to judge. Still have any car inspected.

Every year at a glance

1Worthy
1Maybe
3Pass
3Not judged

1995, low confidence, Pass126

Lightest for their age

Worthy years with the fewest owner complaints against a typical year at the same age, none right next to a Maybe or Pass year. A year with few sales can look the same.

Every Worthy year of the Trans Sport sits right next to a Maybe or Pass year, or waits on years NHTSA did not answer for, so none is named here.

Think twice

Judged years that came out Maybe or Pass: more complaints than a typical year, more about costly parts, or inside a run of problem years.

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

How we judge a year

Each year’s owner complaints, held up against a typical year of the Trans Sport at the same age. Popular cars collect more complaints just by selling more, so a year is never compared with another model. The typical year leaves out years that were high themselves, so a run of bad years cannot set its own bar.

Worthy: At least 5 complaints, and under 2 times a typical year (1.2 if most are costly parts).
Maybe: 2 times a typical year or more, with at least 15 complaints. Or 2.5 times a typical year’s complaints about costly parts, with at least 25 of them. Or 1.2 times, with at least 25, most about costly parts. Too many to be chance each time. A year with a Maybe or Pass year on each side is Maybe too: it sits inside a run of problem years.
Pass: 3 times a typical year or more, with at least 25 complaints, too many to be chance.
Not judged: Too new (the newest 2 years), too few complaints, or too few to tell a real problem from chance.

Every rule, in full

Gathering every model year from NHTSA. The first look at a model can take a little while.

Best and worst Trans Sport years

Skip 1995, 1997 and 1998. Careful with 1996.

Best years

None of the judged years of the Trans Sport came out Worthy.

Years to avoid

Pass years first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints against a typical year at the same age.

From owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Only years old enough to judge. Still have any car inspected.

Lightest for their age

Worthy years with the fewest owner complaints against a typical year at the same age, none right next to a Maybe or Pass year. A year with few sales can look the same.

Every Worthy year of the Trans Sport sits right next to a Maybe or Pass year, or waits on years NHTSA did not answer for, so none is named here.

Year	Verdict	Owner complaints	Recalls	Top problem area
2003	Not judged	3	0	Body and frame
2001	Not judged	3	0	Electrical
2000	Not judged	2	0	Wheels and tires
1999	Worthy	11	2	Engine
1998	Pass	259	6	Engine
1997	Pass	254	6	Steering
1996	Maybe	62	2	Engine
1995	Pass	126	3	Windows, wipers and visibility

Best and worst Trans Sport years

Best years

Years to avoid

Every year at a glance

Lightest for their age

Think twice

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Best and worst Trans Sport years

Best years

Years to avoid

Every year at a glance

Lightest for their age

Think twice