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I've had several Dodge Caravans, and have been very happy with them. We had a '91 Grand Caravan - with the 3.3 liter - go well over 210,000 miles before the overdrive went out on the tranny.
My wife is currently driving an 04 Grand Caravan, with the 3.3 & auto tranny. Right at 109,000 miles. I've done nothing but typical maintenance, and it has been flawless.
So... Take it for what it's worth.
Unfortunately, we have had six Grand Caravans in our fleet and have replaced three transmissions before 70k. At least the transmission repairs weren't all that expensive.
You don't buy a Chrysler product looking for quality as you just won't get it.
Unfortunately, we have had six Grand Caravans in our fleet and have replaced three transmissions before 70k. At least the transmission repairs weren't all that expensive.
You don't buy a Chrysler product looking for quality as you just won't get it.
Yeah, the trannys were definitely a weak link in the Caravans. I'm dumbfounded that they got by for so many years without fixing the problem.
Anyway, from everything I've heard, the finally got it right in about 2003. Does that sound right?
New Chrysler products I would stay away from like the plague. Older T&C's on the other hand can keep going a LONG while. My Mother has been driving a Chrysler Minivan since the first year they rolled them onto the showroom floors. I would hate to guess how many she has had over they years, but do know she doesn't even consider getting rid of them until they have at least 150,000 miles on them. She had one she finally gave to my youngest brother when it had 265,000 miles on it. Never did anything major to it before then, just routine maintenance. He drove that stupid thing for another 4 or 5 years before giving it to someone he knew, by then it had well over 300,000 miles on it. He did replace the tranny at just over the 300k mark.
Newer ones though, I have heard are far below the quality the older ones showed. I looked at and tried out a few this Summer and was wholly unimpressed with the new models. Cheap feeling, and just not up the the quality one would expect for the asking price... shoot not up the quality one would expect for 1/2 the asking price. Even my die-hard Mother has said she will probably go with something different this time around. Told me last week she tried out a 2008 and it felt like it was made out of plastic and jello. How's that for a 70+ year old woman's review. LOL
Yeah, the trannys were definitely a weak link in the Caravans. I'm dumbfounded that they got by for so many years without fixing the problem.
Anyway, from everything I've heard, the finally got it right in about 2003. Does that sound right?
Not really. A friend had a 2006 or 2007 Grand Caravan with a slipping transmission. He was pretty upset as he dropped $35k on the beast and could not get a dealer to correct the situation.
Chrysler has one of the weakest dealership networks (prior to the bankruptcy). Six trips to the dealership on the Caravan and none on his 2006 Lexus RX which was $36 w/o the nav system.
Let me give you a classic example of a 2007 experience in a Chicagoland dealership. I purchased three BRAND NEW Aspens well equipped for $35k EACH. The dealership called me when they arrived and told me that tehy would be ready in a week after they were prepped. A week later, I send my three drivers to pick them up. Not a single one of them was prepped.
I don't put a lot of credence in the "Well, it lasted me 200k miles ..." anecdotes. My K-car lasted 192k miles ... and we replaced the valve cover gasket nine times, one or another of the CV boots seven times .... It made me miss my Chevette.
Not really. A friend had a 2006 or 2007 Grand Caravan with a slipping transmission. He was pretty upset as he dropped $35k on the beast and could not get a dealer to correct the situation.
Chrysler has one of the weakest dealership networks (prior to the bankruptcy). Six trips to the dealership on the Caravan and none on his 2006 Lexus RX which was $36 w/o the nav system.
Let me give you a classic example of a 2007 experience in a Chicagoland dealership. I purchased three BRAND NEW Aspens well equipped for $35k EACH. The dealership called me when they arrived and told me that tehy would be ready in a week after they were prepped. A week later, I send my three drivers to pick them up. Not a single one of them was prepped.
I don't put a lot of credence in the "Well, it lasted me 200k miles ..." anecdotes. My K-car lasted 192k miles ... and we replaced the valve cover gasket nine times, one or another of the CV boots seven times .... It made me miss my Chevette.
First, what options did your "friend" have on his 06 or 07 Grand Caravan to make it cost $35k? The top-end 2010 Grand Caravans cost less than $28,000. I kind of doubt that they cost $7000 more back in 07.
Second, I have to wonder how you were buying "brand new Aspens" in 2007. Unless I'm missing something, they quit making those in 1980.
Third, I don't really care whether you believe the "well, it lasted 200k miles... anecdotes." Why would you assume people are to believe your "anecdotes" more than anyone elses?
Personal anecdotes can be useful, but don't prove any points as they can't be argued against or disputed. They work best when someone asks a specific question like how to fix XYZ and someone with XyZ says how they did it.
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On the OP's question, I would have this concern. I agree that Chrysler has had nothing but dismal quality and reliability issues since the 1970s. They were after all bailed out in 1980 before anyone even heard the term before. Iococca went there, straightened out their product line but never addressed these issues and it's back to the toilet again. Mercedes-Benz (Diamler) bails them out and it almost destroys Mercedes and they get rid of them at a substantial loss to an investment group of car geniuses. They never address build quality and reliability. Now car geniuses failed, federal government has to step in and they are now owned by Fiat who is going to save them this time. Maybe Americans don't remember the Fiat already failed in the USA due to build quality and reliability. They used to sell cars here designed to self destruct. Now they own Chrysler i.e. Frick and Frack.
With that history and now plan for the future, why would anyone invest in a Chrysler now? Go get a mini-van from any other manufacturer and you will come out ahead. If you don't like Toyota or Honda, go look at the others. Ford, GM, Hyundai, etc.
I've known several people who had transmission problems with Chrysler Caravans. It's no secret they are junk. Yes many will attest that they are wonderful gifts that come from the heavens...but they are junk.
I don't know if Toy or Honda makes good van or not, but all my Honda cars have outlived any of my domestics.
As much as I am not a fan of domestics in general, I have to say you should look into a Chevrolet Astro Van. I have driven them and I have heard many good reports. They are comfortable and much much more roomy than the Cara-crap. I'd go with an Astro.
2006 T&C Touring owner here. Back in '06 we looked at all the available minivan options. But when it came right down to it the T&C was the way to go for US. We liked the Stow-n-go feature...and we use the dickens out of it on trips. At the time the competition didn't seem to have these features. The space behind the rear seat of a Stow-n-go equiped T&C seemed very large in comparison to either the Toyota or the Honda.
The electric sliding side doors and rear hatch are awesome features. I wondered about their long term durability but so far they've behaved.
Ours has a cieling mounted DVD player...it's not a premium unit. I believe it's a dealer installed jobby. If I were to do it over again I'd rather have the good system like they have standard on the Limited.
I think what some people will say about them is that the interior is cheaply made....and I will not dispute that. The little plastic parts are brittle. On a used one that has been used by a family you'll probably notice a few interior parts broken. We haven't had any major parts break but it's because I am aware of the quality and have instructed wifey to be very careful and not overstress anything. So far the only things that have broken are the little plastic headrest retainers. As a matter of fact that's what I notice broken on other T&C's of the same generation when I see them.
Some folks may have seen spotty records on the long term durability of the transmissions. We have almost crossed 50k on the clock and not experienced any mechanical failures to date.
The transmission issue makes sense. That is why we are looking for a van. we have a 1999 Grand Caravan and the transmission is dying and not worth replacing.
I was puzzled because I looked at the Japanese vans and did not like them in comparison, although they cost $2000 to $3000 more (and since we are looking in the $5,000 range, that is a lot). I figured that there must be some reason for the big price difference. I found them lacking in interior space, storage options, and practical amenities. I also found them a lot less comfortable, but I only sat in the front. With Chrysler, I liked that the back seats come out easier, both rows of seats fold flat easily, and all of them have doors on both sides. I did not notice a difference in the apparent quality of interior materials, but that would not be readily visible. I did notice that the Japanese vans have tighter fitting trim pieces inside. What I did not see was anything to justify a 50% to 60% price diffrence. However the transmission issue may explain that.
The Japanese vans repotedly have better and more powerful engines, but I did not see much difference between the Odessey and the Chrysler 3.8 (big difference from the 3.0, but I would not buy another 3.0 that is a piece of junk).
Our current minivan is pretty decent except for the transmission problem, and the perpetually leaking 3.0 engine which add up to not worth reparing this $1800 vehicle. The interior components and body however are in great condition. It has 160,000 miles.
We do not care about engine performance. We do not buy a minivan for performance or driving experience (that is what the Camaro and Jensen are for). We buy it to move a lot of people and a big dog from location A to location B; and for an inexpesive, decent handling in snow, transport to school for my daughter. If it is a little weak on acceleration, that is fine.
My thinking is that since I like the Dodge/Chrysler amenities better, we may be better off if we can find an 80,000 mile Chrysler for $5,000 rather than a 150,000 mile Odessey for the same price. But, I am not sure.
I need to pursue the tranmission problem issue. Someone mentioned that the transimissions were not so bad in some years. We are mostly looking at 2000-2004 vans (except with the japanese brands than we drop back to 1998 1997). For Chrysler are those years where the transmissions were not such a problem? I would not ever consider another 3.0 engine. It is simply impossible to keep up with the non stop leaking fluids. Repair one leak and another appears a week later. I knew that the 3.0 was a problem when we bought the van, but for $1800 it was hard ot pass up. Are the 3.3 or 3.8 engines betteras far as leaking and durability? I have heard that they are. They are certainly more powerful.
We will continue to look at Japanese vans as well. (I cannot rememebr the name of the Toyota minivan.) We looked at some Astros too, but the Chryslers are a lot nicer. We looked at a neat old Previa (looks like an egg), but I seem to remember those having a major safety problem. Anyone know?
When I had a japanese car many years ago, the cost for replacement parts was 2 -3 times the price for American based cars. Is that still true? Do the mechanics charge more than mechanics for American cars? My father in law drives a Honda and while visiting us, his starter went bad. We had to push start is and drive it 40 miles to the nearest Honda dealer and then the starter replacement cost him over $400. Since I always replace starters myself I do not know how that compares to an American car starter replacement, but it seemed really expensive.
Living in Michigan we also have the deal withthe risk of getting keyed or run off the road for driving something that was not made by one of the former big 3.
Last edited by Coldjensens; 01-08-2010 at 08:56 AM..
^ Ironically, the 3.0 liter engine is a Mistubishi engine. The single worst engine ever offered in the Dodge Caravans is Japanese.
Part of the Dodge tranny problem is that it takes specific transmission fluid - something a lot of people (including JiffyLube doofuses) aren't aware of. They also need to be meticulously maintained, especially the fluid level. But even that doesn't excuse the fact that with nothing but a changed seal design, Chrysler could have solved their tranny problem years ago.
Despite all the bad-mouthing they get, there must be some reason the Dodge Caravan is the #1 selling minivan of all time.
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