I rented one of these, for less than a day, because of a long story that people don't need to be bothered what.

Long story short - I loved it. Now I want to get some kind of mini van that is comfortable to travel with. Does anyone have any experience with these? I and my spouse currently have hatchbacks. I think they are now called cross overs.

I want to travel with my spouse and two beagles. The dodge caravans seemed reasonable. I know there are other brands like the telluride but if I can't get one in the next few days it doesn't do me any good.

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Chrysler planned to kill the Caravan around 2016 because it was old and didn't have the soon to be mandated side curtain airbags. They actually redesigned it to accommodate them and kept producing the vans for a few years afterwards because they sold so well though. The Sienna, Pacifica, and Odyssey were all significantly more expensive when you could get a Caravan for under $20k MSRP

As much as I fukking hate Chrysler/dodge my ex wife’s caravan was solid as hell and got great gas mileage. She owned a couple of them for 11 years.

i have driven like 3 dodge carvans for work. brand new to 100k miles.

damn good vehicles in my book.  just give it gas, the oil changes, change tires, filters,  and windshield wipers when needed. my coworkers drive the dodge carvans as well. don't recall hearing any major complaints.

ah, yes...the minivan...
the springfield xd of vehicles...
it will work and will likely do what you want it to do...
but, in the end....it's still a fucking minivan...

We had a 2016 Town and Country that was the same as a caravan. It was totaled when a semi ram a stop light with my wife and 3 kids in it. It did its job and thankfully there was nobody in the pass front seat where it was hit.

We replaced it with a Pacifica (they replaced the town and country but new caravans were still available at the time) and it is an inferior vehicle. We should have went with a caravan.  The interior is cheaper and not as refined, the Pacifica sits too low to the ground, and has fucking carpet/felt type shot under the engine bay and wheel Wells.

My Parents had an older Plymouth Caravan (1999 I think). It ran damn well until one day it didn't. The transmission grenaded at somewhere between 180K and 200K miles. A friend of mine had a nearly identical van that did the same thing at the roughly the same mileage.

Overall I have a good opinion of them, but look into that transmission. They might have updated it in the last 20 years or so though....

The underside carpeting stuff is nice.  Cuts down on road noise considerably.

Little vans are stupidly handy. If they were awd and got 30mpg I'd probably already have one. I like the new little transit connects and nv200s too.

We had a 2013 T&C.  Nice fucking van.  Great with the kids.  My only complaint was the stow&go seats.  They're like 85% the size of a normal seat, and very little padding.

A friend of mine, a confirmed bachelor, drove one.  He left the middle row seats stowed, leaving limo-like room for the passengers in the back row.

I know a lot of folks look down their noses, but minivans are probably one of the most functional vehicles sold.  Size, utility, bang for the buck - all superior to ANY SUV/crossover.

I picked up a 90 Voyager for my wife. With the 2.5 turbo and the manual trans, it has been great for us over the last couple summers. She loves it, and I do too.

Just inherited a 13 grand caravan. It hasnt happened when I've driven it, but the wife and deceased mil have had it randomly die on them. Wife said it happened on an off ramp after 30 or so miles of highway. Didn't throw a code.

Toyota Sienna for the win, will far outlast a Dodge. New Hybrid model gets 36mpg. But pricy (pays off in the log run, so there is that)

my 2011 caravan gets 18-19mpg in town, 26-27 highway. Still not bad for a roomy vehicle but not stellar for this day and age.

But if price is critical to purchase, Dodge wins hands down as long as long as you buy used with low miles. The beautiful thing about American brands is how fast they initially devalue. A huge problem if you buy new, a huge advantage if you buy used.

i bought and still own a 2017 loaded Journey GT AWD, sticker new was $35k, i bought it 2 years old with 20k miles in mint flawless condition for $17k

i bought and still own a 2011 Caravan Crew when it was 3 years old, with 14k miles from a old person who could no longer drive.  Had typical old people bumper dings and scuffs, but its fully loaded model with drop down DVD screens, power everything, heated seats, rear air, etc. Sticker was also around $35k, bought for $14,500 used.

half price, thats the way to go.

Pentastar engines had a critical flaw with the valve train (bearings in the roller lifters would fail), supposedly affected about 2% of them, I know one guy that had the issue. Dodge extended the engine warranty to 10 years if i recall. Neither of mine have have any problems except the van fuel pump relay failed, stupid design $1100 TIPM PCB board replacement, but there is a relay bypass kit for $100 that fixed it and works perfectly. Google for Dodge TIPM from a company called verticalvisions just to keep handy in case your Dodge cranks but won't start. 15 minute install.

toyotas hold value like crazy. I recently sold my 2003 Tundra 4WD for $12k. Paid $23k for it when it was 2.5 years old with 18k miles on it.  Had it 14 years, only devalued $11k. Dodge loses $15k in 2 years.

YMMV, but yes indeed minivans are awesome!

In the '90s a real weak point was the auto transmissions.  
That's what killed ours.
The wife got a deal on an '06.  Everything has been good for years.  and still is.
I haven't bothered to research the tranny though.

Mini vans are awesome

I have a TC and it’s great

I would get this mini van. It will go over gravel.

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Nobody notices a minivan. 2009.  Maroon. Parked on the street, may as well be a jersey barrier.

Tint the windows, remove the middle seat. Room for 6 goons in full battle rattle.

It will be the last thing ANYONE is expecting, when all that hate comes pouring out the doors.

Of you get a minivan, Dodge Grand Caravan is the most utilitarian by far. The stow-and-go seating means no removing seats to access the massive cargo space. When the seats are up, you have tons of in-floor storage. When all the rear seats are folded into the floor, 4’x8’ plywood sheets will fit in the back. Ask me how I know.

Need to haul a washer/dryer? Refrigerator? Dresser? 10’ 4x4s for that fence you’re putting in? Dodge Grand Caravan.

Oh, and you can drive as fast as you want because no cop is looking at minivans as targets of opportunity. The ultimate Gray Man vehicle.

Now here’s the downsides:
- it’s a friggin minivan
- because you have that enormous cabin, road noise tends to resonate. It’s not a very quiet vehicle at high speeds.
- It’s a dodge.
- acceleration sucks unless you can find one with a 4.0 V6
- the 8-speed transmission is very tough by the timing sucks.
- you may go through brake pads a little faster than you’re accustomed to, but they’re not too bad.
- if you want all-wheel drive and much more responsive steering, look at the Chrysler Pacifica. It will cost a bit more and I believe the AWD might eliminate the stow-and-go seating.

They should build one on a Gladiator chassis. Me and 6-7 other people would buy it.

Can't have a GD car thread without the obligatory appearance by the Toyota cultists.

WTF has happened to this place? Guy starts a thread about wanting a minivan and we’re crawling all over ourselves telling him to get one

We should be busting his balls for 4 pages!!!

C’mon man!

Hahahahaha

We picked up a 2014 Grand Caravan with 95k on it in very good/excellent condition for $5k last summer. It was a deal we had to jump on. It really is nice with two kids and a dog. I just got a 6 inch drop hitch to flip around to pull my new RZR up north

My main complaint is the f-ing oil cooler/filter housing started leaking this winter which is apparently a big problem with that 3.6L, I had that thing apart 3 times before I got it. What a stupid design.

I turned 30 last week and spent much of this weekend researching lawnmowers and appliances.

It's like a switch was flipped.

The AWD is not the equivalent of the AWD systems in the good Acuras and Subarus. I see more than a few stranded in big storms around here. The serious Caravan users I know run snow tires in the winter to avoid that and do fine on the so-called front range, I get away with all seasons on the Lezbaru.

I think the OP is in GA though so if snow and ice driving isn't a big concern it's probably a solid choice. It is a popular fleet vehicle around here, even the FWD versions.

Minivans or "people carriers" as the marmite eaters call them aren't really cool, but a sports car magazine I have read for almost two decades now ran an Odyssey for many years including light duty towing (they are out of FL) and it was pretty solid. They upgraded to a Ridgeline and had pretty good luck with that one too.

Normally we would mount an expedition to revoke and confiscate his man card.   He wants it to make it easier for his two dogs so he gets a pass.

Coming out thread?

Caravans are excellent vehicles.  We have owned 2 and drove them over  180k with minimal maintenance. I'm confident they wouldve went farther but one was broad sided  and the other rear ended and totaled.  I'd have no problem getting another one.??

Mini or full size all vans suck.

Apparently that's what I want - a minivan.

I want to throw my tent and beagles in the back and visit my friends in the mountains. I want to visit my fat decrepit in-laws and be able to let their pathetic fat asses sit in the comfortable seats.

We already have a ford escape, honda cr-v, and nissan frontier, all paid for. Until I drove the glorious minivan I thought those things would meet all my needs, and for my daily needs, they do.

But I'm retired. I've been at home - walking my beagles - for over a year now. I want to go somewhere in comfort. When we visit my fattass lazy inlaws, I would like to haul their fat decrepit asses around in comfort.

We are going to a funeral tomorrow, granny was 91 and honestly she was in better shape than my in-laws, who seem to glorify in being unhealthy.

We have 3 days off and if I had a nice larger vehicle we could go visit out Mountain friends. Or do something.

That caravan was sweet! I rented it so their fat asses wouldn't have to drive. Their health isn't that good and I don't want them to die during this funeral.

Then it was decided, after I rented it, that we didn't need to do the driving.

Ok, that sucks, a day rental for nothing, but for those few miles I couldn't quit thinking about what we could do with all that space! And it was sooooo comfortable and handled so nicely.


Fwiw: inlaws are royal pita most of the time but they aren't liberals, fil reloaded until a year or so ago. I knew my spouse was "the one" because she had a bigger gun than I did. Then us and her dad worked on her truck replacing the fan belt.

I wish they cared more about their health than they do but they seem to enjoy being old before their time. They particularly like attention whoring over things entirely within their control.

So a minivan would be able to cart their fat asses around town, and let us escape town.

That couple that made that fancy van and travel all over really made a good choice. I just want something spacious and somewhat reliable. I wasn't expecting much from dodge but when I drove the caravan I was impressed. Maybe it's just me. It was awesome! So comfortable. It handled like a car! I now wish I would have kept it and just went joy riding for 3 days.


Or - I can get my own and not worry about dog hair. As I was walking back - 5 miles from my home - I had time to think and that's what I thought about.

Yeah, I can walk 5 miles. I'm in my mid - 60's and can actually walk even more than 5 miles, I do it regularly. I would rather do it elsewhere, that's why I started the thread. Im retired, I'm pissed, and I want to run away with my beagles and my spouse.  

First let me say;
We love our Dodge Caravan. Had a 2013 and now a 2020.
The all row fold in floor seats can't be beat!

That being said: We put 4 transmissions in the 2013, and quit at 5. Thought we might've just been unlucky and got a 2020. It got a new tranny with 800 miles left on the warranty...high 30k mileage.

Also, on the 2020, if you hit an animal and bust a 1 sq ft corner off the plastic front, it costs $3k to replace the whole front clip(or your 1k deductible)

The fold in floor seats are really, really handy....this will be the last dodge we own.

Thanks for the info, it's the kind of thing I'm looking for.

I have a t&c and a utility trailer, it is handier than a truck bed for hauling pretty much everything.

If they had AWD and maybe made a HD version that could tow a boat, I’d buy that in a heartbeat.

I have a GMC Sierra and my wife has a Challenger.

I drive my 2005 Grand Caravan more than either of the other two.

It is what we call the "grocery getter".  Good mpg and will haul a 4x8 sheet of plywood with rear seats out.
My Sierra won't even do that without the tailgate down.

YMMV


ETA: Only routine maintenance, two batteries, one set of front pads, and a new radiator in 130k miles.

A stripped minivan interior has a certain resemblance to a helo interior, with the sliding doors on both sides. Someone needs to make a pintle mount so we can have minivan door gunners

Arfcom approved minivan of failed male aspirations owner checking in.  Beat to death, rusted out 2007 Chrysler T&C with 160k miles.  Four kids, wife, dog, and me can all head somewhere reasonable comfortably.  Pulls a light duty utility trailer fine for lightweight oversize stuff, lawnmower, lumber, etc.

Rented a Gr. Caravan to get six of us down to n. Georgia last year. Excellent vehicle.

I would enjoy owning one. I like roomy vehicles.

Mini vans actually have nothing to do with your sexual prowess or lack thereof. Ignore the little boys who think what they drive is a penis extention.

You messed up just about everything you could

Skipping most of it, I'll promise that a 3.6L TC or GC will absolutely haul ass and do a massive burnout with Trac control off.

As for the awd precluding Stow n Go, wrong.  It doesn't matter

I have no kids to cart around but my preferred vehicle is a mini van. I say this having a V8 half ton and a turbo diesel 3/4 ton pickups.
Pickups suck to haul things in. Minivans are great. Low load height, can't reach something from the back you just open up the side doors. No crawling into the bed or climbing up the tires to reach over the side.
Have a 10 year old Sienna, and that thing runs like a raped ape. And comfortable. And like another poster said, the ultimate "gray man" vehicle.

Holy shit man! I’ve owned two and they’ve been fantastic.

Good to know on the AWD

Transmissions aren't Chrysler's strung suite.

The 3.6 Pentastar engine had continued issues all the way to 2014-2015. Well past when they said they had fixed the head issues.  You’ll hear the famous Pentastar tick, but it won’t be covered because “that issue was fixed by 2013.”

Plan on replacing the oil filter housing. It’s plastic and will crack.

Starter went bad after 60k miles.

Don’t use aftermarket plug coils.

Don’t use aftermarket TPMS.

The repairs have been annoying. Honestly, we’ll probably spend a little more and get a Toyota or Honda in the future, but the price was right and we were/are poor.

Stow and Go seats are awesome.

Maybe this is normal, but replacement key fobs are insanely expensive.

They kinda already did that in the late 80's:

I bought my wife a 2016 Grand Caravan R/T in 2017.  13k miles on it at the time, paid $20k.  It was perfect for my use.  Hauled two young kids and an old arthritic dog around in comfort.  Got good gas mileage and was reliable.  Loved the cargo/passenger room and the big doors.  Absolutely perfect for road trips, especially with with dogs or multiple passengers.  It was easy for older people to get in as well.  We put about 30k miles on it before trading it in.  A battery and a set of tires is all I did aside from routine maintenance.  Even though I had more manly/cooler vehicles, I'd drive the minivan around quite often instead.  It was just that comfortable and functional.

Thanks for all the responses. I don't care if the concept of "minivan" is abhorrent to some, I think it would be useful for my family and beagles.

I was concerned about inherent defects. I thought a dodge was a piece of shit till I drove it. It was awesome and I'm surprised I didn't just purchase one as I walked back from the rental center.

I am retired and was looking forward to doing things until the covid scam. I am all out of shits to give and just want a somewhat decent vehicle to go places. We have an escape, a crv, and an old nission frontier which isn't cutting the mustard.

Thanks for the responses about things to watch out for. Mechanical things, not word things. I'm a backpacker (or was) so my needs are different than other peoples needs.

I will post my AAR in a different thread. But believe me, there is definitely going to be an AAR.

The old 3.0 V6 had Lotus-designed heads and Dodge put it in everything from minivans to Dusters to Spirits to the Stealth. Surprising amount of torque paired with a factory twin turbo was... neat.

ETA: oh hell, that was the turbo 2.5 i4! Sub 12 quarter... awesome

It was the 2.2 liter TIII motor which had the Lotus head on it. The 3.0 V6 was Mitsubishi based. It didn't share all that much with the engine in the 3000GT VR-4, but there is a little overlap from what I understand. Regardless, the V6 never came with a turbo, and produced worse numbers than the 2.5 turbo.

With a little work, one could make a lighter Caravan/Voyager with the 2.5 turbo and a manual trans move out very easily. Mine is all stock, and it gets 28mpg. I'll probably put a bigger turbo on it and all of my usual tricks for this year's road trip.