Dodge Grand Caravan - why not?
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Anonymous
| We're ready to make the switch to a van. Everyone seems to rave about the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna, but I'm not a huge car / gadget person (I don't really care if everything is top of the line), and we're on a budget. Looking at prices, I'm tempted to go with a caravan. We rented one on vacation recently and it was fine, and seemed like it provides everything we're looking for (...basically, more space. And sliding doors.); obviously I haven't driven the Odyssey or Sienna, and I have no doubt if I did they would feel nicer. But if I don't necessarily care about having the best and just want a good, dependable van...is the dodge a good option? Talk me into / out of it please? Also if you've had one, how many miles did you keep it? Thanks! |
Anonymous
| It's an 11-year old platform in the current edition. Chrysler is likely to discontinue it now that the Pacifica is out. The Pacifica has received rave reviews and numerous rewards. Get a Pacifica instead. |
Anonymous
| We have a 2005 Town & Country which is the same platform. It has about 115k miles and is still going strong. |
Anonymous
|
Dodge Caravan hasn't been produced in years. You are probably thinking of the Chrysler Town and Country -- and that ended production in 2016. The Chrysler Pacifica replaced it.
I have spent considerable time in the latest Chrysler Town and Country and like it. A lot of room inside. With it being discontinued, you can probably find it very reasonably priced so I'd say go for it. |
Anonymous
| Also, OP, don’t just focus on the purchase price. It would be wise to consider reliability and resale, as both will impact your overall cost of ownership. |
Anonymous
|
I drive a 1996 Dodge caravan with 125,000 miles on it. I budget $1,000 a year for repairs. The engine is fine. The transmission is fine. You can fit a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood in it, which my DH can't fit in the back of his truck. When it was new, it had a nice comfortable smooth ride and a kicka$$ stereo. The stereo has been kaput for a long time and the van creaks and groans now that it is ancient. The paint is peeling. I can't see putting the money into fixing all the cosmetic things on it when the resale value is $800. But it just keeps going and going, so there is no emergency reason to replace it.
Would I buy another if we still had young kids we were toting around constantly? Maybe. They are really cheap as 5 - 10 year old used vehicles compared to a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. I suppose as long as my mechanic assured me he was going to stay in business for years to come I would buy one. My van sure does like to go visit him. |
Anonymous
They still make the Dodge Grand Caravan, believe it or not. |
Anonymous
| My mom has the 2018 model. It drives fine but I have no frame of reference as I have never driven a larger vehicle before. |
Anonymous
| Almost a zero real world resale value on an American built mini van. Toyota and Honda’s sell instantly. Pay the few dollars more for the import. |