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.

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 wrote: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.

They still make the Dodge Grand Caravan, believe it or not.

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.

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.

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.

We have a 2005 Town & Country which is the same platform. It has about 115k miles and is still going strong.

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.

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!