Dodge Grand Caravan

Price Paid:  $7000.00 from Just Crusin

Year / Model Reviewed:
1999 Caravan

Summary:
we have a basic one door caravan it lacks quality because basics are just bad. But the '08 Grand caravan's are actualy better than toyata's right behind honda.

Price Paid:  $21000.00 from Premiere Auto

Year / Model Reviewed:
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan

Summary:
This van has to be one of the most poorly made vans I have ever been in. Aside from the great feature of stow n go seating I want my Chevy Venture back. The wind noise on the freeway is ridiculous. I just took my van in to a mechanic and the van is leaking power steering fluid repair cost for a van with less than 51,000 miles? $400. My blinkers do not work properly. If iwant to make a right turn often the left signal comes on and sometimes the signals do not come on at all! I cant wait to get out of this van, although I will be losing alot as it is worth far less than I owe.

Strengths:
stow n go

Weaknesses:
no maintenace warnigs from computer
auto open at rear opening doesnt work
locks take several blocks before the engage
power steering repair at fairly low miles
wind noise
turn signals

Similar Products Used:
Chevy Venture sport

Price Paid:  $27000.00 from Hendrick Dodge, Cary

Year / Model Reviewed:
2005 Grand Caravan

Summary:
Let me start by saying that we have had this van for 3yrs. Which I must say is a good time to really review a vehicle. And let me summarize by saying that this vehicle has done so much for me. Namely by helping me realize that I should never by another Chrysler product again as along as I live.

My wife, God bless her, had to have a minivan. More importantly, she had to have the stow-n-go option. I must admit, this van seemed to be a great deal, with great features. But heed my warning.

First things we noticed was their "special" paint that doesn't rust, fade, or whatever, was doing just that rusting. New vehicle right off the lot. Now did they say, don't worry about that we'll fix it. Sure did. Touch up paint. YEEEEAAAHHH. That fell off about one month later. So they did it again. I informed them that they probably needed to take the rust off first.

Other than that things were great. Well at least for another couple months. Then the fun began. Next thing that happened was the ABS computer chip on one of the wheels went out. I figured no worries, they'll fix it. Stuff happens. And it does, over and over and over again. Next thing to happen was the stow-n-go flaps on the bottoms of the seats broke. One after the other. Not our fault, just cheap plastic, but they wouldn't fix it. Then the head rest locks broke. They wouldn't fix it. Then the interior light started acting weird. They claimed nothing was wrong. Then the locks started acting weird. They claimed nothing was wrong. Then, my favorite, the locks were operated by the window controls. WTF? Ironically, all the other problems where attributed to the same problem, however, now it was outside of the real warranty and we had to pay for it. I know what you might be thinking. Why didn't I get the extended 7yr B2B warranty that I saw another post brag about? I did. Doesn't mean you don't have to pay for the repair to. WHAT? Yeah, the fine print. There is a deductible with that great warranty.

Great. Problems all fixed. No. They break away mirror, ha, broke off when tapped in a parking lot. The latch on the one of the sliding doors broke. How on earth stuff like that happens is beyond me. They tried to fix it, after I again paid my deductible, but they didn't line it up right. Now the door hits and the paints chips and it is rusting more than it already was.

Wheel alignment is another saga I went through. In all the vehicles I've ever owned this has got to be the worst alignment I've ever had. This reflects mostly on Dodge service, in the fact that I was having issues w/ alignment. I took it in, and they charged me $70 for the alignment. Hind sight being 20/20. I realize now I probably just needed air in the tire or a rotation of sorts. Nope, these clowns didn't check that. They "aligned" the wheels, and basically broke them. I, in two years, have not had straight alignment. No matter how many times I take it in.

I agree with another post on this vehicle about the easy denting. I was pushed into the back of the van, and put a dent in it. So either I'm built like a rock, or else they used recycled coke cans. Trust when I say that I'd lean toward the coke can idea.

Strengths:
- cargo room
- price (cheaper than others)

Weaknesses:
- electrical problems left and right
- paint chips easily
- carpet stains w/ the protectent
- won't hold alignment
- little things keep breaking (head rests seat flaps)
- stow-n-go gets squeaky.

Similar Products Used:
First dodge, First minivan. Result.
I hate dodge.

I've owned 4 F-150s, Saturn SL2, 2 Saturn VUEs, 2005 Mustang GT, and I just traded the dodge Crapavan in on a Hyundai Santa Fe. I pray that it at least keeps me happy until it is paid off.

Price Paid:  $21000.00 from Kingston Dodge

Year / Model Reviewed:
2005 Caravan

Summary:
We have leased this vehicle for three years and have had the usual Caravan brake problems that were corrected when I relined the brakes with after market parts at 42K. The park brake levers require more maintenance than I thought necessary. The factory tires squeak and I will be glad to be rid of them this winter.

Strengths:
DVD Player, A/C works well and it steers well through corners for a minivan. Rides okay for a basic model and I like how the rear benches have rollers on their frames to remove them.

Weaknesses:
Electrical! Electrical! Electrical! In the first two months of operation the air bag clock spring was replaced. Eight months later the PCM was deemed defective because of a pinging (pre-ignition) problem in the engine. The EGR valve failed 10 months after that because the pinging problem returned. I have never had to replace an A/C condenser because of a rock puncture but I had to with this vehicle, it looks like it is open and more susceptible than other vehicles. Finally, just before base warranty went off I noticed that there was something drawing power drastically. Turned out the alternator was lagging and required replacement. The battery did not hold a charge under load so it was replaced as well.

Price Paid:  $23000.00 from Allen Samuells (Alli

Year / Model Reviewed:
2006 dodge grand caravan

Summary:
In shop as we speak third time for transmission seals leaking. Instead of fixing the real problem they just keep putting more seals in. This van has 15,000 miles on it. Chyrsler does not seem to care either so I guess I will just keep taking it back.

Strengths:
None

Weaknesses:
Apparently a transmission problem that noone can or will fix