2nd owner of an 08 Dodge Grand Caravan

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Guess I’m getting older but I must say this van rides like a dream. I cannot believe how smooth and quiet and comfortable this thing is. Amway, I just got it with 85k on it after my mechanic went over it with a fine toothed comb. It checked out perfect. I have the maintenance record in hand from previous owner and she NEVER missed an oil change and regularly had it serviced. I guess I never thought I would be asking this but since I own a new car I understand now why people do. It calls for 5w20. Any opinions if I should go Syn or just stay with conventional? I guess brand is a whole other question to, afraid to ask. I’m sure any brand will do.
 
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Originally Posted By: Mark72
Guess I’m getting older but I must say this van rides like a dream. I cannot believe how smooth and quiet and comfortable this thing is. Amway, I just got it with 85k on it after my mechanic went over it with a fine toothed comb. It checked out perfect. I have the maintenance record in hand from previous owner and she NEVER missed an oil change and regularly had it serviced. I guess I never thought I would be asking this but since I own a new car I understand now why people do. It calls for 5w20. Any opinions if I should go Syn or just stay with conventional? I guess brand is a show other question to, afraid to ask. I’m sure any brand will do.



personally, I`d go with yellow bottle 5W-20.
 
Originally Posted By: Mark72
... It calls for 5w20. Any opinions if I should go Syn or just stay with conventional? ...


Hope your new ride works out well for you.

As far as oils, a couple questions will help with deciding: What kind of driving will you be doing? Do you intend to lengthen your OCI or keep with the recommended?
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Mark72
... It calls for 5w20. Any opinions if I should go Syn or just stay with conventional? ...


Hope your new ride works out well for you.

As far as oils, a couple questions will help with deciding: What kind of driving will you be doing? Do you intend to lengthen your OCI or keep with the recommended?


Mostly in-town...wife aka soccer mom drives all over. It will be the main vehicle for road trips and will take a 40 min round trip drive out of town to wifes parents a couple times a month. book recommends 6/mo or 6k. I think...THINK it has an OLM.
 
Nice ride. I just got a 1999 Plymouth Voyager 6 months ago that is a wonderful vehicle. It has a 2.4 L 4-banger and 3-speed automatic and 114,000 miles when I got it. It rides like a dream. Mine being older takes 30 weight. Just filled it up with Maxlife Full Synthetic! For your van, I would go with Maxlife Full Synthetic or Valvoline Synpower.
 
I'd split the difference and go syn-blend Maxlife. I didn't know Chrysler was spec'ing 5w20 as far back as 08, I'd put Maxlife 5w30 in it personally.
 
I would put in 5W-30 as well. My choices would be either PP or an Amsoil product.......XL for the 6 month/6,000 miles. I would also go with a Wix filter from NAPA. NAPA Gold should work fine for both oil and air filters.

Nice vehicle, good luck with it.

One last item......when was the trans fluid changed? You might consider a flush and fill on that if it hasn't been done in a while.
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Which engine is it? 3.8L?


It's the 3.3L. Seems to have plenty of power for what we need it for. Been happy with the 3.3 we have in our 2000 Dodge Caravan.

As far as the trans fluid..I don't know when it was last changed. all the fluids including the coolant look brand new. I have the carfacts sheet with the dealer info on it. I may give them a call to see when it was last serviced. OIl looks new too. My mech advised to stay with 5w20 as it has an oil pressure system that pushes the oil through and needs to get through certain passages within the engine.(not his exact words) but said it needs that thinner oil.

OH, the brake fluid looks old. My mechanic when he looked it over recommended I have it flushed. How necessary is it to flush brake fluid??? It's something I've NEVER done in any of my cars and never once had an issue.
 
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Stick with the 5W-20 as recommended. PP if you can find it or Amsoil. As to the brake fluid, I have my vehicles changed about every two years. Not expensive to do and it gives me piece of mind. The garage I take my vehicles to charges ~$50.
 
Originally Posted By: Mark72
It's the 3.3L. Seems to have plenty of power for what we need it for. Been happy with the 3.3 we have in our 2000 Dodge Caravan.

As far as the trans fluid..I don't know when it was last changed. all the fluids including the coolant look brand new. I have the carfacts sheet with the dealer info on it. I may give them a call to see when it was last serviced. OIl looks new too. My mech advised to stay with 5w20 as it has an oil pressure system that pushes the oil through and needs to get through certain passages within the engine.(not his exact words) but said it needs that thinner oil.

OH, the brake fluid looks old. My mechanic when he looked it over recommended I have it flushed. How necessary is it to flush brake fluid??? It's something I've NEVER done in any of my cars and never once had an issue.


By all means call the dealer, I've found they are happy to give the vehicle maintenance history in the hopes that you'll pick up with them where the previous owner left off.

Here's a page with more than you ever wanted to know about the 3.3L: http://www.allpar.com/mopar/33.html

By all means, when your brake fluid gets dark, it means it is oxidized, have it flushed (also called a brake bleed). A typical manufacturer suggested DOT3 maintenance cycle is either 3 years or every 30, 33 or 36K miles.

IMHO as engine compartments get more and more cramped, brake fluid gets exposed to more heat then in the old days. Some have the master cylinder right up near the exhaust manifold. Minivans are often the worst offendors. So it makes sense to change it more often now.

As my engines get older I like to use at least a semi-synthetic oil, and most 5w-20's are synthetics.
 
I have a 2006 3.8 liter Grand Caravan and the ride is smooth. I have run both 5W-20 and 0W-20 synthetics in my van. I do a yearly OCI and average around 8,000-9,000 miles a year.

I'm on a 30,000 mile change interval on the transmission fluid. I have it flushed every other time and the pan dropped with the filter change the other times.
 
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
I'd split the difference and go syn-blend Maxlife. I didn't know Chrysler was spec'ing 5w20 as far back as 08, I'd put Maxlife 5w30 in it personally.


they started with the 5w20 in the middle of the 05 model year
 
Mark72,

Nice purchase. I have a 2008 T&C with the 3.3l with 135,000 on it. I have used Pennzoil in the yellow bottle almost exclusively. My engine will use about 1/2qt between the oil change which is usually about 4-6k.
I would look at the brake history very carefully. These vans go thru brakes big time. I would also look at the last time the PCV was replaced as this will increase oil useage if not changed.
I have had my fair share of issues with the van. Rack and Pinion replaced, intake manifold gaskets replaced, fuel pump/sensor replaced, alternator replaced. All of these were after the 110,00 mile mark.
At 102,000 I had a full tune up done. Spark plugs, wires, front shocks and mounts, rear shocks, pcv, trans and coolant flushed. Buyer beware. I wouldn't buy another one based on my experience with this one.



















At
 
great engines and yes they ride really well and with proper maintanence they can and do go a long time. I have seen some of them go 300,000 miles they do have some problems but the engine is not one of them. I have a 96 grand voyager that we use for work that runs and rides great with very high mileage. it has had afew computer problems and the transmission shifts very hard from 1st to 2nd when cold but has done that for over 100,000 miles other than that it runs great
 
I recommend Mobil 1 0w-20.

If you run a synthetic, you will be able to stretch the 6k OCI when life gets a little hectic. It will also provide better protection and normally costs the same as 5w-20. I wouldn't run a HM oil for a few more years.
 
my parents owned a 96 caravan with the 3.3l in it. they got it with 40k and drove it until it had 180k. that van was a great van. only issue was a transmission sensor at 160k. my dad is notorious for poor maintenance. it had the oil changed once a year or so - 12k miles i would guess at a tire shop, and the tranny fluid never changed. it was a tough van and a great engine.

i rememember when it had 140k or so me and a friend (17 at the time) would take it out and roll smoke off the front tires. that 3.3 loved to burn rubber!
 
My Mom has a 2007 Grand Caravan with the 3.8L V-6 and my Dad ran M1 5W-20 from the beginning until recently. I switched it to Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20 on the last OC; no difference between the two; both run equally as smooth and I am sure the interior of the engine is crystal clean.
 
Any 5w20 syn/conventional will work, but make sure it is specd for ms-6395. Dodge dealerships use Pennzoil for what it's worth. If you decide to run a synthetic don't use M1.
 
Originally Posted By: beadvised
Any 5w20 syn/conventional will work, but make sure it is specd for ms-6395. Dodge dealerships use Pennzoil for what it's worth. If you decide to run a synthetic don't use M1.




Okay, I will probably kick myself for this. But I have to ask. Why not??
 
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