Making to jump to a minivan? Dodge Grand Caravan

Originally Posted by MCompact
I rented a Grand Caravan to move my son to college. While I'm definitely not a minivan enthusiast but it drove very well and was a comfortable long distance cruiser.


Yep. I put 3000 miles in a rental and was impressed. Seemed very refined and well put together.
 
Originally Posted by dja4260
I'm looking at 2018 SXTs for 14k OTD with less than 30k miles. I'll save the 10k-13k over buying new for all mechainal issues down the road...


It should be CPO, which comes with a 7 year 100k powertrain warranty. Ours was an ex-Enterprise rental.
 
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Originally Posted by dja4260
I'm looking at 2018 SXTs for 14k OTD with less than 30k miles. I'll save the 10k-13k over buying new for all mechainal issues down the road...


So you're talking like $12K before TTL? Impossible.
 
I personally like my legs, so I'd avoid these minivans just because of their poor crash test results. This is the result of a 40 MPH small overlap crash test.

[Linked Image from iihs.org]
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Originally Posted by dja4260
I'm looking at 2018 SXTs for 14k OTD with less than 30k miles. I'll save the 10k-13k over buying new for all mechainal issues down the road...


So you're talking like $12K before TTL? Impossible.


In South Carolina, vehicle tax is capped at $500, and title/plates is cheap. I have two 2018 SXTs at 14.5k OTD, and I'm sitting on them as I refuse to pay the dealers $699 "doc fee". I'm playing the waiting game. These have less than 40k miles.
 
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Either way, $14500 total cost, out the door is a tremendous deal for a low mileage 2018 Grand Caravan of any option package.

I just did a quick search and the only one I saw in that range was through Vroom and was an ex-rental with over 47K miles on it.
 
Originally Posted by IveBeenRued
I personally like my legs, so I'd avoid these minivans just because of their poor crash test results. This is the result of a 40 MPH small overlap crash test.

[Linked Image from iihs.org]



Sienna doesn't do much better either.

[Linked Image]
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
We love ours. Don't let the naysayers beat you down. I'm still mad I even looked at a Sienna, that thing felt as cheap if not cheaper than my old Caliber.


I suppose a Sienna would be the go-to choice if you plan to ram a tree or bridge abutment sooner than later
 
While I'm not the biggest FCA fan, that's a steal of a deal. $10k will pay for a lot of repairs if they were needed. My grandma has a 14' Grand Caravan, still pretty low miles and it's had the oil pan, timing chain cover, and transmission pan resealed under warranty. Other than that it's been fine.

Look into an extended warranty through the dealer though, it's price is also negotiable.
 
I'm not buying this vehicle because it's the best minivan on the market. I'm looking to buy one of these because it's been around for a century, with a proven Pentstar V6 and is priced thousands less then it's peers. It's not a big investment and I won't be upset when one of my 3 kids makes a mess in back. It's simply the best I can do, given what I want to spend. It's actually nicier than anything we have ever owned. Cars are appliances to me.
 
Originally Posted by d00df00d
Very few vehicles do well in a small-overlap crash. It's brutal.


Very few American cars do well. The Koreans and the Japanese have that crash test down pretty well.

Here is the footwell for the Subaru Ascent, a 7 or 8 passenger vehicle.
[Linked Image from iihs.org]
 
Originally Posted by IveBeenRued
Originally Posted by d00df00d
Very few vehicles do well in a small-overlap crash. It's brutal.


Very few American cars do well. The Koreans and the Japanese have that crash test down pretty well. [/img]


Yeah sure. Let's pick a platform that has been in production way before this test was even conceived and then assume that most American makes also perform poorly.

And here is 2020 Pacifica.
[Linked Image]


Chevy Impala
[Linked Image]


2020 Edge
[Linked Image]
 
For Comparison here is 2020 Odyssey. Interestingly IIHS only shows picture of the passenger side and it doesn't look pretty. Hmm, I wonder why there is no picture of the driver side?
And this is a new redesign with this test in mind.
Sienna is in the same boat and I don't recall anyone ever bringing the small overlap test results for these makes. I wonder why...?

[Linked Image]
 
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The FCA hate is evident on all posts when FCA is mentioned. I'm surprised the same idjits don't compare a 1962 Dodge Lancer to a 2020 Volvo just to make their biased point. There are no stow and go seats in any minivan other than FCA. If you buy a Toyota or Honda with the same equipment level as a Dodge you will spend $10-15K more new and probably something equivalent used. The Pentastar has some known issues that are easy/cheap to repair if needed. The cylinder head issue disappeared after 2013. The 62TE is as robust as the Japanese competitors and 1/2 the price for a rebuilt if you need to go that direction eventually. For those that hate the FCA, buy something else. This fella seems to know what he wants and his eyes are wide open. It's just a matter of price it seems.
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
The FCA hate is evident on all posts when FCA is mentioned. I'm surprised the same idjits don't compare a 1962 Dodge Lancer to a 2020 Volvo just to make their biased point. There are no stow and go seats in any minivan other than FCA. If you buy a Toyota or Honda with the same equipment level as a Dodge you will spend $10-15K more new and probably something equivalent used. The Pentastar has some known issues that are easy/cheap to repair if needed. The cylinder head issue disappeared after 2013. The 62TE is as robust as the Japanese competitors and 1/2 the price for a rebuilt if you need to go that direction eventually. For those that hate the FCA, buy something else. This fella seems to know what he wants and his eyes are wide open. It's just a matter of price it seems.


9 times out of 10 they're scream something about consumer reports or their last experience with a Chrysler product is 15+ years ago, assuming it wasn't their girl/boyfriends cousins uncles step sons vehicle.
 
Originally Posted by dja4260
I'm not buying this vehicle because it's the best minivan on the market. I'm looking to buy one of these because it's been around for a century, with a proven Pentstar V6 and is priced thousands less then it's peers. It's not a big investment and I won't be upset when one of my 3 kids makes a mess in back. It's simply the best I can do, given what I want to spend. It's actually nicier than anything we have ever owned. Cars are appliances to me.

I am not sure about transmission, but as far as I know rear AC could be an issue.
As for minivan, three kids? GET IT AND DO NOT LOOK BACK! Forget SUV's etc.
 
Originally Posted by edyvw
As for minivan, three kids? GET IT AND DO NOT LOOK BACK! Forget SUV's etc.

^ This. Every day, twice on Sundays, and extra hard on special occasions.

Regarding transmission and AC failures: If they happen randomly, catastrophically, and without warning, then yeah, that's a serious issue. But if they happen predictably, gracefully, and/or with lots of warning, you can just price them into the total cost of ownership. Once the failure looks like it's about to happen, drive up to a shop, cut them a check, tell them to do the repair preemptively, drive off with a loaner or rental, and come back to a reset clock when it's done. Might be well worth figuring that out.
 
FWD Chrysler vehicles seem to develop transmission leaks more than any other vehicle on the road, I assure you that's why they have higher than normal transmission failures! The 62TE is a good transaxle & will last if it has ATF in it!
 
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