RAM C/V

[supton]

Why did this get discontinued? Not heavy enough duty? I've never followed minivans, let alone cargo versions; but it seems like the C/V sits between the Promaster City and the regular Promaster. Which is probably why they killed it, but still curious.

Dawned on me that a cargo van could tick off some boxes that I want to fill in the next vehicle (no carpet in the cargo area, low loading floor, heavy duty suspension & coolers, and cheap to buy). A regular Caravan could be robbed of its seats (not sure where I'd put them) but getting the heavy duty parts might be trickier, and it's possible that a fleet version might have gotten all service on time. While still using a commonly used power train (3.6/6AT).

 

[JHZR2]

Wasn't it based upon the prior gen minivan that the Pacifica replaced? Didnt Dodge kill their minivan model too?

 

[supton]

AFAIK the C/V was based on the current Grand Caravan, just gutted a bit, and I think with the tow package standard.

I see 2018 Caravan's on Dodge's website, I think they are still making them. Not quite dead yet.

 

[AVB]

We had a '15 model in the shop Friday, I wouln't have noticed the difference since a coworker was working on it. But I noticed when he had the computer connected to it, it identified it as a Ram Tradesmen C/V.

 

[JTK]

When I purchased our new 2013 Grand Caravan SE, you could get a new Grand Caravan America's value package for a whole lot less money than the Ram version of this minivan. To me, the Ram version of this van was a marketing game to try to squeak as much profit as they could out of the product line.

 

[NHGUY]

Sales were slllooowww...beside,Promaster and ProMaster City were coming,and the Grand Caravan was supposed to be dropped as well.The GC has held on and sold just was well as the new Pacifica.Its not going away anytime soon,but nothing is keeping anyone from stowing away the last 2 seat rows and laying down a rubber mat and creating your own Dodge Grand Caravan C/V.....

 

[Andrew1972]

My wife’s aunt had a used one that was well taken care of. It was a computer server
Repair vehicle. She then got a regular town and country 2014 used. They all seem to last to 150k and then clunk, rattle , creak to 200k and the throw away for another.

She is a hoarder and fills with all sorts of heavy stuff including trees left for people who want free wood.

 

[supton]

Eh, just shopping around. C/V's are cheaper on the used market, and since they are stripped down, they weigh less--meaning bigger payload.

Wife thinks though that just a regular Caravan (with tow package) might make more sense. We'll see. I usually car shop for a couple years before making any changes. We think she'll wind up with a minivan to move kids, question becomes, does my truck do what we need or will it need replacing too? 4 doors is nice but it's no longer our family vehicle, thus it's depreciating faster than I'm using its value.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: supton
Eh, just shopping around. C/V's are cheaper on the used market, and since they are stripped down, they weigh less--meaning bigger payload.

Wife thinks though that just a regular Caravan (with tow package) might make more sense. We'll see. I usually car shop for a couple years before making any changes. We think she'll wind up with a minivan to move kids, question becomes, does my truck do what we need or will it need replacing too? 4 doors is nice but it's no longer our family vehicle, thus it's depreciating faster than I'm using its value.
Yeah regular Grand a Caravan is probably best. Could probably find one real cheap and add a tow package and tranny cooler.

But honestly the cost of extra maintenance and getting about 1/2-2/3 the fuel economy of a sedan, that truck sounds like the perfect machine.

 

[supton]

The C/V removes weight and gets a higher payload, don't forget. Not sure if springs get changed. But I would prefer to have the glass of the non-c/v.

Quick look on Autotrader had the C/V's a few grand less than similar year GC's. So there's that. I was thinking, if I could get a C/V for under $10k, I could sell my truck for more than $10k, and pocket the difference. While getting a lower load floor, larger cargo area, more payload, and more mpg (I figure, 20-22mpg vs the 17mpg I get in the truck). Drop collision insurance on the c/v and now it's an all around cheap vehicle.

 

[IndyIan]

There is a Caravan with stowable 2nd and 3rd row seats. I'd get one of those with the tow package(if it needs it to tow 3500lbs?) The good thing about lower end models is the "terrible" tupper wear plastic interiors are tough. You could hardly leave a mark if you tried with just lumber and few 8' t posts resting on the dash of the Neon left some barely noticeable scratches.

 

[JTK]

Supton, if max simplicity and lowest cost is the goal, I'd go with a Grand Caravan AVP w/ the second row bench seat and no rear HVAC. The 3rd row folds flat into the hatch recess in all models and you can just yank out the 2nd row 2 seater bench. Saves a lot of weight over the sto-n-go and no rear HVAC saves a lot of potential hassles down the road.

 

[supton]

I don't think the AVP was available with tow. Sure, the parts could be added. So I shouldn't rule that out I guess. But I was after the cheaper C/V, 'cuz it wouldn't be me if I wasn't (somewhat) frugal. We don't need a minivan for at least another year we think, so my thinking was, trade my truck for a C/V for a cheap third vehicle. Later on, using money left over from my truck, and trading a Camry, get a decent GC for my wife, as the family vehicle.

No, you're probably right: just buy the GC, probably with stow and go. I literally have no place to store a removed seat at my house, so seat removal isn't doable. Then keep both Camrys and drive those as needed. It'll be not that often that both the wife and I need the minivan to move stuff and/or people.