Knocking sound from the front end was diagnosed by the dealer to be a faulty steering rack, but it turned out to be tie-rod ends.
HVAC works erratically - blows hot one side, cold the other; Fan switch required replacing; overall the problem was not fixed.
Other than the problems listed above and normal wear items, this van has been very reliable. I am not happy with the HVAC at all - Mechanics don't seem to know how to fix it.
Comfort and ride quality has been improved over last generation. Squeaks and rattles are greatly reduced - seems like a tighter body structure.
Fit and finish is not very good - body panels are misaligned.
3.3 V6 is underpowered especially compared to Honda and Toyota. Fuel consumption is high.
I've owned 4 model generations of Caravan, and although I would probably prefer a Honda or Toyota, the Caravans are far less expensive when buying used and are a good overall value. I would not buy a new one - Honda or Toyota if I had the bucks!
I also have a 2001 Grand Caravan Sport, and could not agree with you more on how weak the 3.3 liter V-6 is. I wish my van had the larger motor. My van also had the tie rod ends replaced, as well as a power steering motor. Overall, I am satisfied, because this van is a good value for those that cannot afford the Honda or Toyota.
First of all, you don't want a bigger engine. My 3.8 L Dodge Grand Caravan takes up more gas than my 5.7 L 20 years old truck, and this is a fact.
To consider you "Folks" who don't have the money for more expensive Hondas which are fuel efficient and very powerful (wake up) over a Dodge Caravan that drinks gas for breakfast with a bigger engine, this calls for a tune up, and this time it's a tune up for everyone who thinks dodge caravans are "worth" the money in any possible way. Your expenses are too great my friends, please go for something else.
My car is worth less than nothing itself at the moment, I bought (got cheated and manipulated) a Dodge Grand Caravan SE for $33,000 (original agreement; 23000 ALL INCLUDED, reason - the dealer changed the paperwork) Today, it's worth almost nothing and breaking down.
I wrote a review here under the 1998 model Dodge Grand Caravan ("Don't Ask", 2 comments, please read). I am not rich either, but taking the future costs into consideration, will make it a lot better approach to buying a vehicle.
The Dodge Caravan probably cost you about 20,000 thousand or more, if you look in Auto Trader, you'll find that a 00', 99' or 98' Honda Odyssey will roughly cost the same amount or less at the time you bought your dodge cay-van. The quality saves you money, and everyone knows that Japanese vehicles are far superior quality cars that have lower maintenance costs, which makes it more reliable.
Of course you have to do an oil change, change the tires, brakes etc... that goes for every vehicle. But the cost for repairs will outdo your first judgement and decision to buy a less expensive vehicle (caravan) and not pay an extra couple thousand that would save triple the amount. Look at the long-run, please.
(all the costs I stated above are from Canada)
Is a Honda or Toyota really more expensive?
Yes, the Honda and Toyota product are much more expensive. I bought my 2001 Grand Caravan a year ago, with 35,000 miles, for $9000. I forked over another $1,000 for an extended warranty, $50 deductable. I am covered for the term of the loan. So, I feel I purchased a decent van for $10,000. I feel the Dodge is a nice van, just purchase an extended warranty to protect yourself. A 2001 Honda or Toyota would have been thousands more dollars up front, with thousands more miles on the odometer.
I have to add a positive spin here. I've owned my 98 Grand Caravan for the past 8 years. We have gone from Mass. to Florida twice and to SC twice along with other family trips. I love my Van!!! Other than normal maintenance (tires, brakes) I haven't spent a dime on repairs and have much more room inside than the SUV's on the Market. We are about to turn 100K this week and look forward to the next 100.
I've had my Grand Caravan Sport since 2001 and have very low mileage. I've mostly been happy with the ride, but I've had two instances where the interior lights come on while the car is sitting in my garage closed up. Upon opening the door, I get the ding, ding, ding like you get when you try to leave with the lights on or your seat belt isn't fastened. Closing the door seems to fix the problem for a while.
One other time while I was driving along a country road doing about 50, it sounded like the engine was rushing and when I looked down, I saw that the thing was in 'N' (neutral). I pulled over and stopped and put it back in 'D' (drive). This has never happened again.
Is my car spooked?
8th Nov 2007, 21:42
I've had my Grand Caravan Sport since 2001 and have very low mileage. I've mostly been happy with the ride, but I've had two instances where the interior lights come on while the car is sitting in my garage closed up. Upon opening the door, I get the ding, ding, ding like you get when you try to leave with the lights on or your seat belt isn't fastened. Closing the door seems to fix the problem for a while.
One other time while I was driving along a country road doing about 50, it sounded like the engine was rushing and when I looked down, I saw that the thing was in 'N' (neutral). I pulled over and stopped and put it back in 'D' (drive). This has never happened again.
Is my car spooked?
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Your car is a ghost! LOL.
No it is very common with some of the Chrysler products, all you have to do is go to a dealership and have them reset your computers, and that should solve all your problems.
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