YACT: Need to know about minivans.....Thinking of getting one...

[Shockwave]

I know all of jack about minivans, but I think I could use one. What are some reliable ones? I'd like to find a good, clean used one around 12-14k...Is that possible? What kind of prices am I looking at? Naturally I can go find this type of info on my own (prices) but what are some good models to look into? Reliability is key, domestic or import isnt a big deal. i need a cost effective reliable people mover, and thats the requirements.
Thanks

 

[kami333]

My parents have a 96 Grand Caravan SE and it's been rather good. Sienna is supposed to be fairly reliable.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: kami333
My parents have a 96 Grand Caravan SE and it's been rather good. Sienna is supposed to be fairly reliable.

Who makes them? Like I said, I know jack about vans...

 

[rufruf44]

Dodge. Basically there are 2 class of minivan, the smaller one such as the Sienna, Mazda MPV, Dodge Caravan, and the larger one such as the Grand Caravan, Ford Windstar and Honda Odyssey.

 

[Shockwave]

Are the Dodges reliable (assuming you get one thats been taken care of) they dont have any glaring issues do they?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Are the Dodges reliable (assuming you get one thats been taken care of) they dont have any glaring issues do they?

It's a dodge - I think you already know the answer.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Are the Dodges reliable (assuming you get one thats been taken care of) they dont have any glaring issues do they?

It's a dodge - I think you already know the answer.

Its probably not what i want to hear.... Lemme guess.... no?

 

[rufruf44]

Transmission has usually been dodge/chrysler achiless heel.

 

[kami333]

There isn't the door falling off on the highway kind of problems, for ours it's been mostly minor things like the cruise control indicator stop working (damn thing is too dim to see anyways).

 

[Shockwave]

Wow, the Dodges are far cheaper then the Toyotas or Hondas of similiar year and milage.....

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Are the Dodges reliable (assuming you get one thats been taken care of) they dont have any glaring issues do they?

It's a dodge - I think you already know the answer.

Its probably not what i want to hear.... Lemme guess.... no?

I can't speak from experience, and I'm an import fanboy, but I'd rather walk than drive in a caravan.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: rufruf44
Transmission has usually been dodge/chrysler achiless heel.

10 years ago

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Are the Dodges reliable (assuming you get one thats been taken care of) they dont have any glaring issues do they?

It's a dodge - I think you already know the answer.

Its probably not what i want to hear.... Lemme guess.... no?

I can't speak from experience, and I'm an import fanboy, but I'd rather walk than drive in a caravan.

I agree. I'll clarify....
Its simple. We need 1 new car for the wife. The Project BMW wont do, she wont drive a manual. Now, I have a few options. Keep the Expedition and buy her a car. A viable option, but damnit I want a sporty car. But we need a people mover (3 kids) so i cant just dump the Expo for a BMW. Now, what I can do is sell the Expo for hopfully enough to cover a people mover and nearly cover a Project BMW, then go ahead and get the wife a new car with payments.
Thus, I sacrafice a ncie Expedition to get my car (The project BMW) and pick up a people mover for vacations with the kids.

 

[amdskip]

Our old Dodge Caravan was great. We sold it with 144k miles on it and its still going strong.

 

[StageLeft]

I agree. I'll clarify....
Its simple. We need 1 new car for the wife. The Project BMW wont do, she wont drive a manual. Now, I have a few options. Keep the Expedition and buy her a car. A viable option, but damnit I want a sporty car. But we need a people mover (3 kids) so i cant just dump the Expo for a BMW. Now, what I can do is sell the Expo for hopfully enough to cover a people mover and nearly cover a Project BMW, then go ahead and get the wife a new car with payments.
Thus, I sacrafice a ncie Expedition to get my car (The project BMW) and pick up a people mover for vacations with the kids.

I'd do it, while you've still got the spirit. As you age you'll be less interested in it, but when you're old, and haggard, you can always look back to the nice project car

 

[HappyPuppy]

My '95 Dodge Caravan has 162,000 miles on it. I had to replace the tranny at 139,000 miles. Other than that it has been trouble free. It still looks like new inside and out. It does burn 1/2 quart of oil every 3500 miles, but I think that is well below average even for much newer cars. I would buy a new one in a hot minute except that I'm planning on keeping this one for another 5 to 10 years. Why make payments when basic maintenance is so much cheaper?

 

[PlatinumGold]

I hate chrysler products BUT the new Dodge minivans have AMAZING seat configurations. almost makes it worth buying.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
My '95 Dodge Caravan has 162,000 miles on it. I had to replace the tranny at 139,000 miles. Other than that it has been trouble free. It still looks like new inside and out. It does burn 1/2 quart of oil every 3500 miles, but I think that is well below average even for much newer cars. I would buy a new one in a hot minute except that I'm planning on keeping this one for another 5 to 10 years. Why make payments when basic maintenance is so much cheaper?

i had a 90 300zx witht 155k that didnt burn anything what so ever. Well below dodge average i would say...

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
My '95 Dodge Caravan has 162,000 miles on it. I had to replace the tranny at 139,000 miles. Other than that it has been trouble free. It still looks like new inside and out. It does burn 1/2 quart of oil every 3500 miles, but I think that is well below average even for much newer cars. I would buy a new one in a hot minute except that I'm planning on keeping this one for another 5 to 10 years. Why make payments when basic maintenance is so much cheaper?

1/2qt in 3500 miles is acceptable for a car that uses oil. I use about 1/2 qt every 7500 miles on my dad's '98 A6 30v, and it has 93k on it right now (Audi used low tension piston rings an hence the oil consumption issue). In the two hondas I work on in the family, neither of them use oil in the 5000-7500 miles oil change intervals I use. All the cars get synthetic, with the exception of the '91 toyota previa van, in which I use chevron supreme dino oil.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

I agree. I'll clarify....
Its simple. We need 1 new car for the wife. The Project BMW wont do, she wont drive a manual. Now, I have a few options. Keep the Expedition and buy her a car. A viable option, but damnit I want a sporty car. But we need a people mover (3 kids) so i cant just dump the Expo for a BMW. Now, what I can do is sell the Expo for hopfully enough to cover a people mover and nearly cover a Project BMW, then go ahead and get the wife a new car with payments.
Thus, I sacrafice a ncie Expedition to get my car (The project BMW) and pick up a people mover for vacations with the kids.

seeing as how things like the expedition have replaced minivans in many ways, what is wrong with keeping the expedition?

 

[ultravox]

I'm on my fourth Dodge Grand Caravan LE...I just turned 400000k on the odometer.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Shockwave

I agree. I'll clarify....
Its simple. We need 1 new car for the wife. The Project BMW wont do, she wont drive a manual. Now, I have a few options. Keep the Expedition and buy her a car. A viable option, but damnit I want a sporty car. But we need a people mover (3 kids) so i cant just dump the Expo for a BMW. Now, what I can do is sell the Expo for hopfully enough to cover a people mover and nearly cover a Project BMW, then go ahead and get the wife a new car with payments.
Thus, I sacrafice a ncie Expedition to get my car (The project BMW) and pick up a people mover for vacations with the kids.

seeing as how things like the expedition have replaced minivans in many ways, what is wrong with keeping the expedition?

Essentially the Expedition would be used to finance the BMW. With enough left over to replace it as a people mover.
We NEED a new car for the wife. We can make payments for it, but cant afford 2 car payments. Thus, I can make payments for a car for the wife, then trade the Expedition in for enough to get a minivan so we still have a people mover and get my BMW.
Basically just looking for ways to afford not only getting the wife a new car but also swing getting me a BMW.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Shockwave

I agree. I'll clarify....
Its simple. We need 1 new car for the wife. The Project BMW wont do, she wont drive a manual. Now, I have a few options. Keep the Expedition and buy her a car. A viable option, but damnit I want a sporty car. But we need a people mover (3 kids) so i cant just dump the Expo for a BMW. Now, what I can do is sell the Expo for hopfully enough to cover a people mover and nearly cover a Project BMW, then go ahead and get the wife a new car with payments.
Thus, I sacrafice a ncie Expedition to get my car (The project BMW) and pick up a people mover for vacations with the kids.

seeing as how things like the expedition have replaced minivans in many ways, what is wrong with keeping the expedition?

Essentially the Expedition would be used to finance the BMW. With enough left over to replace it as a people mover.
We NEED a new car for the wife. We can make payments for it, but cant afford 2 car payments. Thus, I can make payments for a car for the wife, then trade the Expedition in for enough to get a minivan so we still have a people mover and get my BMW.
Basically just looking for ways to afford not only getting the wife a new car but also swing getting me a BMW.

so you'd have 3 cars then? i guess you'd have to if you're gutting a bmw

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: rufruf44
Transmission has usually been dodge/chrysler achiless heel.

They have pretty well taken care of their tranny problems and it was only a problem in the early 90s. Aslong as you go with a later 90s model you shouldn't have a problem.

I did have to rebuild the one in my 89 caravan but then its a turbo and pushing around 80ft-lbs more then stock .

 

[DT4K]

My nightmare experience with an 89 caravan and a friend's, biggest piece of garbage ever built, 99 Neon were enough to convince me to never, and I do mean fvcking never buy a chrysler vehicle.