I need a used minivan or suv. Did dodge ever solve the tranny problem and if so when? If not, what other make/model is reliable?
I work at a used car dealer ship and we have had great luck with 01 - 03 Dodge Caravan’s with the 3.3 engine. you have to find the one’s that dont have french fries and soda stains on the floor. (Trust me this is harder than is sounds) I recomend buying at around 70 K.
Try and buy private the Gram and Gradpa owned to hall grand kid’s - (they take better care of there car !
The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are the cream of the crop. The Odyssey made a believer out of my dad, who’s past minivans included a 88 Caravan, a 91 Caravan, a 95 Windstar, a 98 Windstar, a 01 Windstar, and a 03 Windstar. He now has an 07 Odyssey and says comparing it to any of his previous minvans is like comparing ice cream to horse manure. And he’s a life-long Ford guy.
Daughter is on her 7 th year with Honda “Odyssey”…with just battery and tire replacements; my recommendation. You get what you pay for.
I’d encourage you to go out to do some test driving - but I’d be after an '01 or later Grand Caravan that has been well cared for. I’ve never had much faith in the notion that the extra price you pay to get Honda/Toyota is really worth it.
All minivan lines have transmission problems - but all also have fewer than they used to.
How old? if you wan tone that’s out of warranty, (4+ years), then you should look at condition more than brand.
Honda and Toyota are good; I would stay away from any Fords.
I’ve never had much faith in the notion that the extra price you pay to get Honda/Toyota is really worth it.
Translated: “I have never owned one.” Right?
I will say for low mileage drivers, and those who stay close to home, plus like to trade every so often, the relatively low mileage Caravan, bought used with good maintenance, is a valid option. For those who drive across country a lot, and put a lot of miles on, and plan to keep a vehicle a very long time, Toyota or Honda are the best choice, and in the long run will probably not cost any more than a cheaper vehicle traded when it is still young
Every member of my extended family who has bought a Honda or Toyota says they will never go back to a so-called American car again. That is now a majority of the family.
In its day the 3.8 GM V-6 was probably the best V-6 on the market,even with it’s intake problems,and it was installed in the “Cadillac of Minivan’s” (older Oldsmobile mini van, Silloutte. Terrible body, good engine.
"Translated: “I have never owned one.” Right?
No, that’s not right.
“Every member of my extended family who has bought a Honda or Toyota says they will never go back to a so-called American car again. That is now a majority of the family.”
Well, with such a well constructed probability sample and sound research methodology I’m just fully convinced.
By necessity, I have to have a minivan. I had a 2000 Ford Windstar that I purchased new and had no major problems. I sold it to my son in 2006. He had a 1999 Ford Windstar that he bought in 2003 that had been used to deliver packages between two large cities that had about 80,000 miles when he purchased it. He had $1200 worth of work done to partially rebuild the transmission at 115,000 miles, but no other problems. He drove it to 150,000 when I sold him my 2000 that had 75,000 miles at the time (2006). I had no major problems and he has had no major problems with the 2000 which now has 110,000 miles. One advantage of the Ford minivan for a used car buyer is that it depreciate rather quickly. In 2006, the wholesale price on my 2000 Ford Widnstar was only a few hundred dollars more than the wholesale price on his 1999 Ford Windstar that had twice as many miles. He bought mine for the wholesale price and was able to sell his for more than what he paid for mine. I then purchased a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander that was a program vehicle and had gone 15,000 miles. It now has about 50,000 miles and I have had no problems. I paid about $12,000 less than what a 2006 Honda or Toyota minivan would have cost at the time. I don’t know much about the Toyota or Honda minivans, but we do have a 2003 Toyota 4Runner. The fit and finish of the 4Runner is better than either the Chevrolet Uplander or the Ford Windstar. I would imagine that the same would be true of a Toyota or Honda minivan.
I agree with an earlier post that the condition of a used minivan is more important than the make. Many minivans lead a hard life hauling kids, groceries, pets and everything else around town. My minivan is used to carry musicians and their instruments to rehearsals and concerts as well as being my daily driver. I don’t know much about the Chrysler or Dodge minivans–when I test drove one back in 2000, the seats weren’t comfortable for me. The minivan that I liked the best was the first one that I owned–a 1990 Ford Aerostar. Unfortunately, Ford dropped the Aerostar when I was ready to replace it.