Almost time to go vehicle shopping

Buckeye Oliver collector · Aug 25, 2013

Well after I get my settlement on this accident (mid-week?) it looks like I'll be getting another vehicle. Looking forward to it actually. Its most annoying borrowing from someone else. I'll probably end up with another older one (or one coming off a lease) but does anybody have opinions on the newest Grand Caravans? I would not mind having something brand new to be honest but I cannot see how I'll ever get full use out of it since I drive maybe 9,000 miles a year. I got a mechanic who says to run away from the new body style Dodge vans but I have a hard time acting on one guys opinion. I would not mind having a new truck either but I'm in the wrong tax bracket for one of those.

JD Seller · Aug 25, 2013

The best bang for the buck is a few year old mini van. The resale drops on them like crazy. I have not heard anything bad about Dodge's mini van.

My DIL drives one every day and loves it. I think it is a 2011 model. They bought it early this year for about 50% of what a new one was.

Ray · Aug 25, 2013

If your going to get a van get a Honda. They will outlast two of those dodge vans and get better fuel milage.

Buckeye Oliver collector · Aug 25, 2013

They are nice vans but quite more expensive. I was just looking at a 2007 Odyssey EX online with 71000 miles and they wanted $14,100 for it. Then there was a 2006 Town and Country with 78000 miles for $7700.

MarkWV · Aug 25, 2013

bought a 2003 Ford windstar last August for $1500.00 - had brake computer rebuilt, $275 and then had to put in new AC compressor,drier and recharge, that was another $350.00 - but have driven it about 10,000 miles since then, several 500 mile trips with no problems; will do same when this one croaks HTH

Sam Drucker · Aug 25, 2013

The price different reflects what they are.

The Honda is very good, the chrysler is crap.

Goose · Aug 25, 2013

It's interesting that when someone calls a particular vehicle (or whatever) crap, they never cite any specifics.

Our last Chrysler T&C went 192K miles with no more than normal maintenance. Our current T&C has 82K and has needed nothing more than routine maintenance.

How about some specifics?

Dick2 · Aug 25, 2013

It used to be that you could buy a used vehicle, spend some time and money on repairs and have low cost transportation. Now, with the price of parts and labor, the gap between new and used has narrowed.

I quit buying used and bought 2 new Fords - both of them had that disease "Fall-Apartus". Started buying new Toyotas and maintain them myself; I would really hate to go back to used at this staqe of my life.

rrlund · Aug 25, 2013

I rented one from Enterprise to drive on vacation four weeks ago. I was more impressed with that than I was with the Hyundai Santa Fe that we rented two years ago. A little wobbly at freeway speed,but darned good mileage. Would I buy one if I was the Mini Van type? Yes,probably.

tomNE · Aug 25, 2013

If I was going to avoid a new style dodge van; it would be a 2008. But they have been around over 5 yrs. I have a 2012 with the new style motor and (knock on wood) I haven"t a complaint against it! I"ve had dodge mini vans since 1992 and will be the first to say; they made some that had problems but overall, I love them!

mudbudquad · Aug 25, 2013

Some people would rather give their money to the Japanese, than keep it in America.

omahagreg · Aug 25, 2013

Dodge has been known for electrical problems. The reason I will never drive another Dodge is electrical problems-one was a mini van, one was a full size van! Proprietary connections would fail, could not a replacement for them anywhere.

Leroy · Aug 25, 2013

I have had good luck with several but then my newest is a 98 with 225 thousand very hard miles, lot of them stop and go on newspaper delievery.

Ray · Aug 25, 2013

The Honda is more American made than the Chrysler.

davemk · Aug 25, 2013

(quoted from post at 14:16:55 08/25/13) The price different reflects what they are.

The Honda is very good, the chrysler is crap.

Yeah, tell my sister and aunt that. They both spent big bucks putting new transmissions in Honda minivans. They both drive Chrysler Town and Country vans now.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 25, 2013

And I assume you have done a detailed side by side comparison and a long term reliability study and cost analysis, or is this just a personal opinion? Based upon how many of each?

Anonymous-0 · Aug 25, 2013

Maybe more American assembled, but the good white collar jobs, like design, engineering, accounting, tooling, logistics, that we want our kids to have when they get out of college, are mostly done in Japan.

Ray · Aug 26, 2013

No,you just need some common sense.Chryslers have no resale value.That tells you what the market is.
A honda holds it's value well,best of any van.

NEBeef · Aug 26, 2013

(quoted from post at 13:24:24 08/26/13) No,you just need some common sense.Chryslers have no resale value.That tells you what the market is.
A honda holds it's value well,best of any van.

Whether that's good or not depends on what you're buying. If I'm buying new I want good resale value. If I'm buying used, I don't!

We had a few Dodge minivans when the kids were growing up, starting with a 1984, I think. We had to put a tranny in the '97 at about 120K if I remember correctly, but other than that they were good vehicles, very reliable, nice driving. Last one we had was around a 2000 - wive said kids are gone, no more minivans. So I can't say much about the newer ones in particular. But if they're as good as the older ones I'd buy another if a min van made sense to me...

T in NE · Aug 26, 2013

I guess that's why you can buy a Dodge minivan with 4 or 5 different badges on the grill, how many companies does Honda supply minivans to?

Almost time to go vehicle shopping

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

New User

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads