2014 Dodge Grand Caravan

[cptbarkey]

I helped my parents purchase a brand new 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan AVP package. The only option it has is the actual spare tire versus inflation kit. They have owned nothing but Caravans since 1990. I have to say comparing it against our 2011 Sienna, I completely regret spending the extra money.

This generation Caravan is frankly light years more refined versus previous generations, and the 3.6 pentastar is an excellent engine. I did not notice any transmission quirks that some people mention, it is very smooth. the suspension/ride is rather honda like which surprised all of us, they were used to the floaty boat ride of their previous 07 T&C.

Next go around I will give the Caravan very serious thought.

 

[01rangerxl]

Interesting that an inflation kit is standard on a vehicle this size. Do you still get the kit even with the spare? Is the spare full size, or a temp spare?

I like the Pentastar. They are easy to do oil changes on.

 

[moklock]

My parents have an '11 T&C. They used to find the shift quality with the "econ" mode turned on a little annoying. Chrysler sent them a letter to come in for a free reflash and it improved the shift quality greatly.

That has been the only time the van has been back to the service department (knock on wood) other than the first 4 services which were complimentary.

Between their experience with the van and my dads with his Dakota this die-hard GM fan may be temped to buy Chrysler next time around as well.They just seem to be making some very reliable vehicles these days.

 

[JTK]

I hear you cptbarkey. Not only are they nice, it's hard to find an econobox car for the price of a new AVP!

Our 2013 is one click up, with the SE package. Love it. At just over 8K miles, we are currently having our first problem with it. I smelled burning oil to find the P.Steering pump covered in PSF. I had a dealer appt. last week but had to cancel due to our schedules..

Having owned 3 minivans in the past ~11yrs, there were things I liked about all 3. 2001 Windstar LX, 2008 Honda Odyssey LX and 2013 DGC SE.

The Honda had the most refined, sold and best put together interior, but I like the feel of the powertrain on the new DGC better. The windstar rode nice, was BIG and basic.

 

[supton]

I am interested in hearing how these work out in the long run. I dithered about getting one vs my truck, but decided on the safe route of Toyota vs Chrysler. Plus truck. But I know deep down it'd probably serve my needs better (people and cargo mover).

 

[IndyIan]

They just need to do an AWD version for $3-4k more and it would probably attract many many fwd based SUV buyers too!

 

[mrsilv04]

I live in a smaller town (less than 10,000 population), and our town government has replaced two vehicles (one was a Cherokee, and the other was a Stratus) with two new Grand Caravan AVP's.

The one is a motor pool vehicle (not assigned to any particular driver) and someone nearly always has it checked out. Dad grabs it every chance he gets. It is such a change, as no one ever wanted to get stuck with the Stratus.

I can't figure out what took them so long.

These vans are definitely getting better mileage than the Cherokee, but less than the Stratus... but the town is probably still breaking even on fuel consumption when it is averaged out.

 

[Indydriver]

We raised our family in Mopar minivans from 1989-2012. The wife loved driving them so much I couldn't get her out of one even though the kids are grown and long gone. We cross shopped Chrysler and Toyota and for us, there was no comparison--the Toyota Sienna wins hands down. No regrets two years later. BTW, 10,000 mile OCIs on 0W-20 with no OLM. It doesn't burn a drop of oil which still looks serviceable when changed. Fantastic drivetrain in this vehicle.
Honda Odyssey? Didn't even look at them due to VCM.

 

[JTK]

Yep. LOVE the Sienna. Never owned one, but have rented a few. If I could have had one for reasonably close in price to my new Grand Caravan SE at the time, that's the way I would have went. Same goes with the Odyssey. We had a 2008 Odyssey LX. Loved it, but I refused to pay ~$28K for a 2013 Odyssey LX. Do all the Odys have VCM now? I know back in 2008 you had to bump up a few options to get the VCM.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Indydriver
We raised our family in Mopar minivans from 1989-2012. The wife loved driving them so much I couldn't get her out of one even though the kids are grown and long gone. We cross shopped Chrysler and Toyota and for us, there was no comparison--the Toyota Sienna wins hands down. No regrets two years later. BTW, 10,000 mile OCIs on 0W-20 with no OLM. It doesn't burn a drop of oil which still looks serviceable when changed. Fantastic drivetrain in this vehicle.
Honda Odyssey? Didn't even look at them due to VCM.


No offense, but when Toyota figures out how to offer a $20,000 version of the Sienna (instead of $27,000), then let us know.

 

[JTK]

Pretty sure I know most of the answer. Because it's a Toyota and people would pay $30K for one. No offense of course.

 

[cptbarkey]

Conjecturing from my own OP, but i still regret dropping 30k on our sienna, contrasting it to the just above 18k my dad paid, I would take the dodge depreciation and laugh to the bank.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Conjecturing from my own OP, but i still regret dropping 30k on our sienna, contrasting it to the just above 18k my dad paid, I would take the dodge depreciation and laugh to the bank.



That's a fact!

My reasoning by not ever buying a minivan loaded with luxury items and a 30-40K price tag is, it's loaded with 4-6 kids on many trips. My kids are rough enough on things. It never ceases to amaze me how clueless and inconsiderate their schoolmates, friends, neighbor kids, etc... are. That, and I used my MVs to haul stuff at times.

It seems there's two schools of thought with MVs. Those who use them for long haul trips and those who use them as general purpose family haulers.

I get it, that for LONG trips, one would like all the added goodies.

 

[Vikas]

18K for a 285HP reasonably equipped minivan? That is a smoking deal! The only thing which I thought missing from this trim was automatic door and power driver seats. Everything else seems to be included. That is amazing value.

 

[cptbarkey]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
18K for a 285HP reasonably equipped minivan? That is a smoking deal! The only thing which I thought missing from this trim was automatic door and power driver seats. Everything else seems to be included. That is amazing value.


my parents being elderly had power doors and liftgate on their 2007 T&C, they specifically got rid of it because of those doodads. being motorized too there is alot of extra resistance if you try to close them manually.

of course there is always other strange niggling things, i need to bring over a label machine because the dash shifter isn't labelled. its the small things that bug them, but trying to be a good son and help where i can.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
.. i need to bring over a label machine because the dash shifter isn't labelled. its the small things that bug them, but trying to be a good son and help where i can.


I'm pretty sure my mother has answered the remote when it was in close proximity to the cordless phone.