2018 Grand Caravan?

[Number_35]

All I can tell you is that when minivans came out in the '80's, I said, "What took 'em so long?"
They are practical vehicles. Like everything else, they may be too fancied-up for many, nowadays.
To this day I regret passing on my pal's Mopar; so early, it had no AC.
I particularly liked the vehicle's size.

Was that a 1st-gen Voyager or Caravan (a.k.a. Magic Wagon)? They came standard with a 2.2 l 4-banger and a 5-speed MT. The ill-fated Mitsubishi 2.6 l four was the optional larger engine until the Mitsu 3.0 V6 came along c. 1987.

Lee Iacocca claimed he'd pitched the idea of a small people-carrying van to Henry Ford II, who didn't go for it.

 

[Nick1994]

I figure, the middle row will be usually up, but the back row usually stored.

Wife and I were discussing it earlier. We found it quite amusing that we are finally shopping minivans... just as the kids are of the age to move out. Ok that's a year out but you get the idea. We managed baby strollers et al with a sedan for years.

But I wouldn't be shopping had we not lost two cars in two accidents. I'd be fine with pressing on with sedans, putting off a larger vehicle for another 5 years (when daughter is out of college)... the timing is right to get a minivan I guess, but only accidentally.

Also to note, at least when we were shopping for the vans, the base model American Value Package had removable only seats, they were not stow and go. No rear HVAC, no power trunk or power sliding doors, the sliding doors the windows don't go up and down, and the rear windows don't pop out. I don't think there was even a center console.

 

[Number_35]

I suspect I could live without a roof rack--I hate lifting things over my head and have rarely used them in the past.

That spare tire, it's under the vehicle, right? How does that work out when one has a flat and it's not perfectly flat ground?

Actually: now that I think of it--when the rear seats are down, is there any sort of cubby hole for storing stuff, like something other than a cheap jack? A place to safely store away the typical junk that goes in the trunk.

Yes, as @Kira said, the spare is stored underneath, aft of the tub for the 2nd-row Stow 'n' Go and ahead of the tub for the rear seat.

Whether or not the van is equipped with 2nd-row Stow 'n' Go, there's a large tub for storage in front of the middle row.

I would say that our 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan has the most usable storage space of any vehicle I've ever owned.

The Achilles's Heel of this spare-tire storage arrangement is that in the rust belt, the rather intricate cable and winch mechanism will rust and become inoperable. I replaced ours. (This is not specific to the Chrysler vans; the Kia and 2nd-gen Mazda vans used the same set-up, and I've also replaced the winch on a Kia van.)

The other annoying thing is that the spare-tire carrier will not accommodate a full-size spare.

 

[Kira]

Was that a 1st-gen Voyager or Caravan

Yes....with a 4; no idea of size. Never heard the term Magic Wagon; is it from a Chrysler commercial?
Their well-into-life van got a brand new, manifold-back exhaust due to a stroke of good misfortune.
A drain grate flipped up and tore out its exhaust.
Everyone was on the same page re buying OE parts. Damage was fixed, no drama.

edit:
"The other annoying thing is that the spare-tire carrier will not accommodate a full-size spare."
That rings a bell. It seems so long ago.

 

[Number_35]

Also to note, at least when we were shopping for the vans, the base model American Value Package had removable only seats, they were not stow and go. No rear HVAC, no power trunk or power sliding doors, the sliding doors the windows don't go up and down, and the rear windows don't pop out. I don't think there was even a center console.

That was a case of less for less - here, in 2017, leftover but new 2016 CVP Grand Caravans were selling for c. C$18K, while a new Grand Caravan loaded up was close to C$50K.

Worth it to many!

 

[Number_35]

Yes....with a 4; no idea of size. Never heard the term Magic Wagon; is it from a Chrysler commercial?

Chrysler may have used the "Magic Wagon" slogan only in Canada.

 

[Number_35]

Yes....with a 4; no idea of size. Never heard the term Magic Wagon; is it from a Chrysler commercial?

Found this on Driving.ca -

 

[D60]

The 62TEs don't seem horrendous but they don't seem great.

With the 3.6 if you even think the oil cooler is leaking, it is. But it's not really a bad job, esp on the transverse motor

 

[supton]

Huh, they come with engine hours on the dash?

Works out to 12.5mph? Maybe the other is better? 16.5mph.

Makes me wonder on my cars. Whenever I travel I'm unhappy if I can't beat an average speed of about 65-70mph (including stops). But I don't think I've seen that in the menus (doubt it's there, Toyota hides TPMS readout). Shouldn't this number be closer to like 45mph, or is this a high idle sign?

 

[Nick1994]

Huh, they come with engine hours on the dash?

View attachment 236142

Works out to 12.5mph? Maybe the other is better? 16.5mph.
View attachment 236143

Makes me wonder on my cars. Whenever I travel I'm unhappy if I can't beat an average speed of about 65-70mph (including stops). But I don't think I've seen that in the menus (doubt it's there, Toyota hides TPMS readout). Shouldn't this number be closer to like 45mph, or is this a high idle sign?

This is normal for us city folks. And Phoenix doesn't even have much traffic.

 

[supton]

This is normal for us city folks. And Phoenix doesn't even have much traffic.

I was sad when I bought my current house--there's a blinking light in our new town. Last town had no traffic lights whatsoever. I think there are two bonafide traffic lights in a 15 mile radius of me (unfortunately I hit both on the way to/from work). My 54 mile commute takes 55-60 minutes (there's a few lights near work that I have to contend with).

I hate it when I have to stop to wait for the turkeys to cross the road. It's a rough life out here.

 

[dishdude]

Found this on Driving.ca -
View attachment 236127

I loved these first gen, short wheelbase vans. They drove great and you really felt like king of the road in one. They were slow as molasses, but everything else made up for it. All the ones I drove were pretty old and beat up, but they still impressed me.

 

[Skippy722]

Huh, they come with engine hours on the dash?

View attachment 236142

Works out to 12.5mph? Maybe the other is better? 16.5mph.
View attachment 236143

Makes me wonder on my cars. Whenever I travel I'm unhappy if I can't beat an average speed of about 65-70mph (including stops). But I don't think I've seen that in the menus (doubt it's there, Toyota hides TPMS readout). Shouldn't this number be closer to like 45mph, or is this a high idle sign?

Yes they have engine hour meters, and no this seems normal if it hasn’t seen much highway use.

The 62TEs don't seem horrendous but they don't seem great.

It is certainly a transmission.

 

[michaelluscher]

I loved these first gen, short wheelbase vans. They drove great and you really felt like king of the road in one. They were slow as molasses, but everything else made up for it. All the ones I drove were pretty old and beat up, but they still impressed me.

They were available with the 2.5 Turbo I engine + a 5 speed
It would make quite a speedy 1900s mobile

And yes, they were called "Magic Wagons" in the US

As to OPs question, I haven't had the best luck with any generation of 3.6 Pentastar
And I concur with @Skippy722 , the 62TE is certainly a transmission
I wouldn't exactly say a good one

If you find a clean/well maintained one, go for it
If it's been on the lot this long, I'd be in a negotiating kinda mood
A new battery thrown in at least
Consider a Mopar Maxcare ESP bought online at a significant discount if practical
The 2018 options lineup

If you want the window sticker, just plug your prospective purchase VIN into this website

https://windowstickerlookup.com/

 

[dishdude]

They were available with the 2.5 Turbo I engine + a 5 speed
It would make quite a speedy 1900s mobile
View attachment 236179
View attachment 236178
And yes, they were called "Magic Wagons" in the US

As to OPs question, I haven't had the best luck with any generation of 3.6 Pentastar
And I concur with @Skippy722 , the 62TE is certainly a transmission
I wouldn't exactly say a good one

If you find a clean/well maintained one, go for it
If it's been on the lot this long, I'd be in a negotiating kinda mood
A new battery thrown in at least

84-86 got the 2.2 or 2.6 which seemed to litter HS and college parking lots when I was kid, all hand me downs. They were slow, but drove great.

87-90 got mostly the 2.5 NA and 3.0 V6 and both engines helped a lot. The V6 was pretty quick. Some got the 2.5 turbo 89-90.

I'm pretty sure the 5 speed was only offered from the factory with the base engine. With all the performance mods out there for the 2.2/2.5 turbo engines, a lot made them in to the vans by anyone nutty enough to hot rod a minivan!

 

[Overfill]

With the 3.6 if you even think the oil cooler is leaking, it is. But it's not really a bad job, esp on the transverse motor

how pervasive is this still?

 

[dishdude]

how pervasive is this still?

Pervasive/perverse lol

 

[Popsy]

how pervasive is this still?

Maybe a two hours job if you're like me and go slow and clean everything and replace all the gaskets on your way and like to make sure 3 times nothing is leaking?

With more training, I'm sure it's doable in less than an hour.

 

[D60]

how pervasive is this still?

I dunno. It seems like everyone from Chrysler to the interweb really wants to believe this problem has been licked, but has it? I'm asking the BITOG experts, because I don't know 100%

I'm not aware of significant design changes here, even on the newer gen, higher-output units that hit the Wrangler JL in MY 2018 (note even for '18 Stellantis was straddling both sides of the fence, still producing the older JK also).

I also don't know how the "newer" 285hp unit was distributed or phased in throughout the line-up of all vehicles that use the 3.6, eg 200/300, Ram, vans etc

However here WWW does a 2017 Caravan, so unless we're positive a 2018 Caravan got a different iteration of the 3.6......


Finally, this shouldn't necessarily be used to beat these engines over the head. The job isn't terrible, but it IS a stupid design. If the 3.6 has a true Achilles heel, it's the cams and roller follower issues. Do regular oil changes and run a heavier oil than recommended -- or at least in my interpretation that's the BITOG concensus and I like the logic.

The JL called for 0W20 which was just CAFE nonsense IMO.

 

[Popsy]

There was a redesign of the assembly in 2014 or 2015, the filter is different but both units are interchangeable (at least in my case they were). I think Dorman makes an all aluminum unit, not tested.
I went with the "new" one on my 2013 3.6 just because it was cheaper by like 100$ CAD here. But as the filters are different I have to remember that when ordering parts.

Oh and when I got the car the original oil filter assembly was in very good shape and not leaking at all, I was just in there for injectors and spark plugs and replaced it for good measure.