2018 Grand Caravan?

Popsy said:
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.
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Sure. At ~8:00 here MCM kinda covers the "generations"


But I think his info is now a bit outdated. I believe the Dorman part of 926-876 which he discusses has been replaced with 926-959. In fact never mind, I don't believe -- rather Dorman confirms it:
Screenshot_20240819_113516_Chrome.jpg

The new *959 seems to fit all 3.6 Pentastar applications and even lists at RA for my '19 Wrangler JL. You can also look at applications at dormanproducts.com (I can't believe I'm potentially promoting Dorman, but it's difficult to be worse than the OEM plastic)

I recently installed TWO Dorman *959s on a '14 and '15 KL Cherokee. Despite having the 3.2, they're identical for all intents and purposes here -- and MCM confirms that early in the vid I link above.
 
- A lifter replacement is almost a 100% guarantee to be needed at one point, seems to be around the 100k mile mark.
- The oil filter cooler will probably leak, especially if it was serviced at various lube places. Mine is still dry past 100k miles as I never torque the oil filter cap, but the seals are probably rock hard so it's a matter of time at this point IMO.
- Transmissions seem to be OK when they are serviced and serviced with the correct ATF+4 fluid.
- The power doors and lift gate on my 15 had not issues thus far (knock on wood)
 
Everyone I know with them has them start to become quite troublesome in the 120-180k mile range. Nothing super expensive if you do your own work, but they were taking the vans in for everything and it was always $400-1000 a trip, and brakes don't seem to last somehow? At some price they kind of are worth the trouble, if you don't mind driving around with a christmas light dash and some stuff busted, as they rarely left them stranded...
Maybe a 4 cyl Sienna is the alternative for simple big box on wheels?
 
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My wife’s aunt owns buying around 100k on them over the years and between 125k-175k they turn I to a hot mess. Suspension bits, head gaskets, cooling system problems and lots of transmissions .

She keeps buying them and they keep having problems. I’d skip.

She is a bit of hoarder and can’t junk them so they are at her property full of stuff nearby. I should take a pic !
 
IndyIan said:
Everyone I know with them has them start to become quite troublesome in the 120-180k mile range. Nothing super expensive if you do your own work, but they were taking the vans in for everything and it was always $400-1000 a trip, and brakes don't seem to last somehow? At some price they kind of are worth the trouble, if you don't mind driving around with a christmas light dash and some stuff busted, as they rarely left them stranded...
Maybe a 4 cyl Sienna is the alternative for simple big box on wheels?
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This is how I feel about my 14. We are about to turn 125k and the side doors are groaning, rust is popping, and it feels loose in its handling. I’ve got 2 years max before a nickel and dime fest starts.

My wife loves it though. Our kids are still at ages that are rough on car interiors, so I don’t mind waiting.
 
I had a 5th gen as a rental and loved it. Having owned 2 4th gens, which were cult-worthy for minivan folks, I felt like the 5th gens were a continued “right direction” in the improvement of a good thing. Mine drove well, got great mpg, and had excellent driveline manners, interior comfort, and space efficiency. Mine also had some snazzy interior lighting which I was a bit of a sucker for. I’ve not driven anything newer, but my impression is the 5th gen is the sweet spot to buy. Seems like the newer ones get some complaints. 5th gen doesn’t get many complaints.
 
I am a big Mopar guy; first car was an 1995 Caravan SE that I got from my grandfather. Last van I had was an 2010 Town & Country that had the 3.8, which I liked better than the Pentastar a bit.
 
"Revised" Pentastar isn't turning out to be as great as promised -- still lots of lifter issues, and now head gaskets and some engines requiring long blocks. Neighbor's relative just had to put a long block in their Town and Country (same model year) at 44k for $13K. Van was out of warranty by age and Stellantis declined goodwill assistance.
 
The Critic said:
"Revised" Pentastar isn't turning out to be as great as promised -- still lots of lifter issues, and now head gaskets and some engines requiring long blocks. Neighbor's relative just had to put a long block in their Town and Country (same model year) at 44k for $13K. Van was out of warranty by age and Stellantis declined goodwill assistance.
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What?? Stellantis over-promised and under-delivered on quality? This seems like disinformation..... :D
 
supton said:
I'm not clear on how well the 3.6's and 62TE's have held up, other than, like anything else, they can and do have issues. The 3.6 has lifter(?) problems and the trans is like all other slushboxes, something of a wear item. But not that different than everything else out there (oh oil cooler thing).

I found this one, which looks to lack power liftgate or power sliding doors. The fact that it's been on the lot for 6 months makes me wonder if $13k for an '18 with 79k is too much? (and it has a sister on that lot too) (and both are from NJ which makes one wonder about what kind of miles those are) I'm on the fence as to wanting power lift gate--I might get something like this for my son who is disabled and might be using a mobility scooter in a few years. Or just use myself I guess, could make a nice all around vehicle. [He drives like 10k/yr and I'm looking at 25k for myself. I don't mind the 'rolla but it has way too much road noise on the highway and is useless for doing anything other than commuting.]

I really don't want to spend this kind of money but this is the new reality in used cars. :(
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Not sure there should be any concerns with it coming from NJ. My wife’s 14 odyssey is completely rust free and everything is great after 100k of mainly in town use. We’ve had a lot of very benign winters lately. Sure I’ve changed a few suspension parts, but that’s expected for any vehicle at that mileage and age.

I’d argue no to power tailgates. Those things are the worst! So slow. I’ve mentioned that my MIL has two highlanders, a 2011 and a 2018. The 2018 has power tailgate, the 2011 doesn’t. The 2018 power tailgate takes 10 seconds to go up and another 10 to go back down. The 2011 manual tailgate takes a fraction of a second each direction. I simply can’t stand the power gates. Even when my hands are full.
 
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wow, lot of good and bad reading. I bought a 2018 se plus blacktop new, it now has 10,036 miles on it.
 
The Critic said:
"Revised" Pentastar isn't turning out to be as great as promised -- still lots of lifter issues, and now head gaskets and some engines requiring long blocks. Neighbor's relative just had to put a long block in their Town and Country (same model year) at 44k for $13K. Van was out of warranty by age and Stellantis declined goodwill assistance.
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What caused enough damage to require a long block?
 
The Critic said:
"Revised" Pentastar isn't turning out to be as great as promised -- still lots of lifter issues, and now head gaskets and some engines requiring long blocks. Neighbor's relative just had to put a long block in their Town and Country (same model year) at 44k for $13K. Van was out of warranty by age and Stellantis declined goodwill assistance.
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To be fair, most of the head gasket failures that I have read about are on the new Pacificas, not the Grand Caravan/Town&Country. They still suffer from the rocker failures though.
 
wow, lot of good and bad reading. I bought a 2018 se plus blacktop new, it now has 10,036 miles on it.

it's for sale if someone's interested.
 
Y'all are giving me cold feet to move forward... might just wait it out. Sounds like first semester I can carpool with the son, so that might be an option. It'll be annoying setting seat and mirrors, hopefully that'll be just once a week.
 
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