Dodge Grand Caravan SE

I have driven 8 Dodge minivans over the past eighteen years for a company which has about one hundred. I've seen them be abused and fall apart. I buy the ones I drive when they come out of lease (two or three years old, 77,000 to 105,000 miles on them). The 1986 has 160,000 miles on it with a new radiator and tires. The 1988 had 240,000 miles and it was time to go (3.0 liter, timing belts every 60,000 miles). The 1991 has 130,000 miles, new radiator and condenser (I live by the coast, the salt air eats the luvers up.) It had to have a second gear shift solenoid at 55,000 miles. The 1994 also has 130,000 miles (I try to keep them even). It needs its air conditioning condenser now. The 1999 had the transmission computer fail at 105,000 miles, else no problems. The 2002 has the most noisy and hard shifting transmission yet. The maintenance company will not allow it to be serviced (bad idea). There is a noise when the anti-fungal/anti-baterial air conditioning cycle comes on. No one cares enough to find it.

All the engines had oil and filter changes every 5,000 miles while being used every day. After that it was three months, when the oil turned dark, or 4,000 to 6,000 miles between changes. The transmissions were serviced every 30,000 miles (except the 2002). If you'll drive gently enough to make the tires last 80,000 miles by not accelerating/cornering hard, the transmissions and vehicles will hold up a long time (18 years for the 1986, 13 years for the 1988). 70% highway, 30% city driving on all. 21 to 24 miles per gallon for all.