Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Video highlights of this vehicle

While Philip Reed, our consumer advice editor, has been a big defender of our comfortable, smooth-riding Dodge Grand Caravan, he's a little concerned about the amount of time it spends in the shop. The body damage we reported last month wasn't the fault of Dodge, of course, and the latest scrape is now beautifully repaired. But a new problem surfaced this month, requiring maintenance at an inconvenient time of the year.

"It seems like it's something new going wrong every month," Phil wrote in his logbook. "Last month, the front suspension was rattling, and the van needed new shocks. This month, it was the air conditioning that was malfunctioning."

While the repair was covered under warranty, it entailed scheduling a service visit and leaving the van for half a day. It was the day before the fourth of July and Phil was unable to get an appointment at the dealership near the Edmunds.com offices in Santa Monica, Calif. Instead, he took the car to Glenn E. Thomas Co. Dodge in nearby Long Beach. Anticipating a busy day, he arrived 15 minutes before opening and watched the cars stack up behind him in the service driveway.

One woman chatted with Phil as she waited to have her 1999 Dodge Dakota serviced. She recited a long list of problems she had run into with the vehicle, including what she described as "drooping bumpers." However, she concluded this litany by saying, "But I love my truck." This made Phil realize how deeply loyal Americans are toward particular brands.

When the dealership opened, Phil was waited on by Service Advisor Jerry Lord, who was friendly and efficient. Mr. Lord called at 10:30 a.m. to say the air conditioner was repaired and that the problem had been caused by a malfunctioning condenser.

Returning to the dealership at 3 p.m., Phil was told that there would be no charge for the repair. He went outside to wait for the van to be brought to him from the service bay. A few minutes later, a customized camping van appeared and was left in the driveway with the keys in the ignition. Phil continued waiting. After about 15 minutes, an alert service advisor came over and asked what Phil was waiting for. He said he was waiting for his Dodge Grand Caravan. "Oh! But I thought — " and then he realized that a mistake had been made, and the wrong van had been delivered.

"It was a nice van, fully equipped for camping," Phil recalled. "I would have liked to have taken it for the long weekend, but I think the real owner might have objected."

With the air conditioning working once more, the Dodge Grand Caravan, or "DGC" as it is known around the office, was again a comfortable cruiser. Phil took his trombone-playing son, Andrew, to summer camp in the mountains, a tough two-hour drive from his home. The Grand Caravan made the trip a breeze, easily swallowing Andrew's sleeping bag, backpack, suitcase and instrument case. The 3.8-liter V6 climbed the steep grade to the camp, which is at an elevation of 6,000 feet. The only problem was underinflated rear tires, which caused them to squeal in protest around every corner. On the way back, Phil checked the pressure and found they were only 3 pounds per square inch low. When they were inflated to the proper level, the tires fell silent again.

On the descent from the mountains, Phil once again used engine braking by manually controlling the shifts with AutoStick. He described this technique in more detail in last July's long term update.

Despite the inconvenience of yet another service visit, Phil liked the comfort and practicality of the DGC, especially for family outings. Perhaps he can understand the feelings of the woman he met in the service area who still loves her Dodge, despite its frequent need for repairs.

Current Odometer: 32,476
Best Fuel Economy: 18.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 18.1 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $1,990 to repair scrape on left side
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Air conditioner malfunction. Problem was caused by a faulty condenser that was repaired under warranty.