Used 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Minivan Consumer Reviews

great family mover

this is our 2nd mini van. 1st one was a 94 grand. anouther great van. this one is tops unless you plan on going with the 2002 or newer. has everything you need and then some. great ride and very comfy. we have the quad seating. much better than the bench, especially with adults in the middle row. ours has been very reliable. the only thing other than routine maintanance was a pully bolt broke. other than that great van

It's the Money Pit

I just replaced the AC for $1,400, 2 Transmissions, new front end suspension, new water pump, and starter. We have windshield wipers that come on by themselves and an ABS light that goes on and stays on sometimes when you start the car. Teh brakes and rotors wear very quickly! It has been a money pit. No more Dodge cars or Vans for me!

Drove it into the ground, now buying 2nd

This was our first minivan & first Dodge. I couldn't believe how comfortable and easy it was to drive! I loved it from Day 1. It was perfect for our toddlers & now for our teenagers. Very roomy with useful features - lots of cup holders, folding seats, lots of leg room. While it has been a headache at times - transmission/oil leaks, many sets of brakes, nonstop electrical problems (windshield wipers like to wave expectedly!), overall, we have loved this van & are currently shopping for another one. I couldn't imagine buying anything other than a Caravan! Would love an 08 but I don't love the price tag.

Run away!

Everything others have complained of in this vehicle is true. It is a roomy, well appointed money pit, with a weird psychic ability to detect when you have the least bit of spare cash and eat it. We bought ours used in 99. The mileage was not high and it looked like new. The fact that the transmission went a week later should have alerted us. Now, four years later, we're stuck with a belly up loan and a constant stream of repairs. It still *looks* nice. I wish they'd put more effort into making the damn thing run.

96 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.0 liter

No problems at 135000 miles, only replaced brakes one time and spark plugs at 90000 miles, runs good doesn't consume any oil, shifts nice, good quality and ride.

Great van, AWFUL maintenance

Had molded brake lines go ($500), starter ($200), AC died 2x, various other failures, broken parts inside, flaky electronics (ask about the wiper problem)... STAY AWAY unless you have a 100% warranty and rental coverage.

96 Dodge Caravan

I have had 7 minivans since they came out. This one was the best one realiable,handles like a luxury car. Fun to drive. I would never drive anything else.

Replacing Tran part of reg maintainance

This car has been a real family friend and I would love it if I didn't have to replace the transmission every other year. This is my 3rd Dodge Caravan and I will never purchase one again. If your drink splashes or spills in the cup holder, be sure that the cd's in cd holder will get soaked. Too bad I can't afford to keep repairing everything and the gas mileage. I'd keep the car if it weren't for those problems. If I ever get another minivan, which I probably will, it won't be American. What a shame.

Lucky

236,000 miles of reliable usefulness!

Bought this Grand Caravan new in 1996 and have put 236,000 miles on it so far. Fabulous vehicle for hauling people and stuff. Great comfortable highway cruiser too. Averaged 22+ mpg at 75 mph on long trips. Hauled kids to school and events, college kids belongings, 4x8 sheets of plywood, and apartment loads of furniture easily. Many ski trips in the snow. The much maligned transmission has been great. Worked perfectly for 140,000 miles, then had it rebuilt (for $1500) and it has now gone another 100,000 miles and still working fine. If that is a bad transmission design, then I sure hope I get something as good on our next vehicle! No other major repairs.

Don't Buy! Dodge Grand Caravan

We bought the 1996 Grand Caravan 2 years ago. when we bought it, it's only got 65K miles on it. Now it got 81K miles on it. Transmission and water pump failed twice. Electrical problem, make me crazy sometime. We keep losing money for it every for like 11 months. We are afraid to buy a Dodge again.

Piece of Crap

I WILL NEVER BUY A DODGE AGAIN!!!!! We have replaced the transmission, the air conditioner, the power steering (fell out while sitting at a stop light), water pump and numerous other faulty mechanisms on this van. We have driven foreign cars for years, and have never had to replace much more than the oil and tires. Something electrical messed up the intermittent wipers. The child safety seat has broken twice. STAY AWAY!!!