Used 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SE 4dr Ext Minivan (3.3L 6cyl 4A) Consumer Reviews
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A decent van with a lot of problems.
108,000 miles and counting. To start off the Dodge Caravan 2008-2010 model years are plagued with problems. The keyless entry fobs routinely fail, resulting in expensive reprograming and new key replacement costs. Putting your key in the ignition and getting a "BAD KEY" message while on vacation with a car full of kids will ruin your experience. Transmission shaft seals, oil pan seals, AC lines, brake calipers seizing up, undersized brake pads, antifreeze leaks, head gasket seals, and power steering fluid leaks are just a few problems you will have to deal with. Routine oil changes at 3000 miles or less is a must, do NOT wait for the suggested 5000 mile limit, the engine will eat upwards of a quart and a half of oil (a problem that plagues many Chrysler/Dodge engines) between oil changes. Factory tires wear out quickly, tire stores will advise you to buy another brand/model of tire when you replace them. Recalls stacking up, and the dealerships can't handle the volume of cars coming in, I've been waiting 6 months for the ignition switch recall alone. What is good about this van? Well the interior is nicely designed and appointed. Intuitive controls, with good ergonomics makes this a comfortable ride, and an excellent vehicle for road trips. Cup holders galore, storage spaces rivaled only by Han Solo's Milennium Falcon, and a sound system that is a pleasure to listen to. Styling is a high point, but many nooks and bends collect dirt that will have to be cleaned out by hand. Seats are comfortable, built in child restraints in the second row bench seat is a nice touch. Performance? It's a van, it can merge without much effort, handling is decent but you won't be taking it around the Nurburgring to be sure. In summary, I have owned many Dodge products over the years, with cars exceeding 200,000 miles. This van will be the first time I will trade in a car without at least 150,000 on the odometer. I really wanted to like this car, and even after $4000 in out of pocket repairs, I thought we could keep it, but the problems never seem to end. I take great car of my cars, crawling under them and poking under the hood every week to keep an eye on things and making sure they are well kept. This is just simply too much of problem child to keep throwing money at it. Pity, the Caravan once ruled supreme, now just a poorly made pale shadow of its former glory.
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Be Careful
I purhased a 2008 Grand Caravan. Big Mistake. The vehicle has numerous electrical prolems costing hundreds every year in repair and towing charges. A few problems I have encounterd: Horn blowing in the middle of the night, locked out of the vehicle, Windshield wipers turning on for no reason, windows going up and down when the vehicle is parked, radio changing stations for no reason, lights blinking on and off while parked and now the ignition system as failed. I was told by the dealer that the key is proably bad and it will have to be towed in. It cost $240 per key, $90 for system diagnosis and it may have to have an entire ignition system on top of a $90 tow charge. Reliability = 0
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2008 grand caravan 3.3l flex fuel
Been a pretty good van so far. it has had its little problems but nothing major. Got in jan 09 as a dealer demo with 6000 miles on it. it now has 92,000 miles on it. avg about 19 highway and city combined. have replaced left front caliper and wheel bearing, front rotors, three sets of frt brakes and 2 sets of rears. had a radiator and a/c drain recall. we go all over with this van and its been great. we have 4 kids and we pack this thing full all the time. this is our second caravan the first was a 1997 ex all wheel drive and that had 206,000 miles on it when the tranny went. love these vans! I change motor oil every 7 or 8000 mile and change transmission filter and oil once a year.
Over 235,000 miles and runs like new
People writing bad reviews are most likely the same people that never do maintenance. Change your fluids. Not just oil but trans fluids also. If your brakes are going out quick then stop driving like a fool. The 3.3 and 3.8 are great engines. Very low maintenance and very easy to service. Parts are cheap and readily available. I would have no problem driving mine cross country again. In the last year we have went to Oregon and back, Florida and back and Michigan and back. We live in Indiana. It's better if you're mechanically inclined but with regular service the 3.3 and 3.8 have no problem getting to 300,000 miles with a major rebuild.
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2008 Caravan
I have a feeling some of these reviews are completely made up by people PO'd at the world. I have a 2008 Carvan. The issue I've had is that the AC stopped working. When it was repaired it stopped working in less than a year. The other issue are the cheap plastic tracks that house the components that open and close the side sliders. This is a very poor design by Chrysler. The van ride very comfortably and I feel very safe in it. It does very well on snow covered roads. I don't buy the "it just stopped working" story. My van has the power gate lift. I stopped working and it cost me close to $500.00 to replace. Word of advice: Buy a van that has a manual gate lift and side doors that are manual. Not as convenient as power, but A WHOLE LOT cheaper to replace.
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