Used 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A) Consumer Reviews
Used Grand Caravan for sale
Great Value & Practical Buy
Kevin Haskins, Seattle, WA, 04/10/2016
updated 10/13/2022
Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
85 of 92 people found this review helpful
We have owned two Caravans before this one so we are familiar with the line. I had one of the originals as a company car in 1986. We bought a base model Caravan in 1999 when starting our family. It was a great value in a new vehicle and we drove it up until 3-years ago when the cost of fixing it was greater than the value of the vehicle. That was the 4-cylinder model with a 3-spd tranny and we put about 175,000 miles on it before its useful life ended (14 years). During that time we replaced one transmission, a couple of timing belts, and otherwise just normal upkeep. We bought a used one 3-years ago (2005 model) with 90,000 miles on it because we needed a vehicle in a hurry. I only changed the oil, tires, and brakes on that one but the engine light started coming on (rich fuel mixture) and the transmission started doing its goofiness at about 120,000 miles. So... with the big rebates in 2016, I took it in and exchanged it for the base model 2016. I had bought it for $5500 and got $1200 on the trade so $1433/year to drive wasn't bad. Base models sure have changed in 17 years. I feel like the base model vehicle has everything I wanted and at $16,971 after rebates, I feel it has very good value over the estimated 15-year lifespan of the vehicle. The fuel economy is actually worse than our 4-cylinder but not enough to sour me on the engine. The storage and the stow-n-go seats really make for maximum usable space and capacity. Obviously, our reliability experience is minimal since we have only owned it for a month. I do know that the quality differences between manufacturers have greatly narrowed. Where the Japanese machines used to have commanding quality advantages the differences are much less now. I also like to buy models that are mature and this vehicle certainly qualifies in that this is the 8th year without meaningful platform changes on the model. If you look at the reported defects/service visits on one of the online resources it shows that Dodge has improved dramatically from the earlier model years (2008, 2009) in terms of initial quality. The maintenance requirements are also drastically lower compared to older vehicles. You change the oil, tires, and brakes and there is no more timing belt. The transmission is sealed and pushes out the first service to 120,000 miles, plugs @ 100,000. I think I'll preempt those numbers slightly but overall that decreases the cost of driving. Everyone who rides in it comments on how nice it is but that is the case with most new vehicles. It is a minivan, not a Porsche so I set my expectations accordingly. It drives well for extended trips, has low road noise and I think the front seats are the best I've ever seen in a vehicle. They are exceptionally comfortable. The transmission is a 6-spd which is a dramatic difference from the older vehicles. I don't know how it rates vs. the Japanese or S. Korean rivals because I didn't drive them but it strikes me as a perfectly acceptable driving experience for a minivan. I own Hyundai and a Chevy as other vehicles so I don't have brand loyalty other than I buy mainly for value. The Dodge was $9,000 less than the nearest competitor that I could buy. Whatever flaws it may or may not have been easily overcome by that price delta. Resale value.... it doesn't hold up as good as the Honda or Toyota. But I'd focus on the cost to drive, not absolute resale value. Look at the delta in price rather and consider sales tax, insurance, and financing cost in the equation. If you plan to turn a vehicle over every 3-years then I'd do the math using data from current model vehicles that are on the market and compare buying one vs. the other. If you buy and hold a vehicle I don't see how resale value matters. - 1 Year Update - No change in the above review after 1-year & 13,000 miles of ownership. I've changed the oil and rotated the tires. - 1.5 Year Update No change in the above review. We now have 23,000 miles of ownership and it is going strong. Update 2020: No change in the above review. My wife has put a few beauty marks on it and we are at 57,000 miles now and have swapped out the original tires. I did a tranny service on it at 50,000 miles (only because it was cheap for me to swap fluid/filter - cost like $45) but it continues to be a great buy. Update 2022: No further changes to notate. We are at 70,000 miles now and I've replaced the OEM battery, and other than that wiper blades, oil, and I added a new transmission pan with a drain plug so that I can swap fluid frequently. I added a 2" receiver so that I can tow our little teardrop camper but otherwise she is as reliable as day one. I am thinking about a coolant swap, and changing the plugs isn't a trivial job on the Pentastar. I have another year or two before I need to undertake that.
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A Grand Caravan
Ray Cziczo, Nixa, MO, 09/10/2016
Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Had a 2013 Journey. Some issues with 6 speed trans upshift but completely corrected in our 2016 Grand Caravan. Excellent acceleration, smooth shifting, and excellent gas mileage, 30 highway and 24 overall. Great ride and great visibility. Plenty of room for seating and plenty of storage. Great value. Nothing close to it for the price.
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For minivan good car Too big for us
Dkahn, Gurnee, IL, 10/31/2019
Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Good car and users E85 as well as regular gas. MPG ok for minivan. We are old and no longer see grandkids as often so too big for us now
Getting out of Dodge!
Rick Martinz, Temple, TX, 04/14/2018
updated 04/16/2020
Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
11 of 17 people found this review helpful
Update: Edmunds asked for an update. Here it is. Still a trash brand. I recently drove a 2019 300 with 7k miles. WOODEN TRIM WAS OUT OF PLACE AND DASHBOARD WAS BROKEN. DO NOT BUY FCA. QUALITY IS NOT IN THEIR PLAYBOOK. Dodge is an appropriate name for the brand since it describes what I will do every time I’m in the market for a new vehicle and drive by their dealerships. Terrible vehicles. Poor quality. Frequent repairs. I’ve owned several cars from Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep but I’ve had enough. Avoid this brand at all costs unless you like frequent recalls. An example of my experience... transmission seal leak on a van with 17000 miles on it. Less than 2000 miles later, we have a intake gasket leak and a cylinder gasket leak. The kicker... service department doesn’t even identify the leaks. Jiffy Lube does! Piss off FCA.
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Extremely Satisfied--So Far
Charles, Cairo, GA, 12/23/2016
updated 01/02/2018
Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 6 people found this review helpful
Van now has 41,000 miles and it has been very reliable. No issues at all. I am pleasantly surprised by our first Dodge.
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- Performance
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- Reliability
- Value