Dodge Grand Caravan 2009Change

This is my 5th Crand Caravan and I just love it. These are the best mini vans on the market. I would reccommend these vans to anyone with a family and the features are awesome

i like this minivan.It is a good vehicle,transmission is very reliable, engine is also good.The Dodge Grand Caravan was first introduced for the 1987 model year. It debuted in the late-1980s as an extended wheelbase version of the original Caravan, which helped launch the minivan segment. The current Grand Caravan offers competitive interior space and undercuts a number of competing minivans with a lower base price.

great fuel economy from 3.3l v6 however still has enough power to pull a small trailer or do the mountain passes. overall good value for money

Great fuel economy in the 3.3l and still has enough power to do the mountains. Stow and go seating allows to use a vargo van if needed. works really well for moving

My only complaint with the 2008-2010 models is the seats are uncomfortable. They could use a little more padding and have nicer material. The newer 2011 and afterwards has been upgraded.

Yeah I know the styling maybe outdated, the interior is plasticky but where else can you purchase a vehicle that can haul plywood, drywall or 6 people in relative comfort. I know the seats can be hard for long trips so use a pillow......most driving is done close to home so while the chairs are not the greatest I find the car's reliability better than average.

I don't understand why these cars get such bad reviews? I had a mini van from the early 90s and admittedly it was garbage. It went through three transmissions.

I reluctantly purchased a 2000 in 2007 and just got rid of it in 2015 with 240,000 kms. It is not uncommon to get 300,000 on these vans. On my 2000 model everything was original. The only thing I replaced was the A/C condensor because a stone hit it and sway bar line. Other than brakes, heater hoses, rad hoses, timing belt (3 litre engine) I had no problem with the car. Mind you I'm handy and do a lot of the repairs my self but it was the most economical car I ever had. Repair parts are plentiful and inexpensive.

Now in Chrysler's defense they developed ATF+4. Because their transmissions are so finicky I replaced the fluid annually. The main cause of transmission failure is hot and or dirty fluid.Install a good oil cooler and replace the fluid annually and you will be problem free.

I now have a 2009, bought it 2 years ago and have had no major problems as of yet. I hope they don't go out of production. At 6'4" tall and 55 yrs old I don't fit into many cars.

Bought the van when it had 30,000kms, it now has 155,000kms and I can say I am glad I bought it. I have hauled full sheets of drywall with it with the rear door closed, have went on trips with several other people and never had space problems. It is great on fuel for its size providing you are easy on it. Over the years only a wiring harness and 2 door latches have been replaced out side of standard maintenance (brakes, tires and oil changes). The only down side is the 3.3l engine, while reliable and adequate don't expect a lot of power when passing on a hill, etc.

The brakes on this vehicle have to be replace 2/3 times a year
there are recalls and nobody has the parts

People have complained about premature brake wear. I can replace front and back brake pads and rotors for about $400.

If you have a Caravan with a 4sp transmission I would install a Dorman Transmission Oil Pan part # 265-801. On amazon.ca its $35. This pan fits ALL dodge 4 speed transmissions so ignore amazon's warning it doesn't fit. This pan comes with a built in drain plug. Every 2 oil changes I drain the tranny pan as well and replace 3-4 litres. If you allow the pan to drain over night you will get 4.5 to 5 litres outs.
It does helps if you start off with a transmission originally filled with clean fluid. This way you will always have clean fluid in your transmission. I buy ATF+4 from Car Quest for $7 litre fully synthetic. Its cheaper than synthetic motor oil. So for about $60-$70 a year I will have a transmission that will last the life of the vehicle. My last van was a 2000 caravan with 250000km....transmission shifted like it was brand new.

Parts are plentiful and inexpensive. Even independent garages are able to fix then without highly specialized dealer equipment some cars require.

It helps if you are handy and can do the repairs yourself.....brakes are easy to do and my only advice is change your transmission fluid annually. I had a 2000 caravan with a 4 spd transmission. 225,000 kms and it still shifts like its brand new.

A lot of people complain about the mileage. Remember the 2008-2014 Caravans are much heavier than their predecessors. I drive 80% highway and average 12 litres per 100 kms......I drive 25,000 per year. Using $1.20/litre my annual gas cost is $3,600. If I had a more fuel efficient vehicle say at 9 litres per 100km which very few do it would cost me $2700 for gas. When was the last time you went to a dealer and spent less than $500? You can buy a lot of gas with that. The mini van is the most versatile car around.....fold down all the seats you have a cargo mover.....all seats up you seat 6 comfortably. I was conscience about the gas mileage but when I do the math as above I would trade off fuel mileage for reliability in a day. For a 3.3 litre V6 getting 22-25 mpg imperial I can't beat it.....as for styling....all cars depreciate to point they are worthless. Save your money and go with reliability.

This is an excellent van for our family with great fuel economy and the stow and go seating. Dodge has been amazing to deal with for service.

This has been a great van. No more lifting out seats just drop them into the floor. Finally the middle windows go down for comfort for passengers or pets in the summer. Large enough for loads yet drives easily and parks any where.

Seats are a little hard but I can live with it. Had a 2000 Caravan with 200K on the original transmission. The secret? Install a trans cooler and change the trans fluid annually. The only thing I replaced was the alternator and usual maintenance stuff. Best car I ever had.

So I stuck with what works. I'm 6'5 and can't fit in most cars....most SUVs get the same mileage or worse and all I've tried have sloping windshields forcing me to limbo to get in.
The 2009 has a built in oil cooler but I installed a large one which was easy. Even after a long trip I can put my hand on the cooler and its only warm. Heat kills your tranny.

Not fond of rear HVAC.....tube run under car and susceptible to corrosion and expensive to repair. When the time comes I will just plug it. Can't say its a rocket off the stop light but no problem passing at 120/130 Km.

In the end, you cannot get a more versatile vehicle....you need room for people you got it....need cargo space, no lugging seats out and plenty of space. I hope they don't stop making them.

This is my fourth model I am driving and the performance and comfort has gone up by miles, It is extremely spacious and very smooth in ride. The engine is strong and powerful. Economical in its class. To find out how good it is, you must drive it.

Love love love it! This van is spacious and love the fold away seating. The DVD system is awesome and make a long drive with kids seem so much shorter with out the 'are we there yet' s coming from the back :)

This Model is extra ordinarily smooth and comfortable. With option of Middle window up/down gives my family an extra control over how they would like to enjoy the ride on very comfortable Bucket Seats and cupholders for all the passangers. Very Sopacious indeed, could be converted into a cargo van in 5 min. amazing Stow N Go option makes better than all other makes in this class.

My Grand Caravan looks great and has been a very reliable van. I like the stow-a-go as we go camping so I can pack up the van and still have the seats available when we arrive.

we are a family of five and recently moved from a smaller van to this van. You just can't beat the space and function of this type of van especially with the added features of power sliding doors and the entertainment package. no more whiney kids in the back seat. the only thing we hear is, please change the movie disc dad!!
Fuel use is the 3.3L engine could be better but it is not horrible.

Perfect family vehicle, hauls everything my family needs, has a peppy engine, handles great and looks great too

We've done a lot of travelling in this car and with its great storage capacity, the six of us in my family still have room to spare. Even after packing enough clothes for two weeks in florida.

This vehicle runs and drives perfect and is still under full warranty with Chrysler. The Van is equipped with a Pride Mini Scooter which is ideal for the person who needs the additonal ease of getting around. Both units are in very good to excellent condition.

Gives us the space we needed for our expanding family. The stow away seats is great for moving the hockey team around or when when grocery shopping

I love our van. It's reliable, versatile, tough, spacious you name it. When/if it dies, will buy another.

Use this van for work and family. Being able to put the seats in the floor, saves us from buying a second vehicle. When the seats are down, I can pack it with more than a short box truck. The only downfall is the sliding door makes a rubbing noise,but when spray the latches with WD40 it stops. I travel approximately 6000 km each month and has never given me any grief.It gets great traction even in 1.5 feet of snow, but a strong wind can make it a challenge to drive on the highway.