2008 Dodge Grand Caravan Cargo

Won't Last!

By Rob (PA) on Tuesday, June 18, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 575

Pros: "Engine is Great! Lots of features."

Cons: "Transmission is the worst i've driven"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2

"Bought this vehicle new with the crew trim and most of the available options. Very comfortable ride, nice interior features and GREAT engine. Here is the problem. The 6 speed trans is the worst I've ever driven. It won't last. I live in an area with many hills and winding mountain roads. This trans won't stay in one gear long enough to even get close to a comfortable ride. Going up hill there is no power unless you step heavily on the gas pedal which causes the trans to down shift to passing gear @ about 4000 rpm. Then it wont hold a lower gear for long only to shift back to 6th gear and there goes all your power. You start losing speed, causing the trans to shift down again back to 4000 and this keeps going on over and over. The most annoying ride I've ever had, 1500 to 4000 and back to 1500. How can this be good for a trans or for fuel economy for that matter. This is not my first car I've driven in the mountains. Just the worst. Spoke with the dealer and they said they are aware of the issue and HOPE there will be a computer update for this soon."

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Great family vehicle

By CHAD (CA) on Wednesday, May 29, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 47,000

Pros: "Functionality and price"

Cons: "almost none."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"We have a 4 year old and twins age 5 months. We have grown into this van, as we bought it new 3 years ago... very convenient getting kids in and out, including car seats, stroller, etc. The electric sliding doors on both sides are priceless as well as the electric hatch/gate. The stow and go seats provide flexibility for the occasionally needed extra space. We got ours on sale for $23000. What a bargain. Very few problems - remote keys wear out too soon, but under warranty for the first 3 years. mileage good for the size. We took it camping a couple times, loaded down and up steep grades. Plenty of power. Ive owned at least 20 cars in my life. This one has got to be one of the best buys I ever made."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Never Again!

By fourlads (KS) on Friday, May 03, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 60,000

Pros: "entertainment package"

Cons: "electrical, leg room, etc...."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"I have a 2008 fully loaded, power everything. Spent $40,000 on the vehicle. It is in the shop ALL of the time. The electrical in this is terrible! Over the past 5 years I have had a rental, due to repairs, approx. 1 1/2 months. Sometimes for the same issues(ie. electric seats). We bought the swivel n' go, more fun for the kids. Not a lot of leg room in the back. I have 4 boys and as they have grown their legs are tangled up back there. This is not a car I will ever buy again. I should have bought a Suburban instead."

4 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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Stow and go seats are a dream.

By Lancer49 (NY) on Monday, April 01, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 60,100

Pros: "Great value for the money"

Cons: "19 mpg average ,16mpg city,24mpg hiway"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"SE version has just enough accessories to make it usable.Stow and go seats convert to a cargo van in 5 minutes or less.Horse power is just enough for quick acceleration and blending into freeway traffic."

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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love this vehicle

By Goody (OH) on Wednesday, March 27, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 53,000

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"We love our 2008 Dodge Caravan. It is reliable and comfortable. We got pretty good mileage 23-26 mpg on the road, and this is fully loaded with all our things for a two month vacation. It is a little bit noisy inside on the highway, but not intolerable. We can still hear our music. We love sitting up higher and being able to see out of all the windows. We did add a blind spot mirror on the driver's side view mirror.It handles well on curves in the mountains. We would buy another Dodge Caravan."

2 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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Not Your Average Minivan

By GT Freak (AL) on Tuesday, March 26, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 18,000

Pros: "Loads of power, good price point, kid friendly"

Cons: "DVD mid mounted screen, 3rd row seats, cheap tires"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Many of us middle aged guys hate the prospect of buying a minivan; those large square boxes that lumber down the road, blocking lanes of traffic for miles. I always hated the idea of having to own a minivan, constantly looking at large SUVs and crossovers as the alternative. My wife and I were in total agreement; avoid the minivan at all costs. As we shopped, we looked at many vehicles from Toyota, Subaru, Ford, Chevy, VW, Nissan, Kia, and Dodge. We avoided looking at minivans, focusing on the crossovers and SUVs. We kept test driving them, and almost fully settled on the Ford Excursion, but we kept looking at the upfront price, then the years of gas tanks that would drain our pockets. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We then decided to look at minivans. We test drove several, but just did not like how they felt. We went back and test drove our primary alternative to the minivan, the Dodge Journey, but it just didn't seem roomy enough for our two little ones. Finally, we broke down and test drove a Dodge Grand Caravan. The handling was crisp, the power was impressive to say the least, and it had the roomy features we needed. For the features we were looking for, it had what we needed below the cost point we were looking at. The third row seating is a bit hard to get into, and are not as comfortable as the other seats in the van. It should also be noted that the third row seats have a rather steep slope to them, so getting out of them can also be a challenge. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once we got our new Grand Caravan, we were hooked. Both my wife and I are drivers, as in we like power and agility over anything else. Being fans of the UK TopGear, we decided to run the van through test after test to see how it performed. Hands down, it was a jewel. Then there was a surprise, the whine and sudden whoosh from a waste gate dump as the van shifted under heavy acceleration. Could it be? More checking and a vin ID that indicated it was a "Sport Van" and not a minivan. This little minivan came equipped with a turbo charger! The lag on it was barely noticeable at first, until we began feeling for it. When the turbo kicks in, the power will nearly rip the steering wheel from your hands. This thing requires 2 hands to keep it under control under hard acceleration. This was a driver's minivan, not a soccer mom/dad minivan. Corvettes and sports cars were our new prey. We laughed at the bewildered looks of Corvette owners as we both launched off the stop light and we held neck-to-neck as both vehicles rapidly accelerated. A twin turbo charged Nissan Z owner, complete with racing modifications, hung their head in shame as a minivan held up against their tuner performance. We now loved this minivan on performance alone. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now with the performance solidified, we looked at the other features that came packed in. The DVD entertainment system, with a single screen midline, was good for the kids, but hinders a little of the view through the rearview mirror. The backup camera is a definite must, and is very handy. We absolutely love the stow-n-go seating, which is proprietary to Dodge/Chrysler minivans. One of the first things we did was haul a couch in the back of the van, and it did it with the hatch closed! That leads into the excellent cargo capacity. With all seats folded down, you have a very nice and cavernous space to haul your goods in. Because of the proprietary stow-n-go seating, there is no need to physically remove and store the seats somewhere else. The audio system is very clean and clear, with a solid thump to the bass and crisp mids and highs. We did notice that the tires that are installed standard were not the best, as we had to replace the front tires at less than 16000 miles from all of the hard cornering and tire ripping performance. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are very few items I would even consider a negative on this van. It has the pavement chewing performance that drivers want, and the utility and versatility that families need as they grow. There is no doubt, we are not the typical minivan owners, but as much as we hate them, we love this minivan!"

6 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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