Any T & C minivan owners out there?

[Kathleen]

I'm dealing with a stressful (too many possessions) cross town move, but am also on here dealing with van issues, since I hope to travel later this year.

I live where there are not a lot of van/minivan options. When I visit family up north I see vans everywhere.

There's a huge demand for used minivans in good shape here. It took me 2 years to find one not smoked in, with owners manuals, all service records, garaged, interior and exterior in great condition.

I read reviews of all vehicles I considered. (A lot of this discussion is on Gideon's minivan review thread under Mechanical.) I read pro's and con's on each. Owners reviews varied widely on every single model I considered. When I found a 2005 T & C with 54k miles that met my requirements I jumped on it.

I recently got money back from an incident where someone scraped my back bumper. Decided to invest that in tinting windshield and front windows, get it detailed, and clear coat applied to protect against glaring southwestern sun.

In Gideon's very thorough review of minivans I saw Dodge got shot down. Yes, I read earlier generations had bad trannies but also heard on CRVL that this had been solved by 2005.

In dialoguing with Gideon, he mentioned blown trannies. I planned to invest in the fantastic fan model i want and ughh, 400 bucks to have it installed. Keeping the van cool would make it livable, so I planned on that expense.

But when the subject of a tranny cooler came up again, and the advice against buying a Dodge minivan I got a set back in my plans. Investing in fan, solar, dometic fridge is pricey enough. Did not plan on the tranny cooler expense. But the real mind blower is that the investment might be worthless because the tranny itself might blow before long.

So, my question is: do any of you van dwell part/full time in a T & C minivan and what is your experience? What year, how many miles on your vehicle??? Do you have a tranny cooler? Fantastic fan? How long have you lived in your T & C??? Do you drive mtn passes and dwell at high elevation or are you in the flatlands?

Really need further feedback before investing more or putting mine up for sale.

 

[djkeev]

I had an 03 Dodge minivan.
It was a multiple driver unit, ignored, abused, and Mistreated.

Ended up junking it.
Rust,
Front axles,
Wheel bearings,
Rotted heater pipe system,
Burned oil,
Etc.

Transmission was great! Not a slip or anything..... 200,000 miles.
So..... maybe you're worrying about the wrong thing? ?

Dave

 

[user 37446]

Forum member Lee Revell (sp) is happy with his 05 or 06 GC, likes it a lot, as opposed to the previous post.

YouTube has several GC owners who have converted theirs. Search for "Grand Caravan camper" on YT. Then message the owners.

You will find opinions are all over the map on GC's. Each succeeding generation got better, I think with frequent fluid changes you will be ok. Every vehicle can be different, the previous owners' care means a lot.

I have wanted to purchase one for several years, just never had quite the opportunity, or means at the same time. I think the Stow and Go makes a fabulous way to not only stealth but reconfigure.

 

[Kathleen]

Forum member Lee Revell (sp) is happy with his 05 or 06 GC, likes it a lot, as opposed to the previous post.

YouTube has several GC owners who have converted theirs. Search for "Grand Caravan camper" on YT. Then message the owners.

You will find opinions are all over the map on GC's. Each succeeding generation got better, I think with frequent fluid changes you will be ok. Every vehicle can be different, the previous owners' care means a lot.

I have wanted to purchase one for several years, just never had quite the opportunity, or means at the same time. I think the Stow and Go makes a fabulous way to not only stealth but reconfigure.

Tk U, sob, I was thinking of selling my T & C, and living out of my 14 yr old Hyundai Elantra sedan, Old Faithful, only 85k miles. She took me over so many high mtn passes and with good maintenance, still a great ol' car. I watched the video of the lady who took her sedan's front and back seats out. Thought with the bad dodge tranny info maybe I should do that.

 

[Kathleen]

I had an 03 Dodge minivan.
It was a multiple driver unit, ignored, abused, and Mistreated.

Ended up junking it.
Rust,
Front axles,
Wheel bearings,
Rotted heater pipe system,
Burned oil,
Etc.

Transmission was great! Not a slip or anything..... 200,000 miles.
So..... maybe you're worrying about the wrong thing? ?

Dave

Thx, Dave. Mine was owned by a pilot with a pristine 3 car garage and a vast array of those red rolling multi drawer tool carts. When the owner passed away his buddy, another pilot who owns a lear jet repair hangar, sold it to me. Seems the two of them knew a bit about maintenance.

The owner drove my T & C into town once a week. He did volunteer work, playing music for the elderly. It was not his daily driver thus the low miles. I don't think he needed a tranny cooler. Does have a Mopar tow hitch but he only hauled a 200 pound trailer to pick up his yard clippings. I don't know much, but tried to do the right thing when I bought this particular vehicle.

 

[Kathleen]

I had an 03 Dodge minivan.
It was a multiple driver unit, ignored, abused, and Mistreated.

Ended up junking it.
Rust,
Front axles,
Wheel bearings,
Rotted heater pipe system,
Burned oil,
Etc.

Transmission was great! Not a slip or anything..... 200,000 miles.
So..... maybe you're worrying about the wrong thing? ?

Dave

...

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

If you're thinking of keeping it, you ought to join a forum devoted to the Chrysler minivans.

I was just poking around on one, and found some claims that many of the so called transmission problems are actually electrical problems.  Apparently, there is a separate computer module that controls the shifting, and at least a few people have reported that fixing a badly made splice and replacing the transmission ground wire have solved problems that all the dealers and tranny places swore were problems that required the tranny to be replaced.

Here's a link to that report:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/t19...oblems__a_chrysler_secret____read_this__.html

 

[tx2sturgis]

If you lose confidence in the Dodge and sell it....IF you sell it...you could pull a really small little camp trailer with that Hyundai.

I read somewhere else that you arent going to full time, just a couple of weeks on the road and some weekends, and a small tent trailer like they pull behind motorcycles might be of some interest. They can be pulled by a 1000cc motorcycle so your car would pull it just fine.

Some of these little campers are really nice...and light.

Here is one example of a top of the line MC camper:

http://www.timeouttrailers.org/Deluxe-p/camper_deluxe.htm

And another nice one:

https://theusatrailerstore.com/solace-motorcycle-camping-trailer/

Still another:

http://www.kompactkamptrailers.com/minimatecamper

You would be sleeping off the ground, with plenty of room to stand, and they will hardly put a dent in your car's fuel mileage.

The tongue weight is usually less than 50 pounds so any car can handle one of these.

They take up very little room in the garage, the carport, or in the back yard, you can push one around by hand.

Then if later on you decide to sell it, they hold their value pretty well.

Just another option out there...

 

[user 37446]

Thanks sturgis for giving her another idea. 

Guys, her GC sounds like it was babied. Let's not scare her off with Dodge horror stories. Sure some here have personal knowledge of problems, I'm not discounting that, yet I know people with these vans and I've heard of electrical issues (often sliding doors) but not "it blew up on me" issues, unless there was a substantial history of neglect.

I dont know if Lee R will see this, are there others who've had one, not from the 90's (gens 1 and 2 with documented tranny problems) who could chime in?  

If I was in the market for one, I'd like an example that had seen her previous owners usage.

So far I dont see where anyone has told you the tranny is junk. Like was posted, read on on some Dodge GC forums for awhile and see what they say. Just remember, satisfied owners dont often post, mostly people with questions. There's also a car review website that gives the # of reported problems per brand per year. Carcomplaints.com. For 2003, Electrical problems were top, tranny issues way down there.

 

[Kathleen]

If you're thinking of keeping it, you ought to join a forum devoted to the Chrysler minivans.

I was just poking around on one, and found some claims that many of the so called transmission problems are actually electrical problems.  Apparently, there is a separate computer module that controls the shifting, and at least a few people have reported that fixing a badly made splice and replacing the transmission ground wire have solved problems that all the dealers and tranny places swore were problems that required the tranny to be replaced.

Here's a link to that report:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/t19...oblems__a_chrysler_secret____read_this__.html

Excellent suggestion, John. Thank you, I should join one of those groups. And very interesting that the so called tranny problems may have been electrical. Who knew??

I've got to move boxes to the new house now, but when I get time I'll review all this.

 

[Kathleen]

If you lose confidence in the Dodge and sell it....IF you sell it...you could pull a really small little camp trailer with that Hyundai.

I read somewhere else that you arent going to full time, just a couple of weeks on the road and some weekends, and a small tent trailer like they pull behind motorcycles might be of some interest. They can be pulled by a 1000cc motorcycle so your car would pull it just fine.

Some of these little campers are really nice...and light.

Here is one example of a top of the line MC camper:

http://www.timeouttrailers.org/Deluxe-p/camper_deluxe.htm

And another nice one:

https://theusatrailerstore.com/solace-motorcycle-camping-trailer/

Still another:

http://www.kompactkamptrailers.com/minimatecamper

You would be sleeping off the ground, with plenty of room to stand, and they will hardly put a dent in your car's fuel mileage.

The tongue weight is usually less than 50 pounds so any car can handle one of these.

They take up very little room in the garage, the carport, or in the back yard, you can push one around by hand.

Then if later on you decide to sell it, they hold their value pretty well.

Just another option out there...

Thanks, Brian, for taking time to write that. I have to start my S & B move tonight but I will read this later. I considered so many options, watched videos for years before buying the T & C. Not sure if I've seen this option.

As far as length of time in the minivan, I want to travel up to 6 months per year. Probably divided between winter to RTR and another AZ gathering, then again north in the summer months.

 

[Kathleen]

Thanks sturgis for giving her another idea. 

Guys, her GC sounds like it was babied. Let's not scare her off with Dodge horror stories. Sure some here have personal knowledge of problems, I'm not discounting that, yet I know people with these vans and I've heard of electrical issues (often sliding doors) but not "it blew up on me" issues, unless there was a substantial history of neglect.

I dont know if Lee R will see this, are there others who've had one, not from the 90's (gens 1 and 2 with documented tranny problems) who could chime in?  

If I was in the market for one, I'd like an example that had seen her previous owners usage.

So far I dont see where anyone has told you the tranny is junk. Like was posted, read on on some Dodge GC forums for awhile and see what they say. Just remember, satisfied owners dont often post, mostly people with questions. There's also a car review website that gives the # of reported problems per brand per year. Carcomplaints.com. For 2003, Electrical problems were top, tranny issues way down there.

Thank you for your encouragement. I am easily scared right now because I'm moving a big household. It's time consuming and stressful. Have to get rid of many possessions and the move in phase is a big expense.

Lots of info in your post, so I'll read it again when I can focus. Thx for taking time to respond!

 

[skyl4rk]

I have had three Dodge minivans and currently have a 2007 Grand Caravan. We had some odd shifting in the first year and had it fixed under warranty. We now have 130,000 miles on it. Very few problems, although recently I put in an alternator. Other than that it keeps running and has been reliable. We are in MI so no mountains. The vehicle is rusting out badly thanks to road salt. I am hoping to get another year or two out of it.

We don't have a tranny cooler. I tend to be superstitious about any automatic transmission and believe that any AT can fail for any reason at any time. So I suggest that if it is working OK, keep driving it and may the fates be kind to you.

I think it is an excellent vandwelling for one person. It needs a fantastic fan and rain guards on the front windows because you can't keep the windows open in the rain. I have not added a vent and don't plan to because of spousal resistance. At the end of this photo album are pictures of a simple camping setup in the Grand Caravan, boondocking in NF near Damascus, VA: I have also taken previous Caravans to northern Ontario to very remote forest areas, so that means I trust them, to the extent that I trust any vehicle.

 

[tx2sturgis]

As far as length of time in the minivan, I want to travel up to 6 months per year. Probably divided between winter to RTR and another AZ gathering, then again north in the summer months.

Ok...then maybe not a good idea, mainly because of the variable weather during a 6 month tour.

They do set up pretty quickly, but cant be considered very comfortable if the weather turns cold and windy....

It would just depend on your plans.

 

[akrvbob]

How a vehicle is maintained is much more important than it's reputation (with a very few exceptions). I think you got a jewel, I'd keep it.

 

[Kathleen]

How a vehicle is maintained is much more important than it's reputation (with a very few exceptions). I think you got a jewel, I'd keep it.

Thanks for piping up, Bob. I built my bed after watching your video, ordered many van dwelling goodies (those yellow levelers weigh a ton!) and sure did not want to sell it.

Do you also recommend a tranny cooler for this vehicle while traveling the mtn west???

I love the 80 buck transmission gadget featured in one CRVL video. Believe it was a former rental, a Minnie Winnie. Great engineering job the owner did. He got his RV running like a finely tuned ship.

I forward to the series you are doing now, incl the segment on NM parks.

Thanks for everything!!

Kathleen

 

[Kathleen]

We don't have a tranny cooler.  I tend to be superstitious about any automatic transmission and believe that any AT can fail for any reason at any time.  So I suggest that if it is working OK, keep driving it and may the fates be kind to you.

I think it is an excellent vandwelling for one person.  It needs a fantastic fan and rain guards on the front windows because you can't keep the windows open in the rain.

 
Thank you, skyl4rk! Rain guards installed, and fantastic fan model selected. Will order it after I find someone to do the install. But before that, I better see how the solar system is gonna fit.

Thanks for your response. I'll review your link.

Recovering right now from moving hundreds of pounds of rocks (geology nut here) to terraces at new (200 year old) S & B in high temps and high UV's.

Hoping the big clouds that moved in will provide New Mexico with much needed drought relief and that the firefighters will get a break.

kd

 

[Gideon33w]

The transmission is the Chrysler A604 (aka "41TE") - Google it and make up your own mind ...

 

[closeanuf]

I agree with Bob; people dream about finding a vehicle that has been maintained like this one.  Drive the wheels off of it.  I would NOT put a transmission cooler on it unless you tow a trailer (which I would not recommend with a front wheel drive vehicle.)  Change the transmission fluid frequently at a Dodge or Chrysler dealer so you get the right fluid.  The correct fluid is VERY important on these vehicles.  You don't seem to me to be someone who would abuse her vehicle.  Drive it, maintain it and enjoy the room.

 

[skyl4rk]

Here are some pics from a Caravan in the Canadian Shield: