Info On Common Minivans

[Gideon33w]

Hello again everyone! Even though the missus and I are now living the traditional lifestyle I thought I'd write up a sister post to the "Info On Common Vans" sticky.

This thread will be for minivans vs the full size vans.

--- First, some disclaimer info copied from my old thread

- This thread is intended as a write-up on the typical issues, fixes, and plus sides for the most common MINIvan platforms. Know that it is not all encompassing and your individual experiences may very. This is simply some general information for you to have should you be looking for a MINIvan, have a MINIvan and want to know what to look out for, or have a MINIvan that is currently having some issues. Our aim here is to address the vital components so don't be surprised that things like "Dashboard Quality" are not discussed. 

--- Second, some logic as to why (and why not) minivans and what years

- While many of us opt for the larger and tougher full size vans there is certainly a fair number of people currently or potentially looking into minivans. There are up sides and down sides to minivans but there's a few important things to note before we bother to look at details.

- While minivans return better typical fuel economy vs full size vans this is NOT true when heavily laden. Full size vans are designed to haul heavy loads while minivans are designed to occasionally haul a bunch of people and groceries. If you live a lightweight mobile lifestyle you can get good fuel economy but if you are going to run heavy you will find WORSE mpg number from minivans compared to full size vans.

- This thread will tackle 1995 and newer minivans ONLY. Why? Two big reasons. One, older minivans will be running older refridgerant in their air conditioning systems. While conversions on full size vans are a pricey pain in the butt this doesn't compare to minivans. Maintaining your old refridgerant system or converting to r134a on a minivan will cost a small fortune. It's far easier and cheaper to just get a minivan which is already running r134a (most 95s and all 96+ vehicles). Two, OBD2 capability. OBD stands for "On Board Diagnostics" and the later version (OBD2) became mandatory on all vehicles built and sold starting Jan 1st 1996. While there is nothing inherantly wrong with older OBD1 systems you get far superior diagnostics with a greater level of detail from OBD2. Furthermore, OBD2 cars typically deliver better fuel economy due to the increased number of sensors monitoring and making adjustments to the complicated thing that is a vehicle.

- Drivability can be a major consideration when picking a van and this is often a reason people select minivans over full size vans. Minivans are inherently more car like while full size vans are more truck like. Indeed, many minivans are on car chassis' while many full size vans are on truck chassis'. However, the weight issue arises again. A heavily laden minivan will not be so car like. They simply do not retain optimal suspension geometry when weighed down.

- The number of people is a big consideration. If you are single you can get away with a minivan just fine but I caution those of you with a better half to shy away. While a minivan may seem large enough initially for two people the individual constitution of different people plays a huge role in your comfort long term. In cramped spaces frustration can arise quickly and minivans simply do not have the adequate space for two people and all their stuff when full timing. Some of you will be just fine like this I'm sure but I'm forced to make generalizations for these threads.

---Thirdly, maintenance is not optional and is more difficult.

- All full timers should acquaint themselves with the maintenance of their vehicles. This is inherently more difficult with minivans because they tend to be more complicated and have parts shoe-horned into place. Please keep this in mind when considering the type of van you want. A simple job like replacing a radiator hose on a full size van which is no trouble for a 5'5" female can be a bear of a task on a minivan. There is just a lot less room and often times several components will need to be removed in order to get to things. While that radiator hose is simple enough to swap out the 10 things you need to remove to get to it may prove to be an issue for some. Something worth considering.

--- Forth, superior stealth?

- While full size vans which look like service vehicles are just about everywhere there are a few key things which blow the stealth concept out of the water for them. Whereas minivans ... Well ... Who the heck gives minivans a second glance? This may be the one category where a minivan can truly dominate. Given the economic tide of recent years there are more and more people vandwelling police and civilians alike are much more apt to look for people vandwelling which makes stealth that much more difficult. Minivans are substantially less thought of as vandwelling vehicles vs full size vans. This can make the mobile lifestyle much easier when you need to find a place to park for the night.



Alrighty ... Onto the details you all are actually here for. I'm going to break them down into by manufacturer to make things simple. Please do not get butt hurt if on specific van is not mentioned. Understand that there's a lot of different vans, many share common components making them virtually identical, and I just don't have the time to go into detail on every single variation from every single manufacturer, haha. The details are going to be abridged and cover the important considerations. Those being; Engines, transmission, and suspension designs. Also, note, I'm not going to include the Ford Aerostar or Chevy Astro as they are truck based minivans and wholly different. Lastly, I'm not going to go to the late models as many of us simply can't afford them, haha.


Before we begin ... Please forgive me if I goof a model year change, forget to mention a particular variation, or similar. This is a lot to write up and my memory isn't what it once was. I'm not all knowing I just like cars and have a healthy amount of time wrenching on them.

 

[Gideon33w]

--- Ford/Mercury

Overall manufacturer notes: Heater core issues are common with Ford products. Flushing out the heater core regularly, replacing the blend door, and replacing the blend door actuator is to be expected. Due to the lack of heat treating on some years I highly recommend undercoating the vehicle (I do it on everything despite living in the desert). Besides the head gasket issues for some years and motors these will likely be the most reliable motors you will find in a minivan. Ancillary equipment holds up well vs cheaper parts/materials used by other manufactures. Note, all available engines are pushrod motors which are inherently more reliable and seldom EVER need timing servicing.

-- Windstar/Monterey

Overall model notes: TONS of these still on the road and for good reason. The ones with weak transmission, head gasket issues, and weak suspensions which weren't replaced under recall are all mostly dead. The remaining ones will be stone cold reliable. A great overall choice.

- 95-98

3.0 Vulcan -  VERY reliable but a bit underpowered. Possibly my favorite small Ford motor. One of the easiest to work on you'll find on this list.

3.8 Essex - Tough but early versions prone to headgasket failure. The overall size makes things a bit cramped to work on.

AXOD Transmission - Very weak. Can upgrade the internals. Also known as the AX4S. Adding a transmission cooler is a must.

Suspension - Known for rusting apart in northern states. Solid rear axle despite being fwd. Tough, easy to upgrade springs if weight load is high. A good design if you want a minivan but still plan to carry a lot of weight. There's kits available for beefing up the load capacity.

- 99-03

Motors same as above though the 3.8 Essex headgasket issue has been fixed. Making these possibly the most motors motors on the list.

01, 02, & 03 received the much tougher AX4N transmission. They all seem to do 200,000 miles without batting an eye unless heavily abused.

Suspension - Design is same as above though many more of this gen went through the Ford recall and received the heat treated components.

-- Freestar/Monteray

Overall model notes: Completely redesigned from the ground up versus earlier Windstar models. Many are still on the road. Find yourself a 3.9 Essex powered one and you will have one the the most reliable minivans found on this list. This would be a top pick for me personally if I was going to vandwell in a minivan.

- 04-07

3.9 Essex - Basically the same as the late model 3.8. Great motor.

4.2 Essex - Back to headgasket issues again. If replaced with quality parts you're good otherwise avoid it. Engine bay is even more cramped.

4F50N Transmission - Just a renamed version of the AX4N noted above so everything is the same.

Suspension - Better drive axles, larger wheel bearings, 4 wheel disc brakes standard, and overall better suspension design and quality plus heat treating. Much more car like ride but still very durable. Material quality is very high.

 

[Gideon33w]

--- Chevrolet/Oldsmobile/Pontiac

Overall manufacturer notes: With only one motor and transmission available on these minivans parts are cheap and plentiful with very little changes to affect fitment. Ancillary equipment quality issues and electrical gremlins will be fact of life. Plan on replacing starters regularly and carry a spare.

-- Venture/Silhouette/Trans Sport (Montana)

Overall model notes: Base models (and some up models) are short wheel base versions and aren't big enough for vandwelling in my opinion. Stick to the long wheel base versions. AWD is an available option for some models 96-01 and all models 02-04. If AWD be sure to service with correct fluids! One of the rare minivan awd systems that is capable of sending the majority of power to the rear wheels.

- 96-05

LA1 3.4L - Tends to run hot. Especially in the cramped minivan engine bay with poor air flow. Run a lower temp thermostat, higher ratio of water, and use WaterWetter. Replace the intake manifold gaskets BEFORE they start leaking. Seen some interesting mods to increase airflow. Otherwise solid motor.

4T65-e Transmission - Probably the best minivan transmission you will find on this list. Basically a beefed up version of the quality 4T60-e. Some don't have drain plugs though so be sure to add one before heading out on the open road.

Suspension - Here is the real downside ... Most models have the Load Leveling rear end which will be a constant source of headaches. Disable by pulling the fuse and replace with regular shocks. The materials are a bit thin but tend to hold up fine.

 

[Gideon33w]

--- Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth

Overall manufacturor notes: Ahhh, Dodge transmissions ... Nothing else really matters when you can't actually drive the vehicle because the transmission doesn't hold up to even typical use. Love the motors but hate the transmissions.

-- Caravan (Grand Caravan)/Town&Country/Voyager

Overall model notes: Good motors and junk transmissions extend from the regular line-up to their minivans as well. Also, these will have some of the poorest crash ratings. NOT suggested for vandwellers.

- 96-00

2.4 EDZ - Not enough power for an empty minivan let alone one with vandwelling weight. Just avoid it.

3.0 6G72 - Actually a Mitsubishi motor. Needs RPMs to be happy pulling so much weight but has potential for great fuel economy and solid reliability. Parts are cheap/plentiful.

3.3 EGA - Probably the best motor choice as it's the smallest offering which still has the low end torque needed. Timing belt instead of chain must be replaced regularly but is a non-interference motor (so if it breaks no biggie).

3.8 EGH - Later models (98+) have variable intake geometry for a solid power boost and better fuel economy. May drink a bit of oil between changes but not an issue. Good long life motor.

Transmissions - 31TH, A670, and 41TE can all be grouped together because they all suck. Just check craigslist and you will find no shortage of these minivans for sale cheap with low miles and transmission issues. Low fluid capacity, poor cooling, and low tolerance for heat make this minivans untenable for vandwellers in my opinion.

Suspension - While some of the front suspension components are weak these minivans provide unusually good ride quality for a domestic even with weight added.

- 01-07

These model years are really only the previous generation with more creature comforts, awd available in just about everything (for high end trims), and better quality of interior parts. The 6G72 Mitsubishi motor is no longer available (in the US) though. REALLY nicely optimized interior space. TONS of these were sold so there's plenty on the used market but the same transmission issues are present.

 

[Gideon33w]

--- Honda

Overall manufacturer notes: Honda really likes to use tried and true motors in tried and true chassis' designs. They are also one of the few to put 4 wheel disc brakes as standard even in early models. If you do happen to hurt your Honda motor no worries because they are a dime a dozen.

-- Odyssey

Overall model notes: Reliable and delivers superior fuel economy. Vandwellers may find that the slopping roof line (which helps aerodynamic) may make the very rear a little low for comfortable sitting/storage. A great deal of effort was put into having a low floor design which makes overall interior height nice though.

- 95-98

2.2L F22B6 & 2.3L F23A7 - I grouped these two together because the info will be the same. Both are underpowered in the low rpms. Good motors for reliability and maintenance but NEED rpms in order to do much of anything. Don't expect to be passing people on the highway without your foot on the floor.

Transmission - I'll admit that I don't know much about the transmission in the first gen other than people like to swap in the TCU (transmission brain) from other Hondas in order to firm up the shifts. Overall, it's a light duty transmission and may struggle with the added weight. 

Suspension - WOW. 4 wheel disc brakes standard, full wishbone suspension, and a stiff unibody make this one very nice riding/handling minivan. NOT made for heavy loads but if you're a lightweight vandweller these will ride like an Accord.

- 99-04

3.5L J35 - A very smart move for Honda. This motor delivers amazing fuel economy and is just about bulletproof. VERY rare to hear of an issue with one and Honda put it in several vehicles. Not the easiest to work on and does need regular timing service but is as trouble free as you could want.

B7XA Transmission - A rare mistep from Honda. The 99-01 models received this dud with a bearing known for breaking apart and causing serious issues. AVOID at all costs. 

BYBA Transmission - YAY, Honda got smart and swapped in a transmission without bearing issues plus you get a 5 speed! But wait ... even the addition of transmission coolers couldn't keep the clutch packs from wearing prematurely. These two transmissions hurt Honda and there were many lawsuits.

Suspension - The design is right out of the Accord and Acuras. Ride is nice under light load and the handling is top notch. Surprisingly beefy for an import too.

- 05-10

The details here are simple. These years are basically identical to the previous gen with the transmission issues finally resolved (mostly). Fuel economy dropped some from the addition of added weight in creature comforts and safety equipment. Some models came with the VCM cylinder deactivation system. I'd caution you against buying one of the VCM equipped Odysseys but most are already dead. Honda's attempt to gain back that fuel economy made hardly a difference while adding a great deal of complexity and problems.

 

[Gideon33w]

--- Toyota

Overall manufacturer notes: You have to love Toyota. Known for reliability, great fuel economy, and very few specific issues. The downside is that this deserved reputation means high resale value. Many of their vehicles will have many miles and still command top dollar. Is it worth it when that dollar difference could be invested in vandwelling equipment for other vehicles ... That's up to you.

-- Previa

Overall model notes: Ahh, the funky egg. Before minivans really took off Toyota decided to bring us this oddball. While reliable this vehicle may prove to be a bit of a pain for the average person to maintain. Mostly because these minivans are a mid-engine design. Very poor crash safety rating. The 4wd versions can go virtually anywhere. The engine ancillaries are not mounted on the motor as per usual and this can make for some serious pita maintenance issues.

- 95-97

2TZ-FE - A good motor but VERY underpowered. So underpowered that you won't get the fuel economy you'd expect from such a small mill

2TZ-FZE - The SC models added a supercharger to bump power and fuel economy. Adds a lot of complexity to a motor that is already difficult to work on though. Only version worth getting in my opinion but hard to find.

A46DE Transmission - A variation of a tried and true design these tend to be rather trouble free for the life of the vehicle.

Suspension - The mid engine design lends itself to good weight distribution but they tend to sag with much weight added. The overall design is unusually beefy though.

-- Sienna

Overall model notes: Possibly the best minivan option. High resale will hurt but they are categorically superior to virtually every other choice. Best crash test ratings of any minivan to my knowledge. A bit smaller than other minivans until the 04 model year though.

- 98-03

3.0L 1MZ-FE - A Ward's 10 Best Engines list winner this is a great motor. They deliver excellent fuel economy without hurting power. There is some evidence that they are prone to oil gelling but this can be rectified by using synthetic oil plus quality additives.

A540E & A541E Transmissions - Not the heaviest duty transmissions but they hold up just fine with regular maintenance. 01 saw the switch the to slightly heavier duty A541E.

Suspension - The chassis design is that of an extended Camry and therefor has inherently car like ride and handling characteristics. Expect a fair bit of sag and overall ride quality loss if heavily laden though.

- 04-10

I hesitate to bother adding details here. The cost of a reasonably lightly used 2nd generation Sienna is prohibitively high for most of us. That said, if you have one or can afford one, they are world class minivans. They also received a bump in dimensions to bring them on par with industry standards. Do note that like the Hondas these also have aggressively sloping roof lines which affect interior height.

 

[Gideon33w]

--- Nissan

Overall Manufacturer notes: The only negative issues I've consistently seen with Nissans (at least for drivetrains you'll see here) are high levels of electronic sensitively. Running additional ground cables is highly recommended. Otherwise, the VG and VQ motors you will see here are solid. Interior bits tend to be VERY cheap and ergonomics are probably the single worst part of owning a Nissan.

-- Quest

Overall model notes: The 1st gens were actually Ford Windstars with Nissan drivetrains. The Quests are built on the small side for standard minivans. Likely too small for the average vandweller. Car and Driver gave it last place when tested over other minivans. 2nd and 3rd gens do handle well though.

- 95-98

VG30E - Not exactly the same as other VG30Es as Ford insisted they make some changes but it's a darn solid motor with a non-interference design (in this application). If you see reports of crankshaft issues know that the issue was fixed in 95. While the motor is very tried and true its design doesn't lend well to great mpg numbers.

RE4F0 Transmissions - Copied over from the Maxima they can take a lot of abuse. Upgrading the valve bodies is a good idea if you intend to haul a lot or have a lead foot.

Suspension - Copied from the Ford Windstar (see above)

- 99-02

VG33E - Essentially a larger VG30E the motor is darn tough but sadly lacks potential due to a low compression ratio. Hurting overall power and fuel economy. That said, this motor is still produced today which should tell you something. Plan on replacing the distributor regularly due to an odd design choice which is a well known issue.

Transmission - My understanding is that this generation carried over the same transmission (see above for details) but I'm not 100% on that. Sorry

Suspension - Due in part to it's small size and low weight these are some great handling minivans. The chassis and suspension was a joint effort with Ford to Modify the J30 chassis. Expect difficulties getting a good alignment should you add any real weight to it though.

- 03-09

VQ35DE - Finally, a modern motor in a Nissan minivan. another of Ward's 10 Best Engines. Produces AMPLE power without hurting fuel economy. A good motor if you need to haul a fair bit of weight.

4 & 5 Speed Transmissions - Sadly, you need only review the class action lawsuit to find the fatal flaw in the 3rd gen Quest. They dissipate heat very poorly and therefor are prone to slippage and premature clutch pack wear. Adding a large transmission cooler is a must.

Suspension - Sharing it's platform with the Maxima means you get nice ride and handling plus the addition or Vehicle Stability Control and and Traction Control. They really do handle well for a minivan.

 

[Gideon33w]

--- Hyundai/Kia

Overall manufacturers notes: Their budget minded vehicles might be hit or miss and typically under perform in their class but they are easy to find cheap. Just don't expect much in the way of quality materials. That said, a lot of the hate for these vehicles is undeserved and comes from very early models when they had just started importing to the US.

-- Entourage/Sedona

Overall model notes: A very good choice for those without a big bankroll. You make some sacrifices but the resale is low and drivetrain reliability is usually reasonable. Just don't expect everything else on the vehicle to hold up. Expect substantially lower than average fuel economy. 2nd gens can be had in short and long wheel base versions. You'll want the extra room of the long wheel base option though.

- 02-05

3.5L Sigma - Closely related to the Mitsubishi 6G74 it is pretty similar besides the substantially lower quality of certain important engine parts. It CAN be a reliable but be sure to use synthetic oil plus Marvels Mystery Oil plus Lucas Oil Stabilizer as well as a quality filter. 

Transmission - I really haven't heard much about these transmission other than Kia switching to a 5 speed which helped fuel economy some. This is likely due to engine failure relatively low in the miles range before the transmission can adopt issues.

Suspension - The platform is inherited from the Kia Credos which is really only designed for smallish cars. Expect a lot of body roll and the rear end may already be sagging by the time you buy it. Replace the springs and shocks if you see any sag.

- 06-14

3.8 Lambda - Much improved material quality this motor handles abuse well and makes PLENTY of power to haul a heavy load. Regular valve lash adjustment is a must though. Get yourself a set of feeler gauges and familiarize yourself because they have very little tolerance for being out of spec on the valve lash.

Transmissions - 4, 5, and 6 speed automatics are available depending on the model year. All variations on the same design. Make sure than the TCU has been reprogrammed by Kia as there's a known issue with the factory programming. Solid design but prone to failing speed sensors. 

Suspension - Completely redesigned plus Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Electronic Stability Control, and Traction control. These handle substantially better than the previous generation but I'd still call the component quality light duty. Also prone to sagging in the rear.

 

[Gideon33w]

Well, that's it for now. I know that the list isn't truly exhaustive and that I didn't include Mazda (their vans are really small) but I think this is a good start to get people thinking about what they own or want to own. 

I'll try to watch the thread to answer questions as they come up.

Hope you find it helpful

 

[Gideon33w]

Oh ... I do want to make note that, as you may have noticed if you read all of the above, transmission issues are far more common in minivans. I suggest that ALL minivan vandwellers add a large aftermarket transmission cooler and adopt proper maintenance. This means regular fluid and filter changes. Also, adding a magnet or magnetic drain plug to your transmission pan is always a good idea.

 

[Kathleen]

Oh ... I do want to make note that, as you may have noticed if you read all of the above, transmission issues are far more common in minivans. I suggest that ALL minivan vandwellers add a large aftermarket transmission cooler and adopt proper maintenance. This means regular fluid and filter changes. Also, adding a magnet or magnetic drain plug to your transmission pan is always a good idea.

Hmmm, perhaps I should have found this thread one year ago prior to buying my 2005 Town & Country, 3.8 litre minivan with 54k miles.

Am not ready to move into a van full time yet, but just had a clear coat applied (Southwest sun devours paint), detailed (bristly short white dog hair that I was unable to remove) and front windows tinted to reduce glare, heat, and uv's.

I found this thread tonight, after my OBD icon (not flashing) came on. Was driving home from a 100 mile excursion to entertain a guest. Manual said to check the gas cap, which I will do tomorrow. Have not purchased any off brand gas. Manual also said the icon may go off on its own the next couple of times I drive it.

Doesn't sound good to me. Planned to drive a steep winding highway tomorrow, and down an 8 per cent grade road. It's a good vehicle for viewing scenery with the wide front window and the high ride on the 16 inch tires.

According to your thread, if I load it down I'll lose the good mpg, the primary reason I chose it over a bigger van. There seems to be no point in cramping myself in a small space for 6 months/year if I can get a larger sturdier vehicle with the same fuel economy.

I could sell it easily for a good price, as it's hard to come by one with the low miles, good service records, and in excellent condition inside and out. There aren't a whole lot of mini or full size vans available in the town where I live, but there is a demand for them.

Do you have another thread here where you cover AWD drive Chevy Astro Vans and the larger vans? One of the reasons I bought the T & C was due to the extremely comfortable seats, a must for me because of a critical back injury. I find it rather bulky to drive, but a smooth ride with good acceleration and responsive brakes.

Thanks for your thorough evaluation of the minivans.

 

[caretaker]

K, don't let uncomfortable seats dissuade you, especially vans, I've been looking and high quality seats are not really that expensive. what I'm going to do is put what suits me the best in mine. because the way i see it if its my home, its money well spent, plus if you put it on a swivel base, it would be like adding a whole new sitting room.

 

[Trebor English]

If you compare your MPG empty with loaded down the loaded down MPG will be less than the empty MPG.  By loaded down I mean seven passengers at 200 pounds each, 1400 pounds, plus a full tank of gas and another 100 pounds luggage.  

If you compare your loaded down MPG with a full size van with a 5.7 liter engine and a rear axle gear ratio correct for hauling around a ton your loaded MPG will be much better.  The big van will have much worse MPG empty or full.

Regarding the check engine light, that happens on all vehicles at some point.  The gas cap code could be a vacuum hose rather than the gas cap or a smudge of dirt where the cap seals.

 

[Gideon33w]

Hmmm, perhaps I should have found this thread one year ago prior to buying my 2005 Town & Country, 3.8 litre minivan with 54k miles.

Am not ready to move into a van full time yet, but just had a clear coat applied (Southwest sun devours paint), detailed (bristly short white dog hair that I was unable to remove) and front windows tinted to reduce glare, heat, and uv's.

I found this thread tonight, after my OBD icon (not flashing) came on. Was driving home from a 100 mile excursion to entertain a guest. Manual said to check the gas cap, which I will do tomorrow. Have not purchased any off brand gas. Manual also said the icon may go off on its own the next couple of times I drive it.

Doesn't sound good to me. Planned to drive a steep winding highway tomorrow, and down an 8 per cent grade road. It's a good vehicle for viewing scenery with the wide front window and the high ride on the 16 inch tires.

According to your thread, if I load it down I'll lose the good mpg, the primary reason I chose it over a bigger van. There seems to be no point in cramping myself in a small space for 6 months/year if I can get a larger sturdier vehicle with the same fuel economy.

I could sell it easily for a good price, as it's hard to come by one with the low miles, good service records, and in excellent condition inside and out. There aren't a whole lot of mini or full size vans available in the town where I live, but there is a demand for them.

Do you have another thread here where you cover AWD drive Chevy Astro Vans and the larger vans? One of the reasons I bought the T & C was due to the extremely comfortable seats, a must for me because of a critical back injury. I find it rather bulky to drive, but a smooth ride with good acceleration and responsive brakes.

Thanks for your thorough evaluation of the minivans.

Add a transmission cooler. With such low miles you should be good for a bit.
Autozone can read your code for free. Dodge gas caps (Your Chrysler is a Dodge) are known for causing lights.
MPG varies considerably. How heavy you load her up and how you drive are the big ones. The minivan weight to mpg issue is just a general rule.
The sticky at the top of this section is my post on full size vans. Haven't done one for the Astros or Aerostar.
With back issues you should keep in mind that large vans will ride like trucks whereas minivans ride like cars.

 

[Kathleen]

Add a transmission cooler. With such low miles you should be good for a bit.
Autozone can read your code for free. Dodge gas caps (Your Chrysler is a Dodge) are known for causing lights.
MPG varies considerably. How heavy you load her up and how you drive are the big ones. The minivan weight to mpg issue is just a general rule.
The sticky at the top of this section is my post on full size vans. Haven't done one for the Astros or Aerostar.
With back issues you should keep in mind that large vans will ride like trucks whereas minivans ride like cars.

After paying for tint, detail and clear coat, and preparing to pay 250 for fantastic fan plus 400 for install AND cost of transmission cooler, I want a vehicle that will last more than "a bit".

It's a 2005 T & C well maintained with 55k miles. I don't understand maintenance but my mechanics do, and my vehicles have a good relationship with my mechanics.

So what do you think "a bit" would be??? Not worth investing another 650 plus $$$ for tranny cooler if it's only good for another 20k miles. And yes, I get that it depends on how I load, drive and maintain it.

Drove for 18 years fully loaded to the roof, with trunk and front area full. Traveled on biz in the west, over innumerable mountain passes, incl the one Bob Wells calls the OMG hill. That thrilling 10 miles of 10k grade was on my annual route. And I rolled down that hill, rather than climbing it, like Bob did. Going down the 10k grade is where life gets really exciting.

Don't know a darn thing about vehicles but I made it, loaded with valuables, for nearly 20 years. Good maintenance helped. Another thing that helped was a bit of advice from an old truck driver: never overload the back end.

Even my simple mind understood that. The weight got properly distributed. This all happened in a sedan, not a van. So going on the road in a minivan, astro, or full size van will be a new experience for me. Lots to learn.

 

[Gideon33w]

If you're unwilling or unable to do your own labor than the cost of maintaining a vehicle at least triples. A large transmission cooler is $100. Anyone charging you $650 for cooler + install is ripping you off. A replacement trans will run you $700 plus $2,000 for install. All things to keep in mind.

How long is "a bit"? VERY hard to say. Far too many variables. I can tell you that Craigslist is littered with examples of your van and it's twin with blown transmissions and 100,000-150,000 miles. I've known several people who picked then up from dealerships pretty cheaply because resale on then was very low for minivans. I don't know of a single one who survived. All dead to blown transmission with the exception of one who had the oil sludging issue that seems to plague the Chrysler EGH motors (though more common on the 2.7L V6).

Now, it's entirely possible that you could drive the thing for a decade with hardly an issue. There's just too many factors to state anything definitive. But ... I have many years of heavy wrenching and will not own a Dodge/Chrysler product. I'm even wary of the ones with Mitsubishi drivetrains during the captive partnership years. Too many bad experiences and seeing tons of them with major issues. Ask any transmission shop which brand accounts for 50% of their business. I'll give you one guess ...

In my mind you have 3 options. - 1: Add cooler and service annually, 2: Leave it alone and set money aside for replacing transmission later, 3: Switch to a more reliable platform.

 

[Kathleen]

If you're unwilling or unable to do your own labor than the cost of maintaining a vehicle at least triples. A large transmission cooler is $100. Anyone charging you $650 for cooler + install is ripping you off. A replacement trans will run you $700 plus $2,000 for install. All things to keep in mind.

No, that was 250 to purchase the fantastic fan i want. The 400 is what I've seen on the forum as the cost to install the fan.

My questions was: is it worth if to have the fan installed and now, a new item, the tranny cooler? The cooler was not an expense factored in. I don't do that kind of work myself. No friends here to do it either. Not worth the expense of both installs if the tranny is going to blow soon. May as well sell it.

Interestingly, my mechanic with 30 yrs experience, whose Dad also owned a repair shop for 30 yrs, drove a Dodge Caravan. When he did the compression test and looked my T & C over he said he wished he bought it.

I did read that trannies were the weakness in earlier generations, but from CRVL I heard that got straightened out by my T & C's generation. Not disagreeing with you, just trying to get informed.

Don't want to invest more $$$ to make it livable if it's going to need new transmission soon. I can unload it for a good price. It's so hard to find minivans here in great shape. Local dealer sold a 2002 T & C with 64k miles for 5k. Only on his lot 3-4 days this month. Mine is 3 yrs newer with only 55k miles.

Before I bought it, I read online reviews of many vehicles. Confusing, as each set of reviews listed comments from owners who drove them 300k+ miles, and others who had problems from day one with the same make/year/model...

 

[Kathleen]

In my mind you have 3 options. - 1: Add cooler and service annually, 2: Leave it alone and set money aside for replacing transmission later, 3: Switch to a more reliable platform.

Ok, i get it. option 1 or 3 are the only choices. Have to talk to my mechanic re the cooler addition, and cost of annual servicing.

Add that to cost of solar plus install, fantastic fan plus install, and dometic fridge, along with all the gadgets that go in any van dweller's vehicle: Carbon monoxide monitor, smoke detector, fire extinguisher, reflectix roll for windows, curtains, magnets, on and on.

Haven't had a bit of trouble with my 14 year old mountain climbing sedan. Maybe I'll just remove seats and car dwell. Way less expensive.

 

[akrvbob]

Ok, i get it. option 1 or 3 are the only choices. Have to talk to my mechanic re the cooler addition, and cost of annual servicing.

Add that to cost of solar plus install, fantastic fan plus install, and dometic fridge, along with all the gadgets that go in any van dweller's vehicle: Carbon monoxide monitor, smoke detector, fire extinguisher, reflectix roll for windows, curtains, magnets, on and on.

Haven't had a bit of trouble with my 14 year old mountain climbing sedan. Maybe I'll just remove seats and car dwell. Way less expensive.

You're way overthinking this. You got a great van that was extremely well maintained, count your lucky stars and live a great life!!

But, take into account their reputation for weak transmissions. Go to a U-Haul to have trans cooler installed and maybe shorten the time between fluid changes. 

Having done all your due diligence, put it out of your mind, let the fears go, and then go out with it and live a life beyond your wildest dreams!!

 

[user 37446]

And take pics please. I really want to see what a GC looks like with a roof vent.