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Vans & Minivans Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan 2005+
1422 messages, Last post on Sep 25, 2009 at 8:55 AM
You are in the Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: gctony (Jan 27, 2006 12:26 pm) Comments? Seems like alot of $$ for them, the carpeted factory area seems fine..? I purchased the 3rd row bin and folding table. Like the bin but not impressed with the table/lid. I used the table a few times camping for my 2 burner coleman propane stove. The stove isn't heavy at all, and the table sags? This is my 3rd Minivan, I love em and don't care with others think  If someone has a problem with you driving a minivan, it's their problem, not your's
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Replying to: dennisctc (Jan 27, 2006 12:51 pm) I am digging on the overhead bins, I think I found out they are $140 EACH though the guy is not sure...Wouldnt that be rich? http://www.leeparts.com/item-1-59-326-427.html He thought it was one bin but has to dig ... Tony |
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Replying to: rrc1 (Jan 25, 2006 2:45 pm) "State-of-the-art technology is used to ensure quietness in all seating positions for 2005 Chrysler and Dodge minivans. By combining computer simulation techniques with vehicle testing in Chrysler's state-of-the-art Auburn Hills wind tunnel and on environmental four-post shakers, Chrysler Group engineers were able to create the quietest minivans in the marketplace. Some changes for 2005 models include: * Robotically applied liquid spray dampener technology to prevent noise from entering the passenger compartment. The damping treatment is applied to the floor, toe-pan, cowl, and roof panel. * Expandable polyurethane foam is injected into cavities at the base of the cowl plenum, liftgate opening, and center and rear door pillars to cut noise. * The new underbody structure is designed for high bending and torsional stiffness, which helps isolate suspension vibration and chatter from passenger compartment. * A fluid-filled hydro engine mount significantly reduces engine vibration into the front rails to help isolate engine vibration. * Suspension control arms utilize tuned hydro bushings to further reduce suspension vibration." |
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Replying to: genetuck (Jan 27, 2006 9:58 pm) This is much more than the normal engine vibration you feel in a van, I have never felt uncomfortable driving before. The van also seem to wobble when going over small bumps in the pavement, adding to the uncomfortable ride. It may be because I am feeling ill from the vibration that I'm noticing any other movement more intensely. I won't have time to get back to the dealership before next friday, but I'll let you know what I find out from driving another similar vehicle. I just find it annoying to have to keep going back to the dealership after buying a brand new vehicle. This has been a very disappointing experience.
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Replying to: rrc1 (Jan 29, 2006 4:39 pm) I hope you're documenting all this(conversations with dealer/reps, work records etc.), it sounds like you might need it if it comes to a lemon law situation. |
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I purchased a 2005 GC 3.8L used with 15K on it last summer. Currently have 24K on it with mostly highway miles. Bought at dealer & service records show previous owner changed around every 3000 miles. I am using Castrol 5W30 and the engine is using a quart of oil every 3000 miles. Is this is the normal range? Previous caravans with the 3.0L engine I drove at work didn't use this much oil even after 75K miles. Is anybody with a new GC using this much oil?
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Replying to: frogger123 (Jan 31, 2006 10:07 am) 1) A car (ANY car) that uses a quart every 3,000 miles is just fine. Typically manufacturers have some arbritrary point (like 1 quart per 1,000 miles) where the car is deemed to be using too much oil. 2) We have two DGCs, both with the 3.8, one with 106,000 miles, the other with 57,000 miles, and neither use a full quart between 7,500 mile oil changes. 3) If an engine doesn't use some oil, that to me is more of a worry than if it uses a little too much. The fact is that the oil that lubricates things like valve guides is not recoverable, and as such, if no oil is being consumed, then the valve guides aren't being lubricated. Best Regards, Shipo |
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Replying to: shipo (Jan 31, 2006 10:26 am) |
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Replying to: frogger123 (Jan 31, 2006 1:46 pm) Hmmm, not too likely, especially so since many engines (the Cadillac Northstar comes to mind) are considered very frugal with oil at anything over 2,000 miles to the quart. Funny thing, there was a time when the older of the two vans was using oil more along the 3,000-4,000 mile range, but that was with conventional oil. Given that I find that fairly normal I've never given it much thought, however, when I converted it to Synthetic (Mobil 1 5W-30) I sort of expected consumption to get worse (given its superior flow characteristics), however, it gradually got better. Why? I haven't given that much thought either, however, a theory has just descended upon my brain. I wonder if the oil rings had become partially clogged/sludged on dealership oil, and if it just took a while for the synthetic to clean up the mess. Hmmm, thinking about this a little further, for the first year or two (between say 20,000 miles and 50,000 miles) after I started using Mobil 1, the oil would be quite black after only three or four thousand miles, now however, the oil stays amber color almost for the entire duration of my typical 7,500 oil change. If you want to take a look, I posted a couple of rocker arm pictures a few weeks ago at http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo inside of the "Caravan Stuff" folder. In those two pictures you can see a small pool of oil puddled in the rocker arm, and clearly see through the oil. These photos were taken at about 104,200 miles, 4,200 miles after I had changed the oil. If you do take a look, click the "Download" button to see them in their full resolution. I have heard a few (very few) rumors of some DC engines sludging, although I don't think that any of them were MiniVan engines. I wonder, even though the previous owner of your van changed the oil every three thousand miles, if the fact that they were using dealership oil (i.e. whatever the dealership got a good deal on from their supplier) meant that you've got some clogged oil rings. As a suggestion, you might want to convert to a good Synthetic (not Castrol, unless you can get the German version which is true synthetic). If you decide to convert, I would only go 4,000 miles for the first couple of changes because the amount of dirt that synthetic cleans up and then needs to hold in suspension is rather amazing. After the first couple of changes you can then return to a more normal 7,500 mile OCI regimen. Best Regards, Shipo |
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Replying to: shipo (Jan 31, 2006 2:17 pm) BTW, my Caravan has the 4 cylinder engine, which works a lot harder than the 6 cylinder, so I switched to Mobil 1 at 1,500 miles and will thereafter do changes at 6,000, 12,000 etc. (the 2006 allow a maximum 6,000 mile interval, compared to a couple of years ago when 7,500 miles maximum was common in DC products; probably due to sludging concerns). 2d BTW, the "1" in Mobil 1 signifies it is their full-synthetic formulation. There are other flavors of Mobil oils - Mobil Drive Clean (or just Clean) and Mobil 5000, Mobil 7,500. Be warned these are NOT full synthetic. When in doubt, read the label! |
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