Ownership Cost for 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Base
Estimated: $23916 over the next 5 years
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $984 | $472 | $413 | $374 | $335 | $2578 |
| Insurance | $1451 | $1502 | $1554 | $1609 | $1665 | $7781 |
| Fuel | $1857 | $1913 | $1980 | $2059 | $2152 | $9961 |
| Maintenance | $40 | $253 | $137 | $225 | $1038 | $1693 |
| Repairs | $91 | $323 | $353 | $487 | $612 | $1866 |
| Taxes & Fees | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $36 |
| Total Ownership Costs | $4448 | $4466 | $4441 | $4756 | $5805 | $23916 |
| Model year | COMPONENT | Complaint |
| 2004 | VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER | WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS AND REPEAT PROBLEMS WITH OUR 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND WE GET NO HELP FROM THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. THE MAIN COMPLAINT THAT IS MOST CONCERNING IS OUR BRAKES AS WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEM 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN A YEAR. WE HAVE TERRIBLE SHAKING, VIBRATION AND GRINDING. THE VEHICLE HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT FROM THE MOMENT WE PURCHASED IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN IN SEVERAL TIMES. COINCIDENTALLY IT IS THE RIGHT SIDE THAT WEARS MORE THAN THEN LEFT. UPON TAKING IT TO AN AAA APPROVED AUTO CENTER AND ASE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CALIPERS HAVE BEEN BINDING AND THE ROTORS WERE TOO THIN TO MACHINE. WE HAVE KEPT THE PARTS THAT THE REPAIR SHOP REMOVED SO THAT THE CONDITION AND WEAR CAN BE DOCUMENTED PHYSICALLY SHOULD A REPRESENTATIVE OF DODGE WISH TO SEE THE ACTUAL PARTS. WE PAID OVER 32,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE 18 MONTHS AGO AND IT CONSISTENTLY UNDER PERFORMS AND AS MENTIONED ABOVE HAS HAD SEVERAL MECHANICAL PROBLEMS BUT THE RELIABILITY OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS MORE THAN INCONVENIENT AND EXPENSIVE, IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I DO NOT TRUST THE DEALERSHIP TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE AND THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER MAINTAIN THAT THIS IS VEHICLE IS PERFORMING AS INTENDED. THEREFORE WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT THE 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IS DESIGNED TO PERFORM POORLY AND BE IN THE SHOP REGULARLY. *NM UPDATED 11/4/2005 - THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASION BUT THEY STILL DON'T WORK. THE SES LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLEWAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND FAULT CODES FOR CYLINDER #3 MISFIRE AND MULTIPLE CYLINDER MISFIRE. THE DEALER INSTALLED SPARK PLUGS, REPLACED PLUF WIRES AND FLASHED THE PCM. *NM |
| 1998 | SUSPENSION:FRONT | DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A RACK AND PINION STEERING AND OTHER PROBLEMS. CONSUMER DROVE OVER A ROUGH POTHOLE WITH A METAL FLATBED ON TOP AT A LOW SPEED. WHILE DRIVING AT A STREET AT 25 MPH CONSUMER MADE A RIGHT TURN AND THERE WAS POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE NOISE WAS EVIDENT ONLY WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER, WHO SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FRONT ALIGNMENT , BUT THAT WAS ALL. HOWEVER, INSURANCE COMPANY NOTED THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH RACK AND PINION STEERING /FRONT ALIGNMENT/ RADIATOR, AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTED THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ON AND IT SMOKED AFTER DRIVING A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. OIL WAS CHANGED REGULARLY. VEHICLE HAS HAD A RECENT FRONT END ALIGNMENT BUT NO OTHER REPAIRS. *AK |
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