I've had 2 Dodge Grand Caravan SXTs as company cars. First was a 2006. When it was time to turn it in, my sister bought it dirt cheap. It's still going strong with 206k miles. My second one is a 2007 version of the same vehicle.When I found out my new vehicle would not be equipped with magic doors, I had them pull a manager's car with low miles from the fleet. I don't like it quite as well as the '06, but it's mainly hair splitting. The year before I FIREd, the company pulled the car program. I bought it out in late 2011 for $6700. It now has 134k miles.
No tranny issues with either car, but each has needed a new radiator, which DH did. Both have had minor electrical issues with the magic doors, and DH to the rescue again. Anything else done to either car has been completely in line with age and mileage.
The Caravans ride comfortably and haul metric craptons of humans and stuff. They have been great cars. Oh, the '07 consumes more oil than the '06. I have to add a quart about every 1.5K miles. No smoke or dripping, just needs to be watched. Nothing seems to be broke, so I ain't a-fixin' it.
Updated 5/8/16 to add: Sold it yesterday for $3300, just by parking it with a sign on it. After paying $6700 in 2011, I drove it for work for one more year, so gas allowance + mileage. After FIRE, about half of the miles were business related (travel to/from rental properties), so tax deductible mileage. If I was more motivated, I'd run the numbers and discover that it was virtually free to own and operate over the last five years. Now that's a minivan worthy of an ode! Sniff, I'll miss my big, blue beast.
