1993 Dodge Grand Caravan LE Review - The Van From Your Childhood!

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@dupreciate 5 ай бұрын

That 3rd row is even more spacious because it's the GRAND caravan, which had an extended chassis and came at a premium to the standard Caravan. Source: I grew up in the back of a GRAND Plymouth Voyager and my dad was very proud of the optional GRAND edition.

@cardiffchris 5 ай бұрын

This generation of vans still had that warm Mopar feeling with that nice Mopar Cloth Seats.

@doug6191 5 ай бұрын

We visited family in California in 1992 and got one of these as a rental. Our usual daily driver at home was a '84 Cutlass Supreme coupe. The minivan was *perfect* for us. When we got home, the Olds was soon traded for a van. An inferior van. We got an Astro EXT midivan. Sure, it was larger and it didn't have the Chrysler mechanical issues, but the Astro was not as good at passenger duties. The Grand Caravan was the standard for minivans. We eventually got a 3rd generation Chrysler minivan, the Town & Country version. That was such a great road trip vehicle.

@sally_the_saturn_sl2 5 ай бұрын

I grew up in the back of these 2nd gen Chrysler minivans. My family had two 1995 Plymouth Voyagers. One was a Voyager BASE model (only options were the Mitsubishi V6, AC, and cruise) and the other was a fully loaded Grand Voyager High top conversion van. It even had a TV, mood lights, rear radio and cassette, and real wood trim on the interior. I learned how to drive on the Grand Voyager and daily drive it for 2 years. It was a fantastic vehicle! It also had the 3.3L that this caravan has and other than a leaking fuel rail (which there is a fix for and was done on that van) i had no complaints. I remember taking that van on my first campout as a Boy Scout, going to hang out with friends, going to the park, and going on family getaways. This is why these vans will always hold a special place in my heart because of all the memories I had with them. No other vehicle in my mind can capture the nostalgia of my childhood, like a 2nd Chrysler Minivan. I cried the day my dad sold the Grand Voyager because I know that I most likely will never see one like that again. Once again, thanks Zack for capturing a big part of my child and sharing it for the world to see

@celsovera91 5 ай бұрын

I thought I was the only one that noticed that John Davis used to complain that cars didn’t get a full gauge cluster

@Ccyawn123 5 ай бұрын

“No oil pressure gauge and no voltmeter” will be on his headstone

@zorilla0 5 ай бұрын

He would probably also make a specific note about the lack of "oriental" engine options available in the newer model years.

@Dankcatvacs 5 ай бұрын

@celsovera91 i did too. Especially the ones that had fuel and speed the rest idiot lights

@davinp 5 ай бұрын

Unfortunately when Chrysler updated the minivan for the 1991 model year, they introduced an unreliable transmission. Wow you don't see many of these in this great shape

@PhyuckYew 5 ай бұрын

That explains why my parents are on their 3rd one. They still have this van.

@joshverdoorn7375 5 ай бұрын

Chrysler transmissions are still unreliable

@glanzera 5 ай бұрын

Checks out, we had a maroon on maroon '92. Trans went out well before 100k.

@bricegraham8256 5 ай бұрын

@@joshverdoorn7375lol facts

@tundrav8georgia Ай бұрын

Yep the ultra drive was a POs had lots of issues

@peytonkinnamon5318 5 ай бұрын

I read a gauge cluster design pdf not long ago, and believe it or not it was written by some experienced design professionals of a university of which I can't remember. But according to the document, this minivan has the perfect gauge cluster! Along with the 95-2002 GMT 400s, Dodge Rams of the same era, and so many more vehicles of the 90s and 2000s

@cavalierliberty6838 5 ай бұрын

As much as I hate the S10/blazer chassis, the gauge cluster is perfect.

@Foxonian 5 ай бұрын

The 3.3 liter V6 was developed for the Dodge Dynasty/Chrysler New Yorker and made its way across the platforms.

@JobiWan144 5 ай бұрын

I'll raise my hand as a kid who grew up being driven in the back of a minivan very similar to this one: a '93 Plymouth Grand Voyager. We had a bench seat in the middle, so my mom could fit a large ice box between the bench and the door for cross-country road trips. I learned to drive in it (my folks told me it was so that driving a sedan would be easy by comparison). The best part: they still own it and drive it after more than 30 years! Idk which engine and transmission it had, but it must be the most reliable combo.

@fortheloveofnoise 5 ай бұрын

The van from my childhood was a green Ford Windstar with green cloth seats.....one of my life's missions is to find one, that exact spec in pristine condition and preserve it like a museum piece...but that dream seems more unlikely than winning the lottery.

@MuteCrimson 5 ай бұрын

theres just something about chryslers from this era that are so comforting? cozy? nice? idk how to describe it

@andrew.the.one1 5 ай бұрын

Cool fact, that 3.3L V6 was offered in the Dodge Caravan all the way up until 2010.

@TFD1982 5 ай бұрын

No that was the 3.8 the 3.3 died first

@RESET1776 5 ай бұрын

I was a tech for Chrysler when that came out. A few years later Chrysler would issue a production wide recall for defective latches in the tailgate. Turns out the rear hatch shouldn’t open up in the event of being rear ended 🤣

@TheCoolOwen 5 ай бұрын

I remember that story, big hoopla made on 20/20. Even so, weak rear tailgates were the least of the Chrysler minivan problems

@Jac2Mac 5 ай бұрын

White Dodge Caravans of this era like this one will always have a special place in my heart......AND MY EARS! When I was a young lad back in 1991-93 I would ride in 1991-92 Dodge Caravans like this one, but with red interior to and from LCDC in Boston, Massachusetts......AND beg my drivers to fasten the seatbelt before starting the engine and not open the door with the key in the ignition so I would not have to hear that evil MOPAR buzzer.

@jasonschneider3715 5 ай бұрын

These vans were everywhere in the 90s and early 00s, as you said! It’s a very well equipped model for the era, though I’m surprised it lacks rear A/C. Maybe it was a less popular option in northern climates. I always thought the overhead trip computer in Chryslers of this era was so cool. It was uncommon to get all that information from most cars back then. Now pretty much every car has a trip computer.

@EweToobUsername 5 ай бұрын

The reason for the front-wheel drive badge on the center console is these models had an all-wheel drive system available.

@EnthusiastCarHangar 5 ай бұрын

They were great vans back in the day. Sold all over the world and very popular.

@delrayshaffer6376 5 ай бұрын

This was our first minivan. You are right to say the seats were comfortable. No other vehicle I have owned can compare in seat comfort. But the engine (size?) overheated in the mountains and would die when making right hand turns 😂 . The problems could never be diagnosed or corrected thus we traded in the van. But for comfort and styling, it is still my favorite minivan.

@Jonathan-bk3dq 5 ай бұрын

Zack, let me correct you on Chrysler automatics. The 4 speed, yes, it had issues. The 3 speed automatics in the 80's through the early 2000's were bulletproof! Need to research more.

@Dankcatvacs 5 ай бұрын

thats a bold statement

@Jonathan-bk3dq 5 ай бұрын

@@Dankcatvacs no it’s not lol

@Dankcatvacs 5 ай бұрын

@Jonathan-bk3dq sure it is Its still an automatic that should typically get routine service and attention to make sure the fluid isnt burnt or low. If not then its on borrowed time. On paper atleast.

@Jonathan-bk3dq 5 ай бұрын

@@Dankcatvacs I’m not talking about maintenance. I know transmissions need fluid changes. Just stating that the 4 speeds in these, are known to have solenoid issues etc, regardless of maintenance. The 3 speeds were more reliable, being hydraulic.

@TFD1982 5 ай бұрын

Of the bands are never adjusted they will blow up have a buddy who drove an 88 3 speed that lost all forward gears he liters heard a snap and it wouldn’t go forward however it went into reverse just fine.

@Jonathan-bk3dq 5 ай бұрын

Oh, and the generation of Caravan after this, 1996 on, had a sliding door on the driver side too.

@RobsNeighbor 5 ай бұрын

In 1996 I was in Hood River Oregon my cousin and I met some lady's we were all 16-17 and Heather I will never forget her, she had her parents 4 cyl turbo manual version on the van you reviewed. Thank you

@niveketihw1897 5 ай бұрын

While I agree some of the measures implemented into cars in the name of safety made a lot of sense, I also think something was lost in the drive to safetyism in general. I was born in 1974 and I was more independent in first grade than many kids today in ninth grade are. On weekend evenings and summers I was basically on my own until dark. We went on adventures, settled disputes ourselves, had to find our way around, decided what we would do each day, learned to navigate both the physical neighborhoods as well as interpersonal relationships, knew how to recognize and deal with danger, and were generally unsupervised and expected to behave and be responsible. Beginning in first grade I was responsible for getting myself to and from school (about 1.2 miles each way). I would ride my little BMX bike to school, lock it up with a combination lock, and ride it home or to a friend's house. Sometimes I would meet buddies to ride or sometimes we would walk. This happened rain or shine too. In third grade I got my first 50cc dirt bike, and I would ride that down in the creek, up and down the hills, etc. I know of very few parents today who would even think of letting their kids do any of these things, even kids who are significantly older than I was. And I think a lot has been lost. I think there are people who never really get to grow up, so by the time they're in their early 20s, and it's too late, they have a lot of problems trying to be responsible, resourceful, capable adults...

@BSFJeebus 5 ай бұрын

and most of you died. Survivor bias

@niveketihw1897 5 ай бұрын

@@BSFJeebus Haha, survival of the fittest baby.

@robertdiehl9003 5 ай бұрын

Excellent review. Very enjoyable and informative.

@davinp 5 ай бұрын

Chrysler minivans didn't have brake shift interlock to prevent a kid from shifting out of park without pressing the brake. Even the 1996 redesign was missing it

@willdowns1745 3 ай бұрын

No Mopar product of that era that I've driven had it. My 95 Neon didn't even have brake shift interlock

@BSFJeebus 5 ай бұрын

hey it's my dad's old van! we had an all white one, that transmission is cursed.

@JoshiJosho-mf8oi 5 ай бұрын

I spent a lot of my childhood in the backseat of this van, white with burgundy interior! ❤

@bernard5238 5 ай бұрын

He said Ricky Bobby one of my favorite movies

@selenelacaze9883 5 ай бұрын

Love those !! I saved two short version here in France. I really like those cars, I hope a community around them will grow and that we will have some parts reproduced, maybe some ecomoding parts : D, would be awesome.

@codycrawford2385 5 ай бұрын

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this generation of Chrysler vans

@Lordspaghett 5 ай бұрын

Had one of these as a first vehicle, would 1000% own another if I could find a clean one

@mikelathen8397 5 ай бұрын

My's parents had a 1987 Plymouth Voyager SE 3-door minivan and a 1993 Dodge Caravan SE 3-door minivan before as of so as now before.

@tommytufguy3432 10 күн бұрын

We had a 86 Voyager SE and a 93 grand caravan SE. Loved these vans when I was a kid haha

@bwofficial1776 5 ай бұрын

This one's clean. These weren't built with the greatest of care and were treated as disposable cars. I wonder why it has relatively few miles.

@garythegamer3004 5 ай бұрын

Man that old badge bring back memories

@Dankcatvacs 5 ай бұрын

but how many serviced their transmissions every 60,000 miles? the 3.3 has a chain , also the water pump is external . so can be fixed in a afternoon rather redoing the timing belt with the 3.0 mitsu inner water pump design. the 3.3 seems to me a decent engine . decent fuel economy as well as watching this video my dads 94 dakota is running rough, the temp sensor is loose and the aic is still malfunctioning, 340k btw

@colinschmitz8297 20 күн бұрын

He doesn't know what he's talking about concerning the 3.3 vs. the 3.0 Mitsubishi. The 3.3 is more reliable. The other part is not only does the 3.3 have 9 more HP and 9 more ft-lbs of torque, it has it at a lower rpm which on heavy vehicles like minivans is more important.

@elliottmanning4116 5 ай бұрын

4:26. Nice, old school Motorweek reference

@coolguy670 5 ай бұрын

6:25 Hey I think that is the same center console that is in our minivan.

@MegaRetr 5 ай бұрын

Fantastic shape)

@James-mw6se 5 ай бұрын

Good video I enjoyed watching this morning 😊

@LaytonKnightt 5 ай бұрын

My aunt had one the ‘90s, in the same color. Her paint was peeling off in sheets, and the car was probably only 5 years old at the time.

@phillyspitta8147 5 ай бұрын

My folks had a white with white mags n awd one of these as a kid . Couple my child hood friends folks had one of these in this gen or first gen with burgundy interior

@r5LgxTbQ 5 ай бұрын

grew up in the back of one of these bad boys

@eletor 5 ай бұрын

a wonderful van

@Metalodeath 5 ай бұрын

I will continue to say it i wish mini vans stayed this size!

@TFD1982 5 ай бұрын

No the 3.3 for 1994 did NOT have 162 that was the 3.8 which had also 213 torque. I’ve been thinking about you doing a video on my all 1994 wheel drive town and country but after redoing basically the whole suspension a wonderful aftermarket part failed and I still have to replace the wheel bearing again.. would you be interested once it’s fixed I’m in Dayton Ohio.

@coreylucas5997 5 ай бұрын

Oh my yes big box on wheels Caravan tough as a truck, sucked gas like a cow, repaired a many times had a nice light blue color one, gray thick fabric seating was very comfy, those days are gone 😢

@Ben-jz3mt 5 ай бұрын

Almost the Malcolm In The Middle van

@celsovera91 5 ай бұрын

That was the first gen

@TFD1982 5 ай бұрын

Not even almost that was and 88-90 I think can’t remember it was dual or quad beam.

@Trance88 5 ай бұрын

My mom skipped over this generation. We had the last model year of the 1st gen (1990). It was a very underwhelming performing vehicle as it only had the 4 cylinder and burned so much oil! After that, we got a 1998 3rd gen. It was like night and day difference.

@gustavokennedy213 5 ай бұрын

I wonder why later one they decided to go with a sliding door on both sides? Also we had one when I was a youth. Drove it all over Texas till the transmission quit.

@TFD1982 5 ай бұрын

I couldn’t think or come up with a better way to structly make the vehicle strong I wasn’t until 1996 that they finally were able to resolve everything after many many people wanted a fourth door I think testing began in 1994 or late 93 for the third generation you know how things take forever on testing.

@chrisseng-9917 5 ай бұрын

😂yup this was my first car! And yes it was a hand me down! But I loved it!

@thomasrhinehart6084 5 ай бұрын

Beautiful simple van

@dave11686 5 ай бұрын

My mom had an Astro but I had friends with one

@IOLIVER88 5 ай бұрын

Hey Zack I was wondering something I don’t have one of these cars but I was wondering can you try to see if someone has a 1996 Isuzu rodeo for you to review because you haven’t reviewed them yet.

@ShootingCars 5 ай бұрын

I have a 1999 coming soon!

@floyd27860 5 ай бұрын

When i worked in JFK Cargo, the job has one we use to escort trucks to the tarmac. I use to run that thing on the Taxiway 🤫🤣

@CRXJDM88 5 ай бұрын

I'd have to disagree on the transmission the 3.3 and 3.8 had great transmission the 3.0 had the worst one due to the band system also to no one does the maintenance on it so that's why they always go out for me ford had the worst transmission on all there v6

@bluelightguy1 5 ай бұрын

Do your re On transmissions the 3 speed had very few issues

@melissaawesome9403 5 ай бұрын

Im not gonna lie I did like driving my parents van. It did make almost 20yrs but the engine died at like 72,000 and my parents kept it meticulous, always garage kept.

@BrokenAdam770 5 ай бұрын

A 1993 Chrysler Town and Country, Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Grand Caravan would be nice with European tail lights sourced from the European Chrysler Voyager.

@tommytufguy3432 10 күн бұрын

Wasn't the ES above the LE?

@SS7SS 4 ай бұрын

Which is better, the 3.3 engine or the 3.0 engine? Which engine is 3300 or engine 3000?

@robertdiehl9003 5 ай бұрын

Fantastic shape.

@Minivan_Man 5 ай бұрын

Uhh Bendix ABS, you will buy a nicely kept moneypit. 3.3 never had lifter problems, 3.0 had. Those 3.3 and 3.8 are literally the best engines Chrysler ever developed besides the small block V8's. Otherwise i love those like probably no one else. Damn that sounds weird.

@Lancer_4B11T 5 ай бұрын

In fact, the Dodge transmissions at that time were much better than those that would be presented later, for example the 42rle or the horrible CVT that they would put in the Patrior and the Caliber, any caravan or Ram with oil changes in its transmission will work for life I have seen some even without service and in terrible conditions, still running, the truth is that the question of reliability in Chrysler has always been due more to hate and owners of bad habits than really to defects, I say obviously they are not Hondas or Toyotas but appreciating them they are durable

@colinschmitz8297 20 күн бұрын

No, the 42RLE was a massive improvement over the original A604. The ATF+4 really helped along with the improved processor and stronger seals.

@Lancer_4B11T 20 күн бұрын

@colinschmitz8297 Well I've seen quite a few complaints about them although I've never really owned one so I'm not totally sure about their performance, on the other hand with the A604 I can simply say that when you take care of it it's a pretty durable transmission at least in my experience with Stratus, Neon and Caravan vehicles, taking care of it is very decent.

@colinschmitz8297 20 күн бұрын

@Lancer_4B11T I remember the 90s like it was yesterday and we owned both. We had a couple of the a604's and we knew lots of people that had the a604s. I may know one example that actually made it to 200,000 mi out of a ratio of dozens of people having failures at or before 100,000 mi. The ultra Drive got better after they made improvements to it, that does not mean that the transmission was completely bulletproof, it just became better. I'm not going to say a word to defend the CVT because I don't have first-hand experience and I believe what most people are saying about the CVT but the later versions of the ultra Drive were a lot better than the early versions. The early versions it was like clockwork that every person had low mileage failures. Once the ATF plus 4 was developed, the upgraded processor, and the stronger seals, they became a lot more durable. I will note that my opinion on the Ultradrive as a whole is Iacocca should have given up on it and bought a proper unit from Aisin much like they had with the Jeep Cherokee XJ. The later versions were better but they weren't bulletproof.

@scottcassidy6852 5 ай бұрын

Does anyone else think of the song Love Shack when they see Dodge/Chrysler minivans? "I got me a Chrysler its as big as a whale..."

@davidp2888 5 ай бұрын

My neighbor had one of these.

@Thankyou_3 5 ай бұрын

All those stupid manufacturers that is placing a screen for a dash, learn from this minivan how clearly the gauges are displayed.

@SS7SS 4 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

@mikelathen8397 5 ай бұрын

Cool.

@theramquest4advanture. 5 ай бұрын

Hmm I have a '97 Ram 1500 with a 5.9 360 V8 auto with 300,500 miles on it so far and still going strong with the original engine and trans and I've owned it for almost 11 years now and I've put 108,000 miles on it myself so far. I think the reason that the trans doesn't last long on these trucks is because the radiator trans cooler isn't enough to keep the trans fluid cool enough. So what I did when I got it was put an external trans cooler on it and flush out the trans fluid and then put a can of Trans X and a can of Lucas Trans Fix in it along with new fluid. Well as the old fluid comes out put the new fluid in. So now I flush out about a gallon of fluid and then put new cans of the stuff I listed every 6 months or so. So far so good, if you don't take care of them then they will not last, but if you do take care of them then they will.