Our Dodge Grand Caravan doesn’t work
Last month I was feeling quite pleased with myself because our car passed the emission test as part of Ontario’s Drive Clean program. Although our Dodge Caravan is a 1998 model I felt like it would continue to be a useful vehicle for a while yet.
Unfortunately since then the car has paid back my optimism by developing several problems. It’s started to leak a little water, oil and steering fluid and developed a rather disconcerting noise from within the engine. So I took it back to our local garage only to be told by them that they weren’t sure if it was worth spending the money on fixing it. They weren’t being rude just honest I guess but it still didn’t feel good to hear it. They highlighted that one of the strut towers (these house the front suspension) was corroding badly and quite a costly repair was required and the noise from the engine implied it was coming to end of it’s useful life. So I took it back home to review the situation.
Our budget doesn’t allow us to just go out and get a brand new car and even a newish second hand car might be beyond us. If we consider an older cheaper vehicle then we might just be buying another car with the same problems that we already have.
On a temporary short-term basis we decided to just use the car for strictly local journeys like grocery shopping and rent a car for longer occasional trips out of town. However on our way out to Walmart this afternoon the car began to really run badly. The engine sounded rough and uneven and I couldn’t wait to get back home with it. Even the “engine needs attention” light came on as we drove back.
So that looks like that’s it for the time being. We’re without a car until we get some expensive repairs done or we buy another one. We take these things so much for granted until we have problems with them. Fortunately we live in a town that means although it’s not the easiest thing to do we can manage without a car with some advanced planning. On the bright side it looks like we’ll be doing a little extra to help reduce global warming as we won’t be emitting any auto gases for a while.
Popularity: 3% [?]
7 Comments, Comment or Ping
Sarah
That sucks. It’s amazing how things like this can go wrong so quickly, and are often very expensive to resolve. Atleast it happened at the right time of year… this is the last thing you would want in the winter!
Aug 26th, 2007
Christina
Aww.. that stinks, Stephen. I, of all people, know the pain of being car-less unexpectedly. You certainly get used to the luxury of a car fast.
I’ve just gotten mine back from the garage now and hopefully the new one won’t be far behind. I am so looking forward to the days when I am not constantly anticipating a breakdown!
I hope you two find something suitable and affordable quickly! Winter’s gonna be a bugger without transport.
Aug 27th, 2007
Nicola
I miss the car already. :`(
Aug 27th, 2007
Stephen
Getting the new car will be great Christina. I bet you can’t wait. I’m not sure we’ll ever be in a position to go for a brand new vehicle but somehow I think I’d be too paranoid to have one. I’d be too busy listening out for that first little rattle or vibration amongst all that new upholstered interior and thinking “what?!”
Aug 27th, 2007
Christina
LOL Paranoia .. a healthy way to start the day! I’ll be more worried about scratching it or dinging it. I’ll be dodging runaway trolleys in the car parks with the expertise of a frogger champion!
I’m seriously hoping that it will be a fair few years before little rattles and engine noises occur.
Aug 27th, 2007
Reply to “Our Dodge Grand Caravan doesn’t work”