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Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Caravan Real World MPG

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Comments

  • jim314jim314 Member Posts: 491
    This sounds about right for Grand Caravan 3.8L V6 in suburban traffic. This is urban use with a lot of stop lights, and probably a lot of short trips where the engine barely reaches operating temperature.

    This is a heavy and large volume capacity vehicle. If you are like me, you got it because it would be great for travelling and for hauling stuff from the garden center and home store, but in the end most trips are short and lightly loaded, so a small car would serve that at maybe 24 mpg. (Unless you got some mileage optimized vehicle which would not fulfill oth er needs, then 24 mpg is about what you could get in an efficient widely useful vehicle in suburban use.)

    If you drive 12,000 mi / year, then at 18 mpg you use 667 gal of fuel, and at 24 mpg vehicle you'd use 500 gal. A 24 mpg vehicle would save 167 gal of gasoline, which at $4/gal amounts to $667 per year. This is not enough to justify trading in the van to get a more fuel efficient vehicle. Just try to make more efficient use of the vehicle by combining trips, etc.

    If you really no longer need a Grand Caravan, you could try selling it to someone who does need one of these real people haulers and will pay a fair price for a well maintained one with a known maintenance history. Then, having sold it, you could make your best deal on say a Caliber, Scion Xb . . . which you would feel better driving. But it would take years to recover the cost of trading. The sensible approach is to just resign youself to paying more for fuel than you had in mind when you bought this vehicle. If the price and availability of fuel really goes crazy then the value of your Grand Caravan will drop precipitiously, but it's already low so you won't lose that much more. You have already taken most of the depreciation hit. And if the cost of fuel goes outa sight then any vehicle you'd get right now might seem like a fuel waster.
  • hans6hans6 Member Posts: 2
  • scoutllscoutll Member Posts: 40
    08 GC SXT with 3.8 and 6 sp tranny.

    1303 miles on it.

    Average long term mileage according to the computer is 20.4.
    65% short highway runs at about 65 mph.
    35% town driving at about 25-30 mph.
    The first few hundred miles were in the 16-19 mpg range.
    I'm looking forward to a long stint to see how it does over a couple hundred mile stretch.
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Average long term mileage according to the computer is 20.4.

    You might want to spot check that with a calculator a few times and see how accurate that is. My 07 Chrysler display is 1-1.5 mpg less than what I'm actually getting.

    After 6,000 miles I've noticed that my average fuel economy has increased by around 2 mpg. :D
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Not sure if Shipo is still hanging around these parts, but I finally took my '98 Caravan out for a highway trip last week.

    I was somewhat amazed, but it gave me 25.5 over 400 miles. The principal speed limit was 65, but I was traveling with friends (one hauling a heavy load) so mostly went 55-60, with some faster jaunts when I was playing catchup after a stop to nurse the baby, let my son take a potty break, etc.

    I was impressed and was certainly not expecting it to be that high.

    Average fuel economy this summer while commuting, driving around town, etc., is slightly less than 20.5: Up from 19 last summer after implementing driver modification. ;)

    186,000 on the ticker and counting....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Yup, still around. Sounds like you got awesome mileage from your AWD van, in fact, I think that's the best I've ever heard from a van with four driven wheels. :shades:

    Good Job.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    I will be taking it on a quick 1100-mile jaunt on the 23rd of this month, so I am looking forward to seeing how consistent the highway mileage on it can be. This next trip will have more of a load in the van, so I do not expect it to be quite so high, but we shall see. If I can get more consistent miles out on the road instead of so much stop/go and playing catch up, who knows... it could even be better. That, however, depends on the children. ;)

    I still do not like it much (driving experience) for around town as compared to a Subaru, but it sure is comfortable on long trips. The more upright driving position and copious leg room makes all the difference.

    I purchased a 98 Escort (5MT) last week from a friend leaving town, so I use that now for my commuting (>30mpg) to save on fuel and keep some miles off the van. At about 20,000 miles per year, the van's time was likely to be up soon even with meticulous maintenance. I expect the car to pay for itself in less than six months (paid $800 for it), so if it helps extend the van's useful life by a few years by keeping some miles off it, it will pay for itself over and over again. :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • de8212de8212 Member Posts: 6
    Just got a 2008 T&C with the 3.8 V6.

    We actually traded our 2004 Durnago with the Hemi engine. We didn't make the trade due to gas prices but knew that the $ savings wouldn't hurt.

    So far the dealer put the first tank in (came with the vehicle) and then they filled it up again for us (long story). We're just about at the end of that tank but if I'm calculating right we're only going to get ~14mpg or so.
    Is it normally that bad for the first few tanks/miles? I know the tire pressure is OK but not sure waht else could be going on.

    The only other thing that might be a factor is that my wife is used to the Durango and you could just barely press the gas and it would take off. I have a feeling she might be pressign the gas farther to try to compensate. Hopefully her driving habits will adapt to the new vehicle.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Driving habits make a big difference, but the economy should go up as the vehicle's engine wears in. I added an average of 1.5 mpg to my summer economy just by accelerating slower, letting of the gas pedal sooner, and not fighting gravity so much on hills. Of course, if my wife did not drive the van, the savings would probably be greater than that (say another 0.5 to 1 mpg). She, for some reason, does not put forth much effort to drive in ways that conserve fuel. She opts to drive less, but it still annoys me considering how easy it is to save that little bit of fuel through next to no effort.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • de8212de8212 Member Posts: 6
    I know it's supposed to go up but I was really hoping to get about 25 or so. Is that too optimistic?

    My wife's parents have a 2007 t&C and her dad said they get mid/upper 20's.
  • scoutllscoutll Member Posts: 40
    My daughter and son-in-law have a 3.8 2006 GC SXT and I had a 2003 3.3 GC SE. Mileage on both are about the same as my 2008 SXT. Right now the computer says I'm averaging 20.9 combined city and highway. The best my 08 has gotten was around 26 on a long trip (65-75 mph), and the worst was a period of around 16-17 for the first few hundred miles when it was new. It has pretty much stayed in the 20-22 range during day-to-day driving since then.
  • de8212de8212 Member Posts: 6
    I hope ours does the same. I would love 20-22 everday. I filled it up todaya and it was 15.4 MPG. So that's a little better than my calculation of ~14. Still not much better than a Durango with the Hemi engine in it.

    I guess ours doens't have this "computer" that I keep reading about. Ours just shows the Direction (North, East...etc) and something to do with what's playing on the radio. Is there somehting I'm missing or did that come with a different package?

    Ours is the Touring model.
  • scoutllscoutll Member Posts: 40
    If it's a Touring, it should have at least the basic trip computer on it. It features an average mile per gallon, elapsed time, distance to empty, ect.. If you press the little button just to the right of the compass, it should cycle to the next feature in the system. Full instructions are in the owners manual. If you have two controls facing you on the spokes of the steering wheel, you have the advanced computer with even more features. The radio controls are on the back of the steering wheel.

    It really helps bring the mileage up if you stay conscious of the average mileage and do things like take off and stop gradually ect... My daughter was getting about 17 with her 06. As sort of a challenge, she changed her habits just a little bit, and for a couple weeks now she has been getting over 20.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Yes, I agree. Modification of driving habits will noticeably improve your fuel economy. Also, length of trips makes a big difference. Frequent, short trips will drop your average economy. Another thing to consider is the number of stops you make. It takes more effort to move your van from a dead stop than a roll. So, if you are coming up to traffic or a light and can manage to slow down in advance enough to prevent your van from stopping completely, you will come out ahead in fuel economy.

    I think twenty or better is a reasonable expectation and hope it pans out for you! ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • tiger3ptiger3p Member Posts: 30
    Hey all,

    Is the 2008 T&C flexfuel?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Tbe only Flex-Fuel engine in the Chrysler minivan line-up is the 3.3 liter engine.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • tiger3ptiger3p Member Posts: 30
    Thank you. Just making sure that I'm putting the correct fuel in the van.. :blush:
  • srs_49srs_49 Member Posts: 1,394
    Here's an update to my earlier post on real world gas mileage for our 2007 DGC with the 3.8L engine.

    Miles driven = 10,495
    Overall mileage = 20.60 mpg (highway and suburban driving)
    Best gas mileage = 26.1 mpg (highway, 75 mph)
    Worst gas mileage = 16.7 (around town)

    All of these gas mileage figures are based on tank fill ups, not the trip computer. Using the trip computer, we reach 29.7 mpg one time coming back from the mountains, approximately 150 miles at 65 mph.
  • bocababe2bocababe2 Member Posts: 8
    2008 Chrysler T&C 3.8 Liter engine, stow and go seating both rows, with AC on all the time, 334 miles so far, and 10% ethanol in the regular gas that I buy.
    The minivan is only a week old

    average 20 MPG highway
    average 15.9 City
  • srs_49srs_49 Member Posts: 1,394
    What are you going by, the MPG display in the overhead console?

    If so, I would compute your mileage over several tankfuls of gas by dividing the total distance traveled by the amount gas used (right after you fill up the tank).
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    On a single tank basis the OBC on both of our DGCs is more accurate than the good old "miles divided by gallons" method. Why? Because pumps NEVER click off when the fuel in your tank is at the same level, in fact, depending upon the pump, the angle of the spout in the filler neck, the pressure, the incline of the vehicle and a number of other lesser factors, the level at which the pump clicks off can vary by over a gallon from one tank to the next. That said, after four or five tanks, the old method is usually more accurate than the OBC. I've tracked the OBC on both of our vans for over one hundred thousand miles each, and the average error shows the OBC as being 2.73% optimistic.

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • brad32378brad32378 Member Posts: 8
    Its funny If I run A no-name brand gas in the van I get 230 miles to the tank .But if I run sunoco or mobil I get about 330 to 360 whats up with that..LOL :)
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Sounds like the "no-name" brand of gas is actually E85 and not regular gasoline or E10. Said another way, there's absolutely NO WAY the brand of gasoline will affect the fuel economy of your van so much (but the grade will).

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • jim314jim314 Member Posts: 491
    Could be you are driving in different environments when using "no-name" than when using the named brands.

    But the suggestion that the "no-name" is actually E85 is plausible. Is your vehicle rated for E85?
  • hofhof Member Posts: 15
    Most of the time when I've had my 06 DGC (SXT -3.8) on the highway, it's been loaded down for vacation, with most of the travel in hot weather, but yesterday I got a chance to travel from Indianapolis to Louisville KY under ideal conditions.

    Driver and light load only, 34-35 lb in tires, K&N air filter, full synthetic oil, 65 degree F temperature (no air conditioning just vents), no significant wind, very slight downgrade over 110 miles. I was driving at night, and it was a little foggy, so I mostly kept the cruise control on 63-65 MPH even though the speed limit was 70. At that speed, the tach indicated about 1850 RPM at cruise.

    Until I made a short stop, my indicator read 31.7 mpg. When I pulled into the hotel parking lot it was 31.1. Unfortunately, I didn't start with a full fuel load, so I couldn't check my actual MPG. Because it usually reads high a couple MPG, I may not have quite hit 30 real world mpg, but it was close. With about 40 miles of in-town driving in Louisville, some of which was with six passengers and the air conditioning on, and driving home with the air conditioning on in 82 degree weather, and some int-town driving in Indianapolis, my final indicated MPG for the trip was 27.3. That is approximately the same MPG that I got in a Pontiac G6 4 cylinder) under similar conditions a couple years earlier.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Not at all surprising. I did something similar with our 1998 3.8 DGC Sport (which had ~145,000 miles on the clock at the time), only in my case I went from somewhere southwest of Port Huron, MI, through toll and custom queues at at the Port Huron/Sarnia border crossing and then again at the Niagra border crossing, and an additional 1-Hour/10-Mile crawl through a construction zone in the Hamilton Ontario area. In spite of those five stop-and-go spots, I made it all of the way to Albany, NY; a distance of 504 miles on one tank of gas. Both the OBC "Average MPG" display and my actual miles divided by gallons calculation agree on a 28.2 mpg fuel consumption rate for that trip. The thing is, prior to hitting the traffic in Hamilton, the OBC had been showing a running average in the 30-31 mpg range, and at 67-70 mph no less.

    One comment about your van's setup; you list a K&N in your description, I submit to you that the K&N does absolutely nothing for fuel economy, however, K&Ns are not as efficient when it comes to cleaning the inbound air, and as such, you can expect high engine wear due to the extra silica that is typically found in the Used Oil Analysis results of K&N equipped engines.
  • 93949394 Member Posts: 74
    edited March 2011
    2011 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.6L V6 6AT

    average of 1st 2 tanks (50% hwy + 50% city) = 21mpg (trip computer reading)

    forgot to do the manual calculation, will post that for the next 2 tanks.

    .
    2016 eSoul - All Electric - Zero Emission
  • dmsingerdmsinger Member Posts: 1
    I have been unhappy with the all around mileage we have been getting in the first 4,000 miles of owning this otherwise awesome vehicle. Around town is terrible because it is a heavy vehicle.

    Just completed a 500+ mile trip...there and back, so 1,000+ miles and average exactly 26MPG...mostly all highway with almost 100% cruise control averaging between 65 and 75 MPH.
  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    You're unhappy with 26 MPG?? My 2005 T&C Limited gets 20 MPG between 65 & 75 MPH with cruise on, downhill and a wind at my back.

    I'd start being happy about 26 MPG it if I were you. :)
  • ww4cashww4cash Member Posts: 1
    I have noticed two things. I get better gas mileage using Shell gas, and, I get better gas mileage using higher octanes although I am not sure the math works financially. Other name brand gas may do as well, but I do know that no-name can make the car stall at times. Not sure if no name has water in it or whether it is a quality issue. I travel a LOT and hate Shells pay at the pump issues to get you to come inside, but love their gas. I have 42 gallon tank on the suburban, and it requires two fillups due to the 75-100 dollar limit most stations have. Shell requires you to come in after the first fill. I don't like leaving my card inside while pumping the remainder of the 42 gallons. Often Shell makes me come in before pumping any gas. I have had my AMEX since 1986 and pay it off monthly. Ok, I'm through ranting now.
  • carattorneycarattorney Member Posts: 62
    Last month we rented a 2012 GC with 39,000 miles on it in NYC, folded all the seats into the ground and loaded it to the gills with equipment (tail pipe was almost scrapping the curb it was so weighted down) and drove it to Los Angeles, CA non-stop.

    A/C was on 50% of the time.

    Here are the gas mileage stats:

    3150 Miles
    130 Gallons of Fuel
    24.25 MPG
    Total Cost of Fuel: $461.00 (Ouch!) :cry:
  • johnnyb01johnnyb01 Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2014

    wrong thread, sorry

  • rog_in_kyrog_in_ky Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan with 200.000 miles. Bought it used 4 years ago from a FORD dealer, lol. So far the trans is working however I did change filter, trans - oil and added OReally Synth Trans oil and one 10 oz of LubeGard RED to it. Also the CAT keeps giving codes like P0420. I seem to get no more than 15 MPG with new plugs / wires and cleaning with Sea Foam... I would like to know how so many people get more than 15 MPG with a Caravan that is over 5 years old. PS, I don't plan to change the CAT but I don't believe it is the cause for low MPG. I am one of the people that believe the PCM was programmed to give low MPG after so may years of service. What do you think?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited June 2015
    I just did a 3,000 mile run to Chattanooga and back and got around 22ish on my '09 Grand Caravan. It was loaded pretty good coming back. I've had the van a year now and the best tanks run around 24, maybe 20 around town for the worst.

    Never heard it before but I don't buy the programming theory. A bad cat can kill your mpg though.
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