Dodge Caravans are indeed good under-rated vehicles. We used to have one and kept it till the automatic transmission broke, which is apparently inevitable. Our had racks inside, roof rack, all white, big logo, etc...
The 4cyl and small-v6 ones are quite efficient. FWD with snow tires are unstoppable, and some have AWD as well. Growing up, we had caravans as family vehicles and hauled a huge amount of stuff in them when necessary. I drove it on the highway for 7 hours once before needing to gas up. Most of us are mechanically inclined, but I'd rather my guys be out doing stuff for customers or making the company money rather than tinkering with vehicles. We work with local independent mechanics when we need something fixed. We tend to have enough vehicles that if one is out of service for a couple days, all the work can still get done. I treat personal transportation the same way; instead of 2 newish cars, we have 3-4 used cars and if one's broken for a while, no big deal. Excise tax in Maine on new cars is obscene and is based on sticker price; something with a $35000 sticker will cost about $1000 in excise tax the first year, plus sales tax, etc... On Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 10:15:00AM -0800, [email protected] wrote: > Well, my Caravans both were under $500 and I've gotten a lot of miles for > that. I've put perhaps $500 total into repairing them in the last two > years, as well. Of course, I do my own mechanic work. I'm better than > almost any shop you can find, so why would I pay for inferior work? > > I guess it mostly boils down to how much depreciation you want to pay for, > and are you willing to have "down" time now and then. I just have an extra > rig, so... no problem. Not everyone wants to put up with that. It's > really a cost/return/value thing. > > > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > <insert witty tagline here> > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Josh Luthman" <[email protected]> > To: "WISPA General List" <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 6:27 AM > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > > > >I am looking for a cost effective vehicle. Anything heavy will do the > > job of teaching ricers a lesson. Like an H1. > > > > On 2/3/09, Brad Belton <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Correct, only going off of your statement of 16sec (chuckle) and putting > >> away a couple Civics. That truly must be one fast Goat! <grin> > >> > >> Just ribb'n ya Mark. Now back to our regular programming... > >> > >> Best, > >> > >> > >> Brad > >> > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > >> Behalf Of [email protected] > >> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 2:42 AM > >> To: WISPA General List > >> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > >> > >> > >> It's ok. You don't know my truck. I do. > >> > >> I've put fast ricers away on the street. And they never try again. > >> That > >> perfectly aimed exhaust "teaches" :) > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >> <insert witty tagline here> > >> > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "Brad Belton" <[email protected]> > >> To: "'WISPA General List'" <[email protected]> > >> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 10:07 PM > >> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > >> > >> > >>> Lol...16sec 1/4 won't be nearly enough to stay in front of this > >>> particular > >>> Excursion and I highly doubt shaved tires will bring you to 15sec. > >>> > >>> In fact a quick youtube search comes up with a couple high 15sec low > >>> 16sec > >>> Excursions in STOCK trim. > >>> > >>> 16sec must only "feel" fast in a Dodge Goat....<grin> > >>> > >>> > >>> Brad > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > >>> Behalf Of [email protected] > >>> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 6:15 PM > >>> To: WISPA General List > >>> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > >>> > >>> Grin... My '93 wasn't "quite" stock, but I used to have a timeslip from > >>> a > >>> dragstrip showing a 16.00 second quarter mile for it. > >>> > >>> Some sticky tires would have shaved that to around 15... And his > >>> excursion > >>> would have been absolutely unable to stay infront of it :) > >>> > >>> I towed a trailer form Oregon to Wisconsin and back in '04 and truck and > >>> trailer were 23K combined. Even crossing Montana at 75 - 80 still > >>> netted > >>> me 10.5 - 11 mpg . > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >>> <insert witty tagline here> > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: "Mike Hammett" <[email protected]> > >>> To: "WISPA General List" <[email protected]> > >>> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 3:09 PM > >>> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > >>> > >>> > >>>> Must have a lot of 91 Dodges down there (we have a 91 Cummins... not > >>>> so > >>>> much pep compared to the new ones). > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> ----- > >>>> Mike Hammett > >>>> Intelligent Computing Solutions > >>>> http://www.ics-il.com > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> -------------------------------------------------- > >>>> From: "Brad Belton" <[email protected]> > >>>> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 5:03 PM > >>>> To: "'WISPA General List'" <[email protected]> > >>>> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > >>>> > >>>>> My 2001 7.3L Diesel Excursion that's closing in on 180K miles still > >>>>> gets > >>>>> 14-20mpg depending on use, how heavy my foot is and what I'm pulling. > >>>>> It > >>>>> used to get better mileage, but after 8 years of just oil and fuel > >>>>> it's > >>>>> probably due for a tune up of some kind. > >>>>> > >>>>> It does have a custom chip & exhaust that keeps me in front of ANY > >>>>> Diesel > >>>>> Dodge I've run across. <grin> > >>>>> > >>>>> Best, > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> Brad > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> -----Original Message----- > >>>>> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > >>>>> On > >>>>> Behalf Of Mike Hammett > >>>>> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 4:53 PM > >>>>> To: WISPA General List > >>>>> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > >>>>> > >>>>> Fords have terrible mileage. Our 2008 (I think) F-550 gets about 9 > >>>>> (doesn't > >>>>> > >>>>> pull anything). Completely irresponsible when a stock 2006 Dodge > >>>>> (with > >>>>> OEM > >>>>> software upgrades) with a 2 ton camper in the bed pulls 21.5 in hilly > >>>>> terrain. > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> ----- > >>>>> Mike Hammett > >>>>> Intelligent Computing Solutions > >>>>> http://www.ics-il.com > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> -------------------------------------------------- > >>>>> From: "George Rogato" <[email protected]> > >>>>> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 1:22 PM > >>>>> To: "WISPA General List" <[email protected]> > >>>>> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Service vehicle > >>>>> > >>>>>> I just bought a 2008 Ford super duty van. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> 11mpg > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>> > >>> > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>>>> ---- > >>>>>> WISPA Wants You! 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