2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SE lacks alot

We currently drive a 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan SE. When we bought it we thought it was great. There is still alot to love about this paid off van of ours. It is very roomy for me being over 6 foot and Jeff being about 6 foot. We also have 2 kids in grade school and usually 1/2 a pack of boy or girl scouts that we occasionally carry around.

I recently had a chance to see and sit in a brand new 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SE. You know the one they advertise that has the seats that fold down into the floor to give you more room. Well I hate it! First of all I have to do acrobatics to even get in the dang car. The head and foot room in the front have decreased by what seems like 6 inches to me. That does not seem like alot to a normal 5 foot something person, but imagine adding another foot and half to your size. Well to get in the door with the seat all the way back, I must tilt my head and shoulders to the side so much that I look as I might be doing some kind of 90’s break dancing. Not very graceful for a mom of 2. I then tried to sit in what they call the captain chairs in the second row. Captain who? Are these seats built for some captain in the Sponge Bob cartoon. (Don’t even get me started on that show). Well anyway, I sit in these and I am thinking these must be a built in car seat. The back of the seats head rest hit me right between my shoulder blades. I am a pretty skinny person and I look down and the seat has disappeared under my legs. Where did it go? I can’t believe that the seat that is about as long as my mid length shorts for the seat part is not even visible. I don’t know how a person would ever be able to put a full size car seat on that seat. I am afraid it just would not hold it. Oh, and for all the moms that like to go through the front middle seats to walk back to the middle or back seats to get something for the kids while someone else is driving, forget about it. They put in a 2 foot console that is good for nothing but a few cds. They blocked the path to get back to the back.

Why I am going on and on about this van, is that we own the 97 version of this van. I thought the 2005 would have the same room and some pretty cool features. Nope they have made a mistake with this van. Not that we would even buy a Chrysler again. Here is a list of reviews that we totally agree with about needing to fix the brakes all the time, power anything is ify at most, and the list of repairs that are usually needed for this model go on and on.
1997 Dodge Grand Caravan SE review

I just hope we don’t crash our van anytime soon, and that we can make enough money each month to cover the mortgage and the repair bills for this van.