Is the 2.4 liter 4 cylinder in the '99 Caravan any good?

We have a chance to trade our loaded '99 Chevy Venture for a '99 Caravan
and a bit of money. The reason I want to trade is the 3400 in the Venture
has a lot of known problems which haven't crept up yet but I want to get
out of it before they do. Plus I've always been a Dodge/Plymouth fan. The
'99 Caravan is a base model, power nothing, just AC, a stereo, with the 2.4
engine, thus allowing us to get some cash out of the deal, too. Is the 2.4
any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.


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Also the same engine that's in the PT Cruiser. You'll have to drive it
yourself to decide if it's got the power you're looking for.

Justin wrote:
> We have a chance to trade our loaded '99 Chevy Venture for a '99 Caravan
> and a bit of money. The reason I want to trade is the 3400 in the Venture
> has a lot of known problems which haven't crept up yet but I want to get
> out of it before they do. Plus I've always been a Dodge/Plymouth fan. The
> '99 Caravan is a base model, power nothing, just AC, a stereo, with the 2.4
> engine, thus allowing us to get some cash out of the deal, too. Is the 2.4
> any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
> the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.
>
>
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Also the same engine that's in the PT Cruiser. You'll have to drive it
yourself to decide if it's got the power you're looking for.

Justin wrote:
> We have a chance to trade our loaded '99 Chevy Venture for a '99 Caravan
> and a bit of money. The reason I want to trade is the 3400 in the Venture
> has a lot of known problems which haven't crept up yet but I want to get
> out of it before they do. Plus I've always been a Dodge/Plymouth fan. The
> '99 Caravan is a base model, power nothing, just AC, a stereo, with the 2.4
> engine, thus allowing us to get some cash out of the deal, too. Is the 2.4
> any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
> the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.
>
>
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"Justin" <justin1138@REMOVEnet> wrote in message
57.130...
> Is the 2.4
> any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
> the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.

I drove a '92 3.3L G-Voyager until recently. According to the power
ratings, that engine had the same horsepower as the 2.4 you're looking at.
In my experience driving in Houston, TX, it had plenty of power for everyday
freeway and street driving. The only time I was really bothered by a lack
of power was driving with 5 people and luggage on hilly roads.

--
Scott Ehardt
http://www.scehardt.com

"Justin" <justin1138@REMOVEnet> wrote in message
57.130...
> Is the 2.4
> any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
> the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.

I drove a '92 3.3L G-Voyager until recently. According to the power
ratings, that engine had the same horsepower as the 2.4 you're looking at.
In my experience driving in Houston, TX, it had plenty of power for everyday
freeway and street driving. The only time I was really bothered by a lack
of power was driving with 5 people and luggage on hilly roads.

--
Scott Ehardt
http://www.scehardt.com

"Justin" <justin1138@REMOVEnet> wrote in message
57.130...
| We have a chance to trade our loaded '99 Chevy Venture for a '99 Caravan
| and a bit of money. The reason I want to trade is the 3400 in the Venture
| has a lot of known problems which haven't crept up yet but I want to get
| out of it before they do. Plus I've always been a Dodge/Plymouth fan. The
| '99 Caravan is a base model, power nothing, just AC, a stereo, with the 2.4
| engine, thus allowing us to get some cash out of the deal, too. Is the 2.4
| any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
| the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.
|

I doubt that the 2.4 4-cylinder engine has nearly the low-end torque that the
3.3 V6 engine does.

"Justin" <justin1138@REMOVEnet> wrote in message
57.130...
| We have a chance to trade our loaded '99 Chevy Venture for a '99 Caravan
| and a bit of money. The reason I want to trade is the 3400 in the Venture
| has a lot of known problems which haven't crept up yet but I want to get
| out of it before they do. Plus I've always been a Dodge/Plymouth fan. The
| '99 Caravan is a base model, power nothing, just AC, a stereo, with the 2.4
| engine, thus allowing us to get some cash out of the deal, too. Is the 2.4
| any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
| the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.
|

I doubt that the 2.4 4-cylinder engine has nearly the low-end torque that the
3.3 V6 engine does.

Justin wrote:

> We have a chance to trade our loaded '99 Chevy Venture for a '99 Caravan
> and a bit of money. The reason I want to trade is the 3400 in the Venture
> has a lot of known problems which haven't crept up yet but I want to get
> out of it before they do. Plus I've always been a Dodge/Plymouth fan. The
> '99 Caravan is a base model, power nothing, just AC, a stereo, with the 2.4
> engine, thus allowing us to get some cash out of the deal, too. Is the 2.4
> any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
> the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.
>
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So, your trading one 99 for another? Add the cost difference and the
sales tax. are you really coming out ahead?

Nothing against the dodge, but why don't you just have your intake
gaskets changed as a preemptive strike on the GM?
Your right, the 3.4 series can self destruct if your not careful.
But if you know what to look for, you can stay ahead of the game.
And who's to say that the dodge won't self destruct in a year?


Bob



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Justin wrote:

> We have a chance to trade our loaded '99 Chevy Venture for a '99 Caravan
> and a bit of money. The reason I want to trade is the 3400 in the Venture
> has a lot of known problems which haven't crept up yet but I want to get
> out of it before they do. Plus I've always been a Dodge/Plymouth fan. The
> '99 Caravan is a base model, power nothing, just AC, a stereo, with the 2.4
> engine, thus allowing us to get some cash out of the deal, too. Is the 2.4
> any good and is it powerful enough for a van? Same engine they put into
> the Stratus/Cirrus? Thanks.
>
----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----
So, your trading one 99 for another? Add the cost difference and the
sales tax. are you really coming out ahead?

Nothing against the dodge, but why don't you just have your intake
gaskets changed as a preemptive strike on the GM?
Your right, the 3.4 series can self destruct if your not careful.
But if you know what to look for, you can stay ahead of the game.
And who's to say that the dodge won't self destruct in a year?


Bob



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> So, your trading one 99 for another? Add the cost difference and the
> sales tax. are you really coming out ahead?
>
> Nothing against the dodge, but why don't you just have your intake
> gaskets changed as a preemptive strike on the GM?
> Your right, the 3.4 series can self destruct if your not careful.
> But if you know what to look for, you can stay ahead of the game.
> And who's to say that the dodge won't self destruct in a year?
>
>
> Bob


My wife works at the dealership where we bought the Venture and where the
Caravan is. The loaded 6 cylinder Venture is worth 4500 in trade in value
according to the blue book and the stripped 4 cylinder Caravan is worth
2500 (trade in value), so we'd have $2000 coming back, minus a little for
proft for the dealer, $200 or so, minus TTandL, $400 or so, and we'd walk
away with the Caravan (with a less problem-prone engine) and about $1400.
Plus I just like Dodges better and the Caravan has 17% more cargo room.


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