My 2007 Grand Caravan Review

[TheIntrepid]

I sat in one once. The pedals were stupidly offset to the left; a terrible RHD conversion if ever there was one. Then, I broke the indicator stalk.

The pedal placement is fine IMO on the LHD version that we have. The indicator stalk DOES feel very cheap. When I hit it to turn off the signal, I have occasionally clicked the other side signal on.

[omicron]

The pedal placement is fine IMO on the LHD version that we have. The indicator stalk DOES feel very cheap. When I hit it to turn off the signal, I have occasionally clicked the other side signal on.

I think the worst RHD conversions I have had the displeasure of experiencing were the Grand Voyager, the '01 Mustang (I shut the driver's door and nearly cut my whole arm off), and the first Z3.

[Raza]

I'm still not convinced of the environmental friendliness of hybrids.  What happens when those batteries shit the bed (as they will)?  We will then be dumping large, undoubtedly toxic batteries into the environment.

If fuel economy and being environmentally friendly is important to somebody, I think the best bet is a small LEV certified car.  Hell, even Suburbans are probably LEV these days, and thus much better than some '80s POS burning all kinds of shit.

Toyota batteries are edible.  When the battery dies, you eat it, shit it out, and then flush the toilet.

[Galaxy]

Care to elaborate? That's really confusing. Wouldn't all "cultures" expect air conditioning to be cold, regardless of where they're from? Isn't that why we have air conditioning; to keep us cold?

A German auto mag (AMS) asked the Audi head of development what some of the differences are in buyers tastes in Europe and the Americas. One of the things he mentioned was that Americans want the AC air to be as cold as possible to blast you in the face or "to make your testicle retreat" as Raza put it.  Europeans on the other hand want the system to cool them down with as little air movement as possible and the systems are adapted to try to meet each taste. This is the reason the Phaeton can distribute air both through regular vents or micro pores in the dashboard. 

I think he is correct in his general assessment. Most of the north americans I have meet seem to enjoy air chilled to the extream, while many times over here I have seen people turn of the AC when I found it to be to hot.

Personally I like a cold AC blast every now and then.

[J86]

Great, isn't it? It really pisses me off though how you have to move the front seats all the way up before you can use it.

I never noticed that

[giant_mtb]

The Phaeton can distribute air through pores in the dashboard?!  That's so cool!  I want one even more now.   

[TBR]

Chrysler has a setting on their A/C units (or at least the 300's) that keeps the fan turned down, sounds like that is pretty much what the europeans expect their A/C to also work. I personally go 50/50 all or nothing, half the time I have it on full blast, half the time it is completely off. I figure this is the most cost effective way to maintain a relatively comfortable temp.

[Raza]

Cost effective?  I got nearly 32mpg last night with the A/C running the whole time.  A/C doesn't eat up a whole lot of gas mileage.  Considering my car is EPA rated at 30, I'd say it adds more gas mileage. 

[TBR]

What the hell? A/C adds gas mileage? Yeah right...

A/C adds considerable load to the engine, it definitely has a negative impact on fuel economy.

[Raza]

What the hell? A/C adds gas mileage? Yeah right...

A/C adds considerable load to the engine, it definitely has a negative impact on fuel economy.

I wasn't being serious about the adding part, though it is odd that you're so concerned about it and I use my aircon constantly and consistently beat EPA on the highway. 

[SVT_Power]

Cost effective?  I got nearly 32mpg last night with the A/C running the whole time.  A/C doesn't eat up a whole lot of gas mileage.  Considering my car is EPA rated at 30, I'd say it adds more gas mileage. 

[giant_mtb]

I always thought that was what the fan speed knob was for?  ...either crank it up, or just keep a cool breeze going...

Fuckin' wankers.

[TBR]

I wasn't being serious about the adding part, though it is odd that you're so concerned about it and I use my aircon constantly and consistently beat EPA on the highway. 

That just shows how unrealistic EPA ratings are. Get this, I have only gotten below my car's 2007 highway rating once, I typically get 28-29 and it is rated 26 (the 2008 is 24 IIRC, what a joke!). Using A/C definitely costs you at the gas pump, by at least half a mpg probably.

[J86]

That just shows how unrealistic EPA ratings are. Get this, I have only gotten below my car's 2007 highway rating once, I typically get 28-29 and it is rated 26 (the 2008 is 24 IIRC, what a joke!). Using A/C definitely costs you at the gas pump, by at least half a mpg probably.

ever done the matth as to what taht works out to be over the course of the year in $$ for you?

[Raza]

That just shows how unrealistic EPA ratings are. Get this, I have only gotten below my car's 2007 highway rating once, I typically get 28-29 and it is rated 26 (the 2008 is 24 IIRC, what a joke!). Using A/C definitely costs you at the gas pump, by at least half a mpg probably.

Oh yeah, that extra 40 cents every fillup is definitely worth the discomfort of not using my AC.  And I'm going on the old EPA ratings, which I think are unrealistically high for most cars (I couldn't even get near EPA in my E320; but I also didn't try often...I still can't get near city ratings though...).

[Galaxy]

What the hell? A/C adds gas mileage? Yeah right...

A/C adds considerable load to the engine, it definitely has a negative impact on fuel economy.

AC uses less fuel then lowering the windows on most cars though. 


The german auto club ADAC did a test on various AC systems the better systems used around 1l/100km more, systems made of cheaper components used up to 4l/100km. 

[SVT666]

My Ram's A/C uses about 1 mpg on the digital readout.

[JYODER240]

That just shows how unrealistic EPA ratings are. Get this, I have only gotten below my car's 2007 highway rating once, I typically get 28-29 and it is rated 26 (the 2008 is 24 IIRC, what a joke!). Using A/C definitely costs you at the gas pump, by at least half a mpg probably.

I think it depends on the car I'm always low for EPA ratings, even when i drive conservativly.

[TBR]

I know, that is why they are so ridiculous. And, it would work out to over $50 a year, not much but it is something. Besides, it isn't like I roast alive like I did last summer (which, due to the sucky gas mileage I was already getting, saved me $150/year), I keep it comfortable willing running the A/C minimally. I don't like it to be too cold, I have a pretty narrow window of comfort.