DLB

Are there any tips that owners of Uplander/Terraza/Montana owners have here for a person looking to purchase one? Any problems to look for? Would you recommend one to a former Chrysler minivan owner?

tech2

what year ranges

442dude

As a former owner of an 08 Uplander may I suggest that you look at something else. Your Chrysler was much better and actually almost anything is much better.

I'd list all of the things that we repaired on it in its first 8 years but the list would be very long...

tech2

have to agree
the newer caravans with 3.6 pentastar engine are superior to anything out there. see what the taxi fleets are using...its not uplanders

DLB

I have been looking for 2008 models, around 100k miles or less, but they are priced much higher than earlier years of the same mileage. I have heard that in some chevy's the 3.5 engine of the 2006 models have better mileage. I am here for recommendations.

tech2

go here for mpg ratings
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...23447&id=31046

DLB

Thanks for the link. They seem to indicate that the 3.9 is better than the 3.5 in the Uplander for gas mileage. It is interesting that for 2008, the Chrysler/Dodge minivans do not show better fuel economy except the 3.3 engine.

My wife's 2017 Grand Caravan in fact gets 25mpg on trips, but my previous 1991 Grand Voyager got up to 27mpg on the highway.

In this forum some claimed that the 3.5 in the Impala was better in town than the 3.9. But not by much.

DLB

We have the new Grand Caravan and agree that they are fine vans. I am looking for something just a bit smaller around the size of the original minivans. The SWB Uplander is closer, and I also like the body style better. Also, in my retirement I am looking for a low mileage used vehicle around $5,000 as our second car.

Is there really a consensus that the Uplander/Montana/Terraza minivans are more unreliable in general than other minivans? I have seen complaints about the power side doors. I prefer standard manual doors anyway. But I would like to know about other common issues.

Papa Bear

DLB, where do you live?

I live in Southern Ontario Canada not far from Detroit. A lot of the faults I encountered with my 2007 was rust (salt) related.
Overall I was quite pleased with my 2007 Uplander LS RWB (no-frills model)
My son and his family have it now and it is still a daily driver for them with minimal upkeep. I do the regular maintenance on the van and it has performed well.

DLB

Thanks for the comments. I live in Central Ohio, where we get our fair amount of salted roads in the winter. About half of the used models we have looked at have some rust. I almost bought a 2005 Montana SV6 today. I looked great and was well kept but had 163k miles, so someone else bought it while I hesitated. There was a small amount of rust above the windshield which I could have fixed myself, but I really hope to find one with lower miles in time.