Faults:

I want to remind everyone this is a 30+ year old vehicle. I have replaced the following below since I purchased the van back in 2019:

- All chassis component (brakes, ball joints, shocks, etc.): Everything was original from 1989 so these parts were worn out.

- Transmission repairs/service: Replaced solenoid pack and speed sensors, transmission control module, filter/fluid.

- Engine: Just a tune up.

- Air conditioning: Replaced compressor/dryer/orifice tube/condenser.

- Exhaust system: New muffler and catalytic converter.

- Interior: Replaced speakers, overhead compass, headliner.

- Exterior: New wheels/tires and polished paint.

General Comments:

I LOVE MY VAN! I grew up in one since the 80's when my parents purchased an 1985 Dodge Caravan LE (I was born in '84). They sold that van around 2005 so as you can see I have a soft spot for these Chrysler mini's.

The van I own is a 1989 Plymouth Grand Voyager LE which currently has 90k miles on it. I'm the third owner. The first two owners were elderly individuals who kept the van in a garage. The paint is a beautiful two-tone maroon/dark maroon exterior with a maroon interior. I upgraded the wheels with a set from the Chrysler TC Maserati since they are the same style as the Chrysler vans, but are polished instead of painted. Also, I limo tinted the windows. All the brightwork/trim/chrome/lights look immaculate. My van turns heads due to its condition and attracts others since it tends to stir up memories of folks either owning them or used to ride in one back in its heyday.

Comfort wise, it is top notch. Chrysler really hit the mark with the efficiency of the space inside. It is roomy and the seats are very comfortable. Overall it is fairly quiet inside with a hint of wind noise due to the brick shape of the van.

Performance wise it is adequate. I drive my van like a "soccer mom/dad" so it does just fine (it is no hotrod). The V6 for this year produces 142hp/173tq. Around town it does well keeping up with traffic, however on the highway I have to be a little patient, but she will drive 75-80mph easy. Gas mileage I average 17 city and 25 highway.

Handling and braking is again, adequate. If pushed, the van will lean over and understeer a bit, but never to a point where it feels uncontrollable or like it is going to tip over. Braking is solid, but since these vans are based off the Chrysler K-Cars of the time, it is just adequate.

In regards to cost, I spent around $4500 total and this includes the purchase of the van, the plane tickets fly my dad and I to New Hampshire, the costs to drive it back to Florida (kept it under 70mph the whole time while traveling), and to restore it back to good/safe driving condition. Well worth it in my opinion.

In regards to maintenance, this is the easiest vehicle to work on. There is plenty of room under the hood and underneath the vehicle to service everything, which is why I did all the work myself. The only exception is the air conditioning condenser which is located behind the dash. I let a trusted shop handle that work and recharged the system.

There are a few issues everyone needs to be aware if you own or plan on owning one of these 1st gen Chrysler vans:

- First is rust. Tackle any rust you see immediately. Doing so will save the body. I am fortunate my van has no major rust issues.

- The second is the A604 "Ultradrive" transmission. These transmission are actually reliable, however the electronics, not so much. My van had a stumble around 75mph where it would cut power abruptly. This is caused by the solenoid pack malfunctioning. The kit cost only $120 and it takes 45 minutes to replace and it solve the stumbling issue. I also had another issue where it would go into "limp mode" and stay in second gear only. This was caused by a bad transmission control module (TCM). $35 for one on eBay and it solved that problem. Now the transmission runs perfect. Also, in regards to the transmission fluid, ONLY USE CHRYSLER ATF 3/4 per the service/owners manual. It does NOT take Mercon/Dexron. Why Chrysler stamped Mercon/Dexron on the transmission dipstick, I couldn't tell you, but using anything other than Chrysler ATF 3/4 will grenade the transmission (this is the reason why owners of these vans had their transmission fail after the 40k service and why it cemented the Ultradrive as unreliable).

As I stated at the beginning of this survey, I LOVE MY VAN! I really enjoy my Grand Voyager and will continue to keep it on the road for years to come.

Faults:

(1) It was a project car from someone dumping it. Included a 3.3 V6 and transmission. So from the start of ownership, engine and transmission was replaced. The old Mitsu 3.0 V6 was no good due to puffing smoke. From this, should have suspected Chrysler quality is not up to par with my expectations.

(2) Power broke twice due to a cheap plastic ribbon. Bad design. Why use something like this for power windows?

(3) Rust in the body due to peeling paint.

(4) Shocks no good.

(5) Brakes are seizing... replaced both calipers, master cylinder, and rusty lines. Cannot believe the rust on these lines. How can they use such poor materials on critical parts like brakes?

(6) Fuel line leak due to rust.

(7) Water leak in the front windows, due to again rust.

(8) Exhaust has holes in it due to, you guess it.. rust.

(9) Headliner falling down.

General Comments:

This is an example of good American idea with bad engineering and cheap materials. Must be all that cost cutting back in the late 80's.

The Chrysler Minivan format is a good idea that was ahead of its time. However, the materials used in this generation minivan are totally horrific, even compared to vehicles of that era or older.

For example, safety items like brakes and fuel lines should be rust proof for up to a minimum of at least two decades. Not so on the Chrysler Minivans.

It is not just my vehicle, I've observed other T115 vans with similar problems. Now compare this with my daily drivers, which are just as old or older, and have more miles on original engines (Nissan S13 and Mercedes W123), it is like night and day. There is no excuse for the amount of problems the minivan should have.

I mainly bought this heap to haul things, but find that it is taking a lot of work to keep it on the road. Almost prepared to dump this thing in favor of a good Toyota or Nissan Truck for hauling.

It is also interesting to see how Chrysler is losing market share to imports in the minivan market they basically invented.