thinking of buying a villager...

[sjr8ut]

I am thinking of buying a '99 villager with around 100k miles. Are these cars reliable? Can I hope for the car to last well past 150K or am I dreaming? What is your experience?

[doug6949]

We bought a 96 with 70K in 98. It now has 120K and we are still happy with it. The Villager is reliable but expensive to repair, as are all newer vehicles.

Ours is quite comfortable on long trips. We have made two trips from GA to OR. The smaller size (compared to other minivans) makes it easier to handle in traffic.

Recent mechanical problems have been frustrating. None, however, were unreasonable for a car this old. People usually sell a vehicle after putting money into repairs, thinking it is worn out and therefore unreliable. I think it is a mistake to sell a vehicle just when one is getting familiar with its quirks.

We intend to keep the vehicle for another five years or so. 150-200K should be no problem.

Hope this helps;
Doug

[sjr8ut]

Here is my problem--I can't decide whether to get a dodge grand caravan or a mercury villager--both 1999, just under 100k miles, same price, similar condition. What would you do?

[doug6949]

The Caravan and Villager are really quite different so your choice may be weighed by preferences.

The Grand Caravan is significantly larger, probably more powerful and most likely less expensive to repair. OTOH, the Chrysler vans have a reputation for being more troublesome. Whether or not this is true I cannot say. You might want to browse some Chrysler consumer feedback sites.

For me, the smaller size of the Villager means I will probably get another when this one poops out.

Doug

[sjr8ut]

Hey thanks,
I appreciate your input--I really could live with either size van as my kids are still small. Reliability and longevity are my main concerns. It sounds as thought these vans can go 200K if well taken care of. Does that sound reasonable?

[doug6949]

Virtually any newer car should be good for 200K if taken care of. The exceptions are generally premature failures. The comparative frequency of those failures is what makes one car more reliable than another.

The Caravan and Villager have both been around awhile which speaks for their reputation. If either will suit your needs then perhaps you should go for the one with the best physical condition and/or price.

[sjr8ut]

It seems like a nice car so I bought it. The dealer gave me only a 3kmi powertrain warranty. But he offered to fix the radio display, change timing belt and battery for only $250. Seemed like a good deal so I did it. The engine and trans seem really smooth.
I know these cars are almost the same as a nissan quest, but what parts are Ford and what is nissan? Does anyone know?
Thanks.

[jrathbun]

We bought our 97 new and my wife promptly took it over for her car. It seemed bland to me but throughout the years the blandness has taken a turn to respect for the utter lack of trouble this van has given us. Occasional brakes and tires not withstanding this thing has cost us almost nothing to maintain. It does have a small leak in the rear seal but not enough to worry about. Not too bad for nearly 150k.