It's okay to be fond of particular minivans, especially in this day and age when crossovers have become more popular than anything on wheels. You won't be alone if you do, as this writer can admit to having a thing for the Lexus LM family cruiser.
This story, however, isn't dedicated to a luxury proposal from the latest model year, packed with all sorts of accouterments that would make Mercedes S-Class owners jealous, but to one born many decades ago, which was made by Dodge.
Do you remember when Dodge used to have a plethora of vehicles in its stable? Pepperidge Farm remembers, and the Caravan was but one of them. The minivan series first came to life for the 2024 model year and was discontinued five generations later, in 2020, when the last one rolled off the line.
Related to models such as the era's Chrysler Town & Country and the Plymouth Voyager, this first-gen Dodge Caravan Royal was made in 1986 and ordered by the "family patriarch," according to the vendor, who worked for Chrysler back then. This is an original example with some mild patina, some chips, and the occasional wear, which has been kept in good overall condition over the years.
Photo: Garage Kept Motors
The reason is that it has remained in the same family ever since it came to life nearly four decades ago. It has a black finish with a red pinstripe, aftermarket running boards, added front fog lamps, and a burgundy interior. The Royal package ensured it some additional amenities like a cassette stereo, air conditioning, bigger side mirrors, rear windshield defroster, and cruise control.
It also has power brakes with discs up front and drums at the rear, a rack and pinion steering, and a 2.0-liter inline-four engine under the hood. The mill was good for 96 horsepower back in the day and 199 pound-feet (270 Nm) of torque, and most of those horses should still be alive. Whatever's left is being channeled to the front wheels via an automatic transmission. Courtesy of an undercoating, the underbody has remained very clean for such an old ride that hasn't been restored.
The minivan presented here has some 63,000 miles (~101,000 km) on the clock and no recorded accidents. As a result, it could be an interesting buy for anyone who has a soft spot for such vehicles, and the fact that it has remained in the possession of the same family since it was new is certainly an added bonus.
The Garage Kept Motors ad reveals a sticker price of $14,900, which won't even get you a Nissan Versa, aka America's cheapest new car, today, as it starts at $16,130 before destination. So, would you buy it?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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