The Dodge Caravan is one of the longest-lasting minivan models on the market today. This also makes it one of the most popular minivans available and it has a history of being the perfect vehicle for soccer moms. The Caravan first hit the market in 1984 and is now in its fifth generation, now uniquely called the Grand Caravan. Dodge discontinued the short-wheelbase version in 2007 and from 2008 to date, the truck has only carried the Grand Caravan name.
When I think of Caravan, I think of a van full of children, which is often the case. For this reason, safety is the biggest concern. Let’s face it, we’re not just talking about traction with our tires, we’re also talking about braking properly. As we all know, when we have a van full of children we can get distracted and things can happen. We want tires that work when we need them.
So first I want to cover a few safety things. Especially in a minivan, it’s important to get yearly lineups. Vans are much heavier than cars and for that reason they can get misaligned more easily. Being misaligned can prematurely wear the tires and cause the vehicle to handle differently. Another thing is the worn tires. It is important to change the tires on your truck before they are completely worn out as you want to avoid a blowout with a truck full of kids, and worn tires don’t have the traction you need when braking or driving in the weather. I just wanted to mention these few things that are very important.
Now when it comes to replacement tires, I recommend something other than performance, but slightly more quality all-season tires. Van tires take a lot of abuse and must be handled well when cornering and braking. A higher quality tire like a Dunlop or Bridgestone is well worth the little extra money in the long run. Vans are not speed demons and they need high performance tires as I said earlier; however, decent quality tires are recommended. If you live where there is snow, a good set of aggressive snow tires is also recommended. Remember that snow tires are important not only for traction, but also for braking. A truck with a higher weight is more prone to skidding on ice, so you’ll definitely want those snow tires for this reason.
