or why its not a good idea to take your car apart in your driveway.....
My Caravan before I started removing parts from it. Note how nice it looks. There is no rust on it because its from Victoria BC where they seldom have snow so never use salt. Here in Ontario we use so much salt millions of tons of it that our cars last just until the last payment is made. Clever eh!
Do you own a 1988 Dodge Caravan with 3.0L Engine? Do you know anybody that does or might? Here is a real opportunity to acquire some used and new parts from a rust free BC vehicle priced cheap to keep your "classic vehicle" on the road. Caravans are built like tanks and have been known to go over 400,000 km much to the horror of new car salesmen who hate them and wish they would all stop working. Every additional year you can squeeze out of yours is worth several thousand dollars in new car payments and the new cars are nowhere as solid as these vehicles. So does it make sense to buy a couple of hundred dollars of used parts to get another year or two? Yup! It makes even more sense when you are a guy like me with the minivan in his driveway and he wants it gone! In fact the more I think about it the more sense it makes! Its brilliant!
Here is a partial list of the parts available. Notice that I have cleverly placed the "new" price in one column to help you recognize what a wonderful deal you are getting...This is an often used trick in advertising where we are told all the time we are getting 50% off or whatever... but the important thing is the prices in red and they are low. And if you don't like them just make me an offer. Just think of all the fun you will have with them. Failing that think of trotting down to the new car lot and selling your soul for the next five years to purchase a new vehicle. Now think about these inexpensive parts again. Now think of a beach on Hawaii. Can you smell the sun tan lotion? Oh there is somebody running up to you with a platter of drinks with ice cubes tinkling and those cherries and straws and yikes she is wearing a skimpy bathing suit too. Gee! You didn't expect that in a car parts ad.... Think of these parts again. (The van parts) See that wasn't hard. You want these parts now. You want them bad! Keep that thought.... Its important.
Lake Nipissing looks like this sometimes without the shad flies
PART CONDITION NEW COST (which you would pay at the dealer...)
SALE
PRICE
Belt serpentine good used $30 $3 washer pump good $28 $5 SOLD Ignition coil good condition $48 $5 front grill very good $60 $15SOLD front bumper excellent $250 $50 rear bumper excellent $250 $50 rear bumper outer edges polycarbonate very good $65 each $20 for both 4 mud flaps good original conditioned no rips! 2 front 2 rear $48 $4 distributor incld all spark plug wires very good $150 $25HOLD SALE IN PROGRESS TO LRC drivers headlight and assembly good $145 $25SOLD passenger headlight and assembly good $145 $25SOLD alternator good $150 $50 windshield wiper motor good $65 $10SOLD Belt Timing new unused $45 $35 axle and cv joints pssger side new unused $210 $150 rad fan motor drivers side good $125 $15SOLD rad fan pssger side good $95 $15 harmonic balancer good $140 $20 starter motor good $210 $50 washer pump good $28 $5SOLD coolant expansion tank good $45 $5SOLD oil pan paint gone good but needs repaint $95 $20SOLD body shell very good no rust! $500? $100SOLD 4 good winter 14" tires on rims -low mileage very good $650 $175 water pump,gaskets,O ring brand new in box
$95 $50 engine control unit (computer) used good working condition $395 $50SOLD to JD front drivers side fender very good condition no rust $150 $50SOLD front pssger side fender very good condition no rust $150 $50SOLD door drivers side complete with glass very good condition no rust $350 $50SOLD
door pssger side complete with glass very good condition no rust $350 $50SOLD
door back with glass very good condition no rust $250 $50SOLD
engine mounting plate pssger side very good condition no rust $150 $15
rear tail light assembly drivers side good useable condition with small crack in lens and priced low! $44 $10SOLD rear tail light assembly pssngr side good useable condition with small crack in lens and priced low! $44 $10SOLD fuel cap good condition $25 $5SOLD rad hose useable condition $32 $2SOLD LIGHT BULBS FROM LIGHT HOUSINGS worked when parked $30 $5SOLD carpets original not that bad could use a shampoo!
$300 $25SOLD
automatic transmission good working condition maintained $1200 $100SOLD front seat drivers good useable some wear $350 $50 passenger side seat good condition $350 $50 bench seat behind driver good condition $350 $50 rear bench seat good condition some damage to back plastic cover but still very useable $350 $50 3.0L engine PARTS
best use is for parts
partially disassembled
$2500 $75SOLD rare! complete working engine wiring harness see pic below
good condition everything worked when parked priceless $50HOLD SALE IN PROGRESS TO LRC Side Sliding Door good condition $350 $50 SOLD
first side window behind driver good condition $150 $25 second side window behind driver good condition $150 $25 strut and spring passenger side front good condition $250 $50SOLD strut and spring drivers side good condition $250 $50SOLD passenger side front caliper with pads good condition $100 $25SOLD drivers side front caliper with pads good condition $100 $25SOLD front brake rotor passenger side good condition $100 $15SOLD front brake rotor drivers side good condition $100 $15SOLD passenger side front wheel knuckle assembly with wheel bearing and hub good condition $250 $25 drivers side front wheel knuckle assembly with wheel bearing and hub good condition $250 $25SOLD air intake plenum 3.0L engine good working condition $350 $50 Oxygen sensor recently replaced approx 1000 miles on it good working condition $75 $10SOLD light bulb holders front and rear lot good working condition $100 $10SOLD My objective is to get the parts to somebody who can use them not send them to the car crusher. They aren't free because it took time and effort to get the suckers off and ready for sale and the last time I checked there was no free food at the food store or free gas at the pumps or free labor either. So for those who want something for nothing you won't find it here. If you want something for a really excellent price cheaper than anywhere else that is "practically nothing" - then this is your place! In fact if you actually buy anything over $50 I will give you something free! You can't beat that! Well maybe you could but its unlikely. Should you be overcome with some uncontrollable urge to buy all the remaining parts I am sure we can quickly come to some fair price for you! Just for the record every single person visiting to buy parts was very happy with the prices paid so if that is your concern -not to worry.
To enquire about parts just email me If you would like to visit please set up a time with me before dropping by so I will be sure to be in for you. Please do not visit at 3am with a balaclava over your head as the hounds will be released and they are pretty frisky at 3AM. An e-mail is best or you can leave a phone message and I will return your call.
Payment -You can pay anyway you want to. You can even use a credit card and pay online with paypal. Cash or cheques work fine too. I will even consider barter items or whatever. Want to put something on hold til next pay -just let me know! Not a problem if you can wait so can I. e-mail me You will be amazed at how helpful I am when accepting your payment for these parts.
Thanks! ron
My Caravan after day one of the tear down. Notice how ugly it now looks.
a few days later the take down progresses...notice how the parts are coming off..
These caravans are built like a tank everything is solid and heavy! Notice the heavy back door that wrenched my back for a couple of days of pain...Its a two person job. Why did they use so much damn steel in these vehicles??? Didn't they know I would need to take the damn thing apart some day? Apparently not! back door is SOLD
The observant person will notice the back axle assembly and suspension are missing and the van is up on blocks-the non observant person will note that the minivan is brown. A really smart person will wonder why I have done this? I don't know and its too late to go back. I won't do it again...It seemed like a good idea at the time and I got a chance to use my air tools....
I managed to successfully remove both side windows with hinges on the drivers's side and they are available for $25 each and the weather stripping is free!
Nice seats would look good in a kids room -surprise the spouse-refurnish your home -"a happy wife - a happy life"
Now you see them now you don't the magic of air tools and some idle time
There they are again! $50 each or two for $100 (just kidding) 2 for $65
Both are in good useable shape and as usual the drivers side is a bit more worn than the passenger side

Normally you don't see a complete engine compartment wiring harness because it takes to long to salvage them. But that didn't stop me. Heck no! After a couple of hours I had the entire wire harness of the caravan lying on my lawn. Everything worked when I parked it so all the wires are fine. $50 and its yours! Too much??? Ok $40 and you have just solved many hours of problems for yourself and there is no way you can find one anywhere else!
There goes the body shell -gone!!

Sales have been a bit slow so I hired some students from the College to help out with the Parts Sale! They are paid on a straight commission basis and the sad thing is that if nobody buys any parts they won't be able to afford their next semester. I know this sounds a bit harsh but you don't want to be responsible for ruining their careers do you? Do the right thing. Buy a bumper or a fender. A set of tires will ensure they all eat next week. I am doing my part. I even offered them 10% off on any parts purchases! Its possible they may be on coffee or lunch break or down at the lake swimming when you arrive -apparently the rules are that I must give them three breaks an 8 hour shift -how business people can make any money these days with all these rules is beyond me! They will help you load your parts should they be here when you come over. They all say "Hi"
Strange since I hired the students sales picked up considerably....