1994 Dodge Caravan

SE Minivan/Van

3.3L V6 Cylinder Natural Gas Fuel

Automatic

2b4gh45j7rr760958

CNG

THIS IS NOT YOUR USUAL DODGE CARAVAN. It is fueled by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG); the equivalent to a gallon of gasoline costs only $2.00 in Gaithersburg, and as low as 88 cents in some parts of the country! It has been very lightly used: only 73,300 original miles. CNG vehicles are ELIGIBLE TO USE HOV LANES in Virginia and some other states, even with only one person-- and because this is a *true* alternative fuel vehicle, not a dual-fuel, and not a hybrid, the HOV privilege is not as likely to be withdrawn. This would be a fabulous vehicle for a tradesperson who needs to travel during rush hours with a vanload of stuff, or for anyone who needs a minivan but also needs to drive alone in rush hour. CNG is the same kind of gas that comes out of a gas stove, or used in a gas furnace. It pollutes *much* less than a gasoline car, and emits about 1/3 less carbon. The emissions are so low that the State DMV doesn't even require emissions inspections. Natural gas is much cleaner than gasoline; the engine runs so much cleaner that the oil *never* gets dark. Natural gas doesn't wash away oil, so the engine lasts *much* longer. There's no fuel pump or fuel filter, so those are never a problem. The fuel lines can't freeze, and you can't flood the engine. Natural gas is much more abundant than petroleum-- current estimates are that there are proven reserves to last more than 100 years, and much of that gas is in the US and Canada. Using CNG means energy independence for the US. And it means that price spikes or large increases are *very* unlikely. (So why aren't we all driving CNG cars, and helping solve our trade deficit? Ask your congressperson!) Obviously, CNG is a *lot* less expensive than gasoline. Unfortunately, there are only a few places in the DC area that sell CNG: there is a station in Pentagon City which sells it for $2.40/gal, and there is one in Gaithersburg, where it currently sells for $2.00 per gallon. It is also possible to buy a compressor, and have it hooked to your home's natural gas pipe, but these compressors are relatively expensive. After a Federal Tax credit, the net cost is about $2,500. However, the per-gallon cost is even lower then-- as little as $1 per gallon! (Note: CNG is not measured in gallons, but it is sold in "gallon equivalents"--the amount of CNG needed to give the same fuel energy as a gallon of gasoline. So, by definition, the gas mileage for a CNG vehicle measured in gallon-equivalents is exactly the same as for a gasoline vehicle.) The biggest drawback to CNG vehicles in this area is the limited range; it can only go 100-150 miles between fuelings. That's why I'm selling it, actually-- I just bought a vacation home in West Virginia that is outside the range of this minivan. Otherwise I'd keep it-- I love it! So for the person who lives near one of these stations, this is an amazing vehicle. If you have enough use for it, you can even get your own refueling compressor at your home. BUT UNLESS YOU LIVE IN OR NEAR GAITHERSBURG OR ANOTHER AREA IN WHICH THERE ARE CNG STATIONS, OR ARE READY TO BUY YOUR OWN COMPRESSOR, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT CAR FOR YOU! You can see if there are CNG stations near you at http://www.cngprices.com/ Here's information about this particular minivan: 1994 Dodge Caravan SE -7 passenger Minivan Silver/grey 73,300 miles 3.3L engine 3600 psi Automatic Transmission Air conditioning Power steering AM/FM/CD player (aftermarket) VIN: 2B4GH45J7RR760958 Manual windows and locks Mechanically, as far as I know, everything is sound. There is no significant body rust. Here's what's bad about it: The AC/heater fan only works on high speed. The left speaker on the radio/CD cuts out sometimes. The electric latch release on the hatch doesn't always work. Like every other Dodge of that era, the paint is peeling in places. There are an assortment of dings on the body. The side mirrors no longer adjust electrically, and the mirror on the passenger side is missing the shroud. (I have the replacement.) The inside isn't dirty, but it is somewhat rough; some of the interior trim is loose, the ceiling fabric is also a little loose. The hood latch cable broke, so I jury-rigged a solution, and have never bothered to get an "official" replacement. I bought this used in 2002, with 34,000 miles on it. I don't drive very much, so in 9 years, I added less than 40,000 miles to it. This is *not* a conversion vehicle; it came from the factory as an alternative fuel CNG vehicle. As best I can tell, this was a fleet vehicle before I owned it, and they didn't use it much, either. I have the Autocheck report which I can provide to anyone interested. (Autocheck is the same kind of service as Carfax.) The report is completely clean. The VIN is 2B4GH45J7RR760958. (The van could be converted to gasoline by adding a gas tank, fuel pump, etc., but that wouldn't make much sense, to my mind.) If you are interested in this minivan, please call Michael at 703-536-9190, or send an email to cng@rios.org to get even more information.