Hello,

I am new to this forum, and to Dodge vehicles.

I am looking at a 2007 Dodge Caravan Cargo van. I like to use it for light personal use (about 5K miles a year) and to provide light-moving services about 2-3 times a week. Please pardon my ignorance of terminology while I learn about this van (and cargo vans in general).

I wonder how easy and expensive it might be to make the following three changes to the van I am looking at:

1. Removable 2nd row seating: My hope is to remove the 2nd row seats when a moving engagement needs more space. It is sufficient if the seats are chairs similar to those in the first row (don't really need the 3-2 split bench). I don't think I need stow-n-go seats. (I fear they might be too expensive.)

2. Add a removable "separator" of sorts behind the 2nd row seats so that cargo stays in the cargo area. Perhaps a strong net suffices, but I wonder if something a little firmer is available.

3. Modify the current separator behind the first row of seats so the inside doesn't resemble the inside of a police car when I am not using the van to move cargo.

Thank you for input and for your patient reading.

 

It would be extensive work to add second row seats to a cargo van. Better off to find a base model with second row bench already in it.

 

Thank you.

How easy/expensive might it be to make the 2nd row seats removable? (The cars in my price range don't have stow-n-go seats.)

 

Cargo vans are just not setup to have factory style seating installed. Properly securing the seat and the seatbelts would make things difficult to remove. Same goes for the partition. There are no partitions that I am a ware of that are made to be removable. They are fixed in place for safety reasons.

It is just not a good idea to convert a cargo van into a people mover. In my mind, there is no safe way to do it. Also, the van is most likely only certified to hold 2 passengers and that could get you in trouble if you were pulled over and the cops figured that out.

 

I was concerned about the safety aspect, but thought I should ask just in case someone else has already looked in to a similar need.

The legal aspect is key: I have no desire to do anything illegal. So, I think I will drop the cargo van idea.

However, would you please opine on how easy/expensive it might be to make the 2nd row seats removable in a passenger van? (The cars in my price range don't have stow-n-go seats.)

 

all seats are removeable if it isn't stow and go, they just clamp to the floor, buckets or bench.

 

Yup, 2nd and third row seats can be out in under 5 minutes.

 

Update: I have found a 2006 Grand Caravan Passenger 7-seater with Stow-n-Go. It has high miles (150K) and is priced in my range. I am seriously thinking about buying this van.

I have run VIN check (Carfax and AutoCheck) and both reports say the car is clean. I also plan to get an independent mechanic to inspect the car before I make the final decision.

Is there anything in particular to watch out for (known issues for this model-year-mileage)? Your thoughts will be helpful.