Hey all,

I have a 2005 Gr Caravan SE w/ Stow n Go.

I bought it used and so didn't quite get some of the options I'd like with it. I'm wondering how hard/possible it would be to call some local auto wreckers and find some of the parts on totalled vans.

I'm looking for:
16" Alloy rims (this would be easy of course to do myself)
Fog lights
Power sliding doors/liftgate (I'm dreaming with this one, I know it would need new keys too).
...

I guess what I'm asking is, what is there that I could strip from a wrecked van to put into mine without too much work?

I am mechanically inclined (changed the heads on my old '85 k-car) and my bro-in-law is a mechanic.

 

Rims no biggie
Fog lights - is your vehicle is equipped with the holes in the bumper for the lights, I believe that all of the wiring is there, you would need the lights, relay and headlamp switch
Power doors - Major undertaking, complete body wiring harness, inside harnesses for each door, controllers for each door, overhead console switches and wiring, all power motors, trims panels for the interior and possibly other things. The good news, the vehicles body controller will self configure when it detects the door control modules.

 

That's about what I thought for the doors.

The lights don't seem too difficult. I may undertake that one.

Other question:
I hear that the 05's took away a few things from the 01-04 like backlighting for headlamp switch, door locks and windows. Can these be taken from an older van and put into an '05? It really bothers me that those things don't light up.

 

I don't think so. The backlighting went away with the current body style (01 - present) and the old switches are not the same.

 

I wish I could get my switches to light up also. Thats one of the dissapointments with the van.

 

OK thanks. I thought it was just hte '05's.

 

brandoncrone you are very helpful...Thank you very much.

I have just two more questions, but I think I know the answers to both.

Is it a lot of work to install an overhead rail system in a van with the overhead computer and rear air controls?
Is it a lot of work to install a floor console?

I think that they both ARE too much work for a lay-person to do but I wanted to check.

Thanks.

I will definitely come to you for any tech questions I have with my van.

 

I don't think that the overhead rail system would be too bad to install, if you have the short wheelbase van I'm not sure if it would work at all. You most likely would have to drop down the headliner and add some brackets. Floor conosles are easy, as you are using existing floor hardware.

 

What existing hardware is that? I thought a bracket needed to be installed for the console to mount onto. Or did they change them from the earlier models that were removable and needed more hardware?