Chrysler Town and Country EX/LX/LXi/Limited

howie99mn · May 2001

Has anyone an opinion on the Goodyear Integrity Tires? I got a flat tire and only had my T&C LX for a month. But I did hit some broken glass on the road. I am curious since you the are lower end line of the goodyear line of tires. I think they cost around $80 /tire to replace. Michelin would have been a better choice.

Howard

rolfe2 · May 2001

I also found that there is a lot of mud thrown up. I'd swear it is much worse than my '90 Grand Caravan. So I put both front and rear splash guards on. I'm sure they help, but I have to say I'm still disappointed in their effectiveness.

--rolfe.

pigfanatic · May 2001

Just wanted to stop by and say HI! ~ We got our 2001 T&C EX just over one month ago. Reading this board really helped us make up our mind about what to buy. We love the van! I use the power lift gate more than I ever thought I would, matter of fact, it is the feature that I love best! I just wish that there was a button in the back to close the lift gate. Kind of like the one on the power sliding door.

So far no wind noise so we must have the new roof racks. When we test drove an LX the noise was so bad that we pulled over on the highway to check all the windows and doors. :-)

Looking forward to reading more!

fcas2004 · May 2001

Sorry to post this twice but the initial board somehow changed names.

I test drove both versions of the T&C Limited this weekend. On a steady uphill road I distinctly noticed the 2100rpm sound with the AWD; not with the FWD. My wife heard the same sounds sitting in a middle seat. Outside temperature was about 65F. I'm still on the fence about which to order. Will the vibration cause more problem down the road? I may opt for snow tires in the winter if I go with the FWD. My other concern is the towing package; something I will not need. All the Limiteds on the lot had this option. I will purchase some version of the Limited within the next several weeks. Any thoughts are appreciated.

gatogonow · May 2001

I got the towing package to tow a boat. However, the package has value, even if you do not tow. It includes the load leveling suspension. Most people will overload this Van as some point in time. The load leveling suspension will help the handling of the vehicle at full load. It also includes heavy duty cooling and the transmission cooler. Good options to have on any vehicle. This transmission has been noted as having problems in the past and the cooler can not hurt. It also includes the larger alternator, not bad on the battery during those winter temperatures. I would opt for the towing package even if I were not towing.

Does anyone know how much the factory/dealer running boards are?

bholio · May 2001

On my new 2001 T&C Lx:
I just noticed that if I push/release the brake pedal whicle the T&C is in Park, that I get a loud clicking noise in the steering column. I believe that this is the brake pedal/Shift interlock preventing me from shifting out of park when the brake is not pressed.

I suddenly noticed this noise today and wonder if anyone else has this noise. It could be that I always have the radio/Ac on or something. It's pretty loud however and I think it just started.

eruceht · May 2001

fcas2004... Load leveling suspension is standard on the Limited even without the towing package. But for $195.00 its a good investment for the heavy duty cooling. My fwd limited has the 2100 rpm noise/vibration and so has all the ones I test drove but unless you must drive at around 67 mph its not a problem.

gatogonow... Running boards are $512.00 not including installation.

cfrance · May 2001

Glad to hear most of you are enjoying your I&Crs. I've got a problem I haven't been able to solve and wonder if some one else has. I've tried programming my garage door opener with the built in home link transmitter per the owners manual instructions and per my garage door opener instructions but neither appears to have worked. I have a Genie (MT) garage door opener with Intellicode (MT) rolling security system. I'm wondering if the I&Crs transmitter does not support this rolling code technology. I haven't queried Chrysler yet.. Thought I'd ask the town hall... Any thoughts?

cfrance · May 2001

By the way, I've got a 2000 T&C LXi... not sure if they changed the whole thing for 2001 or not.

tomtomtom · May 2001

You may try to repeatly pressing your garage door opener button in order to make the home link transmitter recognizes the signal. Some opener transmits a very short signal that might be hard for the home link to pick it up. Good Luck.

smart_alec · May 2001

Just keep following the van's operating manual. It took several tries to program my Geni Garage door opener.
After 4,000 miles on good roads and expressways the lower fender area behind the rear tires has taken a beating. Several rock pits and unremovable stains have appeared. My Villager with 107,000 miles has less damage.
After installing plain and simple, large mud flaps, no more damage has been observed. And, it takes much less labor to wash the van now.

thebone33 · May 2001

cfrance: The owner's manual on how to program the Homelink transmitter is pretty bad. Since you have the Genie Intellicode (rolling codes), you have to first set up the transmitter for a regular (non Intellicode) opener. Make sure to first clear out any factory codes by holding the two outside buttons for 20 seconds until the lights start flashing. Then get your current garage door remote and point it at the Homelink transmitter and press the Homelink button you want to use and the garage door remote button simultaneously until the lights starts to flash rapidly. If it does not flash, point the garage door remote at different angles. Now it's time to set up the Intellicode.... Press the training button on your garage door opener (the training light should start to flash). You have 30 seconds to get back into your van and press the Homelink button you set up earlier. Keep pressing the Homelink button until your garage door start to shut or open. I did it three times until my opener responded. Hope this helps.

bholio · May 2001

Went to dealer. The same noise occurred in another van, so it's normal. I think I mostly start the van with my foot on the brake, so I rarely make the noise happen.

mrl859 · May 2001

Cgaydos,
Which dealer did you go to? I live in San Diego and wonder if flying up to S.F. Is worth it. Do you have the dealer's number?

fcas2004 · May 2001

gatogonow Thanks for the advice on AWD vs. FWD.

Gave my first offer at a Connecticut dealership tonight. For a Limited FWD: invoice + destination + taxes. After several trips to the "man behind the curtain", the saleman's best offer was $625 over mine; $525 for "advertising costs" and $100 for who knows. I promptly walked out and will try another dealer tomorrow. To be continued...

cgaydos · May 2001

mrl859 -

1) You may be able to do as well at a dealership in your area. See my post under Haggling Styles.

2) Keep in mind that the deal was $2900 in rebates ($2000 car, $500 owner loyalty - now expired, $400 college grad) and $5100 dealer discount. Also keep in mind that there were special circumstances, including timing and a trade-in, so the dealer may not be willing to duplicate that deal.

With that caveat, here is the dealer: www.faloresunnyvale.com, ask for Alex (who is one of the best car salespeople I've worked with -- knows the product, knows the inventory, and puts in the extra effort before *and* after the sale). Note that the "specials" section on their web site is totally out of date, but the contact info and new vehicle inventory are current.

I also recommend: www.1800anderson.com. Ask for Ebi. I think I could have gotten close to the same deal there (they offered $4100 dealer discount) but I didn't push because the only FWD Limited they had with the options I wanted was in a color my wife vetoed. Too bad -- they are both friendly and straightforward in their dealings (I bought my other car from them 2 years ago). You won't find "ADM" stickers on their cars; and they consistently advertise the lowest prices.

cfrance · May 2001

Thanks to all that have responded... I'll give it another try this weekend and let you know results. Sure wish it was easier!

rb726 · May 2001

My wife and I are interested in the '01 T&C Ltd, but the one detraction we have with the vehicle is the lack of the 50/50 bench as an option. Someone (Good Deal????) indicated that they were able to get this option in the Ltd. Is this true? Can you get the split option with the Ltd version. We heard that you can only get split rear seats with the Lx/LXi vehicles. Given that we have three children, we think the split bench makes the most sense for us as we can fold up or remove the one seat giving us more cargo room. Would like to hear others views on the pros and cons of the split-bench versus the full bench.

cgaydos · May 2001

The 50/50 Bench is a no-charge option in the Ltd. Absolutely positive about this. I got the full bench, and found that most Ltds on the dealer lots now have the split bench.

Which is better? Depends. I like the full bench because it shifts forward, allowing more room for cargo in the back, giving up rear seat leg room that is basically unused by my kids. As I have 4 kids I see no value in the split bench. If you have 3, and plan to stay at 3, then there are two possible useful configurations: 1) Two kids in the middle row, one in the back, remove one half of the splitbench and use the space for cargo, or 2) Two kids in full bench in back, with seat shifted forward, one kid in a 2nd row captain's chair, remove the other captain's chair and use the space for cargo and/or improved access to the rear seat. I did (2) when we had 3 kids and the easier access to the rear seat was a real boon.

As an aside, the middle position is uncomfortable no matter which bench you choose, but it is slightly better with the full bench. OTOH, the split bench is much easier to remove, hence its popularity.

jen064 · May 2001

We're in the market for our first mini van. Have found an exceptional '97 T&C LXi for $11k from a private individual. It does not have the tow pkg. The big draw back - the van has 108,000 miles. Owner has 3 kids in college and attends many sporting events and claims most of the miles are highway miles. Owner mentions the only major repairs to date are a fuel pump and water pump - and says has never had any tranny problems. Also has new tires. Are we crazy to consider buying a '97 T&C LXi with this many miles? I've read about 300 posts here - great comments and advice! We want the luxury of the LXi, but are concerned about the high mileage. The max we can spend is $14 - $15k. Would we be better off buying a newer GC?? Thank is advance for all advice! Happy Mother's Day to all the reading mothers.

Jen

cgaydos · May 2001

Personally I'd seek out a '98. As mentioned earlier, the reliability record of the transmissions improved tremendously from '97 to '98.

Otherwise, you should absolutely pay the $70 or so to have a diagnostic shop or mechanic look over the minivan. Even if they find nothing wrong with the minivan, set aside $2500 for the probable upcoming transmission repair.

Finally, ask if the owner has all maintenance records. You should be able to determine if the extra miles are truly "mostly highway" by the intervals between repairs. Brakes and tires, for example, wear less per mile for highway driving than city driving, so should last longer (at least 50k miles).

jbrinda2 · May 2001

My wife and I have had our LXI for about a month and a half. Our standard configuration is that we have our twin four year olds in booster seats in the rear split bench. The one year old is in a car seat in the second row captains chair behind the passenger front seat (so she can be easily viewed by the driver). I removed the captains chair behind the driver's side so the 4 year olds can easily hop in and out of the back seat from the driver's side. This configuration is great for us as it allows me to hop in and buckle them up with ease and we can just plop the little one in on the other side without even bending over. On longer trips we will probably put the one year old in half of the split rear bench and remove the other side. We will put the other captain's chair back in and and put the four year olds in those chairs. This will keep the twins together and will maximize packing room. This is a dream compared to struggling with three car seats across the back of our 94 Subaru with the baby in the middle. Although I will say I am going to miss that car in the winter. I navigated through a blizzard of over two feet of snow with ease in that car.

I wonder if anyone has comments on the floor mats. Our LXI came standard with carpeted floor mats. However, I've always been perplexed at why any car would put carpet over carpet. It just doesn't make sense. Carpets get dirty very quickly, even in summer. I also observed that the carpeted floor mats seemed rather thin and flimsy (rather odd, considering all the luxurious amenities in this vehicle). I had already put down a throw rug from the house that fits perfectly in the space directly behind the driver's seat where I had removed the captain's chair. It fits nice and protects the carpet from the kids getting in and out of the vehicle. However, I decided to order a full set of rubber mats. It cost $125 but I was pleasantly surprised at the heft and perfect fit. The driver's side has the nice floor nobs to lock the mat in place so it doesn't slide around and the mat covers all surfaces you would normally put your foot on. Call me crazy but I actually think the rubber mats look better than the carpeted mats and they will be infinitely easier to clean. For some reason the rear set of mats is on back order so I haven't put in the entire set yet, but it looks as though the rubber mats afford more coverage as well. They will be great in the winter. I hate to see that nice van get full of slush. The rubber mats should at least minimize the damage.

We're getting ready to turn 1,000 miles and we are really loving this car. Oh incidentally, if anyone is wondering about how the A/C affects the mileage, we had it on for one half of an 160 mile trip and it seemed to lower the MPG from 24 to about 21. We averaged 22.5 for the whole trip with the AC off on the return. I love the trip computer and the outside temp and compass are great as well. Nice to not have a garage door opener hanging off the visor too!

bholio · May 2001

While I can't say that I've been looking at used T&C's lately, I would never spend that kind of money on a car with >100K. I would never buy a car with over 100K to be used as my primary family transportation.

Crysler minivans have a terrible reputataion for holding their resale value. Maybe try to find a Dodge Caravan or Voyager instead of a Town and Country. They should be cheaper. This bad resale value reputation should help you. Look for something which was leased by the previous owner.

Invoice price on a new 2001 base caravan (4 cyl) is about 18K. With a 2000 rebate you are around 16K. This is pretty close to your range. It's not as nice as the T&C you are looking at, but it would be new.

dfsykes · May 2001

FYI - here is my recent purchase info for anyone getting close to a purchase. I ordered from the factory an Lxi AWD loaded with all options. the negotiations consisted of 2 e-mails back and forth followed by a 10 minute phone conversation. The price was invoice (including a $475 regional advertising fee)less $2000 for consumer rebate (no financing) less $500 for dealer cash incentive for a total of $2,500 below invoice. I think I could have done better if I was willing to go through the torture of negotiating at the dealership. I think it is clear that very good deals are available with very little effort due to the slow sales of this vehicle. If anyone has additional questions I will try to help. Thanks to all in this forum who helped me in recent months.

napster · May 2001

I am looking to buy 2001 T&C Limited. The dealer is providing a TV&VCP option for $2000.00 (AudioVox TV 5" Screen & VCP). We are considering the option because we have a 2 year old and we think it will be a nice feature to have on long trips. Any thoughts or suggestion on the quality, usability, and the price for the TV & VCP option?

cgaydos · May 2001

You should be able to do better than $2000. List is $1400 + installation. Installation is, according to an earlier post, rated at 2 hours. Suggest you ask for a better price. Earlier posts have indicated they got the whole deal for less than $1600.

You might mention in your negotiation that there are numerous sites on the web selling this for less than $1200, and in most cases you would pay no sales tax, only delivery.

The problem with actually ordering the TV/VCP from one of these sites is installing it. If you don't have a Chrylser dealer install it your warranty won't cover installation-related problems. If you're willing to take that risk, you can employ a contract installer. Many department stores that sell car audio do not do installations themselves, but instead have lists of recommended installers -- these lists are one way you could find such an installer.

wandrew1 · May 2001

I've got a 2000 Town & Country and am having brake problems, is anyone else aware of brake problems on this model? At 5,000 miles the brakes started grabbing and would cause vibration during normal braking. At 9,000 miles we took it to the dealer who said the rotors were warped. They machined the rotors (under warranty) which improved the situation, but by 15,000 miles the grabbing/vibration was back again. We took it back to the dealer at 19,000 miles and they machined the rotors again and replaced the pads. So far this has cured the problem (less than 1,000 miles), but I hate to think I'm going to have to have the rotors machined every 10,000 miles. Have others had similar problems, and if so is there any thought that this might be a design problem? Thanks.

stever · May 2001

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smart_alec · May 2001

Most warped rotors are caused by over torquing the wheel nuts. This is easy to do when using an air powered wrench. Most tire "mechanics" will over tighten the nuts with the air wrench, then test the nuts with a torgue wrench. The wrench goes "click" when the proper setting is reached. The problem is, the torque wrench can't distingush between nuts at the proper tightness and those tightened way beyond specifications by the air wrench.
Years ago I purchased a torque wrench. They cost as little as $20. After I drove the car home, I loosened the wheel nuts, then re-torqued the nuts to their proper values. The car does not have to be jacked up. Since then, I've had no warped rotor problems. A bonus - when you have a flat on that "dark and stormy night" the wheel nuts will readily come off.

dogsandkids · May 2001

I am a Mom who hates car shopping and especially the pricing part. Can anybody just verify that I havent made a huge mistake here?

I have put a deposit down on a Used 2000 LXI with 10,000 miles on it. The dealer "picked it up at auction" I have great trepidation about buying another unreliable Chyrsler product since my Jeep Grand Cherokee has been dying a slow death but the T&C fits my dog/kid needs. Net net, we are at $24,000 plus "dealer cost" for 100,000 mile warranty ($1900) and a sunroof ($?). I am getting $4000 trade in on my 93 Grand Cherokee Laredo with dead a/c. Thank you!!!!

philipwrede · May 2001

Hello there,

coming from out of the US and not having credit history I was searching car dealers today for cheapos (below $5000). I got this dealer offering me a '96 T&C with 98500 miles for $4500. The A/C is broken, but else he says it is OK and it looks good. This is too good a deal to be true, what can be the catch? It seems that transmissions can be a problem, is there a easy way to tell?

Thanks for the help!

dogsandkids · May 2001

I forgot to mention it was AWD.

mrl859 · May 2001

Actually, just leased it. Turned in a leased 99 Limited. The 2001 is very nice. Three concerns and one question. Has anyone experienced a very loud wind HOWL in the rear at freeway speeds? Has anyone had a loud metallic chirp in the right side of the dash/"A" pillar area over bumps? Has anyone figured out how to shut off the "Pep Boys" warning beeper on the very cool electric rear hatch?
Has anyone ever seen one in Steel Blue. That would have been my first choice, but I don't know if they exist.
Cgaydos:I called three times for Alex and he was never in. I left a message and he did not call back. Just as well, it was going to be a long drive anyhow. Thanks, though.

cgaydos · May 2001

1. Could the howl be the roof rack noise problem that's been mentioned here? I haven't encountered it myself. Apparently one way to test if that is the problem is to move the roof rack bars to different positions and see if the noise continues. Also note the manual recommends certain positions for the bars in order to minimize noise.
2. On the chirp, suggest you check if the car was in the recent recall. Mine was. (Oh ... and make sure the recall repair was performed BEFORE you drove off -- mine wasn't and the problem is severe enough to require towing the car to the dealership.) After the recall work was performed it ran well for 2000 miles then excessive crackle-pop noises started over bumps, when accelerating from stop and when braking. Took it to the dealer during the day and had the sales manager ride w/ me to make sure HE heard it. Turned out that (apparently) the recall work had caused debris on the strut, and the cleanup attempt dried the strut lubrication. 500 miles later, no sign of reoccurance.
3. The "Pep boys" beeper is a pain, but probably is a safety requirement. You can avoid it, obviously, by opening manually.
4. My first choice was Steel Blue, but I got outvoted for Champagne. In retrospect the Blue in Steel Blue is SOOOO subtle that it looks almost Silver, and we've had silver cars in the past.
5. When I go back to the dealership (hope it doesn't happen soon) I'll check on Alex.

ingramwd2 · May 2001

Yes, a video system is definitely a nice feature to have.

Have you checked with your dealer about the Mopar Video System which comes with a 6.4" screen, VCP housed in floor console and two wireless headphones? We have it in our T&C LTD and are very happy with it. I personally think it's A/V qualities are better than comparable systems from Audiovox or Rosen. Most importantly, it doesn't affect your new vehicle warranty since it's a dealer inatalled Chrysler product and is color-keyed to your interior. You should be be able to do better than the Audiovox on price as well; Chrysler web site lists it at $1400 MSRP + installation.

mrl859 · May 2001

Dfsykes:Are you sure there is dealer cash??? My dealer (third vehicle from them) told me there wasn't. I trust(ed) them. I have no problem with them making profit, but I do have an issue with lying. How can I confirm that the dealer cash (if existant) applies in SoCal? Does anyone know for sure? I got my van for invoice minus 300.00. I let them make dealer prep/advertising, etc. I also got 3800.00 rebate (including loyalty for return lease).
Cgaydos:I tried moving the roof rack crossbars, but only once and only all the way forward and rearword. I'll play with it. The squeak seems to be clearly from inside the van, not the suspension, but I'll call and make sure there are no open recalls.
Anyone:Has anyone actually SEEN steel blue on Limited????????

dfsykes · May 2001

I saw on the Edmunds site that there was the $500 dealer cash. I told the dealer I was aware of it and expected the price to be reduced because of it. They agreed without argument. It is my understanding that it is a national program but I am not sure.

mrl859 · May 2001

stever · May 2001

If you go to this Edmunds link and pick the van you are interested in, then you can select the incentives and rebates from the first pricing tab.

Looks to me like there's both a $500 and $2,000 dealer cash incentive going on, not to mention a cash/apr combo deal.

Steve
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mrl859 · May 2001

If the Edmunds info is correct, and I'll assume it is, I got lied to. I'm going to call the Sales Manager tomorrow and let him know how I feel. I'm going to tell him that I feel he should rewrite the contract for 500.00 less as he lied to me. Considering this is the 2nd Limited I've leased through them, as well as a 2001 300M, it'll be interesting to see what he says. If he declines, I'll find another dealer when these leases expire. It seems like a large loss of future revenue for 500.00. We'll see.

stever · May 2001

Well, I'm not up on leasing (doing the math for a "straight" purchase is hard enough for me, lol), but you also need to verify whether the dealer cash incentives apply to leasing or purchasing. I can't tell from our link :-(

You may want to check out some of the leasing topics over in Smart Shopper.

Steve
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cgaydos · May 2001

mrl859 - Sorry if I wasn't clear in my post ... yes, I've seen a few of these. Actually, my comment about the blue being "subtle" was for Sterling Blue. The Steel Blue is, IMO, the nicest of the three blues. But in a dealer lot with 75+ T&Cs I saw only 2 or 3 Steel Blues.

david872 · May 2001

jc86 - I just bought an 01' T&C LXI and thought real hard on the extended but decided to wait until I'm two years into the manufacturers warranty. Why use todays money when you get 3/36? IMHO the increase in price to buy it two years from now is not worth giving up today's money. You also basically lose the 3/36 because the extended starts the day you buy it - both the time and the mileage Also, I recommend buying from a third party vs going through the dealer - it will save you a lot. I know because a just bought an extended policy on my 99' Concorde.

mrl859 · May 2001

Steve: the $2000 and $1800 were both applicable to my lease. The thing about the dealer cash is that it wasn't just hidden, it was lied about.
Cgaydos:My 01 300m is steel blue and I would like to have seen a LTD in that color prior to opting for Green, but there wasn't one in San Diego county.
Regarding the Walt Disney rear hatch beeper, I'm going to figure out a way and I'll post it here.

jc86 · May 2001

I spoke to a sales person, he said for the dealership to get the $500 dealer cash, they have to meet quota. Since they don't, they won't be getting the money. Does anybody know anything about this?

jc86 · May 2001

david872 - Who did you get the warranty from? Do they have any info on the web?

bholio · May 2001

When I went about buying my 2001 T&C, the dealer mentioned that since he had just acheived some sales quota a few days ago, he could give me 'dealer cash' on my T&C.

This was at the end of March. In my case the dealer had no reason to lie about dealer cash being tied to a quota. He offerred me the cash without my knowing that it existed. He used it to get me to buy something from his lot instead of placing an order.

You could call Chrysler customer service. I don't have the number handy, but I've called them twice with rebate questions and there was very little hold time and polite, quick answers. The number was somewhat hard to find on their website.

bholio · May 2001

What is the best that anyone has done on rebates on a 2001 DC minivan. Chrysler keeps changing them around monthly, but it seems that they always add up to $2500.

March has $1500 cash back and $1000 Dealer cash. April raised the $1500 to $2000, and added a $500 owner loyalty thing. May seems to have $500 dealer cash, but the owner loyalty rebate went away sometime in April.

So, has anyone been able to get more than $2500 off? It's starting to look like DC is always offering $2500 in some way or another. If so, future buyers should be on the lookout for the various plans and make sure they get their $2500.

Something to consider if you are in the market.

I got the $1500 + $1000 dealer cash at the end of March.

fcas2004 · May 2001

I just visited my 2nd dealership trying to pay "invoice" excluding ad fees. No luck. I walked out.

I was interested in the trailer towing option. However this dealer did not have one on the lot. They insisted that if I never tow a trailer (which I do not intend to); the option provides absolutely no benefit. The additional cooling does not "kick in" unless 3,500 pounds or more are either pulled or loaded in the van. Several posters to this site indicated that there is a benefit even if you do not tow a trailer. Now I'm not sure who is right.

On the dealer $500 rebate... dealer 1 last week said it was still in effect. Dealer 2 today insisted that the rebate expired last month and no longer applies.

david872 · May 2001

jc86 - I bought from a company called warrantybynet.com I evaluated them against four other major warranty companies I found on the net and for my specific needs (I need more time than milage coverage because I avg only 10,000 mi/yr), they were the best.

Chrysler Town and Country EX/LX/LXi/Limited

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