Chrysler Pacifica

ruski

how would that work with the steering column -mounted shifter?

hayneldan

DC had it on the 2001-02 Dodge Grand Caravan ES. It was a paddle type lever mounted on the colum mounted shifter that you pushed for upshifts and downshifts with right thumb. Not available any more on the Caravans.

russklass

A few years ago, Chrysler actually announced, and had in their T&C brochure, a 3.5L, Autostick combo. They never produced it.

jopapgh

Looking at a AWD demo with most options (except navigation) with a list of $39275. It has about 4K miles on it and about 4 months of the warranty is gone. Current asking price is 32,600. Invoice is 35,813; since I have no trade and plan to purchase outright I would take the $3K cash rebate. So invoice - rebate is 32,800. I do know that Chrysler gave the dealers a $3000 discount to buy cars as demos in July, so the dealer should have already got this break. Considering miles, eaten warranty and prior dealer discount, does 30K seem realistic if I buy by end of month?

jediknight2b

Our 99 Grand Caravan ES has the 3.8l with theh autostick, only time it is really nice is decending down the rockies or during snow/ice when you want to start in a different gear than 1st.

ottowrkr

Check out what these guys did to a PACIFICA

http://oblivion.tryadvantage.com/oblivion_sneak.html

ruski

oh wow, they turned it into a Dodge!!!

ruski

where did they get the concept car's lights?

russklass

WOW! I'd love to find out about the engine mods & exhaust, but why turn a Chrysler into a Dodge?
Good to see you on this board, Jeff!

deezldub

That may explain the entire grey leather pacifica interior and 4 wheel/tire set on ebay.

Search chrysler pacifica for the parts!

ottowrkr

Hey Russ , yeah I have been lurking for a bit. I finally got to drive a Pacifica last week . Boy let me tell you I was surprised . I REALLY REALLY liked it. I had a blast playing with the Nav system , you cant get lost with that in the car.The only thing was the MSRP was 53 Canadian + tax OUCH. My parents are thinking about getting a new T&C minivan , to replace a 2 year old T&C . I told them to look at the Pacifica .

amazon

I was really excited when I saw the Pacifica. Finally, I tought, a roomy vehicle that's not a Minivan (image, I suppose), or a gas hogging and poor handling SUV.

I was so interestedin this vehicle that I rented a loaded Pacifica with all the toys this week, and spent 500 miles in it.

Well, the car's close to $40K, with a fit and finish that doesn't measure up to a $20K Honda Accord, and gets 21MPG under ideal circumstances. In addition, the car rides hard, like an SUV, and is not very fast. I guess I thought that it'd be better on gas when the performance is so --- average.

Bottom line is that the cars design, space and toys impressed me, but nothing else.

twoof1

Just curious what you are comparing the Pacifica to when you said "the car rides hard, like an SUV"?
I came out of a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer prior to our Pacifica, and I can tell you that the ride quality and handling is vastly superior in the Pacifica, absolutely no comparison.

imidazol97

Amazon obviously hasn't ridden in the Accords I've been in and test drove for 03. That's why I bought another car than honda.

Friend owns Pacifica. Loves the ride!

amazon

The ride may be better than your Mercury, but i own an '03 Acura TL and it's MUCH better in that regard.

dmarsich

Amazon,
If you are such a honda/acura guy why not go with the PILOT. We test drove both and have never had a second thought that we made the wrong choice going with the PACIFICA. And why dont you compare apples to apples - We just took delivery of a Honda Element at work ($20,000 HONDA). I can assure you that the PACIFICA is like a ROLLS ROYCE compared to it. Why would you even compair the ride of your Acura TL to the ride of a SUV, in that case the i am dissapointed that my $40,000 PACIFICA can not out perform my Polaris Sportsman 500 in off road conditions!

mrl11777

you will be jumped on. It seems to be only for cheerleaders.

hayneldan

Only people who do not own or do not know anything about the Pacifica are jumped on

carguy1234

Sure got a nice write up in this month's Motor Trend. Got high marks for fit and finish, and interior materials. Said it is notably nicer than the SRX interior wise. Though they also wished the Pacifica had the SRX's drivetrain.... if only the two models could be combined!

ruski

just give your Acura some time. I can't wait for my 2002 TL-S lease to end. The Acura TL's ride is nice but the tranny #2 is acting up all the time, and I only get 250 miles per tank at best.

twoof1

I think maybe the Pacifica you drove may have had the tires pumped up rock hard because I have never heard or read anywhere of someone complaining about the Pacifica's ride being too rough.
 
I drove the TL extensively when I was shopping for a new work car last year (ended up with a G35) and I could not disagree more. But to each his own

BTW the Pacifica uses the same rear suspension as the Mercedes Benz E Class and I have also never heard of them being criticized for riding rough.

twoof1

Some have made so many lame remarks in this forum with absolutely no basis in fact or making any substantitve contribution at all, that their comments do not even warrant response anymore. Negative informed comments are not a bad thing at all. It's the ignorant uninformed ones that get people lit up.

amazon

...and that may be the problem. I had thought that this was not an SUV, but had the room of one. It really did ride like one, and I didn't like that.

And it's also funny how many people here can't take criticesm of this vehicle without posting sour remarks....

My TL gets between 24MPG (aggressive city driving), and 34 MPG (75 MPH and cruise control), and haven't had any mechanical issues.

The rear bumper, hood, and both doors on the passenger side were misaligned on the Pacifica I drove. Not impressive.

ruski

and my TL-S gets 17-18mpg at best, highway driving. Can't wait to unload it.

mrl11777

I was really looking forward to the intro of the P. Seemed like a great replacement for my Taurus wagon. I wanted a wagon/car-like body, but nobody is making a large one these days. When I actually got to see and drive a P, I was very disappointed. The 2nd row buckets limit the versatility of the car, and the storage behind the 3rd row is tiny. This stuff was trumped big time, though, by the crooked hood, driver door that needed to be slammed (and the windows were down) and the plastic leather seats (that stuff has to be about 1% cow)and the fake plasticky metal trim that emphasizes fingerprints (and was peeling by the center stack in the showroom unit!). And the price! I thought at least $10k over what it should have been, and it seems the market is proving me right.

The P is just a chopped T&C with less usefulness and a higher price. Back to the drawing board, DCX. And try to improve the build quality, too.

oedipus1608

What you say is probably not from personal experience but are your own feelings about the Pacifica. Don't bash a car that you've never driven.

hayneldan

You might want to compare Pacifica to some other models, before making uninformed statements. I suggest you check out Edmunds before making any more postings. Plug in your own models to compare to Pacifica. Edmunds.com, New Cars,2004, Compare up to 5 models. Pacifica is listed under wagons with Audi, BMW X5 Lexus, Volvo, and others. In Lee Iacocca's words "If you can find a better one, BUY IT!"

twoof1

The December issue of Motor Trend features their 2004 SUV of the year competition. While I don't really consider the Pacifica an SUV, here are a couple of the comments they made about the Pacifica:

"What's Hot: Top-drawer build quality"

"Nothing celebrates its interior capacity more than the Pacifica. It's designed as a 2+2+2, with center-row bucket seats and a tight fold-down third row. More wagonlike, yet with generous passenger space versus the SRX, says Jeff Bartlett "Clear easy-to-access controls flanked by faux wood and brushed metal trim give a feature-rich, luxurious feel."

Under the catagory of fit and finish they commented: "The Pacifica and Durango have greatly benefited form Chrysler's relationship with parent Daimler-Benz"

"The Pacifica and Durango illustrate how much Chrysler has improved. Best fit and finish to date for a Chrysler product"

These comments are backed up by my personal experience with ownership of a Pacifica. Granted it has only been 4 month's and 4,000 miles but my Pacifica is rock solid with absolutely no squeeks or rattles. All panels are tight and perfectly aligned. So far this vehicle's build quality far surpasses my last few vehicles both family and work including a '98 Volvo V70 XC, '01 Volvo V70 T5, '02 Mercury Mountaineer, '01 BMW 325 and my current work car an '03 Infiniti G35.

amazon

I really wanted to like this car, but didn't.... Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

twoof1

well put. As my dad used to say "that's why they make chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream so if you don't like one flavor, you can choose another." It doesn't make it right or wrong, it just wasn't right for you. We are all fortunate to have a huge selection of high quality vehicles to choose from. It's too bad the Pacifica did not work for you. Good luck in whatever your decide.

mrl11777

Since the demise of the big station wagons (Caprice, Roadmaster) there has been nothing to choose from except minvans, suvs and smaller wagons (nothing on the market today is larger than my existing Taurus wagon). So, when th P came out, I was pysched. I am tall, so I do not fit comfortably in many cars. I wanted a car-like driving position (I don't like the position in a minivan -- feels like I am sitting on a dining-room chair, rather than "in" a driver seat). The driving position in a P is great -- car-like with plenty of headroom.

Ok, so maybe DCX did not offer a bench second row seat because they did not want anyone to call this thing a "station wagon". And, maybe they thought that the little cubby behind the third row was adequate for a two-ton, six passenger vehicle. And the motor might be smallish and thirsty, but, in my test drive, it seemed fine.

What totally turned me off was that the car sitting in the showroom, and the other one that I drove, both seemed like throwbacks to the bad old days of Detroit, when you were not supposed to buy something in it's first year, and you were to aviod anything built on a Monday or a Friday. Both units had hoods that were crooked, the one I drove had to have it's door slammed hard to close properly, and the chromeish plastic trim looked horrible. For a sticker of $35K, with leather seats that felt like plastic. Are they nuts?

That is why these things are sitting on the dealer's lots with rust on their rotors. Ford had the Edsel, GM had (has) the Aztek, and now DCX has the Pacifica.

oedipus1608

I doubt that you were unbiased when entering the Chrysler dealership; thats if you did at all. Furthermore, the Pacifica has been a great success for Chrysler; helping them to be the only domestic automaker to have a sales increase of 16% and to regain market share. To its credit, the Pacifica outsells every other crossover in its class other than the Pilot and Highlander.

mrl11777

I see by your name you must really like your mom!

Buyers remorse, eh?

oedipus1608

your a natural comedian

ruski

what would you do to increase the size of cargo behind the third row if you were in charge of Pacifica design?

rkuehn

Here's what I don't get... Honda built the Pilot & MDX from the Odyssey minivan. Volvo built the XC90 from the S80. Now park a Pacifica next to an MDX, Pilot, and/or XC90. See the difference?

The imports are selling with solid profits for their (profitable) manufacturers. If the Pacifica works for you, then fine. But I (still) don't understand why the Pacifica doesn't more closely resemble a modified minivan or jacked-up 300M???

amazon

1. IMA- A hybrid/electric drivetrain that could add 50 hp and lower the fuel consumption.
2. Extend the rear overhang by 8" to improve luggage space.
3. Lower the car and soften the suspension up to improve the ride (this isn't going to ever be a sports car anyway).
4. Improve fit and finish
5. Improve coverage of NAV system

ottowrkr

I posted those pics back in thread 1292

ottowrkr Oct 30, 2003 7:32pm

http://oblivion.tryadvantage.com/oblivion_sneak.html the oblivion site

russklass

"The P is just a chopped T&C with less usefulness and a higher price. Back to the drawing board, DCX. And try to improve the build quality, too."
Your Pacifica bashing os getting tiresome ... beside which you are dead WRONG!
Doesn't it seem strange that NONE of the OWNERS have reported the problems you have ALLEDGLY seen?

ruski

funny how some people say it looks too much like a minivan, yet other people think it does not look enough like a minivan?

Oh, when the third row is deployed in the MDX, does that leave much cargo space?

mrl11777

who criticizes the P gets attacked. What is the point of that? Buyers remorse must be terrible to deal with.

ms_mayor

Reading the posts carefully, I don't see any buyer's remorse. Those who have commented adversely on the Pacifica seem to be those who did not buy one.

It's a vehicle that, in my opinion, provides an alternative to a minivan or a station wagon. It may not be the best at hauling cargo, it may not be able to carry the most people, but it fit the bill for those of us who've taken the plunge.

It's not going to please everyone. I don't think any vehicle out there does.

b25nut

Ditto, ditto, ditto.

twoof1

Some people obviously have nothing better to do than come in here and try to stir things up.
In case you missed the original post, please read:
twoof1 Oct 31, 2003 11:47pm

imidazol97

Friend bought one after I researched and read the forums here about Pacificas. He loves it.

Complaints? Minor. Bought it because it was exactly the format he and his two small children needed. Serves as business car also.

You want to see problems to complain about??
Go read the Honda Accord problems Part II. '03 Brake rotors warping repeatedly, frame popping noises, rattles, squeaks. Problems here are minor for a new design. Problems in accord are major for an update on a car with a ?reputation? for reliability.

I didn't get to drive the P when we visited. But will the next visit.

ruski

you ask for it.

mrl11777

$20k car. For $20k, Korean build quality is OK (sorry if any Korean car owners are now offended).

ruski

you don't even know what you are talking about.

i987

Has anyone heard the details about the new recall on the Pacifica?

It has something to do with a fuel line problem. Sorry I can't give more specifics.

twoof1

I heard the same thing. I had the same type of recall for my Infiniti G35 (one of two I have received for that car). I'm sure more information will be sent out to the owners who are affected.