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Comments
wheel on the car.
Drive axle off center causing vibration.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Minimum opening bid was $395, which I promptly placed.
Two days later the auction closed, and there had been no other bids!
Yesterday they arrived, so new there was no dirt on the inside of the rims, and the tires had the original stickers. With the $150 shipping, the entire delivered cost was $545! Now that's a bargain!
Just last week I had the unfortunate luck to need a new tire...picked up not one but two nails somewhere and the tire was not repairable. Tire never went flat; I found the nails quite by accident when I was looking at the tire.
$140 for one tire. Less than 5K miles on the 'nailed' one, which is now playground mulch.
the drive of the Pacifica is fairly similar to the SRX, though not as good. Neither drives like a tight sedan nor a small sports wagon - no one is gonna get confused and think they are in an Audi A4 Avant. Still, that is not what DC was trying for, is it.
It DOES look like a minivan from behind. If you disagree, you are kidding yourself. But that is OK, I still like how it looks from behind. Most cars have ugly behinds, especially cars that have big old doors/hatches back there.
Have any of you Pacifia drivers gotten used to the funky visibility? I am used to funky visibility because we have a Grand Caravan (and a Sebring convertible), and I can't imagine the rear/side visibility is worse in the Pacifica.
What do you owners think of build quality?
It definitely has gotten much easier after the first 5,000 miles. I've learned to do a quick 'look-around' the vehicle before I get in, to make sure that there's nothing directly behind me before I back up. I have a narrow 2-car driveway, and after a few weeks have finally found it easy to maneuver out of my garage and around my husband's fat LHS in the driveway (there's probably only 10-12 inches between the 2 cars as I go past it). The only thing I'm still trying to get used to is backing up at night and trying to see out the tinted windows...man its dark!!
I think its like any new car you get...it takes a few weeks to get used to the new dimensions and sight lines.
As for build quality, I have no issues at all. I love the fit and finish of mine, and find the ergonomics of the controls very driver friendly.
The visibility takes getting used to. With my mirrors set up right, however, I haven't had anything be there that I didn't see. The rear window should extend lower on the liftgate and the rear wiper mechanism should be engineered so that it does not extend into the window. The second row headrests will always be there to block part of your view no matter what they may change. The best addition will be a rear view camera that can be displayed on the navigation screen anytime while you are driving or backing up.
The P, though, is a different case. DCX wants us to forget that it is a chopped minivan, built on the same line by the same sullen UAW workers. They want $10k more for it, but it is not built $10k better. A friend who manages the property for a large dealer, which includes a Chry store, has said that many of the Ps that come in go right into the body shop to have their parts put on correctly -- hoods and doors, specifically.
So, when someone quotes Motor Trend et al, I have to laugh. Those car rags are so compromised that every review is suspect.
This could only be construed as a troll by those who have bought Ps at the inflated sticker and have buyers remorse. It is a decent $20k car, not a $30+k one.
The quality on ours is tops. I can't imagine going to another brand, we have had 5 Chrysler products in a row, with only a "Jimmy" thrown in inbetween as a second car. That was the only Dud in the bunch. And anything with a Japanese name on it turns me off after my Son's old Toyota rust bucket pickup.
It seems your sole purpose here is to annoy others who have a legitimate interest in the Pacifica. If the Pacifica disappoints you so much, do us all a favor and don't read this thread any more. To state that the Pacifica is a "decent $20K car" is just ridiculous. Ridiculous. You can't expect to be taken seriously.
This is my first post and it's gonna be a long one. After reading the last few posts, I couldn't hold back any longer. I've had my Pacifica since September and although I can not say the P is a great car, my overall impression is much higher than mrl11777. The quality of fit and finish is very good, the interior is top notch and the styling is excellent. In fact, I think that it's only a good engine away from being a great car.
I also own a Mini Cooper S and I've seen the same owner frustration with "new car" problems on Mini websites. The difference is there are not many trouble makers to stir the pot. I think it's laughable that someone who chose a Ford Taurus wagon would ever comment on the P being only a $20 k car. I do think it's a little overpriced, however like I said, if it had a strong engine, it would be worth every penny.
For reference, I did cross shop the Grand Cherokee, Touraeg, XC90 and X5 before deciding on the P. And it wasn't chosen solely because of price, for those who are wondering.
Thanks for listening to my rant. Look forward to seeing more constructive posts from the many satisfied P owners.
I'm curious to know, since you cross-shopped the P with all those other vehicles, what made you choose it over the others?
The Pacifica seems like an ideal compromise - it hold things and people like an SUV or minivan, but is more like a car. The very quiet 66Dba sound level recorded by Car and Driver is very impressive.
Many posts here and on the other topics seem to fall into the category of typical new model problems.
The only real defect seems to be inadequate power. A supercharger would solve the problem nicely.
You’re correct that a supercharger would be sweet along with a 5 speed trans.
Yes, twoof1, my '02 Mountaineer is a V8 RWD, with the Class III trailer package, which adds a higher numeric rear axle for even better acceleration. It had a small paint defect, a bad differential, and a pinched gas tank vent line when new, but all were corrected under warranty and it has been completely reliable since then. The ride is especially rough on the concrete freeways in Calif. I drove a new Nissan Armada yesterday and found it to be far more noisy, rough, and tippy. It made me better appreciate my Mountaineer.
I drive far more than average and would really appreciate a quiet and smooth Pacifica, but the lack of power, and the possibility that DC will correct this flaw, causes me to think it might be better to wait for the '05 models.
My last car was an Audi A4, and before that an E class Benz. We also have a full sized Suburban.
Since my baby has now become a toddler, the Audi just did not work...AT ALL. However, we did not need another big gas guzzling SUV, and I REFUSED to go from a little sporty car to a minivan... the search began and I started shopping. I looked at the Audi All Sport, the Volvo wagons, the Benz Wagons and the VW Touareg. Nothing felt right. I began to think I was doomed to a life of minivan.
One day I mentioned to my husband the idea of the Pacifica. He thought I was nuts....did I really want a Chrysler after having a Benz and an Audi....not really, but worth a look. I looked. I fell in love. There are a lot of features on the interior that remind me of the Benz. The seats and the controls for them, the air vents and a few other things.
This car was much quieter than anything I drove, and way more comfortable (at least for me). Getting kids in and out of car seats is a slam dunk, I don't have to reach down as in the Audi, or up as in the Suburban. Also, with the latch attachments, the car seat is in there SOLID...much better than in the Suburban.
I do have some of the same issues that others have here, (e.g. a little sluggish on hills, the dark rear windows are hard to see out of at night while driving, and it is harder than a car to see what is behind you while backing up.) But is is definitely closer to the Audi than the Suburban on all of these things. My neighbor has a Mazda MPV minivan, and all of these issues are worse. The gas mileage is worse, the visability is worse, and the engine performance is definitely worse.
Now, I don't think this is for everyone, but from a "Mommy-Mobile" standpoint this rocks (and although the price seems high to some, it was way lower than what we were looking at.) I truly believe that we got way more car than what we paid for.
That's my two cents. Happy driving.....
I feel the power is adaquate on the Pacifica. It feels responsive in all driving situations, and seems quicker than the 0-60 times suggest.
No snow here in the Buffalo NY area yet, but the AWD is sure footed in heavy rain and I expect it to be superb in the snow, especially after I install the winter tires!
I have AWD but have yet to face a situation where it may have come into play.
We test drove the XC90 and Pacifica back to back and we found the the P much more comfortable on the highways. The Volvo seemed to sway a lot more from the wind and although we liked the styling as much as the P, it didn't seem worth the extra $5-6K. The X5 is my favorite, but it lacks the 3rd row, it's looking a little dated and for the $8K price difference I'm getting much more features on the P. The engine is so much sweeter in the BMW though. As for the Cherokee, the discounts were and are very nice and almost made up for the lack of a 3rd row, however in the end, we just chose the P because it was a fresh model and offered so much more. The Pacifica was also very similar styled to the Toyota Avensis Verso we were driving before. A european minivan that is more like a tall station wagon, but also offers a 3rd row.
I did confirm what most SUV owners never learn:
AWD will get you going, but it doesn't do a damn bit of good in helping to stop & turn!
I plan to install 4 high-performance winter tires, which WILL help turn & stop.
Thanks.
The old lug-style snow tires we used on the rear wheel drive cars of yore would be hopelessly out of date now.
The new winter tires are remarkable in their ability to cope with all kinds of winter driving, most of which is done on dry roads.
I used 4 winter tires on both my FWD 300Ms with excellent results, and expect the Dunlop Winter Sport M2s I have ordered for the Pacifica will deliver sure-footed performance.
We just installed Haakaplitta Q winter tires on my wife's 2004 Toyota Solara SLE too!
Anyone who has never experienced a good set of 4 high-performance winter tires on a snowy day is missing a real treat!
I started looking for a Pacifica in September as my lease in ending in February. I ordered my car on October 6th when the dealer told me that the new pricing program coming into effect the next day (Oct. 7th) would lower the residual by 2%, thus increasing my lease payments. I was required to commit to taking the car earlier than the expiraiton of my current lease - that is, by January 19th, the end of the current pricing cycle, as you can use a residual from a previous pricing program, but not two programs back.
Next, I find out a few weeks ago that my dealer cannot order the exact configuration I wanted as they have closed production, without any scheduled resume date. I absolutely wanted the AWD in white, and the only one she could find had 2 additional options I would have to pay for - the headlights and the full size spare. I take a deep breath, and OK the increased payments.
My dealer JUST advised me that Chrysler will only honor the old residual if the car is a *new order*, not for the one she found me in Ottawa at another dealer. The kicker - she CAN'T order me a car - the production line is closed, with no guarantee of when in January in will re-open, nor whether it will reopen with a 2004 Pacifica line, or a 2005 line. So now I am faced with lease payments that will increase yet again to account for the lower residual value! My dealer is almost as frustrated as I am, and is offered to reimburse me my deposit and let me walk.
So now - I would have to pay for additional options, more money to compensate for the lower residual AND they are still not giving us Canadians ANY incentives similar to those being offered in the US.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Everyone I know is now telling me to walk away. The problem is, that I REALLY want this car....
It's the way to go if you want American iron.
While I completely respect that you do not like this car, and that you have no intention of buying one, I ask that you in turn respect the people who are here that are considering buying a Pacifica, as well as people that have purchased a Pacifica.
People that are looking to buy the car do need to hear what owners have to say as far as pros and cons are concerned, but I am not sure they need to hear all of your negative commentary regarding performance/styling/price/purchasing from someone that hasn't purchased a Pacifica.
Again, while I think it is important for everyone to be able to post their views, I do believe that people need to be responsible and respectful when they post.