Chrysler Pacifica

ruski

good to see you are still watching out for the recent news.

fastdriver

ruski-

"good to see you are still watching out for the recent news."

:-))) EVERY day!

Glad to see that ruski is working again. I'm sure that ruski II was BANNED just like fastdriver2!

Oh well. All is well again in never-never land! ;-))

fastdriver

i'm sold

Hello All. Thought many of you would like to know about this.

On May 30th of this year I was involved in an auto accident in my 12 week old Silver AWD Pac, fully loaded with a mini van and my car was totaled.

First, I should tell you I loved the car for the short time I had it and I will be buying another to replace it. Also I should tell you my insurance company has valued the car at $37,226 for my payoff.

One of the selling points among much research for me was the safety features of this car and I can tell you that after being in this wreck w/ my wife and my mother in the car, we all walked away from the totaled car w/ minor scratches and bruises.

Having a chance to rethink my original purchase and an opportunity to buy something else, I have decided again that I can not beat all that I get w/ the Pac. I considered the Volvo XC and Acura MDX and can not justify the huge price difference for getting much less.

The only problems I have in the 12 weeks 6000 miles I put on the car was w/ the AC. My AC made a noise like air was leaking every time it cycled on and off and it was loud enough that I could hear it over the radio. I was going to have it checked on my next visit but never had the chance.

Bottom line, I'm sold! I was not a big fan of American cars and had pretty much written them off years ago after owning a few of them but this car made me give them a second chance and I am not sorry I did. Now I don't know what my feeling will be when I have had it long term but my first impression is very good and I was pleasantly surprised I must say.

pssimon

Must have been a bad weekend for Pacificas! I was in an accident on 5/28 with mine. A kid crossed the yellow line RIGHT IN FRONT of my house and hit the rear driver door. The door was smashed, the driver rear tire was knocked off, the car then spun 90° and hit the curb and snapped off the right rear tire. Parts all over the road.

Body shop just came up with a quote to fix... $12,300! Obviously they won't total it. It's going to take a month to fix... I can't wait. Loaners just don't cut it!

We walked away without a scratch... the important part. I'm not happy they didn't total it. Wish they had... a repaired car can have hidden damage and hairline cracks that can't be found. Guess I'll keep it until my 3/36 runs out and then get a new one. But most certainly another Pacifica!

redtempest

I want a Pacifica. The question is, can I justify NOT replacing my 9 year-old Chrysler minivan with-another Chrysler minivan. Love the utility and space....but getting bored with the styling. I've got 3 kids, 3 to 10 (ie., all back-seaters, for safety. I've heard a few negative comments about the 3rd row seat in the Pac...... What will it be like with 3 kids getting in and out 5 times a day? This will be my wife's car, which means around town 80% of the time, EXCEPT, we take at least 2-3 700 mile one-way trips up and and down I-75 a year. The one in December usually features a boat-load of Christmas presents. So I judge cars by their highway performance and family comfort......13 cubic feet of cargo sounds very small and pretty much puts me in turtle top mode, right? What if I fold one side of the 3rd row down - can it do that? Will that add significant cargo? Somebody talk me into the Pac, please. Or out of it - sitting on the fence is killin' me. Thanks!

ross6200

Well, I've owned one for a year, and I love it. I've had no major problems, and it handles all my families needs. But the big difference is I have one kid, you have three. I hate to say it, but a minivan is probably going to make you a lot happier in the long run. If your three kids are young (all under age 5, then no problem getting them in and out. That back seat is strictly meant for people under 5'5", so when your kids get bigger, there could be a problem. Yes, the rear seats do split and fold down, so you could make use of the cargo space, which franky is not much. For a family of 5, you'd have to use the roof for weekend getaways. For you, the utility of a minivan wins over the style of the Pacifica. You could do what I do....I drive the Pacifica, and my wife drives a minivan (Mazda MPV). So we have all the flexibility we need, and I still have a stylish car. Good luck to you!

marsha7

thoughts and look forward to any responses...my Intrepid "got sick" just before leaving on a trip from Atlanta to North Carolina (better now than on the road)...I needed a rental vehicle, and my only demand on the rental agency was a vehicle that could maintain 70 mph and must have driver's lumbar support, both sides would be even better...he offered me a 2005 Pacifica with 26,000 miles...I was impressed with the interior, and the seats were pretty comfortable...it was a Touring model, but I do not know what the other models are offered...it had a 3.5L 24 valve engine...I wish I knew if it was Rear wheel drive or FWD...it performed rather well, got decent gas mileage (did not check it by actual mileage, but 4.5 hours driving used only 1/2 tank of gas)...my main critique was power...while in the mountains/hills of NC, it took sometime for stepping on the gas to get it to go faster...I am not saying it must have a hemi (would be nice, tho), but something more than 250 HP (or more torque) would be of help...something like the upgrade in the LIncoln LS, from 252 to 280 HP...yes, the LS is a V8 engine, but Daimler can engineer a V6 to put out 280 HP and more torque than this one does...I would almost consider buying a Pacifica as-is, and it IS a nice vehicle, but more guts under the hood would be a better vehicle w/o being a race car...does anyone know if there are engine upgrades planned for the future, or is this vehicle stuck with the 3.5L forever???...I also test drove, today, a Durango with a hemi and a 300C with a hemi...both drove well, the Durango seemed quite large compared to the Pacifica, and the 300C was a nice car...oh, my wife sat in a Dodge Magnum, which, with a hemi, I THOUGHT might be a downgraded Pacifica, but with the sloping roofline and tiny rear windows, she felt like she was in an ever-decreasing small box getting smaller...throw Magnum's hemi in the Pacifica and maybe you've got something, plus, the Pacifica had a floor shifter instead of a column, and I LOVE floor shifters...any upcoming changes on the brand-new Pacifica???

marsha7

criticism, but I think it is easily solved...the Pacifica is not as tall as a SUV, but still taller than my Mercury Sable...looking out the side mirrors, I felt visibility was much less, blind spots much greater, since the rear door frames seemed to come up higher...rear visibility was OK straight back, but the dark tint on the windows, which probably helps the AC keep the car cooler, does not allow for a wide view out the rear windows with the inside rear view mirror...I believe additional 3 inch convex mirrors on the outisde mirrors would help (altho big 6x9 mirrors from the factory would help, too), and one of those lenses used in RV's for greater rear visibility would help on the Pacifica rear window...whenever I changed lanes to the right, I always asked my wife it it was clear, since looking over my right shoulder with tinted glass and high door frames would not permit me to see a small vehicle if it was there...bigger mirrors or add'l convex mirrors may solve that...has anyone tried that and does it work???...and, I say again, the engine at 250 HP is OK, adequate, but does not really accelerate that well...how similar are the Magnum and the Pacifica in engine compartment design...i.e. if the hemi fits in the Magnum, will it fit into the Pacifica???

pompilius

Wow, the 2005 Touring has just recently come out, they already managed to put 26,000 miles on it?

oedipus1608

You were driving the updated Pacifica; the Pacifica was refresed this year. A hemi cannot fit into the Pacifica's engine bay and a power-upgrade is not likely to be offered. However, the next generation or refreshed Pacifica will probably offer the MB derived 5-speed automatic that is currently offered in the Magnum RT and 300C and at a later date, all LX cars.

marsha7

It was a 2005, the back gate said "Touring" and it did have 26,000 miles...while I am not saying I won't buy it w/250 HP, the weight of the vehicle and the way it drives, the best word for 250 is "adequate"...it is odd, when the Intrepid had 225, and the 300M came out with 250, owners said the 300M would fly with 250...the Pacifica is peppy on a flat or going downhill, but uphill and in the mountains, the insufficiency of 250 HP does show...maybe I should move out west and only drive it on the Bonneville Salt Flat...>)>)>)

marsha7

altho when I sat in the Dodge Magnum, it was almost as if the seat was designed for me and me alone...literally the best hugging seat with a fantastic lumbar support...I would not besurprised to find that the Magnum and Pacifica have the same part number for their seats, but the Magnum was just great...would buy one except that the wife feels cramped as the roofline seems to make the car smaller as you progress from front to rear...

drlawrence

I would like to know if the navigation display can be turned off temporarily or permanently. If it is turned off, will it turn back on the next time the car is started? Will it flicker (test) if the car is started/turned off?

If it is possible, how easy is this to do.

jpepping

Hold the cancel button, the display will turn off. Then next time you re-start the car, it will display a brief message and stay off.

I find the nav feature one of the least that I use... but I got a deal on the car, so I took it.

Jim

drlawrence

The 05 Touring brochure lists: 'remote audio controls' as standard equipment on all models.

The same brochure lists on another line: 'Sound system... with wheel-mounted audio controls' as standard equipment on all models.

Are there two sets of remote audio controls? Or, is Chrysler double-dipping with the brochure?

Dave

pssimon

Wouldn't call it double-dipping. Frankly I think they are fair calls. If it was in teh same column of features I would be upset... but elsewhere in the document would be OK.

drlawrence

They are in the same column of features! <g>

rasldasl

Nearly a year after buying my Pacifica I am still looking for the "equalizer" listed on the sticker. I don't consider treble and bass controls to be an equalizer.

ms_mayor

Just returned yesterday from our family vacation...a tour of five different major league ballparks that took us from NJ to Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago, Cleveland and Cincinnati (with lots of side trips in between).

The Pac performed wonderfully. I averaged 23MPG for the entire trip. Two kids were very comfy in second-row seats; still able to recline even with the rear loaded with all our luggage and extras (we were gone 2 weeks...LOTS of stuff!).

We have the DVD player, so the kids found it easy to entertain themselves. Placed a big basket between them, in front of the console, that held all their CD players/DVDs/playing cards/books, etc. We placed a cooler with drinks and another basket of snacks in the space just behind the second row, between the seats. Kids had easy access without ever having to unbuckle.

Drove through some VERY heavy rain across Ohio and Indiana...the original Michelins held great, the FWD easily gripped the road and we were able to easily maintain speed.

We were very pleased, as the car served our needs exactly as we'd hoped.

yym7m

How much is the Sticker price and the invoice price.
It would be very helpful if you could tell us.

Thank You.

drlawrence

Btw, I noticed I was off on the price above by $150.

MSRP: $37,810
Invoice: $35,091
FFP : $34,740
EC price: $33,397

Rebates: -$2000
Hitch: +$500

Price: $30,900 24m x 60k Lease: $676/mo.

DR

cpisano

Is that a 24 month lease price? $676 seems a little high for a monthly lease on $30,900.

pompilius

$676/mo is WAY too high for a lease on this vehicle.

drlawrence

That's a 30,000 mile per year lease. $676 is actually a much lower payment than a similarly equiped Envoy, Explorer or T&C with that kind of milage.

cpisano

Wow.. I have never heard of a 30,000 mile a year lease for 24 months.

drlawrence

Long commute + company car = 30,000 miles/yr. lease. <g>

ddelise

Hi -

Just curious - what does FFP and EC price stand for?

FFP I am guessing is friends and family. Not sure about EC price though.

Thanks - Damon

dripps

I had the same question -- what is FFP and EC and how do you get that price below invoice? I am looking at a new 2005 AWD Pacifica with most bells and whistles -- prices I have gotten are all over invoice....help me bargain!

drlawrence

FFP is Friends and Family pricing (of Chrysler employee).
EC is Employee Choice pricing (For employee, spouse or child).

Anyone can get friends pricing if they know a Chrysler employee. Just ask them to get you a friends number.

Here's the good part: For the rest of the year, Chrysler is allowing employees to give one EC number to a non-child relitive, friend or business. Now's the time to befriend a Chrysler employee. It's a great deal available to just about anyone with the desire to get it.

DR

carguy1234

How good of deals does the FFP plan get you?

cpisano

I'm a little confused as to your whole point in explaining your purchase. There are obviously very few people who would get both the discounts you got. In addition, if price was so important, why would you even look at a GMC Envoy if you can get such a good deal on the Pacifica? Besides that, if your company is paying for the car why even care about the price? My choice would be to get the car that is comfortable for me, meets my needs, etc. I would not care about giving my company the discounts unless I was truly interested in the Pacifica.

drlawrence

Friends FFP price is 1 percent off invoice.

drlawrence

>>I'm a little confused...obviously very few would get
>>the discounts you got.

My discount was EC price and the dealer threw in the hitch and about $1000 of holdback plus the rebates. I think it is reasonable for many people to get at least the friends discount. With some effort, you could get the employee discount or some holdback. You should always get the rebates in addition to the negotiated price.

>>if price was so important, why would you even look at a GMC Envoy?

Our company vehicles have a maximum cap of $30,999. We try to get the most car for that money. Last time I was able to get an Envoy and really liked it, but after trying to get another, the price was over the cap. Looking for alternatives I saw what I could currently get on a Pacifica and went for it.

cpisano

I've purchased many cars and have never been able to use a friends or family type discount. Not too many people here in California work for automobile companies. But what you say make sense for you. Enjoy your Pacifica.

dealmkrjjd

Anyone out there who can reccomend an exceptional Chicago area dealer? I am considering a Pacifica for my wife and it would be our first american car in many years. We both have been spoiled with the foreign car experience, including reliability and dealer service and don't want to buy a Pacifica and get treated poorly. I hope that from what we have experienced from close by dealers is not the norm, meaning your stereo typical car salesman, pinky rings and Sanzabelt pants. One even asked my wife " how much money you got"? So, can somone please reccomend a dealer here in the Chicago area that has great service if thereever is a problem, and therealways are. Please help!

shipo

Back in the late 1980s I too wanted to buy a Chrysler from a non-sleazy Chicagoland dealership, unfortunately, I got nothing but the "Full Cleveland" Leisure Suite treatment everywhere I went. My apologies to Uncle Cuyahoga, but that's what we used to call them. :-/ Finally in desperation, I went to my local Dodge dealership (Downers Grove Dodge), and I was stunned at how professional they were, and how they were actually able to get the Chrysler that I wanted into my hands, sans sleaze (due to their franchise rules I did have to lease, however, that was my intent anyway).

I now live in southern New Hampshire (after having lived in the NYC area in the interim), however, my business partner and his wife have continued to shop there and by all accounts have been continually treated in a professional manner. It's been about three years since he leased his last car (his third Intrepid, he is now thinking about a Hemi Magnum ;-)), so I hope for his sake (and yours if you give them a try) that they haven't caught the sleaze bug yet. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

P.S.

I never had a problem with their service either.

monark49

I'll reccomend Feeny Chrysler on Irving Park Rd. in Elgin. Bought our Pac there and a Sebring Convert before that. Service is always great and fast. My only recall was done during an oil change.

dashadow

I'm currently looking at purchasing a 2005 Pacifica. I am trying to decide between FWD and AWD. Do the FWD models handle well in the snow? My dealer says that FWD with traction control will be fine.

Any real world experiences would be helpful.

sc

mbjb

I recommend either Bill Kay in Naperville or Downers Grove. They are very nice and can make good deals. The other dealer is Mancari in Orland Park. You cannot go wrong with either dealership.

ms_mayor

I live in NJ, and chose the FWD Pac for two basic reasons:

1) I've driven FWD before in the snow and been very pleased with the handling. If it ever snows so bad that AWD is necessary, I wouldn't be out on the roads anyway.

2) The AWD is not all-time AWD...it only 'kicks in' when the computer senses its needed. Again, I don't see myself driving that much when the weather is that bad (I'm a stay-at-home mom, so no commuting/work driving) so I'd rather save the extra $$$ and curb weight.

This past winter, I did have occasion to drive in bad weather and the FWD worked great. Traction control kicked in as needed flawlessly.

Just recently, we returned from vacation where we had driven through some torrential downpours across the Ohio Turnpike. Car handled beautifully.

bjbird2

I drove through the last winter with FWD and never had a problem. With the ground clearance and weight the Pac has, it did not get stuck in the snow at all, in fact it pulled right our of 12" of snow.
Save your money, increase your gas mileage, and have less problems, and go with FWD.

b25nut

The AWD Pacifica has just been ranked number one in rollover safety among SUV's by the NHTSA. The FWD Pacifica is number two. Add this to the 4 five-star ratings for front and side impact and I think Chrysler can start bragging about how I think most of us feel: The Chrysler Pacifica is the safest vehicle on the road.

ms_mayor

That's great to hear. I've got 16K miles on my Pac, and quite frankly I think it handles better and hugs the road better than my Volvo wagon ever did (and that was one heavy vehicle, lower to the ground than Pac).

kjnorman

Answer: No!

In Florida yesterday...

http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2004/08/12/image635713.jpg

pompilius

duhh, how can it float if the driver opened the door?

jonnyboy7

I began my car research over the past two weeks and immediately was drawn to the Pacifica for its size, style, and features (and rebates). We have an 18-month-old child with a 2nd on the way, and I have to (reluctantly) give up my Mustang. We would use the 3rd row seats for the in-laws, who visit often.

I saw a Pacifica in the flesh today and saw, to my disappointment, that 3rd-row access requires folding the 2nd row seats forward. Obviously this is impossible with child seats installed. Removing and reinstalling a child seat every time we need 3rd row access is unworkable.

Is there a solution? The Pacifica is marketed as a stylish family hauler; how do people work around this problem?

Thanks.

rcf8000

They get a minivan with captains chairs in the second row. Adults won't fit in the third row of a Pacifica anyway.

vsroman

While it is true that space is cramped for an adult in the 3rd row, it is doable. Now, not for a super long roadtrip, but if we are driving 20-30 minutes to a restaurant and want to bring the grandparents, one adult hops in back and there is enough space. With the 2nd row seat up, access to the 3rd row is tight but not too bad. We only have one child and therefore one car seat. Not sure what we will do if/when we have two. One of the seats in the 3rd row does have the latch system, if needed. Slightly older kids would have no trouble climbing into the 3rd row even w/o pulling up the 2nd row to get there.

It really isn't great for having 2 car seats, but I guess it depends on how often you will be bringing extra adults. For me, to move a carseat into the 3rd row once every month or two isn't a big deal.

While I would agree that the Pacifica does not offer all of the conveniences of a minivan, for us, it is worth the trade for an all around great looking, great driving, spacious, SAFE, AWD SUV.

alg528

I am thinking of trading in my 2001 Chrysler 300M for a 2005 AWD Pacifica. I would really like the navigation package. My wife's Infiniti G35 has one and it's great. Can anyone here tell me a little about the Chrysler navigation system? Does it talk to you? Does it know points of interest or just street addresses? Can you manipulate the views? Etc. Etc. Also, any thoughts in general about trading the 300M for the Pac. I could really use the extra room for tailgating at UConn football games.

hayem123

hi all,,,,,, just a few comments on me and my pac, I was one of the first to take the "plunge" here, and bought a new 2004, last year,,,,so far I have 29K miles, have had NO problems, and love the car,,,,, I have already been involved in a rear end collision, and I must say the pac showed very little damage, compared to the car that slammed into me, the other driver had to be towed off, and I drove off....commuting with 2 kids daily, I found that I often have to split them up, thus to make the 3rd row seating more accessible, I took out one of the 2nd row seats,,,thus this gives an aisle way, and alot more space, making it easier to just "plop" groceries, and stuff inside,,,,,, I also found this gave me ample storage for traveling, one kid in the 3rd row, one kid in the 2nd row,... luggage, souvenirs, cooler, right behind the drivers seat....I will keep my Pac for a while, I hope,,,,, but I do have an eye on the cadillac srx, although it does still kind of look like what I'm already driving......for alot more money