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Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan 2005+

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Comments

  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Interior space is not deceptive, I can look in my father's Honda and see more space in the Honda, I can compare my DCX Van to my previous Venture and see more space in Chevy. The rear portion of the roof slopes down in my Caravan.

    I think if you look at the Neon replacement, you'll see the direction of the Caravan styling for MY08!!
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    The GC/T&C has THE MOST actual total interior space of the minivans...although the Odyssey has MORE CARGO space behind the 3rd row seat when the seats are in place or behind 2nd row if 3rd row folded into floor or removed.
    Here are the actual numbers in cubic feet:
    Caravan Grand Caravan Odyssey
    Behind 3rd row 15.3......20 or 26.4.......38.4
    Behind 2nd row 45.6.........54.2............91.1
    Behind FT seats146.7..167.9or160.7....147.4

    The Odyssey has THE most cargo space behind 3rd row or behind 2nd row BUT the GC has much more than the Odyssey if 2nd and 3rd row seats are removed (or all folded in GC with Stow-N-Go).
    Consumer Reports does NOT provide accurate data on actual interior space due to their method of measuring only the space available with an expandable rectangle. Very few items of cargo consist of only one large box.
    The Venture has less total interior space than either the Odyssey or GC and not much more than the Caravan or 2005 short wheel base T&C.
  • mrblonde49mrblonde49 Member Posts: 626
    If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay for your van? I bought an 04 Touring Platinum 6 weeks ago w/ DVD, NAV & Moonroof & figured it would cost me about $4000-$4500 to get an '05 to get he stow and go, rails and side airbags ( I wouldn't have gotten a moonroof). They didn't have anything at the time configuredlike this, but I couldnt pass up 9K off sticker (6 K in rebates. I got mine for $27,842 purchase price & only $100 in fees (plus 6% tax). Hopefully I won't miss the stow and go much (haven't yet)
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Why not count the approx 8 cubic ft with stow n go seats are out of the box?
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Good suggestion. The Chrysler T&C numbers are slightly different from the Caravan and Grand Caravan.
  • kjmsrkjmsr Member Posts: 4
    We have a'96 T&C and have started looking for our next van. We drove the 2005 T&C, Odyssey and Sienna. Both the Odyssey and Sienna can be ordered with side curtain airbags AND moon roofs - the Chrysler cannot. It's one or the other. This was a showstopper for my wife.

    That said, the Sienna seems to nickel and dime every option and is very expensive while the Odyssey sems to have a lot of serious problems according to the Odyssey forum.... We'll keep looking.
  • kfdmedkfdmed Member Posts: 130
    The lack of side curtain airbags was a showstopper for me too ... until I did a little research. The increased safety of the van is increased marginally. Since occupants in the van sit higher the need for side curtain airbags is less than in a sedan. I dont believe there is a benefit for infants or toddlers in car/booster seats and may even pose a risk to small children in booster seats without backs. I just purchased a T&C touring signature series which comes with the moonroof along with DVD/NAV. I would have preferred the side airbags to the moonroof but thats not the way it came bungled. I dont see why people prefer moonroofs. You lose headroom and with the DC vans you lose the overhead rail storage system. Good luck finding DC vans with side airbags on dealers lots. You will be lucky to find a dealer with one. I asked the salesperson why they dont order any and he said people dont want to pay the money for them ($500-600). I anxiously wait the results from the insurance institutes testing of vans with and without side airbags. Hopefully, I wont regret my decision to purchase a van without them.
  • greener1greener1 Member Posts: 37
    all i want is a chrysler town and country that works, purchased new 2005 with 54 miles on odometer, in shop at 144 miles, loud whine in transmission while accelerating, axle or rim noise in rear end on deceleration, paint issues on sliding passenger door, i.e., not painted and metal showing through, and i thought chrysler was improving in quality, i cannot believe when one pays so much money they cannot at least build a complete car that works, mine gone 2 days now and no known timetable on issues being taken care of, one could not sell this car on a used car lot with all these issues, and it was sold so called new
  • mrblonde49mrblonde49 Member Posts: 626
    Why would you accept a car with problems as obvious as bare metal on the passener door? Did you not inspect it?
  • greener1greener1 Member Posts: 37
    was inspected by me, but area was on BOTTOM of sliding door, where one rubs finger along thickness of door, where no one could see this, only when drying car after cleaning, get on your knees and lay down in order to see it, could feel the extra metal sledge at end of door sill same area, what is one to do anymore, get out a magnifying glass and go over every knook and cranny, outside paint job was fine, but area in question is subject to possible rust down road with road salt, etc. I am more concerned about the obvious extra sounds and noises that came about after having car a couple of days, especially in a new car with only 144 miles
  • mrblonde49mrblonde49 Member Posts: 626
    I hope they get your issues resolved. I know it's frustrating, but every carmaker has issues on some cars. I am fortunate to have a T&C for over a year that's been perfect.

    Even Honda has their problems:
    KarenS, "Honda Odyssey Owners: Problems & Solutions" #1, 29 Nov 2000 5:32 pm
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    You know what part of the issue is concerning quality of Domestics vs Imports....at least in my opinion... Take Chrysler for example....they had upwards of 50% of the Minivan market, nowhere to go but down right? Here's Honda with capacity for only 180k. There are 3-4 times as many DCX vans on the road. With limited capacity, the Hondas were commanding a premium price but that's changing now with a new plant online. I think Honda's is going to start losing their "luster" and resale value even. Then if you look at other Honda boards...they have their issues too....poor gas mileage, tranny and door problems.

    I think the one to watch even more than Honda is Kia and their new Sedonna Minivan.....much larger, folding seats in rear, 3.8 V6, 5 spd auto etc..... It looks like they've taken the best from ALL!!!! And the price will probably be thousands less!!!
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Sedona may increase sales if they copy DC minivan nice features and improve the dismal Sedona gas mileage. Even if the Sedona engine size is increased, it will probably have less power than the current 3.8L V6 of the DC minivans which gets better gas mileage than the 3.5L V6 of the current Sedona. Gasoline mileage of the Sedona will drop with additional weight and larger engine.
    The only real competition to DC is the Odyssey...but it costs more to get the nice creature comforts of DC.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    have you seen pics of the sedona?? It looks just like the Sienna!!! The Koreans are making a lot of progress, recently beating out Honda in some areas of JD Powers
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    Another thing I found the DC vans missing in the 2005 models (they was in the 2003 MY) that the center vent (of the 3 climate vents in front) is not adjustable, i.e. you can not adjust it left or right, it just blows air direct to the center of the van. That was adjustable in previous models.

    Also they reduced the number of speakers in the Infinity sound system from 10 to 8.

    One thing I love about the DC vans, is the visibility outside, which is not matched by any other van. The extra large windshield and low belt line of all other windows is much superior of any other van (in contrast to the hot-selling 300 sedan!). The only minor problem with that is that I would need bigger windshield wipers to cover the entire area of the windshield, but the van uses already 2 size 28" which is the largest on the market. Does anybody know of any bigger-sized wipers?

    BTW, speaking of wipers, I would like to complain that the rear wiper does not pull out entirely when the rear window needs to be cleaned. The same problem is with the Sienna and some people complained about that in the Sienna board. The Ford Freestar made it better.

    I had this week an adult passenger in one of the second row seats, and complained a lot that the seat is not comfy.

    Still, I look forward that Chrysler will take a lesson of the new competitors, and offer a well competitive van in the near future (I'm sure they will).

    And now I see in the Ford vans board that Ford is giving up on minivans completely. They rely on the new 7-passenger Freestyle, and that's it!

    Hans, I'm sure that Kia is well aware of the poor mileage problem and will certainly work to improve on that area in their new vans. Otherwise it looks really competitive, with most bells and whistles of other major players. Even though the mileage may not be the best in class, the low price will out-wight the mileage and attract much buyers.
  • marine2marine2 Member Posts: 1,155
    "I had this week an adult passenger in one of the second row seats, and complained a lot that the seat is not comfy."

    Did your passenger know that the back of the seat is adjustable along with it being able to move forwards and back?

    When I first sat in it, I didn't like it either. Then I found out you need to raise the head rest and adjust the back. After that, it was quite comfortable.
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    " One thing I love about the DC vans, is the visibility outside, which is not matched by any other van. The extra large windshield and low belt line of all other windows is much superior of any other van (in contrast to the hot-selling 300 sedan!). The only minor problem with that is that I would need bigger windshield wipers to cover the entire area of the windshield, but the van uses already 2 size 28" which is the largest on the market. Does anybody know of any bigger-sized wipers?

    BTW, speaking of wipers, I would like to complain that the rear wiper does not pull out entirely when the rear window needs to be cleaned. The same problem is with the Sienna and some people complained about that in the Sienna board. The Ford Freestar made it better."

    We have a 2001 DGC and I like the visibility of all the windows too. With all of the mirror's positioned right, I can see everything in the other lane on each side. Our rear wiper doesn't pull out either. I thought maybe it was damaged or something, but after closely inspecting it, I came to the conclusion that it's made that way for maximum pressure to clean the window. I had to replace both the front and rear wipers which cost a lot. For two front 28" Bosch wiper blades cost $19.99 each and the rear 16" wiper blade cost $9.99 at Murray's Discount Auto Parts Store. To replace the rear wiper, I had to take off the whole wiper arm. Wasn't hard, but took longer then it did when I replaced the two front blades.
  • cbwilshacbwilsha Member Posts: 70
    "Another thing I found the DC vans missing in the 2005 models (they was in the 2003 MY) that the center vent (of the 3 climate vents in front) is not adjustable, i.e. you can not adjust it left or right, it just blows air direct to the center of the van. That was adjustable in previous models."

    I have a 2005 T&C and all three center dash vents are equally adjustable. Hard to believe the GC would be different.

    C.B.
  • 1997montez341997montez34 Member Posts: 202
    My 2005 GC SXT has an adjustable center ait vent. Not sure what you're looking at.
  • chuckgchuckg Member Posts: 69
    "Another thing I found the DC vans missing in the 2005 models (they was in the 2003 MY) that the center vent (of the 3 climate vents in front) is not adjustable, i.e. you can not adjust it left or right, it just blows air direct to the center of the van. That was adjustable in previous models."

    This is correct.....the center vent is not adjustable on my wife's 2005 GC SXT. I just went out and checked it.

    Also, has anyone with the touring suspenision package noticed a very low-pitched rumble when driving on a not so smooth road? It's hard to describe but it's definitely in the suspension. I wouldn't call it a defect by any means its just the way it's engineered.
  • veritasusaveritasusa Member Posts: 72
    hansienna wrote: "Even if the Sedona engine size is increased, it will probably have less power than the current 3.8L V6 of the DC minivans which gets better gas mileage than the 3.5L V6 of the current Sedona. Gasoline mileage of the Sedona will drop with additional weight and larger engine."

    I recently saw a program on Speed channel about the Chicago auto show. It showed the new Sedona. The person commenting on it stated that the new Sedona will be up to 300 pounds lighter than a comparably equipped previous model. Part of this is due to the fact that the new engine is all aluminum, rather than iron block with alumminum heads. A unit body/frame rather than the old separate chassis will also pare the pounds.

    And the new engine at 240 hp and 250 lbs/ft of torque is, while admittedly less efficient on paper than the Honda/Toyota engines, still much better than DC's cast iron wonder of the same displacement.

    The only thing that I wonder about is the preliminary spec showing the torque peak way up at 4500 rpm. Odd for such a large engine. I would prefer to see the peak about 1000 rpm lower, although it won't be too bad if the torque curve is relatively flat from a low rpm on up.

    I see a more efficiently designed engine in a lighter body resulting in Sedona fuel consumption figures at least as good as the DC vans.
  • marine2marine2 Member Posts: 1,155
    "Another thing I found the DC vans missing in the 2005 models (they was in the 2003 MY) that the center vent (of the 3 climate vents in front) is not adjustable, i.e. you can not adjust it left or right, it just blows air direct to the center of the van. That was adjustable in previous models."

    This is correct.....the center vent is not adjustable on my wife's 2005 GC SXT. I just went out and checked it."

    I just went out and checked the center air vent in my 2005 Dodge GC SXT, and it is adjustable. All three move left and right, up and down.
  • tbone3tbone3 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my wife a brand-new T&C back in Sept with the idea in mind that a new vehicle would be safe for her & the kids.

    6 weeks ago the vehicle's fuel pump failed completely whilst driving leaving the family stranded and a 4 day fix.

    Today the T&C has been towed-away again, this time with a full electrical failure (crazy dials, lights, no engine).

    To say I am unimpressed with two breakdowns in two months is an understatement - this is the family lifeline and trying to squeeze 3 kids and a double-stroller into come crappy courtesy hire car again does not thrill us :-(

    Anyone else had similar expierience ?
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Have had mine since Dec without single problem.

    Keep us updated on what the electrical issue was. My company, TYCO manufactures the power distribution center for the DCX van and is key electrical component.
  • chuckgchuckg Member Posts: 69
    Interesting. The center vent has what looks like some type of sensor located in the bottom 1/3 of the vent. It is not adjustable.

    We probably have different heating and cooling packages on our vehicles.
  • 1997montez341997montez34 Member Posts: 202
    I think if you have automatic climate control the the center vent is fixed. If you have manual temp control it is moveable.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I believe it's been that way for some time. I'm pretty sure that my wife's 2003 GC ES (which has climate control) has a sensor and a fixed middle vent. I'll report back tonight after she gets home.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    Yes, it is very possible. I too have a sensor on the middle vent, which is probably for the Automatic temperature, so that may be the reason it is not adjustable.

    I drive a 2003 T&C at work which have manual climate controls, and perhaps that's why the center vent is adjustable.

    While I repeat that DC vans have excellent visibility in most directions, I also need to point out they have the smallest outside mirrors than any other van, which HURTS visibility. The Nissan Quest have X-Large oversized mirrors, the Toyota Sienna also have huge mirrors, followed by GM vans and Honda Odyssey.

    And if that's not enough, the mirrors are placed far away from the windows, creating a huge blind spot. While this is great for towing, most people don't tow at most times. Just see the mirrors on the Sienna, how big and close they are, it's a pleasure to use. I hope Chrysler will take notice in the next redesign.
  • mrblonde49mrblonde49 Member Posts: 626
    You may indeed have a lemon (all manufacturers have some). Sorry to hear of your troubles.

    Mine's been flawless for 13 months
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Take a look around the Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler minivan problems discussion too.

    Steve, Host
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    "While I repeat that DC vans have excellent visibility in most directions, I also need to point out they have the smallest outside mirrors than any other van, which HURTS visibility. The Nissan Quest have X-Large oversized mirrors, the Toyota Sienna also have huge mirrors, followed by GM vans and Honda Odyssey".

    I like the way DC designed and the location of the outside mirrors. From what I noticed about their mirrors, is they are not as square shaped as other minivans mirrors. DC mirrors have more rounded corners, (more like an oval shaped appearance to it). I can see just fine with the mirrors. Most of the time I can see on both sides of the van without having to look out the side windows. What I had to learn was how to position the mirrors correctly. When positioning the mirrors, you should not be able to see the rear of the van. Also, I like that the mirrors are not positioned on the door, but on the side frame (I guess that's what it's called). As far as DC mirrors sticking out more, I believe is for improved visibility around the vechicle. I can see two lanes over on each side when vechicles are behind me. I think this is more of an advantage then a disadvantage. All in all, DC mirrors are very stylish for a minivan.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Since I'll be towing a trailer soon, is there any aftermarket mirrors for DCX van? I'm talking total replacement, not the clip on mirrors.
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    Just out of curiosity, why would you need to replace your current DC mirrors? If you need to see more in each mirror, It would be cheaper to buy those small round mirrors that you can stick on the two side mirrors for better visibility.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Do they really work???????????
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    My 2005 GC SXT has adjustable center vent too...just FYI
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Yup, our 2003 GC ES (with three zone climate control) has a sensor and a non-movable middle vent. That seems to make it reasonably definitive; if you have climate control, you have a sensor in the middle and no movable vent, if you don't, you do. Errr, I think that y'all get the idea. ;-)

    For my part, the two largest complaints that I have about our 2003 as compared to our 1998 are the non-flush door lock stems (I often like to drive with my arm on the window sill, ouch!), and the seat height of the drivers seat. We have power seats in both vans, however, I can adjust the seat MUCH lower in the 1998.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    I see what you say, and I can't explain it to you. Just try to drive once a Sienna and you'll understand everything. The mirrors are very large, which makes up for all the stuff you mentioned. It's good for towing; for visibility around the van, and it's stylish, too. And FYI, all other vans have the mirrors on the side frame, not on the door (like many sedans).

    As a matter of fact, you can see many reviewers often praise the extra large mirrors on some vehicles. And style is NOT always good. Example, the redesigned Chevy Malibu's 3-angle mirror may be stylish but it's not useful and hurt visibility.
  • mrblonde49mrblonde49 Member Posts: 626
    No matter how big the mirrors are, you should still turn your head when changing lanes. There shouldn't be a false sense of security with larger mirrors, because blond spots can never really be eliminated. The only real benefit is towing, IMO
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Blind spots can be eliminated by proper adjustment of the mirrors, even relatively small mirrors such as on my Taurus. The problem is most people do not adjust their outside mirrors properly. Instead, most people adjust them so they can see the side of their car, and this then creates the blind spot, which has to be overcome by turning your head.
  • mrblonde49mrblonde49 Member Posts: 626
    If you want to trust the side mirrors completely, that's up to you. I have set my mirrors at every angle possible over the years, hoping to eliminate the blindspot. I have never been able to. There is no reason to not give a quick look to verify a clear path, IMO
  • marine2marine2 Member Posts: 1,155
    "Blind spots can be eliminated by proper adjustment of the mirrors, even relatively small mirrors such as on my Taurus. The problem is most people do not adjust their outside mirrors properly. Instead, most people adjust them so they can see the side of their car, and this then creates the blind spot, which has to be overcome by turning your head."

    True, and you can also adjust your inside mirror to not only see behind you, but also see what's right beside the right side of your van. I also have the small adjustable spot mirrors, they work well.
  • paul_lpaul_l Member Posts: 2
    Hi all.

    I just purchased a brand new 2005 T&C touring last week. First thing I noticed is an annoying noise that occurs during low-speed acceleration and (less noticably) during shifting of gears. The noise sounds like a zipping or rapid clicking noise and goes away after the RPMs increase a bit.

    Also, the noise goes away if the van sits for a few minutes after being driven for a while.

    Of course, this was what happened when I brought it back to the dealer for a warranty check. The mechanic said it could be the coil pack and the sound is completely normal. I've never heard a noise like this in any car with an automatic transmission. Has anyone had this same experience? Is this normal? It's quite annoying.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    It could be you are hearing the electric solenoids that operate the transmission control valves. On our 1996 Caravan you can hear this rapid clicking some, usually when still sitting in the driveway just during and after shifting from park to reverse or from drive to park. It is much more noticeable to someone standing outside the van, than inside with the windows closed, when you can hardly hear it at all.

    If that is what you are hearing, this is not a problem. Our Caravan is at 86K miles and counting and has made these noises from when new.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    It is the nature of the beast. When I'm out for a run or a bike ride, I can always tell if a DC vehicle is approaching me from behind because of the characteristic clicking sound, usually when they are slowing down and "Down Shifting". Like BadgerFan said, our 1998 GC Sport has over 86K on the clock and it has clicked since new.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • kfdmedkfdmed Member Posts: 130
    I too have a 2005 touring and haven't noticed this noise. I will listen for it this afternoon and report back. Could be that it is drowned out by Spongebob Squarepants playing in the rear video system. My 3 1/2 year old can use the headphones but not my 1 1/2 year old so we all listen to it. Should have not shown the the video when we first brought it home because now it has to be on constantly. I thought it would be for trips only ... but the whining did me in. My parenting skills leave room for improvement. The last thing I want is two unhappy toddlers in my ear after a 10 hour day at the office.
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    Yes, this noise is normal among all DC vans. I usually notice it when coming to a stop. I remember this noise since I know DC vans, and I will also notice a DC van is around me just by hearing that noise.

    The noise is quite loud when you stand outside of the van, and not SO loud when inside. If you want to try your tranny's noise, open up your windows first.
  • paul_lpaul_l Member Posts: 2
    Thanks all for your posts! The source of the noise has been found!

    There is a rubber hose protruding from the top rear of the engine compartment that narrowly misses the rear of the engine compartment. On my van, when the engine is in gear and you start to accelerate or shift gears, the engine shifts slightly, along with the hose which rubs against the (plastic) rear engine compartment. Since this noise was generated right next to the passenger compartment, it sounded alot worse on the interior than the exterior. A bit of electrical tape on the location of the interference eliminated the noise.

    Sure glad it wasn't anything more serious!
  • kjmsrkjmsr Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone know when the next major T&C redesign will be and if any details have been published?
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    MY 2008 is next redo for DCX. I hear there's a major engine/tranny upgrade for 2006 though.

    The 2008s will be styled by Ralph Gilles...of Magnum/300C fame.
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