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I have 3950 miles on my Pacifica since April 14th. I get 17.8 mpg with 1/3 hwy., 2/3 city driving. I would probably get better mileage if I changed my habits a bit, but after reading reviews that imply the Pacifica doesn't have enough power, I tend to drive faster just to show people that it has enough power to satisfy 95% of the drivers out there. I have yet to find a freeway onramp where I was not able to be at 65+mph when I merged. What more power do you really need? The Auto Stick easily helps to keep it in a lower gear for steep hills, where you will notice the Pacifica's weight if you are forced to slow down and then need to accelerate again. I highly recommend getting the dark jade/light toupe interior. It results in the classiest interior you'll ever see in a car costing less than $75,000. The smoothness and comfort of the ride is exceptional. The only vehicle that I can picture feeling safer in is a Hummer. My only glitch was an analog clock that registered more than two hours for every hour that passed. My dealer easily replaced it (Chrysler hdq. was really surprised and wanted to examine it). My Pacifica is rock solid and seems to get better as each week goes by. It has provided me with one of the few experiences in my life where the anticipation was not greater than the actual event. My "joy level" constantly grows instead of the usual decline. I've have added only two accessories. The first was a grey rubber mat from my auto parts store that I cut to size to cover the folded third row seats when I need to transport items like plants. It rolls up and fits snuggly into the rear cargo compartment. The other is a chrome slant exhaust tip (#PM552) from stylinconcepts.com. It looks great and with shipping will set you back $37.90 (This includes $12.95 for shipping, which is over two times what it costs them. Don't you hate that?) The view to the rear is marginal on the Pacifica. But if you set your side mirrors so that they cover what the rear view mirror doesn't (very little overlap), you get full visual coverage. I set up the driver's seat so that it is in the full down position for me and the full up position for my wife. This way the tilt of the steering wheel does not have to be adjusted when drivers are changed (Isn't it great to have all the adjustments occur when you press your remote key?) The lever for the tilt steering wheel is something Chrysler should change. It works OK, but one of my first impressions of the Pacifica was reaching to adjust the steering wheel and the lever had so much slop in it that quality questions immediately came into my mind. Fortunately, that is the only part of the car that I haven't found to be first rate. If everyone owned a Pacifica, they would all be happy and it would be a perfect world.
That's exactly the feeling I have! I look for excuses to drive now. My wife wants to go shopping and I'll say, "Sure, I'll drive you". We got down three rolls of toilet paper and I drove just to get TP! I may have to seek some help.
1. Model Year & Total miles to date. 2004 of course. 1699. 2. MPG & Driving habits. Avg is 15.91 mpg. I live/work/some shopping all in the same city. My commute to work is 6 miles, so it's getting a lot of stop & go driving. 3. Any additional accessories & mods? I added the MOPAR accessories of satellite radio, cargo net (because I didn't want the entire cargo convenience group), and the official Pacifica sunshade. No other mods. 4. Maintenance issues to date. I'm hearing a slight rattle coming from the sunroof area, but I haven't taken it in for a checkout. Have not had it serviced at a dealer yet. 5. Any interesting trips or cargo experiences? First major road trip will be in July (St. Louis to Madison GA via Chattanooga and Nashville TN). 6. Overall impressions pro/cons of your vehicle; any changes in that since you first purchase? All pros. I had high expectations and I was not disappointed. I wanted a Pacifica for the roominess without Minivan/SUV styling like a box, styling (Chrysler designs kick butt!), safety features, luxury feel, and car-based handling/driving. Everyone that's ridden in it thinks it's divine!
You people are making me drool! My Pacifica is sitting in Windsor waiting to be shipped. I had it built to order, and it has been sitting there completed for 3 weeks now! My dealer can't tell me what the holdup is. I WANT MY PACIFICA!!!
I am not a Pacifica owner (at least not yet). But I am a big DC fan and have a '99 300M with 110,000 miles on the clock. I have found the 3.5L engine to be one of the best in my 35 years of driving. It is an excellent compromise between power and economy. It has been supremely reliable, smooth and low maintenance. I'm confident it will do well in the Pacifica. There have been zero complaints about this engine over on the 300M board after 5 years and over 20,000 posts. This design can definitely be taxed heavier. It does tend to "loosen up" a bit. I now get 30 mpg with Interstate cruising at 70-75 mph. Of course, you won't get this kind of mileage in a heavier, less aerodynamic vehicle but, I predict you'll get at or better than EPA HWY on the road after its fully broken in. It uses no oil between changes. I got mine tuned up at 100,000 miles because the manual scheduled it but it was running fine before and since. I still haven't replaced the belts. Chrysler's strength has always been its engines, and this 3.5L is a classic, fine design. I am, however, concerned about the transmission. In the 1,000 lb lighter M, I burned up the torque converter using the autostick for downshifts. Be careful with that in the Pacifica.
Uh, oh, I'm in new-car indecision mode (again). My '01 Pathfinder lease is up in 3 months, and I went to price the Chilkoot (more stuff, lower price because of lower interest rates).
I had been told that the Murano was $50k (Canadian) and had also been told that the Pacifica was $52k Canadian.
MSRP here: Murano, $39k - $52k.
Pacifica: $43k - $55k or so.
I drove the Murano when I discovered it was only a bit more expensive than the Pathfinder. I love it!
Today I drove the Pacifica when I learned that it's only a bit more than the Murano. I like it even more than the Murano, and for me, these are the only two vehicles in this PRECISE segment (not boxy, trucky, but AWD, sporty, and comfy).
So, now... it seems that (since Pacifica hit Canada about 3 weeks ago) prices may drop here, if they have done so in the US. If Pacifica drops to Murano price range, I just may get one.
In both cases, this is their first release, and my mechanic advises against anything in its first year, but come September, I have to get something to drive.
If you like Pacifica, there's a good chance you'd like Murano, for much the same reasons.
check my post on the accesories and Mods board of the pacifica here. I posted how you can find out EXACTLY how to find out status on your Pacifica. best of luck. mine took 3 weeks after I canceled the UConnect Option (was holding it up)
I ordered the Exhaust tip suggest by the two members. I can not see how you can install over the factory exhaust pipe. the end flares out and no matter how far I unscrewed the mounting screws it would not fit over the stock pipe. did the first Pacificas have smaller tail pipes? or did you guys do something different. It looks like the tip will also Extend beyond the bumper facia. is this the same with yours ?
There are a lot of great comments in this forum and tons of good information to be digested. Personally, (I REPEAT - PERSONALLY), I knew before I got to this board that I was purchasing a Pacifica. What I do not understand is why some people come to forums such as this one and add their negative views about this vehicle, apparently in hopes of convincing people who love the car that they have made a horrible purchase. My best friend hated The Matrix Reloaded film, while I loved it. Why would I spend time telling him that he is crazy for not liking the movie? Would that really result in him changing his mind and somehow end up loving the film? I don't think so. Those who have to come here and be completely negative about the Pacifica would serve a much better purpose if they went to a forum pertaining to the vehicle they own. If you are happy purchasing used vehicles at half the price of a new one, then more power to you. It was mentioned that the Pacifica could be bought a year from now with 12-15 thousand miles on it for ~$20,000 and it would be just like new. Well, no, it would have 12-15 thousand miles on it and be used. For those who prefer to buy new vehicles, they are happy. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. Just do what you think will make you happy, but I think trying to take away someone else's happiness is truly unnecessary.
I hope you ordered part #PM552.?? That one works great. I believe Russ posted the wrong part number by mistake. The correct # is PM552. $24.95 plus shipping. Punk
its the only one that was $24.95 ... but the inside mounting brackets dont fit over the stock pipe... was it a tight fit over the flanged area until you get back toward the muffler where it narrows down ? Did yours extend beyond the bumper when you installed the tip ?
This is what Russ Klass and I did. removed the clamps, slid tip all the way to resonator. Use short clamp on top and longer ones on both sides. Remove secondary nut from screw but retain the lock washers. Mine is about flush with TOP rear of bumper. I think it looks good.?? I hope this helps. Punk
Its not selling, saw ten of them on the lot at a mid sized Long Island dealer. If you want one, hold out for better deals coming. Its a nice vehicle, but as others have posted here, the 2nd seat arrangment is an issue. It should have had a Mercedes engine.
Bottom line: if this vehicle fails, I predict MB will dump Chrysler.
No issue here with the 2nd row seating...its absolutely perfect.
Drove home fom the shore today with my 2 kids happily ensconced in the 2nd row, no "he's touching me", "she's crossing the line". With their rear-seat headphones and a DVD playing, I relished the calm and enjoyed my favorite FM radio station (no problems with reception!) in total peace.
It was probably the most blissful ride with my kids in tow since they were born.
As far as the antenna installation, I can't comment on it too much. I didn't see it happen. When the vehicle arrived at the dealer, it was installed there. The antenna receiver is mounted on the roof (roughly egg-shaped).
You ain't seen nothing yet. I have been following the BMW 3-Series and 5-Series boards off and on for almost 5 years now, and you would not believe the number of folks who drop by there just to slam BMWs. What's more, most of those folks have never even been inside of a BMW, at least the folks here who have posted negative comments have (usually) at least driven a Pacifica.
Stopped by my dealer this morning as I'm having some issues with my Pacifica, will post on appropriate board to see if others are experiencing it. Anyway, they have their original 5 units received all parked in the very front of the lot with big green stickers showing "$7145 OFF" on them. These were the previous ones I mentioned that are listed by stock number in the dealer ad previously at 5,000 off and this past weekend at 6,000 off. Since today is the end of a promotion period I'm interested to see what comes next.
We took a drive yesterday to Seattle, logged 400 miles of comfort in driving to and from. Product performance is going to be key to me now, especially since I've never owned a Chrysler and this is a new product line. I'm over what I paid for the car but all of you out there thinking about buying all I can say is either wait longer or make sure you bargain the dealership down even further than their ad because they'll probably do it to move it.
I'd certainly buy one fully loaded with rear DVD and navigation for $34,000 which is the price of one of them with the $7,145 discount. There isn't another car out there so well appointed for the price.
Rainbow: At one time the Murano was neck to neck with the Pacifica for our choice before the Pacifica was released. I like the Murano's styling, but my wife calls it the "Gremlin". In the end, the Murano wasn't quit big enough and the Pacifica's interior just blew it away. Read the Edmunds showdown with three other SUV's and you'll see that what I thought may have been one of the Murano's strongest points, its new transmission (CVT), may actually be its downfall.
Yepp have to agree (here in Pittsburgh) very steep driveways. I had no problem with my Highlander but I just scraped coming out last night at normal speed. I thought I would clear easily being an SUV. oh well just have to be careful...
4700 miles to date over 2 months. 1st month: 16.7 MPG 2nd month: 18.9 MPG Worst mileage: 15.2 on 1st tank Best mileage: 22.2 on 431 mile run from Cincinnati to Buffalo on 6/29. Made it on 1 tank with 3 gallons left!
I've only got 420 miles on mine. I do a mix of local/highway driving (mostly local though), and was pleasantly surprised that my first tank of gas gave me 16.7 mpg.
I figure if I end up averaging 20 over the long haul I'll just about equal the mpg of the car I replaced, a 1990 Volvo 740GLE wagon.
I really like the larger gas tank (Volvo only carried 15 gal)...less time between fill-ups.
Yes, b25nut, I am in the same "mode" as you. I love the Murano, but the steering wheel (size), the interior finishing, and the ride of the Pacifica are superior.
I don't need high ground clearance or off-roading (I'd get another Pathfinder if I did). I need to stay ON the road, which is why I want to move away from the box-on-wheels.
I got stuck in mud here in my rear-traction Cressida (very low), but Pacifica is front or all-wheel drive and high enough for what I have to deal with.
It doesn't matter to me what anyone calls anything, and I suppose they'll have to come up with new names for these new types of vehicles.
I drove a Rendez-Vous today (Buick, is that the right name?). Yeech. The pattern on the seat cloth is designed to match the baby's room wallpaper (or is it a Pampers pattern?), and the column shift reeked of "middle-class, middle-aged".
Can you say "boring"?
The ride was comfy, though, and that I do want. It was simply too "mini-van".
I have been eyeing the Pacifica for a month now and think that it is both stylish on the interior and exterior. I decided to take my wife for a quick look at the dealership and she hated the looks. She thinks that it looks like a squooshed minivan. She would not even get out of the car to see the interior. Needless to say, I was very annoyed. But since this next car is for her, she obviously has the final say.
Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I can tell my wife to overcome her emotions as to the Pacifica being ugly? I would love to join you all as Pacifica owners, but have this major hurdle in front of me. HELP!!
if its her car then ummm I dont think you say anything. I say you get her what she wants and trade in YOUR car for a Pacifica :-)
as far as Murano comparison: I found the Murano a nice looking car on the exterior and LOVED the paint color choices (unlike the Pacifica) but test drive the thing and the buttons are all in screwy locations (who designed the interior ??) plus the DVD screen is on the back of the center console (can you say kicked and broken sometime soon) ... the sales guy met me and offered Invoice out of the box on the Murano (no haggling there).. plus the rear window rake is extreme enough to limit the size of dog cage I can carry in the back ... so off the list it went...
I think the first tank sucks because the dealer fills it with the cheapest unleaded he can find. I usually run mid grade fuel in my SUVs. So will tank up with 89 octane next tank ... plus maybe a shot of RedLine Fuel cleaner to get the junk out from what the dealer put in ;-)
I forgot to mention that the fuel mileage figures I posted (#920) were on reg, 87 octane fuel. Glad to see this board has livened up ... should reach post # 1,000 soon!
I'm happy that you have a vehicle you love. But the SUVs u mentioned are truck-based. This is actually a unitbody (car-based) SUV. These are actually tall wagons but still are considered a different class than wagons due to their much larger interior space. Of course, this class is SUV.
I found myself looking (still am) at both the Murano Pacifica as well. on the surface you would not think these two would be direct competitors. I think the fact that they are both stylish alternatives to the standard box SUV or mommy van may be the attraction. I have test driven both extensively and can say that the Murano has much more power with super smooth delivery via the CVT trans. It is stylish but that is about as far as the comparison goes for me. After reading many complaints about squeeks & rattles (and yes it's made in Japan) along with CVT concerns, I began looking more closely at the Pacifica. In my opinion, the Pacifica has it all over the Murano in style and luxuriously appointed interior. The Murano has a very techie interior (which is not a bad thing, just not very luxurious) that combined with the 3rd row seat, power tailgate and many other small details on the Pacifica has shifted my attention now to the Pacifica. I know this is not a comparison board however it seems many people here share the same thoughts about considering both vehicles.
I could have bought a used Yugo for $2,000.00 which gets about 30 miles to the gallon. I could have saved about $34,000.00 over the price of a Pacifica. With that money, I could have driven to the moon and back! Thanks Yugo!
Just came back from a round trip from Pittsburgh to Orlando. Gas mileage (all highway with some traffic) slowly crept up from the original 14.1 to a pleasant 18.2! Car has 2,700 miles (2k are from the trip). Traded in a Durango for this vehicle as the only off roading I did was to park in grass lots for kid's sporting events. This car was the most comfortable vehicle I've ever taken on this 15 hour drive. Easily controlled through the mountains of WV and the rain soaked flats of FL. Got the model with everything but the cargo group, the DVD and the navigation system and added the cargo net and roof rack from dealer as cheaper than "Cargo Option". What? you say. A trip to Disney with no DVD? We have a portable one (only cost $500) with a case that hangs it from the front seats. We did this as we can have DVD in any of our vehicles and don't loose it on trade in. We use a tape deck converter and it sounded pretty good with the intermezzeo setup, although, I'm sure the factory one sounds better. Also let me say that those big nasty bugs came off really easily and for the first time, I didn't have any stone chips. Probably due to the sloped front end vs the flying brick shape of the Durango. I did send a letter as Rucklass(sp) suggested and got a response saying "Too Bad for you" from Chrysler. Was worth the effort though. Am going today to check out the trailer hitch I've ordered from Mopar. I don't want a bolted on look and don't want to see any of the hitch besides the 2" receiver. Have enjoyed reading this site since purchasing back in May. Thanks for keeping this site alive!
I was using the cheepest stuff money can buy (87?) I was saving my money for those $20 hamburgers Mickey serves! Oh yea, We also spent a day at Daytona and snapped some cool digital pics of the beast on the beach.
I'd like to echo again that the Pacifica is the most comfortable car for long drives. As a passenger I feel like I have the room of a first class seat but even better with leather and personalized climate control blowing directly on me. As a driver I feel safe, the lumbar support fully inflated does wonders for the back after hours on the road. We absolutely love the factory DVD system, the sound is incredible and it keeps our kids silent with the wireless headphones, we actually had to remind them to give us enough warning about needing to stop at rest areas to use the bathroom. Thank goodness for blue rest area signs, somehow those would catch their eye even with the movie going and they would let us know to pull over.
The Celine Machine keeps rolling.
BTW, I stopped by the dealer yesterday afternoon and being the last day of the month it was jumping, they had moved 4 Pacificas that day. They were of the ad and deep discount variety but at least they are moving some of their older units off the lot.
AUBURN HILLS -- The Chrysler Pacifica, the upscale crossover wagon that hit showrooms earlier this year, is showing signs of life after a slow start.
Chrysler will report today that it sold about 5,000 Pacificas in June, or about twice May sales of 2,471.
"We are going to double our May sales," said Jan Zverina, Chrysler spokesman.
The Pacifica -- designed as an alternative to both dowdy minivans and gas-guzzling SUVs -- is critical to Chrysler, which must earn $1 billion in the second half of the year just to break even in 2003.
Though the Pacifica earned praise for its stylish design, interior comfort and innovative features, some potential customers have balked at the price and lease rates.
Well-equipped models can cost more than $40,000. Some less-equipped versions -- starting at about $31,000 -- have reached dealer lots.
Chrysler expects to get a sales boost later this summer when it introduces stripped-down version of the Pacifica that will retail for less than $30,000.
The automaker needs to sell about 8,000 Pacificas per month on average to reach its goal of selling 60,000 Pacificas this year and 100,000 per year thereafter.
"It was slow starting but all of a sudden it seems to be catching on," said Jerry Bowman, a dealer in Asheboro, N.C.
Gogoreagan, what type of car has your wife shown interest in? My Pacifica replaced my '91 Eagle Talon, but my wife, who drives a '96 Infiniti I30T, fought me most of the way. She didn't want me driving a "station wagon". As soon as I saw pictures of the Pacifica from the 2002 auto shows, I knew it would be my next car, but to satisfy my better half we checked out all the competition. See if you can get your dealer to let you borrow an owner's manual overnight. Get to know it well and then take your wife in to see a fully loaded Pacifica (you may have to promise her a trip to Nordstrom's). Make sure it has a color your wife likes (the available colors each make the Pacifica look different). Once she experiences the interior, any other vehicle (except maybe the Lexus RX330) just won't match up. Also, don't forget the five star safety ratings. My wife now likes Pacifica and says we made the right choice (she really means it). Every one of her friends that she complained to about "my husband wants to buy a green [Satin Jade] wagon" who have seen the Pacifica ask her, "How could you not like it?". My best friend's wife is handicaped and gets around only in a walker or an electric scooter. For the past three years she has only traveled in a Chevy pickup since it took the least amount of help getting in and out of. Last night we took her for a ride and she was able to go directly from her scooter into and out of her second row seat without any assistance! My wife's mother and father are in their late eighties and have difficulty getting into the back seat of my wife's Infiniti. The ease of entry into the second row of the Pacifica was one of the factors that influenced my choice. My in-laws are now able to get in and out as smooth as silk.
Let's hope the numbers are accurate. It's good to see positive increases in the sales. Keep in mind the goal is to sell 100k a year, from my research compares to the number of S-Class Mercedes produced in a year and compares to PT cruiser production at 350k units per year now.
I saw the earlier post by someone trying to predict out how to create a stripped-down version of the Pacifica to price at retail less than 30k. I'd be interested to know if anyone knows of DCX's plans, if they've leaked out yet somewhere. I wonder if they will have any different body treatments or badging to indicate them as such, much like other car lines you can tell what model level one is. I'm almost thinking now that it was good that we picked one up fully loaded early on as if they won't be producing as many of the fully loaded ones that at least we were able to get one that had everything and more than we were originally looking at getting.
I agree with Charlee (post 941) that looking at a fully loaded one in a color the person will like might make all the difference in the world. Our first look was at the Satin Jade color but the car we were replacing was a green color. My wife had mentioned she liked the wedgewood blue color in the Fords or darker. I took her to look at a midnight blue Pacifica, fully loaded except for Nav system and dealer let us take it for the day. Put 60 miles on it and was sold.
I sat in the 3rd row of a Pilot yesterday while my Honda was being serviced. Although the Pilot has seat belts for 8 it certainly isn't for 8 adults. The third row did have more headroom than the Pacifica but felt my knees were at my chin, something that doesn't occur in the Pacifica 3rd row. As far as plushness goes, the Pacifica kills the Pilot. Also, in the Pilot I felt like I was sitting in a cramped mini SUV. If maximum seating is a goal that would beat the Pacifica. All other aspects I'd say the Pacifica beats the Pilot hands down.
I just noticed your outrageous message. "The Pacifica screams wagon/minivan". This is not true. For one, it doesn't look a bit like a minivan due to no sliding doors. And it is too tall to be a wagon. It has equal ground clearance to a minivan but more than a wagon. So you kind of put the two together. It can't be a wagon because of ground clearance and can't be a minivan because of the lack of sliding doors. I HATE the term crossover and wish people could simply call this and others car-based SUVS. I also think the upcoming Cadillac SRX is undoubtedly an SUV.
We passed a truckload of Cadillac SRX's recently and they aren't even at local dealerships yet. It appears to be the exact same size and height as the Pacifica. I haven't seen comparative specs to know for sure since the only place to investigate it is on Cadillac's website. And people posting here think the Pacifica pricing was high for what you got, go take a look at the pricing of the SRX. V6 base MSRP of $36,680 and a V8 base MSRP of $46,995, and the options aren't even comparably priced to the options on the Pacifica. I'm glad the wife wasn't waiting for one of those. Outrageously priced for the Cadillac but with Escalade sales doing well perhaps they feel people will pay a premium for their entry into the "car-based SUV" market.
Comments
I highly recommend getting the dark jade/light toupe interior. It results in the classiest interior you'll ever see in a car costing less than $75,000. The smoothness and comfort of the ride is exceptional. The only vehicle that I can picture feeling safer in is a Hummer.
My only glitch was an analog clock that registered more than two hours for every hour that passed. My dealer easily replaced it (Chrysler hdq. was really surprised and wanted to examine it). My Pacifica is rock solid and seems to get better as each week goes by. It has provided me with one of the few experiences in my life where the anticipation was not greater than the actual event. My "joy level" constantly grows instead of the usual decline.
I've have added only two accessories. The first was a grey rubber mat from my auto parts store that I cut to size to cover the folded third row seats when I need to transport items like plants. It rolls up and fits snuggly into the rear cargo compartment. The other is a chrome slant exhaust tip (#PM552) from stylinconcepts.com. It looks great and with shipping will set you back $37.90 (This includes $12.95 for shipping, which is over two times what it costs them. Don't you hate that?)
The view to the rear is marginal on the Pacifica. But if you set your side mirrors so that they cover what the rear view mirror doesn't (very little overlap), you get full visual coverage. I set up the driver's seat so that it is in the full down position for me and the full up position for my wife. This way the tilt of the steering wheel does not have to be adjusted when drivers are changed (Isn't it great to have all the adjustments occur when you press your remote key?) The lever for the tilt steering wheel is something Chrysler should change. It works OK, but one of my first impressions of the Pacifica was reaching to adjust the steering wheel and the lever had so much slop in it that quality questions immediately came into my mind. Fortunately, that is the only part of the car that I haven't found to be first rate.
If everyone owned a Pacifica, they would all be happy and it would be a perfect world.
2004 of course. 1699.
2. MPG & Driving habits.
Avg is 15.91 mpg. I live/work/some shopping all in the same city. My commute to work is 6 miles, so it's getting a lot of stop & go driving.
3. Any additional accessories & mods?
I added the MOPAR accessories of satellite radio, cargo net (because I didn't want the entire cargo convenience group), and the official Pacifica sunshade. No other mods.
4. Maintenance issues to date.
I'm hearing a slight rattle coming from the sunroof area, but I haven't taken it in for a checkout. Have not had it serviced at a dealer yet.
5. Any interesting trips or cargo experiences?
First major road trip will be in July (St. Louis to Madison GA via Chattanooga and Nashville TN).
6. Overall impressions pro/cons of your vehicle; any changes in that since you first purchase?
All pros. I had high expectations and I was not disappointed. I wanted a Pacifica for the roominess without Minivan/SUV styling like a box, styling (Chrysler designs kick butt!), safety features, luxury feel, and car-based handling/driving. Everyone that's ridden in it thinks it's divine!
Sorry... I feel better now.
Paul
Waiting for the LX, Indy.
I had been told that the Murano was $50k (Canadian) and had also been told that the Pacifica was $52k Canadian.
MSRP here: Murano, $39k - $52k.
Pacifica: $43k - $55k or so.
I drove the Murano when I discovered it was only a bit more expensive than the Pathfinder. I love it!
Today I drove the Pacifica when I learned that it's only a bit more than the Murano. I like it even more than the Murano, and for me, these are the only two vehicles in this PRECISE segment (not boxy, trucky, but AWD, sporty, and comfy).
So, now... it seems that (since Pacifica hit Canada about 3 weeks ago) prices may drop here, if they have done so in the US. If Pacifica drops to Murano price range, I just may get one.
In both cases, this is their first release, and my mechanic advises against anything in its first year, but come September, I have to get something to drive.
If you like Pacifica, there's a good chance you'd like Murano, for much the same reasons.
Bottom line: if this vehicle fails, I predict MB will dump Chrysler.
Chrysler 3.5L is a great engine. No need for MB engine there.
Drove home fom the shore today with my 2 kids happily ensconced in the 2nd row, no "he's touching me", "she's crossing the line". With their rear-seat headphones and a DVD playing, I relished the calm and enjoyed my favorite FM radio station (no problems with reception!) in total peace.
It was probably the most blissful ride with my kids in tow since they were born.
Best Regards,
Shipo
We took a drive yesterday to Seattle, logged 400 miles of comfort in driving to and from. Product performance is going to be key to me now, especially since I've never owned a Chrysler and this is a new product line. I'm over what I paid for the car but all of you out there thinking about buying all I can say is either wait longer or make sure you bargain the dealership down even further than their ad because they'll probably do it to move it.
I'd certainly buy one fully loaded with rear DVD and navigation for $34,000 which is the price of one of them with the $7,145 discount. There isn't another car out there so well appointed for the price.
5.9 inches is "lots"? I'm sorry, the Pacifica screams wagon/minivan. Don't worry, that's still a crossover, just not with an SUV.
Vehicles with similar ground clearance - Town and Country/5.7 Grand Caravan/5.6 Toyota Sienna/5.9 Honda Odyssey/4.3 Ford Windstar/8.7 Mazda MPV/5.3
Again, I'm not saying I don't like it, I do. But, it isn't even close to being an SUV.
1st month: 16.7 MPG
2nd month: 18.9 MPG
Worst mileage: 15.2 on 1st tank
Best mileage: 22.2 on 431 mile run from Cincinnati to Buffalo on 6/29. Made it on 1 tank with 3 gallons left!
I've only got 420 miles on mine. I do a mix of local/highway driving (mostly local though), and was pleasantly surprised that my first tank of gas gave me 16.7 mpg.
I figure if I end up averaging 20 over the long haul I'll just about equal the mpg of the car I replaced, a 1990 Volvo 740GLE wagon.
I really like the larger gas tank (Volvo only carried 15 gal)...less time between fill-ups.
Yes, b25nut, I am in the same "mode" as you. I love the Murano, but the steering wheel (size), the interior finishing, and the ride of the Pacifica are superior.
I don't need high ground clearance or off-roading (I'd get another Pathfinder if I did). I need to stay ON the road, which is why I want to move away from the box-on-wheels.
I got stuck in mud here in my rear-traction Cressida (very low), but Pacifica is front or all-wheel drive and high enough for what I have to deal with.
It doesn't matter to me what anyone calls anything, and I suppose they'll have to come up with new names for these new types of vehicles.
I drove a Rendez-Vous today (Buick, is that the right name?). Yeech. The pattern on the seat cloth is designed to match the baby's room wallpaper (or is it a Pampers pattern?), and the column shift reeked of "middle-class, middle-aged".
Can you say "boring"?
The ride was comfy, though, and that I do want. It was simply too "mini-van".
Off to drive the Pacifica again at the dealer.
I have been eyeing the Pacifica for a month now and think that it is both stylish on the interior and exterior. I decided to take my wife for a quick look at the dealership and she hated the looks. She thinks that it looks like a squooshed minivan. She would not even get out of the car to see the interior. Needless to say, I was very annoyed. But since this next car is for her, she obviously has the final say.
Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I can tell my wife to overcome her emotions as to the Pacifica being ugly? I would love to join you all as Pacifica owners, but have this major hurdle in front of me. HELP!!
as far as Murano comparison: I found the Murano a nice looking car on the exterior and LOVED the paint color choices (unlike the Pacifica) but test drive the thing and the buttons are all in screwy locations (who designed the interior ??) plus the DVD screen is on the back of the center console (can you say kicked and broken sometime soon) ... the sales guy met me and offered Invoice out of the box on the Murano (no haggling there).. plus the rear window rake is extreme enough to limit the size of dog cage I can carry in the back ... so off the list it went...
Glad to see this board has livened up ... should reach post # 1,000 soon!
And since I paid $ 20,000 less than the price of a Pacifica I can buy about 11,000 gallons of gas with the money I saved !
That means I can drive over 253,000 miles with my gas savings alone!
And I can still carry 7 people around with me and tow about 3500 lbs of trailer.
Thanks Kia !
Thanks Yugo!
:-)
The Celine Machine keeps rolling.
BTW, I stopped by the dealer yesterday afternoon and being the last day of the month it was jumping, they had moved 4 Pacificas that day. They were of the ad and deep discount variety but at least they are moving some of their older units off the lot.
Its also just plain fun to drive...I haven't even let my husband take the wheel because I don't want to give it up!
Detroit News Online
AUBURN HILLS -- The Chrysler Pacifica, the upscale crossover wagon that hit showrooms earlier this year, is showing signs of life after a slow start.
Chrysler will report today that it sold about 5,000 Pacificas in June, or about twice May sales of 2,471.
"We are going to double our May sales," said Jan Zverina, Chrysler spokesman.
The Pacifica -- designed as an alternative to both dowdy minivans and gas-guzzling SUVs -- is critical to Chrysler, which must earn $1 billion in the second half of the year just to break even in 2003.
Though the Pacifica earned praise for its stylish design, interior comfort and innovative features, some potential customers have balked at the price and lease rates.
Well-equipped models can cost more than $40,000. Some less-equipped versions -- starting at about $31,000 -- have reached dealer lots.
Chrysler expects to get a sales boost later this summer when it introduces stripped-down version of the Pacifica that will retail for less than $30,000.
The automaker needs to sell about 8,000 Pacificas per month on average to reach its goal of selling 60,000 Pacificas this year and 100,000 per year thereafter.
"It was slow starting but all of a sudden it seems to be catching on," said Jerry Bowman, a dealer in Asheboro, N.C.
See if you can get your dealer to let you borrow an owner's manual overnight. Get to know it well and then take your wife in to see a fully loaded Pacifica (you may have to promise her a trip to Nordstrom's). Make sure it has a color your wife likes (the available colors each make the Pacifica look different). Once she experiences the interior, any other vehicle (except maybe the Lexus RX330) just won't match up. Also, don't forget the five star safety ratings. My wife now likes Pacifica and says we made the right choice (she really means it). Every one of her friends that she complained to about "my husband wants to buy a green [Satin Jade] wagon" who have seen the Pacifica ask her, "How could you not like it?".
My best friend's wife is handicaped and gets around only in a walker or an electric scooter. For the past three years she has only traveled in a Chevy pickup since it took the least amount of help getting in and out of. Last night we took her for a ride and she was able to go directly from her scooter into and out of her second row seat without any assistance! My wife's mother and father are in their late eighties and have difficulty getting into the back seat of my wife's Infiniti. The ease of entry into the second row of the Pacifica was one of the factors that influenced my choice. My in-laws are now able to get in and out as smooth as silk.
I saw the earlier post by someone trying to predict out how to create a stripped-down version of the Pacifica to price at retail less than 30k. I'd be interested to know if anyone knows of DCX's plans, if they've leaked out yet somewhere. I wonder if they will have any different body treatments or badging to indicate them as such, much like other car lines you can tell what model level one is. I'm almost thinking now that it was good that we picked one up fully loaded early on as if they won't be producing as many of the fully loaded ones that at least we were able to get one that had everything and more than we were originally looking at getting.
I agree with Charlee (post 941) that looking at a fully loaded one in a color the person will like might make all the difference in the world. Our first look was at the Satin Jade color but the car we were replacing was a green color. My wife had mentioned she liked the wedgewood blue color in the Fords or darker. I took her to look at a midnight blue Pacifica, fully loaded except for Nav system and dealer let us take it for the day. Put 60 miles on it and was sold.
I sat in the 3rd row of a Pilot yesterday while my Honda was being serviced. Although the Pilot has seat belts for 8 it certainly isn't for 8 adults. The third row did have more headroom than the Pacifica but felt my knees were at my chin, something that doesn't occur in the Pacifica 3rd row. As far as plushness goes, the Pacifica kills the Pilot. Also, in the Pilot I felt like I was sitting in a cramped mini SUV. If maximum seating is a goal that would beat the Pacifica. All other aspects I'd say the Pacifica beats the Pilot hands down.