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Chrysler Town and Country EX/LX/LXi/Limited

Mustang10Mustang10 Member Posts: 5
edited August 2014 in Chrysler
I heard that Chrysler was going to make another
model for the T&C. I also heard the sticker is a
whopping $34K!!!!!!! So does anyone know what
makes the Limited any different than a LXI?

Also what is the difference between a LXi and a LX
other than Leather, seat heaters and power
passenger seat? Thanks!!!
«13456741

Comments

  • MWRMWR Member Posts: 1
    Dustin, I sat in a 1999 Limited yesterday. It was $1650 more than a 1998 LXi. The Limited has chrome alloy wheels, chrome door handles, roof rack is same color as the body, thicker carpet and sound insulation, better perforated leather seats, suede seat trim and the seat heaters are standard instead of a $250 option. Assuming you want the heated seats, it didn't seem worth $1400 more and no $1000 rebate to get a 1999 model.

    The 1998 LXi has many standard features that you have to pay extra as options on LX. They include: Cast aluminum wheels instead of hubcaps, full size spare, load leveling suspension, CD player and 6 more speakers, 8-way power driver seat, leather seats, roof rack, sunscreen glass, programmable garage door opener, bigger battery, rear air and heat w/intermediate controls, and a big 3.8 liter engine instead of 3.3 liter.

    LXI also has features you can't get at all on LX such as: heated front seats, 8-way power passenger seat, automatic day/night mirrors, rear reading lamps and a tow package option.

    If you want most of these options, it's cheaper to get the LXi than get an LX and dress it up. If you only want 1 or 2 of these options, go for the LX if you can find one with just the options you want.
  • JakeSpoonJakeSpoon Member Posts: 1
    I'm looking at the Town & Country Limited and the dealership is not very willing to deal. Has anyone gotten a good deal on the Limited? Thanks.
  • wayne9wayne9 Member Posts: 1
    The dealer cost should be what Edmund's says, but you need to add advertising fees.

    A good price varies with region. I got a T&C LXi AWD at invoice price. In retrospect, I'm sure the dealer wishes he held out for more. He tried to weasel out of it, but when I took my complaints to "strategic" places, he informed me that it was just a misunderstanding, and he planned to give it to me at that price all along.

    In Northern California, there are no more like mine. The Limited is the only way to go. I got a color my wife wanted and the integrated child seats, so the Limited was out.

    I can't speak for the Chrysler market across the country, but by father in NY got a Concorde at invoice.

    My dealer did tell me that his one remaining 98 T&C LXi AWD wouldn't go for less than $1000 over invoice. That may be true if it's the last in the area. It doesn't mean anything for the Limited. A good price is still what Edmund's says, but preferably cheaper on one with this much margin, and a large holdback.
  • jcvjcv Member Posts: 2
    Purchased Limited 2 weeks ago--only two on the lot of dealer. $500 above invoice--$31,300. Had negotiated 98 lxi $2000 under invoice, could not find one in taupe. There seemed to be a big supply of 98s 2weeks ago--limited color selection. On lot of 35, only 2 had AWDs. I am in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. I sense I could have got a AWD for $2k under invoice too. 2 weeks ago there was a loyalty rebate too. Heard radio commericial for 2k under invoice last week though.

    I had narrowed my choice between Sienna and Town and Country--could not get Sienna a color or price I wanted.

    With a family of 5, the Town and Country has more room, and pushing the 2nd row captain chair forward makes access to roomy 3rd seat made the Town and Country the better choice.

    The accessories in the Limited are impressive--more than Sienna and with better location. Ride in Town and Country is excellent.

    Only 150 miles so far and very happy--my first American made car in 20 years. When I test road Town and Country and Sienna, the Town and Country seemed to offer more quality and workmanship. When I bought a Toyota Previa 9 years ago--still have it, the Toyota seemed to offer better quality and workmanship than a Town and Country.

    The Chrysler Vans still have a poor reputation for reliability that I have some concerns me--yet their share of market so big, the reliability problems may be just a result of large market share.

    jcv
  • StrategoStratego Member Posts: 29
    Did you remember to get an extended warranty just in case?
  • jcvjcv Member Posts: 2
    Extended warranty cost $1250--and when 36 mos 3y expires the future value of $1250 will $1600. Most of auto consumer recommend against the warranty. Since this is the 3rd year of this model--I am not too worried about the reliability issues.
  • kiwaykiway Member Posts: 2
    jcv

    I bought 99 T&C on 6/29/98. I am very happy with it. I put on 1400 miles and its been great. About the extended warranty, I plan on getting an extended warranty on mine after a year. I can get 7 year 100,000 miles for $6.00/month , $250.00 ded. and can quit anytime I want. This warranty covers everything but normal wear and tare stuff. I would get this warranty even on Honda. (it’s so cheap). I also want to say that there is no substitution on the feeling you get driving T&C. Toyota don’t quite have it yet. Another happy T&C owner.
  • clevacnclevacn Member Posts: 8
    Going to pick up my new 1999 T&C Limited tomorrow! I got it for 30,697 with candy apple red and the tow package. I think this is as good of deal one should expect. Let me know otherwise. Anyway, I decided to lease it for 3 yrs. just incase Dailmer/Chrysler come up with something better or until BMW comes out with a van. Keep you posted on its' reliability.
  • mscomsco Member Posts: 6
    Anyone ever compared the LX-i vs Limited?
    Does Limited runs quieter than LX-i? I heard that Limited has better sound insulation and therefore quieter..
    Test drive an LX at about 40mile/hr and I heard wind noise came in from right sliding door. Was it normal?
    I had a 1992 GrandVoyger and traded for a Ford Bronco while I had only two kids. Now I am a father of three and really miss the space of minivan. I sold the Voyager because of its poor brake performance at turning and rattle after only three years...
    Is it a better time to go back to Chrysler now? Did they improve the van since?
  • StrategoStratego Member Posts: 29
    Much so. The brakes are quite powerful. According to one dealership:
    www.saauto.com/sidemap/future/town-country.html
    the only differences between the LXi and the Limited are:

    - Center armrest rear bench with integrated head
    restraints
    - 15-spoke 16" chrome wheels
    - Steering wheel audio controls
    - Unique IP cluster graphics
    - Body-color cladding and roof rack
    - Leather-trimmed and Preferred Suede® seating
    - Chrome door handles
    - Liftgate Chrysler winged badge
    - Plush 18-oz carpet
    - Unique "Limited" logo floor mats

    The only thing would make the Limited quieter would be the thicker carpet. There might be sound insulation upgrades for '99 model year, I'm not sure. In any case, yes, the Limited should be quiter than an LXi. Test drive one and see for yourself. If you're thinking of an LXi, go for Limited. The seats are much better.
  • teafortwoteafortwo Member Posts: 1
    I took a look at T&Cs at a local dealer last night. We're almost certainly deciding between a high-end Sienna and a T&C.

    They have a 99 Limited with 6,500 miles on it, which is one that "the sales manager & his wife used to demo -- they drove it to Arizona & back on a vacation."

    It's VERY loaded, and price is a little under $30,000. Is this a good deal? I have no idea what instant depreciation would be one of these.
  • mscomsco Member Posts: 6
    I can find a local dealer offering just "a litle" more than $30000.
    I guess your little plus my little is less than $1000 and I will NOT go with a "new" van with 6500miles for that "little" price difference.
  • mscomsco Member Posts: 6
    Just got my 1999 Limited AWD two days ago. So far so good. It produces much more heat in the garage than my big Bronco does. Strange!
    I compared it with Dodge and T&C LX model before making this decision. It is quieter and smoother than its sister brands. Don't ask, I don't know why.
    The AWD version does not pick up as fast as regular 2WD version but it surly handles better with AWD. I am happy with it. Hope you guys won't see my complaint post in a few years.
    For people who are comparing T&C with its siblings, I will be glad to share my experiences/research with you.
    "harry.liu@wdn.com"

    Harry
  • mscomsco Member Posts: 6
    Hi:

    Just got a Chrysler T&C Limited AWD minivan. the first thing I noticed is
    its bad gas mileage. It never goes over 15MPG with city and highway
    combined. This is too high comparing to manufacture's published 16/23.

    is my car normal?
  • clevacnclevacn Member Posts: 8
    msco,

    Well, we finally went on our first mini vacation with our new T&C limited. It rode very nice and of course got alot of looks and complements. It should for 30K. Anyway, I monitored the mileage and I ended up getting around 16.5 mpg. Not too good in my opinion, however, to the van's credit, I was doing 75mph and windy conditions through kansas and oklahoma. I am trying to figure out where the sticker of 23-24 mpg came from as well. Anyone who figures it out, please let me know.
  • cliff_acliff_a Member Posts: 1
    I have an offer from the dealer '99 T&C Limited, already has 12300miles on it he say's 28000$ is this a good deal, or should i go in for a new '98 model.
  • tconsolotconsolo Member Posts: 5
    kiway,

    The warranty you speak of in your last post, would that be the "Warranty Gold" package we hear so much about in here? If not, which is it? Yours sounds to be very affordable, and the ability to quit at anytime sounds great. Can you advise please?
  • fjb1fjb1 Member Posts: 2
    Kiway,

    Yeah, what about that warranty. For those of you who think you don't need it my 93 T&C (118,000 mi.) is on its fourth, count em, fourth transmission. Fortunately, I had the 7/70 warranty and only had to pay for a third of the last one. The 7/70 doesn't exist any more to my knowledge, but that transmission is the same one from what I've read on other topics pertaining to reliability. I wouldn't even be inquiring (I'd be waiting for my Oddessy to come in) but my wife simply loves the T&C. So I guess I'll get an extended warranty, a roadside assistance plan and a good cell phone!
  • mjh32mjh32 Member Posts: 1
    I am going this morning to probably purchase a 99 TC LX/LXI. From what I understand most of the features of the 98 LXI have been dropped into the LX, making room for the new Limited.
    As for the drivetrain probs., I have a 90 Caravan that was customized with the Conversion package.
    It has had 3 major transmission problems. The first two were under warranty (replaced) and the last one was rebuilt by a shade tree mechanic for $750.00. However, I was towing a camper with it up in the Smoky Mts. this last time. And yes, it does have the towing option. However, the new van will never tow anything.
    As to the engine, the 3.3L has been perfect. With 145k miles it hasnt had one major problem yet. Does'nt even burn any oil and has'nt broken down one time.
    I have to admit that the reliability problem postings I have seen on this sight do make me feel somewhat skeptical, I think alot of the Tranny problems come from people who tow with this vehicle and are afraid to tell.
  • jean5jean5 Member Posts: 1
    Are the tranmission problems the same with the
    extended lengths and the shorter version?

    I'm shopping for a new caravan, voyager, or chysler. My only problems with my 89 caravan have been A/C-I'm surprised to see so many problems reported.
  • shuppyshuppy Member Posts: 1
    I have new Candy Apple Red LXi -- Told that it was a 99 but do they make the LXi in 1999.

    We love the car. But Edmunds lists only LX and Limiteds for 99.

    Anyway, I have it but I wish I had known about Edmunds before I bought.

    Herb Phillipson aka shuppy
  • tconsolotconsolo Member Posts: 5
    Do any of you have any experiences with an intermittent rattle in the left side sliding door? I have a '99 T & C Limited. I LOVE it so far, but the rattle, which only shows up intermittently, and only in the left sliding door, is a bit maddening in a vehicle of that price range. Any suggestions???
  • McStravMcStrav Member Posts: 3
    Tconsolo you may want to get the door adjusted. The sliding doors are heavy and they must be aligned perfectly or they will rattle. I have been following these chat lines for a while and there are others reporting the same problem and not only with the Chrysler products. The adjustment seems to cure the problem.

    You may also want to see if any of the moldings on the outside or inside seem loose. It could also be that the window is not properly sealed.

    Hopefully others with similar experience will add to this. You may also want to ask this question in Topic # 20 (Which Minivan is best). Good Luck!
  • gullygully Member Posts: 2
    I had what could be described as a rattle @ the door which actually was cured by spray silicone lube on the gasket areas. It was actually just the rub of new gasket against new clean painted surface.
  • tconsolotconsolo Member Posts: 5
    Gully and McStrav,

    Thanks a bunch for your replies. Both are good suggestions and I am willing to try them both at this point. Thanks again!
  • clevacnclevacn Member Posts: 8
    Just reporting my 3500 mile commentary. My 1999 Town and Country limited is still going strong. I did have a perplexing situation though, the drivers side window on a rare occasion will not roll down. If you wait a few seconds and try again, it comes down. Of course the dealer says the windows are tight and that it just needs to work loose-ha! Anyway, anyone have this occurence? Happy to say the vehicle still runs w/o a glitch and looks great.
  • Mustang10Mustang10 Member Posts: 5
    My boss's wife has a 98 T&C LXI. He said it had 15K miles and the only reason it went back to the shop was becuase some hit and damaged his side mirror. So far, his wife is very pleased with the van.

    Just another persons thought I would like to share.
  • andisandis Member Posts: 2
    We looked at the Limited in August (as well as LX & LX-i) & it was a gorgeous vehicle. Definitely noticably different from LX, and also felt a little quieter than LX-i.

    After much discussion w/my wife, we ended up getting a 96 LX-i lease turn in w/29k miles. We got the extended warranty as a precaution. No major blow ups (made sure the tranny fluid & filter were replaced before buying it). We must have lucked out because our dealer's svc dept is excellent. They even go so far as to not only drop me off in the am but they also pick me up when svc is done.

    8000 miles & 4 months later we love it (& saving almost $10K vs 99 Limited was also nice).

    - Andi
  • baer1baer1 Member Posts: 1
    Andis, baby I gotta blow my horn here.

    Yeah, but we bought in August and I gotta tell you, my wife looks like, feels like and the leather makes her even smell like, a million bucks!! the limited is the car my wife deserves! and besides how would you ever get the used models if it were not for guys like me??

    check out dem wheels...
    a little elbow grease every Saturday a.m. and they sparkle for the rest of the week... add a little tire black, the kind dat makes 'em look real wet. oh baby...ready to cruise now!! people stop her at lights and and just moving down the road , inquiring about dem wheels.

    15,000 miles and its a cream puff.


    we 'll keep that old Limited.. you now Andrew it just occurred to me why they call them a limited must be did not make too many and a limited amount of folks can have 'em.
  • tconsolotconsolo Member Posts: 5
    baer1,

    I have got to side with you on those wheels. Every time I showed our new Limited to one of the couples in the neighborhood, the wife usually said...ooohh! nice van. The husband inevitibly said...WOW! Nice wheels!!! They were half the reason I wanted the Limited over the LXI. Another factor was the blue luminescent dash over the white on black with orange lighting in the LXI.

    We have had ours for a month. 1,000 miles to date(admittedly not much) but, the van is AWESOME! I love it so far.

    Can you tell me which Tire Black product you use?
  • sakimballsakimball Member Posts: 5
    We've only seen a white Limited. I was curious about the Champagne color but can't locate a Chrysler vehicle with this paint. We live in a small community. I'm wondering how the champagne exterior looks with the taupe interior. I noticed that Chrysler is not producing any green Limiteds. What ARE the popular colors of choice on this vehicle?
  • tconsolotconsolo Member Posts: 5
    Sakimball,

    The available colors on the '99 T & C Limiteds are: 1) Candy Apple Red(About a $200 "option"), 2) Deep Slate Pearl Coat(A dark grey), 3) Taupe Frost Pearl Coat(A medium grey) and finally 4) Golden White Pearl Tricoat(A beautiful white, but also a $200 option). The ONLY, I repeat ONLY interior color available on these is "Taupe".

    We bought a '99 Limited in the white. We have only had ours about a month and have only accumulated about 1,200 miles, but so far, it is awesome! Recommend the "Limited" for several reasons...The interior displays(guages etc.) are a luminescent blue at night/black on white in the daytime, the wheels are chromed(beautiful!) and the rear bench set can be made to look like two more bucket seats due to the fold down arm rest back there. They all come at a bit of cost(about $2K over the "LXI", but worth it if you are going to keep your vehicle a while. Also, I thought that the Seat Heaters on the Limited would be a gimmick I'd NEVER use...but guess what? They are also awesome, and I have used them way more than I ever thought!

    Best of Luck. Let me know how you make out.
  • clw1clw1 Member Posts: 1
    I have recently ordered a Chrysler T&C LXI but now am thinking of changing to the Limited. However, I am concerned over the suede trim on the interior wearing well with kids. Does anyone have any thoughts?
  • sakimballsakimball Member Posts: 5
    That 'suede' is not really suede. We too are considering the purchase of a Limited and I agree that leather would be easier to clean because you can wipe it clean. We have a Hoover home steam cleaner with upholstery attachments that we use to steam clean the carpets in our '93 Town & Country and I guess we'll be able to clean the fake suede in this fashion.
  • debsigdebsig Member Posts: 1
    I am looking to purchase the 99 T&C in the Pearl White. It looks beautiful. I have queried several independent people who have purchased them in the past year. Coincidentally they bought them at the same dealership. They were pleased with the sales and service. I will be trading in a 93 Explorer XLT. I need the 7 pass. capacity. Plus I think I finally deserve alittle luxury.
    Can anyone give me some sound advise on the AWD or FWD. I am thinking about going for the AWD.
  • aling1aling1 Member Posts: 225
    Definitely go for the AWD. I've driven in about 2 feet of snow without any problems. Besides, it gives piece of mind in the rain especially when you are cornering. Another thing you won't have to worry about in the winter if you have AWD is snow tires/chains.
  • mompilotmompilot Member Posts: 1
    Just signed a two-year lease agreement on the 99 Limited FWD (pearl white) yesterday. Will pick up the van this week. Can't wait!! Decided to lease vs. buy in case Daimhler (sp?) decides to change the style for 2000 or 2001. Got a great deal on a lease. Traded my '93 Taurus Wagon (84,000 mi) and ended up with payments of $350/mo plus tax. Can drive up to 15,000 miles per year.
    If you're thinking about leasing, definitely go to http://www.carwizard.com and purchase the Lease Wizard.
    By the way, rebates and incentives will apply to a lease deal.
  • gailteagailtea Member Posts: 1
    Just went to the PDX auto show. Must say the T&C limited caught my eye. But I keep hearing about Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler transmission problems. Do or could the '99 models have the same? And if so how bad is it?. Any other problems to consider?.
  • jotjot Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone seen the add in USA Today on 2/1/99 that mentioned a silver color for the limited to be introduced in spring of '99. No dealers in eastern MA. know anything about it. The literature I have mentions radio controls on the steering wheel, I have yet to find them. I guess we were lucky our 91 grand LE Voyager lasted 160,000 miles till we dropped a pinion gear. My only problem was exhaust systems which I replaced every two years or twenty four months which ever came first.
  • aling1aling1 Member Posts: 225
    Maybe you haven't found the controls on the steering wheel (assuming you're just looking at the pictures) because they (the buttons) are actually on the back side of the wheel. All there is on the front side of the sterring wheel are the cruise control buttons.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    #0 of 1: In the beginning... (gmarquez) Wed 03 Mar '99 (09:53 PM)

    Are there any Town and Country owners out there
    that are HAPPY with their T & Cs?

    We are very happy with our month-old Town &
    Country Ltd. AWD...but of course, that's not much
    time for stuff to go wrong! 8)))

    When we were looking for a new minivan, we had narrowed our purchase decision down to the Dodge
    Grand Caravan, the Toyota Sienna, and the Honda
    Odyssey. We liked the ride, capacity, and driver
    visibility of the Caravan best, and it was our
    front runner. Our friends were having NO problems
    with their 5 year old Caravan until they hit 70K,
    when they had their transmission replaced under
    extended warranty. WAY too soon in my book, but a
    possibility we thought we could live with.

    On a fluke, we test drove the T & C, hearing that
    it was an "upscale" Grand Caravan. We're very
    glad we did! It was very fun to drive, and our
    "professional passengers" (our baby's Godparents)
    thought that the passenger seating was the best by
    far. The only thing that annoyed me were the
    abundance of what other mini-van owners are
    calling "gee-gaws" and "bells and whistles". 'Who needs them', I thought, but the Town & Country's ride, acceleration, and comfort convinced us.

    After a month, these are the things we like bout
    our T & C (including some of the "gee-gaws"!):

    1. Very nice handling, lots of power, smooth ride,
    and an excellent driver view.

    2. Two sliding doors. One to access the baby's
    car seat, the other to load/unload the adults.

    3. 2nd row "captain's chairs" that flip up for
    easy access to the 3rd row.

    4. A very nice leather interior. This is a first
    for us, and we like it a LOT (even better than
    most of the "luxury" cars we've been in).

    5. VERY comfortable seats for our passengers (2nd
    row 'captains chairs', 3rd row 'bench' seats with
    flip-up center arm rest). So far, the comments
    have ranged from "Wow, this is REALLY nice" on up.

    6. Heated front seats ('bun warmers'). We had
    thought "give me a break, who needs that?", but
    now we love them!

    7. Excellent cargo capacity, even without removing
    seats (our test case includes two bookcases and a
    futon).

    8. Individual overhead lights for each passenger.

    9. Auto-dimming side view and rear view mirrors.
    These worked out great during our trek between
    between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

    10. Small turning radius for such a large vehicle
    (smaller than my Saturn's!)

    11. Ample storage behind the rear bench seat.


    Things we don't like:

    1. Rear window tinting that is a bit too dark for
    backing up at night.

    2. The specter (or reputation) for a weak
    transmission.

    Any other T & C owners care to comment?

    - Grego
  • jeffmaiojeffmaio Member Posts: 6
    Just bought a T & C Limited one week ago & was wondering if anyone has had any tips on cleaning it inside and out. I'm not that crazy about using Armor All on the dash and other vinyl parts. Does anyone have another suggestion?. I had the rug & "seude" fabric guarded but I would be intrested in any tips to clean the "suede" & rug when they do get dirty. The chrome wheels are great but the brake dust does dull the shine, I was thinking of just using wax on the chrome. And finally, I'm investigating clear coat waxes - I'm looking @ Mothers or Gliptone. I bought a product called "Finish enhancer" from mopar which is suppose give you a show room feel after waxing - anyone else try this product?
    Thanks in advance for your help
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    jeffmaio,

    Check out Waxes & Polishes (Topic #8) over in the Maintenance & Repair Conference. It's a very active, and sometimes volatile, discussion, but you'll find tons of info!

    KarenS/Vans host
  • sakimballsakimball Member Posts: 5
    We've had our T & C Limited AWD for several weeks now and we love it. It is our third Chrysler mini-van and second Town & Country. It drives like a dream. We will be purchasing wheel accessories to help with the break dust. These are available after market. Also, we will be purchasing the Zaino products that we learned about on the Waxes & Polishes forum.
  • rockycowrockycow Member Posts: 114
    Don't know if you all have seen the latest on the Chrysler vans, this is from The road and track daily insider 3/3/99.

    MINIVAN AIRBAGS FLAGGED IN CRASH TESTS
    Federal regulators said that during crash tests staged last summer to gather data about the hazards light trucks pose to cars in collisions, a 1997 Dodge minivan air bag deployed with such force that a small female dummy seated on the passenger side suffered neck injuries that safety experts said were the equivalent of a broken neck in a real-life situation, the Wall Street Journal reports.
    Ouch
  • sakimballsakimball Member Posts: 5
    Chrysler has incorporated low-impact airbags into their '99 model minivans.
  • StrategoStratego Member Posts: 29
    What do you use for the brake dust on your wheels? For some reason, the rear wheels on my van are always accumulating lots of brake dust, even though most braking is done with the front brakes, I think. It takes a long time to clean the aluminum wheels ('98 LXi). I tried one wheel cleaner where you spray on and rinse off, but even when I scrubbed it didn't work much better than hot, soapy water.
  • sakimballsakimball Member Posts: 5
    There is an after market product available at your local auto supply store. You remove the wheel and install the disk brake cover. This keeps the brake dust from covering the wheel.
  • rellarella Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking of trading my 94 Grand Cherokee for a Town & Country- I have two kids now and thinks it's time for a van. I love the Town & Country, but wish it had a power sliding door. Does anyone know if Chrysler intends to incorporate that into a 2000 model? I'd be willing to wait a few months on the van for that feature. Thanks.
This discussion has been closed.