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Chrysler Town and Country EX/LX/LXi/Limited
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Howard
--rolfe.
So far no wind noise so we must have the new roof racks. When we test drove an LX the noise was so bad that we pulled over on the highway to check all the windows and doors. :-)
Looking forward to reading more!
I test drove both versions of the T&C Limited this weekend. On a steady uphill road I distinctly noticed the 2100rpm sound with the AWD; not with the FWD. My wife heard the same sounds sitting in a middle seat. Outside temperature was about 65F. I'm still on the fence about which to order. Will the vibration cause more problem down the road? I may opt for snow tires in the winter if I go with the FWD. My other concern is the towing package; something I will not need. All the Limiteds on the lot had this option. I will purchase some version of the Limited within the next several weeks. Any thoughts are appreciated.
Does anyone know how much the factory/dealer running boards are?
I just noticed that if I push/release the brake pedal whicle the T&C is in Park, that I get a loud clicking noise in the steering column. I believe that this is the brake pedal/Shift interlock preventing me from shifting out of park when the brake is not pressed.
I suddenly noticed this noise today and wonder if anyone else has this noise. It could be that I always have the radio/Ac on or something. It's pretty loud however and I think it just started.
gatogonow... Running boards are $512.00 not including installation.
After 4,000 miles on good roads and expressways the lower fender area behind the rear tires has taken a beating. Several rock pits and unremovable stains have appeared. My Villager with 107,000 miles has less damage.
After installing plain and simple, large mud flaps, no more damage has been observed. And, it takes much less labor to wash the van now.
Which dealer did you go to? I live in San Diego and wonder if flying up to S.F. Is worth it. Do you have the dealer's number?
Gave my first offer at a Connecticut dealership tonight. For a Limited FWD: invoice + destination + taxes. After several trips to the "man behind the curtain", the saleman's best offer was $625 over mine; $525 for "advertising costs" and $100 for who knows. I promptly walked out and will try another dealer tomorrow. To be continued...
1) You may be able to do as well at a dealership in your area. See my post under Haggling Styles.
2) Keep in mind that the deal was $2900 in rebates ($2000 car, $500 owner loyalty - now expired, $400 college grad) and $5100 dealer discount. Also keep in mind that there were special circumstances, including timing and a trade-in, so the dealer may not be willing to duplicate that deal.
With that caveat, here is the dealer: www.faloresunnyvale.com, ask for Alex (who is one of the best car salespeople I've worked with -- knows the product, knows the inventory, and puts in the extra effort before *and* after the sale). Note that the "specials" section on their web site is totally out of date, but the contact info and new vehicle inventory are current.
I also recommend: www.1800anderson.com. Ask for Ebi. I think I could have gotten close to the same deal there (they offered $4100 dealer discount) but I didn't push because the only FWD Limited they had with the options I wanted was in a color my wife vetoed. Too bad -- they are both friendly and straightforward in their dealings (I bought my other car from them 2 years ago). You won't find "ADM" stickers on their cars; and they consistently advertise the lowest prices.
Which is better? Depends. I like the full bench because it shifts forward, allowing more room for cargo in the back, giving up rear seat leg room that is basically unused by my kids. As I have 4 kids I see no value in the split bench. If you have 3, and plan to stay at 3, then there are two possible useful configurations: 1) Two kids in the middle row, one in the back, remove one half of the splitbench and use the space for cargo, or 2) Two kids in full bench in back, with seat shifted forward, one kid in a 2nd row captain's chair, remove the other captain's chair and use the space for cargo and/or improved access to the rear seat. I did (2) when we had 3 kids and the easier access to the rear seat was a real boon.
As an aside, the middle position is uncomfortable no matter which bench you choose, but it is slightly better with the full bench. OTOH, the split bench is much easier to remove, hence its popularity.
Jen
Otherwise, you should absolutely pay the $70 or so to have a diagnostic shop or mechanic look over the minivan. Even if they find nothing wrong with the minivan, set aside $2500 for the probable upcoming transmission repair.
Finally, ask if the owner has all maintenance records. You should be able to determine if the extra miles are truly "mostly highway" by the intervals between repairs. Brakes and tires, for example, wear less per mile for highway driving than city driving, so should last longer (at least 50k miles).
I wonder if anyone has comments on the floor mats. Our LXI came standard with carpeted floor mats. However, I've always been perplexed at why any car would put carpet over carpet. It just doesn't make sense. Carpets get dirty very quickly, even in summer. I also observed that the carpeted floor mats seemed rather thin and flimsy (rather odd, considering all the luxurious amenities in this vehicle). I had already put down a throw rug from the house that fits perfectly in the space directly behind the driver's seat where I had removed the captain's chair. It fits nice and protects the carpet from the kids getting in and out of the vehicle. However, I decided to order a full set of rubber mats. It cost $125 but I was pleasantly surprised at the heft and perfect fit. The driver's side has the nice floor nobs to lock the mat in place so it doesn't slide around and the mat covers all surfaces you would normally put your foot on. Call me crazy but I actually think the rubber mats look better than the carpeted mats and they will be infinitely easier to clean. For some reason the rear set of mats is on back order so I haven't put in the entire set yet, but it looks as though the rubber mats afford more coverage as well. They will be great in the winter. I hate to see that nice van get full of slush. The rubber mats should at least minimize the damage.
We're getting ready to turn 1,000 miles and we are really loving this car. Oh incidentally, if anyone is wondering about how the A/C affects the mileage, we had it on for one half of an 160 mile trip and it seemed to lower the MPG from 24 to about 21. We averaged 22.5 for the whole trip with the AC off on the return. I love the trip computer and the outside temp and compass are great as well. Nice to not have a garage door opener hanging off the visor too!
Crysler minivans have a terrible reputataion for holding their resale value. Maybe try to find a Dodge Caravan or Voyager instead of a Town and Country. They should be cheaper. This bad resale value reputation should help you. Look for something which was leased by the previous owner.
Invoice price on a new 2001 base caravan (4 cyl) is about 18K. With a 2000 rebate you are around 16K. This is pretty close to your range. It's not as nice as the T&C you are looking at, but it would be new.
You might mention in your negotiation that there are numerous sites on the web selling this for less than $1200, and in most cases you would pay no sales tax, only delivery.
The problem with actually ordering the TV/VCP from one of these sites is installing it. If you don't have a Chrylser dealer install it your warranty won't cover installation-related problems. If you're willing to take that risk, you can employ a contract installer. Many department stores that sell car audio do not do installations themselves, but instead have lists of recommended installers -- these lists are one way you could find such an installer.
Steve
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Years ago I purchased a torque wrench. They cost as little as $20. After I drove the car home, I loosened the wheel nuts, then re-torqued the nuts to their proper values. The car does not have to be jacked up. Since then, I've had no warped rotor problems. A bonus - when you have a flat on that "dark and stormy night" the wheel nuts will readily come off.
I have put a deposit down on a Used 2000 LXI with 10,000 miles on it. The dealer "picked it up at auction" I have great trepidation about buying another unreliable Chyrsler product since my Jeep Grand Cherokee has been dying a slow death but the T&C fits my dog/kid needs. Net net, we are at $24,000 plus "dealer cost" for 100,000 mile warranty ($1900) and a sunroof ($?). I am getting $4000 trade in on my 93 Grand Cherokee Laredo with dead a/c. Thank you!!!!
coming from out of the US and not having credit history I was searching car dealers today for cheapos (below $5000). I got this dealer offering me a '96 T&C with 98500 miles for $4500. The A/C is broken, but else he says it is OK and it looks good. This is too good a deal to be true, what can be the catch? It seems that transmissions can be a problem, is there a easy way to tell?
Thanks for the help!
Has anyone ever seen one in Steel Blue. That would have been my first choice, but I don't know if they exist.
Cgaydos:I called three times for Alex and he was never in. I left a message and he did not call back. Just as well, it was going to be a long drive anyhow. Thanks, though.
2. On the chirp, suggest you check if the car was in the recent recall. Mine was. (Oh ... and make sure the recall repair was performed BEFORE you drove off -- mine wasn't and the problem is severe enough to require towing the car to the dealership.) After the recall work was performed it ran well for 2000 miles then excessive crackle-pop noises started over bumps, when accelerating from stop and when braking. Took it to the dealer during the day and had the sales manager ride w/ me to make sure HE heard it. Turned out that (apparently) the recall work had caused debris on the strut, and the cleanup attempt dried the strut lubrication. 500 miles later, no sign of reoccurance.
3. The "Pep boys" beeper is a pain, but probably is a safety requirement. You can avoid it, obviously, by opening manually.
4. My first choice was Steel Blue, but I got outvoted for Champagne. In retrospect the Blue in Steel Blue is SOOOO subtle that it looks almost Silver, and we've had silver cars in the past.
5. When I go back to the dealership (hope it doesn't happen soon) I'll check on Alex.
Have you checked with your dealer about the Mopar Video System which comes with a 6.4" screen, VCP housed in floor console and two wireless headphones? We have it in our T&C LTD and are very happy with it. I personally think it's A/V qualities are better than comparable systems from Audiovox or Rosen. Most importantly, it doesn't affect your new vehicle warranty since it's a dealer inatalled Chrysler product and is color-keyed to your interior. You should be be able to do better than the Audiovox on price as well; Chrysler web site lists it at $1400 MSRP + installation.
Cgaydos:I tried moving the roof rack crossbars, but only once and only all the way forward and rearword. I'll play with it. The squeak seems to be clearly from inside the van, not the suspension, but I'll call and make sure there are no open recalls.
Anyone:Has anyone actually SEEN steel blue on Limited????????
Looks to me like there's both a $500 and $2,000 dealer cash incentive going on, not to mention a cash/apr combo deal.
Steve
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Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
You may want to check out some of the leasing topics over in Smart Shopper.
Steve
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Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Cgaydos:My 01 300m is steel blue and I would like to have seen a LTD in that color prior to opting for Green, but there wasn't one in San Diego county.
Regarding the Walt Disney rear hatch beeper, I'm going to figure out a way and I'll post it here.
This was at the end of March. In my case the dealer had no reason to lie about dealer cash being tied to a quota. He offerred me the cash without my knowing that it existed. He used it to get me to buy something from his lot instead of placing an order.
You could call Chrysler customer service. I don't have the number handy, but I've called them twice with rebate questions and there was very little hold time and polite, quick answers. The number was somewhat hard to find on their website.
March has $1500 cash back and $1000 Dealer cash. April raised the $1500 to $2000, and added a $500 owner loyalty thing. May seems to have $500 dealer cash, but the owner loyalty rebate went away sometime in April.
So, has anyone been able to get more than $2500 off? It's starting to look like DC is always offering $2500 in some way or another. If so, future buyers should be on the lookout for the various plans and make sure they get their $2500.
Something to consider if you are in the market.
I got the $1500 + $1000 dealer cash at the end of March.
I was interested in the trailer towing option. However this dealer did not have one on the lot. They insisted that if I never tow a trailer (which I do not intend to); the option provides absolutely no benefit. The additional cooling does not "kick in" unless 3,500 pounds or more are either pulled or loaded in the van. Several posters to this site indicated that there is a benefit even if you do not tow a trailer. Now I'm not sure who is right.
On the dealer $500 rebate... dealer 1 last week said it was still in effect. Dealer 2 today insisted that the rebate expired last month and no longer applies.