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Dodge Caravan/Chrysler Voyager

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Comments

  • staatsofstaatsof Member Posts: 2
    I have now taken two T&C LXI fwd vehicles on test drives (20 miles) and I noticed that upon hard acceleration from a stop while turning that there was a rapid ticking noise coming from the front left of the vehicle. Is this the traction control engaging? Any responses from experienced owners would be greatly appreciated. Other than this it was a great drive and quite a surprise to me that this "bus" as my wife refers to it is so smooth and car like. Considering a Limited with AWD and towing. I haven't been able to source any good specs on how their new lighter and less complicated awd system actual works?
  • inkyinky Member Posts: 370
    OK, smooth and lots of equipment but this limited just in not worth over $36,000. This is not a high resale vehicle and not a particularly reliable one. The low interest financing does not apply to T and C limited only LX. No real complaints. Headliner looked cheap compared to my Lexus RX 300. Will wait for incentives--these vans are piling up because the 00 were so cheap with incentives.
    INKY
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    what vehicle these days is worth the asking price?
  • axle59axle59 Member Posts: 28
    The owners manual on my 2001 LXi says that during hard acceleration you may hear a clicking sound coming from the front wheels. This is the traction control doing it's work. If you heard the clicking sound during normal driving or while turning then that would be an indication of CV joints going bad and thus a reason to worry.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Also remember that if you hear that clicking during hard acceleration that it's the brakes being applied and there for wearing them down and defeating any hard acceleration. If you like hard accel. than turn off the trac. control or wipe out your brakes early.
  • scannerscanner Member Posts: 295
    I heard several loud clunks while waiting at a stop light during a test drive. I powered down the window to get a better listen, and that's when I realized the noise was actually coming from a Honda Odyssey that was backing into a parallel parking space next to me. Has anyone ever had this happen?

    ---

    "Turn off the trac. control." Give us a break!

    If you like hard acceleration, buy a Dodge Viper.
  • staatsofstaatsof Member Posts: 2
    In case you haven't noticed, question asked and answered. I only get one short test drive and I thought it would be prudent to ask knowledgeable OWNERS to verify that this is what is going on. Isn't that what this forum is all about? I suggest that you take your hostility and vent it some place else. Quit being such a major leaguer.
  • axle59axle59 Member Posts: 28
    OK so my T&C doesn't accelerate like a viper but the 3.8 does provide enough motivation to move it along nicely as well as smoke the tire when I stomp on it.(as long as I turn off the traction control of course) :-)
  • scannerscanner Member Posts: 295
    Sorry, message #398 was for the trolling Honda salespeople who like to frequent this topic, and NOT in any way to the two of you.

    On one hand it's always interesting to see some new people who let their feelings be known, but on the other hand it's kind of disturbing to discover that there are people who actually took the play on words in message #398 seriously. :-)

    BTW, I know how a DC minivan can accelerate and how it can smoke the tires because I OWN one. I also own a Dodge Viper.





    ---








    Ok, anyone who took the last sentence about me owning a Dodge Viper seriously, just turn off your computer. ;-)
  • cesarpcesarp Member Posts: 47
    F.Y.I. Chrysler is coming out with a new Hemi V8 (353 C.I.) on the 300N and Dodge Charger.
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    well the dipsticks in Germany have pulled the plug on those two cars. The hemi will be made and first appear in the redesigned Ram. We can only hope it (or any V-8 for that matter) will every appear in a Chrysler or Dodge passenger car. It was also supposed to appear in the redesigned Grand Cherokee making possibly the fastest SUV ever, but that too has been put on indefinate hold by the same dipsticks in Germany.
    Read this if you ever wanted an accounting of exactly why Chryseler is suddenly in the red after so many years of industry leading profit.

    www.car-truck.com/chryed/buzz/b112100.htm

    Pay close attention to how Gremany is pulling money from the Chrysler line to fund it's own projects, it looks like they are pulling a selective Democrat recount ploy.
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    This just actually peeves me more then the whole Florida vote thing. These are 100's of thousands of American jobs we are talking about here, who would have ever thought 20 years ago the US's most financially stable car maker would be put on the ropes buy a foreign make. Not from fair competition, but by a hostile takeover and dismantling
  • enetheneth Member Posts: 285
    "Financially stable" is a term that only applied to Chrysler for a very few years in the later 1990s. In the late 70s, early 80s, and the early-to-mid 90s, it flirted with bankruptcy a few times, having to depend on a 1979 Government bailout to keep it alive.

    This time, presumably, if a bailout is required, it will come from the Federal Republic of Germany, not the USA - since DaimlerChrysler is German by incoporation.

    I'll be interesting to see how D-C reacts to the $9 billion lawsuit filed against it by Kirk Kerkorian - if it has to expend precious resources fighting the lawsuit, that much more will be drained from its focus on the market.
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    Chrysler was finacially stable 20 years ago, just that it was probably the strongest in the US when Dimler took it over. And who would have thought 20 years ago in the height of the cold war that a German company would take over the US's finest only to destroy it in a matter of a couple of years. It would be like predicting Hundai will take over GM in 2020, cancel all models that remotely conflict with it's own lines, drive out all the US leadership, and ultimately force 1000's of our workers to the unemployment lines.
    This is not in a matter of years but months.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Looks like we need to change this topic to the last generation instead ofThe 2001 Next Generation Caravan/T&C
  • enetheneth Member Posts: 285
    Chrysler wasn't financially stable at all 20 years ago - 1979-1982 were some very dark times for the automaker. In fact, it would not have survived that period were it not for the Carter Administration's loan guarantees to Chrysler - the company would have gone bust right then and there (and there was considerable debate about whether or not the U.S. government should bail Chrysler out at all).

    Ironically, 2000-2001 may bring about a similar situation - but this time, it'll be the government of the Federal Republic of Germany that has to do the bailing.

    For all that's new about the 2001 minivans, it's still the same old crisis-Chrysler.
  • cesarpcesarp Member Posts: 47
    Its too bad DC is axing plans to put a Hemi on the 300N and Charger. Bummer, I was looking forward to it since is was coming out with a manual 5-spd as my next car.

    Herd rumors that the new 2001 T&C Limited w/3.5L may have a new 5 spd auto. Anybody herd about this?
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    cesarp,

    the 01 limited will indeed have an upgraded tranny to support the higher horsepressure and torque of the 3.5l, but it won't be a five speed...

    eneth,

    if dc continues to take chrysler's cash reserves and use it to takeover other corps, well then i guess chrysler is back to where it was some 10 years ago. it will be interesting to see this story unfold. especially in the light of recent accusations that daimler is pulling money out of the chrysler group to spend it elsewhere. i guess it is their right, given they now own chrysler. but makes one wonder, doesn't it...
  • handyandyhandyandy Member Posts: 1
    quote for caravan grand 2001 es 3.3lv-6cyl with side arbgs, 1 disc cd ,rf rk, full size spare,leather,traction cntrl.-- including loyalty rebate is$30925.Seems like a lot.$450 chged for advertising.Also Ziebart protection rec. for $499 Anyone able to give me info on? thanks,handyandy
  • indydriverindydriver Member Posts: 620
    less any incentives or special financing. Make them understand that you are ready to buy if they meet YOUR terms. After they agree verbally, ask them to show you the invoice when you sit down to sign your deal. If the ad fee is on the invoice, the dealer paid it so you probably will too. If they won't play ball, thank them and leave a telephone number where they can reach you if they need to sell a van in the next two weeks. In my experience, you can always buy a domestic for no more than invoice unless its a brand new, hot model. Judging from comments above, DC dealers should be highly motivated to move units so even though the 2001 is a new model, I suspect there's a lot of dealing going on. Good luck and remember--time is the most valuable asset in negotiation and you, the buyer, have all the time in the world. The dealer has all the pressure in the world to sell now! And you've got nothing but time....
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    If you scroll up to comments 351 through about 360 or so, you will see how I did the deal on my van. I paid about $600.00 less than invoice price. Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, let me know.

    -Brian
  • indydriverindydriver Member Posts: 620
    I'm also in the Midwest, never used Ziebart and in fact, insist that no dealer add-on undercoating is put on the vehicle. I think the difference is garaging the vehicle because I have seen a lot of rusting early nineties DC's.
  • tdmantdman Member Posts: 4
    We have three boys, 8, 7 & 1, and a vacation house in the mountains, so we needed a 4WD/AWD SUV or minivan that could haul 5 people plus gear in light snow/ice conditions. Big SUV gave us heartburn re highway carnage (to others), global warming, space in the garage, and bad gas mileage, so we were left with a small SUV or a minivan.

    At the end it boiled down to the Acura MDX or the GC AWD. We liked the Acura MDX for style and quality control, but the rear seat is not really a seat at all -- almost no leg room -- and we didn't think that putting three squirmy boys next to each other in the middle row -- even a wide middle row -- on a long trip sounded like a good idea. And even if we shoehorned a boy into the rear seat, he would be isolated back there, with the middle row seat back like a wall between him and everyone else. So that left the 2001 GC AWD.

    Ordered a 2001 GC ES AWD in early October, after comparing the MDX with the GC. Ordered 29S package, trailer prep group, supp. air bags, quads with child seat, power doors and lift gate, roof rack, etc. Had a heck of a time getting the sales manager to confirm a price, but finally in late Oct. got him to commit in writing -- sort of -- to mfg. invoice less all the advertising fees.

    Called several times during Nov., but sales mgr. quit/was fired, and nobody knew anything, computer was down, etc. The usual run-around. Finally, last Wed. somebody called and said "it's here."

    So I went down there and they handed me an invoice that was about $600 more than the "invoice" I signed in late October. What do you know -- the prices went up. Kelly Blue Book has the old prices, but Edmunds shows the new prices, and indeed, almost everything went up. So I waved the old invoice and said "hey, we had a deal!" Of course they tried to back out, said that prices went up, they have no control over that, all orders are subject to price increases, etc. I countered by pointing out that they dilly-dallied on the order, and anyway this was the easiest money they would make -- they make their holdback, basically, just for filling out some paperwork. Most importantly, I threatened to walk. So they agreed to do the "old invoice" deal.

    Just to test me out, however, they did the old "cool the heels while the manager completes the paperwork" routine, and what to you know, when they put the paperwork in front of me and said "sign here" it was the "new invoice" price. Oops..... Total deal, with sales tax and license: $35K out the door.

    So anyway, we have had the car for four days, and it is great. With three kids it is like heaven going places. We had an adventure yesterday and it is so just easy to go places and get in and out of the car. What an improvement from the back-breaking work of the sedan....

    Early impressions: very quiet, can have a normal conversation with a boy in the last row. Big, roomy, plenty of space behind the last row for strollers, etc. Plenty of power, but haven't really put the petal to the metal -- don't want to do that with only 50 miles on the engine....

    Quality control -- looks great so far. But just in case, bought a 100K premier warranty for $1,049.

    So there you have it. I appreciate everyone's input over the last several months -- it helped us in our decision making.....
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    Good for you tdman!! Standing your ground with those money grubbing "sons of female dogs!!"

    Keep us posted on any defects or "ahhhh @#$%&*!" that might happen to pop up. Or better still, options you wish you would have gotten or options you realized you shouldn't have spent the extra money on.

    Go forth and soccer!!

    -Brian
  • tdmantdman Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the compliment -- I'll keep everybody posted on how the car works out....

    I see from your profile that you are shopping for a 2001 T&C AWD -- what is your thinking so far on the options, etc.?
  • dosmandosman Member Posts: 5
    We are looking at buying the T&C Lxi and the dealer had it on sale for $32,750 (From $34,050) this includes:
    Smoking kit
    Package 29U
    Power Liftgate
    Roof Rack
    Side Airbags
    Heated Seats
    Audio controls on Wheel
    Traction Control
    CD Changer.

    I have only purchased one car before (thankfully i drive a company car) and am not sure where to start negotiations. I have seen 450 to 500 over invoice posted here. Any Hints. Edmunds invoice is $30,371, minus holdback is $29370. Should I start from the $29370???

    Any and All advice would be appreciated. We are expecting our 2nd child this month and need the room.

    Thanks
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    The two must have options for me are the heated seats and the engine heater. After having had both such "luxuries," I would not buy another car without them. I live in Southern Oregon, and although it does not get Buffalo NY cold, it does drop to the cold zone for several months out of the year.

    The engine heater also helps preserve engine life by keeping the oil thinner so it reaches the top of the motor quicker upon start-up. Not to mention the car warms up in less than half the time it does without it.

    I am also really appreciating the built in "booster" seat option for the kids. A child MUST be in a booster seat until 4'9" AND 80lbs.!! Notice it is 4'9" AND 80lbs., not 4'9" or 80lbs. Most parents mistakenly only use a seat belt after about four years of age. A fatal mistake when involved in an accident.

    If you do not have a built in booster in your new van and your child is too big for a car seat; but under 4'9" 80lbs. run, don't walk to the nearest variety store and buy a booster seat!!! It'll be the cheapest life insurance you'll ever buy.

    The tow package is a good option too. It includes the heavier cooling and alternator systems.

    Happy trails with that new van. Let me know if you have any good info!

    -Brian
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    and take no prisoners!!

    Do not, I repeat, do not start down from their "sale" price!! Give them $500 over what their actual cost is. I believe you said it was $29370.

    If you scroll up to response #351 and follow it through to about 360 or so, you will see how I negotiated for our van. We paid $604.00 under invoice!

    I ordered it 11-07-00 and found out today it is in. Little, less than a month. Not too long to wait.

    Do not fall for their tales of woe, no matter how convincing they sound!! Pay no "loyalty" fees, no "document prep" fees, and no "advertising fees." You should only pay applicable sales tax and registration. Nothing else. If they insist you pay the "loyalty" fee or document prep fee then tell them to take it out of their bottom line, not your bottom!!

    Let me know if I can be of further help.

    direct email is landshrk@internetcds.com

    -Brian
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    4'9" and 80 lbs. Are you sure you got your numbers right? Thats almost 5 feet tall. My wife is only 4ft. 10inch. I can just see her riding around in a booster seat. Makes it kind of hard to drive. I could understand maybe 3ft. 9"
  • dosmandosman Member Posts: 5
    Brian5,
    Thanks for the post. I am heading in to the dealership this morning, hompefully we can come to a deal!! They have a several LXis on the lot and the salesman himself said things have been slow due to the election/market and all. I will let you all know how it goes.
  • dosmandosman Member Posts: 5
    Went to the dealer today with a fair price in mind..see post# 419. van was on "sale" at 32400. I told them i was not going to pay ad fees or the other extras. They said "everyone here pays that". This did not settle well with me. They did not accecpt my first offer of $500 over invoice and did not care about the hold back $. I told them i did not want to sit there all day and dicker so I asked them for thier best/final price....they knocked a measley $412 off the sale price. $31,998 is a bit steep considering they had 10 LXIs on the lot and admitted to me that business has been very slow. We were the only ones there this pm.

    Anyway I am just venting!! There are plenty of dealers and TC LXis out there. I will be patient!!
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    wait for a day or two, and they just might call you...
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    Yepp!! The heights and weights are correct. Adults have an advantage over children, even if their weights and heights are equal due to the muscular developement in an adult being superior to a child's.

    dosman...
    Sorry about your unhappy experience with your dealer. Go elsewhere. Ordering a van is perhaps a better way to get a better deal.

    Don't cave in!!
  • psychpsych Member Posts: 1
    Can anyone give me solid advise on the touring suspension on a T&C LXI? Is it worth the extra money? What exactly is it and what is the advantage for me? I can't find anyone who really knows anything more that the quote from the brochure.
    I was planning on ordering the load leveling and wondered if I needed both. I have 4 kids so the van will always be full!

    Also any comments on paint color...are the darker colors (ie.patriot blue) noticeably hotter in warm weather than the lighter(silver)ones?
  • axle59axle59 Member Posts: 28
    I have a 2001 in patriot blue and live in the middle of the mojave desert. The day I picked up the van it was 104 degrees. The air conditioning in this vehicle is so good that it cooled the entire van to where it was too cold in about 2 minutes. The only problem I have with the darker colors is they are hard to keep clean. However when it's all shined up, I get comments from everyone on how nice it looks. Even my single frinds who drive camaros say it's a great looking vehicle.
  • aps5aps5 Member Posts: 43
    Congrats on your awd GC purchase. I too looked at MDX and it's too small. I am concerned about open differentials and the awd on snow.

    Have you had it on snow yet?

    Anybody have T&C awd snow stories?

    Also, was this a DC warranty or some other aftermarket warranty?
  • indydriverindydriver Member Posts: 620
    Psych: I have a 2000 GCS in Patriot Blue and love it! Go for your first impression--you won't be disappointed.

    Dosman: Don't negotiate. Dictate. A fair price on a domestic is invoice less any rebates or financing deals. Make the dealer understand that you are a serious buyer--you will buy a van, and soon--and that your price is invoice. If the dealer doesn't do business on that basis, fine, let's not waste each other's time and move on. You will find a dealer willing to do this deal--I guarantee it.
  • indydriverindydriver Member Posts: 620
    I got the load-levelers on my 2000 GCS and love them. It is a totally different setup from the touring suspension so its one or the other. We test drove only the LL's and loved the handling when empty so we insisted on it. The way it works is pretty cool and totally automatic. There's an on-board compressor that pumps up the air shocks during the first mile of driving. With your frequent varied loads, it sounds like it should be a must-have option for you.
  • indydriverindydriver Member Posts: 620
    Tell me the details of how you use it. Do you just leave it plugged in overnight? Anything special with the extension cord? Obviously, you must park it outside but I always heard Oregon had relatively mild winters.

    I'm curious because I have it on my 300M but have never used it.
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    I use the block heater by plugging it into an extension cord hanging down from the ceiling of my garage and carport. (Both locations.) I hang it so I can see the extension cord hanging down in front of the truck/car. This reminds me to disconnect before takeoff. It also is handy to have the cord hanging down from the ceiling for waxing the car.

    I plug the extension cord into a regular timer, (the kind you buy to plug your lamp into so the crooks think you are home when they see the light come on) which is set to come on at 4:30am. I leave the house at 7:30am. This seems to allow enough time for the oil/engine to fully heat to the maximum the block heater will allow. You may have to experiment with your car.

    I used to leave it plugged in all night till I figured out the thing works fairly quickly.

    There you have it. Your semi right about Oregon being fairly mild. It can be cold as a rat-[non-permissible content removed] in some parts of the state; but, where I live it isn't too bad. It has been hovering in the mid 30s during the day and high 20's at night. Cold enough for me though.

    -Brian
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I hate to tell you this but the block heater heats your cooling system and has nothing to do with the oil. May heat a little oil that remains on the engine but 95% of it is in the pan and cold as you know what. While it lets your car warm up faster it don't do anything about getting that thick gooey oil to the top of the engine any faster.
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    dmathews3;

    I only speak for the GMC truck I put the block heater on. I know it has a coil which lives in the 7 qt. capacity oil pan of the truck. I am unaware if it has a coolant heat as well, although that would make sense as the temp gauge is up a little when I start the thing. I shall go investigate the matter.

    I guess I surmised that all such block heaters were created the same. Thanks for the correction.

    -Brian
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I thought you were refuring to the ones from the
    factory as everyone I know of just heat the cooling
    system. I had one on my diesel GMC and thats what
    it heated. It was nice cause like you said I had
    instant heat when I turned on the defogger in the
    morning.
    But it sure would be nice to add both and have the best of both worlds.
  • tdmantdman Member Posts: 4
    Haven't had it in the snow yet, but know others with DC awd who say it is great in light snow conditions, and others in the Town Hall say the same thing. Don't think I would push it in really heavy snow, due mostly to chassis clearance, but on a plowed road or light snow cover it should be fine.

    Got the extended warranty via Edmunds aftermarket seller.

    Good luck!
  • alingaling Member Posts: 598
    I've driven my Grand Voyager LE AWD in over 6" of snow and it actually does quite well. With the (highly rated, excellent snow and ice rated - by Consumer Reports) BFGoodrich Control T/A M65, I can hardly wait for more snow to come this Friday.

    You will have to get used to the occasionally scratching noises (usually from ice) underneath though. Just as a precaution, in deeper snow, keep maintain your momentum so that you won't bog down. Make sure that you're aware of the lengthened stopping distances on slippery surfaces though. I had an unpleasant (and expensive) experience with a curb and black ice two winters ago.

    Good luck and have fun!
    Drew/aling
    Edmunds.com Townhall host
  • brians5brians5 Member Posts: 23
    Does anyone have any experience with the optional "cargo organizer?" The one behind the last row of seats in the 2001 DC minis.

    Is this a worthwhile option, or not? I have not seen one yet. My dealer claims backorder.
  • jsschnabeljsschnabel Member Posts: 1
    I recently ordered a 2001 T&C Limited AWD Loaded and agreed with the dealer to pay the invoice price as listed on Edmunds site. When the vehicle showed up, the dealer showed me an invoice that "looked like" it came from DaimlerChrysler. It had a Houston address on it (my dealer is located in Austin), and it had additional fees not listed on Edmunds. Something called DPA and PPA, $100 and $305 respectively.

    I confronted the dealer with why they were trying to charge me $405 more than what we agreed to, and they said that Edmunds is wrong, and that the invoice as shown to me is the price we agreed to. Am I being jerked around? What are DPA and PPA fees? Are they from Chrysler, or something the local dealer has to pay to another parent company in Houston. I was told they had something to do with advertising?

    If they are invoiced from Chrysler, then why aren't they listed by Edmunds?
  • kkshinkkshin Member Posts: 13
    Those of you who are trying to purchase 2001 Chrysler Town & Country (whatever the model is). Please, have yourself from many troubles by do not buy! The vehicle is built with poor quality and the services from both dealership and Chrysler are sucks! I have purchased 2001 Chrysler Town & Country Limited AWD on 11/18 (less than 5 weeks old). The vehicle has been in service more than 4 weeks now. It has problems with low frequency vibration and noise that are harming my infant son. Thus far, the dealership (Fayetteville D-C-J) refuse to replace my vehicle with new one although they cannot isolate the problem. PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF BY DON'T BUY CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY...
    Get a better product from elsewhere...!
  • kkshinkkshin Member Posts: 13
    I don't know exactly what is the total $$ that you paid, but I too had to pay $705 more than what I expected. Is there anybody else had to pay more than they had to?
  • carleton1carleton1 Member Posts: 560
    And reading in the Town Hall one can find examples of lemons made by Honda, Toyota, Ford, GM, etc. Get RID of the lemon as soon as possible. I felt all Volvo and VW were JUNK based on my sordid experience with poorly operating cars and despicable dealer attitude. Chevy dealer fixed Citation quickly at no expense so I bought additional Chevrolets and had an excellent 1980 Impala and 1987 R-10.
    Although I have read horror stories about Chrysler minivans, not one person I know has had any problems. Our 99 GC SE with 22,476 miles has had zero problems. Perhaps I am lucky.
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