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No, I'm not referring to your 14 year old. Or any short/light adult.
The booster seat requirements are for the child who is not fully developed physically. They are the ones who are injured because they flop around like rag dolls. This happens for a variety of reasons from the seat belt being positioned wrong on their little bodies to they just don't have the muscular development.
Remember those of you who have short/small children... we are the parents, they are the children. Sell it to them this way: "boy you sure can see better sitting up higher, and live to tell about it."
Of course, compromise (even at the expense of safety) is sometimes better than arguing with your prepubescent teen. Or... is it?
Hang tight, those should be out soon (it has been about a month since the 5mph bumper tests results were released). FYI, the IIHS has actually already tested the van and the other vehicles (in bumper crash tests) for the 40mph offset crash test, they're just sitting on the results for now. Chrysler also already knows the results. How do I know this? Well, according to my MB Canada contact, the MB C-class (which you may recall was one of the cars tested in the bumper crash tests) scored a "good" and a "best pick" in the 40mph offset crash, as I expected. I found out about this about 3-4 weeks ago, so clearly the IIHS has already provided the manufacturers with the results.
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
Anderson in Cupertino had a sale of $6K under MSRP over the weekend, which included the $1500 rebate and a $400 college grad rebate. This was limited to 3 vans only but they were willing to extend the same pricing to me for a van at another dealership, which they can trade for my color choice and options. Net discount is about $4500 off MSRP, then I can choose the $1500 cash rebate, or probably go with the $1k rebate + 2.9% financing for 24-36 months.
This is probably the best deal I've found for a T&C, certainly much better than any "deal" I can get on a Honda Ody. Although I am still concerned about the reliability of the Chrysler tranny, along with all the potential electrical and mechanical problems; we are sold on the overall luxury, appearance, comfort, safety w/side air bags, and value of the T&C. If our criteria was only reliability, we would probably buy a Sienna or MPV. However, when you are spending $30K+ for any car, you expect certain level of amenities, such as memory seats, on-board computer, great stereo, roominess, etc... which is found on the T&C. I would give that up for better reliability if the Ody can be bought for under MSRP. Unfortunately, the Ody is pretty close to $29,000 when you add leather, which in our mind have less value when compared with a fully loaded T&C Ltd at around $30,500.
Keith and Sharon at Anderson were great to work with so far, as we are dropping by after work to look at the van and take care of the paperwork. I'll share more details after we conclude our deal.
Cary
I'm a newcomer to town hall. We have a '96 I&I LX-i which will most likely be replaced by a '01 FAD Lad soon. We've had good luck with the '96 till a few weeks ago when I put it up for sale and it decided to start leaking fluids. Needless to say my wife was NOT happy about the $1300+ bill for new cranny seal + boat load of hoses for coolant leaks but such is life.
After reading Edmunds review, I immediately got a severe case of cold feet. That was until I went out and really looked at what's available on the market. As Cary28 mentioned, when you're spending $30k+, you expect certain amenities and the competition just didn't do it for me. And seeing how they've be-contented (read "stripped out") the various models, it left me with no choice but the Lad. I was shocked to see the LX-i doesn't have wood trim on the doors and no reading lights in the 3rd row. To get the same level of equipment that we have on the '96 LX-i, we need to get the '01 Ltd since a lot of it isn't even optional on the '01 LX-i.
After reading the Edmunds review, I thought about how we use our current one and realized the following:
- we have NEVER removed any of the seats
- can't believe that you can't manually override the Odyssey's power sliding doors, what if you're in a rush or the slider mechanism konks out?
- the price point was not bad compared to other alternatives I was looking at (even went to see ML320/430). if you're going to spend $27-28 for a Odyssey, why not spend the addl $5k to get the Ltd.
- split 50/50 3rd row seat is NOT acceptable for middle seat passenger which is a major reason for us to get the minivan
- competition can't adjust legroom of the 3rd row seats
- our car seat had no headrest problems securing in 2nd or 3rd row
- resale value is subject to finding a buyer willing to buy your vehicle, and a lot of people do NOT want minivans at all
- undecided about AWD, but it was most impressive when I took a test drive during very nice snow storm. just not sure about the price difference.
Thus far the dealer is offering us $31801 for the FWD Ltd w/heated seats, trailer tow pkg, & 4 CD in dash. I'm in Princeton, NJ, Maria's price in Eugene sounds great. I will do some comparative shopping before signing on the dotted line.
Our dealer is a 5 star dealership, but there's another 5 star dealer about 15 miles from us. Our dealer's svc dept is good & they pick you up when your car is ready in addition to dropping you off in the morning. Haven't tried svc at the other 5 star dealer, but will look into that as well.
Given the dire financial situation within Chrysler they may be rethinking offering the 3.5L engine at the moment given costs to place that drivetrain into the van. So hoping its available any time soon may be a long shot.
-- BKS
We initially wanted the Silver T&C, but also looked at the Champagne as that has a better match between exterior and interior color. We test droved a Sterling Blue but thought it was too dull. Then we saw the Patriot Blue and thought that had an interesting hue of color variations under different lighting.
My wife likes the Silver because it can hide dirt better than the other colors. Our current Accord is light beige, so we opt for a dark color. We bought the Patriot Blue w/Taupe interior. We may have to wash the van more often to keep it looking clean, but the majestic blue color really shines in the sunlight.
Anyone has ideas on how to pre-treat the leather, suede, and interior material to maintain its luster and improve wear & tear for the long haul? The dealer was offering an "appearance package" for both int and ext for $495, so I kindly rejected it as I'm sure I can do the same with some elbow grease and the right products.
I would also appreciate any comments from owners who have installed a reverse obstacle detection system for the rear end of the T&C, as that seems to be a helpful tool for backing up. BTW, has anyone determine the relative merits and effectiveness of using a bug deflector, hood cover, and hood and bumper screen to reduce paint chip and damage to the frontal area? I'm wondering which is better? Thanks.
Cary
http://www.autosite.com/editoria/asmr/svolva.asp
Long time no see...
.
We have had zero problems with our excellent 1999 GC SE in 24 months and dealer service is OUTSTANDING. It pisses me off that Dodge was so cheap to take off the Trip Computer, Compass, Outside Temperature on all but the ES. The EX is nice with the 3.8L V6 but I do NOT want the power center console, power lift gate, power sliding passenger door. If I can't have Trip Computer w/compass and outside temp, I just as well get the Odyssey LX or Sienna LE and have a much better trade-in value after 2 years if I want to get a newer minivan. After all, there are no Odyssey or Sienna used as rental, fleet, government use where they get abused and thus ruin the resale on a one-owner cream puff like I own.
Ed
Carleton,
I think trip computers are currently available only on models with power doors because it looks like the power door controls are now integrated into the new one piece overhead console. You may eventually see trip computers on other models once production gets up to speed. Look at how long it took them to get the cargo organizer production up to speed.
http://www.jci.com/CorpPR/Releases/asg/release285.asp
http://www.homelink.com/programming/programming.html
http://www.dupont.com/automotive/news/01pr/color01.html
Sorry you found out that Honda isn't the innovator of Homelink.
hotspur "Chrysler Town & Country vs Honda Odyssey" Jan 15, 2001 5:08am
Regarding your comment about employee cutbacks, my profession has no affiliation whatsoever with Chrysler or the automotive industry if that's what you're implying.
scanner "Daytime Running Lights" Dec 12, 1998 5:53pm
Funny thing, I have not noticed many 2001 DCX minivans in Cupertino. I saw a white one and a Champagne one last weekend, but not much more. I do see lots of Odys in this area, particularly between Steven's Creek and Bollinger. I'll wave if I see a Patriot Blue T&C in case its your van!
Any more thoughts on how to treat the suede seats? I remember most leather products are for processed leather, and specifically cautions against using them on suede. I'm also interested in a durable polymer or wax which can last. This is a pretty big minivan so I would prefer not having to wax this thing more than once or twice a year. I will have enought trouble washing this to keep it looking sharp all year long!
I still want to know if anybody have the loose hose like the one I described. If not, I think I will take it to the dealer tomorrow to check it out.
I am interested in the standard wheelbase Dodoge Caravan. Traction control is not listed as an option. The service department says it cannot be added by the dealer. Anybody know?
I have found traction control to be excellent, hard to believe one cannot get it on the standard wheelbase.
I checked with the service mgr at the dealer and he informs me that these components are forged steel and it is common to have a thin layer of rust due to their exposure to the elements. I thought forged steel is impervious to rust, and didn't they start to use aluminum for some of the steering and A-arms?
Can some recent owners check their undercarriage and tell me if they are seeing the same symptoms? This does not sound "right" to me, but I just wanted to do a sanity check with other owners. Thanks.
Cry
Documentation doesn't really tell you but I believe there is a difference. Thought I saw it posted here earlier but can't find the information.
Thanks - BKS
The Ex trip computer has only outside temp. and compass. Can the other functions be added later?
I don't know if the LXi also has these functions, as the user document does not point out which model has which featues.
Cary
I am new to the forum. I have a Dodge Grand caravan ES AWD 2001. I have made 7000 miles. I have read through most of your messages. I am familiar with most of your concerns and observations.
I have noticed the 2100 rpm vib-in my case it is more like a HUM or DRONE noise.
MORE CONCERNING however seems to be a radiator FAN VIBRATION that is felt through the whole front of the vehicle especially when the car is not moving. It is quite unpleasant since it sometimes even makes your hands tingle a bit. I still own an old 1998 GC that does not produce any similar vibs.
Would await any ideas!
Cary
I also wanted to poll other owners on the merits of the cargo tray for the back. Does anyone have this option, and is it useful? I saw the video tape and it looks pretty nifty, but lets hear it from users. Thanks.
Cary
This is based on my knowledge/experience with working on my own cars, not this particular Chrysler product. Let's see what the dealer says.
- BKS
I just wish Chrysler offered the more versatile seating arrangement on the Limited....
-- BKS
Regarding the 2100 rpm resonance on the AWDs, your descriptive words of "drone" and "hum" certainly apply. (For fun you might challenge your dealer to show you any other AWD on the lot that DOES NOT exhibit the resonance :-)
Based on my discussions with my dealership and off-line emails with others experiencing this same problem (2100 rpm resonance), it's very clear that Chrysler is aware of the problem, and that they have done some (unknown) amount of investigating. They seem convinced that the problem is exclusive to the AWD vehicles. District personnel in two districts that I'm aware of are offering no assurances that there will be a fix, however.
I was personally told (by my dealership) that in Chrysler's experimenting, they succeeded in shifting the problem from 2100 rpm to 4500 rpm, but I have not been able to confirm that. Nor were they offering any suggestion that a solution is imminent.
In my case, I'm planning to carefully document my telephone conversations and service trips on this topic in a letter to the District Sales Manager so that if and when a fix is available there is a record of my issue. I would encourage all other AWD owners to do the same.
As posted earlier, if someone is considering an AWD he/she should carefully assess whether this resonance is tolerable before committing. Several of us believe the degree of resonance varies somewhat based on ambient temperature (worse when cold). One Chrysler person believes the main variables are driving habits (how you accelerate) and personal tolerance levels. I tend to agree.
So even though this topic has grown cold in the forum, there are at least several of us continuing to pursue it offline.
--rolfe.
BTW, I've been very happy with the T&C Ltd after living with it for about a week. It is so quiet and luxurious, with so many gadgets and fancy features, that I am impressed with its value every time I sit behind the wheel. The leather and suede seats are very comfortable, pampering, and supportive. And there is so much room in the back, with such nice amenities as the separate climate controls, really capable stereo system, 4-Disc changer and steering wheel controls are easy to use, and no problems of any kind yet!
I have not heard any noise or vibrations at 2100RPM, no pulling to left or right, the power doors work very well(much better than the Ody), my son loves the integrated child seat(his version of the "adult seat"), headlights are pretty good, and I love the autochromatic rear/side mirrors. I can only hope the insulation material doesn't get worn down too much with time, as I'm sure I will hear more road noise as the van ages.
I'll give another update after spending more time with this new toy.
Cary
Only problem they do not have so many AWD to compare
He also said there should be no vibrations and probably the fans need to be balanced.
During the visit I plan to bring up the 2100 rpm issue.
Just to let you know at about 1000miles I had problem with a sensor responsible for mixing air and gas I guess. The car would almost stall on occasions. The dealership replaced the part and everything has been o.k. since,
No other major flaws sofar.
Paul.