Sorry sighted, Siberian, Sheep shearin', son of a .......

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Just got out of the 07 Caravan not too long ago. About a month a ago a 2011 came our way with low miles CPO so jumped on it. Hope it's not like the 07 that was falling apart at only 78,000 miles. The a/c had a awful leak, window regulator broke, back wiper broke, front end needed a rebuild. In a nutshell it needed a near $4,000 in work. This 2011 we have now we extended ALL warranties we could on it. Hopefully it won't be like the last one. These Chrysler products are awful in my opinion. My girlfriend works at a Jeep/ Dodge dealer doing F&I and told me that the new 300 is loaded with issues and quirks.

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2015 ML350 4Matic. Wifes DD
2015 GLK350 4Matic. My winter DD
2012 E350 4Matic. Road Trip car
2009 CLK350 Coupe Designo.Kleemann Tune For nice days/DD
2006 CL600. V12.Eurocharged Tune. Enough said
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe.Kleemann Tune. For the sound and style
2004 CLK320 Cabriolet. 2005+ Interior swap. For the sunny Florida days & beach days

For those of you without kids/grandkids- once you hve 3 children (under the age of 10?) you pretty much need a 3rd row seat vehicle, or are legally required to have one (some?many? states dont allow car seats in the front passenger chair...)


The Chrysler and Kia minivans are the cheapest vans you can buy...and likely the cheapest (new or used) vehicle with a 3rd row seat. that being said, I bought the Kia - Happy so far at 50k

That that being said, After hanging with 6 different people, some of whom have owned multiple chrysler minivans, from 1997 to 2009 - yes, a lot of them do suck and some go forever needing nothing (is this what a "wednesday" car is?). I've seen the dashboard/cluster issue (new cluster fixes it). I've never seen/heard 1st hand of a transmission going before 100k, but they normally either die before 150k, or last forever.

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

The 6 people I've known that owned them must have owned the Friday at 3:00 versions...they were junk from the start.

Admitedly, the Chrysler T&C were much better made than the Dodge Caravans of the same era.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I don't know why Chrysler is so hot on stow-n-go when Honda and Toyota do well with 8 seats. What does it take to offer a 3-seat bench option in place of the middle row buckets?

Sixto
87 300D

not so.
do some research... what is not allowed in most states is rear facing car seats in the front seat of vehicles with airbags.
...wish I had a dime for every time I've heard that particular bit of nonsense

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

Same vehicle, just the Chrysler has more insulation that muffles the sound of the slow motion implode....

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

Negatory, my good man...Caravans offered two additional engine options than the T&C, and the Dodge version offered 4 options of transmission versus Chrysler's non optional in the Gen II.

There were many subtle differences...
Chrysler Town & Country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dodge Caravan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As for the Chrysler having more goodies and insulation, you're spot on with that.

For a whole 5 months, I drove a 2000 T&C, but sold it back to my parents for a 2001 Durango.

I always felt the 3.8, while stronger than the other optional engines, was underpowered for what I needed it to do. The Durango with the4.7 and 3rd row seat was more than adequate.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I'm not disagreeing with you, but remember the customer here:
-mothers who will "do whatever it takes" to keep their child safe (whether the research backs it up or not)

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Most certainly SWMBO has a different set of laws which must be obeyed... but the cop looking to hand out seat belt violations can't touch you for riding a kid in the front seat.

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

both turds on wheels, just that one has corn in it....

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

When you build a van on with a K-car as the base, turds are what you get. LOL

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I can't believe you guys are comparing 80s RWD mercedes sedans to a FWD transaxle minivan. I haven't encountered a single minivan from any manufacturer that was particularly easy to work on. Why? Cramming 7 passenger seating into a space barely longer than a sedan.

These are apples and oranges

Some things are easier and harder on different vehicles, the 02 sensor may be a pain, but changing out the oil pan on a 96 caravan is easy, and so on and so forth. Did one on the side of the road in no time after bashing it in. Was amazed at the access to the entirety of the oil pan.

In limited defense of the chrysler vans, my family had one as well, and (apart from a couple transmissions ) the thing had been run up to 295k before I gifted it to a friend, who is still driving it all the time up over 300k. They can last a long time if taken care of. That one, a 96 still looked pretty good, had a very comfortable mint interior with minimal care (occasional vacuuming and cleaning over a 15 year period), and engine didn't burn a drop of oil.

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