Year / Model Reviewed: 2008 Chrysler Town & Country Touring (Caravan)
Strengths: Nice color
Weaknesses: Not enough space to write it down
Summary: I have been with Chrysler for over 20 years and this is the worst and most expensive product from them. I live in Canada and we have winters. You cannot defrost the windshield nor can you the side windows even if your face is burning from the heat form the heating system. This is the minute the temperature outside drops below 0 degree C, you should see at -15C… You lock the parental control for the windows and your front passenger cannot open his anymore but the kids can turn the heat on their seat in the back without control. You can swivel the rear seats but cannot get into them after. The opening of the sliding doors is at least 2 to 3 inches smaller than before (of course with no kids....). 9 cup holders as long as your cups don’t have handles (maybe they are sold as an option?). The spare tire is where you cannot access it, ever. 2 DVD players (not by choice) you cannot get only one. If you turn the rear seats, you cannot see the DVDs anymore. I know it is new but these things are not going to change. I want my 2004 SXT Grand Caravan back. It was much better. This is not a family car like the publicity says or maybe if your kids are dogs. I have the luxury floor consol, it is very difficult to attach and remove your seat belt. You can only use the tip of 2 fingers. In my 2004 there was a nice storage bin in the back for grocery, shopping, etc. In the 2008 you must pile up your grocery but again if you don’t have kids….
It is very hard, close to impossible, to be positive with such a vehicle. It is nice but not particle.
Similar Products Used: Since 1992 it was all Grand Caravan from Dodge. It was a great adventure for the close to 750,000 Km that I drove.
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Weaknesses: Cupholders in the 2nd row are noticibly missing. All they have is 2nd row door bottleholders unless you slide the front console back, and I don't like that feature. But if the only problem is cupholders, I can deal with that!!! All the more reason to have the boys drink bottled water in the car...
Summary: I just have to say that this is the best van on the market. Bar none!!!
I've always been a Chrysler fan, but 1 1/2 years ago I traded in my Chrysler Pacifica (due to being tired of my careless children banging other cars with their doors) for a Buick Terrazza. Big mistake. At the time, I looked at the T&C's and since they hadn't changed in years, I didn't go with one. I didn't really like the jelly-bean look of the T&C at the time, either. The Terrazza seemed to have what I wanted (as for luxury) and slightly cooler styling.
Soon, however, I HATED the Buick Terrazza, because it just didn't seem to be of good quality. Lots of creaks, and the transmission felt weak. It didn't feel like it would hold up well. My husband was always making cracks about it. It was fine, the interior was comfy, but it was just plain boring.
Last week I went for a test drive in the NEW T&C, "just to see if I like it"...well, everything that the Buick Terrazza didn't have, the T&C did. I liked it, I liked it!!!!!
The T&C has crisp handling, the transmission is much better than the Buick's, the ride is very smooth, the van is spacious, plus there are so many bells and whistles I can't believe it.
The Limited that I drove initally was loaded with every possible option, but the payment was more than I was interested in. To my surprise, just by moving down one level to the next highest trim (the top of the line, highest equipped Touring model) and the price dropped dramatically. I guess for the Limited you are paying for the horsepower and V8 engine. I don't need a more powerful engine (gas mileage, you know...while the sticker claims they are similar, I don't believe the V8/higher horsepower could possibly do as well). The Touring I selected also included a safety package and the satellite radio/satellite TV/navigation system and the swivel seats. As far as I can tell, the ONLY features I gave up were the sunroof and the wood trim on the interior doors (it's still on the dash). My van also has a chrome package added by the dealer, so it looks just like the more expensive limited. It saved me about $100 a month, and I kid you not. If you are smart, you will go with the Touring over the Limited! Plus, the seats of the Limited had suede inserts on the seats, and little boys and suede don't sound like a match, no matter WHAT kind of warranty they claim to have on the seats. The Touring removes the suede, to my relief.
You may think that I don't have enough driving experience to rate this yet, but I just returned from a 300 mile round trip excursion with 3 other ladies. We were gone for 2 nights. We did not pack lightly, and everything fit into the van with no problem. We were comfortable, the ride was great, and everyone raved about the features and convenience of the van.
My children LOVE it, as well. The first couple of days, we swiveled the 2nd row and they played cards with the table set up. They also wanted to eat DINNER in the car! They're enjoying the satellite selections (Disney, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network, included for one year with purchase). Can you beat having 2 TVs? I just couldn't have imagined this a few years ago.
Here's the coolest feature of all...you put in your CDs and can SAVE them to the hard drive. Then you just use the touch screen to select from all of the music you loaded. It works like an I-pod with playlists, playing by artists, etc. I put them all in and promptly gave them to my sons (only the ones that were appropriate, of course!) You can also play your I-pod through the speakers with the right auxillary input cord. (But what else would you expect?)
The boys also love the 2nd row heated seats. They have coveted ours for years, and now they can heat up their tushes just like the adults.
The storage is phoenomenal. There's an umbrella well on the driver's side, 2 glove compartments, and lots of nooks and crannies to store things....not to mention the storage wells in the 2nd row floorboard. I can't believe how much storage that provides. I drove a 2000 T&C before they added that feature, and I love it.
I could go on, but I will stop here. It's a great van. I don't know why anyone would buy anything else. I've certainly learned my lesson...although it was worth the wait!
Similar Products Used: 2000 Town and Country Van
2003 Chrysler Pacifica
2006 Buick Terrazza
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Year / Model Reviewed: 2008 T&C Signature Series Touring
Strengths: tons of room, smooth comfortable ride, all kinds of upgrades, fun to drive, very stylish inside and out.
Weaknesses: gas mileage is not great, and navigation system doesn't allow you to find something while the car is in motion
Summary: I love my van!! I previsously owned a 1998 Pontiac Transport. I'm a busy mom of three and seriously, I'm over the whole minivan thing. But....we still need one for now. I did not go with the swivel and go because the three year old was having trouble climbing in and out while the seats were swiveled imagine the difficulty with a 7 and 8 year old. Plus, those seats have to be physically removed, they don't stow even though the room is there. I am happy with this decision. I have no complaints about this van except it does seem to suck more gas than our last van, however we are driving around town more because we love driving our new van. The kids love it, with a push of a button they can let themselves in or out, it makes for dropping the kids off at school so easy. They also love watching the Sirius Satelite TV and our preschooler loves to watch all her favorite DVD's. I was able to get two extra wireless headphones from the dealer which makes it so easy with the kids. We have not plugged the playstation in yet, but we will be checking that out soon too. The navigation is awesome, however it doesn't let you look for points of interest while the car is in motion, this ticks my husband off as he is the passenger trying to find a new Indian food resturant for us to check out. This van offers so much storage, sleek design, it has so many bells and whistles we are still finding out new things that this van can do. I love that I can check the tire pressure on each tire, view the temperture, as well as see how many MPG I am currenlty using, all with the touch of a button on my steering wheel and I can view the data in my dashboard. I am averaging about 15 around town, my friends dad has his own mechanical shop in Colorado, he told me I would see better gas mileage the more I drive it and the more the parts get lubed and broken in. I've never heard this before, but I'll go with it. I did order the "slush" rubber floor mats for the van because of the kids tracking in dirt, sand from the playground and soon enough snow. I cannot wait for our roadtrip to Texas to really see how well it does then. I am over the moon happy with this van. My husband is too, I forgot to mention that I purchased this van while he was deployed so I was really nervous to get his reaction. He loves it too. I would strongly encouage someone to purchase this van if their lifestyle calls for them to have a van. You can't go wrong.
Similar Products Used: 1998 Pontiac Transport
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Year / Model Reviewed: 2008 Town & Country Limited
Strengths: - Standard equipment and optional equipment the most amazing collection we've ever seen in one vehicle
- Very classy looking interior; Swivel n' Go seats are definitely more comfortable than the standard Stow 'n Go, so recommend the swivel models. You still get the great storage bins in the floor and can remove the second row if necessary
- Looks: Classy as a minivan can be, the chrome treatment outside and great color (Inferno Red on ours) make a statement.
Weaknesses: - Fuel economy still should be better 8 model years after our 2000. It's only a couple MPG better than what our old van was rated. Hopefully highway mileage will be good
- Transmission shifter handle/knob not as quality-feeling as the rest of the vehicle, and seems like it needs lube at the actual physical linkage it is hooked to, which I think would help the feel a lot. Otherwise, everything else feels pretty dang solid...
Summary: We have been Chrysler product fans for over 12 years or so. Not because of the brand name or even the desire to "buy American" (whatever that means in today's globally-linked world where PT Cruisers are made in Mexico and Town and Country's in Canada). No, it has been a combination of styling, value for the price, and utility. As a result, our new 2008 Town and Country Limited is our 4th Chrysler product.
Bottom line right up front on this one: We love it. This most likely may be the most luxurious vehicle we'll ever own. Chrysler's financial troubles were our blessing, as we were looking to replace our 2000 Town and Country LXi within the next 6 months or so anyway, but as we entered the Christmas break we watched dealers offer some truly amazing incentives to go along with those of the factory. In the end, we got a loaded 2008 vehicle that listed at $40,075 (with 11 miles on the odometer), for just over $28K BEFORE we put any money down. Unbelieveable. That'll never happen again in our lifetime. Here are my opinions in key areas:
STYLING: When the new body style first came out I didn't know what to think about it--especially the back end. It's grown on me, and I like it more every day. The Limited trim definitely helps that, though.
Engine: The Limited comes with the 4.0L, 251hp engine standard. It's powerful and quick, but the van ain't no light thing to lug around with all the bells and whistles it has--we need it!
Gas Mileage: Haven't been on a truly long trip yet, so eager to see how we do highway only. Pure city is around the advertised 18. Could be better, but it's a little better than our 2000. I've heard of people getting 26 on the highway. We'll see...
RIDE/NOISE: Very comfortable, and soaks up the road very well. Noise is canceled out pretty well; better than our old van. The engine growls a little bit when under hard throttle, but not bad. My PT Cruiser is definitely louder.
INTERIOR/COMFORT: This is where the Town and Country blows all competition away. The level of content this vehicle has is absolutely unbelieveable. Check out these highlights:
- HID headlamps (best we've ever had)
- Back-up sensors
- Back-up camera
- Navigation/Satellite Radio/DVD/Satellite TV/Hard Disk multimedia system (amazing)
- Dual DVD screens in the 2d and 3rd rows with separate DVD player, remote, and wireless headphones
- Heated seats for first AND second rows
- Swivel 2nd row seats
- Massive under-floor storage bins
- Power THIRD ROW split seat that folds into the floor or goes into "tailgate" mode where you can sit on the back bumper. Also can adjust the seatbacks while sitting there to get more comfortable with power buttons on the sides--cool!
- Power sliding doors AND rear hatch
- Remote start (from key fob)
- Power windows for 2nd row
- Built-in sunshades for 2nd and third row windows
- Versitile center console between front row seats that slides back (complete with power jack
- Auto-dimming rearview and side mirrors; a GREAT feature!
- Audio/Video jacks and 110v outlet behind 2nd row (amazing)
- Very cool white/blue LED lighting everywhere
- TWO glove compartments
- Chrome rims and faux wood/chrome treatment everywhere. Really makes a difference in appearance compared to the LX and Touring models.
and more...
The only options ours didn't have were the sunroof (test drove one with it--you lose headroom), tow package, and more powerful sound system, none of which we can't live without.
I'm a tech geek and love the bells and whistles. This thing delivers and is just a blast to play around with. As one owner wrote on another site, it really does look like a Lear Jet at night with the side doors open and interior lights on (the overhead console in the back with blue "halo" lighting looks like something out of a private jet...).
It's just the coolest thing since sliced bread and we love it so far.
Similar Products Used: 2003 PT Cruiser GT (okay, not similar, but sometimes classified as a van!)
2000 Town and Country LXi 3.8L (we loved this van and put 109,000 miles on it in Alaska, Lower 48, and Europe)
1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (We loved our Jeep, and would have kept it longer if we hadn't had a second child and needed more room. Never gave us an ounce of problems--and we actually used it to ford streams in Alaska!)
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Rating Reviewed by: Bernard DaPron(Unregistered User)
Review Date May 18, 2007
Overall Rating 4 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for Less than 1 month
Visitors rate this review 3.00 of 5,
7.00 votes
Review 5 of 188
Price Paid:
$27400.00
from Lake City Florida
Year / Model Reviewed: 2007 Town and country touring
Strengths: Great gas mileage, plenty of power and comfort, love that stow and go system.
Weaknesses: To change a tire, crank down the spare while scratching the dashboard with the jack handle. Lie down in the right hand lane of traffic to pull the spare out from under the car. When done, repeat this operation in reverse. Quite efficent in the rain or in 99 degree temperatures.
Summary: I love every aspect and feature of the van except for one, which is theimpractical spare tire storage.
Similar Products Used: none
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