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Vans & Minivans Minivans - Domestic or Foreign
3643 messages, Last post on May 20, 2009 at 6:32 AM
You are in the Vans & Minivans Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 16, 2008 8:32 am) I liked the 7 seater Kia Rondo, it was cute, small, but would have been ok, but the price quoted to me was $18750 OTD the first go around (via telephone). I then went to the Honda dealer, they wanted almost $30,000 OTD for just an EX cloth Odyssey, I just could not get excited about this, and the barrage back and forth between the sales guy and the finance guy. Ugh, it wore me out and depressed me. I finally left out in between the back and forth bull. Next I went to the first Nissan dealer, they had a basic model of the Quest S. They did not want to deal and for that model would do $18,945.00 OTD. Last dealer of the day was another Nissan dealer. Here I had gotten an email quote of $19165 OTD for a Quest S with drivers pkg (back-up sensor, dual sliding doors, power lift-hatch, info center with miles to empty, tire pressure, gas mileage, etc). The van was built in June 08 and I was the first to drive it. It was still wrapped up in plastic, inside and out! It has 8 miles that I put on it during my test drive. Anyway, that was the deal I decided to take... The window sticker on the van (after all the dealer add-ons, was $30095 MSRP. The deal turned out to be $17100 + TTT+ $599 dealer fee (= $19,165 OTD). I also received $600 in gas cards. It was not a stressful transaction, the sales people were great, patient, knowledgeable and did not play the back and forth office cubicle game!
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Replying to: imariquinn (Aug 16, 2008 6:16 pm) |
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 16, 2008 1:16 pm) Question -- is there any substantial difference between a Chrysler Town and Country and a Dodge Caravan or are they the same vehicle in different wrappers?
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Replying to: kmauss (Aug 18, 2008 4:34 am) There is little difference between the two. They offer the same powertrains, basic interior packaging, and driving experiences. If you've driven one, you should have a good idea of how the other one drives. |
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Replying to: kmauss (Aug 18, 2008 4:34 am) Fully optioned out, the T&C has just a couple of features not available on the GC. HID lights and a memory drivers seat. You also get, of course, a bit more up-level interior trim with wood-grain, etc. Personally, I like the 17" wheels much better on the GC than the chrome jobs on the T&C. The way I equipped them with 4.0L, trailer tow, Swivel-n-Go, DVD, etc., the T&C worked out to about $3000 more, not nearly worth it in my opinion for what it offered over and above the GC. There is one other difference that's proven difficult to document. The GC 4.0L gets a "Euro Suspension", or at least it did starting partway through the model year. The dealer, as expected, seems to have no specifics on what this means. Stiffer or linear-rate vs. (I presume) progressive-rate springs? Bigger sway bar? Perhaps Dodge lifted VW's enhancements from the Routan for the 4.0L. Even chatting with Dodge's product specialists on their site was fruitless. According to Dodge/Chrysler enthusiast sites, the suspension is not available on the T&C but is "different" than the regular suspension on both models and may diminish the acknowledged ride/handling advantage of the Honda. I was very nearly decided on an Odyssey before Dodge upped the incentives *and* the financing offers for August and vans in the configuration I wanted started showing up in inventory. Dealers seem to be big on the 3.8L. For a while, there were very few 4.0Ls to be found. I posted in the Odyssey prices paid for if you care to read how I came to my decision.
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Replying to: heelntoe (Aug 18, 2008 7:01 am)   Thanks, TheGraduate
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 18, 2008 7:25 am) However... With respect to this buyer's particular situation, this may very well come into play. Without a doubt, the standard engine across the entire model line in both the Honda and the Toyota compares to the top of the line 4.0L in the GC/T&C. The 3.8L and 3.3L are way out-classed when compared to Honda's and Toyota's standard V6 offerings, even at their most basic trim levels. If that matters to the buyer, this would would matter with repect to the differences between the GC and T&C because you can get the GC (without respect to my particular requirements) equipped with the 4.0L for far, far less money than you can the T&C. The T&C requires you to get the Limited and it's many standard features. A GC can be had with the 28M package (incl. 4.0L) with fewer options and a price thousands less than a T&C Limited. If it were me, because the standard powerplant in the Toyota and Honda are so superior to the 3.3L and 3.8L in the GC/T&C, I'd be leaning towards them (or the Hyundai if I wanted to save money) if I weren't going to buck up for the 4.0L in the GC/T&C. If you are going to compare apples to apples with the 4.0L in the GC/T&C to the other manufacturers offerings then there are some differences between the GC and T&C, due to the trim-levels and option packaging.
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Replying to: heelntoe (Aug 18, 2008 8:01 am) If that matters to the buyer, this would would matter with repect to the differences between the GC and T&C because you can get the GC (without respect to my particular requirements) equipped with the 4.0L for far, far less money than you can the T&C. The T&C requires you to get the Limited and it's many standard features. A GC can be had with the 28M package (incl. 4.0L) with fewer options and a price thousands less than a T&C Limited. That's exactly the info I was interested in hearing. Thank you!
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 18, 2008 8:05 am) At some point, probably not immediatley, I fully intend to go and look at the Honda, Toyota and Mazda vans, and "vanlets." I will probably also look at the Chevy van, though I hear very little about it good or bad. I don't see a lot of them, which says to me they aren't too attractive for some reason. Thanks again for all of your continuing insights and helpful info! Karen
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Replying to: kmauss (Aug 18, 2008 9:42 am) Mazda makes a "Vanlet" as you aptly named it . The Mazda 5 is a neat little wagon. Nobody would call it powerful, with just a 4-cylinder making 153 hp at 6500 RPM, but I hear they are a hoot to drive with excellent handling.  Please, no thanks are needed. I like simple "car talk" and this gives me an outlet for it! 
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