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Chrysler Voyager/Dodge Caravan Prices Paid and Buying Experience 2003-2007 - READ ONLY

182 messages,  Last post on Aug 29, 2008 at 1:36 AM

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What is this discussion about? Chrysler Voyager, Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country, Plymouth, Car Buying, Van

Messages Page 15 of 19

#133 of 182 Re: A/C Compressor warranty extended [uga91] by jehanny

Aug 01, 2006 (8:29 am)

Replying to: uga91 (Jul 31, 2003 8:32 am)
do you still have a copy of this letter? what model years did this apply to? I have an 01 that is having compressor issues.....

#134 of 182 Re: 06 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT [badgerfan] by hansienna

Aug 23, 2006 (6:29 pm)

Replying to: badgerfan (Jul 05, 2006 8:27 am)
The Madison Wisconsin Dodge dealer ALWAYS has an excellent inventory of Caravan and Grand Caravan and seems to make THE BEST deals of almost any dealer of any make.
     If I lived in Madison, I would have dumped my 2006 Sienna LE on a trade for a 2006 GC SXT.

#135 of 182 Re: 06 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT [hansienna] by badgerfan

Aug 24, 2006 (8:14 am)

Replying to: hansienna (Aug 23, 2006 6:29 pm)
I don't live in Madison, but near Milwaukee. However, there is plenty of inventory, and additionally my dealer willingly brought one in from a Chicago area dealer, as that dealer had specific model, color and options we wanted.
 
I don't think I could have done much better at any other dealer, $19,555 before TTL for a GC Caravan SE that with some options that MSRP was $26,640.
 
I see my previous post was in error by $99, which was a somewhat questionable fee they added, but even then it amounted to a good deal, so I did not protest much about it.

#136 of 182 T&C long-term review… by ol06

Aug 26, 2006 (7:43 pm)

Model Info: 2000 Chrysler Town & Country LXi with All-Wheel-Drive (includes 3.8 liter V-6 engine and 4-wheel disc brakes), 29Y Package (includes leather interior, power seats, Infinity stereo system, alarm, 16” aluminum wheels, roof rack, various convenience groups, etc.), Heated Front Seats and Trailer Tow Group.
 
Price paid in March 2000: $32,276 + fees and tax.
 
Edmund’s trade-in value in August 2006: $ 4,000 (almost 90% depreciation over 6 years).
 
Strengths: Slightly “upscale” interior (compared to other minivans), room to comfortably seat seven adult passengers.
 
Weaknesses: POOR RELIABILITY, UNDERPOWERED (3.8L V6 engine), POOR FUEL ECONOMY (13.4 MPG observed over 6 years of driving).
 
Summary: My wife has driven this minivan for 99,000 miles and it’s literally falling apart. The exhaust manifold cracked and needed expensive replacement at just over 70,000 miles. The car leaked transmission fluid for almost 2 years (never properly diagnosed or repaired by the dealer). The engine currently sounds like a poorly-made sewing machine. This vehicle has been in the shop 8 times in the past 6 years (for other than routine maintenance). In contrast, my 2000 BMW has only been in the shop 3 times (for minor repairs) over the same 6-year period. My wife is currently looking for a new vehicle and we haven’t even considered buying another Chrysler product. We expected much more from a vehicle that costs over $30K. We’ll probably end up purchasing a much more reliable Japanese brand holds its value longer.
 
I hope “Dr. Z” is improving the reliability of his newer vehicles!

#137 of 182 Re: T&C long-term review… [ol06] by hansienna

Aug 26, 2006 (10:42 pm)

Replying to: ol06 (Aug 26, 2006 7:43 pm)
Sorry to read of your bad experience with a T&C.
     If you buy a Japanese brand, you will get fewer nice features and pay more money than for a T&C or GC. My lowly 2002 T&C LX had more nice comfort items and was quieter on the highway than my 2006 Sienna LE.
      DEPRECIATION ? My 2006 Sienna LE had MSRP of over $ 27,000 and trade in value 4 months later with only 3000 miles had dropped to $ 19,000 which is almost 30 % in just a few months. I would have dumped the Sienna had the resale value not dropped so drastically.
      My daughter has a 1999 GC SE that has over 90,000 miles and all it has required is routine maintenance. My 2002 T&C LX had to have the driver's side power window fixed when it was almost 4 years old but that is all except routine maintenance.

#138 of 182 Re: T&C long-term review… [ol06] by fish8

Aug 28, 2006 (6:32 am)

Replying to: ol06 (Aug 26, 2006 7:43 pm)
Sounds like you paid MSRP for that van.

#139 of 182 Re: T&C long-term review… [fish8] by ol06

Aug 28, 2006 (2:11 pm)

Replying to: fish8 (Aug 28, 2006 6:32 am)
The MSRP/Invoice of the 2000 T&C LXi AWD minivan with the various options I listed was: $35,140/$31,686 (in March 2000).
 
The customer incentives offered at that time were a cash rebate OR 0.9% financing for 60 months.
 
Chrysler seems to be offering better deals now... Maybe they're not getting many repeat customers.

#140 of 182 Re: DaimlerChrysler HAS MANY minivan repeat customers?[ol06] by hansienna

Aug 28, 2006 (4:31 pm)

Replying to: ol06 (Aug 28, 2006 2:11 pm)
My sister is a repeat buyer. My friend just got a 2006 GC SXT and traded in his 2000 GC LE and has now owned 4 DC minivans that also included a 1996 GC SE, and a 1988 Grand Voyager SE.
     A neighbor has a 1999 GC SE and owned 2 GC before that (I do not recall the years). Many people keep buying DC minivans after owning 2 or 3 earlier.
     I do NOT like my 2006 Sienna LE as well as my 2002 T&C LX even though the Sienna has more power and gets slightly better gas mileage.

#141 of 182 Re: T&C long-term review… [ol06] by fish8

Aug 29, 2006 (6:43 am)

Replying to: ol06 (Aug 28, 2006 2:11 pm)
Well, since these vans are the highest selling vans on the road going as far back as I can remember, I would guess many of those buyers are repeat customers.

#142 of 182 Re: T&C long-term review… [fish8] by badgerfan

Aug 30, 2006 (7:43 am)

Replying to: fish8 (Aug 29, 2006 6:43 am)
We are on our third: a 1985 Caravan, 1996 Caravan, and now a 2006 Grand Caravan. Long intervals, but we keep coming back as reliability has been pretty good, except for A-C. Both the first and second had expensive A-C repairs after about 6 years or so.

Messages Page 15 of 19

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