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2008 Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan

552 messages,  Last post on May 22, 2013 at 7:48 PM

You are in the Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan

Messages Page 7 of 56

#54 of 552 Re: Purchasing an '08 minivan in 6-8 months. [artgpo] by dennisctc

Jan 06, 2008 (5:04 am)

Replying to: artgpo (Jan 05, 2008 8:38 pm)
Speaking of transmission problems: There are 1,562 posts concerning Chrysler minivan transmission problems VS 276 Odyssey transmission problem posts here on Edmunds. This is a good measure of quality, people with 15 year old Caravans posting questions about their tranny, when Honda didn't even make a minivan back then. The fact that there are 276 Ody postings is not something to boast about, especially when Toyota's Sienna doesn't even have a "tranny problem" area in their forum.
 
How did the Odyssey become the #1 selling minivan in 2007 despite Chrysler practically giving them away to rental companies? I have only seen one Honda ad proclaiming this, and in small print at end of ad, indicating a very specific time period, not actually the entire year i.e....best selling from May to August 2007 (or something like that). I have not seen the final Full Year sales figures for Dodge yet, maybe you have and can link it? Lets ignore that Chrysler stopped producing the 2007s for plant change over during the summer, or that Total Chrysler Corporation minivan sales (Caravan and T&C) still makes them the number one minivan seller in the country, and that Honda is still dumping 2007s off their lots and heavily discounting the 2008s. (big discounts compared to dealer markups back in 2005)
 
Why does a one year old Odyssey that stickered for about $33,000, sold for about $29,000 have a resale of $25,000 yet a similar Chrysler mini can be had for about $13,000. A similar Chrysler minivan never sold for $33,000 to begin with. I bought my 2005 GC SXT for $20,000 (about $9000 less than a similar Ody EX at the time but I also got tow package, power hatch not available on Ody), and from what I see on Craig's list or Autotrader for my area, it's still worth about $13,000. So if I had purchased the Ody back in 2005, financed that additional $9000 difference for 4 years vs. pocketing the difference and potentially earning interest instead of paying it, I'd hope my 2005 Ody EX would be worth about $20,000? I decided I wanted the gold in my own pocket, instead of driving it around.
 
It'll be interesting to see, as Honda continues to dump Odys for $4-5k off sticker, what it does for their vaunted resale value? It'll have a trickle down effect no doubt as people go to buy used 05s, 06s when a new 07 is about same price.

#55 of 552 Re: Purchasing an '08 minivan in 6-8 months. [dennisctc] by artgpo

Jan 06, 2008 (7:45 am)

Replying to: dennisctc (Jan 06, 2008 5:04 am)
It'll be interesting to see, as Honda continues to dump Odys for $4-5k off sticker, what it does for their vaunted resale value?
 
Really? And what does that say for Chrysler for offering 0%, a rebate and no payments for six months on its much ballyhooed BRAND NEW minivans?
 
A similar Chrysler minivan never sold for $33,000 to begin with.
 
So, all these people who bought 2007 Limited models with MSRP over $33,000 were hosed?
 
You can say what you want but the facts do not justify your argument. A quick look at the used car lots support my argument.
 
A bit off target but I bought a 2003 Olds Silhouette with an MSRP of $33,315. When I traded three years later I was very lucky to get the $10,500 I got and I shopped every brand, including, in a moment of ill mental health, Dodge.
 
In October, 2004, I was selected for a marketing research panel and was afforded the opportunity to drive a minivan from DCX, Ford, GM and Honda back-to-back. First I got to explore the van's features - Stow N Go was brand new, then I drove with an evaluator recording my comments to a number of preselected questions. Without a doubt the Honda was superior in every way to the others. Remember, at that time my Olds was two years old and I had no intention of having it replaced. After the experience of that Saturday morning I decided to buy a Honda when the time came as it did one year later.
 
I have no first hand experience with the 2008 Chrysler vans except to comment how much they resemble the last generation Kia Sedona in appearance. My comments are based on the the VW van I owned, the Nissan van I owned, the Pontiac van I owned, the Ford van I owed, the Grand Caravan I owned, the Olds I owned and the Honda I now own. My experience tells me that Chrysler built and continues to build vehicles more unreliable than most.

#56 of 552 Re: Purchasing an '08 minivan in 6-8 months. [artgpo] by dennisctc

Jan 06, 2008 (9:38 am)

Replying to: artgpo (Jan 06, 2008 7:45 am)
Really? And what does that say for Chrysler for offering 0%, a rebate and no payments for six months on its much ballyhooed BRAND NEW minivans? I've seen the posting on 0% etc.....but haven't actually seen it any where else. But rebates and incentives are typical of domestics, but not Honda. People shopping for any car, knows there's dickering, incentives and negotiations for the selling price/trade in. Forever though, to buy a Honda, with it's "percieved" value it was usually full sticker or "market adjusted pricing" adders of thousands of dollars. That is now history with the fire sale on 2007 and 2008 Odys, one has only too look at the Honda forum to see the deals now available. This is a good thing for any minivan buyer, especially if you have blinders on and will only buy an Ody.
 
I'm tracking prices paid for T&C and Ody, as I'm itching for new vehicle later this years. My personal decision is whether to buy a T&C with incentives and a friends employee's discount, or buy an Ody or Sienna with just their incentives? The difference this time won't be $9000 though - Dodge vs. Honda. You must also be interested in possibly a T&C since you're participating in the thread so actively? That or you so hate Chrysler and just want to whine?
 
So, all these people who bought 2007 Limited models with MSRP over $33,000 were hosed? LOL, I doubt anyone paid anywhere near MSRP for a Chrysler T&C. In fact you have me really confused now, cause I thought Chrysler was basically giving minivans away per your local papers???
 
I have no first hand experience with the 2008 Chrysler vans except to comment how much they resemble the last generation Kia Sedona in appearance. My comments are based on the the VW van I owned, the Nissan van I owned, the Pontiac van I owned, the Ford van I owed, the Grand Caravan I owned, the Olds I owned and the Honda I now own. My experience tells me that Chrysler built and continues to build vehicles more unreliable than most. I don't see any resemblance to anything but to the early 90s Caravans - boxy and slab sided. I hate when people have a bad experience with anything and it forever taints their attitude/outlook. People who'll never buy "such and such" POC vehicle ever again, even look at it first hand. One can find people like that for every brand on Edmunds. I had a terrible Honda Civic in the early 80s that burnt oil like crazy and got terrible gas mileage, I had a 1990 Acura Integra that had all sorts of electrical problems. I had a 1983 Cavalier that I put 180k totally trouble free miles on. I haven't had a GM since. I've seriously considered an Ody in 2005, and contemplating one for end of year. I hope I never get so tainted as some.

#57 of 552 Re: Purchasing an '08 minivan in 6-8 months. [artgpo] by lonewalden

Jan 06, 2008 (5:32 pm)

Replying to: artgpo (Jan 05, 2008 8:38 pm)
Dodge Caravan was still the #1 selling mini van for 2007. You can read the whole article here http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080104/BUSINESS01/801040386/10- 14
 

In December, though, Chrysler did make a big play to hold on to one of its important leadership positions. The automaker posted a 51.3% gain in Dodge Grand Caravan sales, enough to beat the Honda Odyssey for the No. 1 position in the minivan segment.

#58 of 552 Re: Purchasing an '08 minivan in 6-8 months. [lonewalden] by dennisctc

Jan 06, 2008 (5:46 pm)

Replying to: lonewalden (Jan 06, 2008 5:32 pm)
Guess Honda should pull those commercials with the "best selling minivan" plastered on them because it's misleading, even though it may be technically correct for a very specific specific time period. And maybe some day Honda will be more open about their incentives and make them public? They just left the dealers know, and god help the consumer who doesn't research their purchase first.

#59 of 552 Re: Purchasing an '08 minivan in 6-8 months. [dennisctc] by colloquor

Jan 07, 2008 (6:08 am)

Replying to: dennisctc (Jan 06, 2008 5:04 am)
FWIW . . . our old '94 Grand Caravan ES went 164K miles on the original transmission. When we sold it, it still had the original transmission, and according to the person who bought it, it's still fine - at 180K. Preventive maintenance is the key, as we changed ATF at every 24K miles.

#60 of 552 2008 Mygig Navigation-how does it work? by calamity1

Jan 07, 2008 (9:07 am)

Is the Mygig on the 08 T/C DVD driven? I would hate to tie up a DVD drive if it is. Does it come with a backup DVD in case you need to reload for some reason? Does anyone know how much and how often update DVD's are released?

#61 of 552 Re: 2008 Mygig Navigation-how does it work? [calamity1] by homerzzz

Jan 07, 2008 (9:57 am)

Replying to: calamity1 (Jan 07, 2008 9:07 am)
The navigation is HDD driven. I didn't receive a backup DVD. I asked the "customer service" rep at the dealer regarding this and he didn't have a clue. I also don't know anything regarding navigation updates. These are on a list of questions for the dealer.
 
If anyone else knows how these work, I'd greatly appreciate it.
 
Thanks!

#62 of 552 Re: 2008 Mygig Navigation-how does it work? [homerzzz] by tedebear

Jan 07, 2008 (10:30 am)

Replying to: homerzzz (Jan 07, 2008 9:57 am)
An email from Chrysler customer service claims the www.chrysler.com/mygig link in the owner's manual will finally work by the end of January and we will be able to download the application software updates.
 
In the meantime, it is available elsewhere right now. Version 9.561 for a MyGIG with nav is the latest. You can get it here:
 
http://www.nitroforumz.com/showthread.php?t=7658
 
That will not update any maps, just the application software. I've read that map updates will eventually be available from the dealer but they will be quite expensive.

#63 of 552 Re: 2008 Mygig Navigation-how does it work? [tedebear] by calamity1

Jan 07, 2008 (10:54 am)

Replying to: tedebear (Jan 07, 2008 10:30 am)
Thanks for the info, my dealer contacted Chrysler and it's apparently a state secret, they didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. My husband is trying again and if they actually give us any useful info. I will post it here.

Messages Page 7 of 56

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