2008 Minivans - READ ONLY

Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 10, 2007 7:31 pm)

Nice post, but a couple of comments:
 
It sounds like you made your choice before even sitting in any of the vehicles based. You say in your first sentence that you hate all minivans except for the T&C and you must have the StowNGo.
 
"Therefore, the second row seat behind me is useless for any adult passenger for lack of leg room" If that's the case, then you could just remove the 2nd row seat behind you and just leave it out all of the time, but it sounds like you use it as a cargo van a lot, so the StowNGo is perfect for you.
 
You also mention that you're a "typical consumer" but then you say you have no family to haul around, so I assume you're using this mostly as a cargo van? That's fine, but I think that the typical minivan consumer is a family with a bunch of rowdy kids
 
I agree that you made the right pick, and anyone needing to switch between a cargo van and passenger van on a regular basis should probably pick this one too.

Replies to this message:
• tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 10:18 am)

Replying to: bobw3 (Sep 11, 2007 6:08 am)

Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 10, 2007 8:19 pm)

The 2008 T&C LX with 24H is an almost exact clone of the 2008 GC SE with 24H except the T&C LX 24H has MSRP $26,190 while GC SE option 24H is $ 20 more at $ 26,210.
 
The 2008 T&C Touring base 25K has MSRP $ 28,430 while 2008 GC SXT base 25K has MSRP $ 27,535. I have been unable to decipher the extra items the base T&C Touring 25K has that are not on the base GC SXT 25K.

Replies to this message:
• tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 1:14 pm)
  • tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 1:25 pm)
  • hansienna (Sep 11, 2007 5:43 pm)
    • tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 7:38 pm) and 14 more...
  • aaron_t (Sep 13, 2007 9:17 am)

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• hansienna (Sep 11, 2007 1:02 pm)

Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 12:58 pm)

Agreed. The old system where there were names for various models was easier as is Honda keeping LX and EX for almost any Honda and Toyota keeping CE, LE, and XLE made things much simpler.

Replying to: hansienna (Sep 11, 2007 12:47 pm)

Replies to this message:
• tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 1:25 pm)
• hansienna (Sep 11, 2007 5:43 pm)
  • tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 7:38 pm)
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• aaron_t (Sep 13, 2007 9:17 am)

Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 1:14 pm)

Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 1:14 pm)

Go for the T&C LX option 24H...BUT IF he will sell you the GC SXT option 25K for $ 25,000 same as T&C LX, go for the GC SXT for reasons you stated. I was satisfied with 3.3L in my 02 T&C LX but do appreciate the additional power of the Sienna 3.3L.
 
Chrysler has interesting codes: 24 indicates 3.3L, 25 indicates 3.8L, and 26 indicates 4.0L in GC SXT while 28 indicates 4.0L in the T&C Limited.
 
The letter F indicates base T&C LX or base GC SE while G and H have more content in either T&C LX or GC SE.
 
The letter K indicates base T&C Touring or base GC SXT where the 3.8L engine is standard. Letters L and M have more content in both T&C Touring and GC SXT.
 
The 4.0L is available with GC SXT option M and N but NOT available with T&C Touring option M. The 4.0L is available on the T&C in Limited only and is listed as 28X since the T&C Limited has no comparable GC.

Replies to this message:
• tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 7:38 pm)
  • masterpaul1 (Sep 11, 2007 9:17 pm)
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Replying to: hansienna (Sep 11, 2007 5:43 pm)

Actually, I would like the GC SXT 197 HP motor over the 175 HP in the TC LX, although I doubt 22 HP is going to provide a great difference in performance. I'm not as thrilled to get power slide doors and seats in the SXT because I intend to keep the minivan with its lifetime powertrain warranty, and those door motors will break down eventually. As a youth I owned a Triumph TR-7 with hidden headlights -- very cool until I had to replace the motors at a cost of $800 back 30 years ago instead of just changing $5 standard headlamps. The motors had to be flown in from Germany as Triumph had gone defunct in England. Does anyone know of a way to safely temporarily disengage door sliding motors on 2008 TC and GC? I dare not ask the dealer or he may later claim I voided the warranty on the car. It's probably not wise to do it, but I wonder if it can be done safely. Or conversely, can the doors still slide manually after the motors are shot? Then it doesn't really matter about disengaging the motors. I could still manually rotate the Triumph headlights, but I had to get down on my knees under the front bumper to turn each motor knob with my fingertips. Not too cool when trying to impress a date with your hot foreign sport car that doesn't work properly. Oh the good old days.

Replies to this message:
• masterpaul1 (Sep 11, 2007 9:17 pm)
  • tonyv1 (Sep 12, 2007 2:11 am)
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• aaron_t (Sep 12, 2007 11:57 am)
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Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 11, 2007 7:38 pm)

If they kept the same concept as the previous models, you should be able to open them manually with little resistance from the motor. Next time you go to the dealer, test one out with the power sliding doors.

Replies to this message:
• tonyv1 (Sep 12, 2007 2:11 am)
  • hansienna (Sep 12, 2007 4:52 am)
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