new Chrysler van interiors

[cire]

cire:

You seem to foget that for every two $h!ty, ugly products that

Daimler-Chrysler produced (Caliber, Nitro) they got one kick

ass, amazing product that se the world on fire!

Charger

Magnum

300C

Those three right there saved Chrysler, make no mistake.

I haven't forgotten these three products. I do agree with you that these three products were the exception to the rule when Daimler was calling the shots; well executed, segment appropriate vehicles. Unfortunately, these three do not make up for the fact that the rest of the lineup did not receive the care and attention that these products received. This is why Chrysler is in the mess that they are currently in; you have to cover all your bases and execute all your products at a high level to ensure your longevity and market share. This is why I believe that Chrysler was severely mismanaged by Daimler.

[regfootball]

It baffles me how anybody can read any of reg's posts seriously. (or any of the other propagandists here)

:wink:

i'm right most of the time, is why.

[CMG]

i'm right most of the time, is why.

Oh, I agree!

lol

[K.C.]

at CMG

[Cory Wolfe]

Oh, I agree!

Haha, this is one time I will agree with you.

Anyways, I further checked out the new vans today. I'll write my thoughts on it with pics sometime tonight.

[Sixty8panther]

Back to the main topic... these vans reek of 1998.

I saw one up close at Allen Mello Motors and it did NOT Impress!

[CMG]

Back to the main topic... these vans reek of 1998.

I saw one up close at Allen Mello Motors and it did NOT Impress!

They remind me of the originals- 1984 - 1991 or whatever they were.

"Retro" minivans...?

I haven't seen one in person anywhere yet.

[enzl]

we have some mid-level modestly equipped units in stock. They aren't fantastic---but I'm not sure the avergae minivan buyer will care.

I guess time (and sales numbers) will tell.

[regfootball]

They aren't fantastic---but I'm not sure the avergae minivan buyer will care.

i thought you always say GM's entries in all segments need to be home runs.

Is Chrysler allowed a single to left field when they really need a solid triple here? Cause what I saw is not a solid triple.

[MyerShift]

The new Town&Country's interior as a design that takes a bit of getting used to, but overall, I like the way it looks.

Better than the Caravan, but Chrysler's vans are the best in the industry. Period.

[BrewSwillis]

I don' think the new exterior is so radical that it's looks would offend anyone. I am sure glad that they are putting the jellybean look to rest.....talk about the 90's. The 90's are epitomized by the jellybean vehicle.

[pow]

I don' think the new exterior is so radical that it's looks would offend anyone. I am sure glad that they are putting the jellybean look to rest.....talk about the 90's. The 90's are epitomized by the jellybean vehicle.

I agree. The new GC looks very fresh compared to blobby Siennas, Odysseys, and Sedonas. Or maybe it's just because it's new (I'm feeling the same way with the new C-class).

[pow]

The new Town&Country's interior as a design that takes a bit of getting used to, but overall, I like the way it looks.

Better than the Caravan, but Chrysler's vans are the best in the industry. Period.

No they're not. Period. The Odyssey is so much better at carrying passengers comfortably.

[CanadianJeepYJ]

No they're not. Period. The Odyssey is so much better at carrying passengers comfortably.

Because you have driven a new TandC recently

[regfootball]

not sure how chrysler's vans can be the best when the interiors are so terrible. i've already seen at least one comparison test where the chrysler couldn't knock off the japanese.

[Intrepidation]

not sure how chrysler's vans can be the best when the interiors are so terrible. i've already seen at least one comparison test where the chrysler couldn't knock off the japanese.

The Odyssey won the edmunds test mainly on better brake feel, more direct steering and I think better body control..although these are minivans not sports cars...

They said the Honda was made with nicer plastics but the controls were badly placed where the opposite was said for the Caravan...worse materials but much better ergonomics.

[CanadianJeepYJ]

Well have the consumer judge......

Who will win the sales race this year....

[BrewSwillis]

not sure how chrysler's vans can be the best when the interiors are so terrible. i've already seen at least one comparison test where the chrysler couldn't knock off the japanese.

Yeah....Edmunds. They basically said that the Caravan was better at being a minivan, and that the Oddysey won because it handles more like a car.

[CMG]

I think regfootball must be paid for his propaganda...?

:wink:

Our 1997 Caravan was the LAST vehicle I wanted to look at, and I sure didn't want to buy one at the time... but after owning one for many years the Chrysler minivans are VERY hard to get out of. Reliable as hell and more useful than I could have imagined, ours was excellent to drive and got great gas mileage, especially on the highway.

I never liked the Chrysler minivans until I OWNED ONE, and after driving it for years I was impressed. Not at the opulence of a top end luxury car's interior, not of a race bred sports car's performance, but of a package used for what it was intended.

Some people just don't "get it".

Right reg?

LOL

[CMG]

Yeah....Edmunds. They basically said that the Caravan was better at being a minivan, and that the Oddysey won because it handles more like a car.

Ours was a Caravan "Sport", bigger wheels and brakes etc. It handled alot like a car, I wonder if the comparison was done with a regular base model Caravan or a Caravan Sport....?

[Intrepidation]

Ours was a Caravan "Sport", bigger wheels and brakes etc. It handled alot like a car, I wonder if the comparison was done with a regular base model Caravan or a Caravan Sport....?

There's no Sport model, but it was a top-of-the-line model...complete with 4.0 V6 and 6-speed thatt handily owned the Honda in acceleration tests.

[Cadillacfan]

No they're not. Period. The Odyssey is so much better at carrying passengers comfortably.

Have you driven both the Honda and the new Chrysler vans? If not, how can you make that claim that the Odyssey is better then the new Town & Country and Caravan? Basing your knowlege on the current Odyssey and the last generation Chrysler vans is a fair statement when talking about the old vans. When assuming that the old vans and new ones offer the same results against the Odyssey ( a van that hasn't seen a significant update in a couple years) is uneducated and, more importantly, unfair.

We'll see what the results are when the different media comparisons come out.

Also, even if you did test both vans and think the Odyssey is better, remember, that's just a subjective viewpoint. Other people buy the Chrysler/Dodge vans over the foreign vans because they suit their needs more and therefore are more comfortable to them.

[CARBIZ]

There is a lot of emotion here, but not a lot of substance.

First, Chrysler has kept #1 in the market by doing more things right most of the time, clever marketing and by marketing directly to their current minivan owners. By focusing on cupholders and complicated seat configurations, they have for the most part kept ahead of the market. Oh, and they have been giving the vans away, I might add. When a customer comes in with a '99 Caravan that is worth $3k at the auctions, but Chrysler dealers are offering said owner $4k and more, you know that Corporate has some hidden seed money to help the dealers out.

Second, the Odyssey and Sienna, while PROBABLY better minivans over all, are wildly over priced. This may not matter to a lot of snooty import humpers, but to the average family, this is a big consideration.

Third, Chrysler's problems with their previous minivans are legendary. In the early '00s, I used to sell a lot of Ventures to people who had their Caravan stolen right out of their driveway. Ask any cop or tow truck operator: those vans were hideously easy to break into and drive away with. Transmission problems, while spotty, were a nightmare for some people. My sister has had 3 Caravans and now drives a Silverado because her last Caravan transmission cost her nearly $2k when it was only a few years old. While a lot of the 'problems' with the Caravan were anecdotal, some people were horribly burned by their purchases and still crow to anyone who will listen what 'crap' their [insert year, probably from the late '90s, here] Caravan was.

Fourth, they cut corners where they shouldn't. Drive the higher models and they are quite nice. Drive the basic ones and they are a bad place to be. I am sure the 2008 Grand Caravans will be a place to behold, but stuff a family into the $19k one and it will be scary, scary, scary. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing: poor people deserve to drive new vehicles, too. The trouble is, it makes Chrysler easy fodder for elitist enthusiast snobs and import apologists.

This is why Ford, and to a lesser extent GM, have gotten out of the minivan market: they were unwilling to invest to keep up with the Toyotas and Hondas, while Chrysler owned the bottom rung of the ladder.

[regfootball]

I've driven the pacifica with the 4.0L/6 speed that is in these cans and its a good powertrain, so I give them major credit for that. It should move these vans nicely.

They almost had to do that, however, I know a lot of people who have had transmissions go out on their DCX vans. It was COMMON.

I've known people who loved their chrysler vans, but that's why I say this falls short. The new van interiors are not as 'warm' as the current ones. More bells and whistles, but your kid's school bus dash has more design and quality than this thing.

Chrysler has been giving away the vans up to now, 8-10-12k off list. That is why they are popular. They will have to resort to similar price cuts to keep the same volume.

That said, the Ody and Sienna ARE overpriced, although the Sienna has been doing wild price cuts the last year or so also. Toyo is subsidizing them big time.

I drove an odyssey recently. It was refreshing to have good steering and handling in a van. Only the quest offers a great ride and handling combo also. Its lame to say 'but no one wants good handling in a van', that's just being ignorant to say that. people want their vans to feel carlike with ride and handling and suspension that is comparable to an agile sedan but also compliant and comfy on bumps. Its moronic to suggest in 2007 that you have to trade off piss poor chassis dynamics just because its a van. That's setting your own personal bar quite low. I guess if you want it to drive like a dump truck or school bus, that's fine with you.

What I do think the ody lacks is chassis solidity. I don't think the frame is up to the stiffness if the suspension. You feel too much through the steering wheel and floor boards and vibrations and stuff. Honda has work to do there. The toyota has the best combination of comfort / isolation (yes, I've driven that too). The Kia/Hyundai (yep, drove that too) is decent but lacks steering refinement although it feels decently solid.

The Quest to me had what i like in a ride / handling combo in a van, although its a bit noisy inside, but my guess is they corrected it in 07.

If chrysler knows anythig about anything they best be working up an all new interior for MY 2010. Because what's in there now won't carry them much past the 6 month splash intro in the market.

Edited September 13, 2007 by regfootball

[CMG]

I've driven the pacifica with the 4.0L/6 speed that is in these cans and its a good powertrain, so I give them major credit for that. It should move these vans nicely.

They almost had to do that, however, I know a lot of people who have had transmissions go out on their DCX vans. It was COMMON.

I've known people who loved their chrysler vans, but that's why I say this falls short. The new van interiors are not as 'warm' as the current ones. More bells and whistles, but your kid's school bus dash has more design and quality than this thing.

Chrysler has been giving away the vans up to now, 8-10-12k off list. That is why they are popular. They will have to resort to similar price cuts to keep the same volume.

That said, the Ody and Sienna ARE overpriced, although the Sienna has been doing wild price cuts the last year or so also. Toyo is subsidizing them big time.

I drove an odyssey recently. It was refreshing to have good steering and handling in a van. Only the quest offers a great ride and handling combo also. Its lame to say 'but no one wants good handling in a van', that's just being ignorant to say that. people want their vans to feel carlike with ride and handling and suspension that is comparable to an agile sedan but also compliant and comfy on bumps. Its moronic to suggest in 2007 that you have to trade off piss poor chassis dynamics just because its a van. That's setting your own personal bar quite low. I guess if you want it to drive like a dump truck or school bus, that's fine with you.

What I do think the ody lacks is chassis solidity. I don't think the frame is up to the stiffness if the suspension. You feel too much through the steering wheel and floor boards and vibrations and stuff. Honda has work to do there. The toyota has the best combination of comfort / isolation (yes, I've driven that too). The Kia/Hyundai (yep, drove that too) is decent but lacks steering refinement although it feels decently solid.

The Quest to me had what i like in a ride / handling combo in a van, although its a bit noisy inside, but my guess is they corrected it in 07.

If chrysler knows anythig about anything they best be working up an all new interior for MY 2010. Because what's in there now won't carry them much past the 6 month splash intro in the market.

Wow. You posted your OPINION on something in the Chrysler forum instead of your... "usual"...

:wink:

I think people mistake the Chrysler minivans of the late 80's early 90's transmission troubles for late 90s, or current etc... The truly bad Chrysler minivan trannys were addressed in the 92 and up Caravans, and it took a couple years before it was actually successful.

The 1996 to 2000 Caravans drove great. The base models drove like base models, but they still drove VERY car like. The 2001 and up drove BETTER. I think to truly appreciate the 1996 and up Caravans one should drive a 1996 and up Chevy Astro van. The difference is absolutely ENORMOUS. No comparison at all. The Caravan doesn't drive like a top of the line BMW, but it sure as heck doesn't come close to resembling " a dump truck or a school bus". That's a truly moronic statement. :wink:

The Chrysler minivans are great "bang for the buck" in the minivan segment, and their sales reflect that. If it's hard for guys like regfootball to acknowledge that, then so be it.....

[pow]

Because you have driven a new TandC recently

It better drive like a frickin BMW or something "to be best in the industry" because it has to make up for Fisher-Price plastics, inferior 2nd/3rd row comfort, the lack of third row room, substandard leather, the clumsy and shoddily-assembled center console, the flimsy glovebox, the nasty rubber armrests, the stubborn A/C vents, the poor entry/egress...

[pow]

Second, the Odyssey and Sienna, while PROBABLY better minivans over all, are wildly over priced. This may not matter to a lot of snooty import humpers, but to the average family, this is a big consideration.

Since they've eliminated the SWB Caravan, that's no longer the case. The starting price may be lower than the Odyssey and Sienna, but if you load them up comparably, it's no cheaper. The base GC doesn't come with cruise control, rear A/C, power rear windows, second row buckets, or even tinted glass.

2008 Grand Caravan SE H Pkg

$26,210 (incl dest)

cruise, rear A/C, power windows, second row buckets, tinted glass, cloth, steel wheels, CD, ESP, curtain bags

175-hp/4-spd auto

2007 Odyssey LX

$26,280 (incl dest)

cruise, rear A/C, power windows, second row buckets, tinted glass, cloth, steel wheels, CD, ESP, curtain bags

244-hp/5-spd auto

2008 Grand Caravan SXT L Pkg + leather

$31,210 (incl dest)

+ heated power leather, auto tri-zone A/C, window shades, alloys

197-hp/6-spd auto

2007 Odyssey EX-L

$31,730 (incl dest)

+ heated power leather, auto tri-zone A/C, window shades, alloys

244-hp/5-spd auto

To get an engine comparable to (or better than) everybody else's base engine, you have to get the SXT M Pkg, which starts at $31,950 without leather, DVD, or other options.

Quest - 235 hp

Uplander - 240 hp

Odyssey - 244 hp ('07)

Sedona/Entourage - 250 hp

GC SXT M - 251 hp

Odyssey - 268 hp ('08)

Sienna - 268 hp

Edited September 13, 2007 by empowah

[CARBIZ]

Chrysler can put what they want on the window sticker, but the transaction prices will be $5-8k lower. They won't dare go up against the prices of the Toyota and Honda. Again, as I said, they have lots of under the table money and direct mail to their 'loyal' minivan base. They've marketed their vans far better than GM or Ford ever bothered to try.

We can debate horspower numbers and other such stuff until our fingers are numb, but with the more recent Chrysler minivans, the ride and power were lacking. If they want to maintain their market share, for their sake, I hope the '08 is a vast improvement. Even the outdated and tired '07 Uplander rides better than the '07 Chrysler offerings.

And before the usual suspects get their feathers all ruffled: go and drive the '07 Uplander. The 3.9 litre engine, plus suspension tweaks really makes this old van impressive. GM has done a lot with little interest or resources. I desperately hope that GM has something in the wings that we don't know about, because we sell more Uplanders in a month than Tahoes in a year. To this market, the minivans are very important.

[regfootball]

Chrysler can put what they want on the window sticker, but the transaction prices will be $5-8k lower. They won't dare go up against the prices of the Toyota and Honda. Again, as I said, they have lots of under the table money and direct mail to their 'loyal' minivan base. They've marketed their vans far better than GM or Ford ever bothered to try.

We can debate horspower numbers and other such stuff until our fingers are numb, but with the more recent Chrysler minivans, the ride and power were lacking. If they want to maintain their market share, for their sake, I hope the '08 is a vast improvement. Even the outdated and tired '07 Uplander rides better than the '07 Chrysler offerings.

And this is why I say the chrysler vans may be doomed. EVEN IF they fixed the ride and handling, then the bad interior negates any and all progress made in that area, if they are trying to get big price out of them. i.e. this is the part Chrysler just does not get! Interiors are what sells cars!!!!!!!

Mom has the checkbook. Mom controls the genie. Daddy is told by mommy she needs to have the van with the nice interior. Women are sensitive to cheap plastic and interiors more so than men. Women who have just given birth get really emotional about seemingly non-mattering things like this. If daddy wants mommy to ever let genie out of the bottle, than mommy is gonna want daddy to get the van with the nice interior. In addition to the one that drives nicer.

It will be REALLY interesting to see if the new van interiors will be repellant to women compared to the ody and toyota. My guess is big yes.

It better drive like a frickin BMW or something "to be best in the industry" because it has to make up for Fisher-Price plastics, inferior 2nd/3rd row comfort, the lack of third row room, substandard leather, the clumsy and shoddily-assembled center console, the flimsy glovebox, the nasty rubber armrests, the stubborn A/C vents, the poor entry/egress...

i think the magazines have been cautious in pointing out how nasty the interior is on these vans yet, because they have about 6 months of big advertising push checks coming in the coffers while DCX does the new model rollout. After 6 months or so, when DAI is done funding ads for this and has moved on, we'll see the real truthful reviews come out.

re: GM vans...i was in a terrazza loaner recently and its interior wasn't too bad, but it feels like piloting a bus and does not feel like you sit in it. I think that's the turn off about the GM vans.....they feel more like driving a bus rather than something you sit IN.

Edited September 13, 2007 by regfootball

[CMG]

Interiors are what sells cars!!!!!!!

Nope.

Tell that to the Pontiac Aztec. It wasn't the INTERIOR that made or broke the Aztec. The OUTSIDE is the first impression.

If INTERIORS sold cars, I'm willing to bet the original Volkswagen Beetle would have gone under in a few months.

The Caravans are (and have been) an overall appealing package to the average mom. They look decent, nothing flashy. They drive nice, like a car, and are very useful. Decent gas mileage. Lots of seating. That's why boatloads of Chrysler Caravans have sold over the years. Good overall packages SELL, and the Chrysler minivan offerings have sold in abundance. It doesn't matter if a few people have radically biased assessments or not, the PUBLIC will buy what the PUBLIC likes.

And they have.

[CMG]

It better drive like a frickin BMW or something "to be best in the industry" because it has to make up for Fisher-Price plastics, inferior 2nd/3rd row comfort, the lack of third row room, substandard leather, the clumsy and shoddily-assembled center console, the flimsy glovebox, the nasty rubber armrests, the stubborn A/C vents, the poor entry/egress...

Take a look inside a BMW M4 Coupe, my buddy just bought one.

PACKED FULL OF PLASTIC INSIDE.

Now, is the BMW plastic "rich opulent" plastic, or can it also be called "Fisher Price" plastic..?

Don't believe me? GO LOOK!

We owned a short wheelbase Caravan, the 2nd and 3rd row seating wasn't bad at all. I'm over 6 feet, my buddy who drove with us everywhere (a diehard OLDER Chevy guy) is 6'4" and 300 pounds, he never complained. Ours wasn't a leather interior, so I'm not sure, maybe our cloth was "substandard" in your books too? *confused*

Entry and egress was excellent. What specific areas are you possibly talking about?

If I was to COMPLAIN about our van I would do the complaints that were HONEST. The windows in the rear passenger doors didn't open. I'm not a fan of passenger windows that can't open.

Many Caravans have "phantom wipe". That's the turn signal stalk, we never had it.

The A/C systems are 5 year wonders, after that start looking at repairing parts. Evaps, pumps etc.

High mileage Caravans can have problems with the IPC. The van will start but die after a few seconds. It won't run despite trying to restart until it has sat. It's fairly common. Fuel pumps and cam and crank sensors are replaced with no results. The gauges actually cease to function which nobody seems to care about as the vehicle will not run.

The back of the IPC is the fault. The top of the dash can be removed and the rear plug removed and reinstalled firmly, which will cure it. (Actually, banging on the top of the dash will also start the van. Now THAT is quality! LOL) Replacing the IPC is the proper fix though.

Our 3.3 Caravan Sport had WAYYYYYY more power than our friend's 3.8 Caravan AWD. It drove WAYYYYY better too. We also got better gas mileage. Same goes for my friend's 3.0 Mitsu- which coincidentally had valve guide issues. (I'm not a Mitsu engine lover).

If you want to COMPLAIN about Caravans do it with knowledge. Not broad smears that don't really hold water.

In my opinion anyways......

(I already gave you "the gears" part)

LOL

[CaddyXLR-V]

Nope.

Tell that to the Pontiac Aztec. It wasn't the INTERIOR that made or broke the Aztec. The OUTSIDE is the first impression.

If INTERIORS sold cars, I'm willing to bet the original Volkswagen Beetle would have gone under in a few months.

The Caravans are (and have been) an overall appealing package to the average mom. They look decent, nothing flashy. They drive nice, like a car, and are very useful. Decent gas mileage. Lots of seating. That's why boatloads of Chrysler Caravans have sold over the years. Good overall packages SELL, and the Chrysler minivan offerings have sold in abundance. It doesn't matter if a few people have radically biased assessments or not, the PUBLIC will buy what the PUBLIC likes.

And they have.

I have to disagree. People don't buy minivans based on looks. The interior matters more in a minivan, than it does on an Aztek or a BMW. Minivans sell on refinement, utility, and nice interiors, as long as they are not completely ugly, or drive like buses.

[pow]

Take a look inside a BMW M4 Coupe, my buddy just bought one.

PACKED FULL OF PLASTIC INSIDE.

Now, is the BMW plastic "rich opulent" plastic, or can it also be called "Fisher Price" plastic..?

Don't believe me? GO LOOK!

We owned a short wheelbase Caravan, the 2nd and 3rd row seating wasn't bad at all. I'm over 6 feet, my buddy who drove with us everywhere (a diehard OLDER Chevy guy) is 6'4" and 300 pounds, he never complained. Ours wasn't a leather interior, so I'm not sure, maybe our cloth was "substandard" in your books too? *confused*

Entry and egress was excellent. What specific areas are you possibly talking about?

If I was to COMPLAIN about our van I would do the complaints that were HONEST. The windows in the rear passenger doors didn't open. I'm not a fan of passenger windows that can't open.

Many Caravans have "phantom wipe". That's the turn signal stalk, we never had it.

The A/C systems are 5 year wonders, after that start looking at repairing parts. Evaps, pumps etc.

High mileage Caravans can have problems with the IPC. The van will start but die after a few seconds. It won't run despite trying to restart until it has sat. It's fairly common. Fuel pumps and cam and crank sensors are replaced with no results. The gauges actually cease to function which nobody seems to care about as the vehicle will not run.

The back of the IPC is the fault. The top of the dash can be removed and the rear plug removed and reinstalled firmly, which will cure it. (Actually, banging on the top of the dash will also start the van. Now THAT is quality! LOL) Replacing the IPC is the proper fix though.

Our 3.3 Caravan Sport had WAYYYYYY more power than our friend's 3.8 Caravan AWD. It drove WAYYYYY better too. We also got better gas mileage. Same goes for my friend's 3.0 Mitsu- which coincidentally had valve guide issues. (I'm not a Mitsu engine lover).

If you want to COMPLAIN about Caravans do it with knowledge. Not broad smears that don't really hold water.

In my opinion anyways......

(I already gave you "the gears" part)

LOL

If you scroll down a few posts, you'll find my original review, which is more descriptive.

BTW, we're talking about the '08 Grand Caravan, not Caravans in general. It's not that the '08s are pieces of $h!, but rather some of its rivals do it better.

[CMG]

I have to disagree. People don't buy minivans based on looks. The interior matters more in a minivan, than it does on an Aztek or a BMW. Minivans sell on refinement, utility, and nice interiors, as long as they are not completely ugly, or drive like buses.

I don't think people buy minivans on LOOKS. I think they buy them as the whole PACKAGE. Which includes PRICE!

[CMG]

If you scroll down a few posts, you'll find my original review, which is more descriptive.

BTW, we're talking about the '08 Grand Caravan, not Caravans in general. It's not that the '08s are pieces of $h!, but rather some of its rivals do it better.

Where are you people finding 08 minivans to evaluate?

I went by TWO dealerships today, they both said they weren't released yet....

[Flybrian]

Where are you people finding 08 minivans to evaluate?

I went by TWO dealerships today, they both said they weren't released yet....

Dayton Andrews Chrysler has had one for two and a half weeks.

Saw a truck with three Caravans heading to Autoway Dodge.

And there's a T&C sitting outside of Enterprise as of last night.

[CMG]

Dayton Andrews Chrysler has had one for two and a half weeks.

Saw a truck with three Caravans heading to Autoway Dodge.

And there's a T&C sitting outside of Enterprise as of last night.

I still haven't seen ONE. Anywhere!

Never before have I wanted to look at a new vehicle that I have absolutely NO interest in whatsoever. I wanna see what one looks like in person just because of what's been written in these threads.

LOL!!!!!!!

I think they look "conservative" in their styling from what pictures I have seen, I wanna see what regfootball thinks is "pop bottle plastic" as far as interiors go....

:wink:

They look nice for minivan interiors in the pictures as far as I can see.

[regfootball]

Nope.

Tell that to the Pontiac Aztec. It wasn't the INTERIOR that made or broke the Aztec. The OUTSIDE is the first impression.

If INTERIORS sold cars, I'm willing to bet the original Volkswagen Beetle would have gone under in a few months.

The Caravans are (and have been) an overall appealing package to the average mom. They look decent, nothing flashy. They drive nice, like a car, and are very useful. Decent gas mileage. Lots of seating. That's why boatloads of Chrysler Caravans have sold over the years. Good overall packages SELL, and the Chrysler minivan offerings have sold in abundance. It doesn't matter if a few people have radically biased assessments or not, the PUBLIC will buy what the PUBLIC likes.

And they have.

wow, you are smoking something.

the previous caravans had decent interiors, not class leading, but nice comfortable, warm feeling, well laid out ones. the chrysler vans sold in the volume they did, mainly on price, for reasons folks like me and carbiz stated above.

THE NEW ONES ARE A REGRESSION IN INTERIORS. The powertrain is improved, but not such to offset the bad impact of mom checking out the inside of the rubbermaid hall of fame for the first time.

we bought our aztek, a lot because it had a good interior for the price. its dated today, but that doesn't hide the fact that new dai van interior is about 2-3 nothces below what they should have put in it to contend in the market for the next 4-5 years.....

Edited September 14, 2007 by regfootball

[regfootball]

I don't think people buy minivans on LOOKS. I think they buy them as the whole PACKAGE. Which includes PRICE!

the freestar / monterey was the best buy going in vans for a couple years and that did not help them...price is not always the 100% issue.

[CMG]

the freestar / monterey was the best buy going in vans for a couple years and that did not help them...price is not always the 100% issue.

Price "ISN'T" always the 100% issue?

LOL

Isn't that what I said? It's the PACKAGE?

[CMG]

wow, you are smoking something.

the previous caravans had decent interiors, not class leading, but nice comfortable, warm feeling, well laid out ones. the chrysler vans sold in the volume they did, mainly on price, for reasons folks like me and carbiz stated above.

THE NEW ONES ARE A REGRESSION IN INTERIORS. The powertrain is improved, but not such to offset the bad impact of mom checking out the inside of the rubbermaid hall of fame for the first time.

we bought our aztek, a lot because it had a good interior for the price. its dated today, but that doesn't hide the fact that new dai van interior is about 2-3 nothces below what they should have put in it to contend in the market for the next 4-5 years.....

Hahahahahahaha

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

YOU bought an AZTEC?

HahahahHAHAHAHA

And you say I'M the one "smoking something?

LOL

I must be smoking something because I described the Caravans of past as you did-

the previous caravans had decent interiors, not class leading, but nice comfortable, warm feeling, well laid out ones.

I'll take a look at the 2008 Caravan when one comes out in a dealership here to see what they are REALLY like. Your description such as a vehicle is either a great driving piece of art OR a "dump truck" doesn't interest me...

:wink:

An Aztec.

LOL

And you talk about other vehicles with that keyboard....

[regfootball]

we got it 3 years ago. at the time we needed something inexpensive. it was about 5-7 grand cheaper than any LWB minivans across the board. it has about 75% of the utility of a minivan and a nice interior for the price we paid. and we've been completely satisfied with it. my transmission hasn't gone out. my ICP or whatever, hasn't gone out. I've got 75,000 trouble free lost cost reliable GM miles out of it in the 3 years. we weren't in a position like a lot of minivan buyers are. We wanted something for much less than minivan buyers spend so there is no correlation. FOr me it was either buy a compact car or the aztek. I ended up getting a completely satisfactory vehicle for a good price and it hasn't broke down. In 75,000 / 3 years miles i think i have only spent about 350 bucks to fix anything not wear and tear and not covered by warranty. That is TRUST, my friend, and I have faith in GM.....not DAI......If i had bought say, a short WB chrysler van, i suppose i'd have to worry about my front shocks being shot by now or my tranny going out right now. I never even considered a SWB chrysler van at the time because one of my buddies was having a bitch of a time with his about the same time we were shopping. I am not sure if i know of ANYONE who has ever made it to 75k in a chrysler product and has been trouble free. Part of the reason I am always leery of one. I know of plenty of folks who push 200k in GM cars over time. I honestly don't know of anyone who isn't ready to scrap their chrysler not too long after 100k most of the time. the dude that installed the blinds in my house, couldn't start his chryco van at my house and had to be jumped, why he was still driving it, i don't know. barely even got it started with a jump and i am surprised he didn't need a tow home.

van buyers split into those who buy on price and those who like to buy as nice as they can get. chrysler sold to the cheapskate poor folk van buyers and honda and toyota sold to the yups with $$$$$$.

now, chrysler is trying to price up the new vans at the level of the yup vans and the interiors simply do not justify the asking price to be with the big boys. is the gist of the thread.

It would be pretty easy to satisfy a van buyer right now, just direct them to a one year old loaded freestar for about 15 grand and they would save 20g and the plastic would be about the same as the chrysler and they could use the 20g to pay off other debts.

Maybe chrysler interiors lack these days because the money they would have spent on interiors has to go to warranty fixes and recalls....hmmmmm..........i wonder

Edited September 14, 2007 by regfootball

[CMG]

we got it 3 years ago.

HahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA

I cannot believe you post such silly mindless propaganda about Chryslers and you own an AZTEC!!!!!!!!!!!

Describe your interior...

:wink:

"Rich opulent plastic, with generous air passages located between panel seams. Styling done by a team of custodial engineers to exacting standards!"

LOL

You are TOOOOOOOOOO fuunnnyyyy!!!!!

[CMG]

If i had bought say, a short WB chrysler van, i suppose i'd have to worry about my front shocks being shot by now or my tranny going out right now. I never even considered a SWB chrysler van at the time because one of my buddies was having a bitch of a time with his about the same time we were shopping. I am not sure if i know of ANYONE who has ever made it to 75k in a chrysler product and has been trouble free. Part of the reason I am always leery of one. I know of plenty of folks who push 200k in GM cars over time. I honestly don't know of anyone who isn't ready to scrap their chrysler not too long after 100k most of the time. the dude that installed the blinds in my house, couldn't start his chryco van at my house and had to be jumped, why he was still driving it, i don't know. barely even got it started with a jump and i am surprised he didn't need a tow home.

Yeah, my "buddy" bought an Aztec, it wouldn't start brand new at the dealership, he opened the asbestos lined hood to expose the abysmal powerplant. We tried to jump it 3,407,946 times but it wouldn't start. He put the jumpers back into the interior, and when he closed the door the door fell off onto the ground. It scratched the lead based paint.

The Aztec had 12 miles on it, so it was expected. We pushed it back on the lot and got a $12.99 trade in value, which we accepted because it was the going trade in amount.

We took the money and got on the bus, after sitting in the Aztec we could net BELIEVE the opulence of the bus interior. It was gorgeous..........

I think we all know your propaganda crap by now.

Entertaining to those who have only read it a few times I guess....

:wink:

[Intrepidation]

Yeah, my "buddy" bought an Aztec, it wouldn't start brand new at the dealership, he opened the asbestos lined hood to expose the abysmal powerplant. We tried to jump it 3,407,946 times but it wouldn't start. He put the jumpers back into the interior, and when he closed the door the door fell off onto the ground. It scratched the lead based paint.

The Aztec had 12 miles on it, so it was expected. We pushed it back on the lot and got a $12.99 trade in value, which we accepted because it was the going trade in amount.

We took the money and got on the bus, after sitting in the Aztec we could net BELIEVE the opulence of the bus interior. It was gorgeous..........

I think we all know your propaganda crap by now.

Entertaining to those who have only read it a few times I guess....

:wink:

[CMG]

:wink:

[enzl]

i thought you always say GM's entries in all segments need to be home runs.

Is Chrysler allowed a single to left field when they really need a solid triple here? Cause what I saw is not a solid triple.

Where's GM's modern minivan? Oh, yes, they don't have one.

As far as the minivan market, if they've been selling 400k+ of the previous gen, I suspect interior quality isn't #1 on a buyers' checklist. The truck's aren't triples, maybe a ground rule double...like I said, numbers will tell the story.

[CaddyXLR-V]

Yeah, my "buddy" bought an Aztec, it wouldn't start brand new at the dealership, he opened the asbestos lined hood to expose the abysmal powerplant. We tried to jump it 3,407,946 times but it wouldn't start. He put the jumpers back into the interior, and when he closed the door the door fell off onto the ground. It scratched the lead based paint.

The Aztec had 12 miles on it, so it was expected. We pushed it back on the lot and got a $12.99 trade in value, which we accepted because it was the going trade in amount.

We took the money and got on the bus, after sitting in the Aztec we could net BELIEVE the opulence of the bus interior. It was gorgeous..........

I think we all know your propaganda crap by now.

Entertaining to those who have only read it a few times I guess....

:wink:

You can make fun all you want, but personally, I don't trust Chrysler products. My brothers Charger even made him consider buying Japanese.

I think their styling is getting worse too. I liked a few of their older stuff, like the previous Durango, and their previous Dakota. But now I just look at their new cars, and think, What were they thinking? But I'll do the same with GM too. And before you get mad and come back with 100 reasons why Chrysler is better than GM, you can relax, because GM topped Chrysler in ugliness with the G6 GXP.

[Intrepidation]

You can make fun all you want, but personally, I don't trust Chrysler products. My brothers Charger even made him consider buying Japanese.

I think their styling is getting worse too. I liked a few of their older stuff, like the previous Durango, and their previous Dakota. But now I just look at their new cars, and think, What were they thinking? But I'll do the same with GM too. And before you get mad and come back with 100 reasons why Chrysler is better than GM, you can relax, because GM topped Chrysler in ugliness with the G6 GXP.

I too happen to know people who have LX cars and not only love them, but have had trouble free miles with them. It's easy to knock Chrysler's quality, and sure it deserves it's share, but many of you fail to remember that GM and Ford have not exactly been quality leaders for some time. GM has been making vast improvements, and Ford, when it's cars aren't catching fire has been too, but So has Chrysler, and I suspect that Chrysler will make big gains in quality now that Cerberus is at the helm...

Oh, and for the record, I not only know people who have taken their Mopars close to or past 200k I own 2 of them

Edited September 14, 2007 by Dodgefan

[Ravenfreak13]

RIGHT ON!