Topic: Test Drive: 2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum

[Autos_Editor]

Yes, you can get your family-friendly functionality layered with luxury. Or you could get a sports coupe'
Read More...

[pcsp]

"and at that price it competes against an interesting array of family vehicles including, for instance, the Scion FR-S"

I assume this is a joke. While we're at it, let's compare it with, say... a Mini 4 door; the Chrysler holds more, but doesn't handle quite as good. Also, the first time I've seen a vehicle compared with two or more other vehicles costing about the same total price. Pointless...although for the price of a Jaguar XKR-S I could get a Hellcat, Audi Q7, a trip to Europe...

[bombastic]

"and at that price it competes against an interesting array of family vehicles including, for instance, the Scion FR-S" - since when FR-S is a family vehicle? Also is Mazda5 a true competitor? Much smaller and sitting only 6, no usable space in the back with the 3rd row up?

[tazcubed]

For the DVD system, are there controls for the driver to use? I've found on other vehicles, it's limited to the person sitting watching the screen, but for parents I'm sure they'd be interested in having some controls rather than having kids screaming at them.

I'd also be curious to know how functional the seating is. I've read that the 3rd seat row of the Honda Odyssey has sufficient pass through underneath to slide 4'x8' sheets of plywood and still have that 3rd row functional.

 

[wing]

Sexy beast!

[greengs]

If you want the best van, you buy the Odyssey.  If you insist on AWD you buy the Sienna.  Everything else is a waste of time.   

[mixmanmash]

For the DVD system, are there controls for the driver to use? I've found on other vehicles, it's limited to the person sitting watching the screen, but for parents I'm sure they'd be interested in having some controls rather than having kids screaming at them.

I'd also be curious to know how functional the seating is. I've read that the 3rd seat row of the Honda Odyssey has sufficient pass through underneath to slide 4'x8' sheets of plywood and still have that 3rd row functional.

The old Odyssey second gen had that ability.  Not the third or my fourth.  The third and fourth gen have the magic third row seat which fold into the floor and the floor folding mechanism is in the way to allow 4x8 sheets to pass underneath.

[mixmanmash]

Pcsp and bombastic, you do realize that was a joke?  And what he meant is for the money, you can have a combination of a CVP or SE GC and a Scion FR-S.

[tazcubed]

For the DVD system, are there controls for the driver to use? I've found on other vehicles, it's limited to the person sitting watching the screen, but for parents I'm sure they'd be interested in having some controls rather than having kids screaming at them.

I'd also be curious to know how functional the seating is. I've read that the 3rd seat row of the Honda Odyssey has sufficient pass through underneath to slide 4'x8' sheets of plywood and still have that 3rd row functional.

Good to know - thanks for the clarification.
The old Odyssey second gen had that ability.  Not the third or my fourth.  The third and fourth gen have the magic third row seat which fold into the floor and the floor folding mechanism is in the way to allow 4x8 sheets to pass underneath.

[JacobBlack]

"and at that price it competes against an interesting array of family vehicles including, for instance, the Scion FR-S"
I assume this is a joke.

"and at that price it competes against an interesting array of family vehicles including, for instance, the Scion FR-S" - since when FR-S is a family vehicle?

Yes guys, it was a joke. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If you want the best van, you buy the Odyssey.  If you insist on AWD you buy the Sienna.  Everything else is a waste of time.   

If you want the best value, you get a Grand Caravan CVP. Spending a lot of money on a van seems pointless to me.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

"and at that price it competes against an interesting array of family vehicles including, for instance, the Scion FR-S"
I assume this is a joke.

"and at that price it competes against an interesting array of family vehicles including, for instance, the Scion FR-S" - since when FR-S is a family vehicle?

Yes guys, it was a joke.

 

[mixmanmash]

If you want the best van, you buy the Odyssey.  If you insist on AWD you buy the Sienna.  Everything else is a waste of time.   

If you want the best value, you get a Grand Caravan CVP. Spending a lot of money on a van seems pointless to me.

That depends on your needs and wants.  I spent what you would call a lot of money on my van, but it has everything I wanted, is comfortable, is my daily driver and a lot of time will be spent in it.  I plan to keep it for 10 years at the minimum.

[pi314]

If you want the best van, you buy the Odyssey.  If you insist on AWD you buy the Sienna.  Everything else is a waste of time.   

If you want the best value, you get a Grand Caravan CVP. Spending a lot of money on a van seems pointless to me.

That depends on your needs and wants.  I spent what you would call a lot of money on my van, but it has everything I wanted, is comfortable, is my daily driver and a lot of time will be spent in it.  I plan to keep it for 10 years at the minimum.

The CVP seats in the back are also rather uncomfortable, at least for me. I'd probably pay some premium for seats that offer more comfort, or buy a used van. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If you want the best van, you buy the Odyssey.  If you insist on AWD you buy the Sienna.  Everything else is a waste of time.   

If you want the best value, you get a Grand Caravan CVP. Spending a lot of money on a van seems pointless to me.

That depends on your needs and wants.  I spent what you would call a lot of money on my van, but it has everything I wanted, is comfortable, is my daily driver and a lot of time will be spent in it.  I plan to keep it for 10 years at the minimum.

It does. And in Canada, most van buyers want a big, cheap box to stuff the kids and hockey gear in, and ditch it in 4-5 years.

[pi314]

I'm surprised to see mazda5 had a (minuscule) increase in sales whereas the Rondo dropped

[Noto]

I'm laughing at the Routan's 100% drop in sales.   Oh, statistics...

But there’s no disguising the family-van bones underneath the luxury, and hard plastics are in abundance throughout the cabin, making up the front door lowers, the rear door panels (including uppers), the dash, and the console.

Right now, the T&C makes no sense.  Even if $5k cheaper than its competitors, and offering more kit, its resale value makes it a joke.  Great used market (quality control aside...), but someone has to buy it new first before it can get there.

I think Chrysler's move to make only the upscale version will work against it - with the majority of its sales clearly in the lower trim levels (CVP, etc).  With the Dodge version dropped in favour of a more pricey T&C (or 900, or whatever it'll be called), I fear that sales will likely match those of the Odyssey/Sienna unless the new version has some really massive benefits (fuel economy, maybe?) over the Japanese twins. 

Why anyone would buy the T&C at the end of its life cycle, even at a $10k discount, is beyond me.  $20k, and maybe we're talking.

[Fobroader]

If you want the best van, you buy the Odyssey.  If you insist on AWD you buy the Sienna.  Everything else is a waste of time.   

If you want the best value, you get a Grand Caravan CVP. Spending a lot of money on a van seems pointless to me.

^This.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

[tooscoops]

we sell one or two a year.... to octogenarians who winter in florida and want the top of the line domestic van.

other than that, i sell probably 20 used ones a year. they are a rental queen, so you can scoop up some impressive ones for a deal. Just sold one the other day.. still had the original window sticker in it.. was over 50 list, selling a 2014 with 16km for a bit under 31... hard to find a limited used, but you can find the occasional higher optioned touring so it is similar.

couple notes, the push button start is just a button that fits into the ignition, hence the wibbly wobblies... most of those octogenarians i previously mentioned choose not to use the push button, so they take it off, then they can use the key normally if they so choose. it's an older platform, so it has the older set up there.

surprised you liked the power fold seats so much... they are an option i skip for sure. they are faster to do manually and super easy... and i'm sure that will be one of the first things to go wrong. (not to say i have seen it happen yet)

and as always with what i sell... actual transaction price for this today would be roughly 45000. another thing to keep in mind is that incentives on the vans while always existent, are hardly best in the previous november. so to give an idea, if someone wanted a 2014, they would be able to get that 42k number that would have ended the review.

[Noto]

Just sold one the other day.. still had the original window sticker in it.. was over 50 list, selling a 2014 with 16km for a bit under 31...

See, there's the $20,000 discount wherein I stated that it's likely worth it