2008 Chrysler minivan, the rear brakes are 'binding' at 24K miles. The fronts have been replaced twice already. The dealer says "They all do that" and wants $400 to replace 'everything'. The fronts were replaced on a recall two weeks ago.

I've had it. Any dealership that tells me that #1 Big Lie "They all do that" loses my respect forever. And any auto company that refuses to stand up and recognize that they have a crappy product loses my respect forever.

This is our fourth Chrysler minivan.. we've had generally good luck with them since the late 1980's. Well, to heck with 'em.

FWIW... I have done my own brake work since paying too much for a brake job in 1979. And I've never had a problem. I have completely rebuily systems, lines, master cylinders, calipers, etc. on all kinds of cars and trucks. This is BULL.

I recently bought my father-in-law's 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. The car only has 11K miles on it, but I hope I'm not in for the same brake issues.

Maybe the next time we drive it up to Ohio to visit my wife's Grandparents, I'll stop by and have you work on the van. ;)

2008 was the first year of a new, boxy body style. I heard there were a lot of issues with 2008s. My 2010 doesn't have any problems yet, except a noisy blower motor. At 40K, the brakes are 50%.

From what I've heard, Honda Odyssey vans are great products.

The 2008 is a piece of junk-I had the problems too with the brakes and rotors and pads were replaced for labor only. They also had recalls for a few things like radiator caps, an AC connector, and the sliding door wiring that could bind.
I just got a 2011 T&C. Reports are they have been improved considerably across the board and I like the new motor. Got a great deal too.

I thought there was a Chrysler miracle in progress.

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After you discover you're riding a dead horse, your best strategy is to dismount.

"2008 was the first year of a new, boxy body style. I heard there were a lot of issues with 2008s."

Version 1.0 issues..."We'll get it right the next model year when we have more time not to rush the darn thing off the drawing board and into the showroom".

I've heard this one before. That's why I'm waiting for Apple to finally get the iPhone right before making the leap.

New Guy

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DavidS
I recently bought my father-in-law's 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. The car only has 11K miles on it, but I hope I'm not in for the same brake issues.

Maybe the next time we drive it up to Ohio to visit my wife's Grandparents, I'll stop by and have you work on the van. ;)

Check the brakes NOW. I'm not kidding... they're probably worn down to a nub already in the front. Oh, and guess what. You know that little 'wear sensor' that causes worn brakes to make a squeeeeee noise ? Chrysler's OEM pads don't have 'em. That's right. They removed a vital piece of safety equipment to save 25 cents on the car.

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Dakota
I thought there was a Chrysler miracle in progress.

There is. Fiat is going to show Chrysler how to build reliable vehicles.
...
...
...

Okay, now that you've all stopped rolling on the floor laughing and have pulled yourselves together...

Chrysler has always had excellent design and engineering, and that excellence has frequently been torpedoed by half-@#$%&, penny-pinched, or just outright pi$$-poor execution of said designs, with the net result being that Chrysler products are like the little girl with the little curl right in the middle of her forehead: When they are good they are very, very good, and when they are bad they're horrid.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/2011 10:49AM by Thrift Store Scott.

Seems to me like Chrysler products are consistently bringing up the rear in build quality and reliability. In Forbes "12 Worst Cars of 2011", Chrysler captured 5 out of 12 spots.

sounds like there are 2008 lemons. i have a 2004 with 151,000 miles on it. it's been a good car.

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"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

cbelt,

This situation sounds like garbage to me. Is your minivan still under warranty, i.e. 3 years/36K miles? If not, since you've had these issues repaired twice already, it's time to take the issue to Chrysler itself.

For what it's worth, I looked at several Chrysler products prior to purchasing a Mazda CX-7. My experience with those vehicles told me to run like hell and never look at them again.

Robert

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Thrift Store Scott
There is. Fiat is going to show Chrysler how to build reliable vehicles.

Damn... I hate getting carbonated beverages in my sinuses..

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
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Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
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Eureka, CA

I broke the pencil on all Chrysler products a long time ago. My were, as Scott said, horrid.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

> I have decided I will never buy another Chrysler. Ever again.

Welcome to the club.


> When they are good they are very, very good, and when they
> are bad they're horrid.

When they are good it's your good luck and when they are bad that's normal.

My 2001 chrysler sebring started falling apart at 60k miles. Paint was coming off the hood, ac didn't work, cloth top needed replacing and the transmission was wonky. End of my chrysler days. I jumped to Toyota which has been great so far.

Who makes the best mini van then?

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---“What you permit, you promote. What you allow, you encourage. What you condone, you own.”

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Chakravartin
> I have decided I will never buy another Chrysler. Ever again.

Welcome to the club.

> When they are good they are very, very good, and when they
> are bad they're horrid.

When they are good it's your good luck and when they are bad that's normal.

I thought everyone knew this.

I just dont think they really try anymore.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

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jdc

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Chakravartin
> I have decided I will never buy another Chrysler. Ever again.

Welcome to the club.

> When they are good they are very, very good, and when they
> are bad they're horrid.

When they are good it's your good luck and when they are bad that's normal.

I thought everyone knew this.

I just dont think they really try anymore.

Dad always told me never buy Chrysler product and so far I haven't. I know people that that's all they'll
buy I remember a woman my wife was talking to at school that had had her transmission rebuilt 4 times in her
Caravan in under 100K miles and I'm like WT why keep the POJ?

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Grateful11

Ouch, I guess I'm the exception, knock on wood. I've had 9 Chrysler's over the last 30 year's and have three on the road right now (really 2 since one is a Mitsubishi). I guess I've been lucky. I gave my 1993 T&C to my brother-in-law and it is still his daily driver with over 200,000 miles Love my current Grand Caravan. The only iffy one I've had was a first gen Neon, but I don't know if it was the car or the harsh teenage driving it received.

Yeah, I made that decision about 20 years ago. Welcome to the club.

I decided never to buy another GM vehicle a long time ago, but my wife bought one 6 years ago. She's in the "never buy another GM" club now too.

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pinion
Who makes the best mini van then?

Honda. They can't even keep the 2011's in stock. I know several people with Odysseys, and they all love them. We tried to go see one a few months ago, but no dealership within 50 miles had any in stock.

For other recommends, I would look at the Nissan Quest. That van has the 3.5L that is the factory engine used across most lines. Great engine, spunky.

*koff*
2004 Dodge 3500....365,000 miles
2006 Dodge 2500....253,000 miles

Maybe you should buy a better Chrysler product?

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PizzaGod
*koff*
2004 Dodge 3500....365,000 miles
2006 Dodge 2500....253,000 miles

Maybe you should buy a better Chrysler product?

For awhile, they made some decent trucks and SUVs. 2006 was probably the last year that you could have gotten a decent one.

Take a look at what they have now and you'll feel like puking over the mess they've made of them.

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PizzaGod
*koff*
2004 Dodge 3500....365,000 miles
2006 Dodge 2500....253,000 miles

Maybe you should buy a better Chrysler product?

diesel or petrol?

Our first van was a Plymouth Voyager. After both door handles broke off under normal usage, I realized it was a cheaply constructed vehicle. We bought a Odyssey 7 years ago and it's been a pleasure to own - in a whole different class than the Voyager. But to be fair, the Oddysey cost a lot more, too.

I am holding on to our 2004 Grand Caravan, since it is pre-Cerberus.

From what I read online, vehicles made while Cerberus owned them had major QC problems - like power doors failing in the first few weeks of ownership.

I'll wait awhile longer and see how the 'new' Chrysler models do (most Chrysler models are too new for Consumer Reports to offer an opinion)

My In Laws are doing ok with a 2001 Minivan 4 Cylinder. Great Mileage 150K plus miles and keeps chugging along.

What about a Mercury ~!~ *(:>*

[www.youtube.com]

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“Stay Hungry Stay Foolish"
Steve Jobs

"There are only two mantras yum and yuk mine is yum "
Bernard Mickey Wrangle<>Tom Robbins<> "Still Life With Woodpecker"

"There is a fine line between a rut and a groove"
G.D. Kittredge III

"

I have had many Caravan and Town and Country vans. I just sold my 2000 with 250,000 miles on it and going strong.

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Paul F.

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Thrift Store Scott
There is. Fiat is going to show Chrysler how to build reliable vehicles.

Damn... I hate getting carbonated beverages in my sinuses..

My reaction exactly!

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Be seeing you.

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pinion
Who makes the best mini van then?

I think Honda is the best seller, but Toyota has just about as good reviews. Our 2004 Toyota Sienna has been almost trouble free. By far the best built car we've every owned.

Note that both Honda and Toyota have been criticized for taking some content out of the latest model minivans as compared to the immediately prior model. (There was so much of this in the new Honda Civic that Consumer Reports took it off its recommended list.) If I were going to replace our Sienna I'd look hard at a late model used one rather than the current model. I also think it's better looking than any current minivan.

Very roughly, the Honda Odyssey is known for being a bit more fun to drive (if that term can be applied to a minivan) and significantly louder inside on the highway. The Toyota Sienna is known for having a softer ride and being quieter. Both are very competent vehicles. The Honda may list for a slight premium, and as pointed out above, is in short supply, so discounts are not likely. Honda has had a harder time than Toyota recovering from the earthquake/tsunami.

The Nissan Quest is an interesting vehicle, but has less flexibility with seating than the competitors. Unlike everyone else, the rear seats won't fold into a well in the back, and the middle seats can't be removed. If these aren't issues for you it's worth a look.

Note that the Volkswagen Routan minivan is a rebadged Chrysler van with an upgraded suspension and some slightly different sheetmetal. The only other minivans on the market are the Kia/Hyundai clones, which don't get as good reviews as any of the others. (I'd watch for that to change with the next generation given how well Hyundai is doing with its most recent cars.)

For those looking for a smaller vehicle, the Mazda 5 gets great reviews. Fun to drive and very flexible. Arguably the best small family vehicle on the market.


Good luck.

- Winston

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Be seeing you.

We are looking to sell our 2004 Toyota Sienna right now b/c we bought my father-in-law's 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. It's like going from a Mac to a Windows computer.

The Caravan drives like a truck; the Sienna drives like a luxury car (maybe just in comparison, but a car nonetheless). It hurts to sell the Sienna, but the Caravan was a necessity (wheelchair conversion) and too good a deal to pass up.

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DavidS
We are looking to sell our 2004 Toyota Sienna right now b/c we bought my father-in-law's 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. It's like going from a Mac to a Windows computer.

The Caravan drives like a truck; the Sienna drives like a luxury car (maybe just in comparison, but a car nonetheless). It hurts to sell the Sienna, but the Caravan was a necessity (wheelchair conversion) and too good a deal to pass up.

We've had a couple of Chrysler van rentals over the last year or so (one was actually the VW clone). I agree that they drive like trucks compared to the Sienna. Interestingly, I actually like how our 1991 Plymouth Grand Voyager drives better than the Sienna. We got it with the towing package and it has a relatively firm suspension which makes me feel in better control. It also has far better rear quarter visibility than any of the current vans. The Sienna does have better acceleration.

A wheelchair conversion will be a bit heavier, and therefore drive a bit worse, than a standard van.


- W

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Be seeing you.

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mrbigstuff

Quote
PizzaGod
*koff*
2004 Dodge 3500....365,000 miles
2006 Dodge 2500....253,000 miles

Maybe you should buy a better Chrysler product?

diesel or petrol?

I bet it's the @#$%& Diesel. They made changes to it after 2006. Wife has a tractor with the same engine
5.9L Diesel, nice engine, the tractor is a '91 model. When talking Dodge Trucks and Caravans we're no
longer comparing apples to apples.

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Grateful11




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/2011 10:50PM by Grateful11.

Winston and rz: Thanks for your responses. That Odessey looks nice! I need to check out a Sienna too...

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---“What you permit, you promote. What you allow, you encourage. What you condone, you own.”

My only Chrysler story.

In 1984 my father spent weeks and weeks researching the next family car. He finally settled on a Chrysler Town and Country, and went in to the dealer and spent 5 or 6 hours picking options, and negotiating price. He put down a relatively significant downpayment and they ordered the car, and it was supposed to take about 6 weeks (if I recall correctly the T&C was a pretty hot car at the time.)

For six more weeks, he waited and waited until the dealership finally called. He took some time off work, and after school he picked me up and I went down with him to the dealership with him. We get to the dealership, and the sales guy tells him that the factory sent the car with extra wood trim, which was an extra $600 option. But he would let us have it for $400 since it was their mistake. My dad said he'd take the car but wasn't going to pay a penny more than agreed. The sales guy "talked to his manager" and the price came down to $400. My father held his ground and asked for his downpayment back. The sales guy came back with a final offer of $300. At this point I don't think the $300 was of any issue to my father but it didn't matter. The sales guy knew he could sell the car tomorrow, probably for more money, so he wasn't going to budge either.

We walked out without him saying another word to the sales guy. He probably invested 2 months researching and waiting for that car, he let them hold his hard earned money for 6 weeks, and we just took our check and walked out. I remember saying to him, "but dad, it's only $300" and he replied, "I will never do business with that company."

We literally walked across the street to another dealership and bought a Volvo 760 GLE, drove it off the lot that night. He went back the next day with mom to pick up the other car. He said it was one of the best decisions he's ever made.

I'd have done the same thing and walked out.

We actually ordered our 1991 Plymouth Grand Voyager much the same way (deleting things like the "wood" siding). It also was supposed to come in 6 weeks, but "something went wrong with the order". I think either the dealer or Chrysler sent our original order to someone else. It ended up taking 3 months. But we still have the car.

On the other hand, our local Volvo dealer in the late '80s actually refused to provide service for my 1976 Volvo. They claimed that they were "oversold" and couldn't handle any additional work. Lost me as a customer forever.

While I've had some mixed experiences with our Toyota dealer, on the whole they are more on top of things than most dealers I've dealt with. I think this is a key part of Toyota's success.

Why dealers don't get this is beyond me.


Good luck.

- Winston

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Be seeing you.