We experienced no major reliability problems during our time with the Town & Country. The main mechanical issue came at about 30,000 miles, when the front brakes started squealing due to worn pads. Aside from scheduled maintenance visits, we also took the Chrysler to the dealer to address niggles like misbehaving power sliding doors (they sometimes wouldn't fully close by themselves) and loose weather stripping.
But the relatively clean service record doesn't tell the entire story, in particular the way the car aged. The combination of a flexing body structure and a cost-cut interior began to make itself heard before we'd reached the 12,000-mile mark and eventually grew into a cacophony. "Yikes! We have developed some nasty rattles, specifically in the center console," Jennings noted at 27,000 miles. Ride quality, especially when we had the rear compartment loaded with cargo, began to diminish at about 5000 miles, and we had practically chewed through the all-season tires at 20,000 miles. By the end of the year, our Town & Country felt as if it had been on the road for quite a bit longer. Admittedly, an entire staff's worth of family vacations, moves, and towing probably resulted in harder use than most consumer-owned vans would have experienced, but many other vehicles have served as our fleet workhorses without suffering such deterioration.
Can this marriage be saved? We think so. "The minivan that won America still has fantastic and clever features that need only a bit more solid engineering behind them," advised Jennings. Perhaps more important in these cost-constrained times, we also believe that the Chrysler vans - still far and away the sales leaders in the segment - are worth further investment. Twenty-five years after its invention, the minivan remains a uniquely ideal solution for hauling lots of people and all manner of cargo. If Chrysler hopes to once again improve its flagging fortunes, it can start in no better place than with the one vehicle it can truly call its own.
RUNNING COSTS
Mileage
32,880 miles
Warranty
3-yr/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper
Lifetime powertrain
3-yr/36,000-mile roadside assistance
5-yr/100,000-mile corrosion
Scheduled maintenance
5933 mi: $38
11,472 mi: $58
17,233 mi: $58
29,553 mi: $58
Warranty repairs
11,472 mi: Replace right front axle seal
17,233 mi: Reseal windshield weather stripping; update software to fix sliding-door malfunction
29,553 mi: Check ABS light; replace second-row seat handle
31,691 mi: Replace defective steering-column clock spring
Out-of-pocket
24,615 mi: Purchase, mount, and balance four Michelin Latitude Alpin HP winter tires, $822
31,172 mi: Replace brake pads and rotors, $375
Recalls
None
Fuel consumption
EPA city/hwy/combined: 16/23/18 mpg
Observed: 21 mpg
Cost per mile
(Fuel, service, winter tires) $0.19
($0.92 including depreciation)
Prices & Equipment
Base price
$36,440
Price as tested
$42,570
Trade-in value*
$19,200
Standard equipment
ABS; traction and stability control; adjustable pedals; HID headlamps; power liftgate and sliding doors; remote start; backup camera; three-zone auto air-conditioning; MyGig media system; 115-volt inverter outlet; heated first- and second-row seats; front and three-row side curtain air bags
Our options
Power sunroof, $895; navigation/Bluetooth, $1300; Sirius Backseat TV, $2020;
Swivel 'n Go, $495; second-row bucket seats with child boosters, $225; power folding third-row seats, $595; towing package, $600
*Estimate based on info from kbb.com and edmunds.com ...next page >>