2001 Caravan SE 41TE/41AE Tranny Reliability

There is really not much diff in the AWD to FWD CC vans - I'd have
both.

I find the Pontiac vans to ride much worse than the CC's irrespective
of drive system. And in a tip of the hat to CC, I'll say that our 03
rides better than the 01 AWD and MUCH better than the 96 FWD

 

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 14:23:45 GMT, "Matthew S. Whiting"

....

And exactly what mistake did you correct? Heck, you've never even
been in an AWD CC van.

 

But then it would have the same reliability issues that people with
Chryslers complain about. There is no free lunch. Some vehicles cost
more than others, sometimes because of marketing and brand name
established over many years, but often because the vehicle has better
components and more careful assembly. It is very unlikely you will ever
see a Honda or Toyota prices the same as a Chrysler now that the former
have reputations for higher quality, maybe deserved, but my personal
experience doesn't bear that out, least-wise not with Honda. My 84
Accord was a POS and I haven't owned a Honda since and won't. You have
to decide what is important to you, price or quality. If you really
believe the Chrysler vans are inferior in the transmission department,
then you shouldn't have any qualms paying the price Honda or Toyota is
getting for their vans.


Matt

 

Never been in a Pontiac van. My 03 GC doesn't ride any better than my
96 GV, and it is noiser to boot! The exhaust has a noticeable rumble,
especially right after the TC locks up at around 45-50 MPH. The 96
van's exhaust noise is not detectable. The 96 also has less wind noise
and this is a van with 146,000 miles on it vs. one with 35,000. And the
interior of the 03 is much chintzier, especially the sliders for the
temperature control and the remote mirror switches. It seems to me that
Chrysler has really lowered the quality on the new model van. And they
also did dumb things like move the brake release way down under the dash
by the hood release so now they are both hard to reach.

The only positive I've seen is the air filter appears to be much more
accessible, but the coolant level is much harder to see now. All in
all, I think the new vans have regressed from the old ones. If the
newly designed 05 doesn't make a major step forward, I suspect Honda and
Toyota will really begin to take serious market share from Chrysler and
all Chrysler will have left is the fleet market.


Matt

 

Correcting your comparison of the ride of a GM FWD van to an S10,
because you obviously didn't know the difference between the Venture
series and the Astro series. Nothing to do with an AWD Chrysler van, so
my lack of experience there wasn't relevant.


Matt

 

On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 20:25:35 GMT, "Matthew S. Whiting"

....

I have to agree with you here Matt - but 2K for 0 deductible 6 year
warranty or 10 Gs more up front.. Hmmm... what to choose? <G>

 

Change the ties - Michelin X-Ones are great.

Right - out 01 had the dread 2000 rpm rumble. thankfully it was
destroyed in a freak boating accident.

Yeah, decontenting gone bad. No lights on the switches, etc.

You have to watch like a hawk when you pull it or it'll crack your
knuckles something fierce.

My pet peeve is WTF changed the door lock knobs to stick up so you
can't rest an elbow on the window sill.

Have you seen the pix of the 05s? The thing that might drive me to
the Japanese is the lack of comfort and flexibility of the fluff and
fold seats.

 

On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 20:32:51 GMT, "Matthew S. Whiting"

....

yeah, except for the 350 they are both a POS.

 

Well, the good thing is that you have a choice, right?


Matt

 

Nope, haven't seen anything on the 05 model, just read a few blurbs
about it. In almost all certainty, my 03 will be my last minivan as my
kids will be mostly gone by the time it bites the dust, hopefully, not
for 8-10 years.


Matt

 

Man, you should stop confirming my assertion!


Matt

 

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 10:52:22 GMT, "Matthew S. Whiting"

....

Yes, now I do. Besides the extended warranty is really quite nice
- I take the car in for a leaky gas cap and thy put me in a new Laredo
or Durango for the day so I can go 4-wheeling...

 

We found that pre-kids the van was great for camping and mountain
biking or bike racing. Internal racks keep the bikes safe and clean,
etc. The "power wagons" like the Murano or Pacifica just don't have
the room. Stylish, but disfuntional.

 

I'm yakking generic GM. Having own lots of GM I LOVE the 350 but I do
not like a whole lot else about them. And yes, I know that the
minivan does not use the 350.

 

Why? "Just because" doesn't cut it.

 

It already DOES have those issues, simply because its a front-drive
minivan like the Chrysler. The only way to get more reliability in heavy
service is to go back to a rear-drive layout where you can physically
fit bigger parts, IMO.

 

Thanks Charlene. Everyone who disagrees "must work for Chrysler."

I don't work in the automotive industry in any way shape or form, except
as a hobbyist on my own vehicles.

 

I use my K1500 with a cap for camping, etc. And it has the advantage of
being able to plow snow in the winter. Try that with a Pacifica, Murano
or minivan!

Matt

 

....

get a new hobby. Or do charity work. Lee made enough off the backs of
the likes of you.

 

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 23:48:56 GMT, "Matthew S. Whiting"

....

My day job pays enough that I do not have to shovel snow for beer
money.