Explorer vs Chrysler Town & Country
Jan 13th 2003, 3:54 pm
#1
Maltesers, Flake, Mars
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Yorkshire to Sarasota
Posts: 251
Explorer vs Chrysler Town & Country
We are moving over shortly and cannot decide between a Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer or a Chrysler Town & Country Limited. We are looking at models around 1 year old.
Does anyone have any opinions on either?
Does anyone have any opinions on either?
Jan 14th 2003, 1:27 am
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 4,792
You are comparing two entirely different vehicles. Mini Van & SUV. You need to decide which group you want to be in. Then you can choose a vehicle in that group. Ford Explorer EB, is a semi rugged semi luxury 4 wheel drive sport vehicle. Chrysler is a mini van is a mini van, they can put leather & fancy stuff in it. Still a Mini Van.
Reg. Frank R.
Ps. I would buy the Explorer. But depends on $$, I would not recommend American auto's. I have had several, not very good. I have Jeep GCL, bells & whistles. But poorly made.
Reg. Frank R.
Ps. I would buy the Explorer. But depends on $$, I would not recommend American auto's. I have had several, not very good. I have Jeep GCL, bells & whistles. But poorly made.
Jan 14th 2003, 8:56 am
#3
Maltesers, Flake, Mars
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Yorkshire to Sarasota
Posts: 251
Thank you - we realise that they are two entirely different kinds of vehicle, we just wondered if anyone owns either vehicle and what their thoughts were on them. We are interested in finding out about reliability, build quality, servicing, depreciation etc.
Jan 14th 2003, 5:18 pm
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 4,792
Take a look here, in the town hall. Only problem with the chatrooms, you will find problems with any/every make & model.
Rolls- Bentleys-BMW -Mercs
http://townhall.edmunds.com/TH/townhall
As far as servicing goes, depends where you live. Manhattan, NY Jeep is $99 per hour for service. Westchester, NY (40 miles away) $60 per hour.
I came to NYC in mid 80's, I said "I must buy American & show some loyalty to my new country". I have leased 5 vehicles 2 Japanese & 3 American. 2 Japanese, change the oil gave them back. 3 American, constant problems. My latest 2001 Jeep fully loaded, 11,000 miles on the clock needs fixing every few months.
The advantage to America, insurance is cheaper. That is USA Corp not just made in USA. I had a Honda made in Ohio, insurance company still said its foreign.
Still let’s see if anyone else joins this conflab.
Reg. Frank R.
Good Luck.
Rolls- Bentleys-BMW -Mercs
http://townhall.edmunds.com/TH/townhall
As far as servicing goes, depends where you live. Manhattan, NY Jeep is $99 per hour for service. Westchester, NY (40 miles away) $60 per hour.
I came to NYC in mid 80's, I said "I must buy American & show some loyalty to my new country". I have leased 5 vehicles 2 Japanese & 3 American. 2 Japanese, change the oil gave them back. 3 American, constant problems. My latest 2001 Jeep fully loaded, 11,000 miles on the clock needs fixing every few months.
The advantage to America, insurance is cheaper. That is USA Corp not just made in USA. I had a Honda made in Ohio, insurance company still said its foreign.
Still let’s see if anyone else joins this conflab.
Reg. Frank R.
Good Luck.
Jan 14th 2003, 10:23 pm
#5
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Are you buying a new car via "International Autosource" by the way? Our removal company gave us a leaflet from IA for expats moving to the US who need to buy a car....I'm now certain that the removal companies get some sort of commission or kickback if someone then buys a car from them.
If you are, be very careful. We hadn't yet arrived in the US and were trying to do all our research on the internet. They tried to fob us off with a new car (a Dodge Caravan - the less luxurious model of the Chrysler Town & Country) which was a three-door model ie. only having one passenger side door, and being discontinued.
Fortunately we found out just in time from an internet car buying guide, otherwise the car would have been difficult to eventually sell on. The International Autosource guy claimed sarcastically that he had "forgotten" to tell us. We only chose a 7-seater because we live near to New York and it is very expensive for visitors/family from the UK to hire cars in the New York Metropolitan area, so we drive them around if they're not going into the city.
We found a Caravan which was actually cheaper by using one of those internet sites where you type in the sort of car you want and dealers within a radius of your choosing in your State come back to you with their best price (I think it may have been 'stoneage.com' via a link on www.carbuyingtips.com) .
We haven't had any problems with our Caravan (the short wheel base one) but after 21/2 years we're bored with it, and have now ordered the new Volvo SUV.
There were *major* problems a year or so ago with the Ford Explorer and their tyres which caused a number of deaths and I think there is still an ongoing dispute with Firestone & Ford over it because of all the litigation/lawsuits.
They do have the AAA (American Automobile Association) but from what I can tell they're nothing like the UK version. They don't even seem to do roadside repairs from what I've observed (perhaps they don't have their own distinctive fleet though) but just tow you to the nearest garage up to a max of 3 miles or 100 miles depending on which level of membership you have taken out!
http://www.aaa.com
If you are, be very careful. We hadn't yet arrived in the US and were trying to do all our research on the internet. They tried to fob us off with a new car (a Dodge Caravan - the less luxurious model of the Chrysler Town & Country) which was a three-door model ie. only having one passenger side door, and being discontinued.
Fortunately we found out just in time from an internet car buying guide, otherwise the car would have been difficult to eventually sell on. The International Autosource guy claimed sarcastically that he had "forgotten" to tell us. We only chose a 7-seater because we live near to New York and it is very expensive for visitors/family from the UK to hire cars in the New York Metropolitan area, so we drive them around if they're not going into the city.
We found a Caravan which was actually cheaper by using one of those internet sites where you type in the sort of car you want and dealers within a radius of your choosing in your State come back to you with their best price (I think it may have been 'stoneage.com' via a link on www.carbuyingtips.com) .
We haven't had any problems with our Caravan (the short wheel base one) but after 21/2 years we're bored with it, and have now ordered the new Volvo SUV.
There were *major* problems a year or so ago with the Ford Explorer and their tyres which caused a number of deaths and I think there is still an ongoing dispute with Firestone & Ford over it because of all the litigation/lawsuits.
They do have the AAA (American Automobile Association) but from what I can tell they're nothing like the UK version. They don't even seem to do roadside repairs from what I've observed (perhaps they don't have their own distinctive fleet though) but just tow you to the nearest garage up to a max of 3 miles or 100 miles depending on which level of membership you have taken out!
http://www.aaa.com
Jan 14th 2003, 11:35 pm
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 4,792
One more thing, re the comments of Englishmum. If you decide to buy a new vehicle, you need to buy it from a Dealership not a third party Co. If not from the main dealer you may or will have some problems with the warranty.
As I said in my message above, I have leased 5 new autos, all from main dealerships. I have done a lot of homework on buying/leasing & never seen a better deal from these internet companies or 3rd party sellers.
I have read many horrors stories, wrong model/several hundred miles on the clock/ old model/missing accessories etc. 36 month warranty with 32 months left.
With the Auto market as it is, the Dealerships have the best deals & best % rates. If you are buying used, watch out for flood cars, there are always plenty of them around & perfectly legal to sell them in many states.
Frank R.
As I said in my message above, I have leased 5 new autos, all from main dealerships. I have done a lot of homework on buying/leasing & never seen a better deal from these internet companies or 3rd party sellers.
I have read many horrors stories, wrong model/several hundred miles on the clock/ old model/missing accessories etc. 36 month warranty with 32 months left.
With the Auto market as it is, the Dealerships have the best deals & best % rates. If you are buying used, watch out for flood cars, there are always plenty of them around & perfectly legal to sell them in many states.
Frank R.
Jan 15th 2003, 1:04 am
#7
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 875
We have a Ford Escape which is a baby version of the Ford Explorer (kind of) and we love it. As for servicing costs, we expect these to be minimal because we bought new, have an extended warranty and do low mileage so will only need a couple of services a year.
There was a major issue with the Ford Explorer tyres back in 2000 but I think that has been resolved. Everyone I know who has an Explorer is more than happy with their vehicle.
I must admit I am biased towards the Explorer, will never ever own a mini van.
There was a major issue with the Ford Explorer tyres back in 2000 but I think that has been resolved. Everyone I know who has an Explorer is more than happy with their vehicle.
I must admit I am biased towards the Explorer, will never ever own a mini van.
Jan 15th 2003, 2:16 am
#8
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Ffrussre: is there a way to find out if a car is a 'flood' car?
Wouldn't they smell damp inside?
Wouldn't they smell damp inside?
Jan 15th 2003, 6:06 am
#9
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 4,792
Flood Cars.
http://www.safecarguide.com/gui/inp/damage.htm
From the above link:
Flood Vehicles - Flood-damaged cars can be hard to spot. Check the title to see if it has been stamped "submerged" or "flood car." An obvious giveaway is a moldy swamp-like smell emanating from the seats and carpeting, but beware: a good doll-up and some new carpeting and interior components can mask most symptoms. If you suspect a car has been flood-damaged and the title doesn't so indicate, look under the carpeting for sand, silt or salt. Check the engine compartment, trunk, and inner doors for silt. Flood cars are sometimes very hard to detect, even for professionals like me, but avoid them if at all possible. I have yet to find a known flood car that didn't have electrical problems -- problems that can change on a daily basis.
http://www.jus.state.nc.us/cp/cars.htm
Flood Vehicle Identification
Hurricane Floyd damaged thousands of vehicles when it flooded major sections of North Carolina and the Eastern Coast. Many of these water-damaged vehicles are being purchased in North Carolina and then transported throughout the United States for resale. This site provides information to consumers so they can quickly determine if their vehicle was titled as a "water-damaged" or "flood" vehicle. North Carolina law requires the titles of flood vehicles to be marked as such. Sometimes, however, that disclosure is not retained when a new title is obtained in another state. If you find that a car you purchased had a "flood" or "water-damaged" title and this was not disclosed to you, contact the Attorney General's office in your state. A searchable database should be available in a couple of weeks.
Reg. Frank R.
PS. My friend bought a great deal used SUV from PA (Lots of USED deals advertised in that area). It took him months to get the paperwork sorted out for NY. Nothing but trouble ever since.
If you buy used, buy from Dealership & get Manufacturer Extended warranty. NOT 3rd party, they stink.
From the above link:
Flood Vehicles - Flood-damaged cars can be hard to spot. Check the title to see if it has been stamped "submerged" or "flood car." An obvious giveaway is a moldy swamp-like smell emanating from the seats and carpeting, but beware: a good doll-up and some new carpeting and interior components can mask most symptoms. If you suspect a car has been flood-damaged and the title doesn't so indicate, look under the carpeting for sand, silt or salt. Check the engine compartment, trunk, and inner doors for silt. Flood cars are sometimes very hard to detect, even for professionals like me, but avoid them if at all possible. I have yet to find a known flood car that didn't have electrical problems -- problems that can change on a daily basis.
http://www.jus.state.nc.us/cp/cars.htm
Flood Vehicle Identification
Hurricane Floyd damaged thousands of vehicles when it flooded major sections of North Carolina and the Eastern Coast. Many of these water-damaged vehicles are being purchased in North Carolina and then transported throughout the United States for resale. This site provides information to consumers so they can quickly determine if their vehicle was titled as a "water-damaged" or "flood" vehicle. North Carolina law requires the titles of flood vehicles to be marked as such. Sometimes, however, that disclosure is not retained when a new title is obtained in another state. If you find that a car you purchased had a "flood" or "water-damaged" title and this was not disclosed to you, contact the Attorney General's office in your state. A searchable database should be available in a couple of weeks.
Reg. Frank R.
PS. My friend bought a great deal used SUV from PA (Lots of USED deals advertised in that area). It took him months to get the paperwork sorted out for NY. Nothing but trouble ever since.
If you buy used, buy from Dealership & get Manufacturer Extended warranty. NOT 3rd party, they stink.
Last edited by frrussre; Jan 15th 2003 at 6:08 am.
