Buying a Chrysler Pacifica ?s

[cancer_survivor_06]

We are currently in the need to be buying a new used car of course we have to go w/ a mini van or suv b/c dd4 is getting a wheel chair so we will have to tote it around. I have really been looking at the pacificas and am really liking them alot. I am kind of hoping that since its not mini van or large suv (tahoe/suburban) it may work better for our small family. Ok so I have never bought a used vehicle before so I am not even really sure where to start plus I have also looked at a few online through ebay motors, normally I wouldn't do this but in 06 my dad bought an expedition from a dealer and he has had no problems at all, w/ that being said I would only be buying from a dealer and I know not every experience is the same but I don't mind driving to texas, alabama, or florida to buy. Also do you own a pacifica and how do you like would you recommend it or not and why.

 

[Karenj2]

I have a 2004 pacifica AWD, and I love it! I had previously owned a Neon (small car), then a Durango (way too big for us!), and then we found this car. It's big enough that we can haul our doggies (or other stuff) in the back with just the 3rd row seat folded down, and it's a very comfortable ride - even for the 2nd and 3rd row.

It probably doesn't get the best gas mileage, but I doubt it's much worse than a minivan would be... The only thing that took some getting used to is that the back window is somewhat small, so since I'm kinda short, it's difficult to see what's behind you. (i.e., two weeks into owning the car and I backed it into a mailbox while doing a 3 point turn- which I'm bad at anyway...)

Anyway, I hope I didn't scare you off!

 

[Darcy03231]

We have a 2005 Pacifica and love it. We bought in in 2005 used from a dealer. It was a lease and the company went out of business. It had 13,000 miles on it and was about $8000 less than a brand new one.

 

[msmayor]

I've owned my Pacifica for almost 5 years. I bought the 'first generation' of the vehicle and have not regretted it for one second.

While most will recommend waiting until a new model 'shakes out' its bugs, I knew from the start that Chrysler had used the same engine and transmission that they used in their LHS model sedan. My husband owns an LHS (with 135,000 miles on it now) and we knew the design was reliable, so I had no qualms with that.

At the time I purchased, much of what they now offer as options were standard. The biggest choice back then was AWD vs. FWD. This is not an off-road vehicle, and for me the AWD wasn't a necessity. I'd driven FWD before and knew how well it responded in bad driving conditions and believed that the FWD combined with the Traction Control would be more than sufficient. I opted to save the money, curb-weight (AWD adds a couple hundred pounds, so slightly lower gas mileage) and have one less system to worry about maintaining and bought the FWD version.

We have driven it from NJ to WDW once and will do so again this coming August. We've also driven it on a long family vacation that took us as far west as Green Bay, Wisconsin. The two captain's chairs in the second row have been a godsend for my two kids, who find the seats VERY comfortable and roomy. The console between them is great; they keep a large basket with the DVD-player remotes, their DVD's, books, snacks, etc. right between them. They can easily reach behind them to the luggage area to grab stuff from the cooler we place there.

The third row bench seat works well for shorter trips (i.e. running kids around, driving locally) and while adults can fit back there I would recommend putting smaller adults, and not for rides longer than 40-45 minutes.

When using the third row, there is very little storage area behind that third row. You can fit maybe 4-5 grocery bags and that's about it.

For my family of four, though...this is what we've been able to pack into that luggage space for travelling. On perhaps our biggest 'packing' trip (going to the mountains for a week), this is what we were able to load:

2 sets of golf clubs
4 LARGE duffles
1 small cooler
1 Longaberger Picnic Basket
1 Longaberger Medium Laundry basket with puzzles/games/misc.
2 beach chairs
Laptop
Miscellaneous grocery bags
3 pillows

And coming home, we had about three bags of purchases from the Outlet stores to add. We have the roof rack, but have never put anything up there.

I get about 18-20MPG around town, up to 24MPG highway.

The one thing that takes a bit of getting used to when driving the Pacifica is the blind spots. The rear pillars are VERY wide compared to other vehicles, and the rear window is not as tall as others. I've learned to rely much more on my side mirrors, and always make sure to do a 'check behind' the vehicle before getting in, as you really can't see a damned thing below the window when backing up. Its also wide, but as is the case with any vehicle you learn with experience how much room to give yourself when maneuvering.

This is the first vehicle I've driven with tinted rear windows, which also takes some getting used to when backing up at night. Its extra-dark looking behind you, so again...caution when figuring out what's behind you.

All in all, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one again. We've had no major issues, and perform regular maintenance on the vehicle. Only one problem occurred last winter when the EGR valve blew on the PA Turnpike. At first, we thought it was the muffler because of the noise, but our mechanic fixed it without problem. Two months later, Chrysler sent us a letter indicating that they discovered a problem with the EGR valve and would now cover it under warranty...and that if we'd had it fixed we should send our documentation in for reimbursement. I had a check for the full amount in my hands within four weeks.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

 

[Nascia]

I would advise against it. We bought one in 2004 and had numerous problems with it. We had problems with the transmission, heating core (?) and other minor things here and there. Aside from the issues, we also found that it did not have enough storage for our family of 5. We ended up trading it in back in May with less than 36k miles on it. We paid about 28k (fully loaded) and received 13k for the trade. I recently heard that Chrysler will be discountinuing the model. We bought a 2007 Toyota Sienna and absolutely love it.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/feb2008/bw2008026_236836.htm?autos+product+review

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

as far as mini vans go I have already decided that I want either the honda or nissan and for as much of a nissan person as I am I am leaning more towards the honda b/c I like the fact that the third seat folds down into the floor and that is what i like about the pacifica I don't want to have to store a seat b/c the back seat primarily will not be used.

for those of you that have one what is the current gas price where you are and how much does it cost to fill the tank. I have found one that I really want it is a 2005 touring edition w/ about 50000 miles on it. the location of it is in indiana so I will really have to talk to my dh about that but since he just got home for his two weeks off now is the time for us to do something like that.

 

[ctjsowens]

My in-laws have owned 2 Pacificas, a 2004 and a 2005 which they currently still have. The 2004 was a piece of junk with transmission problems, water leaks and a problem with the engine that would cause it to cut off while driving. The dealer repaired the transmission and water leak but could not figure out the engine problem. They loved the car so much that they traded the 2004 in for the 2005. The 2005 now has about 60,000 miles and it has been trouble free for them. Its fairly roomy with the third row seats down. With them up theres no room for cargo hardly. Visibility is poor in the rear. A real dream to drive though. We were seriously thinking about getting one after the in-laws had better luck with the 2005 but we needed a little more room and went for a minivan.

 

[fakereadhed]

Don't buy a Chrysler. (Former consumer and know several people that work for the company) The cheapest parts and supplies are used and there are frequent transmission issues-hence their new marketing campaign you may have seen on TV. But if you do, you might want to consider buying from a private party because the trade in value is very low and if you buy from a dealer you may be getting hosed. Definitely look up the blue book value before buying.

 

[claudia]

I have a 2004 Pacifica and absolutely love it. I have never had one problem with it (actually purchased it in July of 2003). I have been driving for over 35 years and I would have to say this is my favorite car.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

We had one and the transmission started slipping. Also, there was a terrible noise when we used the air conditioner. We were told that leaves had gotten into the intake. To prevent it from happening again, we were told not to park under trees. Not to mention someone stole the front bumper. We traded it in after a year.

I enjoyed the features. It was a very comfortable car.

Don't put your driver's license in the cup holder, though. You might end up having to get a new one...

Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[mousestruck]

We leased a 2007 Pacific and have really enjoyed it. It is very roomy for our family and we've had no problems thus far. As everyone else has said, the only flaw we've experienced is rear visibility. It is very difficult to see out the back window. I've learned to adjust, but I'm always extra cautious when backing up. Good luck with your decision!

 

[baloo's girl]

Another option to explore is the Ford Freestyle. We just got an 06 and it's awesome!! We used to own a Chrysler Voyager Mini-van and we had nothing but problems with it, so we were afraid to purchase another chrysler. For the 08 model, Ford has renamed the Freestyle the "Taurus X"

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I have looked at the freestyle but it seems smaller than the pacifica. The main thing is that I need to be a to fit a pediatric wheel chair that can not be folded in to the back and from what I have seen the pacifica seems to be a bit bigger in the back to accomodate this easier than the ford.

 

[tinatark]

The Freestyle is a bit bigger, it looks a little like a fat station wagon! I think you may be thinking about the Edge (I think, it's the twin to the Lincoln MK something). I have like the style of the Pacifica, but it is being discontinued, so that is something to consider.

About ebay car purchases - we have bought 2 cars from dealers on there - one brand new and one used, both were great experiences - I can recommend a couple of Chrysler Dealers in the NC area - one we bought a new Chrysler 300 Heritage from, the other we would have purchased from, except that they're limited production and the dealer didn't have one!

We bought from this dealer
http://stores.ebay.com/empiredodge

And this dealer always has great deals!
http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/stevewhitemotors/

 

[pjshaff]

We have a 05 Odyssey - the EX - no leather. We have about 45k miles on it. It would be less but we've made about 5 or 6 Disney trips in it at about 1000 miles a pop. We have not had any problems with our Odyssey. Love love love it. The 3rd row seat is a breeze to use and we get decent mileage in it. We average about 20 mpg in the city and when we go on our trips it's about 24-25 mpg.

 

[Jockaroo]

Hubby is wanting a vehicle with the 3rd row seating option. We only sat in the third row of the Pacifica and decided that the seat was not comfortable and the vehicle would not meet our needs so we didn't test it. We will be traveling with adults and want anyone in the back to be comfortable. We did find out the Chrysler is offering some lifetime warranties that seem great, but only apply to the original owner (must buy a new vehicle).

Other vehicles we are considering are the Hyundai Vera Cruz, Ford Taurus X (the renamed Freestyle), and Saturn Outlook. You might want to look at the interiors of some of these vehicles to see if they will meet your and your daughter's needs. We won't be buying for several months (unless hubby's old car just totally conks out) because several of these cars are in first year production. We are hoping by year's end some will be coming off lease and we can find a good low-mile used.

 

[baloo's girl]

Regarding the Freestyle/Taurus X: I don't know about the trunk space and fitting a chair in the back. There is a well back there when the third row is up. It's not terribly wide, but it is deep. When you flip the third row completely down, it's a lot of space-think station wagon- but it might not provide enough height space for the chair. Perhaps you could check one out at the dealership?

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

The Freestyle is a bit bigger, it looks a little like a fat station wagon! I think you may be thinking about the Edge (I think, it's the twin to the Lincoln MK something). I have like the style of the Pacifica, but it is being discontinued, so that is something to consider.

About ebay car purchases - we have bought 2 cars from dealers on there - one brand new and one used, both were great experiences - I can recommend a couple of Chrysler Dealers in the NC area - one we bought a new Chrysler 300 Heritage from, the other we would have purchased from, except that they're limited production and the dealer didn't have one!

We bought from this dealer
http://stores.ebay.com/empiredodge

And this dealer always has great deals!
http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/stevewhitemotors/

I haven't ever looked at the edge b/c I know its smaller than what I want but just looking at the body style between the freestyle and the pacifica it looks smaller to me mostly height wise. I don't really have an issue w/ the fact that the vehicle is going to be discontinued b/c basically the same thing is happening to the freestyle and I don't really plan on driving it for the rest of my life its kind of a make due for now type of vehicle. Thanks for letting me know about your ebay buying expierence and I checked out your recommendations they have a few nice ones but they are alot newer than what I am looking for right now.