The Mom That Didn't Want a Minivan

Yup, I was the mom that did NOT want a minivan. Cumbersome, lacking in styling, I wanted no part. I was fine zipping around town in my imported sedan, thanks. Then reality hit. With two kids and their friends, the sedan just wasn't cutting it. After shopping ALL the brands, we ended up with the Chrysler Town and Country Limited (1999). Pricey, but worth it, in my opinion. Smooth drive, heated seats that are as comfortable (probably more, but we won't go there) as my living room chair, stylish interior, and a stereo system that will take me from Barney to Aerosmith very easily all combine to make me feel as though I'm driving a luxury car, not a workhorse van. We purchased the All Wheel Drive model, which today took two members of the family skiing through 8 inches of snow without a hitch. The cargo area has moved a wicker sofa and two chairs across two states, and we have towed a 24 foot boat through the mountains without hearing an engine whine. The T&C Limited is noticeably quieter than other models of minivans due to extra insulation, and also has some trim extras, like chrome wheels and door handles, exterior color roof racks, and wood trim on the inside. The V-6 lets me pass at will, and merging onto highways hasn't been a problem at all. The seats may be changed in many ways, and little wheels on the seats make these changes easier.

There are some drawbacks. The full time AWD makes gas mileage pretty low (we run about 18-20 on average), and at night the extra window tinting makes backing up a bit of an effort. Moving the rear seat out of the van requires a VERY strong person, or two average strength people. We had some minor warranty work done (the keyless entry wasn't working correctly, and there was an odometer problem) but Chrysler worked hard to correct these issues. We bought the vehicle from a 5 Star Chrysler dealer that treated us very well during the transaction. Overall we've been very satisfied with our purchase. For those that want more than a utilitarian van, this is the way to go.