2003 Chrysler Town & Country Limited
Pros:
Comfort, luxury, handling
Cons:
Third row split seats uncomfortable for middle person. Shifter directly in path to radio volume.
The Bottom Line:
The 2003 Chrysler T&C is actually FUN to drive! We look forward to riding in our new "limo" and highly recommend that anyone in the market give it a test-drive.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Please read cuttingedge2's excellent review. I won't attempt to rewrite his work.
We began looking at the Dodge Grand Caravan, thinking that it would be the same van for less money. We were wrong. While the Dodge version is also a solid performer, its comfort level was not up to Chrysler's standards. The seats were not as nice (important on long road trips with kids) and while we're a fairly practical family, the small difference in price wasn't enough to overcome the nicer comfort and cosmetic features upgrading to a Chrysler offered.
The ride is very smooth, with plenty of power when needed. The transmission is barely noticed. Chrysler has done a nice job with sound proofing as well. We had a Ford Windstar previously and we no longer need to yell to hear each other! This also contributes to the excellent sound from the 10 speaker Infinity stereo system. It is much more enjoyable to listen to music or a DVD when there is not a background rumble from outside of the vehicle.
The seats are extremely comfortable. Our daughter insists on doing her schoolwork out in our new van (with frequent checks by Mom & Dad to ensure progress :D). The rear DVD system works flawlessly and comes with two wireless headsets so the kids can watch the integrated DVD system in the back and Mom & Dad can have their own music up front. The kids actually WANT to travel now!
While the third row split seats are advertised for three passengers, the middle person wouldn't want to sit there for long. However, they are very comfortable with two passengers and the design does make it easier for removing the seats. I am able to remove the seats by myself without difficulty. My wife also has no problem taking these seats out. I suppose if you travel often with three in the back, the optional bench may be worth checking out. But the flexibility in configuring the split seats (and ability to be done by one person) makes them a winner with us.
The only other negative I noted was very minor, but could be annoying. While our van has the steering wheel mounted audio controls, some versions of the Dodge & Chrysler vans don't. When the transmission is in Drive, the shift lever is EXACTLY in line with the radio volume control knob. I thought this type of design went out years ago. It is so obvious that the cynic in me thinks this could be intentional so people order the optional steering mounted audio control! These two cons are so minor I hesitate to even mention them.