CTC Review: 2008 Chrysler Town & Country

[CD_Editor]

Day 1:

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Out of a sporty coupé and into something pretty much the polar opposite of sporty this week.  I'll be cruising in style in the Chrysler Town & Country Limited -- Chrysler's upscale minivan.  This is the all-new minivan from the company that started the craze, and with new innovations such as the Swivel N Go seating, they are attempting to be a leader and not a follower.More...

[si]

Their 'innovative' swivel and go party trick has been observed for a decade in Asia on a Mitsubishi minivan.

[davidm]

Please, for the love of <insert holy figure of choice> kill the terrible elevator music in the video.  Silence would be seriously preferable.

[wing]

Hey that's classic Jazz dude!  Hit the mute button

[ktm525]

Their 'innovative' swivel and go party trick has been observed for a decade in Asia on a Mitsubishi minivan.

Waaaay before that. The folks had a GM van converted byStarcraft. Four swiveling captains chairs, table and rear couch/bed, fridge. . A great family long distance hauler.

[AVToller]

Hey that's classic Jazz dude!  Hit the mute button

    I've been listening to jazz for more than 45 years, and I'd hardly call it that. 

[wing]

Whatever -- I'll admit it does sounds like elevator music.  I forget the artist but it is Jazz and was on PureJazz on sirius satellite radio while I recorded the video.

Is that all anyone can say about the video?  Worth the effort?

[Trainman]

That music reminds me of a type of movie I would not show my kids and probably not my wife but would go well at a bachelor party   

As for the video, I think it is cool and a good way to showcase a vehicle other than still pictures.  Some narration would be good though as to what we are seeing or should be looking at.

[wing]

If I did narration I wouldn't bother with the written review.  It would take too much time to edit and write a script for.

I'm going to do a few cars with the video see how it goes.

[dr_spock]

The 3rd row power seat looks interesting.   Does it still fold down if you have stuff on the seats? 

I think video is good to showcase features that move like power doors, convertible roofs, etc.  But it is hard to make out fine details like the dash and console. 

The selected music in the video seems to set a kind of dull mood for the van.   Not sure if that is the secret feelings you have for minivans. 

[wing]

^

[sailor723]

This might be a dumb question but wasn't this vehicle just covered in a review dated Jan 8 ? 

[wing]

Chris reviewed it.  Typically we get the cars one after the other.  A-typically Chris' review will hit the front page before I get the car.  This was A-typical for sure as he got the car a month or so ago.

[Seafoam]

Their 'innovative' swivel and go party trick has been observed for a decade in Asia on a Mitsubishi minivan.

Waaaay before that. The folks had a GM van converted byStarcraft. Four swiveling captains chairs, table and rear couch/bed, fridge. . A great family long distance hauler.

And way before that GM sold The Chevrolet Laguna[ chevelle] 2 door that had swivel bucket seats. Barrie probably has one of these stored somewhere.

[airbalancer]

The Monte Carlo in the mid '70's also had seat front the swivel making it easier to get out

[sailor723]

The Monte Carlo in the mid '70's also had seat front the swivel making it easier to get out

Yeah, My Mom had a '74 like that.....and remember "T" top roofs?

[Seafoam]

On the topic of swivel buckets.The Barrett Jackson auction showed a 1961 Chrysler 300 G convertible last night with them. They mentioned that the next car to use them was the Monte Carlo from 1973. So top that. To me the stow and go would be more useful but that's just me.

[inco]

Is that all anyone can say about the video?  Worth the effort?

What - and hurt your feelings!  Everyone has to start somewhere so we shouldn't discourage you now, should we? 

[jww]

Back to the Town & Country.

We owned 2 mini-vans - a Voyager and a Caravan. Both were great space movers, and drove exactly as I expected - no surprises, but no excitement either. At that time in life, I wanted predictable not excitable driving, though.

I think the gadgetry of sto-N-go and swivel seats are slick - and would have like to be able to simply drop the back row into the bottom of the vehicle for those times I needed to carry large items.

I don't get where Chrysler is going, however, with the new design. The exterior looks to me like a reversal of design rather than evolutionary. Nevertheless, this vehicle continues to fill a niche and price point that people still have a need for - even with the advent of multi-passenger SUVs and CUVs.

[mar1990]

That music reminds me of a type of movie I would not show my kids and probably not my wife but would go well at a bachelor party   

I forget the artist but it is Jazz and was on PureJazz on sirius satellite radio while I recorded the video.

Ssuurrre it was!       And I only buy that magazine for the articles...