I'll agree with you Gina, and have to disagree with a number of the other posters on this topic. I doubt you can go too far wrong with a Chrysler minivan, as they invented the concept. The T & C is a more deluxe version of the Caravan, with nicer trim, but the vehicles are essentially identical.
Other that being in/around the industry for a long time, I can't stomach Asian imports (even those domestically produced) for a couple of reasons.......one subjective, I admit:
1. Asian styling SUCKS......it's awful.......what I refer to as the "pagoda look", where there is absolutely no symmetry in design and they hang superfluous crap all over the units. They have no flare for uniqueness or line coordination at all......both the Japanese, and Koreans are "tone deaf" when it comes to designing (mass market) vehicles.......largely because their entire industry is still based on its early roots of attempting to mimic American (and European) styling, and doing a really bad job of it. Admittedly, I'm of the Harley Earl school of automotive styling, and as such, I can think of only a half-dozen or so vehicles of Asian origin that I considered decent looking. The rest of them I would have difficulty keeping my breakfast down facing them in the garage every morning........perhaps I take the design of a vehicle too seriously, but that's just the way I look at it......
2. Repair/parts costs for an Asian vehicle (even domestically assembled) will run an average 2 to 3 times that of a domestic manufacturer's price for the same or equivalent part/repair. This is due partially to their origins, and also to the distributor/dealer markup structure that they employ. This is particularly important if you plan to drive that vehicle for a long period of time. One can argue that they (might) require less repair than a domestic when driven for the same mileage, but the singular repair cost will more than offset this, if it even exists.
To the numbers.......someone else mentioned buying a fleet/lease comeback vehicle, which makes good sense economically. If you can find a one to two year-old vehicle that you like, that has low mileage, and a portion of the original manufacturer's warranty left on it, you eliminate the really steep part of the depreciation curve, and can take advantage of the remaining warranty if minor problems exist with the unit.
The last point, vehicle overall quality, is a bit more complicated, as there are all kinds of ways that various manufacturers and auto publications like to "spin" quality.......but the only one that counts (in my opinion) is the hardest to find actual numbers. The parameter that I use is the manufacturer's own warranty cost on average per unit. Chrysler is (depending on year) among the lowest, and ironically, if you eliminate the really high-end stuff, Honda and Toyota are among the highest. Warranty cost is the average number of dollars that the manufacturer spends fixing defects and problems on the vehicle over the warranty period. Right now, Chrysler minivans are averaging about $220, where Honda is sitting firmly at around $640, and Toyota comes in at about $380 (all figures are on their minivan lines).
I wouldn't get too fixated on what any particular dealer offers you for your trade.......dealers can "overallow" on trades, which is a way to artificially inflate the trade-in value of your unit to suck you in..........the really important figure is your total out of pocket cost when the deal is done, not the allowance on your existing vehicle.
As always.......YMMV.......
doc
