Any 2011 Town and Country owners yet?
 

I'm very interested in getting a 2011 Town and Country. In searching for early user reports I have found nothing. So if anyone had bought one yet I'd love to hear about your experience and what if anything there is to look out for and test before taking delivery.

Thanks!

As a dealership tech, Ive been doing the Delivery Preps on these since the begginning of December.......

I can Honestly say....I havent found anything that I havent been completely impressed with.
The color schemes are offered, and the design of the dash , I personally think is Hideously ugly, But thats a matter of taste....Who knows, you may like it.....

Its still too early for any of them to have accumulated enough mileage to determine Road-worthiness...But since most of the powertrain issues were corrected for 09 and 10...I dont think there will be an issue.

Isn't the engine new for 2011?

Yes....Its a 3.6 "PENTASTAR" engine. And while it is true that it "Hasnt Been Proven" yet, The trans issues from the earlier years have been rectified, and some chassis issues have been addressed. .....Perhaps I was overshooting a Bit by referring to POWERTRAIN..

The electronics got a re-do as well, and Im quite impressed with that particularly. Of course , complexity has increased, But it has made the overall system Much easier to work with.

Would appreciate any early reports of what to look out for
 

There is a good chance I will be ordering one as they don't have the model/color/options I'm interested in. Djinn, since that takes about 8 weeks I would appreciate if you updated any issues that you see in the mean time.

I would prefer to find one already equipped but since I like to keep my cars a long time I want to be sure I get everything I want.

I'm planning to get a Touring-L with Enter-N-Go, Driver Convenience Group (for the heated steering wheel), Trailer Tow Prep Group, and Media Center with NAV. The MSRP on a Touring-L outfitted as above is $35685.

The Limited has all this but adds in some expensive extras that I don't want to pay for including TV. If I build all the Limited platform and add the Trailer Tow Prep group I end up with a MSRP of $40,410.

The discount I'm seeing comes from asking for the Costco price which they are saying is $500 under invoice. For an available Touring L with MSRP of $34900 I got a price of $32477. For a Limited with an MSRP of $42000 I got a price of $38926. I believe this includes destination but does not include dealer prep, taxes, registration, documentation fees. Anyone getting better pricing? If so, how?

No one at the two dealerships I'm talking to can answer my question regarding the two different tire types that are options on the Touring-L. There is no price difference between the two. One is described as all season, the other as all season touring. I live in snowy Colorado and would like to know which is best for traction in snow. Any ideas?

Also any idea what the auto dimming rear view mirror with microphone gets you vs. the auto dimming rear view mirror without microphone? No one seems to know that either.

I like the Red Pearl exterior. I'm thinking of getting the tan interior. The light gray looks like it might show more dirt over time. I also like the more natural wood look with the tan vs. the almost black wood with the gray. I may have another look at the two before making a final decision.

Would also love to hear from anyone considering getting one as to what your considering and why.

Thanks!

Unless its already there, I would skip it...It really isnt all its cracked up to be.

Its basically the same system that is used from 2008 and 09, on the challengers and some of the Journeys, and it is VERY PICKY.

My first experience was with 2 men with new Challengers, who Drove each others cars to see which one ran better........(Friendly quarrelling never hurt anyone , Right?)

Well, The first guy got in his friends car, with his friend in the passenger seat. AND THE CAR WOULDNT START!!!!.....As they kept trying, The security system LOCKED OUT, and would not recognize the key.
The Explanation......The first guy had HIS car key in his pocket, when he got into the friends car.....It was towed in and after reprogramming The WIN controller, all is back to normal.
I personally do not have the patience to invite someone for a ride in my new car, only after asking them to empty their pockets and show my dashboard what you have.:(

That is VERY interesting
 

What you have reported is very interesting as the Enter-N-Go is one of my favorite features. It is the primary reason I'm not buying a Honda Odyssey. I hadn't read reports of them being problematic but now will do some serious research.

Thanks!

I wouldnt say problematic....But rather "Unforgiving" in "Unanticipated" situations where he doesnt see EXACTLY what he expects....

Honestly, this was all done from a safety and security standpoint, but no-one new how it would react in a real world situation until they tried it. There are still hundreds of situations that havent been tested, simply because....No-one has dreamed them up yet....:)

Just did some quick research...
 

I just did a quick web search and most are happy with the feature. One person locked themselves out by leaving the key fob in the car. But other than that folks seem happy. I think maybe this falls into the realm of technical innovations that are great but still could have issues. I really like the convenience so will still order it.

I've been in twice to the local dealership to test drive a Limited that is sitting on the lot with a flat tire. Today I told them to call me when it was ready. I'm interested to see if there are other features that I'm not aware of that I will consider 'must haves' once I experience them. That happened with the heated steering wheel. I didn't know I loved it until I tried it. Now I've got to have it.

Limited is out
 

I finally test drove a Limited yesterday. They have a different seat in the Limited. There is some type of bar that goes across the shoulder area that I could feel. It was very uncomfortable so I'm focusing on the Touring-L.

Bought the limited last month with trailer tow package and blackberry pearl coat exterior and love it. Interior, dash are way more inviting and upscale compared to 2010's. We test drove 2010 and 2011 and wife had to have 2011 and forgo some of the extra incentives on the 2010's. Wife and I love the enter n go feature and have not had any problems with it. And yeah once you try the heated steering wheel, wow gotta have it especially if you live up north. The center console is a nice feature that moves back to the second row seats. So far no major problems. Gas mileage is a little bit of a concern but only have 700 miles on it. Been mainly driving in town and only averaging around 12.5 mpg. Planning on a trip to Florida towards end of April, hopefully average around the 25 mpg sticker says. New stow n go one touch is better along with plusher seats than 2010. Led lighting inside and out is nice as well.

Thanks!
 

Thanks for the review. Have you had any warranty work done on it? Anything that isn't working?

Glad to hear you are enjoying it so much. I would be very interested to hear if the gas mileage improves or if you find out why it is so low.

Michelle

No warranty work done. Maybe because it is new not broke in yet and winter plus all city driving.

That is good to hear!
 

That is very good to hear. I was impressed with the perceived quality when I test drove them but I didn't test all the systems.

Thanks!
Michelle

Hello Everyone,
We're the proud owners of a 2011 T&C Touring L.
We purchased it in Deep Cherry Red Clearcoal Metallic with the Black leather (perforated) trim seats. Being that we have four kids at home (21, 16, 13, 7) We plan on using this van exclusively for hauling around the family on special occasions. (vacation, amusement parks, etc) Previously, we'd either fit all 6 of us in our five passenger vehicle or We'd drive two cars. NO MORE! ;)

We decided on buying a T&C after having rented one from Enterprise when our vehicle went to the body shop for repairs. Our rental had the dual monitors, dual dvd players, heated seats and rear AC. We enjoyed the van so much, our new van was purchased with the same options. I just finished installing a hitch and i'm trying to figure out what wiring kit to use.

We also purchased a 7yr/70,000 miles extended warranty with our purchase.

Jesse

I've tried locking the key fob inside the vehicle (Enter and Go) and can't. I even put it next to the door lock button to try and make it think the key was outside, and it won't lock (using the button on the door handle). The key fob has to be outside to be able to lock the vehicle.

I've got about 800 miles on a 2011 T&C Touring-L. I traded in a 2010 Touring WPC edition with the 4.0 liter and the six-speed trans.

The new engine seems to have perhaps, a little more power, but I haven't really pushed it yet. The 4.0 had about the same torque a little lower in the RPM band and that probably made it feel about the same in normal traffic. From the couple of times I've given it a bit of extra throttle at highway speeds, it does seem to be more powerful as the RPM's go up. I'm old enough to remember when one horsepower per cubic inch was considered a 'high performance' vehicle. Now I've got a family oriented minivan that puts out 283 horsepower out of about 219 cubic inches, and does it without a fussy idle or having to clean and gap the plugs every couple of thousand miles. (I had a '69 Roadrunner with the Hemi and 425 horsepower, and in those days, that was considered a powerful and efficient engine, and that was in the days when horsepower was measured using the SAE gross HP method instead of the SAE net HP ratings now used.)

I'm getting about 3 mpg better mileage with the 2011, but I'm using the Econ button and letting it keep the RPM's down. I also like being able to run it on regular unleaded.

It's a bit quieter than the 2010, but not dramatically so. If they have 'retuned' the suspension, it's not a hugh difference but noticeable. The Stow-n-Go seats do fold easier, but since I always keep all the back seats folded down, it's not a big plus for me.

The styling 'refinements' are subtle, but make quite a difference. They make the vehicle look less tall and skinny, and the new grille I find to be better looking. The headlights, (I don't have the HID's), are identical to the 2008-2010 ones, which I found pretty good. They have finally gone to LED tail lights, but for some reason still keep with the incandescent bulbs for parking light, turn signals and flashers. Updating those would have made it look more modern, but I guess it might have added a few bucks more to the manufacturing costs than the bean counters would stand for.

This one has the auto climate control which is the one thing I really missed having on the 2010. I also like the new dashboard better than the old one. The digital display between the speedometer and tachometer is handy and moving the cruise control from that idiotic stalk on the 2010 up to the front of the steering wheel was a no-brainer. Whoever thought of that stalk mounted control must never have driven a car in his life!

The electronics are more complex. The auto high beam headlamps do really work well and the rain-sensing wipers, even though it could use a little refinement in the software, does work well enough that I leave it on all the time. (Just remember to turn it off when going through the car wash!)

The console between the seats seems to be about the same as last years. It's ok, but a little flimsy when you slide it back and forth.

My only real complaint is with the back-up camera. I have the Mitsubishi made RBZ radio. The exact same unit as in the 2010. In that one, the camera was a disappointment in that it was essentially useless in bright sunlight. I happened to come across a Technical Service Bulletin for that radio on the internet, printed it out and took that to the dealer, who had said that all the back-up cameras worked that way and there was nothing they could do with it. After seeing the TSB, they ordered the DVD and did the software update, and the improvement in the camera was amazing! The update also fixed some other minor annoyances with the radio, such as the fact that about once a week, it would decide to suddenly shut itself off for a while and then come back on, or it wouldn't boot all the way up when starting.

In the 2011, with the same radio, it functions perfectly as far as the radio goes, but inexplicably...., the dim back-up camera is back! How you can fix a problem that people were complaining about for three years and then not include that fix in the 2011 models is a mystery. The dealer says they cannot 'flash' back the software to the 2010 version and that they can't do anything about it until Chrysler comes out with a fix. They promise to keep an eye out for it. I'm emailing Chrysler weekly, hoping that by bugging them enough, they might do something about it without having to wait three years! We'll see what happens.

The Safety-Tech, with the sensors in the back bumper work well and the cross-traffic detection really does seem to work well, alerting you in busy parking lots that someone is coming down the aisle as you start backing out. I've never had a problem with that kind of thing before, but it does work and gives a little extra margin of safety when you're parked next to something that blocks your view down the aisle.

All in all...., I'm happy with the new one, even though there wasn't that much wrong with the 2010. (I also test drove a 2011 Honda Odyssey and a 2011 Toyota Sienna, and although the Honda may have been just a tad quieter and the Toyota a tad quicker off the line, (probably due to it's lighter weight), both of those dealers just didn't want to budge much from the sticker price and neither had all the options that came on the Chrysler at a lower price. I wasn't all that wowed by their supposed better quality! They seemed not all that different from the Chrysler. American manufacturers have come a long way!

My first post here:

I purchased a 2011 T&C Touring L just over a month ago. I have about 1200 miles on it and love it. Replaces a 2005 Grand Caravan that had about 72,000 miles. Like someone else posted, for me, the L had the right features without spending the extra 5K for the Limited. Finding one with the tow prep package was a bit of a challenge. Everything on mine seems to work well. I really like the Enter and Go, and remote start. I have some numbness issues in my hands when it starts to get colder, so I'm definitely looking forward to the heated steering wheel. All in all, I think it is a great vehicle!

Just purchased a 2011 limited. Very nice...so far. Traded in my 2001 Odyssey that never gave me problems...
One thing is the sound quality of the stereo...it's no better than my old Odyssey which was bad. A CD played in the T&C sound very sad compared to me VW, no detail in the highs and no bass (I did play with the equalizer, but sound still is poor)
Any thoughts from others, or should I go and have it checked out?
I need to bring it in to get the steering wheel centered (it's at about 11:00 going straight down the road)

I don't know what radio you've got in your van, but I have the Mitsubishi made RBZ, 430 without the navigation. I had the same radio in my 2010.

They aren't bad for a factory radio, but I have yet to find one that sounds as good as the Alpine system I installed in a Ford Windstar some years ago. I had to change the speakers of course, but the one in my Chrysler can't compare to it.

I don't think the Chrysler radios are terrible, as factory radios go, but I really wonder what American car manufacturers are thinking about when they put radios in. It always seems as if they are putting in the cheapest stuff they can get away with. When you spend almost 40K for a van..., you'd think they could do better than they are.

Some years ago I bought a new Ford Taurus and sprang for the top of the line radio with I think it was nine speakers and a six-disc changer, (in the trunk, if you can believe that), and to be honest, it didn't sound any better than the stock radio in my previous Mercury Sable!

If you've got the top of the line Infinity system in your van, I'd take it back and have it checked out. It shouldn't be as bad as you say. The wheel being off-center is just inexcuseable in todays world also. Didn't you notice that when you test-drove it?

First post-

Also first time T&C (or any van) owner. Just got it last week. Had the dealer add a DVD over-head. Looking to add U-connect and/or remote start. Have any of you added either of these?

@Djinn-n-Tonic, have you installed either of these?

We absolutely love our T&C!

I'm really looking forward to our first roadtrip, as preliminary MPG on local trips seems really impressive. Our Pacifica struggled to get 20 HWY, this is showing major fuel savings.

If this vehicle lasts as long as our last 3 MOPARS w e wil be very happy!

Update-
Ordered the factory remote start from a dealer on Amazon. Should come in this week. I'm told the local dealer will activate it for about 1 hr labor. Different dealers telling me different stories on the U-connect. Could be as much as $500 + labor. Might just skip that one, if it's that high.

2011 T&C Limited
 

We took delivery of a new 2011 T&C Limited about 2 months ago. So far, we've put over 7000 km on it. It comes with almost everything.

Over Christmas, we need to go from Toronto to Quebec City with 4 adults and 2 teenagers and all the luggage. Plenty of space. DVD's keep the kids happy. Satelitte radio kept me in comedy the entire time.

Love the Blind Spot monitor and cross-traffic sensor.

The review camera lense needs constant cleaning. Anybody know how to keep it clean?

We had a 2008 T&C (unfortunately, it was totaled). I actually preferred the NAV system on that over the Garmin on this model. Mainly due to the fact that the radio would display the moving map, instead of having the choice of either the radio displayed or the GPS.

I like the DIC, but wonder why they didn't include Transmission temperature? I know that other Chryslers have it.

Enter-n-Go system is amazing. I love never having to fumble for my keys.

Steve

Was this a "factory" dealer added DVD player that runs off the in dash head unit??

Same question- Is this a "factory" DVD player that runs off the factory radio in dash head unit?




When we bought ours, we found one that had everything we wanted EXCEPT factory DVD. They assured me it was no problem to add one.

Now they are telling me the 2011 cant be a like factory add in run from the head unit model, but instead an aftermarket style that you insert the discs in the unit itself, rear area.

They are claiming it is part of the changes made in 2011 and its not like it used to be- add in available.

thanks!

It looks like the factory unit, but it does not work off the DVD player in the dash. We do not have to load the disks in the back. They installed the player in the dash in a cubbyhole at the bottom. The only bad part is you can't see the movie playing, so you are dependent on those watching to tell us it is playing or just the menu. My child is 4, so it's hard get the message across sometimes. I like having them separate, as the rider(s) get the DVD and up front we get the radio.