‘It is not a collaboration with Chrysler… it is based on the ML, GL platform including engines’

HELP Which is it? Is it 100% Mercedes – no Chrysler parts whatsoever, built in Germany?

Or it it simply a rebadged Pacifica?

Are ML’s & GL’s assembled in Alabama? Are all Mercedes engines from Germany?

Can it be just a coincidence that it looks just like a Pacifica but actually does not have a single iota of Chrysler DNA?

Is it related to the A & B Class MB’s in Europe?

Doesn’t that just drive you nuts? My son does this constantly, so much so that I’m tempted to lock the interior light switch in “off”.

It’s made worse by the fact that the van sits idle very often. Each time the battery’s been flattened its’ been after several days.

Oh, the R-Class? Nice vehicle, but it’s caught between affluent minivan buyers who would forsake the hood ornament in favour of the virtues of a top-trim Sienna/Oddy, and Mercedes intenders whose self-esteem can’t handle the shape and pick the GL instead.

Other than the R63 (which is awesome, and expensive) I could never figure out who, in North America, they thought would buy this car. Even new they’re available cheap.

Dodge Neon. Awful. Enough said. I’m so glad these are in the scrap heap of my memories now and not available to rent at any price.

Dodge Nitro. Nearly killed me on every single day I had this low mileage rental from Enterprise @ COS airport. FAIL.

Avenger. Try hard looks are not made up by buzzy and thirsty base engine. This could be Enterprise’s fault for buying a zillion extra low spec rental specials. Not a good advert for Dodge / Chrysler this one.

Challenger. Nice cruiser, but terrible blind spots in the name of fashion. If you’re in the back seats, you can see the back side of the plastic trim pieces through the window. Trunk is smaller than expected. Surprisingly good hwy economy when doing 65 mph with cruise on.

My ex-boss lent me his 2001 Dodge Caravan for a month in return for driving his family to the airport (great deal!). Creaked along reliably for a month, but guzzled a surprising amount of gas for the duties I was putting it through. Interesting approach to panel gaps and interior build quality.

PT Cruiser. I like the look, but feels very very cheap inside. Neon underpinnings do it no favors. Cavernous interior. I love hatches and wagons.

2009 T&C. I’d buy one if priced right, and if we’d stayed in the USA it might have even replaced the Rabbit when it came time. We tried to buy one when we got back to Australia in Feb, but the dealer was asking (and still does) for the equivalent of $45k USD. HAHHAAHA! For that sort of money, we could have bought a Mercedes B class or a used R class.

In the USA at least, parts for the T&C are dirt cheap and ubiquitous. Dealers were nearly everywhere. I can’t see the downside except precipitous depreciation, which could be fixed by waiting for ex-lease vehicles to start showing up.

Personally, I’d have a fully spec’d Town and Country rather than one of these. We had one just before we left, and it’s the best Chrysler I’ve ever driven. You could land a small plane in the third row. I’m surprised there’s no bunk bed and galley kitchen (with sink) option.

Andrew

The Toyonda minivans aren’t low cost either. In fact they have a lot of idiosyncracies and weaknesses that keep ownership costs a lot higher than they need to be. I would argue that most folks would be far happier with the Taurus X or Flex over the long-term. Sliding doors be damned.

Oh, God!
Where do you get this stuff!

Paris-Dakar –

Doesn’t that really depend on what the first wife got at the end?

MB should also know the limited Sienna is already pretty much a Lexus. It even had functional radar cruise long before MB managed to sort their version out satisfactorily.

As for now, post peak credit, no way this thing will fly. Supposedly it is selling in some smaller numbers in Europe, where US sized and priced minivans just aren’t so prevalent. Space wise it is a big step up from an E wagon.

As for buying an R-class, I’ll take a minivan any day. Utility > futility.

Mazda 5 also has six seats. And, I assume, cheaper running cost compared to Chrysler-Benz R-sifica.

I love it when those with more money than brains get it tucked to them.

Even brand new, I knew people (yes, plural) who found leases on these things (even ones with Sat-Nav) for $2K down, and $129 a month for 36 months… 12,000mi per year. And it was even less if you paid it as a lump sum up front. It didn’t take the YSE – thse deals was inked back in 2006.

No employee discounts here… just straight up incentives to move the metal.

I’ve even seen a handful with taxi/limousine plates.