Chrysler Voyager / Grand voyager - views please?

lauren_1

We need to upgrade to a 7 seater soon as the 5 seater we have just won't accomodate us all in the near future, I have been browsing the tinternet and have been really drawn to the voyager/grand voyager.

Ideally 97/98/99/00 versions to take advantage of the cheaper tax, there is a few not to far from me ranging from £995 - £3999, this is our max budget.

Any pearls of wisdom about the voyagers?

bargepole

lauren_1 wrote: »

Any pearls of wisdom about the voyagers?

I've driven a few of these when I used to work for a car leasing company. They are ideal for transporting a large number of passengers, with easy access through the sliding doors, hence their popularity with taxi firms (and The Apprentice).

However, they are designed in the US, where fuel costs are less than a third of ours, and the general advice is don't fill up at the first pump on the forecourt, or you'll have run out by the time you reach the last pump.

hewhoisnotintheknow

i would go down the citroen c8 peugeot big thing or transit route

LandyAndy

As far as I remember they did very poorly in tests for safety of the occupants in an accident.

AdrianHi

Some friends of ours had a 2002 model and then move it on for a 2005 "Stow and Go" model (seats fold flat into the floor).
The problem is, even today in the new car market there is really nothing that does 7 seats, sliding doors and a reasonable amount of boot space with all 7 seats in use as well as the Grand Voyager.
For this reason many people including my friends have one of these despite the following short comings:
The diesels leave no room under the bonnet for the extra aircon compressors to allow for aircon vents in the rear of the car, hence why the 3.3 V6 still sells well. It's a darned expensive vehicle to run anyway so the extra fuel expense of the 3.3 V6 makes little odds overall.
It's a slow and combersome vehicle regardless of which engine you put under the bonnet.
It handles like a van / bus... well it is a van, does ride comfortably though.
Reliability is no where near Japanese but is probably not quite as bad as it's reputation suggests. It does have the potential to throw repair bills in the £1000-£3000 range at you (aircon problems, auto gearbox problems etc.).
Crash safety is unforgivably poor for a family vehicle.

If you can live its little or no boot space with all 7 seats in use I would go for a Toyota Previa instead. The Citroen C8 (and the Peugeot and Fiat clones of the same) don't have a very good reliability record with owners. Read the What Car readers reviews of these vehicles.

In the end the answer is probably a 3.3 V6 Voyager.

albionrovers

What about a Toyota Previa?

lauren_1

I dont like them at all.

hewhoisnotintheknow

AdrianHi wrote: »

Some friends of ours had a 2002 model and then move it on for a 2005 "Stow and Go" model (seats fold flat into the floor).
The problem is, even today in the new car market there is really nothing that does 7 seats, sliding doors and a reasonable amount of boot space with all 7 seats in use as well as the Grand Voyager.
For this reason many people including my friends have one of these despite the following short comings:
The diesels leave no room under the bonnet for the extra aircon compressors to allow for aircon vents in the rear of the car, hence why the 3.3 V6 still sells well. It's a darned expensive vehicle to run anyway so the extra fuel expense of the 3.3 V6 makes little odds overall.
It's a slow and combersome vehicle regardless of which engine you put under the bonnet.
It handles like a van / bus... well it is a van, does ride comfortably though.
Reliability is no where near Japanese but is probably not quite as bad as it's reputation suggests. It does have the potential to throw repair bills in the £1000-£3000 range at you (aircon problems, auto gearbox problems etc.).
Crash safety is unforgivably poor for a family vehicle.

If you can live its little or no boot space with all 7 seats in use I would go for a Toyota Previa instead. The Citroen C8 (and the Peugeot and Fiat clones of the same) don't have a very good reliability record with owners. Read the What Car readers reviews of these vehicles.

In the end the answer is probably a 3.3 V6 Voyager.

They will be more reliable than a chrysler, cheaper to run/own too

Ex_Gas_Guzzler

Adrianhi talks a lot of sense.

I worked for a Chrysler dealer for 13 years and chose Grand Voyager as my company car from 1997 when it launched and enjoyed driving them.
For the money you are wanting to pay be prepared to have to pay out big time if anything goes wrong. Main agents charge upto £100 an hour and parts are expensive!!!!!

I've seen some horror stories of cars with gearbox troubles, diesel engine troubles (3.3 V6 tends to be less of a problem) and huge MOT bills!!!

I personally would look at something slightly newer if you can or something more mainstream dare i say Ford or Japanese its tricky in that price range.
It is a buyers market though...Best of luck..

whatatwit

We have a Grand and I love it.

When we move the seats about :rolleyes: I can lift the middle 2 out myself and move the back seat in to the middle.
If 4 of us are off away for a few days and we are taking golf clubs etc, then it does take 2 of us to lift the back row out to make a huge boot.
Ours is the 2.5 CRD and on a recent 200 mile motorway trip, I got approx 40 MPG with 2 of us in the car.

I find it great to drive, although I do avoid multi storey car parks :eek: and I try and be selective about where I park due to the length.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Personally I wouldn't touch one. I'd have a Galaxy instead.