[elliotgb]

Not that I'd even consider a Chrysler again, but I do see quite a few Pacificas on the roads around my way. On my way back from North Carolina to PA, I raced and beat quite of few of them as well. I took great pleasure in gunning them down.

Interesting that Edmunds doesn't consider Pacifica as a competitor to the Murano but lists the competion as follows:

2004 Acura MDX
2004 Buick Rendezvous
2004 Honda Pilot
2004 Lexus RX 330

I had to specially add in the Murano to compare and when I did so, the SUV checkbox was empty. I suppose they want to make a distinction between crossover vehicles and what they deem to be true SUV's.

I can see the Acura, Honda and Lexus as Pacifica competitors but I don't understand why Buick was thrown in, maybe because of price.:32:

 

[9495]

Have you ever driven a Pacifica? Once you drive one, then you'll understand why it can't be compared to the MO.

I drove it twice, once on my own, then once because my wife wanted to check it out. Driving it on my own, the first things that I noticed was a severe lack of power, handling like a mini-van, cheap quality interior (squeaky dash on a vehicle with less than 50 miles on it), and a pretty pathetic turning radius.

When I drove it with my wife, it was quite low on gas so the dealer had us go up to the gas station. I made a comment on the way there (only 2 blocks away) that the car didn't seem to be responding very well to the accellerator (seemed to be hanging in a certain gear too long and felt "mushy"). The dealers reaction? Oh, probably because we're so low on gas, they do funny things when they get low". So we filled up with gas and were on our way. Harsh start out of the gas station in first gear, then when the RPMs were WAY too high for first it finally jumped into second with a loud "thunk." From that point on the following things happened in rapid succession:

1) Speedometer dropped to zero and would not move no matter what our speed was.
2) Car would NOT shift out of second gear, even when stopping completely and starting again.
3) Power steering seemed to go in and out, making the wheel hard to steer, then all of a sudden break loose and turn really sharp.

The dealer tried to play the humor game and laugh about it. Even said "well sometimes you get a bad one." When we got back to the dealership (limping our way along) and the dealer told his supervisor what had happened, we overheard his supervisor say "I can't believe we've had so many Pacificas with problems like this." He obviously didn't think we could hear him and he tried to pressure us to buy a Pacifica (although not that particular one). Yeah, right!

~ Corin

 

[Sgt_Beavis]

When it comes to the Pacifica or the Chrysler 300c, you should throw everything you've known about Chrysler right out the window. These cars are a billion percent improvment over anything Chrysler has ever built in the past. IMO, the 300c is NOW the standard bearer for American Sedans.

The Pacifica really isn't in the Murano's class. In fact, I consider the Pacifica a minivan with hinged doors. My only gripe about the car is that it is a bit underpowered (especially if you get the heavy AWD version). Chryslers only big mistake with the Pacifica was the fact that for the first several months of production, they only built the 40K AWD version instead of the FWD version that could be had for as little as 30K. Now you can get Pacifica's for even less. Fortunately, Chrysler learned their lesson and now the 300 can be had for as little as 23K.

But I digress.

The Pacifica and the Murano really are not in the same class IMO. The Pacifica is a minivan (though Chrysler denies it) and the Murano is "Urban SUV". The Pacifica is much larger, has 3 row seating, costs more, but has more utility.

BTW, it's not saying much if you beat a Pacifica. Like I said, it's underpowered to begin with (unlike the MO which is just about right) It has 250HP and 250ft lbs of torque but it weighs 4393lbs. The MO weighs only 3960. (both AWD weights) It's not like either car is built for racing.

 

[Gonzo]

1) Speedometer dropped to zero and would not move no matter what our speed was.
2) Car would NOT shift out of second gear, even when stopping completely and starting again.
3) Power steering seemed to go in and out, making the wheel hard to steer, then all of a sudden break loose and turn really sharp.

~ Corin

#3 and the above comment about interior noses sound just like MO issues.... DOH!

 

[9495]

#3 and the above comment about interior noses sound just like MO issues.... DOH!

No, much much worse. Not rattle type things, but squeaking. And the power steering issue on the MO is minor and only happens in special cases. This was REALLY bad, jumping the steering wheel back and forth drastically while just trying to make simple turns. Thank god we weren't on the freeway.

~ Corin

 

[Gonzo]

Yea I know I'm sorry to you and the MO.... simply insinuating that the MO is like a Chrystler... what was I thinking. I hope the Great MO will forgive my actions.

 

[Snowride]

My brother just picked up a fully loaded pacifica mainly because it has 3 seats and he's got 2 children. I warned him about all the real bad luck everyone, and I do mean everyone, has had once they get a little older, as in out of warranty. (I'm talking about Intrepids, Neons and a Cirrus)His response was. "What do I care, I'm leasing it and don't really care if it falls apart after I give it back"

What really surprized me on this vehicle was it looks so dam big from the outside but sitting in the drivers seat and lookin back it is really narrow and small. The exagerated inward sloping roof combined with what looks like 6" thick plastic trim make it really small toward the rear. I did'nt believe it could actually be so small inside but it was. Never drove it so I can't comment any further.

 

[9495]

What really surprized me on this vehicle was it looks so dam big from the outside but sitting in the drivers seat and lookin back it is really narrow and small. The exagerated inward sloping roof combined with what looks like 6" thick plastic trim make it really small toward the rear. I did'nt believe it could actually be so small inside but it was. Never drove it so I can't comment any further.

I actually noticed that as well. Walking up to the vehicle I was amazed at how big it was, but felt so small inside. The MO was just the opposite for me. Looked smaller on the outside, but felt quite large on the inside.

~ Corin

 

[BARCODE]

Wouldn't matter to me (IMO) if the pacifica was better powered or better priced. It's a Chrysler.. To me, the name alone makes me sick. Can you say HEMI ? I love my MO. :roadtrip:

 

[Gonzo]

I agree Corin..... I always think of the MO as being small but when I park next to something else I realize that it is a pretty good size car. I also gets compliments from folks in the back seat when I drive with someone that there is a good amount of room in the back. In the front too.... great leg room for me.

I love my MO as do many others. Can you say "nnniiiicccceeee"

 

[mgthe3]

I am seeing more and more pacificas here in Atlanta...but I'm with Barcode....chrysler :13: The styling is nice though...just not as hot as the Mo. :19:

I guess if I had the chance to own a hemi cuda it would be the one dodge/chrysler product I would own and smile about.

 

[mafmaf22]

seriously the room in the murano is unbelievable! Im around 6'4" with long legs so i don't fit in manh vehicles, but i have plenty of room both in the front seats and back seats. i mean i can't even fit in the largest toyota suv nor the lincol Aviator, but i have so much head a leg room, its amazing

 

[ra3boy]

1) Speedometer dropped to zero and would not move no matter what our speed was.
2) Car would NOT shift out of second gear, even when stopping completely and starting again.
3) Power steering seemed to go in and out, making the wheel hard to steer, then all of a sudden break loose and turn really sharp.



~ Corin

Well, isn't there a brand new tranny, German made, in Pacifica?

The above stated problems, not being able to shift out of second gear, sound veeeeeeeery familiar.
There are two speed sensors in the transmission, feeding data
into module. If these two guys are dead, the module is going crazy and locks the tranny in second gear. There is no movement in speedometer needle either. I experienced this thing at 72 K in my 300M.
Did they put the same tranny in Pacifica? 300 C?

 

[9495]

Well, isn't there a brand new tranny, German made, in Pacifica?

The above stated problems, not being able to shift out of second gear, sound veeeeeeeery familiar.
There are two speed sensors in the transmission, feeding data
into module. If these two guys are dead, the module is going crazy and locks the tranny in second gear. There is no movement in speedometer needle either. I experienced this thing at 72 K in my 300M.
Did they put the same tranny in Pacifica? 300 C?

Actually, I think they built it out of legos or something... What cracks me up is that they still thought that they could sell me on the vehicle. But I have a good sense of humor, I just openly laughed at them, shook my head, and walked away... :bootyshak

~ Corin

 

[MO_808]

I had a 2000 jeep cherokee before the MO. One of my tranny problems was very similar to this. It wouldn't come out of first gear. I went back to imports!

 

[mgthe3]

Corin

legos LMAO

 

[bob1]

I hear you Mo-808. I had a 97 Jeep Grand Cheerokee. This SUV looked awesome but it was a piece. It had some 26000 dollar sticker but got it for about 20 or 21 G's. It chews up tires every 30 thousand miles. (I went thru 3 sets.) After about 60 thousand it sounded and drove like a truck. There is no legroom it the back, it was hard to exit and enter, it sucks gas like a pig. It pinged and knocked unless I put high test gas in it. No wonder they give like 4 thousand dollar rebates. When the rear end started to wail and hum people told me it was like a 2000.00 pinion gear problem! That was it. I said I'm going for the MO. I already had the Altima and I was sold on Nissan. What a kick in the butt to find my Jeep was worth a whopping 3-G's on a trade in. I went to several dealers and to Car-Max, they buy your car even if you don't buy from them. 3 freaking thousand dollars and my car looked like it was in showroom condition. I wish the North American auto company's would finally get a clue.
BTW, I think the Pacifica and that 300 by Chrysler look great on the outside but that's not where it counts.
Bob1

 

[MO_808]

Wow Bob1, I hope the MO is helping your therapy like it's helping mine. I turned the jeep in at 55,000. One of the selling points for the cherokee was the looks,
especially after the redesign in 2000. But I guess looks aren't everything. I thought that - up until I took delivery of the Mo this year.

So far so good. I guess I got lucky with mine when in comes to rattles etc. knock on wood.

But hey, domestics are all in the past now - we've learned our lesson! MO_808

 

[Indiana_Mike]

To keep the jeep bash going....

The company I worked for had a small fleet of jeep grand cherokees as company vehicles (10 total), one of which was mine. Of the group, we had 5 major tranny issues that required either complete replacement or a long stay with them while they tinkered with them.

We also had 4 rear axles replaced. One had the wrong axle on it from the factory supposedly. All of these vehicles had less than 60,000 miles on them.

It seemed like of the 10 of us, there was at least one in the shop at any given time for what I would call unusuall types of service. I remember one morning that I dropped mine off and there were two of my partners sitting there also. Made the courtesy shuttle almost like a school bus.

When I left this firm and lost my company jeep, I knew that I HAD to have a MO!

 

[bob1]

MO-808, yeah, we learned our lesson. I'm with you as a rattle and trouble free MO. I think there are many of us but of course you don't start a thread on this forum saying, look, no rattles and no problems. Sure people out there have some but most of the MO's problems seem to be annoying rather than mechanical. We made a sound choice, I'm sure of that. Further more, after 6 months of ownership, I still get a charge from driving this pup.

Bob1