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2017 Pacifica buyers remorse?

28K views 28 replies 21 participants last post by  txredhead56  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
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I need some help convincing me I made the right choice.
I have plenty of Honda in the past, a couple accords, Del Sol, Ody and Pilot.

Changing out from a 2013 Chevy Equinox to a 3rd row vehicle. So we looked at a couple SUV and a couple MiniVans.

SUV: Highlander, Traverse, Pathfinder & MiniVan: Odyssey EX-L NAV and Pacifica

After looking at the MiniVans we quickly ruled out the SUV.
It was so close between the Ody and the Pacifica, but it came down to the Pacifica being cheaper monthly and features I liked better.

2017 Pacifica Touring-L - Options - 18" Wheel group, KeySense, 13 Speaker Alpine and 8-Passenger Seat

Pro Con List
Ody Pros:
Sliding Second Row, loved that the second seat slid forward and back (Stow & Go are fixed :( )
Second Row Seat Comfort, seat is so much more substantial then the Stow & Go.
Dash readability, much better then the Pacifica. Nice and crisp and easy to read.

Ody Cons:
2 screens, Yikes what a mess. I spent some time with this and I am a techy and I hated it. When spinning dial to change settings you figure it would be the screen attached to the dial, but no it is the screen 20 inches above the knob.
2nd row seats don't store.

Pacifica Pros:
Better HP & Torque
Better drive, personal preference
Stow & Go 2nd row.
uConnect screen, really nice screen and easy to use.
Remote Engine start (Believe this is option on Ody)
Backup sensors (Believe this is option on Ody)
Parking brake is button on dash

Pacifica Cons:
2nd row good but not as nice as the Ody
Passenger seat no power
Steering Wheel radio no volume control, really?
Need to pay extra $595 to activate Nav
Shifter dial is too close to the radio volume dial.
 
#2 ·
I assume that you've already bought the Pacifica. If so then please let us know how you are faring with it as I too will be making a similar comparison later this year; Though I'm hoping that the Hybrid version of the Pacifica will be out then. I've had 2 Odys and although the first one wasn't so good, my 2005 has been absolutely the BEST vehicle I've ever owned. Also, it looks as if the New Sienna may be out then as well...
 
#3 ·
Keep us posted on the Pacifica experience. Like nebuarchs, I'll be making the same decision, though not next year, if things go my way.

OF
 
#5 ·
I need to update my Pacifica Cons.
I found the radio control buttons behind the steering wheel left and right.
Not very intuitive unless you RTFM.
They have one on the left up, down and center button, and right up, down and center button.

One less thing to worry about.
My wife is starting to get into the car.
 
#6 ·
Hate to tell you this, but you can get all kinds of used, less than year old, Pacificas around here. Owners can't seem to get rid of them quick enough. I've never ask anyone why.
 
#7 ·
I didn't realize Pacificas were able to be bought yet. I haven't seen any on the road. Agree the reviews have been positive. Really waiting on Honda and Toyota to release specs on their redesigns.
 
#9 ·
Yeah, you are right. I had a 4x4 Dodge truck that was a real challenge for many years. It's the only vehicle where at one point I'd thought of pushing it over a cliff to perform a mercy killing. Really, the sheer number of driveline failures (engine electrical, driveshaft, transmission, rear axle, transfer case, etc.) were staggering.

I'm still just hoping that since FIAT took over, and Sergio Marchionne is real "car guy", that Chrysler has made a turn for the better. Maybe they have. I sure like the looks and layout of that Pacifica.

OF
 
#11 ·
The specs on the Pacifica are fantastic, esp independant rear suspension, plus 9 spd tranny. I bought 2011 Town & Country and it has been pretty good. The deciding factor for me was the stow and go seats, as I had 2001 Ody and got sick and tired of removing the 65 lb seats to be able to have my 2-3 greyhounds in back. The stow and go do go back and forward on mine. Hybrid will not have Stow and Go. I only have 50 K on 2011, so I am not in the market for a new car. I was scared to death of buying a Chrysler product but it has been pretty good, though mileage is typically about 20. I sometimes got up to 26 on the 2001. Didn't know they were available yet, though they have been advertising it.
 
#12 ·
One other positive for the Honda: resale value.

On another note, I've had three friends who have Lemon Law'd Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep vehicles within the last 18 months; two were Grand Cherokees, one was a Dart. All three experienced electronic gremlins which left the vehicles paralyzed on several occasions - in spite of many firmware updates and one new ECU (in the Dart) these demons could never be exorcised. I like the look of the new Pacifica - I sincerely hope they have their arms around quality control on them.
 
#13 ·
I have 2 years and 30,000 miles on my Odyssey TE, so I'm not in the market, but I did check out the Pacifica to see what all the fuss is about.

I won't give an in depth pros/cons review like the OP, but I will offer this one sentence bottom line. I thought it was nice, but nothing that blew me away, and nothing that caused me to give even a thought to trading in my Ody.

For me personally, the bar is set very high with my Ody. Usually after 2 years I start to get restless, and I start to focus on the negatives of the car I'm driving vs the positives. That hasn't happened yet, and I'm not even remotely close to being there. I still think of all the things that I love about the Odyssey (and there are alot), and I don't dwell on the few minor things I don't like. The Pacifica seems like a very nice vehicle, but it did not grab me, and it did not stir up that restless desire for a newer or shinier toy.
 
#16 ·
...Call me when late model fca anythings are doing that well, sans hellcats and cummins stuff. This from a dyed in the wool mopar muscle fanatic.
I see some amazing happenings regarding sales of used Cummins-powered Dodge trucks around my locale. People will buy them with 200,000+ miles on the odo, pull the Cummins I-6 out, and throw away the rest of the truck.

Essentially, at that point in terms of miles the rest of the aforementioned Dodge truck is completely worn out and not worth repair. However, the Cummins engine still has much remaining life for use in a crane or something else that uses similarly sized diesel powerplant.

OF
 
#15 ·
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Mopar stuff as my first car ever was a...K-car wagon complete with faux wood trim on the outside!

I kept that thing going for 487k kms! But, when it threw a rod right out of the engine block, it was time to call it a day.

That being said, the new stuff, as pretty as it is, still has me skeptical of their long term durability. If I was going to buy one, I'd lease it for 3-4 years and dump it at the end.

The Honda, despite its faults and flaws, will still be worth good money in a few more years. Is it really worth that much more than the Chrysler? Maybe, maybe not. But right now, the market still has a strong value for these things so I'll hang onto my Ody.
 
#18 ·
Resale tells the story of what the public's PERCEPTION is, not what actually is. Large group perceptions are often pretty good. Sometimes they are way off.

I did a fair amount of maintenance on a family member's Caravan 3.3 V6 some years ago. I didn't find it any harder or easier to work on than my Ody. Granted, I just did maintenance stuff, but both had easily accessible plugs, filters, fluid drains, etc. That one was quite reliable through about 140,000 miles when he sold it in good working condition. He needed all new rad hoses that my 03 Ody never did and more often brake work. But he didn't ever need a timing belt job or the TWO EGR valves that my 03 needed by that point, so I was never in much of a position to hassle him. His resale price was poor, but my new Ody was a heck of a lot more expensive than his was when new. He probably had me beat there again, had I sold the 03 at similar miles. Dunno if his would still be going at 221k like my 03 Ody, but I have seen GCs with that many miles. No real reason to believe his wouldn't have been one of them.

I'm curious if the new Pacifica hybrid is rated to tow anything. THAT's the interesting Pacifica. 30 mpg in standard hybrid mode and 30 miles of battery-only driving range? We'd save about $2,000 in gas every year. That's wild!
 
#19 ·
Those SWB Caravans with the 3.3 V6 were and are a hidden secret in the automotive world. have no idea why they were so much more reliable than their LWB siblings (Grand Caravan or T&C). Not a lot of frills by any means, just basic and reliable and inexpensive transpo. My goals!

OF
 
#20 ·
After 18 years of Chrysler mini-van ownership, we recently bought a used Odyssey. We did consider a Gen V Town & Country, but in the end, I kept saying, "but...it's still a Chrysler". The new Pacificas look nice, but my 18 years of Chrysler ownership enabled me to see beyond the looks, and see they are still doing things cheap at Chrysler. I sure hope Honda doesn't let me down, because we are loving the Odyssey.
 
#21 · (Edited)
i've seen many newish (2008 and up) chrysler products rotting already. my neighbor has a 2010 or newer T&C and it's already rotted. this factors into the resale price, which directly impacts the original purchaser. I wouldn't pay more than $3k for a 2010 chrysler, but I'd pay $10K for a similar honda - all mechanical can be repaired easily; rotting body cannot. over the years, I've also found domestic products tend to start failing 5 years in and just not stop. the hondas I own, maybe one or two things break down, I fix them, and that's it; not a constant stream of failures.

back in 98 I was shopping for a new car, looked at base civic and fully loaded sport neon for the same price. the sport neon made a compelling case for itself, 150hp DOHC, sunroof, all power. civic had listed as features 106hp SOHC, defrost rear window, 60/40 fold down seats, AM/FM radio. i went with the civic... guess what, I still have it and love it more every day :)
 
#22 ·
the sport neon made a compelling case for itself, 150hp DOHC, sunroof, all power.
Yes, I recall many were enamored with the Neon when it came out. Some fell in love with its "sad Beagle eyes" headlights. Alas, production lasted only 10 years.

Dave
 
#25 ·
My wife and I test drove both the 2018 Pacifica before choosing the 2018 Odyssey EX.

Her observations about the Pacifca were:
Better/smoother power than Odyssey.
Slight better ride quality than Odyssey.
Less cabin noise than Odyssey.
Stow and Go was amazing but had to pay more $$$ to get seating for 8. Probably the biggest issue.
Less money spent to get rear entertainment system.
Still a new platform. No long term reliability data available.

Her observations on the Odyssey:
She felt the materials used on the Odyssey interior were nicer than the Pacifica.
Quality and design of captains chairs and overall seating comfort was nicer than the Pacifica.
Better resale value.
Better reputation in the minivan world.
 
#27 ·
Long time Odyclub member when we had our 03 Odyssey EX. Miss the great interaction from the forum members here.

When our 03 Odyssey finally retired, we went with a 12 Sienna. Loved the higher quality interior, comfortable ride (Odyssey road noise was too high), and high torque engine. When the Sienna was totalled (rear ended by a college student texting -- arrgh), we were all set on buying a low mileage Sienna XLE, when I suggested to check out the Chrysler Pacifica because of the strong reviews. My wife and I were both skeptical -- we are Toyota/Honda people; still have our 03 Camry and 98 Corolla (352K!). However, after a detailed look inside and a thorough test drive, we were amazed. The luxury ride: QUIET, firm (body roll/bobbing on the Sienna can be quite bad), and very easy to drive, feeling like a sedan. Strong engine. Dips and speed bumps were no problem -- more controlled than Sienna, similar to 2018 Odyssey. Great technology -- the 8.4 UConnect interface is excellent and easy to use. My wife and I were converted. With the strong current incentives, we spent $5k more to move from a 15 Sienna XLE to a new 18 Pacifica Touring L (she wanted the AST safety package, I wanted the Alpine/8.4 inch Uconnect upgrade, we both wanted Leather). Though we have owned it only a few days, this is by far the best minivan that I have ever driven --even in test drives.
Never thought I would buy an American car, especially a Chrysler. However, it appears that FCA invested $2 billion into the Pacifica development from the ground up and the detailed thoughtfulness in all the various details reminds me of the meticulous engineering of Honda. First year reliability has actually been solid. The 2018 Pacifica introduces Apple Carplay/Android Auto and honestly, I cannot imagine ever purchasing another vehicle WITHOUT this -- the integration with the smartphone navigation is amazing.
I did not mean to make this a glowing review, but Odyclub members, you should really check out the Pacifica. Especially the leather-based Touring L trim level and higher. Look for one with either the Alpine or Harmon Kardon system AND the AST safety package. There is strong value here.
 
#28 ·
I also wanted to add that we rented a Dodge Grand Caravan 2017 SXT van for 2.5 weeks (while the Sienna was being evaluated) and it is nowhere close to what the Pacifica offers. Completely different vehicles though the same parent FCA. The ride is crude, interior feels old school and feels/drives like a bus. Nice features on the SXT trim level and I can see why the Dodge GC remains as the top minivan in sales over the past few years -- fine for a budget offering. But the Chrysler Pacifica is directly comparable to the Odyssey/Sienna and IMO, rises to the top as a total package.
 
#29 ·
The only problem with Chrysler is the stigma of "who owns them this week?" Know what I am talking about? It is sad that a company that has had a reputation for some outstanding engineering through the years has been kicked around like the proverbial "red headed step child" (no offense to any folks with red hair out there - I am a red head so I can say this!). Their engineering was far ahead of Ford and General Motors, yet their cars have always been perceived as cheap quality, along with numerous build and quality control problems. Personally, I would quite wary of buying a Chrysler product of any make - Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, or Ram. I just don't have confidnece in the company.