Soul Coughing

Hello Everyone,

Although I know most on this site aren't interested in a van, I thought someone may know a family member or friend that is!

I am selling our family owned, since new, 1996 Chrysler Town and Country LXi! We have had this since late 1995 and it has been a loyal work horse for our family ever since; hopefully it can do the same for yours!

This was the top of the line vehicle in 1996 and stickered for over $31k! It is painted in Forest Green and the interior is Camel. It comes with the 3.8 liter V6 motor, overhead compass, temperature and trip computer, 4 wheel ABS, leather captain seats and rear bench. I replaced the lights with HID hi/low bulbs, as the original incandescent lights were not satisfactory for me at night. The car also has LED lower fog lights that are useful as DRL's.

My parents gave this van to me a couple years ago, and part of the deal was that I had to register and insure it on my own. So if you do a Carfax, you'll see that it has been registered to a second owner. The van was dealer maintained while under warranty, and then maintained through the family mechanic up until I took over ownership in late 2009. I took over use of the van with 117k miles and used it for 2 years as a daily driver, going back and forth from school and visiting friends. It currently has 132.5k miles and will slowly increase as I drive it once or twice a week.

The car drives amazingly well and is one of the best highway cruising cars I've ever been in. There is a lot of sound deadening and the leather 8 way electronically adjustable driver's seat (4 way leather passenger seat) coupled with the 10 speaker infinity sound system makes even the most mundane commute a lot more bearable. This car has dual climate control, so the front passenger can have their own temperature. It also comes with the rear A/C and heat control, which can be independently controlled by the rear passenger. This was extremely important for myself when I was younger! The car makes no embarrassing noises while driving and if kept to the speed limits you can hit 24-25mpg on the highway; I was averaging 20mpg with a bunch of local (aka city) driving.

The van will come with a Draw-tite hitch as well as towing harness and connector for a tow vehicle (it came with the trailer tow group which included a transmission cooler). I will also include a couple oil filter's I never used as well as the Chilton Repair Manual.

When the van became mine I took care of preventative maintenance as well as fixing some little problems. Below are some of the parts that I replaced and maintenance performed which is broken down by area:

Suspension
1.) Replaced sway bar bushings, end links, and tie rods. I got the tie rods with grease nipples so I could pump in new grease every 6 months - @117k miles
2.) Replaced both front struts/springs with Monroe replacements and performed an alignment @120k miles
3.) Replaced rear shocks with Monroe replacement - @120k miles
4.) Replaced rear stabilizer for the I beam rear suspension - @125k miles

Engine/drivetrain
1.) Replaced Spark plugs with OEM platinum plugs
2.) Spark plug wires with Bosch wires
3.) Front and rear valve cover gaskets
4.) Oil pan gasket (when I pulled the pan there was no sludge and the pick-up was clean) -- All at 117k miles
5.) Pulled intake plenum to remove the rear bank of spark plugs and checked o2 sensor -- resistance etc. checked out and replaced intake plenum gasket when reinstalling - @117k
6.) Replaced alternator -- 131k miles
7.) Replaced accessory belt, tensioner w pulley and other pulley -- 117k
8.) Replaced A/C compressor and clutch - @131k miles ( was professionally vacuumed and recharged)
9.) Replaced PCV valve and line - @117k
10.) Replaced transmission filter -- there were no bits of metal or metallic dust on the magnet - @117k -- replaced with ATF-4
11.) Replaced Air filter -- 117k and 130k
12.) Replaced radiator lines to and from the motor -- 117k
13.) Replaced passenger side axle with rebuilt NAPA oem replacement -- 122k miles
14.) Changed power steering fluid - @117k miles

Brakes/Tires
1.) Replaced the front pads and rotors and bled the brakes -- Wagner quiet pads - @125k
2.) Replaced front and rear tires at Costco with Michelin X radial tires - @125k miles

Miscellaneous
1.) Replaced the fan motor for HVAC - @124.9k
2.) Fan resistor -- @124.9k

Regular maintenance
1.) I replaced the oil between 3-4k miles with Mobil 5w30 with either NAPA Gold or Fram Extra guard filter. Changed oil (Mobil 1) and filter (Fram Xtended Gaurd) within 100 miles. The motor never burnt oil in-between oil changes and when I removed the oil pan and valve covers, the rockers and rotating assembly looked in really good condition with no sludge. The oil light never came on and the motor was always quiet when idling or accelerating.
2.) I flushed out the old antifreeze with distilled water and replaced it with new antifreeze. - @117k
3.) Changed the air filter twice, @117k and 130k miles
4.) Replaced the transmission filter and fluid at 117k miles
5.) Car just went through inspection and passed with flying colors (no check engine lights) -- Inspection good until March 2014.


As with almost any 16 year old car with 132.5k miles, there are some things that are broken or aren't in the best shape. As such, the car is sold as is/ with no warranty implied or stated, there are no returns once money has been exchanged and I've signed over the title. In the hopes to be as transparent as possible, I have tried to list all of the problems:

1.) There is a transmission leak that will drip a couple drops on the floor after you've been driving the car. This has stayed constant for the entire time I've owned it and I just refill the transmission once a month to make sure it's at the correct level. I was told it's either an input shaft seal leak, or the shift solenoid gasket. As bad as it sounds environmentally, I just found it easier to check the level once a month and add fluid accordingly. I will include a couple quarts of fluid ATF-4 fluid with a small funnel. The original transmission was replaced with around 80k miles.
2.) The driver's window doesn't go back completely on its own once you've lowered it. I just found it easier to help it get back up by pressing the up button while pushing the glass with my hand. This strategy worked well for me for the past 2 years, but a window regulator is a cheap replacement if you aren't able to multitask as easily as me. ($55)
3.) The A/C light and recirculation light flash on and off for the first 15 minutes you drive the car (it's in "maintenance mode"). The research I found said that a HVAC gauge replacement would stop it from doing this ($40-50 on ebay), but it didn't stop the buttons from receiving input and working, so I just ignored it.
4.) There are some scratches in the paint and a couple dents on the car (below the rear glass and above the license plate). The bumpers have some scuffs on the edges, and some of the clear coat is peeling on the passenger rear D pillar. Someone also hit my below the gas filler door on the rear driver's wheel well.

Even with all the issues mentioned, I would not hesitate to drive this van across the country, or lend it to an elderly relative with no car experience. It really is a great vehicle and it pains me to sell it after putting over $2,500 into it and countless labor hours to make it a reliable daily driver; however, I will be leaving the country for a year to go to school, and I could really do with the money! I am looking for $3.4k and am somewhat flexible with the price. There are many of these vehicles on the road, but not many in the same condition. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions and plan a time to inspect and test drive the vehicle. Also, I know your time is just as valuable as mine, so please, if you aren't looking to buy the car, please refrain from messaging me. I am not interested in any trades - Cash is King!

Here is a link to a photo album with shots of the exterior and interior, as well as window sticker etc..:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1152914...eat=directlink