town and country ignition switch failure

If these are the only 2 problems on a car with 71k miles, I don't think you are doing too badly. Check the Toyota newsgroup and read about problems on that super reliable make for a reality check. The new freon replacement turned out to me more corrosive than manufacturers planned on and the result was evaporator failure.

$280 worth of

Are these the only two problems you have had? If they are, I wouldn't say you have a problem car. $1,000 in repairs over 71,000 miles isn't all that outrageous. I had a LOT more than that with my 84 Honda Accord. The engine failure alone cost $600 and that was just one of many problems.

Obviously, we'd all like zero problems in 200,000 miles, but we're not there yet.

Matt

Welcome to the world of modern auto repair. It's called labor costs and complexity. It never ceases to amaze me how, not too many years ago, if a car repair cost $75, that was considered *major*. Nowadays, people think nothing of dropping several hundred dollars on routine maintenance, much less an actaul failed part replacement. Also why I do as much of my own repairs and dread the day when I won't be able to do my own oil changes. Unfortunately, some repairs require tools, equimment, and skills that are beyond the typical DIY'er, much less those owners who can't or won't do simple stuff, so the price of those repairs will be exhorbitant just because they can be without much recourse on the part of the consumer.

I think I just identified myself as officially as an old f*rt. 8^)

You just have to factor the unexpected into vehicle maintenance - part of the "cost of doing business/living".

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

Since taking ownership of my Jeep, I have continually had to put gas in it. Somebody told me that there is a tube that leads to the engine compartment that is known for leaking gas out of the vehicle. Is there a way to stop this from happening? Do I have a problem vehicle? I have looked for TSB's re. this problem but have found nothing so far.. the only other problem is a vibration when I turn the key in the ignition.. it gets worse if I press one of the pedals in the footwell.. Is it really true that all mechanical parts eventually wear out? Is it possible that sometimes faulty parts get used in the construction of a new vehicle? I was told that my tires were good for

100,000 miles but after numerous 'grand prix' starts (nobody beats me from a standing start at traffic lights), bumping up over the sidewalk when parking, and only 3000 miles later, my tires are looking decidedly worn.. Should I take my '94 JGC back to the dealer and demand that they give me a vehicle that never breaks down, that never uses gas or rubber?.. Should I stop typing now as I am finding it difficult to think of other inane statements to make?..

Automobiles have improved greatly over the years, but they still use mechanical parts.. and as long as they do, wear will always be a problem.. parts used in construction are tested but occasionally a rogue part will get through, and sometimes a parts manufaturer will change spec without informing the final assembler.. the day that we have mechanical parts that never wear out and work in perfect unison with parts around them is the day that we say 'Beam me to Freemantle (Western Australia)' and within milliseconds, I am sitting in a bar overlooking the Snake River with a cold beer in one hand.. even with that technology, Capts Kirk (good 60's all American haircut)/Picard (hair almost entirely removed so that we recognize him as being all American but with French roots)/Janeway (the one that has a hairstyle not unlike Katherine Hepburn) often have problems with faulty shields and warp cores.. lol

-- History is only the past if we choose to do nothing about it..

About the post copied below: I can appreciate an attempt at humor (is that what it was?) but My query has some basis in fact. Chrysler has already extended the warrantee on the a//c compressor on these cars because of lubercation failures, there's at least one other thread on this newsgroup concerning ignition tumbler failures, and I want to know how common are the problems I'm having.

I can appreciate and respect most of the feedback I've gotten -- your note didn't contribute anything.

Well, maybe you enjoyed writing it.

Do you know the term usewd to describe the third time derivative of displacement?

It fits.

If you read through reviews contained within a variety of websites, you will be left wondering what car is really reliable.. most would put the average guy off buying anything at all!!!!!.. I have a '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee.. the reviews are not always 'nice' about them, but I have to say that I have not had the problems of many of the reviewers.. it has performed flawlessly for years.. but one thing that I do accept is that things can and do go wrong.. it is unfortunate that you have had two relatively costly repairs.. I don't like it any more than you do, but to suggest that you have a problem car?!!!!!!!.. at 71K miles, it is probably coming up for three years old.. some people don't have a car for 6 months or 6K miles before they have major problems.. these same people have seen truth in the adage 'guaranteed for

100K miles or the end of the forecourt, whichever comes first'..

-- History is only the past if we choose to do nothing about it..

compartment

Our other car experiences are what's making us wonder about this Town and Country. We changed a 95 Quest at 165000 mostly trouble free miles for the T&C. The '90 Lexus 250 is still going strong at 123000 miles, and it's been fairly trouble free too (except showing a bit of rust now). That year Lexus seemed to have an early tire problem, and we got after 4 years ownership a $200 check to help defray tire replacement costs -- that was without complaining.

So having things like ignition key cylinder failures has us concerned.

Why didn't you buy another Quest?

Matt

WHen we bought the T&C Quest was in the process of introducing a new model -- my experience with new models is that they take a little time to shake down their problems. I'd never buy a car the first year of a substantially new design.

The next one may be a Quest, though, if they've demonstrated themselves to be reliable in the currect design iteration.

Japanese cars still have better reliability records than US cars even though US cars have improved significantly. On the other hand you pay more up front for the import. In my case I have a 2001 Avalon and a

99 300M. The Avalon from Toyota has no problems that required repairs but it is a rattle box and many features are poorly designed (things that you could not figure out at the show room or during a test drive). Meanwhile the Chrysler 300M had power window problems but overall is a much better car and both my wife and I prefer it over the Avalon.

concerned.

Cherokee.. the

flawlessly for

problem

years old..

'guaranteed for

The new Quest is butt ugly, especially inside. I just bought a 2003 GC. I looked at Odysseys and others, but they were $5-8,000 more than the Grand Caravan with similar equipment. Takes a lot of repairs to overcome that difference. If you spend $1,000 every 71,000 miles, this means that you'd have to drive over 350,000 miles to break even with a Quest, and that assumes that the Quest requires NO repairs during that time. I think people need to look at value as well as repair requirements.

Matt

And fails to consider the time value of money which makes the difference in cost even greater.

requirements.

That's true, although the higher resale value of the Japanese vans does help offset a fair bit, unless you keep your vehicles as long as I do in which case none of them are worth anything!

Matt