Time for a car related post...

"Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord." (ningaboss)
05/05/2016 at 14:25 • Filed to: None

And to drop a bomb.

I actually like the vw routan. I spent 3 years in one.

DISCUSSION (25)

Ash78, voting early and often > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/04/2016 at 16:06

I like it, too. They took a solid platform (Chrysler) that was a little rough around the edges in exterior and interior design, and they fixed almost everything that needed fixing. I still wish we'd bought one over our Odyssey in 2015, but it was getting really hard to find a lightly used SEL at that time. Most were already 100k+.

HammerheadFistpunch > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/04/2016 at 16:11

My Father in Law has one...loves it. He has crossed the country a half dozen times in it, and regularly uses it to haul wood or construction project stuff around or more recently to camp in it. The 4.0 is a torque monster of a motor and returns decent highway mileage too.

itschrome > Ash78, voting early and often
05/04/2016 at 16:12

what? they were produced at the same plants on the same line. it’s literally just a re-badge with different seats. I’ve been in both and every time I’ve been in a Routan all I can think is, You paid like 10k premium for what? a VW badge and stupid seats that aren’t as useful as the Chrysler versions? Nothing shout’s “I don’t do research and don’t mind over paying” than a Routan.

Over-Heated > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/04/2016 at 16:14

Just bought my wife a CPO T&C w/30k miles. For the price, you won’t find another used vehicle in the segment that can compare... it’s like a luxury vehicle compared the the Altima she traded in.... And our almost 3 year old LOVES it.

Ash78, voting early and often > itschrome
05/04/2016 at 16:14

In reality, it was about a $2k-$5k premium for a different front and rear design (prettier), different suspension, different seats, and different dash/doors/interior. It was much more like "Tahoe vs Yukon" in terms of differences. I would say it was much more different than the Caravan vs the T&C, and those ranged from $21k to $40k depending on equipment.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/04/2016 at 16:16

I don’t understand the Routan hate. Yes, it is no true VW, but if you think of it as the best Chrysler Town & Country one could buy and got a discount on it, it wasn’t that bad.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/04/2016 at 16:19

I spent 3 years in one.

I’m glad someone finally let you out!

Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord. > Ash78, voting early and often
05/04/2016 at 16:23

Back in 2011 it was the routan or the Odyssey my 11 year old self wanted the routan because it had 3 screens and I could plug in a ps2. Then we got the price since the routan wasn’t doin so hot we got a major discount I don’t know what price we got on it but it was enough for the family to pick the routan over the Odyssey. Glad we did, mom said she was glad I showed her the routan.

Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord. > haveacarortwoorthree2
05/04/2016 at 16:25

Nah I liked it in there I hooked my ps2 up to to the TV and 3 zone climate control made life easy, not to mention all the space.

Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord. > Over-Heated
05/04/2016 at 16:26

You should see routan prices it's essentially a more German town and country.

Zohaibman72 > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/04/2016 at 16:29

Looks better than it’s siblings. One thing about the Routan is that it can pull of white. A white Caravan or Town and Country looks like a pedo van with windows.

Ash78, voting early and often > Zohaibman72
05/04/2016 at 16:42

It's amazing what a different grille, headlights, and taillights can do for a car.

itschrome > Ash78, voting early and often
05/04/2016 at 16:54

but the Routan had the lower end suspension. You literally paid a premium not to have a independent rear!

Ash78, voting early and often > itschrome
05/04/2016 at 17:03

None of them had IRS — the Routan just had stiffer springs (and/or dampers, I can't recall which). It was a little more refined than the T&C, which to me felt a little more like a delivery van — especially when empty.

itschrome > Ash78, voting early and often
05/04/2016 at 17:12

TC did have it on upper, yet cheaper than upper Routan models.

Ash78, voting early and often > itschrome
05/04/2016 at 17:17

All of them had solid rear, I promise. We spent the better part of a year researching, driving, and shopping, including some of the upper end models.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/05/2016 at 14:29

Routans don’t Stow and Go though. too plush of a middle seat.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Over-Heated
05/05/2016 at 14:30

We did the same, a CPO T&C with 18.5k miles on it that was 8 months old.

Stapleface > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/05/2016 at 14:38

My biggest issue with the Routan is the lack of stow and go seating. What a disappointment, and IMHO one of the big reasons to buy the Chrysler to begin with.

Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord. > Stapleface
05/05/2016 at 14:40

What do you mean the seats in our routan stowed fine.

Stapleface > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
05/05/2016 at 14:41

I swear the Routan didn't have the folding second row. Am I mistaken?

Ash78, voting early and often > Stapleface
05/05/2016 at 14:52

My understanding, too — maybe it was in later years or something. But if you've spent much time in the T&C/Caravan's stowable seats...they're pretty terrible. Way too small and underbolstered. That's just the compromise for stowability. But the VW still had the cavernous underfloor storage.

JustAnotherG6 > Stapleface
05/05/2016 at 16:08

I know our Routan does not have the stow and go 2nd row seats that the Dodge/Chrysler vans have. I miss it occasionally but not often enough to regret the purchase yet if we were to do it again I would likely buy the GC (grand caravan).

JustAnotherG6 > The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
05/05/2016 at 16:10

As a friend mentioned before we bought ours: “VW doesn’t want to touch it since it is a Dodge and Dodge doesn’t want to touch it since it says VW.”

Over-Heated > PotbellyJoe and 42 others
05/05/2016 at 22:56

I did not know that