long story short, we needed 2 new vehicles. i got a Touareg and my wife got a Routan. Well, its both our cars, but you know.
it's been while since i paid attention to cars. 10 years ago when i had my lovely e46 M3 i was more "into" vehicles. then, i grew up, had 2 kids, and now a minivan has entered my life. before that i had a nice Mercedes.
i read thru a lot of posts here and it seems everyone bashes the Routan for being a Chrysler. good grief people. enough. those that get all bent on the matter need to just find a better cause. go save a whale or get mad at the state of our economy.
here is the deal, and i have driven and owned plenty of high-end German vehicles to make this statement. the Routan is really nice! i test drove it before i knew it was a Chrysler and it drove very nice. tight. good suspension. very German. if i was biased going in then maybe i would nit pick. in hindsight, it still has a nice feel. now we own one and it is so comfy.
Navigation is better than all of my cars...including the Tiguan's fickle system that i had for awhile. Garmin makes it. The 2 LCD TVs are way cool...better than Honda's idea of a thin split screen. Roomy. Soft supple leather. quiet. etc.
so far so good. it is a very nice VEHICLE.
...I said VEHICLE
i am not a badge buyer (well not always). we all are to some extent. but, i got 2010 loaded model for $9,000 off sticker and my bro-in-law paid $43k for a Honda. $13k less for the Routan and we compared the 2 vehicles. Both have pros and cons.
in the end, the Routan is a nice ride. it serves its function and the looks are classic VW with the subtle changes in its lines. it drives wonderful and is very roomy.
am i upset it is a Chrysler? why should i? my uncle paid $120,000 for a CHRYSLER MERCEDES!!! not 100% the same analogy, but that argument has some teeth. my Mercedes had Chrysler-USA-ish fit, finish, and feel in some ways.
i dunno, i guess i thought i would share for those "adults" looking for advice here when choosing to buy a family vehicle.
***lastly, people overlook the fact that the Routan ranks #1 in safety from both major institutes. this is THE MOST important feature, not the cup holders or shift knob. my children are more important than a badge.
:beer:
it's been while since i paid attention to cars. 10 years ago when i had my lovely e46 M3 i was more "into" vehicles. then, i grew up, had 2 kids, and now a minivan has entered my life. before that i had a nice Mercedes.
i read thru a lot of posts here and it seems everyone bashes the Routan for being a Chrysler. good grief people. enough. those that get all bent on the matter need to just find a better cause. go save a whale or get mad at the state of our economy.
here is the deal, and i have driven and owned plenty of high-end German vehicles to make this statement. the Routan is really nice! i test drove it before i knew it was a Chrysler and it drove very nice. tight. good suspension. very German. if i was biased going in then maybe i would nit pick. in hindsight, it still has a nice feel. now we own one and it is so comfy.
Navigation is better than all of my cars...including the Tiguan's fickle system that i had for awhile. Garmin makes it. The 2 LCD TVs are way cool...better than Honda's idea of a thin split screen. Roomy. Soft supple leather. quiet. etc.
so far so good. it is a very nice VEHICLE.
...I said VEHICLE
i am not a badge buyer (well not always). we all are to some extent. but, i got 2010 loaded model for $9,000 off sticker and my bro-in-law paid $43k for a Honda. $13k less for the Routan and we compared the 2 vehicles. Both have pros and cons.
in the end, the Routan is a nice ride. it serves its function and the looks are classic VW with the subtle changes in its lines. it drives wonderful and is very roomy.
am i upset it is a Chrysler? why should i? my uncle paid $120,000 for a CHRYSLER MERCEDES!!! not 100% the same analogy, but that argument has some teeth. my Mercedes had Chrysler-USA-ish fit, finish, and feel in some ways.
i dunno, i guess i thought i would share for those "adults" looking for advice here when choosing to buy a family vehicle.
***lastly, people overlook the fact that the Routan ranks #1 in safety from both major institutes. this is THE MOST important feature, not the cup holders or shift knob. my children are more important than a badge.
:beer: