2001 Chrysler Town & Country

Minivan, Van

3.8

None

2C8GT64L11R415525

Salvage

Gasoline

I have had this car for the last 5 years, maintaining it myself and was about to register/inspect it for the next year but then on the way back home transmission (AT) overheated and died. I have no garage so swapping AT with a good used one (seems to be >500$ with reasonable miles on car-part) on a common parking lot was a bit too much to pull off, so I have decided to let it go. GOOD: - right until AT death on the highway it was driving very nice -- I have fixed up all mechanic issues: new sway-bar bushings, side-links, inner tie-rod on the right, CV join on left front, new brakes on the front. Last year replaced a pulley on the generator (you might know that zhum-zhum hum on >100kmiles caravans/T&C), lower radiator metal hose, water pump and the belt (while at it), rear brakes, and one of the radiator fans (original started to whine). - it is a Limited model, so it came with 5-CD changer, leather seats, heated front seats, power side doors (work just fine!), power rear gate didn't work (its mechanism is a bit loose and not grabbing, so I just opened/closed manually like any other mortal), seats/mirrors memory for 2 fobs, and probably more of gadgets - battery -- not even a year old. got it last Fall - automated climate control (just set desired temperatures for driver/passanger/rear), and I have replaced burnt "resistor" (with 78$ OEM original part), so A/C was working splendid. - engine is dry -- leaking gaskets under rocker covers were replaced probably 4 years ago (along with the spark plugs). - in town I was getting stable 17mpg, and on a highway at optimal 60mph it would get 21mpg (I did replace spark plugs few years back). So on a trip with reasonable speeds 18-19mpg. Engine is running smooth, and exhaust doesn't smell yeaky after engine/exhaust warms up - I also have spare 4 "shiny" wheels (actually the original ones, so starting to deteriorate but still balanced and functioning) with really nice winter tires (Gislaved). Have had 2 winter seasons on them. And also I have (had a side puncture, had to replace all 4 for AWD ) 3 of the same exact tires with also 1 or 2 seasons on them. Those all (4 old wheels + 7 tires) would go for additional 600$ now or closer to winter season (if you get the car, all additional wheels/tires could all be yours for 400$). So, if not the AT failure -- I would have definitely kept this beast. BAD: - well -- dead AT. I guess it was coming, since torque converter was not locking on a highway for the past 1.5 years. But it never lead to such an overheat even in a much warmer summer season. - I think muffler has only a season left on it before it would need to be replaced. I did replace it myself 2 years ago with a stainless steel one (so it is a doable job, rear resonator is now a "separate" part you could clamp on) - not really bad per se, but: It used to be an AWD model. But rear diff started to show its age (vibrations, mpg dropped to 13.5mpg). So 1.5 years ago propeller shaft and rear CVs were taken out - differential is still hanging, transfer block rear was sealed. This "fix" brought it back to reasonable mpg and convenient ride UGLY: - rocker panels are rusted (see photos). I have patched them up so they held up for a few years, but it was about time to fix them up again (this time with fiberglass) or replace (apparently new aftermarket ones cost like 70$ for a pair... but I have no welder) - some paint bulging (so rust underneath) on rear left quoter, some on the trunk lid, and some pealing off paint on the left front fender (I have fixed up right fender and above rear left wheel last year). - right front strut town experienced some rusting through due to a bad "seam" few years back -- fixed it up with a metal plate on bondo hair + rivets from the inner/wheel side + coating. Holds on strong and survived just fine all the bumps etc Otherwise body I think is in a nice shape (treated some places with fluid film from time to time, which kept to keep it). So -- someone with hands could make it run again for a few hundreds + few days of work in a garage; or, painfully to admit, might serve someone a good set of parts for another elderly one.