Sedona Vs Pacifica/ Voyager Choices

LazyDog

LazyDog

Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
1,329
Location
illinois, usa
My friend is turning 66 years old next month and feels the need for a newer car. He is a single guy w/ 1 dog and currently has a ~ 2002 Voyager that he is had for a long time. He is also a flip phone user and does not like a lot of the new tech in cars and wants a simple van just like what he is got.
The budget for the purchase is around 25K.

From just the pictures on the internet it seems the Sedona is a much simpler van similar to what he is asking.

I read an article in which they mention the overheating problem in 3.6 Penstar engine. The article claim that the thermostat temp is 220F and that the fans do not kick in until 230F. It does seem very crazy for running temps. One possible solution is to install a push fan on the outside of the radiator and set to come in a much lower temp.

Can I get your thoughts and ideas on these choices, anything is welcome.
 
Chrysler offers what is a base level unit as the 'Chrysler Voyager', to fleet customers. This was starting in 2020. It was a continuation of the first generation Pacifica, with only a few available options, aimed at a lower price point.

$25,000 should be easily do-able with a Voyager.

Here's an example of one. https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/338129c6-81d6-4f49-84c4-1c7393ff2d06/
 
They spec 194F thermostats, not sure where they’re getting 220. But yes, the fan doesn’t ramp up to its high setting until ~230F, it will kick on before that you just won’t really hear it.
 
We've had a couple of odd ball issues with our Pentastars over the years, but overall they're good engines. I posted this in another thread recently:

With respect to the engine, like any of them, they have their own quirks.

Our 2012 3.6 was pretty good. It had a dual pressure oil pump and the oil pump solenoid died and it was stuck on the high pressure. I put off getting it fixed, since it always had good oil pressure. One of those $40 parts that takes a decent chunk of labor.

My inlaws have had 2011 and 2020 versions of the 3.6, I never heard of any engine issues with them and they are a drive it around until the OLM comes on and then some with bulk oil from their favorite shop. They now have a 2023 version, but obviously it only has a couple thousand miles on it.

Our 2017 has had a couple issues. The oil filter housing started to leak at about 80k. It needed a head gasket, don't remember which bank, shortly after the filter housing.

They've been using this engine in a lot of vehicles since 2011.
Dodge Caravan, Avenger, Ram, Challenger, Charger, Durango
Chrysler Town & Country, 200, 300, Pacifica
Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee
VW Routan

Even with the couple of things we've had in our fleet, I still consider them a solid, strong engine.


Overheating has not been an issue. Yes, it runs hotter than other cars, but it seems to be happy there.
 
The best choice would be a Transit Connect. It is much simpler than any Sedona or Voyager.

There is also the Promaster City, but the third seat and rear side windows were never offered in the US market, in order to protect the Pacifica :sneaky:

Another option, though not a minivan, would be the Dodge Journey. It is also known for being fairly simple and BITOG friendly, and it even had a 4-speed automatic until the very end in 2020.

JavierH19 said:
It's a shame they blocked the voyager off to only fleet customers. Guess they realized it as cannibalizing their Pacifica sales.
Click to expand...

Too bad they don't offer a 4-cylinder Voyager, to make up for the Promaster City going and Transit Connect going away after 2023.
 
slacktide_bitog said:
The best choice would be a Transit Connect. It is much simpler than any Sedona or Voyager.

There is also the Promaster City, but the third seat and rear side windows were never offered in the US market, in order to protect the Pacifica :sneaky:

Another option, though not a minivan, would be the Dodge Journey. It is also known for being fairly simple and BITOG friendly, and it even had a 4-speed automatic until the very end in 2020.



Too bad they don't offer a 4-cylinder Voyager, to make up for the Promaster City going and Transit Connect going away after 2023.
Click to expand...
What is your obsession with 4-cyl vans?
 
The Critic said:
What is your obsession with 4-cyl vans?
Click to expand...

They are the perfect choice for someone who needs 3 rows of seats and/or lots of space without a high cost to own and operate :)

Easy on gas and easy to work on. The OP even even cited simplicity as an important value. The I4 isn't the only simple thing about the Transit Connect, though.

Also, I don't get paid to get to the back of a transverse V6, especially in a van :D
 
slacktide_bitog said:
The best choice would be a Transit Connect. It is much simpler than any Sedona or Voyager.

There is also the Promaster City, but the third seat and rear side windows were never offered in the US market, in order to protect the Pacifica :sneaky:

Another option, though not a minivan, would be the Dodge Journey. It is also known for being fairly simple and BITOG friendly, and it even had a 4-speed automatic until the very end in 2020.



Too bad they don't offer a 4-cylinder Voyager, to make up for the Promaster City going and Transit Connect going away after 2023.
Click to expand...
A 4 cyl would definitely be enough and get better mpg's while costing less. I'm for large displacement inline engines. My old 4 cyl ranger has two plugs per cyl. Had decent power and that's considering i towed 3k pounds on the highway without much issue.
 
Stow-n-Go seating on the Chrysler Minivans is very useful. While the seats aren't the most comfortable, the ability to have a flat floor without removing the seats at all is a feature that sets Chrysler apart.

Everyone has a 3rd row that folds flat into the floor. The 2nd row is Chrysler's advantage here.

1686852283748.jpg
 
I have also looked at the used 2020+ Voyagers. Some good values out there, seen them under 20K.

The problem for me is that I'm extremely tall and the front legroom is not the best on this platform. The Sienna is much more comfortable, and I rented one in California in the spring for a week and loved it, but, used ones are going in the mid-upper 30s for an LE, ex-rental van. They do get 36mpg both in LA traffic and on the open road at 70mph, hand calculated.

If your friend doesn't have problem I have with the Voyager/Pacfica with the legroom not being the best, I would recommend it.
 
slacktide_bitog said:
Another option, though not a minivan, would be the Dodge Journey. It is also known for being fairly simple and BITOG friendly, and it even had a 4-speed automatic until the very end in 2020.
Click to expand...
Shame on you for recommending a Dodge Journey to another BITOG member. We are not your enemies here. This has to be the worst vehicle to come from Chrysler in the last 30 years.

Dodge Journey Reliability - Dashboard Light

Get long-term reliability information and rankings for the Dodge Journey and other vehicles using the Long-Term Quality Index.
www.dashboard-light.com www.dashboard-light.com
 
Last edited:
wag123 said:
Shame on you for recommending a Dodge Journey to another BITOG member. We are not your enemies here. This has to be the worst vehicle to come from Chrysler in the last 30 years.

Dodge Journey Reliability - Dashboard Light

Get long-term reliability information and rankings for the Dodge Journey and other vehicles using the Long-Term Quality Index.
www.dashboard-light.com www.dashboard-light.com
Click to expand...
The v6 models aren’t….. horrific but even I wouldn’t suggest one to someone! Those 4 cylinder models are a joke at best that I wouldn’t wish upon an enemy.
 
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