Take an extended length Chrysler mini-van, equip it with every part,component and accessory from the bins except a license plate holder andwhitewall tires, affix simulated woodgrain panels to the bodysides and thenput a one-price-pays-for-all sticker to it and you have the Chrysler Town& Country.
The luxury Town & Country is a bit overdue. When Chrysler was showing off mini-van prototypes in the early `80s, there was an Executive model equippedwith all the bells and whistles, including a work table in back. But a luxury version hasn`t materialized until now.
The T&C is built on a 119.1-inch wheelbase and is 190.5 inches long, same dimensions as the extended length Dodge Grand Caravan and Plymouth GrandVoyager. It`s powered by the same 3.3-liter, 150 h.p. V-6 teamed with 4-speed automatic.
Chrysler said it has found improperly heated valve springs in some of its new 3.3-liter V-6 engines that could fail and result in severe engine damage. In addition to the vans, the 3.3 V-6 is offered in the 1990 Chrysler NewYorker and Fifth Avenue cars.
Chrysler said if a problem exists, it will show up early after not toomany miles of use. The automaker said about 15,000 of those vehicles are indealer hands, and sales have been halted until each is inspected to determinewhether springs should be replaced. The vehicles affected were built beforeOct. 1. Chrysler hasn`t issued a recall, and owners of those 1990 modelvehicles have not been notified of the problem.
The engine was quiet and provided adequate power in our test car.
The T&C comes only as a loaded package for $25,000. Air conditioning,power brakes and steering, rear-window defroster and side-window demisters,tinted glass and shaded side windows, luggage rack, dual remote mirrors, powerdoor locks/windows/seats, AM stereo/FM stereo, seating for seven with leather seat covers, tilt steering, gas-charged suspension, steel-belted radial tires,intermittent wipers, and inside fuel filler door and hood release are justsome of the standard equipment.
