One Of The Worst Cars For Retirees Is A Chrysler Model With Poor Long-Term Value

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica might seem like a great vehicle for a retiree with a big family who loves to shop in bulk. The minivan has room for up to eight people with its foldable Stow 'n Go seating. It has sliding rear doors that enables passengers to exit faster. It comes in a plug-in hybrid version that offers good mileage. And it was listed in Car and Driver's 2024 Editors' Choice list. Unfortunately, this is not a cheap vehicle to fix. 

According to automobile website CarEdge.com, it costs $11,521 to maintain and repair a Chrysler Pacifica in its first 10 years of service, a figure that is $2,296 more expensive than the typical popular minivan model. This might hurt the budget of a retiree on a fixed income. And there is a 33% possibility that the Pacifica will need a costly repair in that decade, CarEdge added, which is 6.81% worse than other minivans.

But that is not all. The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica was also listed by Engineerine as one of 15 cars that should be avoided due to its "below average resale value." That might not seem like a big deal for retirees who have no plans to resell. Yet how quickly a car loses its value after you buy it depends in part on the reputation of the vehicle. Plus, value lost is money lost. And there are other issues to consider.

Per Kelley Blue Book, a 2024 Pacifica costs about $67,371 to own over five years, a figure that includes $43,741 in expenses such as financing, repairs, and fuel. In addition, the '24 Pacifica will depreciate by $23,630 after five years.

Its poor resale value was why GOBankingRates listed the '24 Chrysler Pacifica as among its five worst models for retirees. But it was not the only reason. Alan Ollie Gelfand, owner of German Car Depot in Hollywood, Florida, told GoBankingRates that the 20 miles per gallon gas mileage of Pacifica's gas models was not great nor cost-effective. The vehicle also has poor steering and "tends to struggle with bumps and potholes in the road, causing excessive bouncing," Gelfand added, which could lead to "physical harm."

As for the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrids, they can travel on 32 miles on battery power alone, should the owner remember to charge the battery, according to car website Edmunds.com, but they do not come with Stow 'n Go seating and their "build quality is a mixed bag." Plus the tax credits you can obtain for owning a hybrid will disappear under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at the end of September 2025, per CNBC. Although the legislation that ended hybrid and EV credits does give some retirees new senior tax deductions. So, rather than purchase a minivan, perhaps retirees should consider reasons to buy a used luxury car instead.