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Dodge Intrepid

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Comments

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...that sounds kinda strange. I could see carbon building up in the combustion chambers, exhaust manifold, tailpipe, etc. But how could the intake get carboned up? There shouldn't be anything burning in there, unless the car's backfiring up through the intake or something.
  • scotianscotian Member Posts: 1,064
    The throttle body has a path for air other than the throttle that is regulated by an electrically-actuated plunger valve. I can see this valve getting stuck open, closed, or just gummed up in a dirty engine. I don't know if you can buy the valve itself as a new one comes with a new TB.


    The valve & air path is in the upper right corner of this pic of an upside-down 3.5L TB:


    http://www.homestead.com/300N/files/Tb4.jpg


    When I last looked at the throttle plate on my 300M it was clear that some dark stuff does get deposited on it.

  • Jason5Jason5 Member Posts: 440
    Hey group.. Still mulling over the "carbon deposit" message. I routinely use one of the high end gasoline additives in all our vehicles--every two months or so. We had snow here in the northeast over the weekend. Although my original GA's had a few thousand miles left, I checked on reasonably priced replacements from Sears and Sam's Club. Best deal was a Goodyear replacement at Sam's Club called the "Allegra". It's a 75,000 mile, T-rated, "touring" tire. I've been mightily impressed. Less noise, comparable to better ride and handling, definite increase in tread life. Most surprising to me so far is the traction on snow. Blew through 6 inches of new fallen snow on a hilly road with ease..
  • phardyphardy Member Posts: 12
    I had the dealer fix the problem. Everything appears to be fine for now.

    I was thinking about putting 1 tank of 92 octane gasoline (not additives) in my car every once in a while. How does this affect the engine? Does performance decrease at all? Any recommendations?

    I heard somewhere that when you start a fuel-injected engine, you're supposed to turn the key, wait for 5 seconds after the console lights up, and then continue to move the key into the start position. I think most people (or at least many) just put the key in and go. What negative affects might this have? Would this eventually result in lots of carbon buildup?

    Thanks.
  • pine7pine7 Member Posts: 2
    I'm looking to replace my 96 sable,and some of the vehicles I'm considering are the Toyota Camery SE V6,the new sable,the Intrigue and the Intrepid.
    I've read and heard a lot of conflicting reports on Chrysler products,and read Consumers report a lot.The Toyota has a sterling reputation,but that comes at a cost.The sable was relatively trouble free,and I have no problem with it,and the Intrigue is nice but Oldsmobile is being phased out.The Intrepid is a great looking car,somewhat larger then I'm used to,but still striking on the road.Has the ownership experience been positive for the majority of you all.The bad press Chrysler seems to get reflects on the cr,but I consider the experience of those who drive the Intrepid every day,to out way the bad reviews.
  • ottowrkrottowrkr Member Posts: 778
    When you turn your key on and wait 5 seconds all you are doing is pressurizing the fuel line . Sometimes after sitting for a while the fuel pressure in the line will drop, most fuel injected cars have a line pressure of about 40 psi or higher . Every time you turn the key to the run position the fuel pump is turned on for about 3 seconds to prime the fuel system , most fuel injected cars use 40 PSI or greater line pressure .Turning the key off and on will not cause a carbon problem .What causes carbon build-up and sludge is short trips and stop and go driving . As for 92 octane gas , why would performance decrease? Using a higher octane is why the 300M gets more H.P than the Intrepid RT ,they both use the same engine . The 300 is rated running Hi-Octane and the RT is rated using regular unleaded.


     pine7 - I think the LH cars in general are good cars . The Concorde was tops in its segment in the J.D powers awards . The Intrepid came second in its segment. I know I am a little biased but take a good look at the LH cars before you make your final decision . If you want to ask a whole bunch of Intrepid owners about there ownership experience check out this site , they have lots of good things to say.. http://www.dodgeintrepid.net

  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    The 3 years of ownership of the Intrepid has had a few problems. They had a problem with the supplier of the window motors in early 99/late 98 and all 4 of ours had to be replaced within the first 9 months. The new ones have been fine. As above, the AC went out at only 42,000 miles, and it is an auto system, so it runs a lot. Still, I am happy with the Intrepid and it does look great (in the eye of this beholder). I rented a Sable in California in November and found it very comparable to the Intrepid, although not as stylish. The Mercury seemed great, though on twisty highway one north of San Francosco, not a Corvette, but a good road holder. Camry, I can't speak for, but the Toyota salesmen always annoy me, as do the Honda guy who tried to tell me an Accord was bigger inside than an Intrepid. He obviously didn't sit in the back seat.

    I got the 3.2 liter in our ES in 99 (that was the only way it came then). I don't know about the 2.7 liter as far as power. The 3.2 is discontinued in favor of a depowere 3.5, but the 3.5 and 3.2 were the same engine basically anyway. If it is hilly where you live, or you fill the car up with people, I wouldn't think the 2.7 is enough. But for 2 people and their luggage, it probably is.
    Definitely these cars should be on your shopping list.

    Ed Smith
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I've had my '00 Intrepid for about 2 years and 2 months now. 57,000 miles, and nothing too catastrophic to report. Had the power door lock actuator replaced around 35K miles (under warranty). Passenger side mirror power went out around the 42K or so mark. Left it alone, since it was where I needed it, anyway ;-). At 50K, I had to have the thermostat housing replaced because of a small leak. Also, 3 of the 4 rubber door seals have shrunk up a bit.

    As for the 2.7's power, I noticed that when you load the car up with extra passengers or a lot of weight, there's a noticeable difference in performance. On steep inclines, it also gets winded and needs to rely too much on the lower gears for any performance, which also hurts fuel economy. A few months back, I bought a '79 New Yorker with a 360, and brought it back to MD from West VA. I was driving the '79 and my friend drove the Intrepid. Believe it or not, both cars actually got about the same fuel mileage on that trip back! Mainly, I think, because the NY'er practically coasted up those long inclines where the 'trep had to downshift and scream to keep up.

    If you compare a 2.7 to the base pushrod 3.0 that the Sable has, I think the 2.7 is the clear winner. Smoother, more refined, better passing power, better acceleration from a standstill, etc. Now Sable's optional DOHC 3.0 is another story. Same 200 hp as the Intrepid's 2.7, but a lot more torque. But then if you want guts, just go get an ES or R/T!
  • homerkchomerkc Member Posts: 113
    My 2000 Intrepid (2.7) is almost two years old, about 27K miles, and it has been absolutely trouble free. I got 30 mpg. on two trips - one over the Rockies with two adults and luggage. My commute, 16 miles on mostly highway, delivers 26 mpg. It has plenty of power with two people, but I do notice when 4-5 adults are in the car. It is a joy to drive, handles and rides as well as any competitor, and it is cheaper to buy than most. It certainly is more powerful than a 4 cyl. Toyota, and about the same price. The bigger engine is comparable in power to the V6 Toyota, but cheaper to buy. I think the new Camry is a very nice car - may buy one for my wife next. However, it is not as fun to drive as the Intrepid, in my opinion.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...if you got 30 mpg in the Rockies, I'm impressed! About 2 years ago, I took a trip in the Shenandoahs (anybody who's familiar with the Rockies calls these hills, but hey, there the only mountains we've got!) Well, with 4 people and a trunk full of luggage, I was only getting around 26 mpg. I do have a heavy foot though, which isn't going to help matters! I have broken 30, on a few occasions though. Still, compared to that 13 mpg Gran Fury I used to drive, it's a dream!
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    3 trips to the dealer and a month into the ordeal, the right part arrived and it was fixed.
  • lexus_onelexus_one Member Posts: 22
    Intrepid would make a nice car for the rental fleets if only it were a bit more reliable.
  • homer61388homer61388 Member Posts: 54
    My wife's lease is up in about 2 months. She plans to unload her 99 olds alero gl in favor of a new car. We have been looking at the Mazda 626 ES, Dodge Stratus SE plus, and Nissan Altima S. Well, anyway we went to a dodge dealer and noticed something quite strange. The much bigger intrepid se, sold less than the stratus! Also, the paint job looked perfect. The car had basically everything. Although I would want abs and the package with the 8-way power seat, cd player, cargo net and keyless. Well, I thought about a few things. #1 what is the reliability standards for an intrepid, I know that it has had transmission problems in the past and I am leery about buying this product if the car's problems still exist. #2 what about performance? Will the 2.7 V6 be enough for this 3,400lb car? #3 what about handling. I mean, this is a big car! 204 inches! Is it too much to handle when compared to her alero? I just am looking for a moderately priced vehicle coupled w/ safety, comfort, and reliability and if so, performance. If you could help me with these questions I would be ever so grateful. Thanks!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    #1. Reliability: The Intrepid's tranny used to be pretty troublesome, but Chrysler's made change upon change to them over the years. I think 1996 was the last year of the really bad ones, and by the 1998 redesign, they were pretty good. I have a 2000 base model with the 2.7. I currently have about 57,000 miles on it, and this car's been through everything from driving from Houston to MD in less than a day to delivering pizzas to getting stuck in the snow. No tranny problems yet. For the most part, I'd say have the tranny serviced around every 30K miles (No matter what the manual says), and make sure they put in the right fluid.

    #2. Acceleration: 0-60 in about 9.5 seconds for the 200 hp 2.7. Better than a Taurus/Sable with the base V-6, but still slower than an Impala with the base 3.4. The Taurus only has about 153 hp, so there's no surprise there, but the 3.4 just simply out-torques the 2.7 from a standstill. You actually get better performance if you only floor it to about 5000 rpm, which puts you at your peak torque curve, as opposed to flooring it, which will throw you to over 6000 rpm, but then will cause it to upshift too soon. At speeds over 60 is where this car really shines though. The DOHC design lets it really breathe, and even at 90 mph you're only pulling about 3000 rpm, so there's plenty of tach left for when you need to floor it. Umm...not that I know that from experience, that is ;-)

    #3. Handling: very good for its size. Don't let the 204" length intimidate you. For one thing, it's only 204" at its longest point, which is right down the middle. The edges of this car are extremely rounded, which makes it more manueverable than you might think. The only problem I have is parallel parking, because the car doesn't have good visibility. It also has a wide track, and rides on fairly wide 16x7" rims, so it's very stable.

    If you don't want a car this "big" though, you might want to give the Stratus or Sebring a try. As for legroom, they feel about as roomy as an Intrepid to me, although they are noticeably narrower inside and have a smaller trunk. They're not that much lighter though, so the 2.7 V-6 isn't a whole lot quicker in a Stratus than in an Intrepid. Well, good luck...let us know what you end up getting!
  • jsylvesterjsylvester Member Posts: 572
    I think the Intrepid is one of the best deals out there. It was a well though out design, and Chrysler wanted to change the make's reputation with the redesign. I think Chrysler's quality reputation keeps it from being a bigger hit. Everyone likes my 2000, and rates it above the Taurus and Impala.

    The only real negatives to the car is tire noise can be noticable (I have an R/T, so the tires are big and not designed to be quiet), the low roofline due to the styling can be an issue for some, and you cannot see the corners of the car. As far as size, the long wheelbase needs to be considered when turning, but easier to drive than an SUV

    Now the positives: roomy, smooth ride, comfortable, stylish, very reasonably priced, and at least in 2000, comes with a number of nice features other cars don't have for the same price. Gas mileage should be decent with the 2.7, though I have the 3.5 HO that causes me to juice it too much.

    One idea, if you can find a 2001 with low mileage, may be a way to go. Basically unchanged for 2002, and let someone else take the depreciation. Of course leases are being subsidized, and an easy car to shop across dealerships.
  • c01c01 Member Posts: 28
    The Nissan or Mazda are both better choices than the the Intrepid. The Intrepid suffers from the common Dodge disease of poor reliability and the design is getting old and tired. The road noise is very annoying, and the bubble design makes backing up a hit and miss experience.

    I had one, been there, did that, now I have something much more reliable, with a dealer network that is much more customer friendly.
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    I would take Homer's advice with a grain of salt. His flag is Greenland, he used to own a 1999 Passat and now a Nissan. His post sounds like someone who has a bias.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...and Emale will pop up in here and explain it all. He and c01 go back a long, long way as sparring partners. Emale ol' buddy, where are ya when we need ya?!
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    there is just no hope for someone like c01 (jeffie). i've got better things to do like enjoying my ride(s)...!
  • c01c01 Member Posts: 28
    I would take the md's advice with a grain of salt. His flag is Yankee, he has ownned a 1999 Intrepid ES 1991 Acura Legend Sedan LS 1991 Dodge Spirit 1990 Aerostar 4wd. His post sounds like someone who has a bias.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    We're here to talk about the car, not each other.

    Thanks.

    Pat
    Host
    Sedans Message Board
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...still, Emale had 3 Intrepids...a '96, 98, and an '00. I'm sure if he'd gotten a bad one, he wouldn't have bought another!
  • Jason5Jason5 Member Posts: 440
    And the only thing missing is my encouragement to view ALL the reliability data on the Intrepid--both generations and the circle is complete. As always, one may wonder why someone who doesn't own the vehicle feels compelled to comment on it.. Emale, isn't this how we met in 1998?
  • c01c01 Member Posts: 28
    I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up on happenings here, when did Donnie get another Intrepid. I was under the impression he dumped the Intrepids because of the high road noise,shrinking weatherstrip, poor driver visibility, poor dealer service, handling problems, brake problems, etc etc etc etc and bought something much quiet er like a Ford TRUCK probably with Firestones.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...bought a Ford Supercrew. I forget exactly why, but I think it was because he needed something with 4wd, but could still haul a lot of people, and the Supercrew was about the best choice. I don't think he had any problems with his '00 (I think it was an ES w/ 3.2), but he just needed something different.

    My '00 base model has been pretty good so far. ~57,000 miles and no major problems yet. I'll confess though, I did start getting the incredible shrinking weatherstrips around the 42-43K mark. They haven't gotten bad enough yet for me to get annoyed enough to replace 'em, though. Other than that, I had to get the power lock actuator replaced around 35K (under warranty) and the thermostat housing replaced around 51k. Front brake pads at 39K, rears at 51K.
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    you guys know better than to believe anything jeffie (c01) says! yes, i currently have a king ranch 4x4 supercrew. very nice truck but not perfect by any means. i enjoyed all my intrepids, thank you! just decided that i really only needed one vehicle given that i'm currently single. plus, where i live, 4x4 is imperative. but i must say that i truly miss the comfort and excellent fuel economy the treps provided vs my 5000 plus lb truck!

    personally, i'd have absolutley no problem buying another trep. my personal experience with all three (96...98, 00) where all very good. i never said the cars were perfect (nothing is, just ask my buddy with the '01 maxima!), but they are damn good values for the money! and each new model brought incremental improvements. imo, the only real issue they have left on the lh cars is road noise. but, i'm sure that will be fixed with the new lx cars.

    fyi...jeffie, the s-crew has goodyear tires. came equipped with the 17 inchers from the factory...
  • c01c01 Member Posts: 28
    Donnie: You have a buddy with a Maxima now that is really amazing. The fact that your "buddy's" car has problems is not a real revelation as most vehicles have problems. If the dealer had the ability to properly repair the decrepit Intrepid I once had we would have parted on good terms. I show absolutely no brand loyalty. I have owned vehicles from each of the so called big three and I would have no problem buying another from two of them, that is when their quality and dealer service comes of age and equals that of the so called foreign group.
    The dealer service I have received from the VW and Nissan guys has been excellent. When the auto has a problem there is no BS from the service advisor such as "well you the first with that problem" or "we cannot find anything wrong with your car" or complete customer contempt as shown by the Chrysler crew ie "my" Decrepit sat in their yard for three days they never touched it, yet when I went to pick it up they told me the problem had been cured.

    A s-crew with 17" inchers WOW!!
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    jeffie,

    buying a foreign "job" is no guarantee of an excellent service department, just ask the guys over in the c class mercedes topic. my local toyota/nissan/honda dealership (all in one) doesn't have a great record according to folks i've chatted with. on the contrary, my experience with the local ford and chryco dealerships has been generally excellent.

    btw, i thought the passat was the end all be all of cars!!! what happened, relationship sour?
  • c01c01 Member Posts: 28
    donnie:

    I rate service departments by personal experience not by some information obtained from someone I "chatted" with. The GM Ford VW Nissan dealers that I have had actual experiences with have all given excellent service, something that cannot be said about the persons that promote the decrepit and other whale like products.

    btw: When it is time to purchase a vehicle I pick the ones I like the best and then buy the one that I believe to be the best deal. The Nissan gentlemen offered me a good price for my trade in and I liked the extra HP their vehicle had to offer. The Nissan really blows those decripits and 300M away, but of course you know I would never exceed the posted limits.

    btw: single / crew cab / would that really be an enviromental friendly combination?
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    be careful, those nissan posted hp numbers have come under some scrutiny lately. in fact didn't they drop their originally advertised hp numbers by about 5 hp?? plus, the 300m and other lh cars obtain their hp numbers based on regular or mid grade fuel vs costly premium! btw, how is that truckish beam rear axle? but i guess you are used to that given that fwd passats have the same setup...

    as for envionmentally friendly, didn't realize you were that type...being from greenland and all...!
  • c01c01 Member Posts: 28
    I could care less what the posted hp is, the only thing that matters is the experience that follows when the pedal is put to the carpet, from personal experience it will "blow" away anything that the decripit has to offer.

    It is everyones duty to be enviromentally conscious.
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    nice pooh poohing, jeffie! i've got better things to do than sit and argue with "kids who think they know cars". so, if you want the last word, feel free to post your propaganda. but, keep in mind it is everyone's duty to be truthful!!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...basically just fessed up to that comparison test they had in the December issue. Y'know, the one where they compared a base Intrepid to a top-line edition of just about everything else? Even though the Regal they tested was a base LS model, I think it was still a bit unfair...a better comparison would've been to a Century! Anyway, they stated that they just couldn't get an Intrepid ES for the test, that they had to take what the automakers gave them. Dodge only had a base model to spare, while Honda and Nissan sent over their best-equipped models.

    Even in base form though, the Intrepid bettered the Regal, Impala, and Taurus models. It came up short in acceleration. (2.7 engine coupled to the heaviest car in the test...big shock, eh?), but still handled the best and was the best all-round car of the domestics. I remember the 0-60 time on the Altima was 7.3 seconds, but their "street start", which is a better indication of what the typical driver would get out of the car, is more like 7.8 seconds. Truthfully, I would expect much more out of a fairly lightweight car with 240 hp. At 7.8 seconds, that puts it in about the 300M/Intrepid RT range. And the Intrepid ES nowadays only has about 7 or 8 hp less than the RT, so I can't imagine that it would be much slower.
  • pine7pine7 Member Posts: 2
    Decided to go for the Toyota Camry V6,basic deciding factors were ratings on overall quality,reliability and resale value.Thanks to all for your advice.
  • lexus_onelexus_one Member Posts: 22
    Congratulations, the Camry is an excellent choice. Happy motoring
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    wow, history file tells all. i thought someone who owned a lexus would be in lexus topics talking about their rides. guess not!
  • Jason5Jason5 Member Posts: 440
    So many comments....so little time! Keep the faith!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...until that 5.7 Hemi is available, I'll be happy!
  • c01c01 Member Posts: 28
    IAN: Wise choice, Toyota makes a very good product.

    Lexus:
    Do not be dismayed at the rantings of the post happy dc hugger. It is well worth the effort to spread the TRUE facts about DC products in any forum that is available. Without the TRUE picture folks like Ian mike take the pro DC ramblings offered by a minority as being fact and make a wrong decision regarding purchase.

    BTW check the DC huggers history, four out of five posts are in DC topics and he has a Ford, fact or fiction? Perhaps he is on the DC payroll if not they at least have him buried deeply in one of their pockets.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Does anyone here want to talk about an Intrepid?

    :-)

    Pat
    Host
    Sedans Message Board
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    gee, maybe i should operate like jeffie (c01). i have a friend who has had some problems with his '00 maxima, therefore i should go over to the maxima topics and "disparage" the product. hell, how bout' i visit all nissan topics and spread the "bad word". well, i won't because that type of behaviour doesn't trip my trigger, but apparently others (c01) thrive on it. and unfortunately they are the ones that make townhall a joke!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...26 payments down, 34 to go, and it hasn't done anything yet that's made me regret buying it! It hasn't been perfect, but I have yet to see a car that is. And trust me, I can get pretty mouthy...if this car pissed me off, I'd let ya know about it! ;-)
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    The personal digs stop here. Any more posts that continue to snipe at other members will be removed.

    I realize there is a history here, but you are not going to replay here. Take it off-line if you can't leave it alone.

    Thank you.

    Pat
    Host
    Sedans Message Board
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    It was getting almost as bad as the Ford Explorer forum was a few months ago (my other car). Well, the 2002 Intrepid keeps trucking along. I think it hit 2000 miles last week (or so the wife says). I can't wait to get it out on some longer trips than what we've been taking to see how the mileage does. Right now we've been getting about 23mpg in the 2.7. Admittedly, though, the wife pretty much sits in traffic with it in the morning and evening commutes, and it does very little driving on a open road.
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    hey ottowkr,

    just saw the truck hemi hp/torque ratings. if dc were to stick an all aluminum 5.7l hemi (345hp) into the next lx, that somebitch would blow everything off the road, including quite a few mercedes. is their still talk at the plant about such a move?? thanks...
  • lee1nyclee1nyc Member Posts: 60
    There has been quite a lot of talk on the 300M board about plaques that go over the airbag information labels on the sun visors. Some company makes "Chrysler" plaques that cover these bright orange labels over. Has anyone seen them for either "Dodge" or "Intrepid"? It is not that big a deal, although to read the 300M board, you would think this has become a cause celeb.
  • emaleemale Member Posts: 1,380
    well, you'd think "zaino" was the name of some superstar if you spent too much time in the 300m topic...!
  • sdmike2sdmike2 Member Posts: 2,909
    You just caught an active thread, and the fact that you're asking about Dodge airbag label covers confirms our (300M forum members) interest. ;) Oh, and emale, don't knock it 'til you try it. :)
  • 300michael300michael Member Posts: 1,815
    You stole my line. A question for Intrepid owners with the 2.7 engine. Does any of you have An Intrepid Parts Book for 99? I am trying to verify parts numbers for a set of transfer gears.
  • 300michael300michael Member Posts: 1,815
    It depends on what you want it for. If 0-60 times are your only critera then the Maxima is your car of choice. If you want a roomy interior, large trunk then the Intrepid is your car of choice. For me I wanted a little of both, A car with lots of interior room and that could do 0-60 under 7 seconds, so I go my 300M. With all the people buying vehicles, that is probably why there are so many types to choose from, you think. If the Intrepid was a little shorter I could have ended up with one (it was a little long for my garage).
    Enjoy your fine automobile.
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