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Dodge Durango
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Comments
B02 New York - PPA/EB-PF $210 and
T02 New York - DAA $310
dealer says that these are advertising charges and must be included in his "invoice cost"
anyone know? is this true?
thanks in advance
You can also check out cars direct.com they will locate you a car from a local dealer and there is no add fee's and I think there price is a little below dealer cost.
I recently bought a new Durango R/T loaded from CarOrder.com for $1545.00 under dealer cost and they also took off the $1000 rebate.
Scott Q
$1545.00 under dealer cost,
did the dealer cost include the ad fees???
thanks in advance
herman
Good luck.
herman
You may want to look at the 5.9 with a 3.55. That would deliver plenty of towing power and I think they are pretty easy to come by. The mileage will be very close to the 4.7 with the 3.92. The 5.9 is a tried and true motor that should deliver years of trouble free operation.
It is all a trade off. The beefier your powertrain, the easier towing will be ... and the worse your mileage.
There is lots of good discussion on this and other Durango topics at Durangoclub.com.
As far as the 3.55 rear goes,I'd still advise against it.The Durango you saw without the 3.92 must have been with the little tires/wheels,because that's an automatic upgrade to 3.92 when you get them.To me,it look odd,like it's unfinished,without the flares that come with the bigger 31x10.5x15 tires.Just my opinion.I was trying to keep the cost down,but would never cut the bigger tires and flares out.In overdrive,the RPM's would still be under 2000,so milage wouldn't be affected that much by going higher in ratio.The4.7 is a revver compared to the 5.9,so it would even be more important to go to the 3.92.The 5.9 would still be better with it,and I doubt if you can even find a 5.9 without 3.92's.Everyone I've ever seen had the bigger tires,and the higher gears.
My combo,and I was going to buy it,it was sitting there in Patriot Blue,and Bright Red,was an SLT(not a plus),5.9,full time 4wd,cloth interior,3.92 rear,4Wabs,Limited slip rear,and the usual toys.It stickered at 33,400,I think,I had them down to 30,400 pretty quickly.But,after sitting in it for a while,it was just too tight in front,and I didn't like the seats much more than the Jeep I was getting rid of,and the seating and driving position was the reason I was dumping it.So,it was a Ram Quad Cab for me,or the GM I bought for me.If only the Ram had the power the Sierra did...
For being A new 1999 Dodge Durango, I have encountered clicking sounds,
as well as having OIL red light come on. First it was brought in for the clicking noise. (The differential needed to be adjusted)
secondly, I brought it in due to a red light coming on when I would stop the vehicle.
Very low Oil Pressure. That doesn't make sense since the Oil was changed recently. Sure enough I was low on 2 quarts of oil. Thinking
the oil change facility made a mistake the dealer went ahead and filled the oil up properly. This was when the miles were about 14000. Now at 15 thousand, I encountered the same issue. I checked
the oil and sure enough I was down 2 quarts. I obviously have a leak which occurs during driving since I barely have any drips on my garage floor. What makes me upset is the vehicle is
new and I have brought it to the dealer twice. Secondly,
with the oil dissapearing out of this vehicle so rapidly, I
wouldn't expect to change the oil every 750 miles or so.
Therefore, I am driving this engine into the ground with very little
oil in it. Engine damage could have occured by now
due to the negligance of the construction of this vehicle.
I am not happy, and I don't want it any more. No one
should have to pay 30K for a vehicle and within 15000 miles
have these issues.
This
is my first Dodge Vehicle and I pray that their company will take care of this.
Thank you,
It sounds like it's leaking on to the exhaust,or maybe it gets bad only when it's moving,and the oil pressure is up.
They will do a lot before buying it back,putting an engine in it SHOULD solve the problem,if it's internal,if not,they should have seen it by now.My friend's Durangoes use no oil at all..Good Luck..
1. 4.7 liter engine only available with 4 wheel drive. I want 2 wheel drive.
2. Drum brakes on the rear. I want 4 wheel discs.
3. Crash tests for driver rated as poor.
4. Poor gas milage on the 4.7 liter
5.
We have a 98 5.9L Durango that has my wife scared to drive because of recurring fishtailing and perceived control issues.
Does the Durango have too much power for the weight with rear wheel drive?
Also...does anyone know of tires that for the Durango that are best for wet (Oregon!!!) roads???
Thanks
Havent heard anything about 2001 models, drum brakes work fine. Rear discs only perform about 10% of braking.
Actually the D is in the preferred group of SUV's regarding Safty. Real statistics bear this out. Please go thru previous posts, someone has a link listing the Insurance Industry's ratings and the D scores well.
No problem with oil control in my 2000 with the 5.9. Converted it to Amsoil synthetic at 2300 miles and currently have 8000 miles. It has not used any oil in 5700 miles.
Currently got 17.2 MPG on my latest tank over the holiday weekend driving mostly highway in the Mountains in NH.
Dont have any problems with fishtailing on wet pavement on my 2000 with FT4WD(Selectrac) and 3.92 with LSD on stock Goodyears.
Later
You DON'T want 2wd unless you live where there is no chance of precipitation, and even then I would recommend FT4WD for handling. The D is a heavy truck with the weight distributed to the front. As explained in the fishtailing post, these engines produce lots of torque, and don't handle very well with just the rear wheels driven.
Rear disc brakes are always better when they are quality brakes, but most American manufacturers use low quality rotors and pads. If you want rear discs, have the drums converted with quality upgrades. It will cost you more, but consider that Dodge would only raise the vehicle price to give you rear disc, and you'd still have low quality brakes.
Don't worry about crash tests - worry about what your insurance co. charges. That's the real safety indicator.
Yes, I do think that you will have less handling in 2wd, even with the 4.7. However, I would suggest that you try a test drive with a 2wd 4.7 when the roads are slick, and make your own decision. Also, the tires make a big difference. As I said, I have eliminated much of the fishtailing problem by going to another brand.
While I can't speak of how much better FT4WD handling is, I can definitely say that I have had absolutely no handling issues when my PT4WD 5.9L is in 2WD mode. Even on rain-soaked streets. In fact, the only time I've even heard the back tires slip in 2WD mode was when I was on some sort of loose surface, like rocks. I would imagine FT4WD would help somewhat in this situation, but not sure how much.
I too had poor gas mileage early in my ownership experience. I was LUCKY to get 10 mpg average. After a few weeks I checked the tire pressure and found that the dealership must not have raised pressure to spec before delivering the truck to me. Each tire was set at a uniform 25 psi! As soon as I raised my pressure to 35 psi all around, the mileage jumped a full 4 mpg. About 7 months later now and I can get 16 mpg on the highway if lucky. Not great, but expected. BTW, I have a 2000 5.9, PT4WD.
I don't think the problem is the vehicle more than it is the tires. As I've mentioned, once I swapped to BFG All-Terrains, the spinning has been almost completely eliminated. This problem is also not exclusively inherent to the Durango. I had the same problem with my Bronco in 2wd, and to a lesser extent, both my Jeep Wranglers. All these vehicles, like pickups, are very light in the rear, and have low-revving, high-torque engines. That's the reason all the farmers around here load up their pickups with sand, stone, etc. in the winter.
I definitely think the FT4WD option will give you much better accelerating traction. Other than the added wear to the front drive components, I don't really see the advantage of not getting this.
All & all, I have not been very pleased with my decision & wish I had looked into it further. Yes, the towing capacity is awesome, but I think it gets better gas mileage when towing, then driving down the highway.
I also re-ended a Toyota Camary at about 15 mph & did $2,500 worth of damage (I did less is my accident in my Geo).
As for off-roading, maybe I am just spoiled by my Jeep, but the ground clearance bites, it rarely stays in 4 wheel, the limited slip is a joke & the only thing that has pleasantly surprised me is my $130 plastic skid plates...
All & all, the only thing that saves me is the V8.
If I could get what I owed out of it, I would probably sell it... But oh well...
Please let me know if any one else has a problem w/ the oil & the fact that Dodge is saying it's "normal".
Thanks for the input...
I bought a new Durango, wanted a 4.7L V8 but got a 5.9L V8
I know the MPG is poor, but this is ridiculous. I've done
2000 miles and get 13 mpg on the road (at 75 mph).
My question, many passenger cars are tuned to get the best
mileage at 70-80 mph, where is the optimum for my Durango?
signed, gassed
Click and Clack would have you call in the
manager and suggest something be done
(it's completely unacceptable)
The dealer sells a Mopar air filter attachment that they claim will increase gas mileage by 2-4 mpg.
If a dealer told you that it is normal for a new vehicle with 10K miles to burn 1qt. of oil in 1K miles, you need to report that dealer to a regional rep, as that dealer has no business working on engines. I think you should also tell us who the dealer is so that we can avoid them as well.
Your oil burning is in no way indicative of the Magnum engine line. I can honestly say that this is one issue that is not reported with any frequency in the owner community. At the rate you mentioned, smoke from the tailpipe would be prevalent, and the dealer should find immediate cause for alarm.
sandydee,
No offense, but what made you think you would get good gas mileage in a 5000lb. truck with a V8 engine that generates that much power? What mileage figure are you looking for? 13mpg is actually pretty good for the first 2000 miles. Let the engine break in, and you should add 1-2mpg more. If there is a "sweet spot" for optimal mpg at a speed, I don't think 75mph would be it - probably closer to 55 based on wind resistance and RPM ranges. Watch your tach and remember, the lower the RPMs while cruising, the better the mpg.
The best 5.9 Durangos are averaging 15-16mpg with upwards of 18mpg on the highway. I personally average 15.2 in mostly "country" driving. If you want to hit these numbers, you'll have to have the engine perfectly tuned, and have a very light foot. Good luck, but don't expect miracles.
If you want more info from owners, check out the Durango Owners forum, and the Dakota Mailing List.
Most owners installing K&N replacement filters, open cone filters, and cold-air filters report mpg increases that are slight at best - more along the lines of 1-2mpg in the best cases. I've even read of mpg losses after installing some filters (probably because the foot gets heavier).
The primary objective for these types of filters is usually more power, not necessarily more mpg. However, if you can keep your foot light, you should see some increase. The problem is though, that depending on how much the filter costs, the rate of return may be years. Something to consider.
I initially installed a K&N replacement filter and Gibson cat-back in my 5.9 D, and realized about a 1mpg increase (not that I was looking for an increase). If you decide to get a replacement filter or intake, I would do it for the increase in power, and I would recommend a cold-air intake like the one here:
http://www.intenseperformance.com
Many American brand cars and trucks are made in other countries, and likewise, some foreign cars are made here in the US. The most American of vehicles, the Jeep CJ/YJ, for a while was manufactured in Canada! I also have a Buick that is Canadian. There is another topic discussing the Mexican Suburban, and if I recall, John Deere also has a facility in Mexico.
You might have to buy a Honda, Subaru, or Isuzu if you want to be American, as these were most likely built in Ohio, Alabama, or Indiana.
I agree with everyone else. One quart per mile is not normal.
Also, did you actually "believe" the marketing hype in the commercials that told you that a vehicle with only 7" ground clearance will be capable of serious off-roading? If you want such off-roading capability, go buy the Land Rover/Range Rover, Land Cruiser (not the yuppy version), or a Hummer. I suppose some Jeeps are OK too, but are in a different class altogether.
Not to be mean, but you were sort of warned about the 5.9L mileage in topic 2645, which you initiated. In post #21 in that topic, someone stated:
"My V8 (in another vehicle) gets, realisticly, on the highway, 18.5 - 20.5; and in pure stop-and-go,
14-14.5. I hope the 4.7 is equal to that, but we
both know the 5.2 can't do it, and the 5.9...well,
we won't talk about that one."
Now, the "good" news is that your mileage will rise somewhat during break-in, but not all that much. Sorry, but enjoy the truck for what it is! I just carried over 1400 pounds of mulch and top-soil all at once in my 2000 5.9L D this past weekend. I've owned a lot of smaller SUVs, but none of them could have accomplished this (simply not enough room). Also, most any minivan would have bottomed out its suspension easily and probably would have been driving down the road with their front wheels off the ground!
Enjoy your D!
I have a 2k D SLT+ 4.7l fully loaded with the 3.55 gear ratio with about 5500 miles on it. During my(my wife's) normal driving which is mostly hilly I am good to get 13 mpg across the span of a tank of gas. It's normally around 11+. Believe it or not, we took a trip to Indianapolis from NJ across Pennsylvania and I posted an average of 18+ and almost 19 mpg on the return trip. This was calculated from the miles divided by the gallons and not the trip meter. I couldn't believe it. Anyway, it could be from the flatness of Indiana and Ohio or the synthetic oil (mobil 1) that was used. BTW, I almost exclusively cruised at 70 mph. So there still may be hope for the D owners who want higher mileage just travel to Indiana. As for me, I am happy with my D and my occasional 13 mpg as this was not the reason for purchasing it. I bought it because I could not go to the grocery with my family and buy anything and have a place to put it.
Good Luck,
Nathan
Needless to say, I am putting it up on the market. I am going to put the extra money into my Jeep for off-roading & maybe look into Japanese (or should I say "American") for around-towning. The only problem I find now is Kelly Blue Book has no information on pricing for 00 resales. I paid $35k & think I will ask 31k obo.
I will keep you all posted after my next oil change.
I had a problem with the shifting of my tranny from N to D. It would hesitate on the N before shifting and then jumping/jerking into drive. We took it back to the dealer and at first pass they were going to replace the steering wheel & shift column. Upon investigating they tightened or adjusted "a cable" and all has been fine since. This may not be the same as yours since my light never came on. BTW, I have the same setup as yours ('00, 4.7l, 3.55)
First of all, no normal engine "burns" oil. If an engine is loosing oil it is due to an external leak, or the oil is seeping past the piston rings into the combustion chamber. In either case, it is a problem. Don't let someone tell you otherwise.
I would suggest you consult a lawyer to brief you on the specific lemon laws of your state. You may also find help in the Durango Owners Club forum at:
http://www.durangoclub.com/ceilidh/ceilidh.html
There is one other owner that I know of that used the lemon laws to get a new vehicle.
You may also find satisfaction by talking to the DC district representative in your area. Ask your dealer how to get in contact with this person.
I purchased a new durango in april '98, w/ 5.9 +++ all the goodies for my wife, today it only has 14,775 miles and it is going into the shop for the 5th time for oil leaks, this time it's the tranny pan gasket. We have never had any "mechinical" problems with it but the fact is that when you spend this much money on a new vehicle it shouldn't be in the shop so much, hell when we bought this we sold her '87 mercedes 300E with 225,000 miles on it and it was still twice the car. I guess my point is I think the durango is the best looking suv out there, but this will be the last dodge I will ever buy. I drive a 97 dodge diesel that has ben great it has 189,000 miles on it, but keep in mind that is a cummins that has nothing to do with dodge building it, my father has a '98 dodge truck that has the cummins also but he keeps having tranny problems, as soon as the new duramax comes out in the chevy he is going to trade his in. In my opinion all the new dodges are all show and no go!
HEY DODGE TAKE SOME LESSONS FROM FORD AND LEARN HOW TO BUILD SOME REAL TRUCK AND SUV'S.
R......
one last thing the durango has 3.92 gears and on the hwy at about 75 mph it averages 16.5-17mpg with a k&n filter and the a/c on.
BTW, the FORD comment was hysterical... Took me a while to stop laughing and post a response!
R......