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Do NOT buy the Caliber
disheartened
Member Posts: 6
in Dodge
Disheartened Dodge Owner
I just got off the phone with Courtney, a senior in customer service, regarding the [B]clutch going out of my Caliber at only 36,000 miles.
To be clear, yes, it’s certainly too bad that they won’t cover the repair of my clutch.
But my main issue is the lack of concern on their part. Even without it being under warranty, I would think a clutch going out so early would be a red flag for Dodge. But no, they were simply dismissive.
I’d just talked my wife into getting the Nitro. My family and I have been Dodge owners for many, many generations (back into the 60s), and never have we had any issues – until now.
Set the clutch reimbursement cost aside, I simply wanted my concerns addressed to the overall lack of quality for workmanship.
There was none. All I could out of them was that it’s past the warranty, and not their issue.
Fine, but, whoever heard of a clutch going out so early? Certainly not me!
Courtney’s only response was only that she’s known of some going out at 5,000 miles.
That doesn’t make me feel any better. In fact, only points out that clearly, Dodge is not making the quality of cars that they were once known for.
In fact, further investigation has uncovered that the Caliber often has transmission issues at 50,000 miles.
So sadly, once I get the clutch fixed, I will likely have to part w/my Caliber, for fear that I’ll be throwing good money after bad otherwise.
Moreover, this will inevitably be the end to a long family tradition of my family being Dodge owners; too bad, for I loved the Caliber, just simply not the mechanics of it.
As an FYI, at 36,000 miles, I’ve already had two other issues with the car. Both times I assumed they were isolated. But now w/the clutch going out, clearly, they were not.
And so I will part with my Caliber and begin a new era – truth be told, it’ll probably be over to Toyota or Honda. One can’t argue their numbers with regards to satisfaction.
I just got off the phone with Courtney, a senior in customer service, regarding the [B]clutch going out of my Caliber at only 36,000 miles.
To be clear, yes, it’s certainly too bad that they won’t cover the repair of my clutch.
But my main issue is the lack of concern on their part. Even without it being under warranty, I would think a clutch going out so early would be a red flag for Dodge. But no, they were simply dismissive.
I’d just talked my wife into getting the Nitro. My family and I have been Dodge owners for many, many generations (back into the 60s), and never have we had any issues – until now.
Set the clutch reimbursement cost aside, I simply wanted my concerns addressed to the overall lack of quality for workmanship.
There was none. All I could out of them was that it’s past the warranty, and not their issue.
Fine, but, whoever heard of a clutch going out so early? Certainly not me!
Courtney’s only response was only that she’s known of some going out at 5,000 miles.
That doesn’t make me feel any better. In fact, only points out that clearly, Dodge is not making the quality of cars that they were once known for.
In fact, further investigation has uncovered that the Caliber often has transmission issues at 50,000 miles.
So sadly, once I get the clutch fixed, I will likely have to part w/my Caliber, for fear that I’ll be throwing good money after bad otherwise.
Moreover, this will inevitably be the end to a long family tradition of my family being Dodge owners; too bad, for I loved the Caliber, just simply not the mechanics of it.
As an FYI, at 36,000 miles, I’ve already had two other issues with the car. Both times I assumed they were isolated. But now w/the clutch going out, clearly, they were not.
And so I will part with my Caliber and begin a new era – truth be told, it’ll probably be over to Toyota or Honda. One can’t argue their numbers with regards to satisfaction.
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Comments
My issue is the fact that it went out within 36,000 miles.
Having driven manual transmissions since I was 12-years-old (grew up on a farm), never before has a clutch gone out even before 100,000 miles.
Yes, how it was driven can contribute to early clutch failure. But, as I also said, the Caliber has many documented issues -- clutch and transmission included.
But, I suspect that you are likely some manipulative sales person, pimpin' out extended warranties. When in fact, if the vehicle (any vehicle) is quality, then such a warranty is not warranted -- Pun intended.
I've tried to write simply, using easy to understand words for you.
No free fix is/was/will be expected. My concern is where the clutch is even at issue.
However, what I anticipated of Dodge was the same quality my family and I have come to expect for many, many years. Obviously that is no longer the case – and likely never will be again.
With that, my only intent is to warn others, for I can only blame myself for blindly buying a Dodge. I assumed the quality would be as it always has been. I was wrong in doing so.
Instead, I should have done my research, to uncover the fact that the Caliber alone is notorious for having multiple issues, many others have also had clutch problems, and also transmission (at 50,000 miles or less), and various issues with basic mechanics from the CVT, radiator, fan housing, exhaust and so much more.
No, I take full responsibility for my failing to follow due diligence in researching the purchase of a car. I saw the Caliber, liked the Caliber, and convinced myself that as a Dodge, I would be well served.
But sadly, the quality of Dodge from years past in no longer, so now, my quest is merely to reach as many others so that perhaps they won’t blindly follow what Dodge used to be – until they too would regrettably learn the truth.
That being said, with each post/reply to this thread, you are helping, so I thank you for that. Because you see, Google and others are automatically following entries to be compiled into their search results. So the more the issue is discussed, the higher up the Do NOT buy a Dodge Caliber will be And clearly, the higher the results in the search page, the more readers there will be.
But of course I have no intention of stopping with this singular forum. No, I am setting it up to automatically search out all sorts of Caliber, Dodge and Chrysler chats, blogs, forums and Web sites, and freely sharing all that I have to offer with regards to potential buyers.
In the short time I’ve done the proper research, I quickly found that Subaru makes a very comparable car – only one that has outstanding results/scores from multiple agencies that test vehicles. If only I’d known before. But the idea of buying a Subaru had never occurred to me. Moreover, I blindly overlooked the Mazda 3 hatchback, which has scored leaps and bounds over the Caliber in terms of price, quality and performance.
Lesson learned. But as I said, now, I hope to inform others (the wonders of the Web) so that they can learn before making the same mistake as I did.
You will not be able to purchase a car that someone has complained about or has done research after purchasing that it has problems.
And besides: you have had one bad Dodge in all these years and you're ready to write them off ? Something smells here and it's not a clutch burning out. Doesn't sound like a loyal [or informed ] Dodge owner to me. Chrysler products have been at the bottom of reliability surveys for years now. Kind of funny it's some sort of surprise to you.
But, its not as if we've had a large number of Dodge vehicles in the family. We buy them, and keep them FOREVER it seems.
The pickup my grandpa bought (off the floor in 67) was the truck that every male in family learned how to drive in and used on the farm for years and years --it too was a stick. It was so great, it was a family vehicle. I think every individual man in my family drove it as their primary/work vehicle for at least a year or two -- that's my brother, myself, my father, two cousins and an uncle. It took an 18 wheeler running a light, making it into a "compact truck" to get it offf the road.
There have been other Dodge/Chrysler vehicles since 1968, but never really had any issues/problems.
So I do take the blame for being a less than informed consumer of current Dodge/Chrysler. I didn't put much stock into surveys, for all I needed to know was my own (and my family's) first-hand experience.
After the fact is when I realized all the information had been out there all along, and realized the customer results. I guess I just wanted the
[100 miles] daily-- in a 2008 Dodge Caliber RT/All-Wheel-Drive.
I did have ONE problem with it. I was driving (legally) 100MPH, and slammed on
the brakes when a deer crossed the highway [autobahn] directly in front of me.
The speedometer/odometer and ABS went out, but I stopped straight... and there
was no damage to the deer, car, or myself. I get my car serviced, regularly, at a
dealership, so no problem with warranty.
Another time I ran off the road-- at about 80MPH, became sky-bound--making a
"Dukes of Hazard" landing in a wet wheatfield. I drove under the road, on an un-
derpass, got back on the road and n-e-r-v-o-u-s-l-y noticed a small crowd--including
the Polizi wondering what happened to the car that looked like an airplane
a moment before. I put my hands on my hips, too, and stood there until
the small group dispersed. I noticed a shake in my wheel, and that I'd popped off
two lugnuts on the front left wheel. I took one off another wheel a little later-- after
noticing/re-straightened a tie-rod with a hammer from my toolbox.
I have enjoyed the hell out of my car. It's one of those 2.5L engine auto-stick-
transmissions. I drive it like an automatic, because as a 6'4"-- 275 pound, size
FIFTEEN-shoes, man, there's two things I have NO use for:
=> bending my head because of a roof-shortened sunroof
=> having my foot on TWO peddals at once.
If I wanted trouble driving and stopping, I'd've bought a TOYOTA-- yeah, I know,if you
get a Chrysler with a LARGE engine, it's usually made by Mitsubishi Motors!
Well, anyway, I've got 50,000 miles on my Caliber. I realize they do not even make
my car in A-W-D anymore. Know what? Just makes all my other friends that also
drive and love THEIR Caliber jealous.
With a few feet of snow outside-- as I type this-- I'd not trade my car for a JEEP;
HUMMER; or half-track for that matter. I have never bought anything but
American cars, though the 1973 Chevy Vega turned me off of Chevrolets!
God Bless America!
Michael McCluskey
USN&USA; Retired
Wachtküppel, Germany
NOTHING wrong with it. And: if I were to drive UNDER 80-MPH on the German
autobahn-- Porsches; BMWs; Audis; Lamborginis; etc., pass me all the
time at 130MPH+-- it'd be even more dangerous!
At least, here, the left lane is for passing.
:shades:
Is anyone had any of these issues, especially the poor fuel economy and lack of power?
I guess, we will just walk when the old Camaro dies off, til we can find a reliable vehicle to purchase? Is there any vehicle in this mode that is worthy of praise?