Has dodge improved?

They're owned by an Italian company. I think the answer should be obvious....

I don't own a Dodge, but my understanding is that they're somewhat better, but still not great. I'm surprised you liked the Journey, if you read most automotive magazines, they were roasted as absolutely awful cars.

I just about won't read reviews anymore, if I'm interested in a car I will drive it to see for myself. Reviewers become jaded and have expectations from a $15k car that are ok expectations in a $35k car. Cars like the journey are point a to point b cars, not built to excite but To get you, your friends and all of your stuff where you are going.

Dodge products have steadily improved and really are on par with anything else in their price range. All of the US makers have had to up their games to the point where; in my opinion, everyone is on a level playing field.

A buddy of mine has an Avenger as a company car. It's not the worst car in the company car pool. But that includes some 10+ year old Cavaliers. The Avenger did leave him stranded twice with computer malfunctions. The dealer finally replaced it, but they pushed back for awhile.

Its too bad, I really want a Hellcat Charger...

OTOH, I have friends who have the pentastar minivans, with generally positive reviews. They don't seem to lunch transmissions with the frequency of the Oddies.

I'm an owner of a Pentastar minivan.

Nice place to sit, plenty of power, reliable thusfar, seems good.

Still near the bottom of Consumer Reports ratings, but higher than they used to be.

We once had a 2007ish Avenger as a rental when SWMBO's old Elantra got smacked and was in the body shop. It had the 2.4L 4-cylinder, and was abysmal in every way. The interior was mostly made of abrasive materials, and it somehow had less interior room despite being nearly 2 feet longer than the Elantra. The engine sounded like it had marbles in the crankcase under any amount of throttle input.

That said, The same car with the Pentastar and the updated interior that was implemented in 2011-12 is probably one of the best bargain daily drivers you could buy. Cheap, comfy, and quick, while returning respectable gas mileage.

Yes, they have improved. I have lusted after a 2011+ Charger and the 2009+ Challenger since their debut.

The Journey is not a 'driver's car', it's an appliance. In that context it does things pretty well. As far as overall quality, the Pentastar powered ones seem to hang together pretty well. I would avoid the earlier cars, I see a bunch of them come in for weird transient no starts that appear to be centered around the WIN (ignition switch) which, after replacing it, works fine for a while then the exact same problem comes back. We have tried every bulletin reflash etc in the book and still cross our fingers.

The big things I have seen is the damn big 8.4 touch screen radio (the nav unit) is one flaky piece of so called engineering which I would avoid like the plague. If the screen goes out, you lose all climate etc functions, not good with the fambly in tow and there isn't much you as the owner can do if it flips out; the small touch screen and manual systems are pretty trouble free.

Despite an earlier poster's comment, the 62TE shifts like schizophrenia and they will wreck the compounder, same as the minivans. We think they have gotten most of the bugs out- maybe.

Oh, one other thing: if it has the Kumho 225/55-19" tires on it, don't buy the car. The Kumhos are fine tires but the size is very hard to find in tire stores etc, I have had customers search for days trying to find them. Even though Kumho is the OE and thus most common supplier it's still a niche tire for them and they price the tire accordingly. Do 17's, 18's etc.

I have had customers buy aftermarket wheels and tires cheaper than a set of the Kumho tires alone.

I know it's apples and oranges, but I have a '13 Ram 1500. I love the looks, the motor, and the super roomy interior layout... but I will be 100% honest in that I don't really like the truck all that much. Fit and finish is pretty poor when compared to my base model, no-frills Nissan Titan. The AV/uConnect has gone in for I think 7 reflashes in the 1.5 years I've owned it, and it STILL doesn't work properly. I have the old 6 speed trans, which is really just OK, but the 8 speeds are supposedly better. Coil rear end rides super nice, but it is completely stupid when you tow anything of weight. I had to put airbags in just to get it to tow to my liking/safety. there are lots of anal-y minor annoyances with the truck that I dislike as well, especially the impossible manner of changing oil without getting it EVERYberkeleyINGWHERE on the undercarriage.

In all, I like it, but I still know deep down that it's a dodge. Truth is, the second the '16 Titans with the Cummins are released, this truck is getting sold faster than a lot lizard in a busy truck stop, and I won't miss it for a second.

We are loving the '07 Charger RT we picked up earlier this year. As I understand it the newer ones are even better.

According to all reports. Much improved.

Consumers Guide be damned.

No true enthusiast uses consumer reports as a guide.

I haven't owned a Dodge newer than 1993, mostly because there were better cars for my purposes out there. That being said, the current HP wars have me intriqued with the brand again.

bgkast wrote: No true enthusiast uses consumer reports as a guide.

Agreed

Yup. I stopped reading CR when they were reviewing the TJ wrangler. They went on and on about the choppy ride, high interior noise, and lack of cargo space. Uh, it's a short-wheel base vehicle with off-road suspension, so yeah, it's choppy. When you are sitting in the Jeep, there's nothing above your naval that's not canvas or plastic except the windshield, so the noise will be higher. And it's a Jeep Wrangler, so it's not meant to carry 4 people and 2 weeks worth of luggage to the Hamptons. Idiots.
I've owned a lot of cars, most of them in the sub $4,000 range and my Chryco vehicles have been very reliable. Our 2005 Grand Caravan has 170K on it and the trans has been fine, the rear shocks need to be replaced for the first time, and it's been very reliable with one exception that was covered under warranty. The new Challenger/Charger have VERY nice interiors, best in class in my estimation.

I am shopping for another work van right now. I was thinking 2005-2007 Caravan. The problem I have is I own a 2014 loaded to the gills Caravan R/T. That new van is SSSSSOOOOO much nicer than the old vans I am seriously considering spending a lot more money on a work van. That 3.6 Pentastar engine is awesome.

Everything about the 12+ vans is just so much better..

Short answer: Yes.

My cousin has rented a bunch of them for his cross country jaunts. Off the top of my head he got a Caliber R/T, a V6 Charger, and a Chrysler 200. He's liked every one he's had so far, and I was good in the Caliber for 1500 miles in a day and a half of driving even with my knee.

The newest Chrysler product I've ever owned was a 1993 Dodge W250 with the 12V Cummins. It was a great engine stuffed into a truck that had Soviet-bloc grade materials, but somehow always held together. Most of my Mopar experiences are from a decade known as "The Sixties".

I have owned a couple of newer Dodge products. I had a 2005 Magnum RT in 2011 or so. That was during the Diamler years. The interior was pretty terrible but the 5.7L Hemi was decent as was the MB 5 speed auto.

I traded that in on a 2011 Ram 1500 Express. Yeah the interior wasn't super high grade but it was a base model. The Hemi was unflappable and got decent mileage for having 390hp.

I would say Dodge really started improving around 2011 or so.

I have been wondering this as well. The newest dodge I deal with is an '05 Dakota. The bumper and bed are rusting out, the dash is lit up like a Christmas tree, and what parts of the interior that isn't cheap plastic is wearing out. I hope things are better as I really want a base(tradesman) ram in 4x4 in short bed and a penta star or a long bed with the Eco diesel.

It's funny, you'd think pairing with Mercedes would have been an improvement, but it was really one of the worst things they did.

Grizz wrote: It's funny, you'd think pairing with Mercedes would have been an improvement, but it was really one of the worst things they did.

Yep. Compare a second gen Neon pre and post MB purchase, and you can write a novel about the content removed.

ronholm wrote: That 3.6 Pentastar engine is awesome.

My last Mopar was my '90 Plymouth Voyager turbo (auto). Back just after the 3.6 came out I rented a new at the time Caravan. As much as I liked my turbo Voyager, the new 3.6 powered ( and much heavier) Caravan blew it away in all aspects in my opinion. It really hauled -ss when you got on it. As I recall I burned several hundred miles worth of rubber off the front wheels during that week

Makes me have ideas of swapping that motor into the much lighter '90 or older Caravan or Voyager.

My mind automatically filters this thread title to; Has doge improved?

Damn you internet!!!

We just got back from a mini vacation. Drove a new 3.6 Pentastar powered Grand Cherokee rental from the eastern part of PA out to the Pitt side and back. I was very impressed. It also has the 8-speed auto and AWD. It averaged 26 MPG while driving it non-economically. My wife said it would have done better than that if she was driving. She's right.

Yea it's not a Dodge, but it's in the family. I wanted to try a new Durango, but this was as close as we could get in a rental.

Grizz wrote: It's funny, you'd think pairing with Mercedes would have been an improvement, but it was really one of the worst things they did.

One would think so, until you realize the 'merger of equals' was a German company raping an American company, and one exec selling out for a massive profit. Merc had NO intention of improving anything, just selling them outdated chassis'.