1997 Dodge Intrepid Base review from North America

CV joints.

Tie rod ends.

Water pump.

Nothing much else, regular maintenance.

Engine seems to start hard when warm or hot (especially when sitting for over 5 minutes). Nobody has been able to figure this one out over the past 2 years.

Valves click and chatter when the engine is warming up, especially in cold weather. They shut up as the engine warms up. Doesn't seem like something a car with lower mileage should do.

Performance, handling, ride and acceleration are fairly decent.

Fuel economy could be better (21 city/27 highway)

Interior is very roomy and comfortable, but has cheap looking plastics. I like the instrument cluster though. The shift indicator by the floor shift should be illuminated, but isn't.

I have the factory stereo with 6 disk changer. Excellent sound. Quite a bit of bass, even with the EQ control set below flat. I can see how so many people blow speakers if they aren't careful.

Transmission could have been designed much better. I've heard many reports of people having one go to pot at under 50,000 miles, but I've been lucky so far. Also, the shift pattern on Chryslers and many Fords is D-3-1, instead of GM's more sensible D-3-2-1. This is annoying, because it makes it impossible to use third gear unless you are at a steady speed above 35 MPH. If you start out with the shifter in "3" the car will hold second gear until climbing over halfway up the RPM gauge. Also, if you put in in third and drop below 35, the car will lurch into 2nd and hold there. This is also annoying if you climb a long, steep hill on a 2-lane road and get behind somebody going slow. It's also good to change your transmission fluid and filter often, MORE than recommended. I looked high and low for an auto-stick transmission, but couldn't find one and couldn't afford a new car.

If you buy an Intrepid, it's a good idea to avoid the larger 3.5 liter engine. They're a real powerhouse, but there's too many problems with cams and heads self-destructing.

Supposedly there's a rear-wheel drive Intrepid coming out in 2004. Should be interesting.