1978 Dodge Aspen 4 door 225 super slant six

Summary:

Super six and Aspen; an excellent combination

Faults:

Automatic transmission leak at 150,000.

Brake booster failed at 165,000.

Alternator replaced at 180,000.

General Comments:

Excellent well built car.

Nothing ever broke or fell apart.

Seated 6 people well.

Good ride and handling for a heavy car.

Super 6 was quite fast and very reliable.

Never repaired the engine - just maintained it.

No carburetor or choke problems.

Basic cloth interior faded in the Florida sun.

Dashboard cracked.

Excellent well built car. Bought it for $200 - had a dented fender - I replaced the fender from the junk yard and had car repainted. Many say it was poor quality, but I had this car for over 5 years, and nothing ever fell apart or broke.

When I bought the car, someone had already replaced the alternator, starter, and water pump.

I, for the entire time I owned it, had 6 people in the car every Sunday, and it worked flawlessly for years. This car was always used to take groups of 6 everywhere (sometimes hundreds of miles) as many cars only seat 4 or maybe 5.

The air conditioning worked perfect, but leaked out the freon about 180,000 miles. All windows cranked well, all controls worked well. Outside door handles did not break like all the GM cars did. The window cranks did not break.

The transmission started to leak at 150,000, but was the selector shaft seal and nothing serious. Replaced the booster myself as the car was easy to work on.

The engine was very strong with the 2 barrel, but not very good gas mileage. Never overheated or ran hot. Sold the car as my wife thought it was too old man for me for $300.

Best car I ever owned even to this day (2012).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th January, 2012

6th Jan 2012, 15:21

One thing I always wondered about was who the actual individual was that styled the F Body and its predecessor, the little changed M Body, because in my opinion they were so easy on the eye compared to Ford and GM of that era. That's just my small opinion.

7th Jan 2012, 14:22

One good lesson from this review - never listen to your wife. Nor for that matter, get married in the first place.

1978 Dodge Aspen Slant Six

Summary:

Crash-tested it...

Faults:

It wasn't running on all cylinders, but I didn't have it long enough to take the initiative and fix that.

Passenger door handle was busted (opened from inside only).

Seatbelts were slack and useless, used them for "show" only so I wouldn't get pulled over.

Nothing else really.

General Comments:

I like older full-size cars, and have owned many; Oldsmobile, Buick, and Ford 1970's models. Never had much experience with Dodge in general, but when I saw this yellow Aspen for sale in front of someone's house I had to have it. Turned out it was an older woman who owned it, her late husband was second owner and it hadn't been driven in years. Picked it up for $400 and drove it home with a smile. From day 1 it ran really rough and definitely needed a tune-up and compression check; was NOT operating on all cylinders. I drove it anyway. The transmission was silky smooth, about 160k on the clock.

I loved the way it looked, it was SO clean, shiny yellow with nice chrome and even the vinyl top was in great shape. Factory wheel covers, everything looked brand new. It had been kept under a carport. It had an adjustable rear suspension, and the turn signal markers on the hood were a nice touch. VERY comfortable inside and it handled very well.

Several months later, I totaled it. Drifted off the road and slammed it into a parked car on the side of the street (do NOT text and drive people!). Fortunately nobody was in the other car. That Dodge was a heavy old steel car and all that steel saved me from serious injury; however the seatbelts were no good and I did get jerked forward and tweaked my back. The poor car was ruined. I mean RUINED, the front end of that thing was obliterated. But it saved me. And taught me a very important lesson: do NOT text and drive! (Not trying to be preachy but I learned it the hard way). If not for the accident, I'd have kept the Aspen forever and dressed her up with some mag wheels and put some tunes in 'er. But it wasn't meant to be. I'd recommend this car to anyone..

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th May, 2010

16th May 2010, 10:07

An "adjustable rear suspension" on an Aspen, eh?

1978 Dodge Aspen Custom Sedan 3.7 Liter (225 CID) Slant 6

Summary:

Long live the Slant 6, an engine even Chrysler couldn't screw up if they tried!

Faults:

Water pump.

Alternator was weak when I bought it, replaced shortly after.

Valve cover gasket.

Heater fan only works on two highest settings.

Lots of rust.

General Comments:

This car is very slow, but virtually indestructible. Can still get over 22 MPG on the highway exceeding the speed limit.

The body will rust away long before the engine and transmission give up.

The engine won't burn oil, no matter how hard I beat on this car.

One of the ugliest cars ever made in my opinion; so ugly it's kind of cute.

Amazingly roomy and comfortable for its size.

For $600 it has done well for getting me from point A to point B for the past three years.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd December, 2007