Transmission has been replaced (27,000km).
Main engine computer replaced once and reprogrammed twice due to stalling (12,000km, 18,000km, 42,000km).
Rear struts replaced because they were leaking (35,000km).
Two wheel bearings have been replaced (22,000km, 49,000km).
Left front headlight has blown out seven times!
Dealer doesn't know why! (Seems like I'm always driving with one headlight!)
Interior creeks and groans when its cold (since new).
Security system malfunctioned this morning so the car would just crank over and not start. Had to be towed to the dealer. (this morning - 57,500km)
Of course, all the quoted mileages above are approximate.
Too many issues. Will never buy another Chrysler product. I guess I should have paid more attention to all those anti-Chrysler websites, but I thought "they can't be that bad". I was wrong. It's a huge lump of garbage. Thank God I bought the extended warranty... I'm going to need it.
Your example is not typical of Chrysler products.
One of my longest-lasting vehicles was a 1990 Dodge Omni. It made 240,000+ miles with nothing but two timing belts, two brake jobs and one hose. The man who bought it from me now has over 300,000 miles on it. Granted, that is not as good as our Ford that made 325,000 miles with less than $500 in total repairs, but still, 240,000 miles is not bad for an inexpensive compact.
We also drove our Dodge Daytona 100,000+ miles before trading it without one single problem, and our Dodge truck never had a single problem in the 5 years before it was totalled in an accident.
The Omni and Daytona were both Mitsubishi's.
To the guy who wrote the comment about having good luck with the Omni and Daytona, those cars were manufactured by Mitsubishi, which is probably why they lasted that long.
I have an 08 Caliber. I've had no issues and I'm not sure I believe your review.
You've had to many problems.... if you had had 1 or two maybe, but you've stretched it quite a ways. I can attest to the stalling issue for the earliest Calibers, but once the computer was reprogrammed that was resolved.
The rest I don't know. I work with a few guys who have AWD Calibers and they haven't had any problems whatsoever.
As mentioned, had you had 1 or 2 issues maybe, but dubious is the value I place on the review, sorry.
The Omni was actually chiefly designed by Simca, a French division of Chrysler Europe, and released in Europe as a Talbot. The Omni was available with either a PSA 1.6 OHV, an enlarged 1.7 liter version of the VW Rabbit engine of the time, and of course the venerable 2.2 engine.
The Daytona is a pure American Chrysler. It was built on the G platform which was derived entirely from the Chrysler K platform. The Daytona was available with a number of various flavors of the 2.2, and the 3 liter V6 was later added as an optional engine choice.
I'm also surprised by this review. In my area, there are lots of Calibers on the street, so people must like them. I've had two of them for rental cars, and really liked both of them. One of them was a 2008 R/T AWD and I really liked that car a lot. I thought the CVT was great for maintaining speed going up hills, and it zipped right around corners without slowing or swaying. I also thought the AWD was great, and a really good combination with the "manual" feature on the CVT when I wandered onto some steep, curvy, narrow dirt roads. The R/T AWD handled those roads better than my 4WD would have.
I would tend to agree with comments about a general cheap feeling in some components in the interior, like the rattly power door locks. With AWD cars I do always wonder how long the wheel bearings and transaxle will last, but really had not heard other complaints about the Caliber.
"21st Sep 2009, 14:01.
To the guy who wrote the comment about having good luck with the Omni and Daytona, those cars were manufactured by Mitsubishi, which is probably why they lasted that long."
Is that also why our 1984 Plymouth Reliant lasted us to 220,000 miles before we sold it in perfect running condition?
I wrote the original review. Believe me, while unfortunate, it is accurate. I have never had a vehicle with this number of problems. I still state that I will never buy another Chrysler product and will tell everyone I know not to either.
As for them being popular - no question about that - because their cheap! I received several thousand dollars off mine when I bought it and thought I got a great deal. Of course, I've asked about trading it (not for another Chrysler) and it has horrible trade in value.
As for the person who commented about my review not being creditable because I've had too many issues: if I'd only had the one or two problems that you state would have been believable, I wouldn't be upset!
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