9th Aug 2007, 22:10

Hmmmmm...I've owned my 2002 Dodge Intrepid SXT since July 2002 and the only problem I've ever had was a malfunctioning windshield wiper motor. I do get oil changes every three months, as the manual recommends, but I don't drive like a little old lady. I navigate Detroit rush hour at a dead run. It really is a great car...

15th Aug 2007, 13:08

I have been a mechanic for the last ten years, and I am very disappointed with what I've been hearing and seeing with this car. The car itself is a great car, but the 2.7 engine is hardly reliable. Any other engine I haven't seen a problem with. My girlfriend has this car and has many problems with it, all of which have been covered here. Oil is changed every 3000-4000 miles (anyone who says this will cause an engine to fail is lying to you) and as of yet none of those problems have come about. But, the acceleration is nowhere near what it should be. I'm not talking about winning 1/4 mile races, I'm talking coming out of a toll in Chicago and getting honked at. there is a bad vibration from 40-50 that is not the balance, I've balanced them myself. The mileage rating is not what it should be, about 22. I've tuned it up, started using high-milage (semi-synthetic oil) and keep the tires pressured correctly. Now, to the one who said review your car, it's your fault...

I own a 1990 ford Taurus SHO that I got for $500. It leaks oil into the spark plug gallery, it has a slipping 5 speed tranny, it has a single exhaust where a dual should be, as well as numerous other problems. It'll do 0-60 in 7 seconds, I have no cel's on, I get 29 mpg, all my locks, brakes, windows, cruise, and everything else works, except the a/c. Do not tell me a car 12 years newer is more likely to brake down because it has been over looked. This engine is poorly designed, and if there is any truth to a suit, please e-mail me at lippsgarage@yahoo.com. Thank you.

28th Aug 2007, 15:28

Just traded my 1998 Intrepd ES with the 3.2 engine. Car was great. I bought it used in 2000 with 17,000miles on it. Traded it in on a new Accord. The Intrepid had 215,000 miles on it. Changed oil every 5-7,000 miles. Replaced 1 battery, 3 sets of brakes, 3 sets of tires, etc; not much else. Bottom line: the car was the cheapest I have ever owned. When traded, it needed new brakes, struts, 1 ball joint, drivers side seat had leather cracking, A/C compressor had slow leak and some minor surface rust below gas filler door, minor dashboard light problem with heater controls. All in all, a great car. The engine ran strong and never leaked a drop of oil or antifreeze. The original stainless exhaust was still in good condition (amazing for NE Ohio). It makes me wonder if the 3.2 (now 3.5) is a far superior engine and done right. I was so impressed that I bought a 2006 magnum with the same engine last year. It is still perfect at 47,000miles.

26th Sep 2007, 11:21

29 August, 5:52, I agree with you. The "I work as a mechanic, so I know all about it" people don't impress me, mostly because I've seen too many brain-dead idiots with no analytical ability at garages screw things up. They may be able to turn a wrench and follow a procedural manual to swap parts, but they can't figure anything out when the computer won't give them a fault code.

I've gotten over 200,000 miles out of every vehicle I ever owned (all American cars, by the way) by taking care of my own maintenance and doing my own repairs. I've never had blown gaskets, warped heads, slipping transmissions, burnt-out rear ends, or these other major problems that people complain about because I check under the hood and under the car every 3,000 miles when I change the oil, in addition to following a routine maintenance schedule based on the Hayne's Manuals, which have you do things about twice as frequently as the manufacturer suggests.

For these people talking about how "modern" oil doesn't have to be changed for 7,000 miles, and changing it 2,000 to 3,000 is a throwback to the '60's --- well, you do it your way, and I'll do it my way, and we'll just see who ends up in the breakdown lane first. I use Mobil 1 synthetic in my cars, and still change it every 3,000 miles. Changing oil is the cheapest, easiest piece of preventive maintenance you can do, so why quibble over a lousy $30 every few months?

Shake off this victim mentality, people! Cars are incredibly complicated, expensive machines, and you need to take some responsibility for taking care of them. You can either acquire that knowledge yourself, or pay to have somebody reputable service it when it's supposed to be serviced, but you can't treat it like an old TV that you just turn on and off and expect it to work every time without paying attention to it.

31st Oct 2007, 13:04

I purchased a "used" 2002 Dodge Intrepid in mid 2005. It had 33,000 miles on it. It now has about 54,000 miles. In the last year I have had issues with brakes and the electrical system. Now the transmission is becoming a bit herky jerky and I have been calling around the last two days about getting the water pump replaced. I took it to a friend who owns a car repair shop and he won't even touch it. I have since taken it to several other shops that won't either. They all say it is quite involved and won't bother looking at it. I've call several dealers who have told me that it will be between 1000 and 2000 dollars to repair it due to all the possible complications. THAT MUCH FOR A WATER PUMP?? You have GOT to be joking. I owned a 2000 Sebring before I got this car. Unfortunately it was totaled when someone decided to run a red light and hit me broadside. I thought I would take a chance on the Dodge, but never again. I didn't do my homework properly. I've read so much bad stuff about the 2.7 litre that I can't believe that Chrysler hasn't helped out with the situation. I even called Chrysler and they told me it was too far out of warranty to get help. Maybe because they were used to getting all the calls while they were still covered? Was I the lucky one to get 50,000 miles out of it? Could be. I would also like to know if anyone has any info about class action. Find me at gerd55@aol. Good luck fellow Intrepid owners... maybe we will be hitch hiking together sometime soon!!!