1996 Dodge Stratus Base review from North America
"If you keep it well maintained, it can be the best car you'll ever buy"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
It had a leaky head gasket at 75,000 miles, and again at 125,000 miles.
The water pump failed at 130,000.
The tachometer and odometer work intermittently.
The car drifts to the right even after wheel alignment and rotation.
The right side view mirror (powered) doesn't always work, due to a bad connection in rocker switch relay.
General comments?
It has a very comfortable interior.
It has a sporty look and feel. It outperforms most mid-sized sedans, in acceleration, power, handling, and durability.
The car is built around the engine, leaving you with little room for working on.
Most engine repairs require it to be removed entirely from the car.
The battery is hard to access, but equally hard to be stolen.
The trunk is large, and comes equipped with anti-theft lockout.
It has plenty of power behind the dual-cams, pushing around 175 horsepower stock.
Recommended reviews
| Buy something that wasn't made by Dodge! |
| Would be very good car without electrical gremlins! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1996 |
| Year of manufacture | 1995 |
| First year of ownership | 1995 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.4 DOHC Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 6 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 140000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 21st March, 2005 |