Needed replacement:
Inner tie rod bushings
Outer tie rod end
Both sway bar links
Timing belt, water pump, belt tensioner.
All of these are normal wear and tear on Intrepids - if a service shop quotes you a price for inner tie rods, ask them the price for the inner tie rod bushings, since its usually just the bushings (about $10 part compared to $70 part) that need to be replaced. Also, most of these can be replaced fairly easily, with a little mechanical knowledge / know-how. I replaced them all with only a Chilton's manual and an hour of my time, tops. (except timing belt, which was more like 2-4 hours)
Normal wear n tear (tires, battery, brakes, struts)
This car is awesome. I swear by the Intrepids - even the base model is quick, and this one is only quicker. The only downfall I see is the transmission - Chrysler could have put a little more effort into a stronger transmission. Other than that, this car is great for any person of any age. Especially if you know a little about cars, and can perform minor maintenance items yourself - every car needs to be maintained, after all. Taking this car to a shop repeatedly can be expensive, however - make sure you find a trustworthy shop, and ask for your parts back when service is performed.
It gets fair gas mileage - 18 MPG city, 24 MPG highway, but if you drive this car you will see why. 214 HP (221 lbs torque) puts you back in your seat, and ahead of 80% of cars on the road. It is a blast to drive, and very comfortable for long trips. I love this car!
We bought our 1997 Dodge Intrepid for a cash price of $3,800 in August of 2007 from a dealership which had about 92,000 miles on it. Car came equipped with just about every factory option including the more desire-able 3.5 liter engine. It was evident that the previous owner had taken good care of this car and did all of the proper maintenance as per factory recommendations.
On our 1st trip out of town from the San Francisco Bay Area where we reside, we encountered an engine check light problem just as we were entering Reno Nevada at 10 PM on a Friday evening. Rather than continue to drive, we elected to find a place to stay over and look for a repair shop in the morning.
Found one that did engine diagnostics and was told it was a 02 sensor. They replaced that and some $375.00 later we were back on the road. Some 150 miles or so later, engine check light was back on. Luckily, we found a shop in Winnemucca Nevada that worked us in after a 4 hour wait only to discover the earlier sensor was the incorrect one. Another $250.00 and back on the road and since no more problems in that regard.
Once we returned from South Dakota, at about 101,000 miles we had all of the timing belts and a new water pump installed as a preventive measure.
About 3 weeks ago, engine check light came on only this time my scanner told me that it was a misfire in the #5 cylinder. Car was running rough and after replacing all 6 spark plugs and a new set of spark plug wires, it was good as ever. Seems that a hole had been burned in the insulator that slips over the spark plug thus the miss.
Overall, it is a great car with plenty of room both for passengers and luggage. For a car of it's size, great power and it is very easy on gas especially during highway driving. In Nebraska on the flat at 65 mph, we got a astounding 33 mpg on the cruise control.
The biggest fault that I can see from what I have read from others and also confirmed by a friend who owns a transmission shop is the transmission it's self. We did a complete transmission fluid/Filter change right after the purchase and switched to Red Line Synthetic ATF with no major issues to date.
My wife loves the car and that is what counts plus it offers a very smooth ride and we wouldn't hesitate to take it across country again.
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