2002 Dodge Intrepid SE from North America - Comments

The driver's side power window came loose.

My wife and I have owned 3 Intrepids

(in Canada they are Chrysler Intrepids). Our first was a 1998 that we put 223,000 kms on, our second is a 2000 that we still have which has 165,000 kms and a 2002 that has 75,000 kms. As you can see we have put over 400,000 kms on these cars and have never had any major engine or transmission problems just normal maintenance items like brakes and tires. The cars are highway driven and have performed well under all conditions. These cars sit outside in winter when temperatures dip to -35 C and have never failed to start. They have also performed flawlessly in summer temperatures up to + 35 C. The 2.7 engine is one of the most impressive features of the car, 37 mpg and 200 hp from 165 cu. in. All three cars were low mileage lease buy backs at time of purchase (which saves a lot of money) and have given excellent value for our money, which is why we have bought three of them.

You must be pretty easy to convince. Talk to any - any auto machine shop. Intrepid motors are stacked to the ceiling. I deal with customers daily. I feel deep sympathy for them. These motors are built to fail. Please do yourself a favor, and get out while you can. Please...

I tend to think that you work for Dodge because there is no way your motor lasted that long...

My 2000 Dodge Intrepid had just over 85,000 miles on it when it went. We took good care of it. This is the first AND LAST new Chrysler that we will buy. We have bought 5 new chevy and a new ford truck and will go back to buying chevy and ford, at least we can get 150,000 to 250,000 miles on them.

You must be a Dodge dealer. I find it hard to believe you have had 3 Dodges with 2.7L engines and have not had any problems. If true CONGRADULATIONS!!!

Yeah yeah yeah, I must work for Dodge, too. Whatever. I love my Intrepid. My motor is perfectly fine. My husband works in an "automechanic" shop. Intrepids are good cars. The problem is people who drive them and don't maintain them. I'm trading mine in for a 2004.

Got a 2004 Intrepid base model April of 2004, with 16,500 miles on it, am at 30,000 right now with no problems yet. With all that I have read here, Keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

I have been changing oil every 1,500 miles -dealer does there normal maintenance with what the book says and I change the oil haft way between theres.. And just did a trans flush at 25,000 miles.

Think now --big car small motor 2.7 ---take it easy.

Remember the old days them straight 6 motors, what they used to say--if ya drive it easy,don't race it,, then when you do NEED to floor it -its power will be there almost like a V8, and last almost forever with normal maintenance.

I used to work as an old V W bug repairman and know what oil changes does for a motor with good oils. I have seen it all---the cheap oils--the hardly ever oil changes and the ones that changed there oil a lot, I remember 1 guy that changed oil every 1,000 miles,it seemed like he was there every week just to get an oil change-then at 69,000 miles was in for a Valve job --V W's air cooled motors needed valves redone Quite often.. But then came back a day later and said rebuild the Hole motor. Well the valves really did not need to be done, hardly any wear at all-and the rod and main bearings,I put them in a motor of my own and drove that Old bug till the body almost fell off it -over 70,000 miles.

One thing I have noticed with 5 w 30 and 10 w 30 motor oil that most of the new cars say to use-- is that after 2,000 miles the oil seems to break down, lower oil pressure, this happens with good oils and a lot sooner with cheap oils.

SO---change that oil -your vehicles motor will last A lot longer and you will be a lot happier too.

I can believe those engines lasted that long - 220,000 km's = about 138,000 miles, for instance.

However, I'll raise the b.s. flag on 37 mpg.

The use of kilometers shows that the author is from Canada, and was thus using Imperial gallons and not U.S. gallons. When you convert it to U.S. gallons, it comes to about 31 miles per gallon, which I have attained in my Intrepid on long trips.

In one sense I am lucky, because my 1999 2.7L Intrepid has almost 170,000 miles on its original engine. We used regular fossil oil and changed every 5,000 miles, and have since switched to full synthetic. The car still drives great.

I have a 1994 Intrepid and a 2002 Intrepid R/T. The '94 has over 265,000 miles on it, and the R/T has almost 100,000 miles. I've never had a serious problem with either.

Now, I don't work for Dodge, or any car company, but, I am an engineer... and, I'm telling you straight... maintenance is absolutely essential to these cars.

The 2.7 engines were known for problems... virtually all relating to a lack of regular oil changes. (...or, using really poor quality oil.)

And, DCX transmissions have always had more than their share of trouble when driven too hard... and, when the transmission fluid changes are ignored.

Both generations of Intrepids were far ahead of their counterparts & contemporaries in terms of technology and engineering... and, that advancement - as is being seen now in many other modern cars - caused a heavy reliance on the engines and other moving parts being properly maintained, because tolerances are so much tighter.

Intrepids were excellent cars... and, fantastic values for the money. They offered more room and style, with more power and handling, than ANY similar sized vehicle on the market... but, there was a premium to be paid for all this extra - sticking with regular maintenance.

I thoroughly believe people who had problems with these cars caused their own problems... and never deserved such a great car.

Amen to the comment above.