2004 Dodge Intrepid from North America - Comments

Nothing at all, this car runs great.

I think most of you intrepid owners should look on the internet for a oil and filter study. Too many people are loosing engines, and most of them are always looking in the papers for the lowest cost oil change. I read a report on oil filters this week, and I was shocked at the results of the study. the oil filters we buy in the local dealers or auto part stores are nothing but junk. Coupled with the motor oil most people buy, you damage your engines all of the time. IF you're going to own one of these modern day cars, you better look into the oil and filters you purchase for your cars. Sludge only builds up in an engine because people use cheap oil, and use it too long between oil changes, that's the simple trooth. When a person keeps the car running too long between oil changes, they wont tell the truth about it, and then complain when the engine fails. If you want the car to run a long time, start looking at the oil and filters you use in your car. You can't but a good oil filter for 3.99 at your local auto parts store, a good oil filter cost about 10.00 - 11.99 and then you are getting protection for your engine. 99 cent motor oil, on sale is not the proper oil to put in these cars.

Think about it, why should you pay 20,000 + for a car, and et a 19.99 oil change and think you did something important?

Get real folks, you get what you pay for. Stop complaing about the high cost of the repaisr, and take proper care of your car, and it will give you good service.

That nothing, but the truth.

The same can be said as above. If you don't take care of your car it's going to brake faster then you plan. In the past 10 years my family has gone though 3 Intrepid series cars. A '94 ES, '95 SE (parents) and '04 SXT. We have been very pleased with all three cars. My parents bought the '95 new hardly any problems while training 3 kids to drive and it is still running strong, but time and roads have taken it's toll on the car. I bought the '94 in 2000 this car ran and ran hard. With several trip from California to Oklahoma then to Kansas and back to California. Through the mountains and desert with no problems, but one small catch. On one trip to Kansas the '94 was involved in a rollover. It was unclear how many it rolled, but based on the landing and the angle it hit on. The car did a half roll to 1

Beware of the Intrepids. Especially the 93-97 years. Very poor reliability. My cousin worked at a dealer and Dodge was shipping a skid of transmissions with the new car shipments back then. I had a 94 Concorde and 95 Intrepid. Expensive filters and Oil have had nothing to do with the problems I had. Intrepid had 3 transmissions in less than 105 miles...nice, suspension problems(worn out ungreasable parts), condenser failure, plug wires fail every 30k. Concorde had no-starting issues, air conditioner issues 22 times to the dealer in 18 months. Stay away from these cars. The front suspension is poorly made as well. The poor cold starting problem in most of the posts that I read about these cars is probably caused by the "Fuel rail leak" recall that occured years ago. The local dealer pinched the oring upon reinstalling my fuel pressure regulator during this recall. It didn't have the cold start before the recall and didn't have it after I fixed the oring either. If you have one of these cars that hasn't needed a lot of work great... keep on enjoying them. They are sporty, quick, great kid haulers that look good too. If you have a good set of tools and service manual you can't go wrong. Buy expensive oil and filters if you want as well they won't help the poor design of the transmissions or the worn out suspension components.

The look, feel and space of the car are unequaled to that of any other in it's class. Unfortunately, most of the happy owners don't have the '98-'02 models with which most of us have had our problems. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I was and am not cheap with my oil changes. I still had problems, twice, with a engine seizing up due to sludge. The facts are there. Both times for me, it happened at the 42,000 mile mark. The car now sits in an auction lot with no bidders. My particular vehicle had all the problems that have been brought up. I was just in love with it the first time and the dealership fixed it up with the extended warranty I purchased. Now, that has expired and I am out of a vehicle because of the cost of repairs. I do not wish this upon anyone else, but please don't preach on how to take care of a vehicle because you have yet to experience the "curse".

I own a 1999 intrepid and I agree that the car might have a curse I had it three months when the motor seized up the day after having the oil changed I don't know much about oil filters or oil, but I did not expect to be looking for a new motor after three months of owning the car.

Hi: Do you have web page about the oil filter article. Is there anything I should look for besides being expensive.

I own a 99 intrepid and have not had sludge problem and am very worried about it. Someone else suggest synthetic oil.

Does anyone have other suggestions?

Dan.

I do agree that a car is an investment that must be taken care of. With that said, we religiously changed the oil on our 1999 Dodge Intrepid; having the dealer change the oil and the filters (which is NOT your 19.99 cheap oil change), had a regular tune up, and in all ways took care of this car. We now have a 1999 Dogde Intrepid driveway ornament, since the engine has the "sludge" problem and can no longer be driven. We owe a lot on the vehicle, will not put the $6,000 into it to put in a new engine. This 2.7 liter engine is defective, and buyers should beware!

I just learned that the timing chain on my 2000 Intrepid (60,000 miles) broke and is going to cost me some serious bucks to fix, more than what it is worth.

I have my oil changed regularly and I have to agree with the ones who say there must be a design problem with this car.

All I can say is that this is my first and last Dodge product.

My parents bought a used 94' Intrepid in 96' with 42,000 miles on it as a mechanic I can honestly say the only thing that broke was a fuel sending unit and pump. They donated the car in 01' with 247,500 miles on it running. Yes there was several front end jobs and one A/C issue, but that was it. No water pump, No alternator, No Timing Chain (3.3L engine) No BULL. Change your Oil and regular maintenance.

I am experience in motor building as well as using good oil. I build race car motors and some street engines. I used synthetic oil and have documentation on oil changes. However I had a motor go out on my 2.7 with 62,000 miles. Just maybe it is the engine To the person saying use better oil clearly is talking without any experience of engine components. So maybe you should think before you talk. However the world is full of idiots.

I Thought my Intrepid was the best car in the world. I was warned by a friend that had bought one to get rid of it. I argued her down that she just had a bad car. In January of 2005 my engine quit while my family was on their way to church. I thought it was something simple. I was so hurt to find out it was the engine. The oil cap was filled with black thick build up. I had just had my oil changed in Dec. Sludge had built up in the oil. The mechanic told me to junk it. He said it would be a waste of time and money to put a new engine in it. He said the engine is a bad design. It would only fail again. Please don't put to much trust in this car. I learned the hard way. I had just paid mine off in Oct. 2004, the original pay off date was Mar. 2005. I thought I had it made, car note free. Now I have a yard ornament too. These cars are beautiful, but they have bad engines. I hope and pray that people realize we are just trying to keep them from feeling the pain of being laughed at by CHRYSLER. They really don't care about people with these bad cars. I forgot to mention I almost lost control while driving when the rack and pinion broke, the speed sensor went out, and the sensor in the transmission as well. Be careful these things happened while the car was in full operation. I cannot afford to buy another car. I have 3 children ages 5 15 and 16. My husband and I have made the choice to cancel CHRYSLER OFF OUR TRUSTWORTHY LIST. We are driving a CHEVROLET and a BUICK they both have over 130,000 miles without using oil between changes and no smoke from tail pipe. Please think and be careful.

All I can say is that I agree with most - the 1999 Dodge Intrepid is a piece of junk that needs constant repair. With the high cost of living, who needs the headache.

I understand about cheap and too far and few oil changes... I used the best possible with my car and took very good care of it... even changing the oil way before it needed... but like many others my dodge's motor blew up. All I can say is your car is new... so give it a few more years and then you give your review again when it hits 88,000 miles. Until you have a full experience of the year and not just a few months or years.. you should not speak!