Thinking of getting a Durango, any thoughts?
 

My wife wants a new suv and we have been looking at the limtied edition dodge durango Hemi with 3 row seating and all the options. Does anyone have one of these and what do you think? We will probally do a 2 year prepaid lease through chrysler financial, since they do not charge interest. Also she drives 40 miles a day and does anyone have any experience with the milage? I dont care that much but dont want to pay $60 a twice a week for gas.

Thanks

http://www.dakota-durango.com/forum/...splay.php?f=93

You might want to ask over there...From what I have seen (mileage wise) it will make the Rx-8 look like a civic.

Well, I like the Durangos just fine. My sister used to have one and I drove it quite a bit. However, after driving it driving my Grand Cherokee felt like a sports car. The Durango is a nice vehicle but kinda numb and floaty. I'd suggest you take a look at the new Grand Cherokee Hemi, which is also just about the ideal size IMHO. Also FYI, the Durango's also a bit long to fit comfortably in most garages if you want to be able to walk in front of or behind it.

Hope this helps.

I think the new Durango design looks butt ugly (IMO), but the allure of a HEMI....now there's incentive. My wife is looking at the new Ford Freestyle, I really liked the "theater" seating in it and it drives really nice. Not a van, not an SUV, but a nice compromise of each's qualities.

I really cant stand the design of the new durango either. I've gotta agree with Omicron as I've owned a grand cherokee before as well and durangos just seemed too big.

Good luck in your decision though.

I think you will be paying $60 twice a week for gas.
:D

We had a 2000 Durango and like all other Dodge trucks I have seen the servos on the locks kept going out. Other issues included the rear windows stopped rolling down. The Differential had to be rebuilt (It was a 2 wheel drive and we never towed anything) It guzzled gas like no tomorrow. I would never by another. I guess I was spoiled by the 4runner we previously owned. What a big mistake trading it in. I would never by another Dodge product after our experience with the Durango. Do yourself a favor get a V8 4runner with the extra row of seats.

^^^^agreed

get the 4runner or sequoia

if you are worried about gas mileage then dont get an suv. get a crossover or a station wagon. unless you are towing shit on a regular basis a wagon will offer you everything you need with alot better gas mileage and manueverability. if you truly want the hemi you could get the magnum, although my suggestions would the the mazda 6 wagon with the aero package or the legacy GT wagon.

I drove the 4WD Durango for a week in Utah over Thanksgiving and loved it. Unless you are going to tow a boat or drive in snow, there are probably better options though.

I owned a 1996 4-Runner Limited for 100K miles and never had a problem with it until the A/C went out. I would buy another 4-Runner in a heartbeat. I especially like the new sport edition.

My wife drives a Lexus GX-470, and it is one of the best all-around non-sports cars I have ever driven. Pure luxury on long trips, 3 rows, better mileage than the 8 too. :p

We do tow things, we have 2 jetskis and a mastercraft ski boat that we tow occasionally. Also we go to the mountains and need the 4x4 to get up the driveway to the cabin. We currently have a honda pilot which is a nice car, and we have looked at the toyota's. The most alluring thing with the durango is I got a quote to do a 3 year prepaid lease where I can get a 40K loaded durango pay the lease in advance for 12K I have the durango for 3 years 36 thousand miles and have no payment. Plus I can get a employee discount from a friend.

Our other thought is to get an Escelade. I will how ever bring both home and make sure they fit in my garage, I hate leaving cars outside.

My uncles durango gets worse mileage then my 74 grand am pontiac (6.6 liter v8). I think he's getting about 8-10 mpg.

My 4 Runner felt a bit underpowered to tow my previous 20 foot center console, but it was adequate for occasional towing, and better at average around-town use. The Durango is a powerful beast whose only drawbacks would be the nameplate and gas mileage.

I rode in an Escalade this week, and it was pure luxurious heaven inside; it felt really quick and plenty powerful.

Let us know your reviews.

The new 2006 ford explore and mercury mountaineer have the ZF 6hp26 with the new 4.6 3valve 292hp/300ft-lbs V8. That transmission has ~6:1 gear ratio coverage.
The chrysler transmission 545RFE has only 4.5:1 gear ratio coverage. The lack of gear ratio coverage is mitigated by the cylinder shutoff system (Chrysler MDS)

Dare I throw out another option? What about the Nissan Murano? 246 HP, AWD and a CVT transmission makes for a nice quiet ride and oomph when you need it. Same engine thats in the 350z and G35.

Similar interior in the Nissan Murano as the 350Z. If you want the nicer interior you have to get the Infinity FX35. Both pretty cool cars.

Or, get the FX45 with the V8 and the huge wheels. Sweet. :D

i personallly dont like the durangos , the new gmc yukons look great. i own a 2005 southern comfort edition.

Every time I see a Durango type grill in my mirrors, I put myself on jerk alert. It isn't always necessary, but several times it really was.

I personally think that the Fords (Explorer/Expedition) are the best buys in the SUV world... it's the bread-and-butter of the company and they have exceptional build quality for the volume they put out. Most importantly, they have the independent rear suspension. The suspension is great for two reasons: First, it allows the 3rd row to fold into the floor. Second, it makes the ride and handling exceptionally smooth. You sacrifice a small degree of off-road capability for a significant upgrade the remaining 99.9% of the time you're using the car. I think that my immediate family has owned about 4 Explorers and we all love them all... outstanding quality and reliability, exceptional durability and capability. You really can't beat it...

If you really like the Durango, go for it, but at least test drive the Fords... there's a damn good reason why they kill the competition in sales.

The Expedition has the new engine (5.4 liter V8, 300 hp 365 ft-lbs) but needs the ZF 6hp26. Ford doesn't have a premium engine for the Navigator, unlike GM's 6.0 V8 in the cadillac 345 hp with premium fuel, so they differentiate the Lincoln from the Ford by transmission (ZF 6hp26). Bull shit, why doesn't Ford give their modular V10 an aluminum block and lux it up for the Navigator. The 6.8 V10 already makes 362 hp 457 ft-lbs for the superduty. Make it cammier and make 400 hp and keep torque at or below 600 newton-meters(442 ft-lbs) for the transmission (so they don't have to get the ZF 6hp32). GM then would not dare with the V12 in the Escalade, but might put the Corvette engine under the hood, ala SSR.

I have to agree. I've never been a Ford lover. Was raised GM. When I was looking around for a decent SUV, I wasn't really satisfied w/any thing out there. The Z71 Tahoe's are nice, but I wasn't going to pay what they wanted. I checked out a Ford dealership. After a test drive and a few hours of haggling, I was pleased to drive away w/a loaded '05 Eddie Bauer Explorer 4X2 (no need for 4X4 in the city... :rolleyes: )

Do yourself a favor and test drive one. Make sure it's a V8 though - It could use more power imo, but this is the only minor disappointment I have after 5 months & 9k miles). I have every option on mine including the tow package, w/the exception of the DVD player, (no kids = no point..lol). The new Roll Stability Control (RSV) for 2005 has gotten great reviews so far, and I trust the Explorer's road feel because of the increased wheel width/wb that occured in 2002. As Apophis said, the ride is very smooth. And, I still get about 17.8 MPG city/hwy mix. :D

the world doesnt need another suv

Yeah, it isn't a premium engine upgrade but the lux features and ride on the Nav really are superb. I mean, it's going to be the same thing as the Expo underneath but if you have the money to blow on the extra lux you're doing ok. Having driven the Nav, I'd say the power is more than adequate. I'd say the only thing the Escalade really beats the Nav on is power. Everything else is better in the Lincoln. You know what's interesting? The Nav is the original Luxury SUV. I remember seeing my first one in the parking lot at a Ford engineering building in Dearborn while walking in to work. It was some time before they were unleashed on the public and my mind was totally blown.

I'm telling you, it's all about the ride... that independent rear suspension is fantastic. Of all the true SUVs out there, I believe that the Fords are the only ones with the independent rear suspension besides the BMWs and Benzes... that's good company! If you really want the best buy in the SUV world, just get a V6 explorer. The torque in the V8 is fun, but unless you tow, the V6'll do ya...

Ok I had some tie today and I looked at the Escelade and the Navigator. I like the seats in the caddy but interior seems a little cheap, like the little panels you push and they flip up. The navigator was beautiful inside and everything worked smoothly. I just wonder if my wife can see over the hoods of these things. We just got an invitation to attend a private driving of the new Mercedes M class suv, at the executive airport so I may have to check that out. The boat is about 3,000 lbs so most of these suv's should work. Hopefully we will get something in the next few weeks. I am not in that big of a hurry, her truck is a 2004 and only has 22,000 miles but we both want something new. I will let you know what we find.