My new Dodge Durango

[timex69]

Hey Everyone
I just came back from a 3 month shift in the Alberta oil patch and I bought a 2000 Dodge Durango and drove across Canada in it. If I could do it all again I would have waited until spring due to all the crappy weather I encountered in my 4800 KM drive.

Does anyone else on the forums own a Durango? Personally I think its great. It can seat 7 or 8 (never had that many people in it yet so I dont know), its great in snow and it can tow a flat deck for my toys to ride in. I think with a set of lockers and a lift I will like it as much as my F150. Ill take some pics of the interior when I get around to it but here is some exterior shots.

[300rman]

they have a really irritating air-slipstream problem........

roll the driver window down, and at certain speeds, it sounds like a friggin helicopter is landing on your roof.

[J.D.]

Does it have a 4.7 liter? If so, be looking for sludge inside the engine. I've seen several of them blown up because of it.

[Saul]

I have an 01 5.9 R/T Dakota - same front end and interior - BUT, once past my cab I have a bed whereas you have LUXURY! lol

I'm getting a Durango to add to my fleet later this year. I want one in Black and 98-02 model year and 4x4.

[evand]

dont worry about sluge im guessing your has 5.2 but it maybe a 5.9. no 4.7 in those years.


look out for the tranny, get it flushed and stay on top of your fluid/filter and bal-joints other then that great trucks

[kokmatt]

keep an eye on the plenum gasket too they are known to leak. dodgetalk.com is a great forum if u need any help on it. i gotta 00 lifted ram sport and love it .

[hondahaulic]

we bought one of the first ones sold in iowa back in 1998 (dont quote me on this but i think it was the 3rd sold in iowa?) we've still got it today and it hasnt had any major problems. im thinking its around 270,000 miles and still going strong.

[The Goat]

they have a really irritating air-slipstream problem........

roll the driver window down, and at certain speeds, it sounds like a friggin helicopter is landing on your roof.

any vehicle with more than two windows will have the same problem with at least one on the car...

try rolling a rear window down in a scion xb.... sounds like an spl competition

from what I've seen with those durangos...they are either bulletproof or have to be worked on a lot. kinda the same as most american made vehicles.

midsized suvs with fullsized engines are always the best though.

[ditchmud]

Here is the wife's '06. She loves it! I like to drive it on roadtrips. And yeh, it's got a HEMI:w00t:
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg308/ditchmud/durango.jpg

[timex69]

Mine has about 135 000 miles on it. It has a 4.7 liter in it. I have herd that they like ball joints and maintenence but any vehicle should have proper maintenence anyway right so thats no big deal. I wanted the r/t edtition though but i couldnt find one for my price however the 4.7 is powerful enough for me anyway. One quick question: is the 4.7 a 318? And what is a 360. I know absolutely nothing about dodge other then this truck puts an asskicking on the ford explorer I had out for a drive.

Anyway this is my first dodge and its been awesome, rides like a cadilac and has some balls to pull a trailer and you can take your 7 best buddys with you. I have a truck from every one of the big 3. For all the bickering that comes from chevy vs ford vs dodge im slowly learning its all in what you want. I have a 1991 GMC sierra 2wd with a 305 in it thats been in the family since new with 340 000 kms on it and its excellent for hauling anything because of its good fuel milage but its useless offroad and only rides fair, however the only thing that is problematic is alternators and 02 sensors seem to be popular on this thing. I have a 95 ford f150 4x4 XL edition with 80 thousand miles on it...its a little bit harder then the chevy on fuel I find but it gets anything and everything done as far as hauling and loves to go through snow. I havent had a any engine trouble with it, just some typical ford problems (rusty parts due to a lack of undercoating. I also perfer its interior to the chevys.

[Saul]

One quick question: is the 4.7 a 318? And what is a 360. I know absolutely nothing about dodge other then this truck puts an asskicking on the ford explorer I had out for a drive.



The 360 Magnum is the 5.9 liter. Like mine.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/SaulAce/dakota/DSCF3288.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/SaulAce/dakota/DSCF3289.jpg

[Yamada]

Did the maths one day and I think a 4.7 is a 287 cu. inch., So the 318 is a different engine. My dad own a 2003 Dakota with a 4.7, no problem with the engine... but it only have 35k miles.

[phreakboy]

4.7 is a 287
5.2 is a 318
5.7 is a 345 Hemi
5.9 is a 360


Nice Durango, over the summer we had 7 people in one and were all completely comfortable. If you do plan on towing, you should just look into a tranny cooler that way you will avoid any future issues. I am a big time dodge fan, I have had a couple 85 Ramchargers and I currently have my 04 HEMI 1500

[Saul]

Can't beat the sound! I put magnaflow on mine and love it.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=JHGMTJM1MWY

[LonesomeTriZ]

I do not own it, but I drive it at work.

[SYKO]

I do not own it, but I drive it at work.



I call shotgun! well hopefully soon I will:w00t:

[LonesomeTriZ]

Um, be careful calling that out loud over here.

[timex69]

i saw your post lonesometriz with your durango...that is quite a machine.

[300rman]

[QUOTE=timex69;702302] I know absolutely nothing about dodge other then this truck puts an asskicking on the ford explorer I had out for a drive.

the durango is built to compete with the EXPEDITION, a size up from the explorer. the explorer is in competition with the S-10 blazer/trailblazer.

so, i would expect the durango to have more power/towing capability than the explorer.


and for engine conversions, just type it into google, like this: 4.7 liters to cubic inches, or 318 cubic inches to liters, and after clicking search, the answer will be displayed.

[hondahaulic]

the durango is built to compete with the EXPEDITION, a size up from the explorer. the explorer is in competition with the S-10 blazer/trailblazer.


Im not sure if I agree with you. This style durango is based off of the dodge dakota, not the fullsize rams like the new durangos. I think the dodge dakota would be in the s-10/blazer/explorer catagory.

[timex69]

hondahaulic im gonna side with you on this one, my durango feels the same size as the explorer..mabe a little bit bigger but its definately not comparable to the expedition. The expedition is the same size as the 03+ durangos as well as the chevy tahoe/saburban I beleive it

[300rman]

i have only been around the 04+ durango's, and they feel like an expedition in terms of size.

but, consider that the Dakota's are all around bigger than S-10's or rangers, and they have the option of V-8 for the dakota, so i would put the dakota between a ranger and a f-150.

then you have the Excursion, which is just behemoth, but unfortunately, discontinued.

[phreakboy]

dakotas had a v8 even back when they were smaller and the same size as an s10.
Also if that is part of your comparison, you could actually buy the exploder with the 5.0 v8.

[J.D.]

You people are crazy to think you're gonna fit 7 normal people in one. That 3rd row seat is a turd....I take the whole thing up by myself and I'm only 6'1''. It's not as bad as a Jeep (anal)Commander, but still nothing to be proud of. 2nd row seating is ok, if you have midgets in the front seats.

[The Goat]

If an xb can fit six with the lightest being 200 pounds... A Durango better fit 7.

Talk about riding low that night

[phreakboy]

All I know is we had 7 people in one when we drove about 45 mins to the race track this past summer and everybody was comfortable and had no problems. 4 of the people were guys all of which are about 180-200.

[timex69]

ive had 7 in my durango and im about the smallest one at 6" 190 lbs. if you cant fit comfortably in the 3rd row seat by yourself then somethings wrong. You must be used to a limo or something man.

[J.D.]

Hmm, maybe all you guys have the rare monster truck size editions, and Nashville only gets the standard little guy editions.

[J.D.]

ive had 7 in my durango and im about the smallest one at 6" 190 lbs. if you cant fit comfortably in the 3rd row seat by yourself then somethings wrong. You must be used to a limo or something man.


Hmm ok, again, I say you guys are crazy. We had a Durango at work(06 model) tonight my buddy was working on, so I went to the third row and layed the 2nd row back up, sitting on the right side, with my ass as far back as I could get it, my knees were still jammed into the 2nd row seats. By no means am I a huge guy, I'm 6'1'' 240 lbs. SO for a second test, since the third row has 3 seatbelts, means it's meant for 3 people right? I called two of my fellow tech's over and said hey y'all jump in here with me. One was a little smaller than me, bout 6' and 200, and the other was about 5'10'' 165 lbs. The three of us in that third row was a tight fit and would be extremely pissed off riding any more than 10 miles in it. Third test, I sat in the front passenger seat sitting comfortable, my buddy, who is 5'8'' sat in the second row right seat and was whining that his knees were jammed into the back of my seat.

So my diagnosis, Durango's can fit 7 midgets, that is, with the Little Man Durangos we have here in Nashville. In conclusion I think if you want to be able to fit comfortably seven people, get a real SUV like an Excursion, and then you can have diesel towing power and better fuel mileage than a Durango, and you don't have to worry about the Sludge Buggy 4.7 liter.

[timex69]

you should write the nashville chrysler/dodge and inform them that you were in the 3rd row seat with 2 other guys and you guys didnt feel comfortable. Make sure you mention to make sure that they are aware that the rest of the country has bigger durangos...jk. I dont think id want to drive across the country in the 3rd row with 2 others but for the driving I do it aint too bad. Anyway man...ill compromise with you. The president wouldnt want to cruise around in the 3rd row of a durango but if you and 6 buddys wanted to goto the bar..im pretty sure everyone would suck it up. Also I own the durango so its someone elses problem.

[J.D.]

Well right, just a quick trip up the road would be fine, that's what I'm saying....but a trip of any amount, you could forget it.

[hondaoffroad]

Ive got a 2000 dodge druango that has a 4.7L... I have loved it and the only problem i had is a map sensor went bad other than that it has been a great vehicle... besides the hail damage : (