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

[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.

[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.