Not really. It’s been average at best according to CR.

On a separate note, I’ve noticed a lot of Aspens around Boston lately. Why?

Why? why? why? Do these people hate themselves?

;)

You are right. I never expected the Durango to handle like a sports car… at all. I expected it to be stable and have decent feedback so I didn’t feel there was marshmallows inbetween the wheel and the tires. It felt marginally safe, not something I expect in ANY vehicle.

When I drive an SUV, I review it as an SUV, not a car that will be fun to drive like a Porsche, but how well it satisfies what its intended market was. To say, “The Durango sucked because it didn’t handle like my Porsche” does nothing for the person wanting an honest opinion. I approached the Durango as a person needing room, towing capacity, and some off-road/all weather capability.

The Durango failed. Compared to the competition, the Durango felt ancient, poorly constructed, and inadequate (except the useful third row, and good towing). With all the alternatives out there the Durango winds up short.

Davey,

The Durango felt marginally safe, and even Chrysler fans should seriously evaluate whether or not to purchase this vehicle. And cheap plastics are the hard, shiny kind that resemble cheap toys. The Durango was 90% this stuff. Harsh to the touch, and not put together well. There were also flash seams all over the cabin, where I could tell how the plastic was molded, because Chrysler failed to get the excess plastic off the part before they installed it. Made it feel incredibly cheap.

P.S. offroadinfrontier… I just drove your truck… Film at 11

Safe to you apparently means something different than what it does to the reviewer.

Again, back to the review. A car enthusiast would most likely want an SUV that feels more planted than this ‘en. I’m not saying that it needs to be 2 inches off of the ground and capable of impressive track records, but I’d assume that someone who drives an enthusiast car would appreciate a truck that didn’t feel like this one. Referring back to the article:

“And then there’s the screaming, as the panicked Durango driver saws at an anesthetized helm trying to avoid solid objects.”

“during crosswinds, the Durango’s nose wanders across lanes without much warning.”

No sports car references there. Actually, he compares this hunk to an suv over 30 years old.

I’m not quite sure what constitutes “cheap” plastics anyway. I’m not a dash fondler.

Maybe, my 2000 Dakota also has narrow seats and it’s pushing me back into the loving arms of a full-size half-ton again.

Why, does the Durango float? Or is it an appealing anchor?

Anyhow, I liked the review, even if the Tequila references were above my head.

You can get $6 Cuervo at the Class Six on base. You just have to be a member of the military (or a contractor)… but at $6, I still say no, maybe its because I’m Mexican (well… New Mexican)

Besides, think for a second about true car enthusiasts. While this encompasses a lot of folk, one interesting enthusiast is the one who tows his track car and/or classic.. do these “car enthusiasts” not deserve quality vehicles that get decent gas mileage and don’t fall apart at the same rate of it’s depreciation?

OW. I’ve never driven the old one but this thing was bad. I spent the week prior riding around in a last gen crew cab Toyota pickup, and it was a far fall. My wife was entertained by the fully plastic interior, but less so by wind noise off the mirrors she compared to leaving the window open. We didn’t hate the design at all, but the execution was the issue. Spend a twenty here, please.

I was busy dealing with a chassis that defied description. Shocks already dead at 14k-an unacceptable wandering at high speed. This was not like the time the rental gods tossed me an FX35-now that was fun in Montana. The durango was pointed at 75, as that’s as fast as we could go and stay in high gear. Got thirteen MPG.

You need the hemi. the 4.7 is a throwback to the emission control engines of the eighties.

The level of vibration in the body was also not acceptable. Flex between door and A pillar was constant.

There is an overall feel that each part has been made as cheaply as possible. The fittings as well as the interiors. It’s more than usual, even for chryco. I don’t know how anyone would buy this if they drove anything else. The Toyota was quiet and rock solid. The v8 made lotsa torque with none of the boom the durango felt necessary.

We rode back from the airport in a 08 MDX. Felt like a BMW in comparison.

The cerebus financial managers clearly sent out a memo, and the suppliers understood it. No shocks at 14 k !?

So, this Durango, would have been perfect for this town. Lots of second generation Durangos parked next to the Navigators, Escalades and Yukons that fill the Walmart parking lot (and filled it is). I say would, what kills this, and why all the aforementioned SUV’s are driving around with “for sale” signs, is the price of gas. It’s 75 miles to the next po-dunk town, which means about a $40 round trip. If you commute to the town, as many do, then goodbye SUV, hello Dodge Caravan (built in the USA by god)

Where does this leave the Dodgy Durango? A heavily discounted, one year model.

a] gas was $0.50/gal
b] No other new or used vehicles were sold, except for the Durango.

The things they tell people!! My grandmother’s recent Pathfinder purchase had her under the impression that her factory alarm would send 12V of power through the keyhole to elecrocute lockpickers, and that her standard stability control (which was neither standard on her year model, nor actually on her vehicle…) would act “like an AWD system,” just without the AWD part.

Fortunately, she isn’t an idiot and refused to beleive that her car was lock-pick-proof, or that by braking all of her wheels, albeit in an intelligent, controlling way, her car was capable of 4×4-like off-roading (or AWD-like on-roading).

Then again, this is the same dealership that sold her a new 2.5L V6 Altima..

(unfortunately, she didn’t pop the hood to check on that one… or read any of her paperwork..)

Today gas was $3.25 and deisel was over $4/gallon. These might be great second vehicles or weekend vehicles…but day to day they just don’t seem practical unless you want to live off the dollar menu at various fast food places…which means you’ll be swapping out those narrow seats rather quickly. :)