2003 Dodge Durango SLT 4.7L from North America
Summary:
Beauty, Brawn and Bling!
Faults:
Not a thing. It was certified by Dodge, and I bought the extended warranty with rental coverage to 80K miles.
Engine and transmission are tough and sound, suspension is tight and responsive, and I really like the 4 wheel disc brakes compared to the rear drums on my 2,000 SLT.
General Comments:
This is my second Durango. I purchased both used. Sure the first one, a 2000 SLT Plus 5.9L had a few warranty issues like front ball joints, 2-3 gear shift valve and squeaky leaf springs, but I always buy the Dodge extended warranty -- net cost to repair after 36K miles: one deductible of $100 and a one day rental.
It broke my heart to trade it in on a Pacifica, but we needed more passenger space flexibility in a primary vehicle.
My current one is a 2003 SLT 4.7L, bought with ~48K miles. I traded our smaller Japanese SUV for it. Some have said the Durango is a jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none, but to me that represents flexibility. I can haul cargo or people, deal with snow and ice, and beat just about anything short of a Corvette off the line.
I commute in the DC area, and the agility the Durango provides makes lane shuffling much easier than in my previous rice burner. It looks great and offers a great elevated view of the road ahead.
For my money, the 98-03s are so much better looking than the new Durango; I'm glad I locked in an '03 for the foreseeable future.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 9th February, 2006