1993 Dodge Intrepid ES 3.5 from North America

Summary:

This is the biggest piece of garbage Dodge ever put out, I will never buy another

Faults:

Electrical trouble first trip to Vancouver Island. Stranded for 5 days.

Door stays wore out 4 times.

Door hinges wore out and replaced twice.

Four water pumps.

Four front wheel bearings.

Cruise control twice.

Transmission total failure at 100 000 km.

Multiport fuel injection housing cracked in half and the top of the motor caught on fire.

Would never start in -20 or colder Celsius even if plugged in all night. It did after the motor was changed.

Spun a crank bearing, new motor after 190 000km. 6500.00 just for the longblock, at this point the car was only worth 5000.00, so we put in a used one with different fuel injection and it started in the cold great.

Air conditioning only worked for 4 yrs out of 10.

Power antenna.

Power trunk.

Electrical system meltdown on a cold winter morning.

General Comments:

Looks good.

Handles good.

Garbage.

Donald Trump cannot afford the repairs.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th August, 2009

28th Oct 2012, 13:28

It was the first year for these. Maybe they still had to sort out the bugs.

Car people say never to buy a first year model of any brand... because of this very thing.

But if nobody buys a first year model, then it doesn't sell. And if it doesn't sell, why would the car companies continue to sell it?

Kind of a catch 22. So SOME people have to be the ones to buy them the first year... be the 'testers' of sorts.

1993 Dodge Intrepid ES 3.5L SOHC from North America

Summary:

Was worth the money for me... sometimes you get a lemon, and sometimes you don't

Faults:

Since I've had the car, the only one problem I've encountered which just started happening the last few nights are.. my brakes... as I come to make a stop this doesn't happen all the time... as I come to slow down there like a grinding noise... now it sounds like when you wear your pads all the way down and the caliper is just grinding on the rotor.

Now I had both front tires off... I have a decent amount of pad on both sides. I seem to have a little bit more on the right than the left.. so it's not my brake pads... it's gotta be a warped rotor or a defective caliper...

Any way I was just asking what anyone would think... if any one else had this problem maybe they would know right off the bat before I replace the rotors calipers and pads.

General Comments:

I bought my 93 Intrepid ES for 960 $ from the original owner. Got all the paper work, everything ever done to the car, all the recalls were fixed, and the car ran fine.

Only problem was the wind shield was cracked; not a major thing.. and the idle air control valve needed to be replaced and the throttle bodies cleaned out.

The one famous problem it has is the bucking tranny.. it wants to keep going as you coming to a stop.. but not a major problem, doesn't bother me too much. It's a just a first car to get me back and forth to school, work etc. I would buy another one though anytime.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd March, 2008

1993 Dodge Intrepid E/S 3.5 from North America

Summary:

Big car ride, sports car handling

Faults:

Transmission leak at 140,000 miles.

Engine replaced at 180,000 due to loss of timing belt, resulting in piston failure.

General Comments:

Given the fact that this is a high mileage car, I'm very happy with the service life.

The trans leak at 140,000 took some time in a shop, but is running well at the present.

I replaced the engine with a motor from a later model Chrysler about a year ago. One point I learned is do not put off a timing belt replacement on any newer car.

The Intrepid gets 19 MPG in town and 29 MPG Hi-way.

The 3.5 engine runs like a V-8, and the car has plenty of interior room for adults.

Handling is excellent, although I would stay with a Michelin Pilot or similar tire.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th March, 2006

2nd Mar 2007, 11:30

Not so much a comment as an update. Now at almost 200,000 miles, the Intrepid has had a total trans overhaul. This was done on a car this old only because the rest of the car is in such excellent condition.

These moments are big turning points in the life of any car. At a little over $2000 for trans work, the owner must balance replacement with repair.

When and if you come to this situation, take a long look at the rest of the car, and ask yourself, "Would I buy this car today, knowing it needs the repairs?"

I did and the expense penciled out.

2nd Mar 2007, 14:02

You definitely did the right thing by opting for the $2,000 transmission overhaul. After all, the rest of the car is fine, so keep it going. $2,000 is only four months of car payments on a similar full-size sedan, so you'll get to keep the other 56 car payments as long as the Intrepid is running! I never understand how people think it makes more sense to spend $30,000 instead of $1,500.