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02 SXT Plus

4K views 26 replies 5 participants last post by  FSTDANGO3 
#1 · (Edited)
02 SLT Plus

I am looking at a first vehicle for my 16 year old daughter. The Durango so far looks like it is about to be it. '02 SLT Plus with 184k on the odometer. I plan on replacing tie rod ends and ball joints. The 5.9L likes to drink gas, but oh well. What else should I look at before I purchase this thing?
 
#3 ·
I assume you mean SLT plus?
I don't think they had the SXT back in 2002...but regardless, of course a good test drive should tell you quite a bit.
Might want to check rear end for leaking pinion seal...that's a problem area. Can't think of too much else. I'd ask if the transmission has been replaced or overhauled.
At 184K that trans..the 46RE might be near rebuild time from what I see from other owners of 5.9L.
Hopefully some of them can chime in.

Oh, good on the FE is she won't be able to go too far from home!
 
#4 ·
Yes, I meant SLT Plus, not sure what my fat fingers were doing. No body rust, always been an Oklahoma truck. We haven't started our negotiations yet. I am guessing I will spend between 1,500 and 2,000. What should I be paying. It needs a new center console, and the guy said it is throwing a code for an 02 sensor. He also said it feels like it needs aligned, so I have to assume the front end work I planned. I will look at the codes this weekend.
 
#5 ·
The O2 sensor is around $80 and should be easy enough, I got the code for mine and replaced the failing one late last year. Unless it is CA spec it should only have two.
 
#6 ·
And that's part of the problem, for me. For an $80 dollar, medium hassle job, why doesn't the seller just do it so there's no CEL on? I know I would, especially if I'm sure that's the only reason for a code. As for the alignment, assume the worst so there's no negative surprises. He may say 'alignment', but who knows; maybe the steering rack is rusted out. Check for smoke on startup, leaks, levels, color and smell of fluids you can get your nose on, the usual stuff for a nearly 200k mile vehicle.

Is this a one owner D (by the way, 'truck' is a sore spot for some around here since these things aren't actually trucks)? Do you have any meaningful maintenance history? RUn the VIN through Carfax yet?
 
#7 ·
And that's part of the problem, for me. For an $80 dollar, medium hassle job, why doesn't the seller just do it so there's no CEL on? I know I would, especially if I'm sure that's the only reason for a code.

Is this a one owner D (by the way, 'truck' is a sore spot for some around here since these things aren't actually trucks)?
With any vehicle that sells for less than 2k it's always a gamble. I'd use this and anything else that's found to talk them down as low as possible. Maybe they are lazy, maybe they don't need the money, maybe they just don't know how to do the job. Most of my friends would have no idea how to remotely start with doing this job and absolutely no interest in looking it up. They just don't get cars or mechanics and while they don't have the money to pay for all the repairs, they don't have whatever to fix it themselves (time, tools, knowledge, desire). I wouldn't even mention how "easy" or "cheap" it is to do, just play along that it could be a bigger issue and use it as a negotiation point.

Who doesn't call them trucks? Body on frame. Had a pick up "version". I call mine a truck all the time.
 
#9 ·
This is one of those buy here pay here places. They don't do crap to their vehicles. Since I am paying cash - I have confused them to be honest. LOL. They just told me it wouldn't shift into overdrive yesterday. I am going to call the mechanics shop and see what a rebuild would cost me. I might have a good negotiation point.
 
#12 ·
Nothing, I was offering one to you if you needed it.

Anyway, this is my personal opinion only. I would not buy it from a dealer, especially from a dealer who is not willing to replace an oxygen sensor to quell an engine light, or fails to disclose that it doesn't have overdrive initially. If you can get it for $1500 or $2000, what did they pay for it and why? Maybe they got lucky at a no reserve auction and no one else bid, or maybe it really has a lot of problems. I guess it's that whole 'trust' thing coming back for me, especially with small-time car dealers. Especially since this will be driven by your daughter, not you.
 
#13 ·
Actually - they aren't that small, and this guy has been brutally honest. The reason I knew it was loose in the front end was this guy. I haven't driven it yet. They broke the windshield wiper when it was buried under ice, and he was driving it yesterday to get it replaced - because he knew I was going to test drive it Sat. He emailed me to tell me about the tranny, he took it to their shop (which he nor I have any faith in). They only fix glaring things and sell to people that have no credit. They have actually sold this once, and repo'd it. The previous 3 owners on Carfax appeared to have cared for it. The last didn't have it long. My thing is knowing the things I would need to do - ball joints, tie rods, 02 sensor, and now tranny. If I can get it cheap enough - I should be good. The body looks pretty good for a 13 year old car. So does the interior, except for the crack in the center console. My question is - what is a good price to get it at now?
 
#14 ·
I don't know, Hopefully someone else will chime in. I personally wouldn't give more than a grand for it, but again, that's just me. If you're comfortable paying more, that's all that matters. I am glad you have a good feeling about the dealer/seller. Depending on who's going to do the work (you as a DIY or a shop), you have a pretty expensive list of repairs you already know about. Ball joints, tie rods, alignment, O2 sensor(s), transmission, whew. That's multiple thousands of dollars at a shop, and that's just what you know now. I'm just looking out for you, honest. Not trying to convince you one way or another.
 
#15 ·
I appreciate your opinion. I definitely won't spend over a grand on it in this shape. I would do the suspension and 02 sensors. Not comfortable doing the tranny - so it would be shop done, as well as alignment. Dear daughter wouldn't be driving it until I had all of that done.
 
#16 ·
I would much rather know up front what possible repairs are needed than find out after I bought it.
If the body and interior are in good shape and the accessories all work the other stuff can be dealt with.
There is not much to the front end and parts are cheap..so that is easy fix.
Trans is also not bad as far are removing and replacing and once overhauled should give you at least 200K of service or close to it.
My dealbreaker is the engine.
If the engine is requiring a rebuild...I'm out.

Any running vehicle has to be worth at least $1K.
 
#17 ·
Agree $1K should be a good price
STEVE
 
#18 ·
Well it did run, I heard it - and the 360 didn't even have a tick that I could hear. It sounded smooth. I am actually happier that the tranny broke - I would prefer to pick it up cheaper, and then take it somewhere and have it rebuilt. I will other stuff, but the tranny is beyond my scope of work. I have asked them if they want to sell it as is, and go from there.
 
#19 ·
Hey, since it's a Magnum, shine a flashlight down the open butterflies in the TB. If the bottom of the intake is wet and oily, it probably needs a new belly pan gasket. A relatively cheap, easy fix that could also lower your selling price further.
 
#21 ·
Belly pan gasket? What is that? LOL
We can deal with that later if necessary. Just for now, say you see oil in the intake when you looked into the throttle body. Say it needs that repair also, and see if you can shave another couple hundred off the price.

In summary, the stock intake on the Magnums is two pieces, and the gasket that seals top and bottom halves of the intake is prone to splitting and allowing oil into the crankcase. Easy fix, honest.
 
#22 ·
I watched a vid on that - it does look pretty easy. For some reason the one I watched the guy bought a kit that replaced the pan with a thicker one. I don't see the need for that, the gasket just needs to be the improved metallic one and not the crap one from the factory. Of course the kit comes with new plenum bolts which you need to replace anyway. So I guess if the price is right.
 
#23 ·
There are a lot of threads across the intertubes about it. The thicker bottom plate (Hughes plenum repair kit) is highly recommended, by me anyway. I used it on my 98 and got 40,000 miles out of it flawlessly before I ended up getting rid of the D. Anyway, new plate or not, it's still simple and relatively cheap, and you sound like you really know these engines if you mention it. Good luck.
 
#24 ·
I was a deejay for many years, we had 3 vans for our company - a slant 6, a 318, and a 360. I tore into both the 360 and the slant 6. Now they were older - but guess what, those engines didn't change. That slant 6 might be my favorite engine of all time. I don't have a ton of time to work on things anymore, but I will be doing that fix for sure. Sounds like the time to do this would be when I replace the 02 sensors. Just take a weekend and do it. All of this depends on whether or not they want to decide to sell this thing cheap. Only thing I am clueless about at that point is the transfer case. The guy told me that it is AWD. 2WD isn't an option on the selector. I see other SLT Plus vehicles from 02 that show the 2WD on the selector. To be honest I kind of prefer the always on option, just because she won't have to ever think about it. I just don't know squat about what breaks there.
 
#25 ·
Transfer case chains sometimes go and Front CV driveshafts do go. The AWD takes a specific CV Type front drive shaft if you attempt to install the Front driveshaft that is available with HD u joints you will get a vibration.
STEVE
 
#27 ·
The CV driveshaft crawl underneath and look it has a rubber boot if that is torn ripped or dry rotted its gonna be gone soon.
You should have AWD and Low Range settings at minimum or AWD, 4wd, And 4wd Low
If it just has AWD and no switch its an SXT single speed transfer case (not very stout)
STEVE
 
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