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Hamsquatch

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There's an old saying that "opinions are like butt holes - everyone has one" LOL, and this is just mine, so if you've suffered some bad experiences with a DD please don't flame me bro! :p . Of course there are always exceptions to ideas and notions, and I try not to take myself too seriously, and you shouldn't either LOL. In other words, don't let this post or anything on the interwebz make ya mad - life is too short and precious.

Anyhoo, that said, the thought came to me pretty strong the other day outta nowhere that the current Durango platform is OLD. I mean, OLD! Now that might be reason number one for some folks to immediately discount the Durango when shopping to spend their hard earned money LOL, but hear me out please. Since it's so old, but continually getting updates and refreshes, in my mind pretty much all the major bugs and shortcomings have been worked out over the years. REALLY broad brush strokes here - but in my mind, they (Dodge) have now had a really long a$$ time to work things out with this current model/platform (has it been since 2011?), so IMHO many of the little things that didn't work quite right have been polished and updated a bit, so at this point, again IMHO, one is getting a pretty well sorted out vehicle when taking the plunge at the dealership. And this is of course for all the trims/flavors, so no bias here with regard to which one ya may be considering.

Again, there are always exceptions, and yes, to this day some still sadly suffer "dogs" or lemons, cause humans are still involved in their construction, and humans are, well, human. Now this might seem awful "Captain Obvious", but I wanted to share the thought since it came to me SO strong one day when I was surfing the webz looking at all the awesome vehicles we are blessed to choose from in this day and age here in the US.

That is all. :)
 
Well written post. I was an ” early adopter” of the current Durango platform having purchased a new RT in 2012. After a 9 year ownership, I was still smitten with the DD and decided to order a 2nd one. I am now 4 years into owning my 2021 and it still puts a smile on my face.

And I am not alone having owned multiple Durangos, there are many others on the forum here that also owned more than one.

Lastly as the saying goes “Don’t fix what ain‘t broke.” One could say the same thing about the Fox Body Mustang platform which ran from 1979 - 1993 which still has a strong interest 30+ years later.
 
The WD's architecture dates back to 2011. It was shared with the WK2 Jeep.

The Durango is basically on build-out. While there is absolutely no confirmation regarding its pending replacement, I believe they're keeping it alive at least through the first half of '26 to accommodate fleet orders, and as a backstop for any potential launch disasters for the Hurricane Chargers. I don't expect it to stay in production beyond the normal production pause for the holidays this December, which is when they normally discontinue models on short time.

Regarding "bugs", well ... it used to be that Chryslers would get better each year, and they did, for the most part. Unfortunately, over the last several years, the quality of just about everything - new vehicles, OEM parts, aftermarket parts, everything - has gone into the sewer. While they continue to extract a premium price for all of it.

If the company would support their products with adequate parts and adequate warranty coverage, a new Durango wouldn't be any worse of a purchase than other models.
 
So really I didn't your point, @Hamsquatch - the Durango is matured, not old.

O.k., as a classic car enthusiast since 35 years and as a notorious old school freak in my job, I may have a blurred sense of reality - but "old" is not the same as "outdated"

And more and more it's obvious in the actual modern life, that old school is the better way, not just about cars.
 
For me it is the "right" size, and they gave it enough power options, and performance oriented susp/trans tuning. It saved me $ and separates me from all the other perf SUV owners of BMW/Porsche/Merc/Range Rover/Audi...ect....I don't need all the excess plushy/infotainment/cushy/quietness...Loud n Detroit proud...
 
There's an old saying that "opinions are like butt holes - everyone has one" LOL, and this is just mine, so if you've suffered some bad experiences with a DD please don't flame me bro! :p . Of course there are always exceptions to ideas and notions, and I try not to take myself too seriously, and you shouldn't either LOL. In other words, don't let this post or anything on the interwebz make ya mad - life is too short and precious.

Anyhoo, that said, the thought came to me pretty strong the other day outta nowhere that the current Durango platform is OLD. I mean, OLD! Now that might be reason number one for some folks to immediately discount the Durango when shopping to spend their hard earned money LOL, but hear me out please. Since it's so old, but continually getting updates and refreshes, in my mind pretty much all the major bugs and shortcomings have been worked out over the years. REALLY broad brush strokes here - but in my mind, they (Dodge) have now had a really long a$$ time to work things out with this current model/platform (has it been since 2011?), so IMHO many of the little things that didn't work quite right have been polished and updated a bit, so at this point, again IMHO, one is getting a pretty well sorted out vehicle when taking the plunge at the dealership. And this is of course for all the trims/flavors, so no bias here with regard to which one ya may be considering.

Again, there are always exceptions, and yes, to this day some still sadly suffer "dogs" or lemons, cause humans are still involved in their construction, and humans are, well, human. Now this might seem awful "Captain Obvious", but I wanted to share the thought since it came to me SO strong one day when I was surfing the webz looking at all the awesome vehicles we are blessed to choose from in this day and age here in the US.

That is all. :)
My two cents, not that anybody cares. I have never been an SUV kind of guy. I had never so much as touched a Durango before I got my '21. I was an instant Hellcat enthusiast when they were introduced in 2015 but they were only available in the Challenger and then the Charger and I was already driving a 25 year old Thunderbird Super Coupe and the low entry and exits was killing my knees and hips (I'm old) so I had pretty much limited myself to driving my truck. Then in early '21 I happened to be scrolling through YouTube and saw a review on the brand new, one year only Durango Hellcat. The rest, as they say is history. The first time I ever sat in or even touched a Durango was at the dealership in Tulsa when I flew in to pick mine up. After a cursory check list by the sales man, I was on the road home, a 340 mile day trip. It was love at first start up of that glorious engine. It's been 4 years and the thrill hasn't faded. During one of the first service visits to my local CDJR dealer, the service writer and I were talking while I waited for the oil change and I told him how trouble free the Hellcat had been and what a joy it was to drive and his reply was "You must have got one of the good ones. ".
 
I was no SUV-guy either, but as daily driver I always preferred Station Wagons and Hatchbacks insteads of Sedans, because they are more practical.

Either as the classical 5.7 HEMI, SRT or Hellcat, the Durango is the best choice for me, better than Charger, Challenger or RAM, because same power, similar Vmax, but much better space conception - and also a better eyecatcher, especially as its own brother Grand Cherokee, which is quite common over here, while the Durango is still a rarity (despite the upcoming flood of 2nd life Carfax-wrecks)
 
Well, the architecture is 15 yrs old, older than the LD 300/Charger that were also released in 2011, and discontinued in mid-'23, so it's "old" by modern automotive standards. From a marketing standpoint, it's obsolete, for sure.

Referring to a WD as "old school" might be a little over the top, as the oldest WD is hardly something you can mess around with using just a timing light and screwdriver.
 
As with anything in life… sometimes it’s the luck of the draw… but how you take care of them counts too.

Wife had a new 1998 DD before we met and it was very reliable.

We got the 2005 DD 5.7 2WD Limited new and put 297k of rock solid miles without any issues (tranny at 150k was the biggest one).

Our 23’ R/T currently has 19k and beside the Uconnect BS it has been a good vehicle. But we keep our cars forever and seriously doubt our 23’ will last as long as the 05’ without a big $$$ rebuild.

Oh on the Fox body Mustangs topic. My little 5.0L 87’ coupe has been the most dependable car I have ever had.
 
Oh on the Fox body Mustangs topic. My little 5.0L 87’ coupe has been the most dependable car I have ever had.
Can’t agree more. Bullet proof. Owned my ‘88 GT Hatch since day 1 and it has never let me down.
 
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I've had my 15' R/T since new. I did get the lifetime mopar warranty when they offered it then, so it's helped. Also, I just broke 100k this year.

Things I've gotten fixed under warranty:
  • uConnect bugs and other issues (they need to get better with the uConnect, even issues here and there on the newer systems). It was SUPER buggy (it was an EQ programing glitch in the early 15' model years' software with the sub). Was in the shop repeatedly and my case that actually got them to fix the EQ programing.
  • Rear load leveling struts have been replaced 3 times, bad leaking seals.
  • Front struts replaced once due to bad seals.
  • Infamous header bolt shot out one morning - heard a loud "ting" then saw it on the garage floor that evening.

Other than the above, it's been a very solid vehicle for commuting and road trips. Fit a family of 4 and a load of gear easy, with a third row that isn't horrific for an adult to sit in for more than 10 minutes when hauling teenagers around or when family visit.
I even upgraded to SRT brembos and SRT wheels on the RT.

At 75k, I did have the trans pan replaced on my dime and filled because I like the ZF, and ppl are crazy if they think you can get lifetime fluid in these things. Also did a drain and fill on the front and read difs, as well as the transfer case as well, just general maintenance stuff at 75k.

Around 90k something, the thermostat started sticking, so I just replaced it when i did a coolant flush and fill since it was due. Also they weren't bad, just preventative maintenance, did the drive belt, tensioner, and idler pulley all at the same time.

Sadly, the timing just worked out that out next car will not be a Durango when I was shopping for a new car to replace my wife's GC (keep my R/T). The first and foremost was my trusted dealer (and service shop) was sold and the new owners really tanked the service dept and was just becoming a bad experience to use them anymore for my three vehicles (Durango, Ram, and Grand Cherokee). Also, I was unhappy with all the drama and decisions of Stelantis, PLUS the "last edition" versions of the trims and the silly package options on the RT and SRT made zero sense and each trim was basically buy as is, no thank you. More importantly at the time, they would NOT move on costs and they were WAY too high. We'll see how the Explorer ST works out we decided on instead. Now that they are not ending the Durango, making sure the 5.7 continues at mopar/stellantis, and also like Ford, are offering employee princing on some, so it could be worth while if you are looking now.
 
I bought my 2021 Durango Hellcat on a whim for a retirement present to myself. I retired from a municipality, so I was used to driving all sorts of different vehicles and equipment. Like the Chrysler Pacifica I owned and traded in on the Durango, I never test drove either. I did enough research on both that I felt comfortable they would be good vehicles. Like others my older age, I prefer vehicles that offer a higher seating position and are easier to get in to. My Durango Hellcat is a blast to drive, however after this amount of time in production, one would think they would have a better fit and finish. Not to mention the glitchy UConnect system software, lack of theft deterrent system, and the expectation of racetrack, and headlight failure.
 
Our 23’ R/T currently has 19k and beside the Uconnect BS it has been a good vehicle. But we keep our cars forever and seriously doubt our 23’ will last as long as the 05’ without a big $$$ rebuild.
Proper maintenance I bet gets you to 250K miles. I say proper, meaning oil changes at 3 to 4 thousand miles, not 10k that the stupid oil life monitor shows. How did a 10k mile oil change become normal these days???
 
Oil life monitor is tied to 5000 miles, not 10000.
 
Proper maintenance I bet gets you to 250K miles. I say proper, meaning oil changes at 3 to 4 thousand miles, not 10k that the stupid oil life monitor shows. How did a 10k mile oil change become normal these days???
Because it is sufficient to get them out of warranty and it shows a cheaper running maintenance cost that gets displayed on several car buying/research websites sites.
 
You might think so but I doubt it. How would you know that unless you change the oil at 5000 miles and the meter is at 50%. But what's the point of the argument, the manual says 5000 and you prefer 3-4K so it's a moot point.
 
It always was odd to me, the owners manual says not to exceed 8K miles or 6 months. But my 2011 does not show %, it just has a “oil change due” message that pops up, and it pops up real close to 10k miles.
 
OP, I had all of those thoughts when I just purchased a Dodge Durango GT. My worst fear was the 3.6 Pentastar, but after researching it, I’m satisfied with the choice. Sooo many horror stories about the Pentastar, made me flinch a little, with a quick call to my SIL who has owned 2 Pentastar’s, he loves the engine and would buy it again. The positive about a platform running a long time, is the mistakes have been worked out. The Durango is still a good looking SUV, and even though it’s run has been quite a long time, it still looks good.

BTW, the dear wife did not want the Hemi, even after my input and other opinions, she wanted the V6.

Image
 
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