[Gregtay]

Hey guys, I joined the club today and picked up a Bruiser Grey SRT with all the goodies(red leather/leather dash/tech/upgraded black wheels/rear console/roof rack/tow) Had a hard time choosing between Bruiser or white but my wife has a White Jeep SRT and we figured it would be silly to have nearly identical cars. Anyway, I’ll post up some photos once I get a chance to grab some when it isn’t dark and rainy outside. Love it so far, took the kids for a spin and they insisted on sitting in the 3rd row for the drive.

Deals are pretty good if you shop around. Look around and you will find dealers advertising DSRTs for around $7000-$9500 below MSRP (here is one example I found but not my car or where I purchased from: (https://www.lindsaychryslerdodgejee...lerdodgejeepram.com/new-Manassas-2018-Dodge-+-DURANGO+SRT+AWD-1C4SDJGJ2JC213548.). It was pretty funny as my dealer had my car on the showroom floor when I walked in with a tag hanging from the rear view mirror with a price of $93k after markup? so glad I walked in knowing what it was really worth. I sure hope no one walks in and pays $90k for a Durango.

I love the DSRT after the 40miles or so I put on the clock today. As expected it doesn’t feel really all that different from driving my wife’s Jeep SRT. Suspension is maybe just a tad softer in Street mode than hers which is actually a good thing.

 

[Gregtay]

Hi there! I think I am getting one tomorrow. I have been shopping for a little bit and what I want just hasn't turned up on any lots near enough to me. I really had my mind set on White w/Red, Sunroof, & Tow but the sunroof with red has really proved to be an impossible find. I was mixed on the tech pkg and I think this one has it so looks like I get it. The dealer has sent me a ton of variations to consider from local (and not so local) lots but just never quite the right mix. So, I think I may concede on the Sunroof. They made me a pretty good offer on the one I test drove and I'm going back prepared to buy tomorrow. Look forward to sharing and joining the "club"! I currently drive an Infiniti M45 Sport (which I'm keeping) and I also have a 2002 Ford Excursion V10 that we use primarily to tow our trailer. Hunny has been decking out his Scion XB and My daughter has a Jeep Grand Cherokee that she has been slowly blacking out. Time for Mama to get her new mid-life crisis vehicle! Vroom Vroom.

Took a lot of searching to find the combo I wanted as well. I didn’t want the DVD player (it is an old system and kills the center console space) but it seemed ever DSRT with other options I wanted also had the DVD player. Finally found one with out. Good luck tomorrow. White looks awesome.

 

[Gregtay]

Yeah I don't want it either my kids are adults with tablets and smart phones lol. No need for that. I actually found one just now that says "In Transit" to a dealer about 1.5 hrs away so I sent them a mssg. as well as to my sales person telling him GET IT FOR ME!! I'm in CA, They should all have a Sunroof for cryin' out loud! I'm dying to get the thing but for the money I'm shelling out it really should have all the things I really love about a car. Tell me I should wait it out! Tell me, do you know if I could add the Tow Pkg to one that doesn't have it? They had one for me last week that had everything but the Tow Group and I need to tow.
Thanks!

Yes, you should certainly wait and get what you want. I knew I would really regret the DVD player system if i ended up buying one with it. As for the tow package.. I would be very careful and do a little research as my understanding is the only way to get the full tow rating is with the factory tow setup (it is more than just the tow hitch.) Yes.. you can add a tow hitch but the result might be a lower tow rating. If you are towing something some then you are fine but in my case I tow a 7200# boat so I absolutely wanted the factory tow set up. (and it is just dumb that any dealer would order DSRTs without the tow set up.. actually it is dumb that it isn't just a standard feature! The dealer about 1 mile form my house had 4 SRTs and none with tow (same with all their JSRTs... and that's why we didn't buy either of our cars from them.

 

[Gregtay]

Bruiser / red is absolutely the best color combo going, IMHO! If I was the primary driver of our D that would be my setup in SRT trim. That said, we're really very happy with my wife's '18 R/T in Redline / Blacktop. She's gotten two thumbs up already on the road from dudes in Jeeps I'm sure because at a glance they think it's an SRT with that front end. Dodge sort of did the SRT owners a disservice there as you guys are paying a premium and deserve that distinction but hey I'll take it!

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True, they did the same thing to trackhawk owners with the 6.4 Jeep SRT being identical to the TH. I am guessing the production numbers on the TH and the DSRT are so low they couldn’t justify the extra parts management without using them in a few more vehicular. In the long run it helps us... if that good was only on the DSRT I AMD sure it would be a challenge to find one 5-10 years from now (and it would likely not be cheap.) But the way they did it the number of Durango’s using the parts is probably 3-4x, so I don’t mind. A little stab of the right pedal will remind you while you paid a little more money.

 

[Gregtay]

Adding a few photos...

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[Gregtay]

Looks like the one that was in transit is on the lot now so my dealer is arranging it for me. Yay! It has everything I wanted plus the Rear center console which I didn't but thats not a deal killer. I preferred the open space back there for my doggies to get back and forth but I suppose its nice for humans to have the console in the middle. I agree 100% on the tow....I mean really, why market it with the tow capacity if there is no tow. For reals! We have a pontoon boat so its pretty light (but would still prefer the factory)and it can't tow my toy hauler no matter what is on it so I think we are good there. Excitement is returning [emoji4] Not sure when I will get it. Its in San Diego so I have go to my dealer to finish the paperwork and cough up some cash first. Maybe tomorrow.

Congrats on finding one! BTW if it has the rear console you can take it out and put in the other one(a few bolts, but not hard to do.) Going the other way (trying to add the console if you didn’t have it doesn’t really work due to the arm rests on the seats and the story not covering everything.

And here’s our stable of SRTs.

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[Gregtay]

Damn dude..... 2 SRT's?? Well done!

Well when I got one for my wife I thought I was going to get to steal it from her but she is so damn in love with that car that she had no interest in trading me from time to time(she has always driven Audi’s, last car being a Q7... but she picked the Jeep SRT over a new Audi, BMW, Porsche, RR).. so I had to get my own!

 

[Gregtay]

Congrats. I love the color and would pick it if I was to upgrade from my R/T to one. The only thing stopping me is that Dodge decided it was a great idea not to put a full bench seat in the second row and as of right now can't be ordered that way. I have 4 kids and occasionally have an extra body with me. Not quite sure why they would do that. Anyway sweet ride Gregtay.

White was certainly my first color choice... it just pops with the black accents and I just liked bright cars but my wife convinced me it would be silly having to white SRTs... so she convinced me to go out on a limb and pick a color I normally wouldn’t.

I did think it was very strange that the bench wasn’t even an option. I have to think they are really cutting into the number of people who would purchase one of these things.


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[Gregtay]

Congrats on the ride. Incidentally, there is a bruiser gray DSRT on the lot here in Colorado Springs and has been for well over a month. I bought the first allocation the dealer had and this is the second. I bought mine for a shade under MSRP back in October. I'm really curious why they can't sell it. It doesn't have the sunroof, rear dvd, or laguna leather but has everything else. Shocked it's still there. It is the only other DSRT I have seen with my own eyes.

I think the DSRT is a tough sell(as is the Jeep SRT.. there are a ton of 2017s out there advertised for $12k-14k off!) Most people willing to spend $65-70k are going to drive off in an Q7, XC90, X5, MB, Cayenne, LR RRS/Disco,MDX, and you are getting close to Tesla money. These days not too many people want a huge gas hog sports SUV with extremely sub-par dealership service. Let’s face it... the Durango is a 30k SUV that was designed a decade ago... the SRT is just some lipstick and a motor that has been around for years. But.. for some of us it is exactly what we want/need. I pull a 7500# boat, have small kids, love huge HP, wanted something big but not full sized (been there, where I live is not designed for parking full sized trucks/SUVs) and I am sort of done with the German brands for now, so the DSRT checks all the boxes for me, so it is perfect, but I really don’t see too many people falling in love with a $70k Durango as there are just too many other great suvs in the 70k market.


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[Gregtay]

I agree with you. There are some other options in that price range that might be better for some; to each their own. But I think it's deeper than that. It must be a marketing problem. People just don't know how nice these are (suede headliner, nice leather, best infotainment system, etc). Sure, some corners have been cut (beats audio) but I drove a Q7, XC90, Cayenne, LR, Acura and a few others. I still bought the DSRT because I had an unbiased opinion (wasn't a Mopar man) and made a decision based on bang for the buck. I have no regrets...yet. And the worst aspect I was told before my purchase was the service. So far, my service department has been wonderful (based on only one routine service).

Very much agree... the dealers are the weak link. Even the purchasing experience was awful compared to the luxury brands. My wife wouldn’t even step foot on the dealer lot to look at the Durango as each time we pulled in the car was surrounded by sales guys. Even negotiating the deal was extremely painful. And service is just painful. Previous cars for the past 10 years have all been Audi’s and the service experience was amazing and the service reps were always great, listens and really did everything they could to help. Service loaners were usually top of the line A7s or Q7s. My cars were always taken care of by them like they were their own. With the local Mopar dealer not so much. I have Jeep Wave in my Wrangler and wife’s JSRT and it was still pulling teeth to get a loaner(and half the time the service reps didn’t even know what Jeep wave was[emoji57].) Service was the biggest negative with my Mopar purchases... but I figure $29 oil changes make it worth suffering (my V10TDI Touareg oil changes were ~$450 a pop and my RS5 had $900 Service intervals... so I try to just remind myself of the savings when I roll into Mopar for an oil change.

But wholeheartedly agree... if people took the time to check out a fully optioned Durango I think they would be quite surprised at how well it competes.


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[Gregtay]

I don't know, GM seems to sell plenty Tahoe's still...and talk about an old design!

I agree but I think it is a slightly different buyer. Some people just want a full sized SUV. But I think it is crazy that the latest Tahoe with the performance pack is $75k+.


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[Gregtay]

My SRT is in the detail shop this week getting wrapped, fronts tinted and ceramic coating.... I already miss hearing the exhaust as the loaner from the detail shop is a Kia Soul EV [emoji15].... pretty much the polar opposite.


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[Gregtay]

My SRT is in the detail shop this week getting wrapped, fronts tinted and ceramic coating.... I already miss hearing the exhaust as the loaner from the detail shop is a Kia Soul EV [emoji15].... pretty much the polar opposite.


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Back from the detail shop.. next up is an Interior LED swap.


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[Gregtay]

Its the same reason I got one...kids, boat, speed and versatility.

Yep, pretty much perfect for all those things[emoji51]


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[Gregtay]

I hate to break it to you but, the oil change on an SRT is not going to cost $29. It'll be a lot higher than that due to the synthetic oil.

Okay, true. My Touareg was $450, so I think I lost be happy.


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[Gregtay]

Hi Gregtay, I am having a similar delima.. I have had BMW's for the last 15 years and nothing else..I did have my heart set on a X5M but the prce tag of $100k+ is steep so I have looking at the DDRT..Don't think I even need the SRT..I am hesitant though...Can you elaborate on the experience when comparing the two brands?

thanks!

We bought my mom a 2017 X5 40e with all the goodies... not an x5M but I drive it often so I can compare the platforms. First off... owning a lux German brand is always going to be a wonderful experience... period. FCA has no freaking clue and the dealerships (around me) are awful and should be bulldozed with entirely new staff. So that is going to be one of the biggest things you will notice. For my mom I love knowing she will be well taken care of when she needs service (or anything.) I had the same experience with all my German cars... I had 4 least year and now I am down to just a older TT roadster... I do miss the great service from the dealer. I take our JSRT and DSRT to the FCA dealer for service because my wife wont step foot at the place. it's pretty awful and the service writers are not helpful and usually question anything I say. And if I ask "hey can you check this or that" they always come back and tell me if they don't find anything wrong they might charge me a diag fee (which is crap.. these are two brand new $70k+ vehicles. They will always try to sell me services I don't need or that are bogus. So there is that.

The X5 is a wonderful vehicle., I have twice considered getting an x5M (it was on the list when I picked up the DSRT.) The tech is great, the interior is far superior and it drives the way you would expect a $100k BMW to drive. For me there were a few things that stopped me from picking one up: first, there is an x5 on every street corner around there an most of them have the M-sport pack... so the x5M hardly looks unique unless you get it is one of the loud colors. So it just blends in a bit more than I would expect it to and the styling is maybe a bit overdone (like all new M cars.) Then there is the X5 5.0 which offers almost the same level of experience as the X5m.. and as mentioned if you get the MSport pack you really cant tell the two apart sitting next to each other. Not a deal breaker.. but I really like walking out to the parking lot and having my car be the only one out there that looks like "my car"... doesn't mean I want loud or goddy.. just unique. Just a personal opinion thing. I could argue the same is true with the R/T and SRT DD but in general the look is still unique and there will not be all that many on the road by the time they sunset this platform. The x5M is also more of a very capable car vs. an SUV and I have a boat I tow. The x5m can pull it... (plenty of power and huge brakes for stopping power)but likely over the tow rating as it is fairly low when comparted to others (but I did a ton of research and the US rating is artificially low... with the European tow hitch(which you can get and have installed) the X5 can tow 7700# which is the same as a Cayenne, Touareg, etc. So I probably would have been fine (I towed with our Q7 and Touareg TDIs and they both did awesome.) The other thing is the price... $115K ish for an X5m is a ton of cash and with the above "issues" there is part of me that just wanted to take the money, get a killer deal on a new Trackhawk (say $90k for a loaded up one) and enjoy the latest creation from the SRT guys (it also had a difficult time being "100K unique as my wifes $70k JSRT looks exactly the same inside and out... except for yellow calipers and quad exhaust tips.) No question the x5M drives better in just about every phase of driving then a JSRT or DSRT... but the SRTs are just more fun.. less refined, etc.

All add that the X5 is quite a bit smaller then even the JSRT. We notice how much more we can get in the back of my wife's JSRT then the x5 (and the DSRT is just massive in back comparted to the X5.. so if you need to hull stuff.. the DSRT wins. And note that you can get a 3rd row with an x5 (not sure if you can on an X5m) but it is a useless 3rd row that no adult could ever sit in (or a 15 yo boy for that matter.)

In the end I fell in love with the DSRT for everything it brings to the table... it is loud and unrefined, interior is awesome (for an FCA car), it can tow, haul a bunch of junk in back.. and it's at all a "look how much money I have" kind of car. If anyone asks what I drive I can just say "a Dodge family car for hauling the kiddos". I am just not into labels and brands and showing off... but I am into awesome cars and it is challenging to not have one lead to the other. The SRT's do a pretty awesome job at filling the need. I will also note the other big benefit with the SRTs is that they are dirt cheap to maintain and buy after market stuff for. Audi/BMW stuff is just eye watering expensive. My RS5 cab needed brakes every 15k-18k miles which were 4K a shot which was just crazy. The 5K service intervals were something like $800-$1k. BMW covers all that for the first few years which makes the equation work quite well for owning a car like the X5m. Good luck. Go drive them both and see which one puts a bigger smile on your face.

 

[Gregtay]

FWIW, since BMW introduced the F15 they changed the whole Towing Package on them so now they no longer have a standard Class III receiver. Its a hidden hitch design. So while it can tow 6,000 lbs, for me, it was a no go since I can't use a WD setup. The E70 had a 6,500 rating and a standard Class III hitch and was a pleasure to pull my 5,200 lbs trailer with. We replaced X5 with a Q7. The level of refinement is night and day compared to DD in both German vehicles, just try and find plastic interior trim compared to DD. For the price though, the DD is just fine. Like you said the service is 2nd to none though you do pay for it if you are out of maintenance. IMO, The service dept is biggest in your face difference/annoyance to me. I just stopped in the service dept for the first time, had to get my drivers side passenger door realigned, and they acted like I was an inconvenience when picking up my DD. Couldn't get anyone to talk to me at first. SMH

BTW... the F15 is rated to tow 7700.. BMW just doesn't offer a CIV hitch properly rated for the US market (which is dumb. In Europe you can get a hitch from BMW to allow for the full 7700.) InvsiHitch does offer an F15 hitch for US Market F15s that will give you the full 7700# rating.

And yes.. very much agree... German interiors are amazing.

 

[Gregtay]

Sun came out (rare for us in Seattle) cars were a little dirty but here I are the SRTs in the sun.

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[Gregtay]

I was surprised to find that a number of people on this site have a JSRT and a DSRT. Here's my pair!

Love the color combo! If I had gone down the Trackhawk route I was going to order up that Redline2 Red color(or whatever they call it).. looks sweet!


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