Newbie here - last Dodge was 97 Intrepid that I sold last year with 250K and still going strong. I found a 98 Durango SLT 5.2L w/150K and I'm curious what to look for in the test drive and overall pros & cons. Started right up, went into gear just fine, exhaust might need some attention towards the front end. Brakes were a tad grabby in the parking lot, not a major concern ,easiest thing for me do repair myself I guess if needed. Body 7 out of 10, interior 9 out of 10, mostly rear wheel well and two spots by window trim - lift door is great.Tires are 60% shot, but I've got 4BN Goodyear Wranglers in the garage.Radio was powered on and receiving signals but no sound output??? Blower motor sounds good at all speeds, unsure about the a/c, its Jan in Buffalo for crying out loud. I'm guessing the 5.2L to get 14mpg average if I'm lucky, after a tune up and air filter tweaks. I'm heading back tomorrow for a run around the block (no plates) - attempting to get for under $2000. Any help is appreciated.

Chris

 

2G is a great deal... the brakes on mine are always grabby, especially when they are cold... after the test drive look for leaks, and check fluid colour and levels...

 

We might be talking about a completely new exhaust system. The passenger side seems shot up near the manifold and I'm told I might be look at replacing the cats too (4 of them?)

 

4 cats? it must be a cali car... I heard that some Daks from cali were given 4 cats... I would get a muffler shop to build a new exhaust w/ one cat (aftermarket high flow)...

are there any service records for the tranny? the motor is "bullet proof", the trannies are the weak part of the drivetrain... definately the biggest component that could go wrong on you...