Well first off I am a new member on here. I for the longest time I never thought the day would come that I would buy Mopar. But this last friday what came to the end off looking for a SUV for my wife resulted me in buying a 2003 Durango SLT+ 5.9L 2wd. It has 51,000 miles on it. and is in very good condition in and out. I am very happy with the purchase. If any one has any tips or advice it would be greatly appriciated.( I have been a Ford truck man for my life)

 

well you purchased the best year for the first gen 1 Durangos.. Only advise i really could say is maintain that transmission as it should be, ball joints usually last 70,000-100,000 and you would want to do them yourself, to costly if you take it to a shop, use Moog ball joints. Plenty of information on this site to help you get threw the change when that comes up. Um? what else? just maintain it and it should end up being a decent ride for you.. 51,000 The transmission fluid already should of been changed once and ready to again (around every 25,000), use only ATF+4 transmission fluid.

Welcome to the board and congrats on owning a Mopar..

 

Congrats.

How much did you pay for the 03 with 51k on it?

IndyDurango

 

$8600

 

Better check that. The R/T is a AWD and 4X4 not a 2wd????????

 

First of all Welcome Aboard!! Welcome to Dodge. As previous forum members recommended, check major fluids, and change often. ESPECIALLY THE TRANSMISSION I can speak from experience on that. Mine went out in JAN 08. As with most things, there is dual responsibility but mine leaked the fluid after changing fluid and filter. Change every 25K fluid and filter, since is your is just over 50K I recommend changing if it hasn't been done do it. If in doubt about it being done, DO IT! Peace of mind is sometime priceless. I can tell you mileages of some major components for my 03 SLT 4.7 as a reference.

Purchased 62K DEC06

Changed Tires JAN07 including 4 wheel alignment.

Brakes, PADS, Rotors all four corners MAR07 Approx 64K

Serpentine Belt MAR 07

Spark Plugs OCT 07 Approx 75K

Transmission JAN 08

Front RH CV Axle JUL 08, (r/r whole axle higher price is offset by cheaper labor because the Axle assembly is just a R/R instead of R/R AND still pull the axle to r/r the CV Joint and much easier, my local shop did it in exactly an hour. $75 for axle, $75 for labor.

Brake pads Front JUL08 (Same time as drive axle, infact thats how it got started, I was r/r brakes and noticed tear in the dust boot. Approx 84K

Alignment AUG 08, ( Courtesy of Western PA roads.)

Alignment DEC 08 ( Again PA roads, under warranty.

Rear Pinion seal JAN 09

Water Pump, Thermostat, Lower and Upper radiator hoses, Serpentine Belt APR 09 102K

Spark Plugs (recommend Champion 4318 Truck Plugs, don't forget to check GAP .040 )

There is one fairly common r/r item BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR (aka the fan speed switch. Early models were known for low time failure. When the resistor goes it is supposed to default to HIGH speed , but is the power wire is shot then no power at all. Several threads, not a overly complicated repair if the harness but time consuming, and a moderate amount of troubleshooting and wire chasing. Trust me if it above 75 Degrees F you will know when it goes out. Like I said several threads in fact a fairly recent post about that very subject.

With all the above said, dont get scared, but like modern mechanical objects it does take some maintenance, and can be complicated. With a used vehicle, I strongly recommend bookmarking this forum in our favorites of your web browser.

With the above said number #2. There is a lot of combined knowledge on this site, and do not be afraid to ask. We might bust your chops occasionally but don't take it personal and we will give an answer. Just about every question has been asked, and some of the answers might say take it to professionals but sometimes you have to let the pros earn their pay. Again, there are good knowledgeable people who offer their advice, and expertise AT NO COST!! so remember that. This forum is for STM'S (Shade Tree Mechanics) by STM's. Some professionals offer their expertise and some repairs are simple, but just need a helpful hint!


Again, kind of a longwinded post but Welcome Aboard and hopefully you will be a valued member. If you come up with a repair, let us know, and we do likewise.

Remember this is the basic info we need with a problem. Year, Model, Engine Transmission and whatever component is the issue. At a Minimum Engine Model, Mileage and Year EMMY!! (Like the EMMY Awards for TV!)

I hate to call out favorites but I Very Strongly recommend reading threads, and replies from INDYD, KENSAI, HYDRASHOCKER, MEANGREEN, SHARPSHOOTER325, and SHUSTERJO

These members represent not only experience with the D, but also geographical variance for areas of the country, so a good knowledge of how the D works in their environment.

Good luck and hope to hear from you often.


Steve

 

Yes the 2003 R/T was AWD... HOWEVER what is the relevance? He stated (and YOU quoted) that he has the SLT+. SLT and SLT+ is trim level differences so he very well could have exactly as he indicated mechanically... the 5.9L with the 2x4 & 4x4 selectability.

Maybe I am missing something? Like the 6 pack you just had?!

IndyDurango

P.S. +1 on Steve's overall checklist/replacement maintenance list. As with a great steak... you eat it one bite at a time regardless of the size.

 

Did someone say steak? LOL!!!!

Seriously the D is like any other vehicle or most mechanical objects for that matter, take care of it and it should take care of you.

 

Yeah, Im pretty sure im not the mechinaclly retarted to be able to tell the difference between a 4WD and a 2WD. or the size of the motor in the truck. LOL.

So on another not. I plan on doing a bunch of maintence on the D on the weekend of the 6th, which will be the next weekend that i am home. Im an active duty Marine and am stationed down in SoCal. and my wife lives in the Norcal bay area. But i wanna get the maitence down so I know where the truck stands and that i know it was all done

 

You got a great ride. Not too often you see a 5.9 SLT+ 2WD. They are rare finds in Tx! I would have preferred a SLT+ 5.9 2WD if they had one at the time when I stumbled across the R/T. I miss out not being able to pop off some rubber strips on the road once in a while! haha