Looking at getting a Durango
#1
08-09-2009, 01:53 PM
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#2
08-09-2009, 02:38 PM
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#3
08-09-2009, 02:41 PM
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First welcome to the forum, glad to have ya..
Well the Durango is a great truck in my opinion. Yes it does have its issues like any vehicle does, but if you take care of it like it should be the truck will make you very happy.
Here read over some threads posted by other who have asked the same question. You can find most of these by using the search feature located in the black bar towards the top. I typed in (just like this including the " ") "buy a durango" and selected 1st gen Durango.
Here you go
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/search....archid=1006166
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...9-durango.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...r-opinion.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...k-out-for.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...a-durango.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...a-durango.html
Plenty of information in those threads for you to look over...
Well the Durango is a great truck in my opinion. Yes it does have its issues like any vehicle does, but if you take care of it like it should be the truck will make you very happy.
Here read over some threads posted by other who have asked the same question. You can find most of these by using the search feature located in the black bar towards the top. I typed in (just like this including the " ") "buy a durango" and selected 1st gen Durango.
Here you go
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/search....archid=1006166
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...9-durango.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...r-opinion.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...k-out-for.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...a-durango.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...a-durango.html
Plenty of information in those threads for you to look over...
#4
08-09-2009, 03:40 PM
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#5
08-10-2009, 01:16 AM
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#6
08-10-2009, 10:10 AM
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isnt a rear wind screen heater, isnt that just rear defrost? all those thin lines through the rear window? other than indy durangos tips on what to do when i get it, is there anything else i should do right away? right now i have a 2008 jeep grand cherokee and wanna get rid of it for the durango, reason... i dont want anymore stupid truck payments and im always stuck tacking to many people places so i need the extra seat. thanks for all the help
#7
08-10-2009, 10:45 AM
Just give the 1st gen durango a good look over. Hopefully you may find an owner that kept a maintenance book so you will know what was all done to it when the owner had it.
Some common issues for 2001-2003 durangos that you should look for if these are still oem and the truck has lots of miles (more than 100k).
A/C blower resistor pack
Throttle position sensor
Tranny sensor
Speed senor
Some common issues for 2001-2003 durangos that you should look for if these are still oem and the truck has lots of miles (more than 100k).
A/C blower resistor pack
Throttle position sensor
Tranny sensor
Speed senor
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#8
08-10-2009, 01:16 PM
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ok, a late night reply above which perhaps could have been more informative...
so much depends on the way you're D has been treated and whether it has been serviced at the proper intervals by a reputable dealer...
so much for the obvious stuff, so here's a quck run down on what to look for based on my experiences with my 1999 5.9l 2WD - which I still like very much, but has been a little troublesome over the years...
1) Front suspension upper & lower bushes on the control arms tend to go out - top ones can be examined with a flash light, look for cracking
2) Front suspension upper & lower ball joints can all go out with the 1999's not covered by the recall - this can be detected by any good technician
3) Sway bar bushes can start to squeak like crazy, but cheap repair
4) Rubber suspension stop which lives under the top control arm (with a nut on the top surface) and points downwards - can & does often shear off. This is very important for limiting your suspension travel movement, braking performance & protecting your upper control arm bushes from shock loads - check often...not mentioned often enough in this forum
5) PCM tends to go out with age...often the engine can suddenly ceases working, so this is as serious an issue as the ball joints as all power to brakes & steering can be lost. evidence of it being a temperature thing so the D can spring back to life once it has cooled down. good news is that the replacement felt like it gave the D an extra cylinder the performance was so good
6) Window regulators fail and so do door lock actuators...annoying when it happens, but are repairs you can undertake yourself
7) TPS and IAC need to be replaced and / or cleaned if the truck starts to over rev on idle or on cruise control - easy repair, well documented
If the previous owner has dealt with these issues, then you maybe taking advantage of his learning curve...but if not then you need to be prepared to think the problem through. as I said it can be a vehicle for an enthusiast who is prepared to lift the bonnet at the weekend & not just check the fluids but also listen to the engine and generally get to know the vehicle.
i wouldn't swop it for anything...it looks good and has (and people who have driven other types of SUV agree with me) the best performance...love that 5.9l engine...
I once drove a Pathfinder and a Prado, just rubbish with no pick up at all...
but you can't just assume that it will require only the basic checking, you have to watch out for it...good luck
Chris
so much depends on the way you're D has been treated and whether it has been serviced at the proper intervals by a reputable dealer...
so much for the obvious stuff, so here's a quck run down on what to look for based on my experiences with my 1999 5.9l 2WD - which I still like very much, but has been a little troublesome over the years...
1) Front suspension upper & lower bushes on the control arms tend to go out - top ones can be examined with a flash light, look for cracking
2) Front suspension upper & lower ball joints can all go out with the 1999's not covered by the recall - this can be detected by any good technician
3) Sway bar bushes can start to squeak like crazy, but cheap repair
4) Rubber suspension stop which lives under the top control arm (with a nut on the top surface) and points downwards - can & does often shear off. This is very important for limiting your suspension travel movement, braking performance & protecting your upper control arm bushes from shock loads - check often...not mentioned often enough in this forum
5) PCM tends to go out with age...often the engine can suddenly ceases working, so this is as serious an issue as the ball joints as all power to brakes & steering can be lost. evidence of it being a temperature thing so the D can spring back to life once it has cooled down. good news is that the replacement felt like it gave the D an extra cylinder the performance was so good
6) Window regulators fail and so do door lock actuators...annoying when it happens, but are repairs you can undertake yourself
7) TPS and IAC need to be replaced and / or cleaned if the truck starts to over rev on idle or on cruise control - easy repair, well documented
If the previous owner has dealt with these issues, then you maybe taking advantage of his learning curve...but if not then you need to be prepared to think the problem through. as I said it can be a vehicle for an enthusiast who is prepared to lift the bonnet at the weekend & not just check the fluids but also listen to the engine and generally get to know the vehicle.
i wouldn't swop it for anything...it looks good and has (and people who have driven other types of SUV agree with me) the best performance...love that 5.9l engine...
I once drove a Pathfinder and a Prado, just rubbish with no pick up at all...
but you can't just assume that it will require only the basic checking, you have to watch out for it...good luck
Chris
#9
08-10-2009, 02:23 PM
ok, a late night reply above which perhaps could have been more informative...
so much depends on the way you're D has been treated and whether it has been serviced at the proper intervals by a reputable dealer...
so much for the obvious stuff, so here's a quck run down on what to look for based on my experiences with my 1999 5.9l 2WD - which I still like very much, but has been a little troublesome over the years...
1) Front suspension upper & lower bushes on the control arms tend to go out - top ones can be examined with a flash light, look for cracking
2) Front suspension upper & lower ball joints can all go out with the 1999's not covered by the recall - this can be detected by any good technician
3) Sway bar bushes can start to squeak like crazy, but cheap repair
4) Rubber suspension stop which lives under the top control arm (with a nut on the top surface) and points downwards - can & does often shear off. This is very important for limiting your suspension travel movement, braking performance & protecting your upper control arm bushes from shock loads - check often...not mentioned often enough in this forum
5) PCM tends to go out with age...often the engine can suddenly ceases working, so this is as serious an issue as the ball joints as all power to brakes & steering can be lost. evidence of it being a temperature thing so the D can spring back to life once it has cooled down. good news is that the replacement felt like it gave the D an extra cylinder the performance was so good
6) Window regulators fail and so do door lock actuators...annoying when it happens, but are repairs you can undertake yourself
7) TPS and IAC need to be replaced and / or cleaned if the truck starts to over rev on idle or on cruise control - easy repair, well documented
If the previous owner has dealt with these issues, then you maybe taking advantage of his learning curve...but if not then you need to be prepared to think the problem through. as I said it can be a vehicle for an enthusiast who is prepared to lift the bonnet at the weekend & not just check the fluids but also listen to the engine and generally get to know the vehicle.
i wouldn't swop it for anything...it looks good and has (and people who have driven other types of SUV agree with me) the best performance...love that 5.9l engine...
I once drove a Pathfinder and a Prado, just rubbish with no pick up at all...
but you can't just assume that it will require only the basic checking, you have to watch out for it...good luck
Chris
so much depends on the way you're D has been treated and whether it has been serviced at the proper intervals by a reputable dealer...
so much for the obvious stuff, so here's a quck run down on what to look for based on my experiences with my 1999 5.9l 2WD - which I still like very much, but has been a little troublesome over the years...
1) Front suspension upper & lower bushes on the control arms tend to go out - top ones can be examined with a flash light, look for cracking
2) Front suspension upper & lower ball joints can all go out with the 1999's not covered by the recall - this can be detected by any good technician
3) Sway bar bushes can start to squeak like crazy, but cheap repair
4) Rubber suspension stop which lives under the top control arm (with a nut on the top surface) and points downwards - can & does often shear off. This is very important for limiting your suspension travel movement, braking performance & protecting your upper control arm bushes from shock loads - check often...not mentioned often enough in this forum
5) PCM tends to go out with age...often the engine can suddenly ceases working, so this is as serious an issue as the ball joints as all power to brakes & steering can be lost. evidence of it being a temperature thing so the D can spring back to life once it has cooled down. good news is that the replacement felt like it gave the D an extra cylinder the performance was so good
6) Window regulators fail and so do door lock actuators...annoying when it happens, but are repairs you can undertake yourself
7) TPS and IAC need to be replaced and / or cleaned if the truck starts to over rev on idle or on cruise control - easy repair, well documented
If the previous owner has dealt with these issues, then you maybe taking advantage of his learning curve...but if not then you need to be prepared to think the problem through. as I said it can be a vehicle for an enthusiast who is prepared to lift the bonnet at the weekend & not just check the fluids but also listen to the engine and generally get to know the vehicle.
i wouldn't swop it for anything...it looks good and has (and people who have driven other types of SUV agree with me) the best performance...love that 5.9l engine...
I once drove a Pathfinder and a Prado, just rubbish with no pick up at all...
but you can't just assume that it will require only the basic checking, you have to watch out for it...good luck
Chris
"that it will require only the basic checking, you have to watch out for it"
what do you mean by this?
#10
08-10-2009, 04:15 PM
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just as I said...you can't just check the fluids & tyre pressures on the weekend and think that you're taking care of a Mk1 D. This isn't a brand new Toyota...!!
every 5 to 6 weeks you should take it down a workshop and stick it up on some ramps
look underneath for leaks of engine oil, transmission fluid, steering pump oil, coolant. jack up the front wheels and check for movement
maybe this sounds a bit extreme, but you're dealing with a relatively old car that would probably be a candidate for the "cash for clunkers" scheme
I drive mine hard, so I check, check, check...
I've only provided a quick list...there are other issues:
for instance the water pump can leak - best checked from underneath the D...and also the transmission oil pump seal can blow - check for oil leaking from the bell housing...and the steering rods can become worn at the inner ball joint on each rack end...
you need to check all of these prior to purchase and then keep watching out for further problems...
Chris
every 5 to 6 weeks you should take it down a workshop and stick it up on some ramps
look underneath for leaks of engine oil, transmission fluid, steering pump oil, coolant. jack up the front wheels and check for movement
maybe this sounds a bit extreme, but you're dealing with a relatively old car that would probably be a candidate for the "cash for clunkers" scheme
I drive mine hard, so I check, check, check...
I've only provided a quick list...there are other issues:
for instance the water pump can leak - best checked from underneath the D...and also the transmission oil pump seal can blow - check for oil leaking from the bell housing...and the steering rods can become worn at the inner ball joint on each rack end...
you need to check all of these prior to purchase and then keep watching out for further problems...
Chris