So, those of you who have seen my threads over the past couple months know that my 98 5.9 Durango has been a PITA this winter. Front differential, water pump, timing chain, and now transmission, just to list the highlights.

Well, on the way to drop it off at the tranny shop last night my wife and I decided that it was time to get another vehicle in the driveway so we at least have a backup when this thing is down, plus with our work schedules, trying to get by with one vehicle just isn't realistic in the long term. With warmer weather on the way her son will be starting to work more, so borrowing his car as a backup isn't going to be an option for more than a couple more days. Financially, this is NOT the right time for us to be buying a vehicle, so we scraped up what little cash we could to use for a down payment, and started driving to the buy here, pay here lots that I can get discounts from through my union.

What did we end up driving home?

A 99 Dodge Durango! LMFAO.....

Overpaid by a small amount, but not too bad, and of course the interest rate is too high. Oh well, that's just the things you have to accept when you've only got 800 bucks to put down and you need something "right now". On the good news side of things this kicked in a serious multi-car discount with our insurance. We previously had just liability on the 98, and adding the 99 with full coverage increased our premium by a whopping $11 a month. (Don't ask me how, I still can't believe it. Not about to call them up and argue, though... lol...)

The thing is gorgeous, though. Pristine dark blue body, not a speck of rust or any signs of previous body work to be found. Interior is plain jane with no options, but clean as a whistle, darn near showroom condition. I went over it with a fine tooth comb and could find nothing damaged, nor any signs of damage having been covered up. If there was serious work done to it in the past, it was done well enough that the usual telltale signs aren't there.

Runs and drives like a dream, although the 5.2 obviously has a bit less power than I've gotten used to from my 5.9. Also, it does NOT have the NV242HD transfer case. As great a case as that is, I like the fact that I can tell my wife to go ahead and use 4WD in this one if she needs to and not have to worry about blowing anything up.

Only two things wrong with it, both minor. The rear wiper doesn't work (which we're used to because our other one doesn't either), and the fog lights don't work. Probably just needs bulbs, but we rarely use those anyway. Both should be easy fixes, and will be done in due time. Not this week, though, this whole deal left me with just enough left over (I hope) to keep gas in the tank until payday. lol...

So I'm sitting here this morning feeling an odd mixture of excitement and buyer's remorse...

So we went out shopping for a car because our Dodge Durango kept letting us down, and we came home with another Dodge Durango... Just exactly how nuts am I?

 

LOL! You guys have caught the Durango bug! I've had lots of small things wrong with my D but I still love that truck! I fell in love with it the first time I saw it in the dealer's lot. Can't describe it, just that feeling. FWIW, you may want to see if you can either fix the wiper or disconnect it altogether just in case it causes a draw from your battery when you're not driving. Same thing with the fogs, just in case. Congrats on getting another D!

 

good choice man, very good ch oice, you will be happy in the long run

 

Yup, ur certifiable.....lol.

 

But aren't we all?...

 

Oh, you don't have to describe it, I know the feeling. My 98 was actually my wife's vehicle before we met. Just after our second date, before we were getting serious, it broke down in a major way and rather than send it to a junk yard she told me I could just have it if I could get it back to my house. Found a buddy with a car trailer and we made the 3 hour round trip to go pick it up. Even sitting in my driveway completely undriveable, as soon as I sat in the driver's seat and fired her up, it was just that immediate "Oh yeah, this is my truck" feeling.

So I know what you're talking about.

(Glad I saved it from the junk yard and repaired it. Except for the last 3 months, it's been a great, reliable vehicle for the past 5 years. She was going to junk it because the shop wanted 3 grand to fix it. Doing the work myself I got it done for just over $200 in parts...)

 

So you fell in love with the truck BEFORE your wife?... Don't let her know! LOL!!!

 

Well, I've known that for a long time. Just wondering if this decision is additional evidence of it.

 

What? That's not the way it usually works?

 

I can't tell u how many times my wife has tried to get me to trade my 99' off. Yah, it's not going anywhere. It's not that i'm that attached to it (well i am...lol), but more like , i couldn't bear to have someone else driving it. It's my baby, she's never let me down.