Mom is due for a new SUV(every 100k lol). KInda been looking at the Durango lately and like what i see. How is the traction control? Any issues related to alot of winter and gravel road driving? How is the 4.7 power wise for the D? Look at getting 2006 and newer with less than 30k on it if possible.

 

Hi Josh:

Having owned both an 01 Durango and now a 2004, I can say that the Gen 2 D is a pretty nice piece of hardware.

The power of the 4.7 engine is just fine unless you are towing a lot . The early Hemi engines in the 04 and a few 05's have had catastrophic issues with the valvetrain.

Some have died as early as 20K, and some have run to 150K and then destructed.

I think they got those issues pretty well sported out by 2006, and they also added the cylinder shutdown system (MDS) to the Hemi.

There was a front end redesign for the 2007 model year which you might want to look into if that option is feasible.

I have owned my 2004 for over a year now, and am quite happy with it. The one thing no 1st, 2nd or 3rd gen Durango ever will be accused of is fuel sipping.

No matter whic model you end up with, your highway mpg will be in the 16-20 range and city usually runs 10-13.

The 4th gen Durango has the Pentastar V6 which put out 290 HP. This is supposed to run over 20 mpg on the highway

Good luck with your shopping...............................Don

 

Awesome thanks! look as if she is getting a 1500 now :P

 

gosh! the fuel consumption sounds bad. is that for the 5.7 hemi? what about that for the 4.7? how does it compare with the expedition or the navigator?
well, i'm looking to get the 2007 D 4.7 for my drive trip to the US this winter but is concern with the D's reliability and fuel consumption.

 

Their reliability is pretty good, as long as you know what warning signs to look for in an "abused" unit or one that has not been taken care of (before you buy). Make sure the transmission shifts flawlessly, and that the fluid is a nice red color (no brown, and no burnt smell).

There are a few common issues, like any other vehicle. Factory sway bar links tend to go bad, not a difficult repair, and easy to detect. Very audible "clunking" in the suspension when going over bumps, especially potholes that hit one side's tires and not the other. 4.7s before 2007 had a problem with exhaust leaks on factory manifolds/bolts/studs, but it was redesigned for 2007, not sure if they fixed that or not. Not a huge deal, but definitely something to watch out for if you can help it. I'd suggest reading the stickies at the top of the main 2nd Gen Durango page, most common stuff is inside those.

Gas mileage is about the same, HEMI or 4.7. The 4.7 can get slightly better in town, but if you are easy on it, the HEMI has been known to get slightly better than the 4.7 on the highway. If you can afford it, the HEMI is worth the extra money. A noticeable amount of power over the 4.7 and almost the same mileage.

That said, I have the truck for any hard work/towing I might do, so I elected not to get the wife the HEMI. Less $$$, we found a great deal well below book value, and the 4.7 is a little easier to do some basic maintenance, like spark plugs for example.

One thing you will want to get, regardless of which engine you pick, is a programmer of some sort. SCT units only work through to 2006, but that woke my wife's 4.7 right up. I have heard there are alternative ones for the 2007+ models, just not made by SCT. On top of the extra power, especially off the line, the least MPG she's gotten so far on the 87 tune is 13.5 MPG, and thats almost completely in city driving. She even managed 15 MPG once. Will be exciting to see highway driving.

EDIT: I cannot compare it with the Navigator or Expedition personally, but I can compare it with the Chevrolet equivalents, like the Suburban. The GM products look very nice from the outside, the wife initially was really interested in those. But I have a natural tendency to stay away from Government Motors products, and the interiors were not nearly as nice (for the same model years, and even a little newer) as the wife's Durango. The interior felt like it was from the same era as the late 1st Gen Durangos. Nothing wrong with those Durangos at all, but a 2006 Chevy or 2007 Chevy should not feel like a 2001 or 2002.

 

The 2006 front ends are different than the 2007-2009 models,
FF