Hi All,

I'm planning on buying a Durango in the next few weeks. I have a 2006 300C and am pleased with the Hemi. I'm retiring a 2002 Chev Venture with little value for the Durango. I'd like to buy a used 2011 or 2012 Hemi Durango but there isn't much inventory here in Toronto. Also, the used pricing here seems very arbitrary/confusing.

I like the Hemi on the 300C for passing on the way to the cottage.

I don't need the Hemi on the 300C for day to day driving (under 10K per year city outside of ~10 cottage trips).

Now, I WANT the Hemi, but, would you consider the performance difference significant given the above?

I know this is subjective but thoughts would be appreciated.

BTW - I'm a member of the Chrysler 300 forum and notice that there seems to be much more participation from members. Perhaps that's a product of greater ownership numbers. Please don't take this as a negative. Perhaps I'm not verbalizing my posts in the best way.

Thanks.

 

I would try driving them back to back and form your own opinion. I did that with the wrx and wrx sti. Not right of a difference on a day to day to justify 8k. Plus for the 8k on that car I could really have fun. I have the hemi, and like it, but if it's a day to day vehicle, you may be better off with the v6 and get better mpgs.

 

Thanks DW. I've driven both but just test drives over a short period. A few blocks of city, a few exits on the highway. I'm wondering if renting the 3.6 for a cottage weekend will answer my question. I keep coming back to the Hemi as a want, not a need.

Maybe more to the point, should my car have a Hemi but my SUV doesn't? That's my own issue though

Cost is also less of a concern. The difference between a 5.7 and 3.6 is generally within a few thousand in the 2011-2012 used vehicles.

As an addition to my note above, used costs here are quite confusing (and I sold cars way back when). For instance, on AutoTrader today, they show a 2011 Crew 3.6 AWD loaded with 10K at $49,998 and next up is a 2012 Citadel 5.7 at $46,995 with only 55kms new (not 55K).

I spoke to a used car manager and he hemmed and hawed about cost vs. selling blah blah. Book value (Canadian) is in the low $30's for both.

 

Only perk you get with the Pentastar is the eight speed automatic, and AS I look at my watch and question why Dodge did not offer every drive train option from the get go, IE hemi with the eight speed automtic, Im kinda lossing interest in the complete Ram line up, esp when thiers talk ( and talk) of a diesel option in the 1500 Ram.

All great ideals to keep me hanging on, but until the bacon is in my frying pan, Yawn Yawn for Dodge..

AS A non hemi MDS owner, I'm happy with this engine and for my applications, I really don't consider this engine as being hard on flue.

The pentastar will more than handel light duty truck tasks but until thiers a hemi with the eight speed to compare, its really not worth questioning as you have half a choice...

 

Lol I was in a similar boat as you, v6 would do, but the Hemi would be better. I decided I'd rather not regret getting the smaller engine and bit the bullet on the Hemi. I'm happy with it so it was a good choice.Also look into new vehicles as well. For me, when I bought mine there wasn't much of a difference in price and with interest my end out of pocket (after 5 years) was only about 1k $ different. Interest is cheaper on a new vehicle.

 

Getting off topic a bit, I can't find more than 3 or 4 Hemis in the 2011-2012 years used within 50kms of me available. My van is on last legs (no working AC, shot suspension, horrible brake squeal etc...). Used car manager told me he hasn't seen an RT all year (I'd like the RT). Seems all 5.7's are corporate cars. I'm fine with up to 45kms used (that's where I bought my 2006 300C used and I'm still not at 100kms). First time I've had to deal with lack of inventory used.

 

Durango with the new 3.0 Diesel!

 

Thanks again DW and Cyclone. Interest is cheaper on new but the depreciation value on a 2011/2012 more than offsets the difference. I long for the days of North American leasing where they pumped up the residual to make your monthly payment work. I can still buy a new European/Asian car at 0% for 4 yrs but I'm stuck at 4.99% on a used domestic. Makes sense from the financer view though. Love when I talk to a manager and they offer me $849 monthly on new when I've given them a budget of $600 used

 

Harv,

The 2012 R/T's are great vehicles and a high trim level, one step up from the Citadel; therefore it may be difficult to find one on a dealer lot, especially since they are barely a year old. If you are still looking you can check out dealer inventory at:

www.dodge.ca
click: "search inventory" at the top of the page and search dealers in your area by submitting your postal code.

If you have questions or would like any assistance please PM me and I'd be happy to help.

 

I allways buy new, for the sake of ownership and Depreation, I find its more on two to three year old used cars or trucks that the dealership is marking up and the banks are inflatting intrest rates so your all ways up side down, and worried abought the Big D..

If you have cash in Hand, it makes more sense to buy a used product out right.

The bigger ticket is factering in how much you spend in your life time just to own a set of 4 wheels carring a engine.

When I look at the money I have spent up grading into a depracating asset, Thiers no way in hell I can justify adding 50 grand or so for a new CTD Ram, Thats putting me well over 300 grand in my life time for wheels.

Its not like im getting anything back on my trades in this process..

If money and depraction keeps you up at night, pay cash on a gently used set of wheels and sleep at night.

If your worried that that gently used set of wheels had a orgy night out on prom night, buy new and sleep at night knowing its all yours!!