Want a '14? Don't Get the V6.
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Professional
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 154
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From: Tampa
Scottina11heat, I think you've lost the original point of this thread.
It was not to claim the 8-speed is junk. It was simply to point out to prospective buyers that there is a higher rate of anecdotal complaints with the Chrysler-built 8-speed / V6 combo than with the ZF-built 8-speed / V8 combo. I.e. multiple reports of rough shifting, exceedingly long throttle lag, etc.
It sounds like your '11 Durango had some unresolved issues and you may be trying to compare your 5-speed with problems with an 8-speed you luckily have no problems with. A bit unfair. My 5-speed exhibits none of othe problems you've cited with yours.
The '11s had software updates that forum posters have said absolutely changed the driving experience vastly for the better. Perhaps you never got those updates, or there were some hardware issues that the updates couldn't address. I assume the '14s will be equally successful with the software updates. But it may take a model year and/or multiple visits. Who needs that?
"Night and day"? I assume the vast majority of D drivers use them for daily family haulers like me and the 1-second decrease in 0-60 acceleration time will go pretty much unnoticed in everyday driving. It will surely be a little more brisk around town, but so what. To me it's more important that it shift smoothly and remain unnoticed.
So far, my '13 5-speed shifts perfectly smooth and stays unnoticed in everyday driving, save for the early upshift that is a trait of many trannies today. Including, according to the posters on the jeep forum, the new 8-speed. As long as it stays that way I don't care in the least about faster shifts or slightly better fuel economy (discussed further below) that may come with teething pains.
All I'm saying is that prospective buyers undecided between a leftover '13 and a fresh-off-the-line '14 should consider this issue before they pay thousands more for the '14.
Couple other points:
"owners are seeing upwards of 26-28 MPG's"
I saw the one guy in the GC forums who claimed that. Anyone can greatly exceed the EPA estimates if they maintain 55 mph for an entire tank. (tailwinds, downward grades, etc. don't hurt either). But look at fuelly.com. '13s are getting 18.2mpg on average (16 cars, 300 fill-ups). '14s are getting 18.8mpg on average (21 cars, 200 fill-ups). This pretty much matches what Consumer Reports reported. And that looks like a mere 3% increase in mileage to me.
"Just think the thread is silly since there is a VERY small percentage of 14's V6 owners even complaining."
You never answered my question: what's the percentage?
It was not to claim the 8-speed is junk. It was simply to point out to prospective buyers that there is a higher rate of anecdotal complaints with the Chrysler-built 8-speed / V6 combo than with the ZF-built 8-speed / V8 combo. I.e. multiple reports of rough shifting, exceedingly long throttle lag, etc.
It sounds like your '11 Durango had some unresolved issues and you may be trying to compare your 5-speed with problems with an 8-speed you luckily have no problems with. A bit unfair. My 5-speed exhibits none of othe problems you've cited with yours.
The '11s had software updates that forum posters have said absolutely changed the driving experience vastly for the better. Perhaps you never got those updates, or there were some hardware issues that the updates couldn't address. I assume the '14s will be equally successful with the software updates. But it may take a model year and/or multiple visits. Who needs that?
"Night and day"? I assume the vast majority of D drivers use them for daily family haulers like me and the 1-second decrease in 0-60 acceleration time will go pretty much unnoticed in everyday driving. It will surely be a little more brisk around town, but so what. To me it's more important that it shift smoothly and remain unnoticed.
So far, my '13 5-speed shifts perfectly smooth and stays unnoticed in everyday driving, save for the early upshift that is a trait of many trannies today. Including, according to the posters on the jeep forum, the new 8-speed. As long as it stays that way I don't care in the least about faster shifts or slightly better fuel economy (discussed further below) that may come with teething pains.
All I'm saying is that prospective buyers undecided between a leftover '13 and a fresh-off-the-line '14 should consider this issue before they pay thousands more for the '14.
Couple other points:
"owners are seeing upwards of 26-28 MPG's"
I saw the one guy in the GC forums who claimed that. Anyone can greatly exceed the EPA estimates if they maintain 55 mph for an entire tank. (tailwinds, downward grades, etc. don't hurt either). But look at fuelly.com. '13s are getting 18.2mpg on average (16 cars, 300 fill-ups). '14s are getting 18.8mpg on average (21 cars, 200 fill-ups). This pretty much matches what Consumer Reports reported. And that looks like a mere 3% increase in mileage to me.
"Just think the thread is silly since there is a VERY small percentage of 14's V6 owners even complaining."
You never answered my question: what's the percentage?
Captain
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 632
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HOLY NANO SECOND BATMAN!
almost seamless shifting on that 8. Didn't even jiggle the camera between shifts. Like one long gear. That's awesome bro. Still not sure it's worth the price if you can get $ 7-8k off on a 2013. In the SRT8 it's a must.
almost seamless shifting on that 8. Didn't even jiggle the camera between shifts. Like one long gear. That's awesome bro. Still not sure it's worth the price if you can get $ 7-8k off on a 2013. In the SRT8 it's a must.
Scottina11heat, I think you've lost the original point of this thread.
It was not to claim the 8-speed is junk. It was simply to point out to prospective buyers that there is a higher rate of anecdotal complaints with the Chrysler-built 8-speed / V6 combo than with the ZF-built 8-speed / V8 combo. I.e. multiple reports of rough shifting, exceedingly long throttle lag, etc.
It sounds like your '11 Durango had some unresolved issues and you may be trying to compare your 5-speed with problems with an 8-speed you luckily have no problems with. A bit unfair. My 5-speed exhibits none of othe problems you've cited with yours.
The '11s had software updates that forum posters have said absolutely changed the driving experience vastly for the better. Perhaps you never got those updates, or there were some hardware issues that the updates couldn't address. I assume the '14s will be equally successful with the software updates. But it may take a model year and/or multiple visits. Who needs that?
"Night and day"? I assume the vast majority of D drivers use them for daily family haulers like me and the 1-second decrease in 0-60 acceleration time will go pretty much unnoticed in everyday driving. It will surely be a little more brisk around town, but so what. To me it's more important that it shift smoothly and remain unnoticed.
So far, my '13 5-speed shifts perfectly smooth and stays unnoticed in everyday driving, save for the early upshift that is a trait of many trannies today. Including, according to the posters on the jeep forum, the new 8-speed. As long as it stays that way I don't care in the least about faster shifts or slightly better fuel economy (discussed further below) that may come with teething pains.
All I'm saying is that prospective buyers undecided between a leftover '13 and a fresh-off-the-line '14 should consider this issue before they pay thousands more for the '14.
Couple other points:
"owners are seeing upwards of 26-28 MPG's"
I saw the one guy in the GC forums who claimed that. Anyone can greatly exceed the EPA estimates if they maintain 55 mph for an entire tank. (tailwinds, downward grades, etc. don't hurt either). But look at fuelly.com. '13s are getting 18.2mpg on average (16 cars, 300 fill-ups). '14s are getting 18.8mpg on average (21 cars, 200 fill-ups). This pretty much matches what Consumer Reports reported. And that looks like a mere 3% increase in mileage to me.
"Just think the thread is silly since there is a VERY small percentage of 14's V6 owners even complaining."
You never answered my question: what's the percentage?
It was not to claim the 8-speed is junk. It was simply to point out to prospective buyers that there is a higher rate of anecdotal complaints with the Chrysler-built 8-speed / V6 combo than with the ZF-built 8-speed / V8 combo. I.e. multiple reports of rough shifting, exceedingly long throttle lag, etc.
It sounds like your '11 Durango had some unresolved issues and you may be trying to compare your 5-speed with problems with an 8-speed you luckily have no problems with. A bit unfair. My 5-speed exhibits none of othe problems you've cited with yours.
The '11s had software updates that forum posters have said absolutely changed the driving experience vastly for the better. Perhaps you never got those updates, or there were some hardware issues that the updates couldn't address. I assume the '14s will be equally successful with the software updates. But it may take a model year and/or multiple visits. Who needs that?
"Night and day"? I assume the vast majority of D drivers use them for daily family haulers like me and the 1-second decrease in 0-60 acceleration time will go pretty much unnoticed in everyday driving. It will surely be a little more brisk around town, but so what. To me it's more important that it shift smoothly and remain unnoticed.
So far, my '13 5-speed shifts perfectly smooth and stays unnoticed in everyday driving, save for the early upshift that is a trait of many trannies today. Including, according to the posters on the jeep forum, the new 8-speed. As long as it stays that way I don't care in the least about faster shifts or slightly better fuel economy (discussed further below) that may come with teething pains.
All I'm saying is that prospective buyers undecided between a leftover '13 and a fresh-off-the-line '14 should consider this issue before they pay thousands more for the '14.
Couple other points:
"owners are seeing upwards of 26-28 MPG's"
I saw the one guy in the GC forums who claimed that. Anyone can greatly exceed the EPA estimates if they maintain 55 mph for an entire tank. (tailwinds, downward grades, etc. don't hurt either). But look at fuelly.com. '13s are getting 18.2mpg on average (16 cars, 300 fill-ups). '14s are getting 18.8mpg on average (21 cars, 200 fill-ups). This pretty much matches what Consumer Reports reported. And that looks like a mere 3% increase in mileage to me.
"Just think the thread is silly since there is a VERY small percentage of 14's V6 owners even complaining."
You never answered my question: what's the percentage?
Ok...theres maybe 20-30...or hell even say 100 just for arguments sake on the jeep forum complaining about their V6 Jeep tranny....156,000 have been built through the end of July. Figure it up.....100 out of 156,000...LOL. Sorry J/K....my point was MOST people come to forums who are having trouble. I have ran that forum for 4 years...so I have experience with this subject. Very few are like us and just stay around to talk Jeeps or talk Dodge Durangos. They are there to solve or research a problem they are having. I don't know the exact percentage.....sorry. But since you seem to think the V6 8 speed is not trustworthy enough to buy according to this thread. So I would think you have a good idea of the numbers of problems per 1000 or 10000 V6 8 speeds? I was basing my opinion on what I see on the forums...its a small percentage IMHO. So where did you base your numbers on?
well...there are other improvements in the 14' think would be worthy.
oh...and my Durango was not "beat on" It was my wifes daily driver...commuter about 80 miles per day. She's the Vice pres. of the region for her company.....so she doesn't beat on her vehicles. We had almost 2 years and 28k miles of experience to report with this Durango. The tranny was clunky....that's a fact. It was pretty similar in my 13' SRT Jeep with the SAME tranny. I have owned 2...TWO vehicles with the Merc 5 speed.
