https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...nsmission.html

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Normally, I wouldn't put much stock into reports on forums, and BigDiesel's report here might just be poor diagnosing by the dealer he goes to, but this is a common issue popping up lately and not just with the Durango. The new 200 also has reports of some transmission problems according to the media reviews from the Louisville media day, which Chrysler stated to them was a software problem that they were working on fixing before production. I have family members and close friends that work at Chrysler or are suppliers for Chrysler, some of whom even worked on the development of the Chrysler built 8 speed (845RE). When they are the ones telling me to opt for the a V8 Durango and the V6 Chrysler 200, I take that advice seriously.

A friend even shared a story of some Chrysler built 8 speeds that allow you to shift from D to R at 40 mph. Hopefully, it'll all be a thing of the past with the new ZF plant in South Carolina opening up and the new Chrysler Tipton plant. IMO, they really can't afford to get it wrong at this point as old perceptions die hard and any ongoing issues with the new transmissions will kill them. These suckers are expensive to fix and replace. God help you if you need a new one and you're out of warranty.

 

(MCFARL58)quote. Your hemi may run fine forever on 87 or it may not. Are you willing to take that chance to save $4?

Even without knocking, you will likely see a decrease in performance and efficiency with regular gas and may cancel out the savings due to the poor fuel efficiency/mileage.[/QUOTE]

Your hemi will run fine forever on 87. (knock sensor) Any knocking you experience will be corrected within a tank or 2 of running regular. This is not 1980 and ALL vehicles must be able to run on 87. Albeit some high compression performance engines will lose power but that's it. Your hemi engines recommended 89 is there only to attain advertised power figures NOT as a SAFETY mechanism. Take a pole and I bet you see 20% or more hemi engines using 87 everyday. Costco doesn't even have 89 here in Cali and I've yet to see any Durango or Ram pumping 91 except for me with my interceptor. Gas is $4.15 for 87 here

 

I have 180,000 miles on a hemi ram using 87 octane. Book says 89 recommend 87 acceptable. Truck runs great. Only changed spark plugs once as well.

My 14 V6 will NOT shift into reverse from drive while moving forward. I tried. Shifter **** will not turn.

I find the Eco shift pattern slightly annoying in town, low throttle situations. But I will get used to it.

 

Well, I finally drove both of these transmissions. The V6 is surprisingly quick off the line, and almost makes the V8 seem slow. But the torque is definitely lacking. When you have to accelerate the V6 needs to drop several gears (which it does willingly), while the V8 will just go in whatever gear it's in. And on the highway every thing above 4th feels like an overdrive gear for the V6, while the V8 can accelerate in 7th. Compared with the old 5 speed, I'd say the V6 is now certainly acceptable. The big thing missing is the great tailpipe sound, and the guttural feeling of driving a V8. Is that worth 3K? Probably not if you're not towing anything.

 

I love my six the hemi would have been nice but not worth it for another 70hp. Just like anything else that's new, we adapt. You need to figure what you are going to do with your new vehicle and invest wisely. If you're not a street racer why a hemi.

 

I have owned both I had a 2014 jeep grand Cherokee overland v6 that I lemoned and I replaced it with my r/t. The v6 snapped off the line but after that my wife's Mazda 3 was faster. The 8 speed did a good job of keeping the rev's up as long as you turned eco mode off every time you get in the car my overall feeling was that engine is great for anything that weights less than 4k lbs. When I first jumped in the r/t the first I thought wasn't fast it was effortless it is not even trying to move this 5300 lbs truck around as far as gas mileage goes my jeep after driving for a year the gas mileage got better with eco off I was getting 20 driving around about 2 mpgs better than new my r/t is getting 17 in the same driving but I only have 700 miles on it so I expect that to improve to 18 or 19 after some driving. Loved that v6 but for 1-2mpgs less the v8 is a better choice just my thoughts