My son's looking at the 2007/2008 Calibers as a used car. I'm seeing troubling posts online about quality and reliability - such as at kbb or edmunds - that make me hesitant to recommend the Caliber, even though it has some nice features. I've had a number of Chrysler products over the years, have two now.

Would you recommend the Caliber to a friend who was looking for used cars, or would you tell him/her to stay away from it?

Any opinions appreciated!

 

hardly see any expensive problems like engine and trans.
it does have a lot of small annoyance. problemss like Front end suspension, Windows, headlights, rattles and squeaks are pretty common.


If it makes u feel better, most of the Problem i've seen on Caliber are not "Needs repair immediately!" type. for example, if Struts are blown, you can still drive the car with a clunky ride.

They are not the worst car out in the market in terms of quality, neither would I say they r the best.
If they give u a great deal compare to a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla, I would go for the Caliber instead.

 

I bought a used 2007 Caliber R/T in Dec. 2009 with around 30K miles on it. I'm near 55K now and have had absolutely zero issues with reliability. The green lights in the cup holders went out but I was able to fix that. As far as everything else it's been perfect. I average 30mpg as of right now and it has some power too, which is nice. A lot of 30mpg cars have no power. I'm sure it has a lot to do with who owned it and how they treated it, that's key. The Caliber is a nice car. I hope you catch a good one!

 

Other than a leaky front strut, ours has been trouble free as well.

 

Issues will usually start to crop up at around 50,000 miles (80,000km), I had an extended warranty on my 2007 to 100,000km, and used it to replace both front suspension lower arms (a $1500 job) and tie rods. At 115,000km the front struts are beginning to leak very slightly, the engine is strong and quiet, no oil burning, transmission is still working great (changed the fluid once). A 4-wheel alignment made a HUGE improvement to the driving. If it is maintained properly the car should be good for a few more years of trouble-free service.

 

I wouldn't be scared to buy another one. I'll be driving the wife's tomorrow and Friday to work. It's about an 80 mile round trip. I usually get at least 32mpg on the highway.

 

I have a 2007 at 111,000 and I have been having trouble with the engine light going on. Will be bringing it back for the fifth time. If the choice is between the 07 or 08 Id go with the 08. They never recalled the camshaft which is part of the engine. From posts and research I have seen multiple owners with the same problem and more so.