Hey guys, my last car got totaled and I've been looking around for a new car. I came across this nice '02 stratus r/t and I've been trying to do some research before I go check it out and/or buy it. The car has 140K and it's listed at $3995.

I've read around a little and it seems the automatic transmission and engine failure due to oil sludge are the most common issues. Maybe not, but I was hoping you guys might be able to help out. I just want to know what I'm getting myself into beforehand.

It's being sold from a dealer so I hope to get a carfax but I doubt they'll be a history of any work done to the car or any real knowledge of it so let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

 

No oil sludge issues with the 3.0. The only thing you need to make sure of on the 6G72 is that the timing belt and water pump have been replaced.

As far as the Automatic transmission is concerned, there is a little wave ring that fails, and it can destroy the trans. There is an upgrade part, but its a matter of pulling the transmission and installing the new wave ring. I have talked with a few people whos strats have over 130k and never had any wave ring issues, but there are a few that had issues at 115k. You might be in the clear.

 

Alright thanks for the info man. What's wrong with the timing belt and water pump on these?

 

Nothing really wrong with them, buts they're supposed to be changed at regular intervals. Its recommended to change the water pump when you do the timing belt, because the water pump sits behind the timing belt, and since they go bad, might as well replace it when you have everything apart. Most of the time, its the hydraulic timing belt tensioner that fails. (If anything were to go bad there)

 

Shouldn't the pump last a little longer than the belts? Also I read somewhere that you should you premium fuel in the r/t. This sounds like complete crap to me but is there any reasoning behind this? My last car took premium but it was supercharged. The stratus is not supercharger or turbocharged though.

 

The pump will last longer than the belts, but most people change it as a precautionary, since you have to remove the timing belt to get to it anyways.

Im not sure how important it is to put premium in the V6. I have a 4cyl and it doesnt 'require' it. On the fuel doors of the R/T's and the Eclipse GT's (same car) there is a sticker inside that says "Premium Fuel only". I dont have an idea of how necessary it is though.

 

My sisters z3 also says "premium only", but she's been running regular 87 in it for the past couple years, to no ill effect. It probably doesn't perform quite as well as it [could], but unless you're racing it, the computer will be able to compensate the difference.
Try running the less expensive fuel, and if it's pinging, move up to the next one, if not, than you're good where you are.