Any Dodge Avenger Drivers?

Hamr Mark

Hamr Mark

TT Racer
So, I was at the dealership today getting oil, brakes etc etc done to the 2000 Jeep TJ. So I had time to wander onto the lot. I am not ready for a minivan, I have no use for a truck of any size so I started looking at the Calibers and Avengers. Took both the Avenger SXT and R/T out for a drive and the R/T wins hands down on power delivery, available power and finish, but loses on $$$, and is only available in leather seats, and as we are we talking family, leather seats are not baby friendly.

So, does anyone own, ride, has owned, etc a Avenger? Comments? Opinions? Yay or nay? Mileage on a tank? Fit & finish? Problems and/or issues?

FWIW: I am looking for a vehicle that will be able to carry a possible baby, possible dog, bass guitar gear, and Triumph odds and ends. Must get good mileage obviously as the Jeep only gets about 450kms (about 280 miles) per tank. I am not stuck on the Avenger but it did impress me.

Let's hear what you have to say.
 
Bonafide

Bonafide

NBR founder
I had a Dodge Intrepid for 6 yrs as a Patrol car ... biggest POS I've ever driven. Had to change the brakes at every oil change service, 4 radiators, 2 transmissions, cant count the number of batteries it ate. Just a big ol pile of poo.
 
nohawk

nohawk

Rocker
Dodge cars have not been getting very good reports regarding fit/finish and reliability as of late, if your gonna buy American I would look at the ford edge, I rented one last weekend and was impressed.
 
Hamr Mark

Hamr Mark

TT Racer
Bona: I have never been a fan of the Intrepids. Something about them just doesn't sit right with me. I was half-ass looking at the new Impala from a cop auction, but the guys (and girls) I have talked to say they hate them for police work and are going out of their way to push them to their limits so they can at least get the Crown Vics.

Hawk: The Edge looks to me to be almost to soccer mom-ish, which wouldn't be bad, but I am not in that stage yet.

The more you look the more you find right? The Malibu, Jeep Liberty, VW....when do you stop looking?
 
Kirkus51

Kirkus51

Hooligan
I've always been fond of Dodge Magnum Wagons. But I have no idea how reliable they are. I just think they're the best comprimise between minivans and sedans.
 
W

whyme

TT Racer
One of my friends had a Magnum with the big engine. He said it was a big piece of crap..traded it in on a Honda. He had a lot of the same problems we have with our Volvo. Eating up tires, tie rods, brakes, rotor wheel bearings. Also he had trans problems- all with under 30k miles. They cheap out on beefing up all of the components to carry the heavier weight and power of the cars. I could have bought a tire factory with all of the money I spent on tires for our Volvo. My first and last Volvo.
 
Bonafide

Bonafide

NBR founder
Kirkus51 said:
I've always been fond of Dodge Magnum Wagons. But I have no idea how reliable they are.
Click to expand...

There's a couple PDs here in the ATL that are using them for their K9 unit. Same issues as my Increpid. Brakes had to be upgraded right off the bat or deal with warped rators and pad replacement every 3k miles. Transmissions, radiators, and not sursprising it was just mentioned in the previous reply, front lower suspension parts constantly failing.

When the Charger hit full swing on production, Dodge stopped making the Magnum ... so it's another dead car. The Chargers are everywhere here as patrol units - biggest agency being the State Patrol. The Hemis haul ass - but brakes are still a major complaint. The complaints about the transmissions is it has a long pause when shifting from drive to reverse to drive (doing a flip in the road). Says it'll leave you sitting in the roadway - sideways - waiting for the transmission to go back into gear (electronically controlled).

I like my Ford Crown Vic - tried and true - and you can fit at least 5 or 6 bodies in the trunk. Ford is closing down production on the CV. Right now they're only selling CVs to police agencies. Their new 'police car' is suppose to be revealed this coming spring.
 
DandyDoug

DandyDoug

750cc
I'm liking the new to the USA , Ford, Transit Connect. Wonder if a Bonneville would fit inside ??

Anybody got one and tried it ??
 
mrt202

mrt202

Street Tracker
My GF drives an '08 Avenger. It seems like a decent car with no major issues with fit and finish or quality so far as i can tell. It has the weeny 4 banger in it and consequently is way underpowered, so mileage suffers from driving with the pedal nearly to the floor on the interstate. Not sure of the actual numbers but definitely not great on gas. The seats are made for a really narrow ass too! It has lots of bells and whistles though, like heated seats, telescopic steering wheel, etc,. and it looks decent. It's not terribly expensive to buy one either. Overall i'd say it's a decent chick car or budget ride.
 
D

drlapo

Hooligan
the ony cars I have had problems with were a 74 Dodge van, a 98 Mustang GT (very bad car)and every Honda or Acura piece of crap I have ever come in contact with ( from the same people who brought you Pearl Harbor)
 
B

bkiser

Scooter
I believe that the Avenger has been recognized as having the worst resale value among new cars. But, if you want to drive it forever (will the quality allow that?) or are buying used, it shouldn't matter much. I will say, though, that I always thought leather seats were better for kids than cloth...much easier to clean.
 
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