Scored a new (to me) ride

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Serj22

Serj22

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I was prowling craigslist for a while for a family type car, and finally sold the '74 Dart to my best buddy, who is going to love and restore it - and not cut it up.

Anyway, I was looking forever and a Durango caught my eye, but it was an hour and a half away in South SF. I took a chance and had my friend take me down there to look at it before it was sold since the price tag was only $1,600 for a '99. I couldn't let that go.

I got down there at about 6:30 it's already dark, it looks real nice just like the pictures in one of my favorite dodge colors. It's close to like Viper GTS blue. It's got a couple minor dents - whatever. I take it for a test drive for like 5 minutes and it was really loud in the front. The guy says the wheel bearing is no good, pulls out a stack of paperwork of all the dealership info - sure enough a recomendation to change the bearing. They have owned it since new, and single owners with all dealership service - had the transmission replaced, yada yada. I called my friend who owns 2 Durangos of the same vintage and he confirmed the wheel bearing is not a big deal and he's done it on both his cars which made the same sound. I felt ok with it, so I handed the guy $1,600 and drove it loudly home...

Just got the bearing in the mail and he's going to help me replace it - says he has a good quick method now to do it. I reg'd it fine, and it passed smog with flying colors, 171,000 miles on the clock.

The interior is also in excellent shape. But the heater doesn't work - trying to figure that one out.
 
I like 'em too
I'd have one if I could afford the gas. Up here gas at 1.35/liter is $4.91 USg, and you just know I'd want a 5.9 in it.

I wish they came in like; 3/4 scale, or 3200 pounds.
 
The little heads up mileage counter says it is averaging 13mpg. I just sold the '74 Dart that got 12, with a 318, that we drove around all the time, so it's essentially a little better. This car is comfortable, and the 3rd row seats are perfect for the life at the moment. I'm so far really digging the rig. My favorite modern car I've owned so far.

And I still have the '68 Turbo Dart for myself. This is more family purpose vehicle.
 
I like the early ones like that but the later ones are butt fugly. The heater cores are bad about stopping up. Ain't a walk in the park to replace either.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I like the early ones like that but the later ones are butt fugly. The heater cores are bad about stopping up. Ain't a walk in the park to replace either.
Click to expand...

I'll have to take a look into the core. I've read up on people flushing them out to try and fix this issue, but a lot of the same info also says it doesn't yield results. I figured the cores were hard to swap because they're so cheap - at $35.00 a pop there had to be a catch. I'm sort of hoping it's some kind of switch issue, but that's wishful thinking.

I feel like the newer ones after the first gen they were going for more of a minivan look or to make it look more like a ram. I'm not fond of it either.
 
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