YellowDuck Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Took delivery of our 2014 RT today. Pretty much loaded - third row seating, sound and nav package, DVD, sunroof, tow kit, all that stuff. Drives very nice and I am surprised at how quickly I am catching on to the dozens of functions on the touch screen. I even got the voice control stuff down right away. At first it is a bit overwhelming but it all works logically and you learn fast. My wife had her phone paired via Bluetooth within seconds of entering the car. Nice. I'll bet we get addicted to the satellite radio and end up subscribing after the free first year expires. Heated steering wheel - the best feature I never knew I wanted. I took it for a bit of a drive (or course) and even spent some time on snow and gravel. Worked very nicely - no idea if the AWD ever kicked in or not. Power adjustable seats are sweet. I love how they designed the power lumbar support mechanism. My only (sort of) disappointment is with the paint. It looks to be good quality, but I noticed that the plastic bumper covers are not a perfect match to the rest of the body - they are half a shade darker. It wasn't noticeable on the lot when the car was still filthy from being transported, but of course they cleaned it up perfectly for delivery and now the difference is pretty apparent. This is the fancy $300 optional "pearl white" colour. It's pretty but if this colour matching is typical I wouldn't recommend it to others. I'll report back now and again as we get some miles on the thing. The real test for me will be this spring when we hit the always wash-board-y road into the cottage. Our Jeep Wrangler didn't deal so well with that - with the solid axles at both ends it would get dancing around pretty good. I expect the Journey to be better with its more car-like suspension. Cheers! YD Potlicquor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolly Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Congratulations on your new Journey. You're right about the satellite radio, we did a long road trip in the spring and we loved it. A little tip if and when you want to renew, call them and ask to speak to a supervisor when they will only give you a small discount. I haggled until I got it for a little over $100.00. They originally wanted $225.00. Potlicquor and af3ll 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDuck Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Thanks Rolly. ...... Geez, remote start....how cool is that? Understand, I have not bought a truly "new" car since 2001, so this stuff kind of impresses me. Potlicquor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Welcome to the forum! Potlicquor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Heated steering wheel - the best feature I never knew I wanted. Right on about that - LOVE that feature. Kills me to get back in my 300M and lay my hands on that cold, wood rimmed wheel which I used to love so much... Potlicquor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to Dodge Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Welcome to the forum. Pearl White is pretty nice, mine still looks new after a good wash (which occurs less often as time goes on) . I have noticed a few spots on my rear bumper that just wont come off but other than that I have been pleased with the white. I cant say I have noticed a difference in color but now that you have mentioned it I will give a look after its next wash. Good luck with your Journey. Potlicquor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Dude Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Congrats, and hope it serves many years of service! Potlicquor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 alot of different plastic bumpers and other color coded plastics sometimes dont match 100% white seems to be one of them my 2011 bumpers look just a little off also. i worked in the van factory in st louis and that is the way they come into the factory from the venders... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDuck Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Update - We are having an especially wintery winter here in southern Ontario and I have to say that the AWD system on the RT is a real pleasure. The street where we live gets plowed only occasionally and so it is almost always covered in snow underlain with compacted snow / ice. Every now and again just for fun I accelerate hard from a stop (when there are no other cars around) just to see what the Journey will do with the situation. Amazing. Better than our Wrangler in 4WD even (not sure how that is possible). The Journey just digs in and goes. Having that capability automatically available is so nice - eliminates the need for constant decision making on the part of the driver to turn AWD on or off as conditions change, and also eliminates the chance of doing an oopsie and leaving 4WD engaged after you get on the (dry) highway. It's the right kind of AWD system for our needs, whereas the Wrangler is really overkill for us. I had an engine light come on very briefly leaving the parking lot at the ski hill yesterday. It went out on its own after less than a minute, so according to the owner's manual it seems like this is not something I should worry about. Even so, I will likely have them check the code when I get the first oil change done. jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Update - We are having an especially wintery winter here in southern Ontario and I have to say that the AWD system on the RT is a real pleasure. The street where we live gets plowed only occasionally and so it is almost always covered in snow underlain with compacted snow / ice. Every now and again just for fun I accelerate hard from a stop (when there are no other cars around) just to see what the Journey will do with the situation. Amazing. Better than our Wrangler in 4WD even (not sure how that is possible). The Journey just digs in and goes. Having that capability automatically available is so nice - eliminates the need for constant decision making on the part of the driver to turn AWD on or off as conditions change, and also eliminates the chance of doing an oopsie and leaving 4WD engaged after you get on the (dry) highway. It's the right kind of AWD system for our needs, whereas the Wrangler is really overkill for us. I had an engine light come on very briefly leaving the parking lot at the ski hill yesterday. It went out on its own after less than a minute, so according to the owner's manual it seems like this is not something I should worry about. Even so, I will likely have them check the code when I get the first oil change done. Cant say it enough. Get yourself a code scanner. Dealer will charge you @100 to read that code. You can buy a scanner for cheap these days and check the code yourself without having to go to the dealer. PapaG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDuck Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Cant say it enough. Get yourself a code scanner. Dealer will charge you @100 to read that code. You can buy a scanner for cheap these days and check the code yourself without having to go to the dealer. Good advice. Been meaning to get one for years. Will do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windancer Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Worked very nicely - no idea if the AWD ever kicked in or not. Is it not full time AWD? Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDuck Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 (edited) The way I understand it, it normally functions as FWD, but power can be transmitted to the rear wheels as needed according to the sensors. Lots of electronics and software controlling the whole deal. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/borgwarner-all-wheel-drive-system-featured-in-2009-dodge-journey-57406827.html Edited January 20, 2014 by YellowDuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windancer Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 The way I understand it, it normally functions as FWD, but power can be transmitted to the rear wheels as needed according to the sensors. Lots of electronics and software controlling the whole deal. I only have a 2010 and they may have changed it but I believe it is always full time AWD, but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windancer Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 (edited) I only have a 2010 and they may have changed it but I believe it is always full time AWD, but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. Yellow Duck I just talked to my dealer and we are probably both right but maybe more you .......Yes when we drive down the highway even though it is a AWD you are correct that only the front wheels are producing any power but the rear wheels will produce power immediately upon any front wheel loss of power. You are correct power can be transmitted to the rear wheels as needed according to the sensors. Lots of electronics and software controlling the whole deal. Sorry for any confusion.... Terry Edited January 21, 2014 by Windancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDuck Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Update at 1200 km. Only been a few weeks but the car has been driven plenty. My wife and I kind of fight a bit about who gets to take it each morning, but that will be resolved soon as her new job will include a pretty fancy company car. One of our main priorities for this car was that it should be comfortable on long trips (at least compared to our Wrangler Unlimited - not a high bar to clear). It certainly is all of that. Just such a nice place to be with the heated leather seats, separate rear entertainment system (with wireless headphones), light coming in the sunroof, sat radio - what a pleasure. It continues to work great in this very wintery winter. Probably 85% of our driving so far has been on roads that are either completely or partially snow-covered. Even with the OEM all-season radials it is just fine. I imagine with proper snow tires it would be a real mountain goat. The electric steering provides practically no feedback, which increases comfort but prevents one from treating it like a performance car. This is a non-issue for me but I could see how an aggressive / sporty driver would be disappointed. Not sure why such a driver would buy a 3-row crossover though.... Personally, I find with all of the electronic driving controls (AWD, traction control, stability control, ABS), in the snow I just point the car where I want it to go, give it moderate throttle and let the computers figure out how to make it happen. A different way to drive for me, but very effective. No problems to report at all. I am finally accustomed to the whole keyless ignition thing. That took a while but I do love it. Fuel economy has been kinda crap. First tankful was terrible but the dealer warned me to expect that. Second tank was better but still nowhere near what I would hope for based on the ratings. I attribute this to some extent to the fact that we are driving on snowy roads most of the time. On one dry highway run the fuel consumption was pretty good (9.2 L / 100 km), so I am hoping that that is indicative of what to expect. rolly and Addicted to Dodge 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolly Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 I can attest to the comfort on long trips. We drove over 13,500 kilometres on a trip through the U.S. and Canada in the spring of 2013 and it was a treat. The gas mileage will steadily improve as the mileage increases. We now have over 36,000 kilometres on our Journey and I'm still enjoying every minute behind the wheel, even with all the snow we're experiencing this winter. I'm lucky I don't have to compete with anyone to get to drive this great vehicle. Wishing you continued safe and happy motoring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Update at 1200 km. It continues to work great in this very wintery winter. Probably 85% of our driving so far has been on roads that are either completely or partially snow-covered. Even with the OEM all-season radials it is just fine. I imagine with proper snow tires it would be a real mountain goat. The electric steering provides practically no feedback, which increases comfort but prevents one from treating it like a performance car. This is a non-issue for me but I could see how an aggressive / sporty driver would be disappointed. Not sure why such a driver would buy a 3-row crossover though.... Personally, I find with all of the electronic driving controls (AWD, traction control, stability control, ABS), in the snow I just point the car where I want it to go, give it moderate throttle and let the computers figure out how to make it happen. A different way to drive for me, but very effective. Probably the most accurate statement I have read in a long time concerning these cars. Let the car do its thing. I wonder how many less complaints there would be if everyone adopted this attitude. rolly, Addicted to Dodge and Journeyman425 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Probably the most accurate statement I have read in a long time concerning these cars. Let the car do its thing. I wonder how many less complaints there would be if everyone adopted this attitude. Amen to that! jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 The electric steering provides practically no feedback, which increases comfort but prevents one from treating it like a performance car. This is a non-issue for me but I could see how an aggressive / sporty driver would be disappointed. Not sure why such a driver would buy a 3-row crossover though.... Fuel economy has been kinda crap. First tankful was terrible but the dealer warned me to expect that. Second tank was better but still nowhere near what I would hope for based on the ratings. I attribute this to some extent to the fact that we are driving on snowy roads most of the time. On one dry highway run the fuel consumption was pretty good (9.2 L / 100 km), so I am hoping that that is indicative of what to expect. The power steering system in the Journey is still a belt driven hydraulic pump. Electric power steering is standard on the new Cherokee with the 3.2 V6. The gear was substantially revised a couple of years ago and virtually all internal friction was removed, which makes it feel more like an electric setup. I agree about the relative lack of feedback. My 300M provides much more communication to the driver about what the front tires are doing. Makes for more confident snow driving for sure - my wife commented about it also. I love the smoothness of the Journey's steering and the quickness of its response, but it does lack some feedback. In NY, "winter blend" fuels are used to lower cold engine emissions. Are such fuels used in Canada? Between that, the inherent drop in fuel economy from higher friction, thicker oil, richer fuel mixtures and the tendency to remote start and warm the vehicle up, our fuel economy average is off by about 4-5 MPG. Re-evaluate it six months from now for a better overall picture. jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtsr Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Yes winter gas formulation is used in Canada and as expected it does lower mpg in a similar amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDuck Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Thanks Journeyman and bigstr - great info! I figured the steering was electric just based on the feel.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cskmom Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 Cant say it enough. Get yourself a code scanner. Dealer will charge you @100 to read that code. You can buy a scanner for cheap these days and check the code yourself without having to go to the dealer. Please advice on which one to get and where from...i.e. ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDuck Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I just got one off of ebay but I have't used it yet so can't comment on its quality. I think I paid 19.99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2013R/T Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Welcome from a fellow R/T owner in New Mexico.. regarding the code scanner i believe local parts store does this service for free. OBDII systems, they check for free/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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