Tom Duhamel

It is the 4-cylinder engine, yes. As mentioned in an earlier post, I did not have a choice, other than the color, as the car is actually provided and payed by the company I work for. No, I did the oil change at Canadian Tire, a major chain of general garage in Canada. I always did business there, for all the vehicles that I owned or were put under my responsibilities. Price is not a reason, as the company pays for the maintenance. It is rather the service quality that is a concern for me. At a dealer in my area, I would need to take a rendez-vous 2 weeks in advance for a simple oil change, which is not acceptable to me (I drive 5000 km a month on average, with unpredictable peaks, so I cannot predict when I will need a service, or even be available to get one). On the other hand, I can show up in any Canadian Tire at any time or any day and I get my service within two hours, and often they service my car minutes after my arrival. Actually, with my previous vehicle, a Dodge Caravan (also provided by the company I work for), I tried at several occasions over the course of a year to get a service from a dealer, and actually never did because of an unacceptable delay. I can only hope they give a better service elsewhere. If I ever get my car at a dealer, that would be for a major situation. I don't know if they offer a free oil change or any deal, but my company never complained even if I never got my car serviced there.

33 yo male, single father of a 9yo boy, Montréal, QC I don't personally own the Journey, and I certainly wouldn't need it for personal use. It is provided by the company as we need a vehicle to move our teams of 4-5 people around the town, plus large equipment. It just happens that the car is mine at all times as long as I keep the job, and it does have a purpose outside the job too (a friend really appreciated the help that the Journey and I provided as she moved out last week-end). Basically, I work for a large convenience store, and I am a supervisor/driver in the internal inventory service. So we have to move around from store to store. I have the 7-seat option, but we never use the third row seats. Employees prefer to pack on the second row seats instead. With the third row down, we have more than enough cargo space for all the material that we need to carry around: 3 stepladders (3 steps, not the kitchen kind) and two large heavy bags.

There isn't a day which I don't see at least one, here in Montréal. It has became popular quickly, apparently. Those that I see are mostly 2010, I rarely see any 2011 other than mine. I'm going to see a lot more of them in the near future. I was the first one of the company to get one, but already a colleague got the second one, and two more are already on order and will be received in late August (or it is possible that they will have to wait for the 2012, as the dealer said he had problems getting any more 2011).

Good evening, When I received my Journey 3 months ago (2011 SE, 7 seats) I posted about it 2 days later with my first impressions. Now, after 12,000 km and just out of the garage for my first oil change, here I am again with my updated comments. I would invite you to go see the post in question. In that other post, I had three complaints/problems. 1- I said I had a problem with the right 2nd row seat which would not slide, either to adjust position for the passenger or to allow access to the 3rd row, and I explained how I fixed it. Now I wanted to say that I never had any further problem with the seat. After a while, it becomes easier to slide actually. It became routine to me. However, I must say that my 9yo is still unable to fold and slide the seat himself to get at the back or to get out. None of my passengers is able to do it by themselves until I show them how to do, and even then they are unable to do it easily. I got accustomed to it, but it's definitely not as easy as advertised. And adult that really want to get accustomed will find it easy eventually, but kids will need help all the time. 2- I also mentioned about the central screen that went blank on the very first day. Well, it does it frequently. I found that it does that when I start then engine after the car has been idle on accessories for a while, like when I'm listening to the radio while waiting for someone. It doesn't do it every times, but i notice it only does that in that particular situation. As I am idling all the time with the radio on waiting for passengers, I happen to get this problem often. I would say, maybe once every 10 times. The only solution is to shut the engine and start it again. As I don't always notice immediately, often I need to apply this solution while waiting on a red light (that must look funny for the driver behind me). While this problem is not dramatic, I have not music and I cannot adjust the temperature while the screen is blank (though I can adjust fans speed using the hard button). I have the smaller 4.3 version, and I have not seen anyone else mention this problem here, so maybe I am the only one. 3- I also reported the problem that all other Canadians complain about. The speed indicator always returns to MPH upon starting the engine, after it has been off. (Leaving the car idling on accessories leaves the IVIC on, and thus it does not return to MPH.) I can switch it back to KM/h with the push of a single button, and I must admit that hitting that button has become part of my routine (Start engine - Check warning indicators - Check fuel level - Turn on lights - Switch to KM/h). Sometimes I forget, and I realize later when driving (as a good driver, I know my approximate speed without looking at the dash, so I immediately notice as the number doesn't match my expectation). A friend of mine, which is currently learning to drive, practices with me on week-ends. At one time, I mentioned that she was over speeding, and she only realized at that moment that she forgot to switch to KM/h. This situation shows that it is a potential danger for some drivers, in particular new drivers that are yet unable to evaluate their speed by eye. So that is for the problems that I had previously posted. Now a few more, small problems which I noticed after driving the Journey for a while. I initially thought that the car had little power and that the automatic transmission was weird. I still think that. However, I noticed a dramatic improvement in both power and fuel consumption after about 2000 km. That would, apparently, be the break in point (if there is such a term). After thinking fuel consumption of 12 L/100 km was huge, after the 2000 km I noticed that my average was now around 10.5, and it has not changed since. It is slightly better after long highway runs (down to 9.5 in extreme cases, but usually more around 10), and slightly higher when I need to spend a day in the traffic of the city (up to 11, consistently). I think these figures are acceptable for this kind of vehicle, but I will admit I have little experience with similar cars. Engine power is really the minimal acceptable to me. When I'm empty, I think the car has much more power than I actually need, but with four passengers (five when you count me in) and the cargo area full of all that I need for my job, I find that acceleration is slow, I feel that the engine takes a long time to gain enough power for my tastes. However, once the car has gain speed, I don't feel any problem anymore. One particular situation which I find it is a problem is when entering a highway. Getting from 50 to 100 km/h before entering the highway is often a problem, when the acceleration lane is short. I made it a habit to turn to semi-automatic in these cases to help, and it does indeed helps a lot. If I had a choice, I would go with the 3.6 L engine. Of course, this is not going to be a problem for everyone, it really depends on your needs. In my case, I have a full car 90% of the time because of my job. I think the vertical bar that separate the windshield from the front doors is to width. Perhaps this will not be a problem for everyone, since depending on your height and your position, it might not be in your field of view at all. However, to me, the bar is so large that it is often a problem in the city, when you need to watch for walkers, cyclists and other cars on intersections. I don't know whey they had to make it this large. The Caravan does not have this problem. I would say it is the only problem I have with visibility with this car however, because I love the overall sight that you get on the outside. It is easy to see everywhere around you, except for that spot behind the large bar. One problem which I only noticed recently is the position of the front flashers. I noticed after a while that in heavy traffic the drivers to my sides did not seem to care about my intention to change lines. After it bugged me for a while, I let the flasher on while I was packed and went outside the car to see for myself how easy it was to see the flasher from a car on the side. I found out it was completely impossible to see the flasher if you are not in front of the car. The flashers are located on the inside of the head lights, so they cannot be seen from the side. Normally, the front flashers are on the outside, so they are very visible to the driver directly beside you, and if they are polite they would help you change lane. Now that I know, my attitude is different. I know I need to wait for a car behind me to let me go, because the one beside me has no idea of my intentions. I don't know who at Dodge thought that location was better than the more common one, but I hope he was moved to the department where they design tire valve caps. I hope this post didn't sound to negative. I realize I only had negative points to raise, as all the good points were already raised in my earlier post. I really love my Journey. It's a large vehicle that drives much like a large car, rather than a truck as is the case for the Caravan. Controls are excellent, brakes are very comfortable and efficient once you get used to them (which takes a few hours at worse). Seats are extremely comfortable, I can drive for hours without the need for a walk. Fuel tank is large, which means less stops to the gas station (though it means a larger bill at each stop). I passed the 12,000 km mark yesterday, which means the "oil change" signal went off for the first time. Today was my first time at the garage. A funny situation occurred when the guy came with my bill and asked how to reset the signal. I laughed and suggested that he checked the owner's manual. He said he did, but he did not understand English. It is only at that point that I realized that the manual is only in English, no French (which I believe is illegal here in Québec). After a spending a few minutes, I located the place where it says how to do. I will remember the procedure, and I'm sure he will. He admitted that the procedure is very similar to other cars, and that he tried all the methods that he learned from other cars, but it was the first time that he encountered a car with a "push to start" button. If you ever get into this situation, here is the method, so that you look smarter than the garage person: 1- Turn the ignition to run by pushing the start button twice, but without pressing the brake, so that the engine does not start 2- Press the accelerator three times within 10 seconds 3- Turn the ignition to off Now my English skill made me smarter than a 30 year experience mechanic. Tom

Under Vehicle Info, it shows Oil Temp, Coolant Temp, Transm. Temp, and engine hours. Something I had not noticed before, I can see tire pressure for all four tires independently. Ok, those information could be useful at some moments, just not the majority of the time. Under normal condition, speed (with big digits) is the only real information to show. I noticed a little issue this morning. As I was using the vehicle for its normal purpose for the first time (that is, to take employees from the rendez-vous point to our place of work), when I opened my door the other doors did not unlock. I have set that so that all doors will unlock, and that worked all week-end. However, expecting I didn't have anything to do, my employees got stock at back and I needed to unlock them manually (using the button on the inside of the driver's door. Not a big issue, but it's funny that it happened the very first day. I'm starting to believe the console computer is not very stable. Just like the early problem I got with the computer shutting down for no reason while I was driving (which I described in my first post), the issue fixed itself after I started the car again.

Yes, I have the 4.3 version of the UConnect. I will check tomorrow for your other question. I remember there is very little info available from the EVIC, but I don't remember exactly which.

I previously personally owned a Hyundai Elantra 2004 for nearly two years. I loved all aspects of that car, it really suited my tastes and style. Then I had to get rid of it when I accepted a new job, for which the car was provided. From that point, I drove a 2007 Dodge Caravan for a year. Never really liked it, but got used to it (didn't have a choice anyway). Drove it for about 60,000 km. When the contract reached expiration, I was about to order the new Grand Caravan, but then my boss told me the company had toke the decision to replace the vehicles with Journeys instead. At first I wasn't quite sure about this decision, but spending a few hours on the net made me change my mind, and I ordered a Journey without any argument with my boss. The only choice I had to make was the color, as model and options were preselected by the company (SE with 7 seats). Picked gold and waited. I didn't not have a chance to test drive it. Well yesterday was the day, after three months of waiting . Got delivery just after dinner. Unfortunately the representative was late on his schedule and could not spare time to show me anything about the car, except for handing me the keys and pointing to where the car was parked. (This is not a complaint -- I was almost two hours late.) He offered me to come back on Monday morning so he could explain me everything, but he does not know me -- I must be one among a minority to actually read the owner's manual. Right after I transferred my stuff from the old vehicle, I sat in there. I was first impressed with the general look of the interior and the comfort of the seat (I drive 5000 km a month on average, so that is important to me). Toke me 10 minutes to set the seat correctly. As I am short (5'4") I was glad to find that I could raise the seat a lot. Actually, I didn't raise is to maximum as I was already too high before reaching that point. After I found the lever to allow steering wheel positioning, I was glad to find that I was also able to adjust its deep, in addition to its height. Once I was comfortable and had the mirrors adjusted, it toke me a few minutes to get the engine running. Then I toke a while to familiarize myself with the common features (lights, whippers). I was way late, but never late enough to sacrifice my safety. I had to drive 150 km on the highway, but before I went on the highway I figured it would be wise to try the car in small, desert streets first. My big surprise was about the brake pedal. I don't know if there is anything physically connecting the pedal to the brakes, but it toke me a while to get accustomed to it, as you have absolutely no feel or feedback. It's like it was just a pedal in an arcade, which goes back up because of a spring but with almost no resistance, so my first few stops were really hard (steep). For the first 10 minutes or so, I felt like I was a new driver again. Past the stage of getting used to the brake pedal, I was impressed by the driving style and precision of controls. Suspension is a bit hard, which permits to feel the road, something that I missed from the Elantra (you don't feel anything in the Caravan, you could not tell the difference between hard tarmac and soft sand). I think this is going to be a hit for passengers comfort, but probably not that much, but it really fits my driving style. The weather was not too good on the highway, so I did not have a chance to fully try it. However today was a beautiful, sunny, spring day (and it's Saturday so no responsibilities), so I toke a ride of about an hour or so, in different kind of streets and roads, to try and discover vehicle capabilities and limits. Despite trying, I did not find much of the limits. It is very stable, no matter what speed you drive and how hard you take a turn. Of course I was somewhat conservative, because safety is always my first concern, but so far I am very impressed. Controls are very precise. Steering wheel is very sensitive and responsive. I had to get used to that on the highway, because in most cars I have drove before the steering wheel wasn't as sensitive at high speed -- I was even able to avoid a dead cat on the highway, which I've seen only a fraction of second before hitting it, though I was sure I would never be able to avoid it from my experience of the Caravan. My only bad comment would be with the acceleration. Now don't take me wrong, it's not bad enough to be a problem, but I expected a little more. Pushing the pedal to the floor when the light turns green does not make the tires spin and scream, as most car (even the Caravan) would normally do. Not that you would want to do that, but it was one of my tests. However you can still make a quick start, just to the limit of the power which would be required to spin the tires, I believe. However, I found that the responsiveness of the pedal was very good, the car starts moving a lot faster (speaking of split seconds, obviously) than any car I have drove before. Now comes the issues. Most of which I resolved by myself, so I will give out details, so that it could be useful to others. The very first issue I got was that the central console screen went black. This happened without me doing anything (that I know of), while I was driving. It was not possible to light it up again. I was not able to turn the music on or change climate mode (though changing the temperature and fan speed with hard buttons seemed to work). I though Dodge was very cheap, for the screen to fail the day I toke delivery of the vehicle. However, after I stopped and restarted the engine, the screen went back and the issue did not reoccur since. Sounds like a Windows solution, but it worked, and as long as it doesn't happen too often I should be able to accept it. The EVIC (that little screen in the middle of the dash) is useless. It has a few menu options, the only one I found useful is the one page which shows the speed in big digits. I love it, and I think it should be the main purpose of the screen. Of course it also shows outside temperature and warnings, which are good. Now, I found that it was only useful to display the speed, but even there, there is an issue, which it seems nobody found a solution for so far: It always returns to MPH after starting the car, and you have to press a key to return it to KM/H. It's always confusing the first time I need to check my speed, as the number is obviously too small, until I remember to hit the key. Not a big deal, but definitely a bug, since every other information on both the EVIC and the central console is shown using the correct unit which I selected (metric). It's good that it is easy to change (in case I go to the USA, for example) but it should default to what I had previously chose. Then this morning I found I had an issue, which many others here have had. This morning before my ride, I tried all the seats, so I can plan for how I will sit my employees and other passengers. In particular, I wanted to try the third row seats, as many reported they were not good for adults. I first tried to move away the left 2nd row seat. The very first time, I found that it was hard to do, but after doing it 3-4 times it began to go smooth. Apparently, it needed to be broke in. Then when I tried the right seat, I found there was a problem. The seat would correctly fold, but it would not slide. Even when sitting on the seat and trying to slide it forward using the correct lever (the one at the front of the seat) it would not slide. I didn't want to do as others and visit the dealer, as it would be quite an inconvenience for me (I need to pick up employees Monday morning). I decided to take the mechanic out of me, and I successfully fixed it after about 20 minutes or hard work. Simply, I shook the seat and pushed hard on it, and just when I was about to give up it finally let go. From that moment, the seat easily slide as it should. As for the third row seats, it's like others have said. They are for children, or for occasional, short trip with adults. I would definitely not sit there for hours. The seat itself is as comfortable as the others, slightly narrower but not by much. However the floor is like 6 inches bellow, so you have your knees each side of your chin. A one-time half-hour ride would be tolerable for most people though. I will post again in a few weeks, but so far I love my new Journey. I hope this was useful to anyone. Tom