Trains123

SO, got the DJ back today (finally). 
 
Replaced 3 AC lines going to rear condenser, evac, leak die, refilled AC system, snowing in the car on the ride home.
Flashed HVAC control. Compressor stays off when display is off.
 
found loose connection at Hands Free Module-will use and see, speaking and understanding English 
 
replaced 3 motor mounts
replaced oil dipstick
 
checked for stored codes, etc to explain low mpg.  Couldn’t find anything, but on the way home hit 24 mpg on the highway with the ac on, so we’ll watch that too.  If it stays crappy, bring it back for more involved diagnostics-no new deductible
 
topped off coolant-could not find leak.  If I lose any coolant bring it back, no new deductible 
 
TOTAL out the door cost for repairs: $146 dollars (dip stick wasn’t covered under either warranty, bummer)
 
I LOVE Fields CDJR in Glenview, IL.

So my 2015 DJ SXT just hit the 50K mile mark while on our summer road trip. We headed out for our summer road trip of just over 2K miles and I'm as happy as the day I bought her. With gas prices going up so much in my area ($3.95/gal), I did some basic maintenance to make sure we were ready and got great gas mileage (see pic attached). Best mileage I've ever gotten!!! I personally did an oil change and replaced the air filter. I had the plugs and brakes checked and was surprised to be told they looked great. Brakes are still at 60% of their life and plugs tested great. We drove through temps from 49 to 103 degrees with no problems at all. Handling was amazing and I averaged speeds of about 79mph. No problem handling the climb over the mountains and the curves that came with them. While at our destination we did a couple of trips with family and my DJ was the one everyone wanted to ride in (the other choice was the new VW Tiguan). The kids had plenty of room in my 3rd row, while they hated the 3rd row of the Tiguan. I also pulled a couple of jet skis, while VW told my in laws they wouldn't install a hitch on their Tiguan (but U-haul might install it for them...WHAT???).
Anyway, maybe I've been lucky, or maybe the basic maintenance I do on my car has kept it driving so well, but it did great. In comparison to the two other cars we were around, it far out shined the Tiguan, and was very comparable to the Explorer my nephew has, but totally beat the Explorer in price (he paid over $50k for his). I know there are posts about issues people are having, but I wanted to make sure I post something positive about my DJ.

Yep, taxes. You can read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value-added_tax
There's a pretty good example on that Wikipedia page

People who buy an 8 year old car with 100,000+ miles and then complain Dodge sucks.
 
People who complain their navigation can't be unlocked or is out of date.
 
People who complain their backup camera is "grainy" at night.
 
I could go on.....first world problems....
 
 

People who don't use cruise control when on the highway.  That grinds my gears haha.  I hit the highway, and set the cruise.  Then play the leap frog game with multiple cars on my way to work. And texting while driving.  That one gets me too, while traving 80-90mph.. swerving all over the road while texting.  Not good.

The whole idea of driverless cars.
 

question , are you letting the idle speed settle down after starting it cold . 

How did consumer reports recruit so many mopar haters into one place?  While the DJ is not perfect, neither is any other vehicle.  I really like mine.  Still runs like the day it came home from the dealer.   My mileage has been pretty darn good.  In New Mexico, speed limits are 75 mph on the highway, winds are often quite strong, the elevation is nearly 7000 ft, and there are plenty of hills; I still get 23-26 mpg. . .   That's even with roof cargo such as bike.  
 
Consumer reports really is unfair and unknowledgeable.
 
Peace.  

And they're wont be anything out there to replace it unless you like four cylinder turbo's- bummer

Not *fake news*.  Just news from a very misguided source with very strange values.

Blah, blah blah,.....FAKE NEWS!!!!!  

Every vehicle I've owned (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler) has gotten to at least 130,000 miles before repairs got to a point where it wasn't cost effective to keep flushing money.  And the only one that went that early was a vehicle with a known defect that had been subject to a class action lawsuit over the materials involved (GM 3.1L engine, Dex-Cool, and a poor material choice for the lower intake manifold gasket), and at that, I wasn't nearly as careful about researching vehicles before buying one, nor was I adept at any kind of repair work.  If the engine is designed well (the "worst" engine ever used in a Journey is the 3.5L, which is still a fairly solid engine), the vehicle will last.  Equally important is a history of proper maintenance.  Any vehicle will last as long as you take care of it.  When buying a used vehicle, any information you can get on its previous maintenance and repair history is invaluable.  A car with complete maintenance records will also probably be more expensive.
 
As for the price tag - sorry to say it, but good luck finding a crossover or SUV for under $5,000 without a very large number for mileage.  I did a search for my zip code, and there is 1 Journey within 500 miles under $5,000 with under 100,000 miles.  And you couldn't pay me enough to buy another FCA vehicle prior to 2011 (everything got at least a facelift after the 2010 model year).  It's also the 3.5L engine, which means unless you have convincing evidence that the timing belt has been replaced, that's priority number 1 after buying it.
 
As far as reliability of domestic versus other manufacturers:
 
My first car was a former fleet vehicle (95 Taurus) with 120,000 miles on it.  I put 20,000 miles on it in 2 years (I only paid $2,000 for the car).  My sister got it from me for $200, put a few hundred into it, and drove it for another 2 years.  It had about 160,000 on it when it was totaled.
 
My second car was bought brand new (05 Cavalier).  It lasted me 4 years (had to get a bigger car) when I sold it to my sister for $5,000.  It finally died at 150,000+ miles and about 12 years after manufacture.  Not bad for a "cheap" economy box.
 
My third car was bought from a friend who had bought it used (03 Malibu).  I had it from 2009 until I bought my Journey in 2015.  I bought it with about 60,000 miles on it.  I put 70,000 more before the head gasket started to go.  So, another 130,000+ on a domestic.  With horrendous gasket material design that leads directly to premature engine failure, proper maintenance or not.
 
My wife's van (10 Town and Country) has 120,000+ and is, by all appearances, in good mechanical condition.  I'm hoping to get another 4 years out of it, minimum.  Just long enough to pay off my Journey.  We bought it used around 38,000 miles and have put 80,000+ on it of our own.  I've done all of the maintenance on it since we bought it, as well as most of the repairs.  It eats brakes and power steering hoses, but those a problems I can live with.
 
My Journey (2015) has under 16,000 miles on it.  I drive 8 miles round trip for work - I expect to own this one long enough to teach my kids to drive (oldest is 7, so another 9 years before I can even start that goal).
 
TL/DR - take care of your stuff, it will last longer.
 

I took my last journey in the Journey yesterday afternoon to bring home a new Jeep Renegade Sport 4X4.  The Journey served us well.  Gone but not forgotten.
 

Steve,
The dealer needs to look up the following case and see if it could help with your problem.
Case Number: S1108000170
Release Date: 09/30/2011
Vehicle Issue:
Ignition Will Not Turn From On To Off, Engine Stays Running; EVIC Displays Vehicle Not In Park, Vehicle Is In Park

My "speeding" is limited to 5 mph over whatever the posted speed limit is, except in school zones, which I do exactly the limit. I lived young and restless (and reckless) in my younger days and spent the better part of 10 years trying to clean my driving record up so it did not cost me $6000 a year for liability only insurance on a $2500 beater car. If I want to go fast, I'll pay for a few laps at a Richard Petty driving school or something, Not the least bit worth it to me and I do hope ya'll are on lonely stretches of road out in the middle of nowhere when your testing the top speed limiter and not endangering other drivers.
I'll stop being the dad now.

Like the title says, what made you smile today, or who?

Me? Getting to see my mom and dad with both kids and their significant others. Really lights my moms smile up when all her grandkids can get together. 

Also, my good friends! 
 
Carry on.....

Consumer reports.  

What pisses you off? 
Like the people texting and driving.....
 
HID's in stock housings really pisses me off too..

You should take pictures or video with your cell phone if you have one when its acting up then you have proof

I just took got back from a marathon trip of 500 miles. The journey got 26 mpg and went 500 miles on a single tank. I don't know about you but I'm impressed.

I'm retired now and (as the photo above shows) I'm investing heavily in the hearing aid industry. I see so many cars in town (another reason I moved to the boonies) that you can actually watch the sheet metal deflecting outwards due to the air the speakers are moving...not to mention you can hear / feel them a block away. None of these kids will be able to hear anything by the time they are in their 30's... Hearing aid companies; the money makers of the future Keep 'em loud, I need to make enough money to buy that Prevost I've got my eyes on

You forget the lazer tattoo removal companies! They'll be big money makers too.

08 Sebring Limited Convertible, the Vacation Car! 04 Concorde, Dragin around the Boat Car. 2014 Honda CTX1300, 1967 Moto Guzzi V7 (Resto Project)

Besides my 2017 Dodge journey Crossroad plus, I have a 2015 Chrysler 200 (wife), a 2001 Dodge 1500 Quad Cab, 4x4, offroad version, and a 2000 Dodge Dakota club cab.