B4ZINGA

Not necessarily... I've seen some horrible projectors, and given these are halogen projectors it's a sure bet that the effect of throwing in HIDs would not be too far off from throwing HID into the OEM lights. It would be better than the factory setup, though.

Price is right. The look is... egregiously awkward. I'm not sure what all the white/silverish business is about. I'd have to open them up and spray them black to match my car.
RE: HID, keep in mind you won't find aftermarket projector headlight assemblies with genuine HID projectors, as they would not be legal to use in the 50 US states. Many states have laws stating only vehicles equipped with HID by the manufacturer may have them, and many state inspection facilities will give you a ticket to the fail-boat if you install HIDs anyway. It's hit or miss, NJ is among those states and I managed to pass inspection with my Grand Prix using HID. Got away with it in my Charger since it was optional (minor detail that mine was a 2007 and HID wasn't offered until 2008, and I used OEM-replica housings).

Not necessarily... I've seen some horrible projectors, and given these are halogen projectors it's a sure bet that the effect of throwing in HIDs would not be too far off from throwing HID into the OEM lights. It would be better than the factory setup, though.

Good to see it was just a computer barf. 16,800 trouble-free (and tow-free) miles on mine so far. The transaxle is controlled entirely by computer in these cars. I can tell the difference when I get into my older 300M that has cable-op throttle and gear input, with snappier response and better "feel" (resistance). Sometimes I wonder what I'll do when the best replacement for my car ends up being entirely electronically controlled... doesn't sit well with me at all.

I would replace the matte vinyl with gloss black. I'm not impressed by the matte black vinyl on our red blacktop. One good thing about my black R/T (Pitch Black, not even Brilliant Black) is the lack of vinyl... since there isn't a need for it. But then the stupid thing can't stay clean to save its life...

Just to correct some information.
Regarding offset, the lower the number, the further away from the suspension the wheel is. So, a +25 offset will stick out more than a +35 offset. Likewise a +35 offset will be tucked in more than a +25 offset. I did some searching on Journey wheels and found that the Journey 19" wheel is 19"x7", 71.5" hub bore, +35mm offset. When I buy 20"x8.5" wheels, I will try to get them in a +30 offset to ensure they're pushed out to the fender edges for a more aggressive look than stock.
Generally speaking, I've found that for every 0.5" of added wheel width, you should also add 5 mm to the offset to avoid the wheel and tire sticking out beyond the fender. A +40 offset seems a little overkill to me as far as tucking the tire in, and may explain why your 265 tire was rubbing. Looking at those Helo wheels, I'm not surprised they were clipping the calipers. Brake pads generally aren't thicker from pad to pad. There may be minor tolerance differences from manufacturer to manufacturer, but there is only so far your caliper can extend, so they tend to be the same. The design of the Helo wheels is to blame. They were designed for cars with smaller rotors and calipers. You would want the 22" version to fit on your Journey. Installing fresh pads and rotors brought the calipers out to the factory dimensions, which the Helos crashed with.

Just to correct some information.
Regarding offset, the lower the number, the further away from the suspension the wheel is. So, a +25 offset will stick out more than a +35 offset. Likewise a +35 offset will be tucked in more than a +25 offset. I did some searching on Journey wheels and found that the Journey 19" wheel is 19"x7", 71.5" hub bore, +35mm offset. When I buy 20"x8.5" wheels, I will try to get them in a +30 offset to ensure they're pushed out to the fender edges for a more aggressive look than stock.
Generally speaking, I've found that for every 0.5" of added wheel width, you should also add 5 mm to the offset to avoid the wheel and tire sticking out beyond the fender. A +40 offset seems a little overkill to me as far as tucking the tire in, and may explain why your 265 tire was rubbing. Looking at those Helo wheels, I'm not surprised they were clipping the calipers. Brake pads generally aren't thicker from pad to pad. There may be minor tolerance differences from manufacturer to manufacturer, but there is only so far your caliper can extend, so they tend to be the same. The design of the Helo wheels is to blame. They were designed for cars with smaller rotors and calipers. You would want the 22" version to fit on your Journey. Installing fresh pads and rotors brought the calipers out to the factory dimensions, which the Helos crashed with.

Looks like I've made the list... Do I get a prize? I want a cookie. And AWD lowering springs.

Comes down to personal taste. I test drove a used 2013 Crew before I got my R/T and it was comfortable, but I couldn't get over all the ridiculous chrome trim plastered over the car. Personally, I can't stand chrome. Satin in limited quantities (window trim, wheels) I'm okay with, but things like door handles and grilles I can't stand. I was also drawn to the Rallye appearance package (black headlight buckets, slightly darker 19" alloys, roof rack deleted) as I like the headlights better, and the deleted roof rails make it look more like a sport wagon than a family car. My family is my animals.
I'm glad I got the R/T also for the stiffer suspension. It doesn't compare to my old Road & Track Charger or my 300M Special, but it does allow me to take certain interstate junction ramps at speed. My R/T can handle the 696 east to 94 east ramp near Detroit at 70 MPH without much issue. If it wasn't for traffic, I wouldn't need to slow down at all on dry warm days. When I get 20" wheels with thinner sidewalls and stiffer tires, it should be perfect. I noticed some flex this morning in the factory tires, which should be corrected when it's time for new tires (currently over 16,000 miles, so that should be a while). I rented a 2015 SXT (not SXT Plus) for a trip to Toronto in June, and it could not pull the same maneuver without some scary body roll.
Again, all personal taste. Unfortunately the R/T Rallye in Pitch Black is common around here, so I'll need to make some exterior changes at some point...

Looks like I've made the list... Do I get a prize? I want a cookie. And AWD lowering springs.

Comes down to personal taste. I test drove a used 2013 Crew before I got my R/T and it was comfortable, but I couldn't get over all the ridiculous chrome trim plastered over the car. Personally, I can't stand chrome. Satin in limited quantities (window trim, wheels) I'm okay with, but things like door handles and grilles I can't stand. I was also drawn to the Rallye appearance package (black headlight buckets, slightly darker 19" alloys, roof rack deleted) as I like the headlights better, and the deleted roof rails make it look more like a sport wagon than a family car. My family is my animals.
I'm glad I got the R/T also for the stiffer suspension. It doesn't compare to my old Road & Track Charger or my 300M Special, but it does allow me to take certain interstate junction ramps at speed. My R/T can handle the 696 east to 94 east ramp near Detroit at 70 MPH without much issue. If it wasn't for traffic, I wouldn't need to slow down at all on dry warm days. When I get 20" wheels with thinner sidewalls and stiffer tires, it should be perfect. I noticed some flex this morning in the factory tires, which should be corrected when it's time for new tires (currently over 16,000 miles, so that should be a while). I rented a 2015 SXT (not SXT Plus) for a trip to Toronto in June, and it could not pull the same maneuver without some scary body roll.
Again, all personal taste. Unfortunately the R/T Rallye in Pitch Black is common around here, so I'll need to make some exterior changes at some point...

Nothing like finding stuff in your shed you didn't know you had.

Sorey, don't know what you're talking aboot.

Good choice on the V6. Our household has both engines (4-cyl SXT Plus Blacktop and 6-cyl R/T Rallye). FYI, and I know I'm nitpicking, but Dodge does not have a V4 anywhere in its lineup. I don't think FCA has one anywhere in its global offerings. It has an I4 and V6... inline 4 and V-configuration 6.
Anyway. The 4-cyl is a good engine if all your driving is going to be around town. Ours has plenty of pep around town and manages 20-22 MPG with lots of traffic lights and stop signs and heavy traffic around Metro Detroit. However, it's a gutless wonder on the highway without the MPG to back it up. Our V6 R/T averages 16 MPG in the same traffic, however it moves like a scalded cat on the highway. We went up north with it on vacation this past weekend and with four adults, luggage, and cruise set to 75, I got 26-28 MPG. On a trip to Toronto in June I rented a V6 SXT Journey and at 65 MPH, I got over 32 MPG. Not bad at all for a heavy vehicle using a NA V6 without direct injection.
My R/T cracked 16,200 miles on that trip and the only issues for the life of the vehicle so far was a bad washer fluid level sensor. Apparently RainX dissolves the sensor, so be sure to use the cheap solvents instead.

Sorey, don't know what you're talking aboot.

They lied to you. Dodge installed those shields to prevent heat from the mufflers degrading the rubber of the spare tire over tens of thousands of miles. By removing those shields, they're jeopardizing that spare tires ability to safely get you from the side of the road to a repair facility in the event of a flat, and by extension your safety. They need to reinstall those shields, yesterday, and they need to be reported to FCA, US corporate. That "worst case scenario" is the spare tire blowing out on you and causing an accident, because it was badly degrade from being exposed to the head of the muffler. Ask yourself, would you remove the other heat shields over the other exhaust components, put there to prevent other parts of the car from being damaged by that heat? I hope not.

E-85 is completely pointless. The lower energy content versus E0 and E10 reduces the fuel economy enough that it costs you more to use E85 than standard regular gasoline (E10 or otherwise). Yes, studies have been done. One of the car rags tested a flex-fuel Tahoe, driving it from somewhere near LA to Las Vegas. It made it to Vegas on one tank of E10 just fine, and returned to CA. They then drained the fuel tank of all E10, and refueled with E85. They filled a couple of jerry cans as well, worried that it might run out. Their worry was well-founded, as it indeed ran out and they needed both cans to get to Las Vegas, in the middle of the desert. They crunched the numbers with the round-trip economy figures collected and found the cheaper-by-the-gallon E-85 cost them more per mile than the E10 did. Moral of the story, don't buy the hype. If any car I buy in the future is flex-fuel and comes with an extra charge for that feature, the dealer will be removing that charge, removing the flex-fuel equipment AND the charge, or there will be no deal.

They lied to you. Dodge installed those shields to prevent heat from the mufflers degrading the rubber of the spare tire over tens of thousands of miles. By removing those shields, they're jeopardizing that spare tires ability to safely get you from the side of the road to a repair facility in the event of a flat, and by extension your safety. They need to reinstall those shields, yesterday, and they need to be reported to FCA, US corporate. That "worst case scenario" is the spare tire blowing out on you and causing an accident, because it was badly degrade from being exposed to the head of the muffler. Ask yourself, would you remove the other heat shields over the other exhaust components, put there to prevent other parts of the car from being damaged by that heat? I hope not.

Price is right. The look is... egregiously awkward. I'm not sure what all the white/silverish business is about. I'd have to open them up and spray them black to match my car.
RE: HID, keep in mind you won't find aftermarket projector headlight assemblies with genuine HID projectors, as they would not be legal to use in the 50 US states. Many states have laws stating only vehicles equipped with HID by the manufacturer may have them, and many state inspection facilities will give you a ticket to the fail-boat if you install HIDs anyway. It's hit or miss, NJ is among those states and I managed to pass inspection with my Grand Prix using HID. Got away with it in my Charger since it was optional (minor detail that mine was a 2007 and HID wasn't offered until 2008, and I used OEM-replica housings).

The aesthetics are polarizing. Not necessarily hideous, but I'm not whipping out my credit card, either... The big question is what the output is. I had Spyder projectors on my Grand Prix years ago, and while the output was certainly improved over OEM (candles duct-taped to the fascia were better than OEM), the cutoff was poor and the projectors position inside the headlights forced me to adjust them up to the max setting.

As was noted, Journey has no wireless connection to the world (terrestrial and sat-radio/nat notwithstanding) and are in no danger, however it is important for consumers to know and understand the darker side of these fabulous new technologies the automakers are peddling (Chevrolet touts the fact that all of its models have available 4G LTE connectivity to keep spawn entertained so mom/dad can keep some resemblance of sanity on trips).
I tried to use those dongles when I had Progressive a few years ago on my Charger and my Special. I don't drive my Special often, so if I didn't have it on the Battery MINDer, it would be flat within a few days and I'd have to jump the car to go for a ride. Although they were courteous to tell me the car was flat when by emailing me to say that they detected the device was no longer reachable. I wonder why... On my Charger, I was refused any discounts after the 30-day data-collection period due to many aggressive accelerations and decelerations. Sorry, I can't help it if PA drivers are horrible and cause me to hit the brakes frequently, and if normal NJ driving is considered "aggressive".
That said, it's just another point in favor of older cars. My Special is a good in-between in that it's easy to operate with the computer doing all the tuning adjustments and no need to perform the old tune-ups of the 60s, yet all steering, gear selection, and accelerator/decelerator input is still mechanically controlled by cables at both ends and no servos or drive-by-wire systems involved. The autostick is controlled by by electronic sensors/buttons in the gearshift assembly, which isn't a big deal. If a wireless dongle for a Snap-On Verus is connector, the wielder of the Verus can control my lights, turn signals, wipers, horn, and possibly HVAC and radio (I still had a radio instead of a tablet). That's it. I don't think it has the programming to touch the airbags or seats.

The reason is because the car makers want you to use their system, not someone elses. Apple and Google have run into many roadblocks put in place by the automakers because the automakers are very reluctant to cede control of anything in their product to a third party, even their system sucks big floppy donkey d***. That's why CarPlay and Android Auto haven't been adopted by all automakers, and part of why they're only minor companions and OEM systems still dominated the dashboard. They want you to store your device in the console, hence 12v charge ports, USB ports, and aux. ports are normally in the console or in a cubby below the radio.

I would call the dealer and ask. The if the listing says "Gloss Black", then that is what you should have received. It sounds like they sent you a standard crash-replacement grille. It should come painted in PX8 - Gloss Black (though Dodge calls PX8 Pitch Black now... my R/T is Pitch Black. Standard ink toner color according to my painter).

The reason is because the car makers want you to use their system, not someone elses. Apple and Google have run into many roadblocks put in place by the automakers because the automakers are very reluctant to cede control of anything in their product to a third party, even their system sucks big floppy donkey d***. That's why CarPlay and Android Auto haven't been adopted by all automakers, and part of why they're only minor companions and OEM systems still dominated the dashboard. They want you to store your device in the console, hence 12v charge ports, USB ports, and aux. ports are normally in the console or in a cubby below the radio.