B4ZINGA

The Henry Ford Museum is in Dearborn, MI. A vast collection of industrial age, pre-industrial age, US political, 20th century, automotive and aeronautical history. There's even an exhibit showing the evolution of travel as the car was invented and evolved. Very interesting stuff. Easily more than a day to see everything. There is also a line of past US presidential limousines. Very interesting to see how drastic the changes were following John F. Kennedy's assassination in the back of an open top Continental.

The Henry Ford Museum is in Dearborn, MI. A vast collection of industrial age, pre-industrial age, US political, 20th century, automotive and aeronautical history. There's even an exhibit showing the evolution of travel as the car was invented and evolved. Very interesting stuff. Easily more than a day to see everything. There is also a line of past US presidential limousines. Very interesting to see how drastic the changes were following John F. Kennedy's assassination in the back of an open top Continental.

The cubby under the radio, or the cupholder. Although I can control the phone without ever taking it out of my pocket, it helps the microphone catch my voice if it's out. Besides, even when I say "OK, Google Now, Navigate to the Landing Strip Gentleman's Clu... err Kroger!" I still have to enter the unlock sequence before she pulls up the directions. Kind of annoying that they advertise it be controlled without hitting the wake button, but it still needs to be unlocked if it needs you to pick options...
One of these days I'll get a mount that sits on top of the dash and grips its (no sticky pads) so I can have the nav screen in view. My buddy has a Nexus 6 on a magnetic mount with wireless charging in his 2015 200... and it looks ridiculous with such a big phone blocking the windshield lol.

Our Blacktop's wheels are fine so far, with about 8,000 miles on them. I would check into warranty if you're still under the 3/36.

Can't do it in Windsor. They complain when the neighbors across the river play loud music and party into the night.
:P

Everytime I buy a car I tell myself, "I'm not changing this one!". My Grand Prix lasted a week. My Special lasted 4 months, ish, before the SRI and SRT Design wheels happened. My Charger lasted two months before projectors went into it.
I broke a record with my Journey... a whole year! I'm not counting the front molded slush mats as a mod.
It was up in the air whether or not my Special was going to make it to Carlisle in July with the engine making a tapping noise that I now believe may be an exhaust leak at the passenger manifold. She wound up making it, but since it was a 50/50 shot I figured I'd make a few quick 5 minute changes to my R/T Journey.
So... I ordered from eBay some 6000K LED reverse bulbs and 6000K LED fog light bulbs. I also ordered 6000K LED 194 bulbs from VLEDs to update the license plate lights. Still trying to find something to fit the cargo lights.
Yes, the car is filthy. It rained almost non-stop for weeks. Deal with it.





Yes it looks awkward having bright white LED foglights and standard halogen headlamps. I'm considering acquiring new headlamps and projectors during TRSs black Friday sale and fixing that either before winter chokes us again, or in the spring.

Guilia will be the basis for an upcoming mid-size sedan (Avenger) and SUV (Journey) for Dodge. The Alfa SUV is reportedly finished and going into testing, possibly entering production late 2016. Dodge might have its own versions of the sedan and SUV by 2020. It's believed that the SUV will finally be the car that replaces the Journey.

Everytime I buy a car I tell myself, "I'm not changing this one!". My Grand Prix lasted a week. My Special lasted 4 months, ish, before the SRI and SRT Design wheels happened. My Charger lasted two months before projectors went into it.
I broke a record with my Journey... a whole year! I'm not counting the front molded slush mats as a mod.
It was up in the air whether or not my Special was going to make it to Carlisle in July with the engine making a tapping noise that I now believe may be an exhaust leak at the passenger manifold. She wound up making it, but since it was a 50/50 shot I figured I'd make a few quick 5 minute changes to my R/T Journey.
So... I ordered from eBay some 6000K LED reverse bulbs and 6000K LED fog light bulbs. I also ordered 6000K LED 194 bulbs from VLEDs to update the license plate lights. Still trying to find something to fit the cargo lights.
Yes, the car is filthy. It rained almost non-stop for weeks. Deal with it.





Yes it looks awkward having bright white LED foglights and standard halogen headlamps. I'm considering acquiring new headlamps and projectors during TRSs black Friday sale and fixing that either before winter chokes us again, or in the spring.

Everytime I buy a car I tell myself, "I'm not changing this one!". My Grand Prix lasted a week. My Special lasted 4 months, ish, before the SRI and SRT Design wheels happened. My Charger lasted two months before projectors went into it.
I broke a record with my Journey... a whole year! I'm not counting the front molded slush mats as a mod.
It was up in the air whether or not my Special was going to make it to Carlisle in July with the engine making a tapping noise that I now believe may be an exhaust leak at the passenger manifold. She wound up making it, but since it was a 50/50 shot I figured I'd make a few quick 5 minute changes to my R/T Journey.
So... I ordered from eBay some 6000K LED reverse bulbs and 6000K LED fog light bulbs. I also ordered 6000K LED 194 bulbs from VLEDs to update the license plate lights. Still trying to find something to fit the cargo lights.
Yes, the car is filthy. It rained almost non-stop for weeks. Deal with it.





Yes it looks awkward having bright white LED foglights and standard halogen headlamps. I'm considering acquiring new headlamps and projectors during TRSs black Friday sale and fixing that either before winter chokes us again, or in the spring.

Can't do it in Windsor. They complain when the neighbors across the river play loud music and party into the night.
:P

I actually just purchased a product called In-A-Pinch-Weld, which accomplished the same thing in a specifically-molded rubber product that mimics the pinch-weld receptacle in most vehicle scissor-jacks used for roadside wheel changing. The pinch-weld fits into the slot in the rubber, and adapter holds the pinch-weld straight as opposed to allowing it to collapse one way or the other and cause damage to the body and paint. They offer two versions, one that replaces the jacks metal cup and another that just sits on top of the cup. I bought the version that sits on top of the cup to give extra clearance on my low-ground-clearance vehicle (as it is, my "low-profile" jack crushes the rocker panels under the front doors right where I need to raise the vehicle for tire rotations in one lift). $31 shipped to my door, even with MI sales tax applied to MI residents.

Yes, there is paint on the pinch welds to keep them from pre-maturely rusting. It isn't bare metal, and when the pinch weld flex and bends the paint flakes/chips/cracks. It can also damage the welds, which damages the body.

That's interesting. I wouldn't think Dodge or Fiat would have a reason to change the rear springs for 2014. Is it a 3-row or 2-row model? Just trying to figure out what might cause the difference. The ride height you have is perfect. My fear when my factory tires wear out and I seriously look at new wheels and tires is the wheel gap being too much, and lowering the front will just make it look weird.

Light direction is a function of the reflector behind the bulb, and possibly bulb orientation. Your housings would not be legal outside of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, certain African countries, and the UK.
Is your Journey AWD or FWD? H&R makes springs for FWD Journeys, though they never state that AWD won't fit. If you have AWD, then now we know the rear springs won't work. How is the ride quality after cutting the rear springs?

I haven't entered mine, since I always enter my Special, however I have yet to see a Journey compete in a car show. Not even at Carlisle, where I only saw a few Journeys on the showfield as support vehicles.

FYI, the Journey is definitely not a gas guzzler. Not when the V6 can easily achieve over 30 mpg.
I don't understand the point of the Prius. It's expensive to buy, ugly as mortal sin (all generations), has no get-up'n'go to speak of, is damaging to the environment (how do you think that battery came into existance?), and the fuel economy figures are not very impressive compared to diesel VW Group vehicles and small-displacement Hondas. A hybrid does not yet exist that is worth buying. If you want good fuel economy and want to have a lower environmental impact, buy a modern diesel or a Tesla.

Aftermarket doesn't care how popular a vehicle is to buy. It only cares how popular a vehicle is to modify. Hence the huge presence for old hum-drum Hondas (cheap for a teenage to buy and go nuts with), sports- and muscle-cars (low volume, but we all want more power), LXs (unique aggressive design and easy-to-mod V8s). Maybe three people want to modify a people-carrier.

Aftermarket doesn't care how popular a vehicle is to buy. It only cares how popular a vehicle is to modify. Hence the huge presence for old hum-drum Hondas (cheap for a teenage to buy and go nuts with), sports- and muscle-cars (low volume, but we all want more power), LXs (unique aggressive design and easy-to-mod V8s). Maybe three people want to modify a people-carrier.

FYI, the Journey is definitely not a gas guzzler. Not when the V6 can easily achieve over 30 mpg.
I don't understand the point of the Prius. It's expensive to buy, ugly as mortal sin (all generations), has no get-up'n'go to speak of, is damaging to the environment (how do you think that battery came into existance?), and the fuel economy figures are not very impressive compared to diesel VW Group vehicles and small-displacement Hondas. A hybrid does not yet exist that is worth buying. If you want good fuel economy and want to have a lower environmental impact, buy a modern diesel or a Tesla.

FYI, the Journey is definitely not a gas guzzler. Not when the V6 can easily achieve over 30 mpg.
I don't understand the point of the Prius. It's expensive to buy, ugly as mortal sin (all generations), has no get-up'n'go to speak of, is damaging to the environment (how do you think that battery came into existance?), and the fuel economy figures are not very impressive compared to diesel VW Group vehicles and small-displacement Hondas. A hybrid does not yet exist that is worth buying. If you want good fuel economy and want to have a lower environmental impact, buy a modern diesel or a Tesla.

Currently I'm not aware of aftermarket solutions for the Journey. I imagine anything available would just add the aftermarket radio to the existing OEM radio and screen to maintain OEM uConnect functions.
Actually, cell phone navigation is superior to Garmin and TomTom in almost every way. The only area dedicated devices excel in is being available when a data connection is not. I use google maps for everything, and always used it in spite of the factory nav in my old Charger, and the Garmin nav offered by my Kenwood in my 300M (since has been replaced with a Nexus 7 tablet). When you know you're going to be off the data connection, you can download maps to your phone. I downloaded Nokia HERE maps for Ontario when I was in Toronto last week, and Google is offering a better way of downloaded metro areas for offline navigation this fall.
One of these days I will get a windshield mount that will hold my phone up in my Journey so I can use it more effectively. Being able to simply say, "OK Google Now, navigate to [insert address, business, or crossroads here]" is far better than anything I've seen lately from Garmin or TomTom, and I don't have to drop a few hundred dollars on a standalone when Google Maps is free of charge, and updates frequently with zero cost.

It's not a terrible system, but the Infinity-II that came with my 300M is certainly better. Honestly the only good audio system in a current FCA vehicle is the Harmon/Kardon offered on 300 and Charger. The Alpine is "okay", and the Beats is garbage.

Currently I'm not aware of aftermarket solutions for the Journey. I imagine anything available would just add the aftermarket radio to the existing OEM radio and screen to maintain OEM uConnect functions.
Actually, cell phone navigation is superior to Garmin and TomTom in almost every way. The only area dedicated devices excel in is being available when a data connection is not. I use google maps for everything, and always used it in spite of the factory nav in my old Charger, and the Garmin nav offered by my Kenwood in my 300M (since has been replaced with a Nexus 7 tablet). When you know you're going to be off the data connection, you can download maps to your phone. I downloaded Nokia HERE maps for Ontario when I was in Toronto last week, and Google is offering a better way of downloaded metro areas for offline navigation this fall.
One of these days I will get a windshield mount that will hold my phone up in my Journey so I can use it more effectively. Being able to simply say, "OK Google Now, navigate to [insert address, business, or crossroads here]" is far better than anything I've seen lately from Garmin or TomTom, and I don't have to drop a few hundred dollars on a standalone when Google Maps is free of charge, and updates frequently with zero cost.

It is the black thing that blocks the glove compartment light.

As of Wednesday, 5/20/2014, it has been one full year since I switched from my beloved 2007 Charger R/T with 29R Road & Track sport package to my 2014 Journey R/T AWD with Rallye appearance package. I took delivery with 2,086 miles as the second owner (first in-service date was 3/20/2014). It currently has about 12,850 miles. It has had one oil change and one tire rotation, and otherwise has not been back to the dealer (for the moment).
My impression so far...
This has been an excellent vehicle. It has filled every single need I had that I bought it for and which my Charger had a very difficult time filling. I needed a wagon-type vehicle to drive my new retriever around in (he loves it, too), and I needed a vehicle with extra cargo volume to transport test samples between labs (I currently work as a validation engineer for a tier 1 supplier on interior components to most of the major automakers in the world, moving to product engineering in a week). The Journey does this flawlessly, while the Charger was only barely capable of doing it. I often had to drive with the rear seat folded down, which introduced a lot of exhaust drone, and I was constantly paranoid that my dogs hair and nails would destroy the suede backseat in spite of the seat cover I have. I hate having to make car payments for a longer length of time, but I like the lower cost of insurance.
Interestingly, my partner has a 2014 4-cyl FWD SXT Blacktop in Redline 2-coat Pearl, and we noticed my R/T handles the pockmarked roads around Detroit better than the B/T.
One of the things I've recently started noticing that makes me glad I went for the Journey instead of the Durango is how nimble the car is. Since it's based on a stretched Avenger platform, it doesn't lurch and lumber like a large SUV does. I can whip the thing through parking lots and not feel like it's losing control. I'm sure once I put 245 tires on it, I can drive it with as much confidence as I drive my 300M Special. I'm not sure if all Journey's act this way, as I do have the R/T with the sport-tuned suspension... whatever that amounts to on a car designed to be a people-mover.
To date, there has been only one issue. When the washer fluid ran out late last year, I poured in the usual RainX fluid that I have used on all of my Chrysler and Dodge vehicles for more than a decade. This is the first one that had a problem. The low fluid light has stayed on. Google tells me late model Dodge washer fluid sensors don't play nice with RainX, and Rams are able to overcome this by draining the RainX and using the standard blue solvent. Not so with the Journey. I ran my bottle out today for the second time since using the RainX and poured in the basic solvent... and the light is still on. So I'll be making an appointment soon to have the sensor replaced under warranty. No big deal, that's what warranty's are for.
The aforementioned Blacktop, however, was just in the shop for a week to have a wheel speed sensor replaced. That car has 7500 miles on it and already needed that sensor... it has also had intermittent issues with the screen on the 8.4A Uconnect. Very odd. I suppose those units are hit-n-miss, as mine has had no issues.
Am I going to keep it for the long haul? Short answer: No. Long answer: A 2015 Charger Road & Track in Jazz Blue with Mopar front splitter and Mopar rear valence is calling out to me something fierce... but then I'd be right back to square one with my dog. On the other hand, I'm keeping my eyes and ears out for the promised 2017 Journey-replacement SRT, and the re-engineered 2018 Grand Cherokee. Until those models arrive, I'm happy with my 2014 R/T!