bfurth Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I already posted something similar in the Owner Impressions forum, so here goes again! My wife and I just bought a 2015 Journey SE (2.4l) yesterday. I had an '03 Malibu that was on its death bed (occassional temperature spike of 30 degrees, white exhaust, coolant in oil, and failed coolant pressure test = get me a new vehicle!), and we wanted something that can handle our growing family (kid #3 due in 3 months ) while not being too much larger of a footprint than my old car (I would like to use my driveway). Given that it's only 16 feet wide, and it houses a 2010 Town and Country (bought used 3 years ago), the Journey is about as big a vehicle as we can fit. Chrysler has also convinced me that they actually honor a warranty - my 3.8l T&C DOESN'T burn oil (anymore - all the valve seals had to be replaced, but it was still under powertrain coverage, so I paid nothing more than the oil change that the dealer required to start the consumption test). We've had a good experience with the T&C, so we're giving Chrysler another shot with the Journey. I've been using the Chrysler minivan fan forum for the last 3 years to get and offer help for everyone else, so I have been looking for a new "home" to go with my new vehicle. I do all of our vehicle maintenance, and I plan on keeping my Journey until the engine falls out - hopefully it's long enough to get my son (turns 5 next week ) old enough to teach him to drive. One thing is definitely going to take some getting used to - no more automatic headlights. I've had a daily driver with them for 6 years. For 3 years, every vehicle I've driven has had them. Now I don't. And the county police reminded me of that within half a mile of leaving the dealer lot last night . I was still throwing distance from the lot. Lucky for me, he was in a generous enough mood - my basic logic of "I'm still learning where the switch is!" was enough. The fact that I have the only salt-free car in the county helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecrazyfoo4u Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 That's lame, didn't realize the SE models didn't have automatic headlights. You would think that would be a standard 'safety' feature across all models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Welcome to the forum. My 2013 SXT does not have automatic headlights. No biggie to me. I grew up turning a dial or pulling a switch to turn on the lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhh3 Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Welcome to the forum. Did you replace the ignition switch in the Malibu? You may have gotten more for trade in value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfurth Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 The Malibu had some deep scratches and grooves in he he metal from scraping against my porch support column. I was happy to get $500 out of it. The car will be scrapped for parts - it's had the intake manifold gasket repaired once, and needed a new head gasket. With 115,000+ on the clock! it just wasn't worth it for me to try and fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj cowboy Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Geez, for the amount of engine problems I was expecting the car to have 215000 miles. Welcome aboard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfurth Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) Geez, for the amount of engine problems I was expecting the car to have 215000 miles. Welcome aboard! The GM 3100 engine was a piece of junk. Combine the bad manifold gasket material with Dex-Cool (which eats the gasket material), and you have a recipe for disaster and premature engine death. It was a good vehicle for me to learn some skills on (actually, that started with my T&C when I decided it was no longer worth it to me to pay someone to do basic maintenance, and since then I've replaced a fuel pump and muffler on the Malibu, brake pads and rotors twice and all four calipers on the T&C, power steering pressure hose - which needs replacing again, the OEM part is terrible!). It's easy to learn how to fix cars - just buy one that has a problem every month! My post-purchase research into the 2.4l WGE is making me far more confident in the purchase. There's plenty of space under the hood to do the basics without removing half of the equipment (not to mention I don't have to remove an engine mount to change a serpentine belt - thank you Chevrolet!!!). I was a little concerned about the 30,000 mile spark plug change, but figured OEM was probably copper plugs (and a little digging around here confirmed my suspicions). At $2/plug, I won't complain. It's odd that a manufacturer would use a copper plug now instead of iridium or platinum, but the cost difference between copper at 30k and the others at 90-100k is negligible, and it's a 4 cylinder with coil-on-plug packs. SOOOO much easier to change out than a transverse mounted V6. I also like that there's a transmission dip stick (something sorely lacking with the 62te - and yes, I know there's a workaround) and an EVIC that actually gives me transmission temp. It's about time manufacturers starting treating vehicles like the mobile computers they are! We wanted to get out of the Malibu pretty quickly, and the Journey fit the bill for price and size. We got an SE with the chrome package (19" chrome plated rims, chrome plated roof rack side supports) and UConnect with dimming mirror on the 4.3 radio (beats the alternative of using a cell phone on speaker...) and "locking" lug nut pack (delaer installed option, don't care one way or the other) and walked away with a sticker price of $26,400, agreed selling price of $21k, $500 for trade in. We were pretty happy about it. Turns out, my car was on its dying breath at just the right time (right before President's Day deals ended). Ours didn't come with floor mats, so I've still got the dealer paper mats sitting in the front until my Weathertech liners come in (ordered them yesterday). Oh well, one less thing I have to store somewhere else. Edited February 25, 2015 by bfurth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhh3 Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 GM is so crooked that they use your ignition switch for someone who has been recalled! The more I drive my DJ, the more of love it. I consider it the new version of my Jeep Commander. I am curious to see what they will do as to a replacement in a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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