As far as mechanical reliability goes, the Dodge brand is not very reputable. I wish I would have know this before I purchased the spectacularly looking 2002 Dodge Intrepid. As a high school student, I wanted a car that both fell within my price and looked great when I picked up a date. I found both of those qualities in the Dodge Intrepid.
I found the car at a truck dealership for $7000 dollars. Quite a bargain for a lot of car. The salesman explained that the car was so cheap because he wanted to get the car off his lot. After all, the dealership specialized in trucks. He merely had the car because it was a trade in.
I fell for the vehicle with the first test drive. The Dodge Intrepid has a 2.7 liter V6 with 200 horsepower. Upon pushing the gas pedal, I was thrust back into my seat, awe-struck with its amazing power. It handled curves beautifully and could accelerate like none other. I went to the bank, took out a loan, and drove the Intrepid home, proof of ownership in hand.
The car worked great for a couple of months, then the troubles began. They started out small. A hornet decided my trunk would be the perfect place to build a nest. I opened the trunk one morning and discovered the painful surprise. Not long after, the radiator cap fell loose. No problem, just tighten it up.
Then the real problems began. While driving down the highway, I noticed the temperature gauge was almost in the red zone. I pulled off at the next exit and let the car cool down for a while. I drove it home and checked the coolant levels. They were normal, so I took the Dodge into a repair shop. The mechanic said my thermostat was busted. He had to order the part for my car. I was out of a vehicle for a week.
I got the thermostat fixed. The car ran smoothly for a few weeks, and then the engine began to make funny noises. Once again, the Dodge Intrepid had to be hauled into the mechanics garage. This time, the timing belt in the engine was going. The car had to be sidelined while it was incapacitated. A few hundred dollars and a week later, I was able to drive the car away from the shop.
Unfortunately, a couple of months after the timing belt incident, my heater stopped working. I swear I alone was keeping the mechanic in business. He said the thermostat was busted again. Fortunately, since it was the middle of winter, I didn’t have to worry about the engine over heating. I was able to drive my Dodge Intrepid while the part was on order. The drives were unbearably cold, but the thermostat was replaced.
I finally had it when the Intrepid began to shift unusually hard. I don’t even remember what the problem was. It was an expensive repair, though. As soon as that was fixed, I traded the Dodge Intrepid in for a different car. The Intrepid cost me more than it was worth. As a poor student, I couldn’t afford these expensive repair bills.
In conclusion, avoid the 2002 Dodge Intrepid. It may initially be cheap, but the repair bills will add up. The car is mechanically unreliable. All of these mechanical problems occurred within a year of each other. I spent a lot of time riding my bike, walking, and borrowing vehicles from others because my Dodge Intrepid spent so much time at the repair shop. Don’t waste your money. Opt for a different car, preferably not a Dodge.
