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Long-Term Test: 2005 Dodge Magnum

Road Test

Long-Term Test: 2005 Dodge Magnum

Introduction

Published Dec 27, 2004

    1 Rating
    By now, you've seen the commercials, the billboards and probably the print ads for the new Dodge Magnum. With its tapered roofline, low greenhouse and aggressive grille, this station wagon seeks to crush the old image of station wagons, that being decidedly uncool. With the availability of Hemi V8 power and a performance suspension, this wagon is today's equivalent of an old Mopar muscle car.

    With all the buzz generated by this hot-rod wagon and our staff's penchant for sporty cars with brawny V8 power, it was a given that we'd add one to the fleet. Available in base SE with a 2.7-liter, 190-horsepower V6; midlevel SXT with a 3.5-liter, 250-horse V6; and top-of-the-line RT packing the 5.7-liter, 340-horse Hemi V8, the rear-drive Magnum offers the option of all-wheel drive in all but the SE.

    Although the RT already comes nicely equipped with leather seating, powerful Boston Acoustics audio, 18-inch wheels and stability control, our long-termer still had some worthwhile extra-cost features.

    With the various option packages we ordered, our RT also came with side curtain airbags, a trip computer, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable pedals, heated/power front seats, Sirius Satellite Radio and UConnect hands-free communication, among others.

    By now, we're sure you're thinking "Yeah, that's nice. So how quick is it?" How about zero to 60 in 6.3 seconds and the quarter-mile in 14.4 seconds? In other words, the Magnum RT could show its taillights to a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner packing a 383 and a four-speed. Pretty damn quick for a wagon, eh?

    And for those who might like to know how well it stops, the Magnum puts out a solid effort there as well. From 60 mph, the Magnum took 125.4 feet to come to a halt, certainly respectable though not as impressive as its scorching acceleration. Thanks for the wagon's superb balance is owed to a suspension derived from the previous-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

    But as a trio of Edmunds editors discovered, there's a lot more to like about the Magnum than just its ability to blow off sporty coupes and sedans. Road Test Editor Brian Moody explains: "The Magnum is nothing less than a bold departure from the boxy and boring SUVs and an antidote to cookie-cutter sedans. Of course, being a wagon, the car can't help but be versatile — we've already hauled plenty of cargo in back including a large toy train table and oversized Christmas gifts."

    Fellow road test scribe John DiPietro had this to say: "I took the Magnum down to San Diego, about a two-hour ride from L.A. if you avoid traffic. Thanks to the quiet cabin, absorbent ride and Sirius radio, the miles passed quickly. With the Hemi's variable-displacement system that automatically shuts down half the cylinders under cruising conditions, I averaged about 20 mpg for the trip."

    Editor in Chief Karl Brauer agreed with John and added, "The thing about the Hemi is that it's not just fast but it's very refined. The workings of the cylinder deactivation system are almost imperceptible from behind the wheel. And the 5.7-liter Hemi makes all the right noises, it's quiet under relaxed driving conditions yet provides a throaty rumble when you tap into its performance."

    Karl also felt that the Magnum offered more than the big V8 and a station wagon's practicality: "In terms of handling dynamics, the Magnum feels like a premium German sedan, which is probably its biggest advantage over the competition. The Mercedes' underpinnings come shining through, taking the form of intuitive steering feel, high-speed stability, confident handling and compliant ride quality."

    Lastly, Mr. Brauer was able to use the Magnum's 72 cubic feet of cargo capacity to move a large piece of furniture. By folding down just the "40" part of the 60/40-split second-row seat, Karl was able to transport his new desk and his family of four home from the antique store, albeit with the help of some wire to hold the hatch down.

    Overall, we're very happy with the Magnum and its dual personality. Apart from a stone chip in the windshield that we had fixed for around $60, we've had no problem with our Hemi hauler and look forward to more seat time.

    Current Odometer: 4,777
    Best Fuel Economy: 19.8 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 13.8 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.7 mpg
    Body Repair Costs: $59.95 (Windshield Repair)
    Maintenance Costs: None
    Problems: None

    Road Test

    March 2005

    If perpetual praise was pennies in this world, our long-term Dodge Magnum RT would be about ready to retire with a healthy pension. Fortunately for us, our year-long drive in the 2005 Magnum V8 super-wagon is just getting started.

    And what a start it's been: No sooner had the deep-midnight blue Magnum landed on our doorstep in Southern California that it began a number of marathon tours. After Road Test Editor John DiPietro test-piloted the rear-drive wagon on a shake-down cruise to San Diego — giving it the OK-to-fly signal (see our Long-Term Introduction) — Executive Editor Richard Homan blasted up the spine of California to his brother's home in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

    "There's a first time for everything," Homan noted in the logbook, "and this was my first time in a Magnum. This drive was so good that whatever moderate expectations I had going in, I came out with a whole new attitude about what a wagon could be."

    After another paragraph and a half of laudatory generalities, Homan veered into substantive praise: "I had always been drawn to the Magnum's sinister high-beltline shape, but what's so satisfying is how the rest of the package follows suit. The interior is smartly designed, the seats are ideally firm for a long drive and the outward vision is deceptively expansive in all directions — you'd never guess to look at it from the outside.

    "The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is a work of genius. It's perfectly happy tooling about all day just off idle, but when you nudge into the throttle, you get a heroic surge of pure power accompanied by a full-on king-of-the-jungle roar from the exhaust. And on the long, straight, seemingly endless high-speed miles of Interstate 5, I never had a clue that the Hemi's fuel-saving cylinder deactivation system was shutting down four of the engine's eight cylinders when cruising at steady speeds. Building such a true American high-performance vehicle on top of the poised handling of the previous-generation E-Class platform is an inspired idea."

    Upon the Dodge Magnum RT's return, the air in its tires barely had time to cool before Production Editor Caroline Pardilla launched the car east, in the direction of Las Vegas, on a three-day trip to attend her sister's wedding (with Elvis presiding over the ceremony). "The Magnum swallowed my brother, his boyfriend, me and all our stuff with plenty of room to spare," she marveled. "Being over 6 feet tall, my brother's boyfriend was surprised by how comfortable and roomy the backseat was. And even hitting mountain passes in the rain at highway speeds, loaded up with people and cargo, the wagon never broke a sweat."

    Back home in Santa Monica, our intrepid Magnum took some time off of its busy tour schedule to get its 7,500-mile oil and filter change, plus a $28 tire rotation, from our local Chrysler-Jeep dealer. All systems were given the A-OK by the service department, and the last time we saw our long-term Dodge Magnum RT, it was headed out to collect more valentines from enthusiastic drivers, comfortable passengers and admiring onlookers.

    Current Odometer: 8,083
    Best Fuel Economy: 19.8 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 13.5 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 15.9 mpg
    Body Repair Costs: None
    Maintenance Costs: $62.41
    Problems: None

    Road Test

    May 2005

    We now have more than 12,000 miles on our long-term 2005 Dodge Magnum RT and the wagon keeps on impressing us with its versatility and style.

    A quick check of the logbook shows that the Dodge Magnum continues to earn more accolades than a "lifetime achievement" award recipient. Comments include "highly capable," "I love this car," "highly satisfying" and finally a simple "I like it." Editorial Director Kevin Smith summed it up well by saying that the "Magnum is a tough, capable, usable car with character."

    Most editors like the smooth and powerful Hemi V8. Executive Editor Richard Homan commented that the powertrain is "strong and smooth." Road Test Editor Dan Kahn noted, "Great power and sound from the Hemi — excellent transmission and shifter." Road Test Editor Brian Moody made this observation: "This is a great all-around car anchored by the Hemi V8 that adds both power and sophistication to the driving experience."

    The minor drawbacks include steering that a few on staff consider to be "too light" while others mentioned not-so-great rear visibility.

    We have encountered one problem with our Magnum. At roughly 11,000 miles we started to notice a rattle coming from the rear of the car. We took it to Cerritos Dodge and service advisor Nick told us we had a bad left-rear shock. He explained that a small leak was allowing the gas to slowly discharge causing extra play which, in turn, caused the rattling sound when driving over small bumps.

    We had to return two weeks later because the part had to be ordered. Once the part arrived, we were contacted promptly and the new unit was installed. Unfortunately, the same noise returned only hours after picking up the Magnum, so we will have to take it back. At this point, we're not sure exactly what the cause of that "clunking" noise is, although the dealership's initial assessment seems correct based on the type and location of the noise. Hopefully we'll include the resolution to this in our next update.

    On a more positive note, we have slowly discovered that our Dodge Magnum RT is packed with little features usually found on luxury-branded cars. There's the one-touch lane-change feature that automatically blinks the indicators three times with one tap of the stalk. We also appreciate the power passenger's seat and rear-seat vents. Admittedly, these are little things but they add up to the feeling that DaimlerChrysler has gone the extra mile with this car.

    Finally, we also discovered the ultraconvenient UConnect system. UConnect is available on Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep products and is essentially Bluetooth integration for your cell phone. Now that we've set it up we can't live without it. When you're in the car, simply leave your phone on, then you can make and receive calls through the car's hands-free system. All prompts are voice-activated and you only have to physically touch a button once during the whole process. UConnect is truly a must-have feature.

    So far the Magnum has been a pleasure to drive and own, and our minor problem with a faulty shock (we think) has done little to dampen our enthusiasm toward the car. Put more miles on the Magnum? We can't wait.

    Current Odometer: 12,126
    Best Fuel Economy: 23.3 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 13.2 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.1
    Body Repair Costs: None
    Maintenance Costs: None
    Problems: Bad rear shock.

    Road Test

    September 2005

    "I come from wagon people," said Erin Riches, senior content editor.

    "I get nostalgic when I drive our 2005 Dodge Magnum RT because the first car I ever drove was an '87 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. In both cars, a 350-cubic-inch V8 powers the rear wheels and you sit low with an imposing view of the hood. No question, the Magnum is safer and more enjoyable to drive than the dinosaur Olds, and after logging 2,500 miles in one week, I genuinely like the Dodge and would recommend it to families of four with few exceptions."

    Erin wasn't the only one to amass serious mileage in our big blue wagon. We put on 6,500 miles during the summer road-trip season, including a 1,700-mile Mt. Shasta jaunt by Editorial Director Kevin Smith. Both Kevin and Erin commented on the Magnum's exceptional long-haul comfort.

    "I folded the rear seat, threw down a sheet and loaded up my two golden retrievers for a nine-hour blitz north," Kevin wrote in the logbook. "They didn't complain and neither did I. The Magnum is fast, flexible and friendly with plenty of character."

    "Even during all-day stints behind the wheel, the firm seats remained supportive," said Erin. "Plus, the large footwell offered plenty of room to stretch my legs with the cruise set."

    Ride quality was also road-trip perfect, according to Erin. "The consequence of this soft suspension tuning was more body roll than I would have liked in the turns," she conceded. "But the Magnum still sticks better than most other cars on the road.

    "I had never been impressed by the steering feel in this wagon," she continued, "but I began to change my mind during the trip. The weighting is too light at speed, but there's a nice connection between your hands and the road. It's not like a Legacy GT rack, but it suits the Magnum's comfy personality."

    Like others before them, Kevin and Erin were smitten with the wagon's drivetrain. "Plenty of thrust when you ask for it, reasonable fuel economy, and a smooth and polished feel," Kevin penned in his notes.

    "The Magnum RT is great if you like to take the back roads but don't want to saunter along at sightseeing pace," said Erin. "With 390 pound-feet of torque from the Hemi V8 and an alert five-speed automatic, you can take advantage of every passing zone that comes your way. The gorgeous drive down the Oregon coast was made more enjoyable by the fact that I wasn't stuck behind too many RVs."

    Although strong in most areas, the Magnum is not without a few annoyances, among these a large turning radius. Dodge specs list it as 38.9 feet, but when backing into carports and turning corners in the city, the circle feels much larger.

    Inside, both editors noted that the high cowl hampers visibility for anyone under 6 feet tall, while materials quality is only so-so.

    "The plastics up front are of solid quality," Erin noted, "but designers slipped some cheap stuff into the rear. I might let this go if the fit and finish was better, but in our wagon, the plastics have flashing on the edges, the D-pillar trim is coming off, and a loose piece of rubber stripping hangs down from the rear door on the driver side. There's also an annoying rattle coming from the cargo bay."

    This isn't the same rattle we reported in our last installment. That one turned out to be the result of a misaligned seat latch, uncovered during a second trip to Cerritos Dodge in Cerritos, California. The Magnum also went in for its 12,000-mile service over the summer. This amounted to nothing more than an oil change, tire rotation and a few inspections, but when we asked Los Angeles' Buerge Chrysler-Jeep to do just this, they went ahead and performed the more expensive dealer-recommended service, which included an unnecessary automatic transmission flush. We didn't immediately notice the error when we picked up the car, and this resulted in a messy situation in which we had to insist that they refund the extra charges to our credit card. This isn't the first time Buerge has tried to pull such a ruse, but the dealership's convenient location keeps us coming back.

    Our time with the Magnum draws short, so there won't be too many more road trips for our staff. That's a shame, because we'd be hard-pressed to find a more amicable long-distance companion.

    Current Odometer: 18,774
    Best Fuel Economy: 24.4 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 11.8 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 17.3 mpg
    Body Repair Costs: None
    Maintenance Costs: None
    Problems: Rattles from rear of the vehicle.

    Road Test

    Wrap-Up

    Why We Bought It
    How It Drove
    Inside the Cabin
    Summing Up
    Changes to the Dodge Magnum Since 2005
    Ups and Downs
    Recalls and Problem History
    Dealer Service Reviews
    What Consumers Say

    Why We Bought It

    It's been our editorial policy to add each year's Edmunds' Most Wanted award winner to our long-term fleet, but for 2005 we modified the rule slightly.

    Although there was no shortage of affection for the victorious 2005 Chrysler 300 sedan, the allure of spending a year with the 300's wagon twin, the Dodge Magnum, was too strong to ignore. With its tapered roofline, low greenhouse and aggressive grille, the Magnum isn't your mother's old wood-paneled Country Squire. Add the availability of Hemi V8 power and a performance suspension, and this wagon is today's equivalent of an old Mopar muscle car.

    After reviewing the available trim levels, we chose a top-of-the-line RT, complete with a 5.7-liter, 340-horse Hemi V8 and standard rear-wheel drive. Although the RT already comes nicely equipped with leather seating, powerful Boston Acoustics audio, 18-inch wheels and stability control, our long-termer also boasted several additional feature packages. Side curtain airbags, a trip computer, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable pedals, heated/power front seats, Sirius Satellite Radio and a UConnect hands-free communication system were among the notable goodies.

    With such a compelling new vehicle in our grasp, the fight for seat time launched the Edmunds' editors into a full-on frenzy.

    How It Drove

    After conducting a battery of instrumented performance tests, our team congratulated each other on making the wise decision to acquire the cool new wagon.

    A quarter-mile time of 14.4 seconds brought smiles to our track-dusted faces, and over the next 11 months, the Hemi compliments dominated the Magnum RT's logbook: "The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is a work of genius. It's perfectly happy tooling about all day just off idle, but when you nudge into the throttle, you get a heroic surge of pure power accompanied by a full-on king-of-the-jungle roar from the exhaust."

    Not only was the Hemi fast, miraculously it wasn't the gas-guzzling beast we feared, as noted by Inside Line's executive editor, Rich Homan: "On the long, straight, seemingly endless high-speed miles of Interstate 5, I never had a clue the Hemi's fuel-saving cylinder deactivation system was shutting down four of the engine's eight cylinders when cruising at steady speeds."

    Inside Line Road Test Editor John DiPietro affirmed: "I took the Magnum down to San Diego, about a two-hour ride from L.A. With the Hemi's variable-displacement system that automatically shuts down half the cylinders under cruising conditions, I averaged about 20 mpg for the trip." Not a bad number for a 340-hp modern-day muscle car.

    But Edmunds.com Editor in Chief Karl Brauer felt the Magnum offered more than just a big V8. He also praised the big wagon's ability to drive light on its feet: "In terms of handling dynamics, the Magnum feels like a premium German sedan, which is probably its biggest advantage over the competition. The Mercedes' underpinnings come shining through, taking the form of intuitive steering feel, high-speed stability, confident handling and compliant ride quality."

    In a year's worth of praise, complaints were few. Minor drawbacks included steering that a few staffers consider to be "too light" while others mentioned not-so-great rear visibility, a drawback of the bunkered greenhouse. A wide turning radius could also be troublesome while navigating parking lots. But once out on the open road, these criticisms receded to the back of the mind.

    Inside the Cabin

    Countless thumbs-up were issued for the Magnum's hip exterior, but as the miles ticked by, it was the Dodge's modern, functional cabin that drew praise. "I had always been drawn to the Magnum's sinister high-beltline shape, but what's so satisfying is how the rest of the package follows suit," noted Rich. "The interior is smartly designed, the seats are ideally firm for a long drive and the outward vision is deceptively expansive in all directions — you'd never guess to look at it from the outside."

    Interior plastics, silver trim pieces, and leather seat covers continued to look fresh, and throughout the months we also discovered that our Dodge Magnum RT was packed with little features usually found on luxury-branded cars. There's the one-touch lane-change feature that automatically blinks the indicators three times with one tap of the stalk, a power passenger's seat and rear-seat vents. Admittedly, these are little things but they add up to the feeling that DaimlerChrysler has gone the extra mile with this car.

    Drivers raved about the Magnum's cavernous 72 cubic feet of cargo capacity, which transported everything from furniture to large, family pets. By folding down just the "40" part of the 60/40-split second-row seat, Brauer was able to transport a new desk plus his family of four home from an antique store, albeit with the help of some wire to hold the hatch down. Editorial Director Kevin Smith folded the entire rear seat flat and loaded a pair of golden retrievers comfortably in the cargo hold before heading north to join the rest of the Smith family for a little mid-summer R & R.

    Once we discovered the ultraconvenience of the Magnum's UConnect system, which is essentially Bluetooth integration for your cell phone, we couldn't live without it. When you're in the car, simply leave your phone on, then you can make and receive calls through the car's hands-free system. All prompts are voice-activated and you only have to physically touch a button once during the whole process. For cell phone devotees, UConnect is truly a must-have feature.

    Summing Up

    During it's year, the Magnum suffered just one mechanical issue which slightly colored its last few months in our garage. A reoccurring noise from the wagon's rear end sent us to the dealer on three separate occasions looking for a fix. A warranty repair was made during each visit, but twice the rattle and eventually a loud clunk resumed. Fortunately, the third time was the charm, and a repair to the bent exhaust system finally did the trick in the last month of the test, allowing us to heartily embrace the Magnum on the day of its departure.

    Still, the last couple of months of minor issues hardly stifled our overall enthusiasm for the Magnum, and it remained until the end a solid favorite. Perhaps Kevin Smith summed it up best when he noted, "The Magnum is fast, flexible and friendly with plenty of character." A wagon with character? Who would've thought?

    True Market Value at service end: $24,928
    Depreciation: $8,117 or 25% of original paid price
    Final Odometer Reading: 20,655
    Best Fuel Economy: 23.7 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy:11.4 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy: 17.3 mpg
    Total Body Repair Costs: $59.95 (windshield repair)
    Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 12 months): $62.41
    Additional Maintenance Costs: None
    Warranty Repairs: 3
    Non-Warranty Repairs: 1
    Scheduled Dealer Visits: 2
    Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 3
    Days Out of Service: 3
    Breakdowns Stranding Driver: 0


    Changes to the Dodge Magnum Since 2005

    2006 — The Magnum receives bright trim on the SXT's grille, doors and interior. The SXT now comes with standard foglights, and both the SXT and RT now have an optional rear-seat DVD player that flips up from the center console. Eighteen-inch wheels are now optional on the SXT and 17-inch machined aluminum wheels are offered on rear-wheel-drive versions. Later in the model year, the SXT's four-speed automatic transmission will be replaced with a five-speed unit.

    Ups and Downs

    Ups: There's nothing like the Magnum's Hemi power; cool, retro styling; and roomy, comfortable interior.

    Downs: The reoccurring rattle from the Magnum's rear became a downer as the months rolled along.

    The Bottom Line: The Dodge Magnum is a wagon you actually want to drive.

    Recalls and Problem History

    Recalls: None

    Problem History:
    1. Rattle coming from the rear of the car. Dealer said the left-rear shock was bad and it was replaced.
    2. Rattle coming from the rear of the car. Dealer said the rear-seat latch was loose and made an adjustment.
    3. Clunk coming from the rear of the car. Dealer said a clamp holding the exhaust pipe was bent and it was hitting the body.
    Dealer Service Reviews

    Buerge Chrysler-Jeep in Santa Monica, California

    March 2005
    7,500-mile oil and filter change plus a tire rotation. Dealer overcharged us $7 and said they would issue a credit toward our next service.

    June 2005
    12,000-mile service which included an oil change, tire rotation and a few inspections. We asked the service advisor to do just this, and they went ahead and performed the more expensive dealer-recommended service instead, which included an unnecessary automatic transmission flush. We didn't immediately notice the error when we picked up the car, and this resulted in a messy situation in which we had to insist that they refund the extra charges to our credit card. This isn't the first time Buerge has tried to pull such a ruse, but the dealership's convenient location has kept us coming back.

    Cerritos Dodge in Cerritos, California

    April 2005
    Disappointed with Buerge, we tried a new dealer to remedy the annoying rattle in the Magnum's rear. The dealer said we had a bad rear shock, ordered the new unit and replaced it two weeks later. Service was much improved compared to Buerge.

    June 2005
    The annoying rattle returned. This time, they adjusted a rear-seat latch while we waited. All was quiet again for a couple of months.

    October 2005
    The rattle has become a clunking noise. This time, service advisor Daniel Jacobo found the bent exhaust system was hitting against the body when the car went over bumps. It, too, was replaced under warranty.

    What Consumers Say

    "I keep hearing so many bad stories about the Magnum RT to date. I have had a great experience. I've had it for 5 months and a little under 5,000 miles. Yes, I don't drive it every day to work. It's mostly a weekend and holiday car with my wife using it as needed to haul the kids around. So far, no complaints. It is a great car, with the feel of a luxury Benz to it. If problems develop in the future, I will rely on my dealership along with my extended warranty to deal with the problem. The ESP program, very roomy interior, the Hemi, GPS system, and the quiet ride are my favorite things. My only suggestion would be to see if you could put in a CVT transmission. I think that is where cars are headed for in the future as a standard." — vdogrt, October 30, 2005

    "Within 140 miles of use, a serious transmission problem was discovered. Also, the cooling fan clicks on and off way too often to be normal. And the factory tint on the windows is not removable, making it impossible to change the tint on the windows aft of the front-passenger windows. Steering wheel-mounted audio controls, GPS system and other technical gadgets are my favorite things. I disliked the recall for all transmissions containing the faulty O-ring. Would like better quality on carpet and dashboard materials, and no factory-installed tinting on windows." — Jaylinb, October 1, 2005

    "Great car. I wanted a fast car with lots of space, modern technology and comforts. It was a choice between the Magnum, Audi wagon or Bimmer wagon. I'm very happy with the choice, but haven't been able to get 17 mpg no matter how I drive it. Steering wheel controls, nav, V8 are my favorite things. Please cut the throttle response time, and add bigger mirrors to improve visibility." — lateif, September 30, 2005

    "I bought my car sight unseen, never even test-drove it. What a chance I took, but there hasn't been one thing about this car that I am disappointed in! I love everything about my car except where and how the cruise control lever is located. I also own a C-5 Vette and I can honestly say I usually choose to drive the Magnum over it. I never thought I'd say that about any other car. The Hemi does justice to its name. It's got the looks, the comfort, and the power I look for in a car. Just don't expect it to get very good gas mileage, but I knew that was the price to pay for pure happiness whenever I get behind the wheel. It is one of the roomiest and comfortable vehicles I've owned. Plenty of storage. Love the interior, both in looks and comfort. Very roomy seats. Love all the nooks and storage compartments in hatchback. Plenty of legroom in front and backseats. Exterior is awesome to look at. Change the location and design of the cruise control. It's hard to reach behind the steering wheel & wiper/turn signal." — I. lyons, September 7, 2005

    "I had this car for four days before the engine blew (200 miles on it!). I was convinced that it was a lemon, but the dealership said it was a problem with the car and would not be covered by warranty. I'll take their word and assume it is an awful car. And DaimlerChrysler has backed the dealership! Beware, if you buy this car (or the 300, Charger, or any other car with the same platform) and you have problems, they will not take responsibility. I had heard similar things but wanted this car so badly, I took a chance on it anyway. Biggest mistake of my life. I am actually left hoping that the engine problems continue so I can take them to task and claim it as a lemon. I am a VERY angry consumer! Take responsibility for your incompetence!! I will never buy a Dodge, Chrysler, or Jeep again." — Robert in Atlanta, August 8, 2005

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