Behold! My new car!

[Intrepidation]

Well after lots of looking around I finally got myself a new car, and what a beauty she is! She has 173k miles on her, which is a little on the high side, but she's been well taken care of. We saw the car posted on Auto Trader through edmunds, and found the auction was nearby. We went there last Wednesday and looks at a lot of cars and drove quite a few.

At the end of the day, this one really stood out. Paint job is very good, headlights are crystal clear, the engine runs smooth with no knocking or chirping, the tranny shifts beautifully, and the interior is like new. Carfax showed it to be in the clear, as well. I paid $2,100 for it.

I took it to the mechanic to have it looked over and inspected, he said everything checks out with the exception that he noticed oil on the engine (under the cover I guess, where I couldn't see it. He said he couldn't find any leaks on it, and it may be just a spill or something, but he can't steam clean it or whatever until the weather warms up. He said just keep an eye on the fluids. So here's hoping it's just a spill or something.

The interior is very nicely designed and for the most part well built. Soft touch surfaces grace the upper dash, middle section of the dash on the passenger side, upper door panels, and all of the arm rests. The design is much more graceful IMO than the Magnum's or Charger's interiors. Textures feel nice and match each other nicely as well. It has a 6-speaker CD/cassette stereo (too bad it can't read mmp3s...ironically something my Shadow can do), and it sounds great. It doesn't have a folding rear seat, but considering the giant trunk, I'll live .

It has a 2.7 liter V6 and all power, both are firsts for my family. This si also the newest car anyone in my immediate family has ever owned (sad I know). It has power everything, and with the exception of the trunk light, everything works. It has remote keyless entry and trunk release too. Power is smooth and refined and plentiful.

Pedal feel is good and progressive for both gas and brake, and the steering wheel is nice and thick, and smaller than teh Shadow's. Plus it offers good weight and nice feedback. it drives like it's smaller than it really is, and handles very nicely. It also handles road imperfections very well and the interior doesn't rattle or squeak.

I absolutely love this car, it's my baby, I'm gonna take good care of her!

Anyway, enough rambling, here's some pictures just after a midnight car wash! When the weather cooperates, I'll get some daytime pics!

[Cory Wolfe]

Its an Intrepid. Big whoop.

Seriously, though, it looks good. Has 3k more miles than my Millenia too. We should race, then bet on which will last longer. Haha..

[ocnblu]

Congrats on it, Dodgefan. I like the second-gen Intrepids better than the first ones.

[Jazzhead]

Nice ride. We had a 2000 Concorde for about four years (I traded it in '05 for a 300C), and it was completely trouble free. It had the 2.7 liter engine, so it was no speed demon, but it was perfectly adequate for daily driving. The best thing was the absolutely classy interior, with, just as you report, nice feeling materials throughout. I'd say the Concorde's interior was superior to the 300C's - and a heck of a lot nicer than the recent interior I saw on the Dodge Caliber, which seemed to be hard plastic throughout.

Good luck with your Intrepid.

[Drew Dowdell]

Great shape for the miles

[Intrepidation]

Its an Intrepid. Big whoop.

Seriously, though, it looks good. Has 3k more miles than my Millenia too. We should race, then bet on which will last longer. Haha..

222587[/snapback]

Congrats on it, Dodgefan.  I like the second-gen Intrepids better than the first ones.

222590[/snapback]

Me too, especially interior wise.

Nice ride.    We had a 2000 Concorde for about four years  (I traded it in '05 for a 300C),  and it was completely trouble free.    It had the 2.7 liter engine,  so it was no speed demon,  but it was perfectly adequate for daily driving.      The best thing was the absolutely classy interior,  with, just as you report,  nice feeling materials throughout.    I'd say the Concorde's interior was superior to the 300C's - and a heck of a lot nicer than the recent interior I saw on the Dodge Caliber,  which seemed to be hard plastic throughout.

Good luck with your Intrepid.

222605[/snapback]

Yeah I know...while I love the LX cars, their interiors seem to be a step down from the LH ones. I personally like the 300M's interior design the best, but I prefer the exterior of the Intrepid.

[aaaantoine]

Well, it's not a Clown Car, and that disappoints me.

Good luck, anyway.

[FAPTurbo]

Hey, nice

Any thoughts of giving that 2.7 a little more juice, or to make the car look less stock?

[Intrepidation]

Hey, nice 

Any thoughts of giving that 2.7 a little more juice, or to make the car look less stock?

222772[/snapback]

Actually yes I have. For a long time, before I ever even dreamed of being able to own one, I liked this after market kit for Intrepids. I think it's actually fairly tasteful and really makes it look nice. What do you think?

Although I would have nicer looking 5-spoke wheels...kinda like what you find on the Charger SRT-8

As for more juice...that would be cool. The only thing is I've never modded an engine before...so I'm not sure how I'd go about doing it.

It'd be down the line though, when I have more money...however in the short term I would like to do some inexpensive thing, like maybe get a chrome/stainless exhaust tip for it. Then I'd really like to get some nice wheels.

Edited December 1, 2006 by Dodgefan

[aaaantoine]

Actually yes I have. For a long time, before I ever even dreamed of being able to own one, I liked this after market kit for Intrepids. I think it's actually fairly tasteful and really makes it look nice. What do you think?

(imgs removed to reduce scrolling)

Although I would have nicer looking 5-spoke wheels...kinda like what you find on the Charger SRT-8

As for more juice...that would be cool. The only thing is I've never modded an engine before...so I'm not sure how I'd go about doing it.

It'd be down the line though, when I have more money...however in the short term I would like to do some inexpensive thing, like maybe get a chrome/stainless exhaust tip for it. Then I'd really like to get some nice wheels.

222777[/snapback]

It looks good from the back. Other angles are not so impressive.

[caddycruiser]

Looks awesome for the price and mileage.

Just keep an eye on the 2.7L, as it has one of the worst reputations ever in the DCX powertrain line. LOTS of oil sludging issues due to poor crankcase ventilation, which then leads to blown motors. It's a very well known thing on LH car owner boards, and also pretty visible with the number of 2.7L Intrepids & Concordes you see from any given time for sale with blown motors (Ebay always has a load), as well as at scrap yards.

Regardless, this one has made it 173k, so it may be on engine #2--likely, unless you have documentation otherwise--but it also seems to be doing well still. Just be careful.

Otherwise, they're very strong cars, and we had a '00 300M that was a bit of a problem child, but I still love the cars. So much, in fact, that for about a month this fall I was test driving and considering getting rid of my Fleetwood for a newer LHS. Didn't, but I still really like them

Edited December 1, 2006 by caddycruiser

[Intrepidation]

Looks awesome for the price and mileage.

Just keep an eye on the 2.7L, as it has one of the worst reputations ever in the DCX powertrain line.  LOTS of oil sludging issues due to poor crankcase ventilation, which then leads to blown motors.  It's a very well known thing on LH car owner boards, and also pretty visible with the number of 2.7L Intrepids & Concordes you see from any given time for sale with blown motors (Ebay always has a load), as well as at scrap yards.

Regardless, this one has made it 173k, so it may be on engine #2--likely, unless you have documentation otherwise--but it also seems to be doing well still.  Just be careful.

Otherwise, they're very strong cars, and we had a '00 300M that was a bit of a problem child, but I still love the cars.  So much, in fact, that for about a month this fall I was test driving and considering getting rid of my Fleetwood for a newer LHS.  Didn't, but I still really like them

222869[/snapback]

Yeah, consumer guide mentioned the 2.7 liter being problematic, so I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks for the advise! It's a little discomforting then that oil was found on the motor (which I still can't see)...but I have yet to see any stains on the ground, so maybe it was just a spill? Do they really have to wait till warm weather to steam clean an engine?

The vehicle history report didn't show the engine being replaced...so maybe it's still on the original. I'm not sure. Regardless, I love this car very much.

[SuperSport623]

some kid i worked with bought an intrepid, same body style... he asked me to check his oil (he didnt know how to pop the hood on even his old car) i opened the hood, and the motor sat longitudilay.... i jumped under the car, just to reinforce the fact it was FWD... last time ive seen a FWD car with a longitudal engine was like an olds toronado

[XP715]

Not a bad looking ride you have there; I'll be looking for her in the parking lot at school!

[caddycruiser]

some kid i worked with bought an intrepid, same body style... he asked me to check his oil (he didnt know how to pop the hood on even his old car) i opened the hood, and the motor sat longitudilay.... i jumped under the car, just to reinforce the fact it was FWD... last time ive seen a FWD car with a longitudal engine was like an olds toronado

222998[/snapback]

A lot of recent VW/Audi's have been like that, and all the Chrysler LH-cars have always been. Definately unique, and when my mother first got her new 300M, it kinda weirded my father out for a second too when he went to look around under the hood.

[ToniCipriani]

Nice Kuruma!

[Ravenfreak13]

Congrats! I love the style of these cars..they're so futuristic lol. Im shocked at the condition considering the milage. Nice ride!

[Intrepidation]

Some daytime pics

[Croc]

Nice, I always liked that generation of the Intrepid.

[Delta Force79]

congrats on the new ride, it looks real clean for the amount of miles on it, I always liked the LH's for their size, my personel fav LH is the first gen LHS and the 300M

[Sixty8panther]

Congratulations dude.... I kept missing this thread so I

decided to search for it since I knew you must have

made a post about the new WHIP, would you like a new

TWCC signature to go along with the new Dodge-izzle?

P.S. In that the BK in Methuen? ...or Lowell on Rt.110?

[Intrepidation]

Congratulations dude.... I kept missing this thread so I

decided to search for it since I knew you must have

made a post about the new WHIP, would you like a new

TWCC signature to go along with the new Dodge-izzle?

P.S. In that the BK in Methuen? ...or Lowell on Rt.110?

228177[/snapback]

Yes I would like a new sig with it

That BK is in Methuen. It was a car dealership years ago.

[Intrepidation]

congrats on the new ride, it looks real clean for the amount of miles on it, I always liked the LH's for their size, my personel fav LH is the first gen LHS and the 300M

224082[/snapback]

The LHS and 300M had the nicest interiors of the LH cars I think, but the Intrepid's exterior is my favorite...and the interior is still very nice. I just prefer the smaller gauge cowl (I think that's what it's called) of the 300M.

[MyerShift]

Great car bud!

Just make sure to change oil frequently/keep an eye on it or use a synthetic. Don't want to have a sludge problem!

[Intrepidation]

Great car bud!

Just make sure to change oil frequently/keep an eye on it or use a synthetic. Don't want to have a sludge problem!

230490[/snapback]

I read the timing chain was a real issue with this engine as well.

[MyerShift]

I have heard that as well, I believe it regards the timing chain oil squirters getting clogged or something of that nature. You know, I believe that it only effects the longitudinally placed 2.7L engines. I haven't heard of catastrophic timing chain failures in the Stratus and Sebring or of sludge issue of similar magnitude, and they have their engines mounted transversely.

This also reminds me of something else that I have pondered: Why did Chrysler drop their 3.2L V6 engine after only, what, three years in production? Then they had the 2.7L and the 3.5L. I feel they should have dropped the 2.7L engine so as the 3.2L unit would be the base LH engine, and then the 3.5L unit would be the optional one.

[Intrepidation]

I have heard that as well, I believe it regards the timing chain oil squirters getting clogged or something of that nature. You know, I believe that it only effects the longitudinally placed 2.7L engines. I haven't heard of catastrophic timing chain failures in the Stratus and Sebring or of sludge issue of similar magnitude, and they have their engines mounted transversely.

This also reminds me of something else that I have pondered: Why did Chrysler drop their 3.2L V6 engine after only, what, three years in production? Then they had the 2.7L and the 3.5L. I feel they should have dropped the 2.7L engine so as the 3.2L unit would be the base LH engine, and then the 3.5L unit would be the optional one.

I've been reading on dodgetalk.com about the 2.7L...a lot of people have had catastrophic engine failures and are pissed that DCX refuses to take responsibility for the engine's known problems. I think a recall should be issued for the Intrepids with the 2.7L. Oh well, here's to hoping this one is OK.

[Intrepidation]

Oh my, how far we've come.

Been a long time since this thread has seen any action, but let's see how she's aged in the 7 sears I've had her.

Not too shabby.

[Drew Dowdell]

Looks great with those wheels!

[Flexin]

Those wheels look really good on it.

James

[ocnblu]

I agree, you keep your beloved Intrepid looking good, but these photos look familiar. Are they new?

[Intrepidation]

Took them Tuesday.

[G. David Felt]

Nice Job Dodgefan, great way to keep the intrepid looking HOT!

[regfootball]

Looks awesome. I've always thought the intrepid was dodge's best design and even today it still looks more contemporary than a lot of brand new designs.