Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Wagons Dodge Caliber New Caliber Owners - Give Us Your Report!
170 messages, Last post on Sep 07, 2009 at 4:37 AM
You are in the Dodge Caliber Forum. Your Host is kcram
|
Replying to: macmonkey (Jan 04, 2007 5:48 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: canadacaliber (Jan 04, 2007 6:37 am) Hi! I am having the same driver door latching problem. I have come back to my car a few times to find the door open! I check every time I leave now....Have you checked with the dealer on this yet and if so...any results? Have exactly the same problem - think it shut but it didn't. About one in 20 or one in 40 slams it happens. I took it to the dealer and complained twice, but the dealer can't duplicate condition so they won't open the door to explore and make sure there are no "serious" issues. Let's see if some other people report this issue so Chrysler will acknowledge it and investigate. They've been pretty good about TSB'ing issues if they hear enough about them. The next step is for both of us to call our respective Customer Care lines and report the issue so it's in their computer. Apart from being annoying, which isn't really that serious, I am worried that one day it won't latch at all, even on the third or fourth slam, then what do I do?
|
|
|
Replying to: micweb (Jan 04, 2007 3:48 pm) I say this because my 2001 and 2004 VW Golf's followed a similar philosophy of high rpm at interstate speeds - although they were all the way up to 4,000 rpm at 80 mph. Keeping the revs "in the hunt" (as opposed to having a higher 5th gear for better mpg) gives you much better responsiveness at freeway speeds without having to downshift. More of a "driver's profile" than a "soccer mom" profile. On the other hand, this 1.8 (as do the other World Engines in this family) makes its peak horsepower very high in their rpm scale, rather than hitting a peak a 1,000 or so rpm early then dropping off. In other words, the engine pulls a solid 148 horsepower, but you have to take it to redline (or at least to the higher rpm range) to benefit. And this well-designed engine does pull, oh so willingly, towards redline. Taking it up to 80 in 3rd is no problem. Much smoother than the old 2.0 in the Neon, than the 2.2 in the Chevy (Ecotec), and stronger, if not smoother, than the 2.0 in the Focus (Duratec). So the engine is quite Jekyll/Hyde. If you lug it, the way I drive most of my stick shifts - shift early - it feels lightly powered compared to a Cobalt or Focus or old Neon. BUT if you wind it out, the power comes on (nice VVT, thanks Mercedes!) and you get your zippy acceleration. This might explain why the city mileage is high (28 mpg, EPA short shifting) and the highway mileage is "low") (32 mpg, only 1.8 but pulling higher rpm than you see on the Focus/Cobalt in 5th gear). In short, Euro tuned. Nice! (Brute 0-60 times don't tell the whole story - they are based on unrealistic driving habits - high rpm, drop the clutch, try to pull only one shift between 0-60. This car isn't as paper quick as the Cobalt, but feels very lively in real world street and freeway and mountain driving. Apparently the SE gets the "touring" suspension - but not wheels/tires - as the SXT, so you aren't sacrificing suspension tuning on the budget model either. The 1.8 isn't out of place in the stick shift version, as I'd feared, given this vehicle's weight class.) |
|
|
Thanks to a couple of road trips from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and a healthy freeway commute, I’ve managed to rack up an impressive number of miles on my new Caliber SE in a short period of time. I am impressed by the engineering, design, and thoughtfulness that goes into this bargain-basement priced car. I can’t speak for the CVT (automatic) version with the slightly larger, slightly more powerful 2.0 engine, but this combination of 1.8/5 speed stick shift/“touring suspension” feels more European spec than American apple pie. For example, 1.8 liters is downright small for American compact cars these days. The Focus has long been at 2.0 liters; the Neon, the Caliber’s predecessor in the Dodge food-chain, was 2.0 liters; and the Chevy Cobalt is 2.2 liters. But oh, what a smooth, quiet, perky 1.8 liters this is. Unlike the others, the Dodge engine has variable valve timing, reportedly a sophisticated system from Dodge's parent, Mercedes. And the rest of this engine, co-developed with Hyundai and Mitsubishi, seems pretty advanced too. It’s not clear from the published literature whether the 1.8 has the same dual counterbalancing shafts found in the 2.0 and 2.4, but it certainly feels like it – this motor is much smoother than the 2.2 Ecotec (also a recent international effort, although in Chevy’s case mostly engineered by Saab with input from GM North America and Opel from Germany). It doesn't jerk you back in your seat, but before you know it you are flying. Surprisingly, the 1.8 has decent torque – comparable to the 2.0 Duratec in the Focus although higher in the rpm curve – and excellent horsepower – about the same as the much larger 2.2 Ecotec in the Chevy Cobalt – and a long power curve. It cruises very smoothly and quietly at 80 mph; the engine doesn’t feel or sound like it’s over revving, even though it’s moving at a good clip. Gas mileage seems to be excellent – about 31-32 mpg on my freeway work commute, about 29 mpg at sustained interstate speeds down to L.A. (less mileage at sustained high speeds due to the larger profile this car cuts through the air than smaller vehicles like the Neon and new Honda Civic). The manual transmission isn’t up to the excellent Honda Civic or fine Ford Focus standards, but it is a lot better than the Chevy Cobalt, and is easy to match gears for smooth shifts. Finally, the handling is somewhere between firm and supple – definitely not the mushy suspension American car makers are used to giving their American drivers in these small cars, when they aren’t giving them rock-hard, unforgiving suspensions; and the steering is hydraulic, with much better feel than the electric steering in the Cobalt. The Focus remains the gold standard for steering feel and handling, but I’d easily take (and did take) the extra space, extra doors, and additional body stiffness in the Caliber over the slightly long-in-the-tooth Focus (the new Lancer, which uses the same chassis design as the Caliber, is praised by Edmunds for its stiffness, which makes for better handling with a slightly softer suspension – hence the good ride AND good handling). Until the Astra comes out from Saturn – a European-designed compact to replace the Ion – I don’t think the Caliber has much competition in terms of price-performance-roominess(BTW, the Astra is getting the 1.8 vvt version of the Ecotec instead of the non-vvt 2.0 version, which results in the same horsepower but possibly better mileage – at least a rev happy set up instead of a torque happy, lower rpm set up). But I don’t think the Astra will be nearly appealing in terms of efficiency of packaging as the Caliber - it seems to follow the low-seating arrangement still popular in passenger cars, vs. the Caliber's higher, more space-efficient seating position. The Caliber isn’t half a car (good front seat room/no rear seat room). It’s a whole car (you can carry 4 adults, not just 2 adults + 2 kids). Most of its competition really falls into the “half car” format – room for 2 kids in the back, but too tight to really be comfortable for adults. So the Caliber has a special niche. Did I mention that the Caliber is available AWD? Did I mention that the SE has the right combination of standard features (unless you are insane enough to forego aircon as an option) to be both usable and affordable? (E.g., it still has a good cd sound system, mp3/auxiliary plug; center console, etc.) Dodge still hasn't contacted me about the quality control issues I have with my sample ("c" pillar rattle; driver's door that doesn't always latch; and engine that occasionally drops rpm and stumbles when coming to a stop). However, I feel pretty confident (based on ownership of past Doddge and Chrysler compact cars) that for cars assembled 11/06 or later, there should be many fewer initial defects. The PT Cruiser was unusually defect free from the start; the Caliber appears to be a little buggy, but not fatally so. On the other hand, this car has a much higher quality feel than my Cobalt, comparable to larger Dodges. So the quality issue balances out even with the apparent bad sample I got. |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: micweb (Jan 04, 2007 3:53 pm) |
|
|
Less than a year ago actually 9 months ago I purchased an '02 VW Passat. It was the car I'd always wanted, the one that was my NIGHTMARE! In that nine months I dropped $5000 at least on repairs to a car with less than 50,000 miles. So to make a long story short, the VW repair guy in my town (who should have been making the payments since he kept it more than I did) called to say it was at last being released from being held hostage, of course the ransom note made me nearly claim to really not be the true owner.... So as soon as I pick the VW up I drove straight to the Dodge/Chrysler dealer. Thank god I could say it was running good. I look at a Jeep Compass and the Caliber. The exact same interior BUT the road noise was next to nothing in the Caliber. That is my biggest peeves! Then as an added bonus there was quite a bit of price difference. So I walked away with my new Caliber and I love the color. I've only put 150 miles on it, and I love to drive it. I only wish I'd paid more attention to see that it didn't come with the cruse control on my model. I am expecting to have a long and happy relationship with my new car. 
|
|
|
|
|
Just rented a brand spankin' new Caliber, base engine, automatic SXT and I agree with some of the owners here....the car rides well, very solid, handles pretty good for what it is....but it is pokey....I think if I were to own one with the base engine, I'd opt for the manual transmission, definitely. I find the beeping remote lock very annoying...a bit of blind spot on the right side requires careful attention. Pretty comfortable seats though. The automatic takes some getting used to, especially when you're passing someone....lots of sound and fury but the poor thing seems to need a minute to make up its mind. I'd probably get used to it, though. Can't tell about the fuel mileage yet. All in all, the Caliber seems to be a good value at this price point, in the SXT configuration.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Mar 14, 2007 10:25 am)
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: habalanche (Mar 14, 2007 1:41 pm)  I have to say I'm having a little trouble with this automatic transmission...it's kind of a "one and TWO and DOWNSHIFT" I like the cell phone holder a lot. Can't find the dimmer for the dash lights, though. I know, I know...look in the owner's manual....but gee, that's something that you shouldn't have to fish for.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Mar 14, 2007 3:17 pm) |
|
You are here:
Forums
Wagons Dodge Caliber New Caliber Owners - Give Us Your Report!
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2009 Dodge Caliber
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
