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Do NOT buy the Caliber

18 messages,  Last post on Dec 22, 2010 at 8:57 AM

You are in the Dodge Caliber Forum.

What is this discussion about? Dodge Caliber, Dodge Caliber SRT-4, Car Buying, Car Values, Car Warranties, Transmission, Hatchback, Wagon

Messages Page 2 of 2

#10 of 18 Re: Do NOT buy the Caliber [dweezil] by disheartened

Jan 26, 2010 (1:39 pm)

Replying to: dweezil (Jan 26, 2010 7:14 am)
Its not so much ready to write them off ... just disheartened at what they seem to have become. And yes, I do blame myself for being less than informed. I liked (and still do like) the Caliber's looks, and bought it blindly, for I had such faith in the Dodge brand. I failed to do my research.
But, its not as if we've had a large number of Dodge vehicles in the family. We buy them, and keep them FOREVER it seems.
The pickup my grandpa bought (off the floor in 67) was the truck that every male in family learned how to drive in and used on the farm for years and years --it too was a stick. It was so great, it was a family vehicle. I think every individual man in my family drove it as their primary/work vehicle for at least a year or two -- that's my brother, myself, my father, two cousins and an uncle. It took an 18 wheeler running a light, making it into a "compact truck" to get it offf the road.
 
There have been other Dodge/Chrysler vehicles since 1968, but never really had any issues/problems.
 
So I do take the blame for being a less than informed consumer of current Dodge/Chrysler. I didn't put much stock into surveys, for all I needed to know was my own (and my family's) first-hand experience.
 
After the fact is when I realized all the information had been out there all along, and realized the customer results. I guess I just wanted the

#11 of 18 Hmmm.... by 77mac77

Feb 10, 2010 (7:42 am)

Sorry about your Caliber. I live in Germany-- drive between Hessia and Bavaria
[100 miles] daily-- in a 2008 Dodge Caliber RT/All-Wheel-Drive.
I did have ONE problem with it. I was driving (legally) 100MPH, and slammed on
the brakes when a deer crossed the highway [autobahn] directly in front of me.
The speedometer/odometer and ABS went out, but I stopped straight... and there
was no damage to the deer, car, or myself. I get my car serviced, regularly, at a
dealership, so no problem with warranty.
Another time I ran off the road-- at about 80MPH, became sky-bound--making a
"Dukes of Hazard" landing in a wet wheatfield. I drove under the road, on an un-
derpass, got back on the road and n-e-r-v-o-u-s-l-y noticed a small crowd--including
the Polizi wondering what happened to the car that looked like an airplane
a moment before. I put my hands on my hips, too, and stood there until
the small group dispersed. I noticed a shake in my wheel, and that I'd popped off
two lugnuts on the front left wheel. I took one off another wheel a little later-- after
noticing/re-straightened a tie-rod with a hammer from my toolbox.
I have enjoyed the hell out of my car. It's one of those 2.5L engine auto-stick-
transmissions. I drive it like an automatic, because as a 6'4"-- 275 pound, size
FIFTEEN-shoes, man, there's two things I have NO use for:
=> bending my head because of a roof-shortened sunroof
=> having my foot on TWO peddals at once.
If I wanted trouble driving and stopping, I'd've bought a TOYOTA-- yeah, I know,if you
get a Chrysler with a LARGE engine, it's usually made by Mitsubishi Motors!
Well, anyway, I've got 50,000 miles on my Caliber. I realize they do not even make
my car in A-W-D anymore. Know what? Just makes all my other friends that also
drive and love THEIR Caliber jealous.
With a few feet of snow outside-- as I type this-- I'd not trade my car for a JEEP;
HUMMER; or half-track for that matter. I have never bought anything but
American cars, though the 1973 Chevy Vega turned me off of Chevrolets!
 
   God Bless America!
   Michael McCluskey
   USN&USA; Retired
Wachtküppel, Germany

#12 of 18 UPDATE on my 2008 AWD Caliber: by 77mac77

Feb 10, 2010 (7:51 am)

I guess I might have left SOME folks wondering. The car has ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING wrong with it. And: if I were to drive UNDER 80-MPH on the German
autobahn-- Porsches; BMWs; Audis; Lamborginis; etc., pass me all the
time at 130MPH+-- it'd be even more dangerous!
At least, here, the left lane is for passing.
 

#13 of 18 WHAT A LEMON by ohyeasure

Jul 09, 2010 (10:49 am)

2007 Dodge Caliber RT AWD,: Poor Fuel Economy (250 highway miles per tank, DEALER, keep track of your mileage, ME 2 years and counting, however DODGE lastest fuel test as per DODGE indicated 26 miles per gallon, ME; They must have driven my car at 20 mph), NO power (A Ford Pinto had more Power), Number problems with Exhaust, Cat system, MAF sensor ( all replaced 2 times under extended warranty within 2 months, may need replacing again), Struts (front L/R replaced), rotors (replaced 2 times all 4), computer ( will not hold a programming code, will not record error codes), exterior rear lights (condensation L/R side), side exterior black matting on doors (wind is causing them to buble and crack, not covered under warrenty the 2nd time), chill zone inop (never worked now just a cubby hole for papers), weak ac (sorry sir it seems to be working at the correct temparature), Wheel bearings (Front L/R oops your chrome wheel is bent, funny it was not before you had it for 4 days) etc............
  
Is anyone had any of these issues, especially the poor fuel economy and lack of power?

#14 of 18 Thanks! by sal29

Aug 06, 2010 (12:10 pm)

You all just saved me a lot of grief w/the reviews on the Caliber. My husband just brought one home to look at. As I started reading the reviews, it became a bleak moment of dejavu. I just spent 3 months getting GM to take back a Saturn-VUE, as a lemon.
 
I guess, we will just walk when the old Camaro dies off, til we can find a reliable vehicle to purchase? Is there any vehicle in this mode that is worthy of praise?

#15 of 18 Do not buy dodge!! by jlmjodi

Aug 11, 2010 (1:43 pm)

I to wish I had read some reviews, I owned my Toyota for 10 years and besides oil changes and new brakes did NOTHING to it. Now with my 2007 dodge caliber I need a new cat and a new transmission. Of course dodge will offer no assistance, except the cat is under warranty... The tranny is not 60,077 miles. It's nice to see after mine and your hard earned tax dollars bailed chrystler out they turn there backs on us when you can't tell me they don't know this car is a piece of junk. Even the dodge dealer suggested to me to try and trade this car in when it's running well! Unbelievable! It's like they don't even want to waste there time fixing it, or is it because who knows when I can get a transmission...because they are on a national back order... But there are no issues with the tranny... Bull...they won't help me but I can tell all I know never buy a dodge...and I do!!

#16 of 18 Re: Do not buy dodge!! [jlmjodi] by disheartened

Aug 11, 2010 (6:22 pm)

Replying to: jlmjodi (Aug 11, 2010 1:43 pm)
On this very forum I stated how the Caliber's transmission is developing a habit of going out after 50,000 miles. And many of the enthusiast retorted very angrily. I'll bet many of those are now experiencing the same difficulties of which I spoke. But hopefully our warnings will reach others, as they have for the previous poster. As for me, i did just as you were directed. I fixed it and traded it in ... it still looked really good, so I did get a good deal on the trade-in.

#17 of 18 Re: Thanks! [sal29] by disheartened

Aug 11, 2010 (6:33 pm)

Replying to: sal29 (Aug 06, 2010 12:10 pm)
The Subaru Outback is very comparable to Caliber in size, and has garnered excellent reviews for more than 10 years now. However, they've just taken the old one and raised it up 8" and perhaps done some other cosmetic changes to it this year, so this isn't the exact same care that has received the positive reviews over the years. But likely will score just as well. Mazda and Toyota also make wagon types, but they're more sporty than the caliber or Outback, but those too have rated very well. Just know that they're not exactly comparable in size. But that may be a good thing.

#18 of 18 Extended Warranty through Chrysler was a joke by andan

Dec 22, 2010 (8:57 am)

After reading some of these comments I had to post. We purchased a 2007 Dodge Caliber in March 2006 when they first were introduced. The car is now nearing 5 years old, and has 41,367 miles on it. The car is babied. Dealer serviced its entire life. My roommate is big on following the manufacturer's suggestions for maintenance. Having a history of issues with this car that started less than 6 months after purchase, I began to see his point. The rack and various other steering and suspension parts were replaced at 14,000 miles, after a year and half of taking the car back to the dodge dealership to complain about the noises it was making and they could not duplicate. The noises returned a week after the repairs. The dealer and chrysler's reaction, its safe deal with the noises. The transmission control module was reprogramed twice in the first three years of ownership. This week while driving to work, the check engine light came on and top speed was 10mph. I had it towed to the local dodge dealership in the new town we live in, and they told me before they looked at it what was wrong. The transmission control module went out. The extended warranty refused the repairs, saying it was a powertrain issue that dodge should be taking care of. Dodge says there are no problems and it is an "isolated event". Since the car was purchased new, it has been to the dealership for actual repairs under warranty 25 times. That does not include oil changes and routine maintenance, that is just warranty repairs. I have now spent over $3,000.00 in repairs and deductibles for the extended warranty with this vehicle. A car that is less than five years old and has less than 42,000 miles on it should not require this volume of repairs. I now wish I would have listened to my roommate and purchased an import. He has a Scion that is older than my caliber and has almost three times the miles on it, and has never paid for a repair. We contacted doge about the excessive repairs and the response from the customer support specialist named Christy, is that the repairs do not appear to be excessive for the product. We are now car shopping. The Caliber was my first brand new car, and I can say I don't see us shopping for a Chrysler product in the future.

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