2020 Dodge Journey w/ $4250 rebate

[Gold5one]

This will be my new tow vehicle- My original Chevy HHR was kinda small and too light to tow my build comfortably. I sold the HHR.
Then I went to a truck- too much -wife did not like it, then a Honda element, then a Chrysler minivan. In the end, all of them had flaws I didn't like.
I decided to buy a new Journey. I got about $5500 off with rebate and my Chrysler employee/ retiree discount. Based on what I saw with the HHR, this will tow a small camper very well. Longer wheelbase, a 2.4L with 20 more HP than the HHR had, better brakes, plus 600lbs heavier for more stability. Still has the 1000lb tow rating, but Dodge has added trailer sway braking control, which should help. And it's got a new car warranty- hooray!
Hands-free bluetooth calling, backup camera and my Sirius XM radio.
The rebate deal ends on Feb 1st. Did I mention, it has 3rd row- seven passenger seating?
I just walked in, pointed and told the salesman- I'll take that one.

[pchast]

Nice! Congratulations on your purchase.

[Philip]

We (the wife and I) are on our second Journey. The first one was a 2012 model. Traded it this July for a 2020 model. The early model had electrical issues mostly radio related. We put 175K on it. We had very few complaints about it.

The new one, no issues to date. About the only thing I don't like is the drivers window. The one touch and all the way down sucks. The new control panel takes a while to learn where everything is hidden. This one has everything except nav. That doesn't bother me. Ours is a AWD model.

[Gold5one]

I agree, the radio/system controls will take some time to learn.
I ready knew the larger 8.4 radio would be trouble down the road.
Mine is a base 2.4L and Chrysler 41TE tranny, a design that goes back 20 years. I have the power seat option.
Today I tried shifting in tap mode- it really makes the car fly as the max power is right at 5000 rpm.
At 60 mph in 3rd gear- 1.0 ratio is about 2900 rpm at 60 mph= a nice power band for pulling a small camper.
OD- 4th gear, 60 mph is about 2000 rpm
the 2.4L World engine in the Journey has a timing chain and is very durable. I see wrecked Journeys with this 2.4L on the copart website with over 300,000 miles and it's very likely none of them had the timing chain replaced.
Having worked at the Chrysler transmission plant I recommend you do the first transmission fluid/filter service at 50-60,000 miles (severe duty) - not at the 120,000 mile interval.
Good luck on your van camper build. Materials are so expensive right now

[Philip]

The old Journey with 175K on it. The only thing we had done was a Alt at 150K and a thermostat at 130K, brakes at 100K and 170K.

The one annoying problem was the radio. Had a wiring short that was repaired under warrenty. Then about a year later the radio dropped all its programming. Then about once a month you would get in and start the car. The radio had changed itself to "Full Volume" and I mean full volume.

My wife retired for KTP2.

The only time I use tap mode is when in mountains. Most of the time don't even need it then. The trans programing downshifts when speeds go 5 MPH above CC set point.

[Gold5one]

Congrats to the retirement!
I really plan to keep this Journey for a very long time.
KTP2 is being rebuilt for a new 2.0L turbo 4cyl engine- I think it will be about 250-270hp- production starts this fall.
That would have been a good motor for a new Journey model, alas, it probably won't happen.
I retired from KTP- and I transferred from Indy Foundry.
It's a bit depressing looking at lumber prices at Lowes!!
I may have to consider going with an aluminum framed, foamie build-
I already have found out that one foot overlapped PVC bathroom panels makes a great roof covering.
Back in 2017, 100mph hurricane driven rain from Irma never got inside my camper.

[Philip]

KTP3 is the engine plant.

I wouldn't buy a car with a 4 cylinder. Even with a turbo. Only thing I would buy 4 banger is diesel. Then I would think long and hard before purchase.


I am leary of alumin frames. I know what it takes to repair cracks when they happen. There are many people that can glue new alumin together. Cut that number down to about 10% when trying to glue old cracked alumin back together. With steel just about anyone that calls themselves a welder can glue it back together. Old cracked road debris blasted alumin is its own animal. It takes experience and skill to glue it back together and not blow it away.

[Gold5one]

I love my 4cyl Journey and now that gasoline is $4 or more a gallon, the 4 banger was the right decision- No problem getting (no camper) 27 mpg on trips- even 29 mpg a few times. There is no issue pulling my Trek Freedom camper, as the empty weight is around 500lbs - 1000 max- and I built it only 64" tall, so it is in the car's slipstream, just like a semi truck. I have a 22 mpg camping duo that I can afford to drive..

[Philip]

Then wife bought a 4 cylinder clone car. After that experience. She was told never buy another 4 cylinder car. After 6 years in that gutless thing, she agreed. I haven't checked milage on the new Journey. The old one with the larger engine was a solid 25MPG car. On our long trips out west every year. We stop at the same stations for fuel. So milage is close on this newer one.

[Gold5one]

its better, IMO, to buy a used engine and transmission from Japan and ship it to the US, to rebuild a vehicle- I checked a few years ago and I could buy a 1.5L Toyota engine with 50,000km for $700 plus shipping- that would fix up, say a Scion Xb. I
n Japan, the 10 year inspection and repair rules make it too expensive to keep older cars on the road, so they get scrapped.