First gen Intrepid

[dwh4784]

I'm considering buying this car http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/4653856588.html for a DD. I offered him 1200 he's stuck at 1300, but there's really just a bunch of junk locally to compare it with currently. I don't know much about these, he's a bit over KBB but is probably asking less than the work he put into it so I can see the reasoning. Anyone have insight into whether this is a good buy or something to avoid? I sold my DD last weekend and don't want to punish my Lebaron through another winter so I need to pick something up soon.

[GLHNSLHT2]

what size engine?

[contraption22]

Have you ever noticed how few of these there are still driving around? I mean, I see quite a few more older Chryslers than I do LH cars.

Why is that?

[135sohc]

Electrical gremlins can find their way into those cars rather easily… The joys of modern data buss and computers running everything.

[Aries_Turbo]

Have you ever noticed how few of these there are still driving around? I mean, I see quite a few more older Chryslers than I do LH cars.

Why is that?

probably that 2.7L v6 for one.....

[dwh4784]

94 is a 3.3 or 3.5 so no worries about the early 2.7 issues. I'm not sure which engine this one has but it looks optioned out so I'm assuming it would have the 215hp 3.5. I have noticed how few of these are still around. We had a really nice Concorde when I was a kid and my grandparents had one they gave to my sister so I notice them when I see one. I always liked the look of the first gens, not so much the next iteration.

[RattFink]

My sister had a 95 intrepid 3.5 for years. It was a pretty good car, it drove great and had great power. It seems like it fell apart fast though, electrical and drive ability problems nobody could figure out and at the very end it started blowing brake lines left and right. This was a michigan car btw

[Vigo]

I had a nice one (97 3.5) that i modded up a bit and it was a really great car... OTHER than the fact that it drove me ----ing insane with intermittent drivability problems. That car was perfectly drivable when i got rid of it and still had the best AC of any car i've ever experienced, but it gradually made me hate it.

Of course, now that i realize that even back then i had one of the nicest ones still in existence, and knowing how much better i am at electrical testing/diag now, i wish i had kept it. I actually sold it running, bought it back after it actually broke down, and viciously parted it out and scrapped it even though the body and interior were very good. It just built up a deep well of resentment in me. It was the most aggravating and confusing relationship i've ever had with any car (50+....).

When it worked right, it was amazing.

[dwh4784]

Well the ad is gone, he must have sold it. I'm thinking I dodged a bullet from the sounds of it.

[ShadowFromHell]

You intrested in another NY?

[dwh4784]

I'm trying to avoid another TM at the moment. I need something my lead-footed wife can drive without looking at gauges.

[RattFink]

First gen stratus with a 2.4? Can get them cheap and mine has been lasting forever

[RoadWarrior222]

It was the most aggravating and confusing relationship i've ever had with any car

Heh, I kinda have one of those relationships with them without owning one, every month or so the advantages of the thing creep up on me and I'm all gung ho to find one, then I start reading about problems and I strike them off the list, then I have trouble finding much choice in other vehicles, and then I think, "What about a nice LH" again....

[dwh4784]

We ended up picking up a 99 Grand Caravan Sport for $1100 last night. 3.8 V6, quad buckets, it's pretty sweet. Never thought I would see my wife in a minivan but she loves driving it.

[RoadWarrior222]

Nice, oilspray the shock towers.... daily.... at.... 8am .... 2pm... 10pm....

[Vigo]

I really like those 98-00 Sport 3.8 grand vans.

Too bad they never put the 3.5 from the intrepid into the 96-00 vans. They did a concept with it in like 01-02 some time but never built it.

I saw a first gen intrepid on the road today. They still look good. It annoyed me because it made me think about getting another one.

[thedon809]

I see tons of later model intrepid/300m/Concorde's on the road. Don't see too many early ones. If my 300m had a good 5 speed manual, I would have kept it forevor. Excellent car but I can't stand automatics.

[dwh4784]

I still remember the "cab forward" commercials from when I was a kid. My dad was so excited about "The New Dodge" lineup he bought a brand new 94 Ram as soon as he could order one. At some point we also had a Concorde and so did my grandparents. Those both had the 3.5, I remember them being pretty snappy.

I really like how smooth this van runs and drives. Fought with the DMV all day yesterday because they were trying to tax us as if it was worth $3650. That's over $200 in additional sales tax I wasn't going to pay. We finally prevailed, man I can't stand dealing with those DMV folks. I swear they just live to mess with people.

[Vigo]

What world do they live in? You can't sell a 96-00 for over 2k down here. Our state 'assumed' value that we base sales tax on is supposedly based on actual sales transactions in this state.

[dwh4784]

I really have no idea. NADA and KBB were both really high, thankfully Edmunds has a pretty realistic calculator that was very close to real world prices that I was able to show them. Nobody is going to pay "clean retail" (where used car dealerships sticker at) which is what was screwing me on NADA especially.

I also printed off a private party craigslist ad along with the ad for mine to show them what a ~$3650 Grand Caravan looks like in the real world compared to mine that was priced at $1250. 2002 model year, 40K less miles, much better paint (mine is sun faded). They finally caved, but what a hassle. They did this same thing to me when I was given a 1979 Toyota Motorhome for free that was beat to hell and uglier than that. AND when I traded it after fixing it up for a 1971 VW Bus. Apparently sales tax on 15-40 year old vehicles that have been bought and sold numerous times really matters to the state of WA.