It’s Not all “Whine” and Roses:
First of all, I must admit I was slightly shocked to see such rave reviews on the 2004 Dodge Durango. I’m not such a “proud parent”, and I’m a tough critic on cars considering I’ve owned 8 vehicles in a short 12 year span. Not for lousy driving, but I tend to get the “new car itch” every time someone pulls up next to me sporting fresh paper tags and a clean looking ride. I’ve flipped a few vehicles so fast the permanent plates barely brushed my rear bumper panel. Why I came back for more Dodge after the disappointment I had with my 1999 Durango is beyond me. I’d considered the wide world of leasing based on my pension for frequent flipping, but the attractive “buy it outright” option offered by Chrysler for “returning customers” rope-swindled me back in. And so it went, $31,505 later, I drove off the lot with what I thought might finally be a “keeper”…
On the Prowl (at night, Sans the Sharks…err…Salesmen):
For those on the market for used 2004 Dodge SUV’s, there’s 3 standard Durangos available (colors, options, and prices vary). There’s the stripped SXT, the SLT and the Limited. I opted for the SLT since I couldn’t bring myself to spend $8000 more for a “Limited” sticker, auto adjust heated seats, moving pedals, shinier silver rims and a great big hole in my roof. I’d gladly crank up the furnace, deal with a few more dials, wax the alloy rims and open all my windows before I’d edge out another eight grand for the same SUV.
Now don't get me wrong, the SLT’s no chump change, mine still came with an impressive array of bells and whistles; a 5.7liter V8 Hemi engine, 17 inch alloy rims sporting Goodyear All-terrain SR-A tires, leather seats, Infinity surround, AM/FM stereo with 6 disc CD changer, onboard DVD/Gaming system (with remote), dual/rear climate control, cruise control, data console, "wood grain” dash, and enough pumped up power gadgets to come out any wazoo.
Nice Aesthetics, or Not:
Overall:
The exterior of this vehicle was newly redesigned for 2004, but it’s still one mean looking hunk-a-man. Too bad I’m a woman. Looks didn’t hail high on my meter, the redesigned body style seems more like a gender confused ugly duckling to me. The new and improved “masculine” take on the Durango screams bulging biceps and mean massive motors, all worthy of a good hearty Tim Allen grunt. The “feminine” take looks disproportionate, the rear end is significantly larger, much too large for its a narrow, low-lying domey front end. The extended wheel base and flared fenders make it look, well…they just plain make it look fat.
I’m not a huge fan of the ski-jump sideboards either, but without them, you’d probably never get in.
The front end’s stacked grill, massive headlights and big bumpers (aka-mansland) appear flashy and overdone when compared to the relatively simple, clean, curvy lines consistently found through the remainder of the vehicle. Maybe it’s me, but looking at this thing head on reminds me of staring down a grinning, doe eyed, fat lipped, she-man (with braces).
Exterior Colors:
The 2004 Durango is available in 10 exterior color choices: *Flame Red *Atlantic Blue Pearl *Black *Bright White *Bright Silver Metallic *Deep Molten Red Pearl *Graphite Metallic *Timberline Green Pearl *Light Khaki Metallic and *Patriot Blue Pearl. I selected the “Graphite Metallic” recently renamed “Mineral Grey Metallic” in 2006. The durability and resilience of the paint/clear coat is unrivaled, it stands up to flying rocks and road debris like water rolling off a ducks bare back, definitely a plus in my book. The length of time this darker finish appears to be clean between washes is equally impressive. I’ve been known to “drive till it’s dusty” in my time but not to the point it’d illicit Wash Me…Please? pressed in fingerprint pen on the windshield. The color cleverly camouflages dirt and dinge, and when it’s clean, it’s oh so shiny!
Wheels:
The tires and rims (-aka shoes) look great on the vehicle, they're not too big, gaudy, or overpowering. The SLT rims are brushed alloy, giving them more of a humble grey muted appearance, unlike the glaring, sun-blinding, super stomper cousins found on several other flashy Dodge “feet”. The upgraded Goodyear allterains on my SLT stand up superbly to a wide variety of both on and off-road conditions.
My Thoughts:
After three and a half years of close acquaintance with “it”, the overall look has grown on me a little, either that, or it’s pure blind tolerance -I spend more time looking at the inside of the vehicle then the outside anyways.
Step Inside my Ride:
Overall:
The SLT interior is definitely roomy. Lofty even, which is great if you’re Larry Byrd, but I was used to the extra width I felt like I had in my 99 Durango. Even though the entire redesigned chassis is actually seven inches longer and five inches wider then its predecessor, it still feels like it’s smaller and more cramped to me.
Seats:
The SLT has 3 rows of seats designed (and proclaimed) to seat a group of seven, but what that seated group of seven looks like remains to be seen. I say in all honesty, you could jam-cram 7 in there, but they’d all be pretty dang ticked not two seconds after they got in. After the front row of chairs its all down hill, and in my opinion, it only gets worse.
The Driver and Passenger seats are top notch, they provide ample support without being overly cramped or stuffed, they have bump out "bolsters" near the base of the seat, but I suspect its more about looks then serving any real purpose. The SLT seats are automatic and allow for a great range of adjustments, I'm 5'4", so I appreciate that my seat cranks up as high as I need it to without giving me the feeling that my heads hanging out somewhere in the clouds. The height adjustment range is a plus for the petite, without it, I'd never see beyond the deep nosed never-ending dashboard.
The second row of seats are ok, they’re not LA-Z-BOY, but they are tolerable. I’d put them up against competition in the mid-size SUV seat market and they’d probably come out ranked somewhere near the top for comfort and leg room. The reclining 40/20/40 second row seat folds down near flush to allow for additional cargo space, but the “recline range” lives little to be desired, if you're part bat and enjoy sleeping upright, you'll do just fine.
The third row is no-mans land, unless of course, you’re 2 feet tall and weigh 25 pounds. Why they even bothered adding the third row of seats is beyond me. The only people I ever even dared banish to the very back row was my in-laws, we had a car crammed full of stuff and we had no choice. They said it was the absolute worst, most horribly cramped, uncomfortable ride they’d ever been on. After listening to them complain the entire time…I said, ditto. The 3rd row flattens almost flush with the floor for stowing, which is about the only good thing I can say about it.
Storage:
For the fellas, with both sets of rear seats folded down there’s enough room to fit all the gear needed to cover your favorite NFL football team. For the ladies, a full years worth of shopping bags plus 30 boxes of shoes. Note to both: folding all the seats down is the only way you’d ever even begin to seat seven comfortably.
Leather Interior:
The “medium slate grey” leather interior, now referred to as two tone “Torino leather” (a far superior breed of cow) is tough stuff. I have a two year old who loves sticky lollipops, messy milkshakes and crumby cheerios, yet everything still looks brand new -Enough said.
I can’t vouch for the standard cloth seats, but I suspect they’re fairly durable considering you don’t read much in the headlines about massive epidemics of Durango’s in dire need of cloth reupholstering.
Auto Pilot:
Dash:
The overall dash view is easy on the eyes, the SLT dials have clean lines, white faces and brushed silver trim, I think it looks kind of classy. In the evenings the control panels are amply lit with a mellow green glow, there’s no neon or strange blinking gadgets and gizmos that would leave you worried you’re somehow about to auto-eject.
The steering column, stereo, and anything else you’d need to pilot this ship are in perfect ergonomic position and are easy to manipulate. I’ve never felt intimidated to sit behind the wheel, even when I first took it for a test spin.
Onboard:
There’s a few neat options (though not standard) such as a universal garage door opener, an overhead console displaying: temperature, gas mileage, miles till empty, and compass direction, there's a six disc CD changer, and an onboard DVD/gaming console as well. The DVD unit is centrally located in the rear just behind the front seats, it includes a remote and is perfect for quiet rides with otherwise noisy children. I wish I could say good things about the CD player, although the Infinity surround system sounds great with it, I recently had to retrieve my car from the local service station on behalf of the blasted thing. It conveniently ate 6 of my all time favorite CD’s then somehow forgot how to access and play them. The good news is the factory assured me they’d return my grooves fully intact -whether or not they get around to tearing open the old player to figure out what went awry is a different story. I’m not holding my breath.
Hey, What’s under that Hood?:
In my opinion having a 5.7liter V8 Hemi engine is about as useful as having a water bucket with a hole in it. Sure the sound of the motor rumbling is fine and dandy, but does it get me to where I’m aiming to go efficiently? The answer is No. Even though a big engine means big noises and maximum towing capacity, I’m not hauling around 8950 pounds, I’m barely toting 200 (my daughter and I included). A "Hemi",well whoop-dee-do. Sadly, the all acclaimed “Hemi” is wasted on souls such as myself, and I won’t even begin to tell you what I think about forking over $60 bucks to fill the tank every other week on account of the puny 14 miles per gallon it averages. Although I do catch a break on interstate road trips, averaging 16-18 miles per gallon, the 5.7liter V8 Hemi engine still guzzles gas like a son-of-a-gun. The near 30 gallon tank chugs 87 octane like a slurpee, yet it miraculously slows down after the first half tank, must be brain-freeze.
How’s it Handlin’:
Steering:
This super tanker SUV performs best at higher speeds. I find peak performance is cruising between 55-65mph, unfortunate for me because a majority of the time I’m driving 10, usually stuck behind weird weaving tourists and (curiously old) Sunday drivers.
Turning Radius:
As far as the turning capabilities, in my opinion, it turns on a dime with no rolling. I couldn’t tell the difference between turning a teeny tiny Mazda Protégé and turning this huge hunk of Durango steel. My husband however, seems to have a problem with it’s efficiency, he turned so well he wrapped my truck around a yellow concrete parking pole. (Note to Reader: The paint color is considered somewhat “difficult to match” during repairs based on “high metallic content”) Phooey! My truck made it out of the chop-shop looking brand new and better then ever. Sadly, my husband didn’t fair the accident quite so well, as he knew this entire ordeal would temporarily suspend his “man card”.
Suspension:
As for suspension and over all ride, a trip in the Durango feels pretty good, it’s not great, but good. It provides a smooth ride at average speeds and only tends to get a little shaky around 85mph. I’m comfortable on everyday excursions and I don’t dread taking long road trips. You will however encounter problems if you blast through jagged asphalt or cruise ten foot trenches filled with 3 foot speed bumps everyday, but that’s bad news in any language.
Final Thoughts
The 2004 Dodge Durango is a tough nut to crack, in more ways then one. The safety ratings are impressive, and I feel secure we’d come out of any major fender benders fully intact and feeling alright. However, unlike the joy of delivering a trunk full of football players gear, the wreck issue is one theory I DO NOT wish to pursue.
Dodge may have a self-stamped 5 star seal of approval but it hasn’t earned my coveted 5 star review, though honestly, I can’t imagine any of their products ever would. Will I keep my Durango? Who knows. I’m at least going to try to tough it out a few more months. One thing’s for sure, call me traitor if you must, but I am definitely “outsourcing” my next round of SUV’s. I’m even going so far as to say I’m 99.99% positive of what my next vehicle will be, for those interested…it’s made by Nissan and it rhymes with Math-binder.
Dedicated to a cranky mmcphee...(W/O)
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 31,505
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: Durango SLT, Customer Preffered Package 28 G
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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