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The Intrepid is VERY reliable and has never broken down on you, right?

2K views 38 replies 22 participants last post by  jongallant 
#1 ·
Obviously ANY car can break down but I meant it's never broken down WHILE you are driving, right? Wouldn't you say it's a very reliable car that you can count on to get you from point A to point B 99.9% of the time? I've only had a flat front left tire while I drove.

I had a 99 Mazda Protege for 6 years and a 2000 Malibu for 3 years and neither of them ever broke down and the Intrepid had a higher consumer satisfaction rating than the Malibu and maybe the Protege too.

So has an Intrepid ever broken down WHILE you were driving and how would you assess its reliability?
 
#2 ·
Every car I've had broke down at one time or another, then again I average about 60,000 miles a year. The worst I've had was my 93 Concorde. That damn thing was cursed. Constantly broke down. I had it for 2 years in that time it... Overheated at least 5 times, lost spark, fuel pump went out, trans died, steering went, pressure tank blew up, radiator blew up, trans died again, fixed the damn thing and sold it. Then again my 2000 intrepid no problems whatsoever, and its a 2.7.
 
#3 ·
My Concorde has never broke down while driving it ( I know as soon as I post this, it will happen ) in the seven years that I've had it.

It does have a hard start when it's super cold out and it sat all week. 15 min with the block heater plugged in, solves that issue. It runs like a champ after that though.

I think it's time for new plugs.
 
#7 ·
Intrepid 100,000 kms of use Starter,and battery (not at same time) and not with out warning!

Concord 100,000 kms of use idler siezed took waterpump did timing belt,on road at time but limped off towed to shop.

LHS 30,000 kms of use no letdowns yet

There are of course the front end repairs and brakes, brakes, brakes!
 
#8 ·
Only had mine need to be towed once. That was the tranny when I fried the second gear clutch pack banging second at 6300 rpm on track during an auto cross event (car had 208,000 at the time). I have to think it would NOT have expired in normal use. Even at that it would have made it home in second without issue, I was over 120 miles from home and a bit paranoid. Starters and alternators give signs as they get close. I even DROVE it to the shop with a flywheel center broken free from the flywheel! Has been a simply great car! I have owned it for 8 1/2 years and personally put on 224,000 miles (purchased with 42,000) on it and have no intention to retire it.
 
#9 ·
One flat tire due to a screw in it, tierod came apart after ignoring it for 4 months and then a fuel pump failure. I've owned it since '00 and its gotten me home every other time.

*if you knew how hard i was on my car, you'd understand. Doing the work I do, the car would idle for 6-8 hours a night, 5 nights a week for like 3 years*
 
#10 ·
I must say that my Intrepid(when I had it) NEVER broke down on me. It had 140k miles(All original parts) and not one thing happened to me while I was driving it,

I replaced: Lower ball joints
Rear main seal
spark plugs
PCV valve
tie rods
Drive belt/A/C belt


As you can see; all I basically did was basic maintainence. My neighbors purchased the car and had it since June with no problems *knock on wood*

My only beef with these cars is the waterpump inside the crank case(2.7) and the fuel filters in the tank!!!!!

Other than that, your Intrepid will treat you right if you treat it right ;)
 
#11 ·
Fuel filters in the fuel tank are the way of the future. Since they are plastic, nothing corrodes or flakes off, unlike steel. And they are a helluva lot lighter, and never rust out. I honestly think you could count on one hand the number of people in LH land that have had to replace their fuel pump in a 2nd Gen.
 
#12 ·
.For the past 3 years, at the end of each summer I've had to shell out $700-800 dollars for a repair. First the rear struts, then the tranny, then the front struts. Along with a few other less expensive repairs (tie rods, wheel bearings, etc.). But it is a northern car and is at that age when things start breaking. I would consider it a reliable car, and I do love it.
 
#13 ·
Reliable MOSTLY has to do with the owner's maintenance program. Many failures are due to neglect or lack of preventative. Some that do not fit under this catagory are sensors. Cam, crank, speed etc. Some will last a lifetime. Some fail without warning. Not even sure if you can trust a new one over a 5 year old one.

I had my first break down yesterday. Brake pedal to the floor. Rear line sprung a leak, lost fluid. I would have advised anyone in that situation to tow the car. Me. I'm a little stubborn and refilled the master and drove it to a garage.

Is this the owner's fault. I say yes. My last car was a Chevrolet Celebrity. Rotted it's fuel and brake lines out too. So the LHS was oil sprayed a few times to try to prevent that. Guess what. The area that was missed, rusted out. I also blame the manufacturer for not using a higher quality line.

The LHS has also been towed before. Sure it looked damn unreliable as the flashing light tow truck with it's reversing siren dropped it off. Problem. Brake was making noise. Diagnosis. Rear disc has a mini drum set up for a parking brake. A small chuck broke off and was rubbing. Wife refused to drive it. Minor.

Reliability also has alot to do with your frame of mind. A tire blow out on the highway and finding a flat on a Saturday afternoon is technically the same but one makes a mark in your memory and one is just a minor set back.
 
#14 ·
I never considered a broken brake line a cause for a tow. I drove my old Gutlass for a week with the rear brakes non-existant, for a week, due to no money and need to get to work.

My Concorde blew a rear line, but since I have a brand new car for the family nowadays, I just didn't use it until I had a little extra time to put in new lines.

The only time my car was towed was when I didn't stop at a stop sign after leaving a bar.:all_cohol
 
#15 · (Edited)
Maintenance Free so far.

80,xxx km for an 02 3.5L HO, no issues at all. Never towed, never left me stranded or without a car. Very versatile for its size, just cant fit large items like audio stuff due to trunk opening, but it fits in the back seat. Ive even carried a motorcycle engine in the rear bench area (removed bench) and placed the 200lbs motor on the body metal.

So far mechanically i just spent money on synthetic oil changes and fuel. Had a slight issue with cheap rotors getting warped but i think its solved now. Nothing mechanical has broken down that i would consider major. My previous 96 Bonneville SSEI went through an alternator, accessory belts, struts, list was endless + body rust :(

One little issue it had was when i flooded it once by accident and it wouldnt start for like 5min. It doesnt deal very well with cold starts, it needs time to warm up in the winter.

So far i would say its by far very reliable despite what others say. Keep in mind im 22 and ive had the car since new, so throughout its lifetime its seen redlines, higher than rated posted speed limits, towing my toys, etc..

Im glad its reliable so i can put repair money into mods LOL.
 
#16 ·
Owned my 2001 Intrepid SE for 5 years, never broke down. Was one of the most relaible cars I've ever owned. Actually was the longest I've ever owned a car before trading it in on something else...
 
#17 ·
It's good to hear all you guys have had the same reliable experience I have except for the guy who actually drove his Trep on a RACE TRACK!!?! Is the Intrepid really meant for that??

The main thing I don't like is the AWFUL fuel efficiency at only 15.9 mpg according to my OTIS computer!! :banghead:

:9lame:
 
#18 ·
It's good to hear all you guys have had the same reliable experience I have except for the guy who actually drove his Trep on a RACE TRACK!!?! Is the Intrepid really meant for that??
Don't worry about it!! I took my 2.7 down to the local drag strip in August with just over 150,000 miles on it. I think I did like 14 runs!!

The main thing I don't like is the AWFUL fuel efficiency at only 15.9 mpg according to my OTIS computer!! :banghead::9lame:
Hmm, you might just need a general tune-up. Still, if you drive 100% in the city, 15.9 mpg isn't that far off. Especially now that it has gotten colder out.
 
#24 ·
I hit a deer in December 2001 and the front end got replaced at the dismay of the insurance company, they wanted to write it off! I continued to run it on the highway through all seasons and got it (the nose) painted again in '04. That pic was taken in May '07. It does ok in autocross, not a rocket but does ok. Keep in mind it has an Eibach pro kit (stiffer lower springs) and Monroe reflex struts (no longer available), reflex stuff was designed and intended for SUVs but were made for a bunch of cars to see if they would sell, they didn't, folks didn't want to spend $100 a corner. It also has eurathane sub-frame bushings along with eurathane sway bar bushings. In the pic I had my spare set of Magnum wheels on it with well worn General exclaim 245/45-18 tires. Not something you want for general use. All in all it is my car and I don't mind the rather harsh ride to get flat cornering. It has avoided MANY situations over the years that would have wrecked stockers. I run 50,000 miles a year for my job (field service engineer) and get to choose my cars without being influenced by corporate lists. I chose the Trep in 2000 and Magnum in 2004 expecting to retire the Trep. I just can't bring myself to get rid of the Trep, it has been a fantastic car, owes me nothing, has been loaned to 5 different families in need and will be taken care of as if it were a new car till the body rust becomes unbearable.

The Magnum has been tailended in August 07 and got the front clip painted at my expense at the same time as the repair so it looks better than the race pics as well at this time. I also had the body shop remove the rear wiper and side rub strips and leave the emblems off the back during the repair.

Maggie is resting on the hill behind the drive way till spring if the Trep holds up.
 
#26 ·
This is from May in Albany NY. The course was VERY tight, I never got out of first! This was the only event I made it to this year, we downsized a bit two years ago and have been running ragged since. I am NOT complaining about not being affected by the recession in any way, but we have had no down time to play at all.

 
#28 · (Edited)
Only had to be towed once...when the radiator blew...but I blame Silla not Chrysler..it was an aftermarket radiator. Never had it on the drag strip or anything -- not something I intend to do with it...just everyday driving. There have been a few other problems that did not leave me stranded.

Overall I would vote Chrysler vehicles the most reliable compared to GM and Ford...they all have their issues, IMO its just which issues do you prefer to deal with after you buy the car...LOL
 
#29 ·
My '04 once almost stranded me. The radiator plug blew out because the o-rinmg had degraded. Luckily, I was by a hardware store. I bought a kit of multiple-sized o-rings, found a pair that made a good enough seal to last long enough to get me home.

I have changed a cam position sensor on the side of the road, because I know how to do it without removing the upper manifold.

The CPS has been the most unreliable part on my Intrepid. I am currently driving on CPS #6. The first five were dodge replacements, the current one is a Borg-Warner, and it has lasted longer than all the OEM sensors.

Jim Snover
 
#33 ·
My wife's '96 3.3L was run dog hard as it was passed through the family. My poor wife got stuck with it after 175K and had to replace most of the brake and cooling systems as a result. I would say it was a reliable car when it wasn't overheating or having no brake pressure.

The '97 3.3L I bought (see 3.3L head gasket how-to) was broken when I got it. I fixed it to the best of my ability and sold it before having a real chance of driving it. The girl I sold it to hasn't had any problems outside of an EGR valve. She isn't gentle on her vehicles. She killed two Sephias and a Protege before she got my white Intrepid. She keeps threatening to use it as a $3000 AirCheck voucher for a new Kia. *shakes head and clicks tongue*
 
#36 ·
LOL, Great as in synonomous with teriffic!! Not two generations removed.
 
#37 ·
knock knock knock on wood, but my01 ES Intrepid has never broken down on me..... Not even a flat tire!! But my 01 SE broke down (tranny went out) when i was about 15miles from home going to work but i guess i could have prevented it by getting the tranny flushed earlier b/c i was at 85k-87k in the car that i got with 6 miles on brand new.......... So my over all view of the intrepid is very good and even when i had the 01se with the 2.7L
 
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