I've looked at various internet sites and it's hard to find a postive review on the Dodge Avenger. I'm driving a 2008 SXT and like it. Why the negative reviews, for example, rating it 17th on a USNews site. By the way, trunk lid leak solved by having a body shop silicone the brake light.
Terry A
yup
Unfortunately the Avenger did not fit into a category that reviewers look for.
Owners generally love them and reviewers hate them.
Unfortunately the Avenger did not fit into a category that reviewers look for.
Owners generally love them and reviewers hate them.
I said the same thing when I first bought my Avenger, but now I know why the reviews are bad. I've had my 08 SXT in to the dealer 7 times for bull#$!* repairs.
1) water pouring in from the sunroof because some monkey didn't install the drain tube on the drivers side
2) EGR valve puked at 49K KMS
3) hood repainted due to bubbling paint - because some goofball decided that the hood seams didn't need to be sealed
4) no tail lights - broken wiring under drivers footwell - bad engineering/design here
5) "leather" or pleather as I call it, coming apart on drivers seat
6) front sway bar bushing replaced twice
7) water in the trunk lid
The 08 launch was a disaster, the materials are poor (only now have they improved) and the engineering has been hit and miss - look at the water in the trunk lid - people are still having this issue!
I blame poor management of the program, poor engineering and poor quality. I've driven Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Eagle products for 20 years, but I think this will be my last. Hopefully Fiat will turn the company around and get rid of the old technology Chrysler has been using - a 4 speed auto, really? They should have killed that trans 10 years ago.
1) water pouring in from the sunroof because some monkey didn't install the drain tube on the drivers side
2) EGR valve puked at 49K KMS
3) hood repainted due to bubbling paint - because some goofball decided that the hood seams didn't need to be sealed
4) no tail lights - broken wiring under drivers footwell - bad engineering/design here
5) "leather" or pleather as I call it, coming apart on drivers seat
6) front sway bar bushing replaced twice
7) water in the trunk lid
The 08 launch was a disaster, the materials are poor (only now have they improved) and the engineering has been hit and miss - look at the water in the trunk lid - people are still having this issue!
I blame poor management of the program, poor engineering and poor quality. I've driven Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Eagle products for 20 years, but I think this will be my last. Hopefully Fiat will turn the company around and get rid of the old technology Chrysler has been using - a 4 speed auto, really? They should have killed that trans 10 years ago.
I can't speak for the 2010 and previous but I am fairly certain there is some improvement with the 2011/12 models. The 1st being the interior and engine (3.6L) althought there has been a few issues with the Pentastar motor, I don't see that being a lasting problem... more so a bug. I think Chrysler is headed in the right direction with help from Fiat. I still blame Diamler for the major quality issues of recent years.
Why would you give up on Chrysler so quickly after 20 years of owning them right when things are looking bright for the future?
Because my wife has had a Focus, Fusion and now an Edge with only 1 trip to the dealer to fix something. Is Ford perfect, no. But 3 vehicles with only 1 issue sure makes you open your eyes. :SHOCKED:
I can say the only thing I like about my 2011 Heat is the 3.6L v6 engine and the RHR radio (which I removed to put in my 08. Seems it makes no difference in what the car is worth).
I have tried unsuccessfully to trade it in and have gotten responses even from Chrysler dealers that it's worth $12-15K. Hmmm, car is not even a year old.
I much prefer my 08 R/T.
Just my 2 cents....
Ray
I have tried unsuccessfully to trade it in and have gotten responses even from Chrysler dealers that it's worth $12-15K. Hmmm, car is not even a year old.
I much prefer my 08 R/T.
Just my 2 cents....
Ray
the reviews weren't all bad, just that most reviewers liked something else better. Most of the reviews I saw liked the 3.6 avengers. A lot of reviews didn't like the styling. I like it better than my 2006 charger ( to big ) and my 2009 VW GTI ( to small ). The reviews on both those cars are very good and their both great cars, just not the best car for me right now.
unfortunate
I admit the Avenger had a few issues. I would have really liked a better transmission and better interior material. However for $3-5,000 less than its competitor I have no real complaints.
Unfortunately with all the bad reviews the Avenger and most Chrysler/Dodge products just have no resale value. Not a huge deal for one like me who keeps a car for ten years or more, but still frustrating.
I feel your pain. However I have had my 2008 Avenger for four years and just had my first incident, the window motor binding up. Other than that all has been great so far.
I admit the Avenger had a few issues. I would have really liked a better transmission and better interior material. However for $3-5,000 less than its competitor I have no real complaints.
Unfortunately with all the bad reviews the Avenger and most Chrysler/Dodge products just have no resale value. Not a huge deal for one like me who keeps a car for ten years or more, but still frustrating.
just depends
My neighbor bought a 2011 Fusion in 2010 that has been nothing but problems. Front door seal leaks in the rain, headliner sagged after only a year, radiator started leaking and had to be replaced, oil pan started leaking, constant spark issues and a strut that bound up.
The point being that every maker has bad cars. Ones that just seem to be bad from the get go.
My sister in law had a 2006 Focus that she bought in 2008 and sold in 2011 that seemed to always have electrical issues. Three batteries and two alternators in three years of ownership. One of the interior door panels started falling apart and the radio would flicker on and off . A headlight that constantly flicked in and out and finally a transmission that had to be rebuilt.
My neighbor bought a 2011 Fusion in 2010 that has been nothing but problems. Front door seal leaks in the rain, headliner sagged after only a year, radiator started leaking and had to be replaced, oil pan started leaking, constant spark issues and a strut that bound up.
The point being that every maker has bad cars. Ones that just seem to be bad from the get go.
It seems to me that all the reviews get to drive so many cars for such a short period of time that they don't get to appreciate the Avenger as much as the rest of us do. I have a 08 2.4L and have had no mechanical problems at all.
A few mag review points that have stuck with me:
1/ Busy styling for no reason (by the top of the rear door I guess).
I say it's better than a bubble car. Well ... it's sort of like the older Charger but short and stubby. I don't mind it.
2/ Bad suspension.
I agree. However, new models are way better. Let's remind ourselves, older models can be outfitted with new shocks, springs and bushings. However, my 2010 Avenger took washboard S bends better than my 2006 Sebring V6 2.7.
3/ Plastic interior.
Fixed in the new models. I don't really care to be honest.
There wasn't really much else bad besides defects which were fixed by 2010.
If I were going to give a review? I haven't had any problems. However, I'd like better brakes. City mileage isn't that great, but hiway is good. That's the 4 speed tranny (six speed fix city mileage?). It doesn't purr (funny noises), but the 3.6 does.
Something I noticed when I bought the car was a welcome throwback before the K-Car, and that was using bolts instead of everthing being welded. I like that. 'Easy to moddify.
If I were part of the Chrysler team, I'd say 'luxury within, power throughout, and confidents beneath'.
Oh, btw Chrysler, if you use that slogan, you owe me a test drive in the 2013 Viper.
1/ Busy styling for no reason (by the top of the rear door I guess).
I say it's better than a bubble car. Well ... it's sort of like the older Charger but short and stubby. I don't mind it.
2/ Bad suspension.
I agree. However, new models are way better. Let's remind ourselves, older models can be outfitted with new shocks, springs and bushings. However, my 2010 Avenger took washboard S bends better than my 2006 Sebring V6 2.7.
3/ Plastic interior.
Fixed in the new models. I don't really care to be honest.
There wasn't really much else bad besides defects which were fixed by 2010.
If I were going to give a review? I haven't had any problems. However, I'd like better brakes. City mileage isn't that great, but hiway is good. That's the 4 speed tranny (six speed fix city mileage?). It doesn't purr (funny noises), but the 3.6 does.
Something I noticed when I bought the car was a welcome throwback before the K-Car, and that was using bolts instead of everthing being welded. I like that. 'Easy to moddify.
If I were part of the Chrysler team, I'd say 'luxury within, power throughout, and confidents beneath'.
Oh, btw Chrysler, if you use that slogan, you owe me a test drive in the 2013 Viper.
davect01 is exactly right! Im glad i saw this thread because i actually take alot of pride in owning my 2010 R/T. I have always found reviewers (especially motor trend and Edmunds) to be very unfair to the Avenger. Is the car perfect? No but no car is! I dont want to get carried away but i think Avengers and Dodges in general are great cars, just saying i have 4 different friends with Fords, all have problems (taurus, mustang, and 2 Explorers) I personally think all of the avengers 08- present are good cars although they have their issues, main point, ITS A CAR! They all have some issues no matter the brand.
All human beings are subject to bias and car reviewers are no different. There is, also, a lot of subjectivity in reviewing a car. I read a review for 2013's just the other day in a car magazine and all I had to do was read the negative review on the Avenger's styling. I believe the reviewer said "out of date" or something like that. The Avenger, of course, was being compared to Camry, Accord, etc.
I just laughed. I wouldn't consider a Camry or Accord, Fusion or whatever because I can't tell one from the other. They're all out of the same mold...couldn't tell one from another. So, it really didn't matter to me what the reviewer had to say about anything else. I'll make up my own mind, please.
1. Interior. I am well pleased with the interior on my SXT Plus. Looks as good as any car I've owned and I've had a few nice ones.
2. Ride. Good. But I would agree with the reviewer that it can be a little jumpy
on washboard type roadways.
3. Engine. I really like the 3.6 Pentastar so far. The reviewer gave it good reviews also. It's a smooth engine with power.
4. Transmission. This is really the only thing I would complain about because of, intermittent, rough shifting which the reviewer made note of , also. Most of the time, my transmission is really smooth but, once in a while, it makes a rough down shift.
Overall, I really like this car. I like it's style; has a quiet ride; like my interior; like the power my engine delivers when I need it. If it holds up over the years, I'll be one satisfied customer reviewers be damned.
I just laughed. I wouldn't consider a Camry or Accord, Fusion or whatever because I can't tell one from the other. They're all out of the same mold...couldn't tell one from another. So, it really didn't matter to me what the reviewer had to say about anything else. I'll make up my own mind, please.
1. Interior. I am well pleased with the interior on my SXT Plus. Looks as good as any car I've owned and I've had a few nice ones.
2. Ride. Good. But I would agree with the reviewer that it can be a little jumpy
on washboard type roadways.
3. Engine. I really like the 3.6 Pentastar so far. The reviewer gave it good reviews also. It's a smooth engine with power.
4. Transmission. This is really the only thing I would complain about because of, intermittent, rough shifting which the reviewer made note of , also. Most of the time, my transmission is really smooth but, once in a while, it makes a rough down shift.
Overall, I really like this car. I like it's style; has a quiet ride; like my interior; like the power my engine delivers when I need it. If it holds up over the years, I'll be one satisfied customer reviewers be damned.
:wow:I can't believe I have missed that slogan. I doubt Chrysler will use it, maybe confidence beneath, but not confidents... :gy:
I test drove an Avenger a couple years ago and was not impressed, so I know what they mean. BUT the 2012's test drive made me want it. Tranny/engine/quality...so much better than 2 years ago. NOW the car is worth buying!
R/T might have been nice. But did not even know they made one. All my dealer had was 4 cylinder cars with CV trannys. I did not like the 4 cyl and my gal did not like the CV tranny. But then i have 4 turbo cars and am used to a little power.
actually, the R/T in 2010 had the 4 cylinder option. The R/T badge was more about the trim than the power...
Yea schurick mine is the R/T 2.4 but I'm plenty happy with it especially since I don't have to buy things like fog lights or a spoiler now ! I wouldn't mind a little more power like the v6 but I can't complain , especially since I had a v8 Durango before the avenger and all that big engine did was made me poor haha
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
