Well, the more we look at newer Durango's, the more we are thinking that we will simply keep the one we have. Will wait for awhile on a new engine, but will have the new headlights we bought installed. We did find a 2014 Dodge Citadel V-8, for $21,000, that has all of the "bells and whistles" that are nice, including navigational system and backup camera, but no tow package. When we bought our 2005 Durango SLT Magnum 4.7L, in Dec. 2005, we had a tow package installed. But, what our Durango has is a "Tow" button on the gear shift. When pushed, the engine automatically goes into "tow" performance. The 2014 doesn't have this button or, as already stated, no tow package. When I asked about installing a tow package, the salesman told me over the phone that he didn't know if a tow package could be installed. Have to have a tow package to pull our 20' Cuddy Cabin with a rather large I/O 5.7L V-8 engine, sitting on a 27' dual-axle trailer.
I just read that the TOW button merely turns the Overdrive off. That stops the transmission from kicking in & out of Overdrive as you haul stuff over hills. I bet you can do that yourself. I also bet you can get a hitch and wiring harness installed on that 2014 Citadel.
Well, the Citadel sure looks nice, but, the salesman that I talked to hasn't called me back yet. He's the one that told me that he didn't know if a tow package could be installed on it. I really don't know why one couldn't be installed on it, but. Another salesperson sent me an e-mail and when I told her what Jordan said about the tow package and asking her about the towing capabilities, she hasn't answered me back yet either. This Citadel has 114,000 miles on it and my wife wanted to get something with a lot less mileage on the engine than that. But, less mileage would most definitely mean............higher, to very high, cost. Now what I'm wondering is, can any SUV or full-size truck have a tow package installed on it? Our current 2005 Dodge Durango sure pulls our boat-trailer nice. I do know that!
My Mazda CX-5 has a factory tow package installed on it, and it's a mid-sized "crossover." Just go to the Draw Tite site and look for a hitch for that model. Then look for a trailer wiring harness. Or go to CarMax and look for some with a towing package to see if they're available. I got one installed on my piece-of-crap GMC Canyon inline 5. In fact, the factory wiring harness already had the connector for a trailer harness.
Is this a V-6? Anyway, still haven't heard a word from the sales lot/salesman about the tow package. We have brand new headlights (not just the bulbs) that we bought a month of so ago. I can only hope that we can find someone around us to install them for us. I'm going to talk to the shop tomorrow that has done work on the Durango before. Hopefully they can install them. I know I can't and, most likely, wouldn't even want to try. Those old days of being a "backyard mechanic" are long, long gone. IOW, John, we just can't seem to find a vehicle that has the same power our old 2005 one does, for a descent cost. The 2014 is $21,000. That is, basically, way, way above our budget. $8,000 (new/rebuilt engine), new tires, new spark plugs, new rear brakes for our Durango, doesn't come close to $21,000.
Nah, that Mazda is a 4 banger with a turbo: 250hp/350 ft# of torque. It's a Class 2 hitch. And I completely understand about cost. It was the cost of used cars plus their higher interest rate that drove me to that new Mazda. At 0% financing, the payment for new was not all that much higher than going to CarMax. I just happened to be in a place then that I could afford it. You know, all this COVID stuff was supposed to decimate used car prices, and deals were to be plentiful. Lots of articles, lots of pundits, lots of folks on car forums. It never happened.
Cody--this is just me, but I wouldn't pay $21k for a 2014 with over 100k miles on the clock. That seems ridiculous. Also, a tow package doesn't give a vehicle towing CAPACITY. Keep that in mind.
Look at CarMax. It's a real eye-opener. A 2015 Dodge Citadel with 96,000 miles is listed for $25,000. It was that way when I started looking in 2018. My brother who had been a mechanic all his life (and owned his own shop) started looking for a used truck around that same time. He ended up doing what I did...bought new at 0% dealer financing, because those payments were so very close to what a used truck's payments would have been. And he had been an "insider" for decades. It's insane. I don't see how poorer folks manage. I just pulled up an inflation calculator to see what today's value is for the cars I paid cash for in the 70s and 80s. It's about $3,000 in 2021 dollars.
Yeah, everything is insane nowadays. As for poorer people, I assume that they operate similarly to how I did back when I was young and struggling... I looked for something I could afford and was not picky about make/model.
Even when I was among the poorer people I would only look at my favorite brand and find what I could afford.(family had 3 generations of GM, Wouldn't touch one now tho. Gave up on GM with 82 Riviera)
John, this Citadel is for sale in Illinois and is a V-6. My wife just said, "I can find a ton of V-6's everywhere, but it's a must that we have a V-8, like we have now". IOW, John, we aren't going to fly to IL to look at a car, let alone buy a V-6.
Well, after looking a numerous Durango's that are V-8, with somewhat less than 100,000 miles on them, but definitely costly, we have decided to wait until sometime early next year to replace our engine. However, a week ago, we had new inner/outer tie rods installed on the drivers side and the new headlights we bought installed. The new headlights (entire headlight) make the Durango look great. Since the bulbs in the old headlights were still good, kept them.
Far as that boat PLUS extra safety of roll over we put The Road Master on our van, it picked up the 27'camper to great hauling level like a charm. Cost $499.00 about 5 years ago. I think most trucks or SUVs should have one,
Last time I heard the word inline was on our boat, it had twin 120's inlines on it. Jake rebuilt them both ordered parts from After Market Marine. Ran great after rebuilds. https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=913e...tbWFyaW5lLXBhcnRzLWFuZC1hY2Nlc3Nvcmllcw&ntb=1
My brother the mechanic said that my 5 cylinder Canyon has the same engine that Audi used. I forget if they used to be 6 cylinders that they shortened. I learned to drive in a '64 American Motors station wagon with the flathead 6 and 3-on-the-tree. My sister had a Falcon of the same era that was a flathead 6. Quaker State was our friend Friends used to pay us to drive around their yards to keep the 'skeeters under control. *cough* *cough*