$20,000 Durango Yard Ornament

I am almost 50 and have been driving and maintaining vehicles for over 30 of those years. Daimler / Chrysler has just found a way to keep from owning up to a very basic design flaw in many of their engines. My 5.2L V8 in my '99 Durango made it 104,000 miles (I guess I did take care of it a little?) before it started doing the oil pressure tango. I was lucky the first time and got away with just replacing the main bearings. The second time, not so lucky. Rod through the oil pan. I refuse to spend $3,000 - $4,000 to drop another defective engine in that POS. I have decided to send a VERY LOUD message to corporate at Daimler / Chrysler by staging an online LIVE web cam event. I'm going to have my Durango lifted onto a very large bonfire and fire that sucker up. I'm trying to promote the event and get a few sponsors. (I do web design / hosting and one of my clients - www.bubbad.com - bbq - might be interested! ;-} ) My site is www.batcity.com/bonfire. Check it out.

Individuals who do their own oil changes or go to Jiffy Lube don't do so with the thought of having to prove proper maintenance due to a defective engine design. Daimler knows this and knows it's an easy out for them. I am convinced that they had their accountants and lawyers crunch the numbers and came up with the class-action lawsuit as their cheapest way out. And that lawsuit, specifically for the engine sludging problem, is in the works. (www.BigClassAction.com)

I'll post some updates to my bonfire event as they become available. You all grab a beer and a hotdog and watch!

Here's a pic of the Durango in it's natural position:

http://www.batcity.com/bonfire/images/towjob2.jpg

It's nice that you're willing to torch a $20,000.00 truck, but how 'bout I give you my old worn out '82 D150 and we trade?
You get the bonfire, I put a motor in the durango and keep it?......:)

Slantsixness

Wow, that's quite a statement you're planning to make. I'll keep watch for your updates.

It's really funny to think that if you would have spent $4 per quart on synthetic oil that you would still be driving it. I can guarantee that you wont find a blown up Durango with synthetic oil in it. I agree that it is a design flaw, but synthetic oil takes all the worries away. Just get it fixed and use some Mobil 1 next time.

It's really funny to think that if you would have spent $4 per quart on synthetic oil that you would still be driving it. I can guarantee that you wont find a blown up Durango with synthetic oil in it. I agree that it is a design flaw, but synthetic oil takes all the worries away. Just get it fixed and use some Mobil 1 next time.

xs29l,
that's a good theory you have, however...Dodge uses MOPAR oil, and recommends MOPAR oil, they do not put in synthetic oil, and by putting it in causing a mix of standard oil and synthetic oil will damage the engine quicker because they will turn to sludge! Unless of course you do an engine flush to rid it of standard oil, thus voilding any warranty that Chrysler won't honor anyway!

Chrysler just needs to own up to the fact that they are mass producing shitty products, and take their lumps and fix mine, and all the other engines that prematurely seized due to their defective hunk of shit design!

It's not just the engine with my money pit of a truck though!
It's the engine
the ball joints
the tie rods had to be replaced due to ball joint defect
tires had to be replaced due to ball joint defect
actuator for door lock
brakes replaced 4 times in 50,000 miles!

PLAIN AND SIMPLE THE TRUCK IS A PIECE OF SHIT!!!!!! AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT FESS UP AND COVER ANY OF IT!!!!!

When do the festivities take place?

I think I'm going to call xs29l "Synthetic Man"

Synthetic oil works, but it's not gold dude....

BatmanJoe:
My offer still stands on the trade........

Slantsixness

I have the same problem. I have a 1999 Durango with a blown engine. It has a 2 year warranty on the transmission and power everything - also new tires and a set of 4 20 inch chrome albas w/tires. I'm trying to sell it or trade it. - 614-353-3229 ask for Tracy

Instead of burning it, let me give you 5 bucks for it. I'll take it off you and you can do whatever you like with the 5 bucks.

you got 104K out of a dodge thats pretty good if your not happy sell it and get something else , although i would love to help you burn it, i don't like dodge very much but that will be a waste you can throw a used engine in and just sell it

He guesses he took care of it a little. He's not sure I guess.

Joe's a Wuss
All mouth and no fire.
Where'd these wishy-washy owners come from?

I hate, no like, no hate, no like, no really hate, but love, no can't stand , no wait I hate it, now it broke, but I love it, but oh crap I hate it again....

At least Joe says he hates his, but does he really?

Oh, if you could only pick one of the voices in your head to listen to, we'd all feel better. Well, at least us, no, not the other voices in your head, us-- the people you're writing to.......

Durango; nice truck. Don't like it? Go pound sand.

hey....1999 durango 5.9 137,000 some odd miles....used pennzoil in it since dayone and changed it every 3000 miles, kept up all the other regular mantainance and it still burns f-150s (my buddy has a 96 with a 302 and 5speed, and i can still out run him)
dodge makes good vehicles and if u want to waste a durango send it to me and i can rebuild that motor and use the damn thing

Hey I sold my durango. To my brother, now I get to look for a 5.9 R/T.... and it's memorial day weekend!!!
Ha! the fun abounds.... smarmy car dealers... They think I'm gonna buy one at full retail HA!

Slantsixness

What is the failure and what is the cause of the failure. Four sets of brakes in 50,000 mikes indicates hard use. Why were the brakes replaced? Did the rotors warp? I've seen a lot of high mileage 5.9 and 5.2 that didn't have engine problems. The lower ball joints did have a high failure rate. I've seen a lot of failed door lock actuators, not limited to the D's only.

50,000 miles of brakestands.

If you use crappy brake hardware, you have crappy brakes. Buy the cheap crap from your local Slap happy auto parts store and viola! 10K mile brakes...
And you wonder why?

It's June now, and Joe the wuss still has no guts, and no bonfire....
What a wuss.

I am almost 50 and have been driving and maintaining vehicles for over 30 of those years. Daimler / Chrysler has just found a way to keep from owning up to a very basic design flaw in many of their engines. My 5.2L V8 in my '99 Durango made it 104,000 miles (I guess I did take care of it a little?) before it started doing the oil pressure tango. I was lucky the first time and got away with just replacing the main bearings. The second time, not so lucky. Rod through the oil pan. I refuse to spend $3,000 - $4,000 to drop another defective engine in that POS. I have decided to send a VERY LOUD message to corporate at Daimler / Chrysler by staging an online LIVE web cam event. I'm going to have my Durango lifted onto a very large bonfire and fire that sucker up. I'm trying to promote the event and get a few sponsors. (I do web design / hosting and one of my clients - www.bubbad.com - bbq - might be interested! ;-} ) My site is www.batcity.com/bonfire. Check it out.

Individuals who do their own oil changes or go to Jiffy Lube don't do so with the thought of having to prove proper maintenance due to a defective engine design. Daimler knows this and knows it's an easy out for them. I am convinced that they had their accountants and lawyers crunch the numbers and came up with the class-action lawsuit as their cheapest way out. And that lawsuit, specifically for the engine sludging problem, is in the works. (www.BigClassAction.com)

I'll post some updates to my bonfire event as they become available. You all grab a beer and a hotdog and watch!

Here's a pic of the Durango in it's natural position:

http://www.batcity.com/bonfire/images/towjob2.jpg
142k going strong every 3 mobil 1 98 5.2

It's really funny to think that if you would have spent $4 per quart on synthetic oil that you would still be driving it. I can guarantee that you wont find a blown up Durango with synthetic oil in it. I agree that it is a design flaw, but synthetic oil takes all the worries away. Just get it fixed and use some Mobil 1 next time.
you are so right : design flaw i don't think so maint. flaw

they are made by man man is not perfect ever own a chevy truck ball joints $ idler arms bad at 40k its all in maint. 140 k on my D no ball joints no trans no oil press. Mantance!!