Dodge Nitro?

1970FuryConv

Old Man with a Hat
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I know a Dodge Nitro is late model and KA body rather than C body, but this is a grocery getter forum and I was considering buying one for my wife (who does a lot of grocery getting with 2 teenage kids). Anybody here have experience with this vehicle, 3.7 V6, 2wd? What do you think of the Nitro?
I joined www.nitroforumz.com and read posts there. SUV/wagon seems all right, but thought I'd fish for info here too, 38000 mile vehicle, $15K. Lot of money to spend. thanks, Ben
 
Why would you pay a premium to have what is basically a Jeep only to have it 2WD?
I think for $15k, there are better FWD alternatives.
 
Why would you pay a premium to have what is basically a Jeep only to have it 2WD?
I think for $15k, there are better FWD alternatives.
Agreed to an extent! The 3.7 is a dog! Although not as much as the 3.8. As far as it being close to a jeep.....no. Jeeps have solid axles in the front! If you look at the competitiontho, explorer, envoy, trailblazer.... I would take the nitro or the liberty.
 
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I believe Dodge has been building pretty durable and reliable trucks for some time now. They don't always get the highest marks for refinement until of late, but they do hold up. I have a 1989 Dodge Dakota V-6 with 170K miles on it and I can't kill it. It is easily the most durable vehicle I have ever owned. Never any problems except normal maintenance and the engine still has 150 PSI compression in all cylinders. It is a throttle body EFI and still has excellent driveability - never a hesitation cold or warm and a very smooth idle. It is really nice around town, but struggles on very steep grades. I have never even had to replace the steering rack or any suspension parts yet - only the shocks and it still feels tight. Nothing like my old C bodies!
 
Agreed to an extent! The 3.7 is a dog! Although not as much as the 3.8. As far as it being close to a jeep.....no. Jeeps have solid axles in the front! If you look at the competitiontho, explorer, envoy, trailblazer.... I would take the nitro or the liberty.

I have never owned a 3.7 V6.
What do you think makes the 3.7 V6 a dog, given a purpose of being a grocery getter?
Thanks, Ben
 
Why would you pay a premium to have what is basically a Jeep only to have it 2WD?
I think for $15k, there are better FWD alternatives.

Hi Stan,
For Richmond, VA, area, there's about a $2000 premium for low miles 4WD. For a grocery getter, I don't really need it. Rear is 8.25, 3.73 gear, brake traction assist.
If I went FWD, I'd have to dump the Nitro idea all together. What FWD model would you go with?
Thanks, Ben
 
Why would you pay a premium to have what is basically a Jeep only to have it 2WD?
I think for $15k, there are better FWD alternatives.

Hi Stan,
For Richmond, VA, area, there's about a $2000 premium for low miles 4WD. For a grocery getter, I don't really need it. Rear is 8.25, 3.73 gear, brake traction assist.
If I went FWD, I'd have to dump the Nitro idea all together. What FWD model would you go with?
Thanks, Ben
Can't say, really. There is absolutely nothing out there that even remotely sparks any passion in me.
Zip. Nada....
For some reason the Ford Flex intrigued me a tad if only because it was the anti-minivan.
 
Where Dodges are Built

Hi Fratzog,
Thanks for the suggestion, but I looked at 10 Journeys: all of them have VIN starting with 3. Hecho de Mexico.

Until production is moved to the USA, possibly 2016, I will not buy one. I'm afraid the Journey will have to wait.
Thanks anyway, Ben
 
The Verdict: I did not buy

Long Story, if you care.
6-15-152011 Dodge Nitro SE 4x2 39557 miles $14900 firm price
Purchase Inspection
·3.7 V6 Engine:ran OK, but oil on top of valve covers and on top of battery.The engine was not weak.The truck had some power, but not a lot of power. Engine performance was OK, but no better. Oil color medium brown, but OK
·42 RLE Transmission:Shifted OK, shift solenoid made odd gear noise when shifting into reverse, Trans oil was brick red in color with no brightness, level 40 mm at operating temp, with coolant temp needle half way up gage. This may have been right, since the fluid would have heated up more after we had been out on the road. Needed trans oil and filter change.
·Fluids: Orange Coolant was low: nothing in reservoir and radiator not completely full. A Plus: Nitro has an actual radiator cap rather than a pressurized reservoir cap. Brake fluid, and power steering oil OK.
·Windshield Washer: reservoir dirty at bottom. Washer did not operate. Could need pump or just everything cleaned out
·Air Filter: dirty
·Serpentine Belt: good, no cracking. Upper and LowerRadiator hose OK.
·Exhaust pipe/muffler/cat, and resonator: OK
·Suspension: components looked clean and straight
·Steering: Smooth, no clunks even at extreme end of travel. Steering was a bright spot.
·Brakes: worked well: 4 wheel disc, single groove on outside of RF rotor. Could be outside pad’s rivet. Need front brakes. LR outside pad also looked low. I think it needs pads all the way around. Owner did not agree
·Tires 225-75R16: rims had a few small dings. Cold Tires:LF 5-5-5-6 44psi, LR 3-3-3 32psi, RF 6-5-6-6 46psi, RR 2-1-2 51psi. Both rear tires need replace. All but 1 tire overinflated.
·Spare Tire: under cargo area on winch and hook. Tire had been used and replaced with valve facing up. Could not check air pressure
·Body/Frame: frame was arrow straight. No damage visible anywhere under truck. A big plus. Body also straight. Crack in LR bumper fascia and Left tailight lens. Tailgate had 4x4 emblem. I wondered if it had been hit and replaced, since the truck is 4x2. Regarding emblem, Owner said, “someone just put that on there.” Front air dam loose under bumper fascia at RF corner.
·Driveshaft & U-Joints: Moved with my hand and also with large flat blade screwdriver thru both u-joints. No play in u-joints or signs shaft was not straight. No vibration at any engine speed or road speed.
·8.25 Rear Differential: popped out rubber plug in diff cover. Level just below fill hole.Oil clean. Axle housing clean. No noise or issues.
·140 Amp Alternator: Engine Running, No Load, @ Battery 14.15-14.25V, AirC & HeadL Load, @ Battery 14.05-14.15V
·Lights: OK
·Windows: electric, OK. RF a little noisy. Some of the interior window tint was scraped/scratched
·Locks: electric,OK
·Heat: OK in all positions. Could not really test on summer day
·AC: mediocre. Our Concorde puts out colder air at max AC and it has 160000 miles at 15 years old. AC was not powerfully reaching backseat. AC was a big negative.
·Stereo: OK
·Mechanical Seats:OK
·Seat belts(Buckle Faces Out): all latched, but center rear buckle faced backwards
·Windshield wipers OK.
·Trunk Tailgate: remote unlock and key unlock OK. Latch OK
·Carpets dampness: none
·Electric Port(cigarette lighter): DVD player. OK
Interior condition: dirty. Lots of orange tomato sauce spots in roof liner

The $14900 price was firm. Owner did turn out to be willing to knock a couple hundred bucks off, but I came away thinking that this particular rolling box was worth more like $13,500 or less. I spoke with my heart, thanked her for her time, said that I wasn’t interested, and drove away.
 
now you can buy a nice C-body wagon for daily transportation.
The money you save in the purchase price can be used for repairs over the time.

Carsten
 
now you can buy a nice C-body wagon for daily transportation.
The money you save in the purchase price can be used for repairs over the time.

Carsten

Exactly......! Listen to Carsten,
I'm not sure what the fascination with FWD is, I won't own one, (well, maybe a 75/78 Eldorado). We went looking for a convertible for Ellies DD. Two things were mandatory, American product, both brand and manufacture, and rear wheel drive. That narrowed it down to a Mustang at the time. She has had it for 6 years now and loves it.


A "B" or "C" body wagon is the perfect DD (IMHO). My 69 Fury suburban with a 318 pulls down 20 MPG, has 4' X 9' secure load capacity, and is a big, smooth, easy handling safe car. Cheap to insure, low maintenance and you can get into a turn key example in the $4K to $7K price range. The extra 7K off a 15K purchase price will compensate for a lot of gas & oil.

Add to that the towing capacity and you can take it to shows........
 
Good Idea on the wagon! Wife's car. She thinking SUV.
I have a 2005 Mustang convertible, black, 4.6 V8, 5 speed stick. Made in USA including engine. Love it! Wish we could say Made in USA about the Challenger.
 
i have a 2010 nitro. i like it pretty much it is a decent truck. they had 3.7 or 4 liter motors, 2wd or 4wd, and a sport model also - with the stripes on the hood - whatever they called it.
the only real issue ive had on 100,000 + miles (i bought it new) is the blend door control motors went out, and so i adjust the hot/cold vent by hand under the dash.
my old lady does not like the passenger seat, as the transmission hump is in the way of your legs a bit if you want to stretch out.

oh, and sometimes it gets stuck in between gears and wont start. i rock the car and hit the shifter a couple of times, and it starts.

there you have it.

- saylor
 
i have a 2010 nitro. i like it pretty much it is a decent truck. they had 3.7 or 4 liter motors, 2wd or 4wd, and a sport model also - with the stripes on the hood - whatever they called it.
the only real issue ive had on 100,000 + miles (i bought it new) is the blend door control motors went out, and so i adjust the hot/cold vent by hand under the dash.
my old lady does not like the passenger seat, as the transmission hump is in the way of your legs a bit if you want to stretch out.

oh, and sometimes it gets stuck in between gears and wont start. i rock the car and hit the shifter a couple of times, and it starts.

there you have it.

- saylor

I think blend air door issues have been a problem on Dodges for a while. My 2000 Dodge Intrepid had that issue. The door wouldn't open completely for heat. It was $1100 plus to have a shop do the blend door/evaporator/heater core job. I just was cold until I sold the car.

I rode in the passenger seat as well as driver seat of the Nitro I test drove. I didn't notice the stretch out issue.

Since the truck is for my wife, the no-start issue is most worrisome. At what mileage did it start to happen? Have you tried to have it fixed, DIY/DIFM? Not familiar with these trucks yet. Wonder if a Transmission Range Sensor adjustment would get you completely into Park? Maybe something more simple, like cleaning a sticking solenoid. Will it start in neutral when it won't start in Park?
 
now you can buy a nice C-body wagon for daily transportation.
The money you save in the purchase price can be used for repairs over the time.

Carsten

I showed my wife the 72 T&C. I was shot down immediately. Too big.
Still was a good idea though.
 
I was thinking of another thing - when it was below freezing out this last winter, when id start up in the morning, sometimes all the indicators would go off - antiskid, abs, traction control, like it thought I was driving on ice. whatever senso that is thought I was screwed, just because it was below freezing or had frozen over or something. shutting it off and restarting cleared it every time.

I have not had a shop look at the whole no-start thing. it seldom happens, and very randomly. ive had cars before that were 1.) stuck in between gears or 2.) the neutral senso switch was going out or 3.) low transmission fluid caused it so I didn't ever sweat it when it happens. I know the fluid is not low on this truck so I figure it is the senso or it really isn't engaging into park totally when I park it.

if it was my wife yes I would freak the hell out and start changing parts out til it quit doing it. it probably started around 50k miles? or so? im not sure when it first did it honestly.

what else...
ive wore out the driver window switch. it works, just you have to toggle it a few times.
up top luggage rack thingy - driver side bolt cover - flew off somewhere in west texas
windshield washer hose failed up by the reservoir - had to splice a T in and some new hose.

if I think of more, ill post.

now - having said all that. ive drove the piss out of this truck for 100k miles. I got it with like 4 miles on it so I put every inch of those miles there myself. I have 1 service station service it. always and only. ive put oil, tires, and brake pads on here. that's it. and drove the crap out of it.
100k and only 2nd set of brake pads.
3rd set of tires.

I gave 20k for it new, so im not sad at all about it. like I said, its a decent truck. ive used it up good.
 
2011 Nitro $15000

We bought a 3.7 42RLE 4WD Nitro on Saturday In Pennsylvania. 41053 miles. So far it's been great. I'll be on the look out for problems mentioned above.

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