What people call SUVs today are merely cars lifted a few inches. Nothing SUV about 95% of them on the road. By the late 90s, the market was indeed saturated with SUVs - true SUVs at that. It was a great time!
@@RMTDAMOB it's really not though. The Kicks, a subcompact CUV, is smaller than the Altima by a big margin.... nearly 25" shorter & 4" narrower than the Altima. But because the fake SUV (kicks) is 6" taller, consumers are tricked, rather easily so, into thinking it's larger and more capable than the sedan. People are getting less, paying more, and happy about it... to think, America was once the innovators of the automobile! ha...
It's my favorite era of 'modern' cars. A nice blend of simplicity and electronics. It didn't take much to keep these types of vehicles going for a long time. Still see a ton of them in my area too.
Jep, i'm still driving a 1996 BMW. 90s cars are extremely underrated. Yes, the built quality (interior) wasn't the best, a lot of plastic. But the cars had a useful amount of tech, without being to techy and unreliable. Engine's are not powerful for modern standarts, but powerful enough to have no problems in traffic, and way more powerful then 80s oder 70s cars. In the 90s cars also started to get useful safety stuff. Wouldn't be suprises if we see in the 2030's more 90s cars still on the road, then 2010's cars. The last generation when cars were built not beauty but solid and reliable. You can't say that about many newer cars.
@@PlymouthNeon definitely agree with you. I special-ordered a 1999 Dakota because I loved the look of the truck and having a V8 in a smaller truck was significant to me. Some say I was drinking the kool-aid because I worked at a Jeep/Chrysler dealer at the time...but whatever. All these years later I wish I could have another.
Me. :). I drive a 1991 Lincoln Town Car and a 1997 Lexus LS. My good friends mother drives a 1995 Toyota Corolla she bought brand new. My newest car is a 2004 Toyota SUV. Lol. I favor the oldies.
I bought my '98 Durango brand-new with the big 5.9L V-8 and 23 years later I still own it. Same color as the one in this video, and only has 39k original miles. Will be selling it in the next few weeks. I absolutely love it, and it has superpowers in snow. Used to drive through unplowed streets in Minnesota with ease. Crazy fast as well. Dodge did a really good job with this vehicle.
If the SUV market was 'saturated' in 1998, what word would describe it now? Over-deluged? I want to give a shout out to the assembly workers in Delaware who built the first generation Durango, I am sure they did the best they could with the parts Chrysler gave them.
It's more that the modern SUV market has been split between classic full-size SUVs and mid-size Crossover SUVs. Crossovers weren't yet a thing in the 90s, as the minivan market was still going strong. SUVs were just seen as their "manlier" equivalent, so everyone wanted to get a slice of that market segment. Crossovers started to enter the market after the War on Terror started and gas prices rose up, but people got used to sitting high in the driver's seat and didn't feel as safe driving sedans. Minivans were pushed into a niche and 4x4 SUVs lost a good deal of market share to pickup trucks.
And today? Let's put a huge supercharged "Hellcat"engine in it...give it over 700 hp with a 0-60 in 4.5 seconds...call it a day! Next up: hellcat minivan, just because we can! Murica.
Most people aren't buying SUVs anymore; they're buying crossovers. There are only a handful of naturally-aspirated, body-on-frame SUVs with live axles. Most models are no longer truck platforms with a different body. What's really happened is that car manufacturers have been able to leverage image to sell crossovers to people who don't need them. Vehicles like the Wrangler have become flagships that aren't popular compared to everything else using the brand nameplate, yet they have a halo status that sells shitty crossovers when people realize they don't want to drive a truck that gets 15 mpg.
This was and is still my first car. Got it in 2011 in immaculate shape. The 5.2 318 is a bulletproof engine. Not very efficient but solid I'm about to hit 300,000 and it runs like a dream. Can sleep two adults in the back with the seats down, and in three years I can get a Antique Car license plate. Love my Durango
$31,100 in 1998 = $50,500 today. Of course, you can top out a modern Durango over $82,000. I'm looking forward to seeing this review again during the Season 17 livestream over Thanksgiving 2022.
Alot of those thru the 90s were fake. For example, the oil pressure gauges on the 2nd gen Explorers are fake, its literally an "on/off" switch...even if the oil pressure is low, that needle is gonna sit right in the middle of the gauge...the gauge is essentially a dummy light...only there to look good basically and to tell you that there is at least a little bit of oil pressure.
@@Ethan-jh4gjThe R/T's are AWD & the only engine option was the 5.9 360, they all had 17" wheels (my favorite one's are the years that had/have the polished one's)...they have/had a spoiler on the rear of the roof, & they only came in about 5 colors...black, white, silver, red, & a medium metallic blue.
@@paulallison6689 thanks for all info , I really appreciate it ! I recently bought a 01 durango with the 5.9 and always wondered what the difference was between the R/T and the SLT
I deafened a lot of that suspension noise by just using premium and overbuilt suspension bushings and linkages. Mine were rusted out anyway and I went with the most expensive parts that were more overbuilt than OEM, and it made a big difference. Knowing how Dodge works and how the Durango was contrived from the Dakota, they used all the default Dakota parts and underpinnings but then added an extra 1,000lbs to the body that those parts now have to fight against. It overloaded them. So you get a vehicle that sounds like a pickup going through a farm road with 400 lbs of concrete blocks in the back.
I have a 2003 with a 5.9 litre and I love it. It's a 4x4 SLT in Metallic green. Interior has held up amazingly well. Daily driver with no major issues. 179k on it now.
The fact that I never realized it has Caravan tail lights means they fit really well to the vehicle. Awesome SUV! You can't compare this to today's lackluster CUVs.
In the fall of 1997 I was a kid in cub scouts. We were riding in one of the leaders Durango. I was talking to the Leaders on how nice it was. We were talking about how my parents ordered a 1998 Plymouth Voyager expresso and how long it was going to take to take delivery. How I tried to talk my father into a 1998 Durango but lost the war. When one of the kids started making fun of me . Saying the year is 1997 and you can't get any cars from 1998 bc that's next year. Our leader made him look like a jackass by showing everyone his insurance card that said 1998 Dodge Durango. That kid stayed quite for the whole trip lol
Bruh I never realized they were caravan taillights and I always notice that shit on cars like a lot of RVs be using headlights from normal cars you wouldn’t expect. My parents even had a 2005 caravan and I never realized
The 90's was the manufacture parts bin phase for sure. I remember the Lamborghini Diablo using the Nissan 300ZX headlights. They even put a half inch plastic piece at the top lip of the headlight to hide the Nissan logo. Hilarious.
This is the car that got me into cars, as weird as that sounds. My pre school teacher had one of these in the same color but with these rally style looking lights on the front. It stood out to me over any car on the road at the time (when I was 5 in 1999)
My dad bought one of those brand new in 98. I learned to drive on it, eventually bought it off him, and drove it into the ground until replacing it with a 2016 Cherokee Trailhawk. The thing was an absolute beast. 5.9L V8 and 4-speed auto was so damn thirsty that the fuel savings alone cover most of the payments on the Cherokee!
Yup !Brian Austin Green and the Producers from Beverly Hills 90210 put a 98 in the final 2 seasons of the series for good reason. It looked cool even parked next to BMWs and Corvettes in Cali. I had a red one in 1998 as a loaner then a lease from a Dodge Dealer new. If I can get a fair deal on a used one I'll jump on it . Not easy to find in 22'!
i don't have to look. i have one. my family has had it since new. 2002 with 68,000 miles. still brand new. lot of body rot because midwest. only needs gas and oil changes, that's it. never had any failure. got in a crash in april of this year with a piece of shit in a brand new car doing insurance fraud. got t-boned with her going over 50-60mph on a 30mph road through a red light and slamming into me. flew in the air and spun 360 onto the opposite road going a different way. her car crumpled up like a tin can and all the airbags went off. my car had no airbag detonation and it's completely fine and drove it home. insurance wrote off both cars and i had to fight to keep mine. got $4,000 back and used it to buy another car for now and am fixing up my durango. just needs 2 front body mounts, 2 doors, inner rocker panel, outer rocker panel, rear differential seal, vacuum hose, possibly new head gaskets, rear suspension leaf strap, control arm bushings, inner rear bumper structure, and a patch panel on the driver's floorpan. being hit at that speed all the energy transferred through the frame and it shook loose anything rusted or rotten made of metal or rubber that fell apart with the shockwave of being hit from the right then landing down hard. the only other durango that old with that low miles is at $18,000 on an online ad right now from a collector car seller.
I liked the styling of these. Unfortunately here in the Midwest they rusted really bad and started falling apart earlier than they should have. That 5.9 was powerful but was an extreme gas hog. Having said all that, it was still a better vehicle than whatever FCA is putting out today.
My friend just sold his Midwestern durango. 275k and it was full of holes. Glass packs on a mostly rusted straight pipe, fog lights, subs, 700 stickers, Bright red paint with brown splotches. And holes.... It was magnificent.
When this came out I was three and my parents were sporting a late 80s early 90s Dodge Caravan and a 1996 Black Chrysler LHS. The LHS kind of had similar taillights to this as well. I remember seeing these around and thought they looked cool.
My first car was a green 98 Durango with the 5.9 magnum. Absolute gas guzzler but at 16 years old, my buddies and I would send it through mud hole after mud hole it always took it like a champ. Never a check engine light or any mechanical problems
yup i noticed that years ago. chrysler was probably too cheap to design and manufacture another tail light...these were the years they were too cheap to spend a couple bucks on each car to install brake-shift interlocks.
These were really easy to drift around anytime it so much as sprinkled rain. Like, insanely easy sideways driving. I had one with the 5.2 in it and use to have a blast with it.
I literally drive almost this exact same Durango today and it has held up great. With 145,000 miles it runs and drives fantastic and rarely has issues. These were very well designed vehicles. I miss that Chrysler.
“Excessive amounts of mechanical and interior noise” that sums up a Chrysler. My dad has a 2018 Dodge Challenger that he bought new and it has all sorts of clicking and whining noises, as well as whooshing from the leaky frameless windows.
I got one of those. Still runs like a champ. Parts are cheap and some parts you can find in the junk yard. Easy to work on. It's also one that many wont steal or break into because its ugly looking. The main part that gives out are the window regulator because of those cheap plastic wheel which I've already replaced six times on both front doors. Overall, it's a sweet ride.
@@xeong5 Not sure how much of a moron you drive like. It has a 22 gallon tank that lasts an entire month for me. Idiots don't understand that when you drive like a moron and also do not maintain your engine, you will be using more fuel.
I'm from illinois I remember when these first came out a Mexican family on my mothers block had one brand new I couldn't stop looking at it and the husband came over and we started talking about it and all the options he got on it, if I remember the color it was called chilli red pepper or something like that and it was a 5.9v8 SLT
Dodge's first 4-door SUV. Missing the '80's & early 90's stuff, guys. There's so much you still haven't uploaded separate from the streams, particularly from '81-'87. 2:42.........AHHHHHHHHH............the good old 318!!!!!!!
IN THE YEAR 1998 MY PARENTS BOUGHT A 5.2 ENGINE IN THAT WE VISITED MY GRANDPARENTS IN MIAMI FROM LARAMIE WYOMING IN SUMMER AND WINTER, MY PARENTS RULED ME IN 2008 TO GO TO UNIVERSITY, 450K AND IT STILL WORKS WONDERFUL.
@@jmin8400 - Indeed. Seeing those ads so many times as a kid forever cemented Edward Herrmann in my brain as “the Dodge guy”. 😂 Of course it wasn’t until much later that I learned about his other work and how obsessed with cars he was - as a lot of us are, too. Gone too soon. He is sorely missed!
@@drivedb7 Thank you so much for that information. Same story here regarding Ed. The New Dodge Marketing of that era helped cultivate my interest in automobiles, to the point I now work in product planning. I was very sad to find out he had passed a year after I started working.
These were the shit when they got their mid cycle refresh. The SXT In white with the gray cladding and bumpers is still sexy to me. Throw a lift and beefy tires... 😍😍😍
Was working at Junction Auto, Chardon Ohio, when they came out. Can still remember the smell of the interior, as I prepped so many for the new car lot. Chardon was out in a rural rolling hills area of Cleveland, that saw a ton of snow in the winter so these trucks sold like hot cakes
My parents bought one of these brand new in 1999. I got it at 16 as a hand me down, and the truck is definitely a blast. All the comments about reliability are true. Which is why I don't daily mine anymore. However everytime I drive the truck I always have fun. Also thankfully mine has spent it's life mostly out of the salt belt. So mine has is still rust free, like many of the one's I see here in the Northwest.
Back when the Durango was more focused with going off-road than hauling your family comfortably on vacation (hey, it could do that too, but it had a more trucklike ride, being based on the Dodge Dakota).
My brother drove this car all throughout his 4 years of highschool. It then ended up being my car and I drove it throughout my highschool years lol. I love this truck.
My Dad still has his 2002 Dakota with the V8 mint conditìon in Canada. Unfortunately he had a seizure this week and can no longer drive that or his 1970 Dart.
I had an 03 with the 5.9. Thing was a monster. The engine and transmission were beautiful. Powerful as hell and fun to drive. Everything else gave me a hard time. If there was a drop of water on the ground it would slide like hell. It ate tires and brakes like crazy. My wife begged me to get a different car but I refused. A storm came through and a huge tree fell on it and Totalled it. I guess she got her wish 😆
Still looks cool today! Anyone Remember Brian Austin Green "David Silver " and "Donna Martin " Torri Spelling last 2 seasons of BH90210 cruising around in the maroon 98 Durango SLT 4x4?
The Durango is the SUV that I really want! It would be the go anywhere vehicle for me! A first generation version with full-time 4WD and four-wheel ABS would be perfect for me! I could swap out the old engine for a Hemi V8! Works for me!!!
The year was '98 and I was faced with a choice of a Durango SLT 5.9 or JGC 5.9 Limited. I decided to go for the Jeep, but I remember how well I thought Dodge executed the Durango. Nobody at the time offered fold-flat third row seating(most midsizers did not even offer a 3rd row. It was only until 2002 Ford and Chevy got on board). The interior was very spacious, just not as luxurious as the Jeep. I've always loved that Dodge has always danced to their own drum beat when it comes to the Durango, whether it be its 'tweener size, V8 power since inception, refusal to forgo its truck or unibody construction(no car stuff here), or its mix of performance and towing duty. I mean...we even have a 710HP version that can tow 8700 pounds now!😂😂😂
Had a mint beige 99 SLT with a 5.2 V8, tinted windows, running boards and SRT wheels I bought off a mechanic, I loved the damn thing! To this day, I regret selling it! Gas mileage sucked, and it started to have some rust issues, but it was big, tough, and comfortable. It had such an intimidating look, cars would get out of my way!
My stepdad had a 1999 SLT Durango. The 5.9L guzzled gas so bad that they couldn’t wait to get rid of it. It was a great truck minus the window motors going out very easily.
My parents bought one new in 98, slt with the 5.9 all leather interior I basically grew up in that thing. Now I drive it every now and then when I feel like wasting some money on fuel lol. Gotta say it pretty solid for being almost 25 years old with 250k but she’s gotta hell of a drinking problem.
The Durango is perhaps the only SUV I'm not mad about it going unibody construction, though it lost its off road capabilities it more than made it up with performance. The SRT Hellcat is pure madness.
It's actually pretty impressive how long they can last considering how bottom of the barrel the materials used were if you can afford to keep feeding the thirsty pigs. Like my old XJ Cherokee. MPG and fix and finish were awful, along with handling and road manners, but it ALMOST always got me home and was relatively cheap to maintain.
My XJ was my first car and would have lasted me if someone didn't rear end me going 50 mph. I was stopped thankfully but will always wish nothing but the worst on that woman for killing a car I would likely still have today 😭.
@@Eddierockification got in a crash in april of this year with my durango with a piece of shit in a brand new car doing insurance fraud. got t-boned with her going over 50-60mph on a 30mph road through a red light and slamming into me. flew in the air and spun 360 onto the opposite road going a different way. her car crumpled up like a tin can and all the airbags went off. my car had no airbag detonation and it's completely fine and drove it home. insurance wrote off both cars and i had to fight to keep mine. got $4,000 back and used it to buy another car for now and am fixing up my durango. just needs 2 front body mounts, 2 doors, inner rocker panel, outer rocker panel, rear differential seal, vacuum hose, possibly new head gaskets, rear suspension leaf strap, control arm bushings, inner rear bumper structure, and a patch panel on the driver's floorpan. being hit at that speed all the energy transferred through the frame and it shook loose anything rusted or rotten made of metal or rubber that fell apart with the shockwave of being hit from the right then landing down hard.
When I was stationed at Henderson Hall, one of my buddies would take his Durango off roading a bunch. That was such a fun time! I absolutely LOATHE Chrysler products but that Durango is VERY capable off road!
My dad bought A 2001 Durango off Craigslist for $1,500 It needed a little bit of work and a few Driver's side window regulators During the course of his ownership Plus there was a Rust hole in the tailgate That got so bad you can actually see inside The tailgate Never got that fixed Never got that fixed plan to but never got it fixed planed to but never got it fixed But it was Solid as a rock Drove it to 200,000 miles to this day it remains my favorite vehicle my father ever owned.
@@sneff1052 Compared to a Suburban/Tahoe or Expedition it is midsize. Really, it’s in a class of its own, because it’s larger than the Explorer and smaller than the Tahoe, Expedition.
@@jakey20022 100% correct. Last time I seen a first gen Explorer was at least 6 years ago. And it was a heap. Last time I seen a 1st gen durango? 2 months ago. it works at the grocery store i shop at so always parked there.
Daimler/Chrysler at the time also owned freightliner, yet they designed their Dodge trucks after “Peterbilt”.....even they know Pete’s are a better looking ring
They did know. John Davis and his show, they saw it happening, and said so. He said things like "this trend shows no signs of stopping." He was prescient.
My family had a 1999 Dodge Durango with the V8 engine. It fit the family well but that thing sucked gas so bad! Back when gas was a dollar and change a $5 would do nothing and the gas light would come back on as soon as you leave the pump. The A/C was weak and we did not have the rear A/C unit, so in the summer the truck did not cool the cabin with everyone packed in. Before the truck was traded in I remember driving it and the steering was so loose and scary to drive so I never drove it again.
I remember when these came out used be crazy about those so did my aunt she wanted one so bad. Still see them popping up on the roads sometimes in good shape they were some nice trucks used love the Dakotas around that time wasn't really particularly fond of newer generation Dakota/Durango from mid-2000s. I think Dodge got better below than average Chargers/Challengers are some nice cars.
Back when Suv were cool and simple not today's crap , today's cars owners are like "look at me I have a bigger screen and the brightest leds, " I hate the car industry now,
Still have the 99 5.2 4x4 that my parents bought off lease. Yeah it has some rattles in the interior, but it's the most damn dependable vehicle in the family still.
Grandparents had a 99 SLT with the 5.2. The only thing that was ever complained about was the low fuel economy. It served them well for 17 years and around 250,000 miles before they went with a new Ford.
Still have mine 167000 miles no check engine light 1998 rango 5.9l magnum 4x4 ac did quit working but a easy fix on a day i feel like it redone front end suspension upgraded. The radio now a touch screen,dashcam install and 2 12s memphis mojo subs with 3600watt alphasonik Amp upgraded all engine grounds with 4gauge wire.i love mine
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Funny how in the beginning John said the market was "thoroughly saturated" with SUVs. They hadn't seen ANYTHING yet 😂
What people call SUVs today are merely cars lifted a few inches. Nothing SUV about 95% of them on the road. By the late 90s, the market was indeed saturated with SUVs - true SUVs at that. It was a great time!
He also mentioned phrases similar to that at the beginning of and during other tests on Motorweek, such as the 96 Nissan Pathfinder.
Today's market is OVERSATURATED with SUVs/CUVs and no cool cars...
@@CoryMatthew87 facts the nissan kicks is the altima lifted a few inches
@@RMTDAMOB it's really not though. The Kicks, a subcompact CUV, is smaller than the Altima by a big margin.... nearly 25" shorter & 4" narrower than the Altima. But because the fake SUV (kicks) is 6" taller, consumers are tricked, rather easily so, into thinking it's larger and more capable than the sedan. People are getting less, paying more, and happy about it... to think, America was once the innovators of the automobile! ha...
Its crazy to realize how long ago the late 90s was. Still so many people driving cars from that time period, myself included.
It's my favorite era of 'modern' cars. A nice blend of simplicity and electronics. It didn't take much to keep these types of vehicles going for a long time. Still see a ton of them in my area too.
Jep, i'm still driving a 1996 BMW. 90s cars are extremely underrated. Yes, the built quality (interior) wasn't the best, a lot of plastic. But the cars had a useful amount of tech, without being to techy and unreliable. Engine's are not powerful for modern standarts, but powerful enough to have no problems in traffic, and way more powerful then 80s oder 70s cars. In the 90s cars also started to get useful safety stuff.
Wouldn't be suprises if we see in the 2030's more 90s cars still on the road, then 2010's cars.
The last generation when cars were built not beauty but solid and reliable. You can't say that about many newer cars.
@@AKJeeper the Dodges of this period were absolutely stylish. Now, all automakers are just trynna copy each other. :(
@@PlymouthNeon definitely agree with you. I special-ordered a 1999 Dakota because I loved the look of the truck and having a V8 in a smaller truck was significant to me. Some say I was drinking the kool-aid because I worked at a Jeep/Chrysler dealer at the time...but whatever. All these years later I wish I could have another.
Me. :). I drive a 1991 Lincoln Town Car and a 1997 Lexus LS. My good friends mother drives a 1995 Toyota Corolla she bought brand new. My newest car is a 2004 Toyota SUV. Lol. I favor the oldies.
I bought my '98 Durango brand-new with the big 5.9L V-8 and 23 years later I still own it. Same color as the one in this video, and only has 39k original miles. Will be selling it in the next few weeks. I absolutely love it, and it has superpowers in snow. Used to drive through unplowed streets in Minnesota with ease. Crazy fast as well. Dodge did a really good job with this vehicle.
Maybe you should just keep it...
Why does it only have 39k miles
That's crazy low mileage
If the SUV market was 'saturated' in 1998, what word would describe it now? Over-deluged? I want to give a shout out to the assembly workers in Delaware who built the first generation Durango, I am sure they did the best they could with the parts Chrysler gave them.
It's more that the modern SUV market has been split between classic full-size SUVs and mid-size Crossover SUVs. Crossovers weren't yet a thing in the 90s, as the minivan market was still going strong. SUVs were just seen as their "manlier" equivalent, so everyone wanted to get a slice of that market segment. Crossovers started to enter the market after the War on Terror started and gas prices rose up, but people got used to sitting high in the driver's seat and didn't feel as safe driving sedans. Minivans were pushed into a niche and 4x4 SUVs lost a good deal of market share to pickup trucks.
@@MatteoTomatto The debate over the definition of a SUV vs CUV has not yet reached saturation point ;-)
And today? Let's put a huge supercharged "Hellcat"engine in it...give it over 700 hp with a 0-60 in 4.5 seconds...call it a day! Next up: hellcat minivan, just because we can! Murica.
Most people aren't buying SUVs anymore; they're buying crossovers. There are only a handful of naturally-aspirated, body-on-frame SUVs with live axles. Most models are no longer truck platforms with a different body. What's really happened is that car manufacturers have been able to leverage image to sell crossovers to people who don't need them. Vehicles like the Wrangler have become flagships that aren't popular compared to everything else using the brand nameplate, yet they have a halo status that sells shitty crossovers when people realize they don't want to drive a truck that gets 15 mpg.
@@Schlabbeflicker the new wrangler 2.0t gets mid 30s highway and the diesel in the 40s.
I had a 98 Durango with the 5.9 and I absolutely loved it. I called it The Big Green Egg because it was green and had no a/c.
Lol that's hilarious
It should've came with a/c. Was it broken?
@@dabnisbrickey6527 he might’ve bought it used as a beater
SAM I AM.
Eggs are known for their lack of air conditioning
This was and is still my first car. Got it in 2011 in immaculate shape. The 5.2 318 is a bulletproof engine. Not very efficient but solid I'm about to hit 300,000 and it runs like a dream. Can sleep two adults in the back with the seats down, and in three years I can get a Antique Car license plate. Love my Durango
The 318 dates back to the 70s and is a workhorse. Not the most speedy, but dependable as hell. Very cheap to maintain...except on fuel.😄
It almost made me jump from realization that a 1999 durango will soon be an "antique".
I have a 2000 and it has 274k miles and still run strong
I threw a flow master super 44 on mines and it sounds like a dream 😌
Now I'm gonna have "Black Hole Sun" stuck in my head for the rest of the morning.
Great video clip!
Always have made an effort to try and hear what songs are playing on the radio in these vids. Love Soundgarden ❤
Haha I caught that too
I miss my Durango. Had the one with the 4.7 and I drove that thing into the ground and it was still running well enough to sell, albeit, for cheap
$31,100 in 1998 = $50,500 today. Of course, you can top out a modern Durango over $82,000.
I'm looking forward to seeing this review again during the Season 17 livestream over Thanksgiving 2022.
The new durango could do twice the distance in half the time and break just as much.
John Davis must have gotten a stiffy seeing the voltmeter and oil pressure gauges at 1:42
They may have been fake. A lot were.
Alot of those thru the 90s were fake. For example, the oil pressure gauges on the 2nd gen Explorers are fake, its literally an "on/off" switch...even if the oil pressure is low, that needle is gonna sit right in the middle of the gauge...the gauge is essentially a dummy light...only there to look good basically and to tell you that there is at least a little bit of oil pressure.
I liked those , still do though. The R/T was neat
The Shelby 360 Durango was even cooler.
What was the difference between the R/T and the SLT ?
@@Ethan-jh4gjThe R/T's are AWD & the only engine option was the 5.9 360, they all had 17" wheels (my favorite one's are the years that had/have the polished one's)...they have/had a spoiler on the rear of the roof, & they only came in about 5 colors...black, white, silver, red, & a medium metallic blue.
@@paulallison6689 thanks for all info , I really appreciate it ! I recently bought a 01 durango with the 5.9 and always wondered what the difference was between the R/T and the SLT
@@Ethan-jh4gj R/T race track edition. More street performance.
4:18 yeah those clunks and rattles most certainly made it to production lol. Speaking from experience here.
Standard equipment back in those days
I deafened a lot of that suspension noise by just using premium and overbuilt suspension bushings and linkages. Mine were rusted out anyway and I went with the most expensive parts that were more overbuilt than OEM, and it made a big difference. Knowing how Dodge works and how the Durango was contrived from the Dakota, they used all the default Dakota parts and underpinnings but then added an extra 1,000lbs to the body that those parts now have to fight against. It overloaded them. So you get a vehicle that sounds like a pickup going through a farm road with 400 lbs of concrete blocks in the back.
I have a 2003 with a 5.9 litre and I love it. It's a 4x4 SLT in Metallic green. Interior has held up amazingly well. Daily driver with no major issues. 179k on it now.
The fact that I never realized it has Caravan tail lights means they fit really well to the vehicle. Awesome SUV! You can't compare this to today's lackluster CUVs.
In the fall of 1997 I was a kid in cub scouts. We were riding in one of the leaders Durango. I was talking to the Leaders on how nice it was. We were talking about how my parents ordered a 1998 Plymouth Voyager expresso and how long it was going to take to take delivery. How I tried to talk my father into a 1998 Durango but lost the war. When one of the kids started making fun of me . Saying the year is 1997 and you can't get any cars from 1998 bc that's next year. Our leader made him look like a jackass by showing everyone his insurance card that said 1998 Dodge Durango. That kid stayed quite for the whole trip lol
😆 LOL.
If only you managed to talk your father into getting the durango, would've been the most reliable car he probably had.
The Durango was probably twice the price, no?
My late father used to launch his with me and my sister in the car, off of a speed bump and it was some of the fondest memories I have with him
Those Caravan taillights worked well here
No joke it fits in pretty nice. Makes me think of the Ford Excursion in how it used the E-Series tail lights that fit in good too.
I never realized this! lol
Bruh I never realized they were caravan taillights and I always notice that shit on cars like a lot of RVs be using headlights from normal cars you wouldn’t expect. My parents even had a 2005 caravan and I never realized
@@brynnleahnayvieghlaykynnn6175 This gen durango reminds me of one of my favorite hotwheels cars the "fandango"
The 90's was the manufacture parts bin phase for sure. I remember the Lamborghini Diablo using the Nissan 300ZX headlights. They even put a half inch plastic piece at the top lip of the headlight to hide the Nissan logo. Hilarious.
I see these trucks everywhere still today
its good quality
😅🤣 Except for the Crash Testing Results. These got horrible ratings.
@@Iconhulk well if you know how to drive you probably aint gonna crash
@@punchy207 Lol!! Huh That doesn't go to say that other people get their license from a crack jack box.. Good try on the insult though..
@@Iconhulk wasnt an insult it was just a fact
This is the car that got me into cars, as weird as that sounds. My pre school teacher had one of these in the same color but with these rally style looking lights on the front. It stood out to me over any car on the road at the time (when I was 5 in 1999)
My dad bought one of those brand new in 98. I learned to drive on it, eventually bought it off him, and drove it into the ground until replacing it with a 2016 Cherokee Trailhawk. The thing was an absolute beast. 5.9L V8 and 4-speed auto was so damn thirsty that the fuel savings alone cover most of the payments on the Cherokee!
So basically those "savings" were actually spent just the same, but in finance payments instead of gas. I am sure the Jeep did not have a V8.
Not a chrysler fan but I like this era of chrysler trucks and suvs
Being a teenager back then was great. 1998 was a great year I miss the 90s
Amen, wish I could go back.
The 90s sucked
@@mrHoppedupford not for me it didn't
Me too. Everyone had an SUV it was crazy!
I used to have a 1998 SLT 5.9 with four-wheel drive. OMG I loved that truck, it was my baby.
Yup !Brian Austin Green and the Producers from Beverly Hills 90210 put a 98 in the final 2 seasons of the series for good reason. It looked cool even parked next to BMWs and Corvettes in Cali. I had a red one in 1998 as a loaner then a lease from a Dodge Dealer new. If I can get a fair deal on a used one I'll jump on it . Not easy to find in 22'!
The first gen Durango looked awesome. Good luck finding one now in a excellent condition clean state.
I found a blue 1999 R/T, I paid $13.000 in 2021,looks new
@@epoxy1710 well I'd hope so.
You paid 13 big boys for it.
@@BigWheel. It gives me Stuntman mike vibes.
i don't have to look. i have one. my family has had it since new. 2002 with 68,000 miles. still brand new. lot of body rot because midwest. only needs gas and oil changes, that's it. never had any failure. got in a crash in april of this year with a piece of shit in a brand new car doing insurance fraud. got t-boned with her going over 50-60mph on a 30mph road through a red light and slamming into me. flew in the air and spun 360 onto the opposite road going a different way. her car crumpled up like a tin can and all the airbags went off. my car had no airbag detonation and it's completely fine and drove it home. insurance wrote off both cars and i had to fight to keep mine. got $4,000 back and used it to buy another car for now and am fixing up my durango. just needs 2 front body mounts, 2 doors, inner rocker panel, outer rocker panel, rear differential seal, vacuum hose, possibly new head gaskets, rear suspension leaf strap, control arm bushings, inner rear bumper structure, and a patch panel on the driver's floorpan. being hit at that speed all the energy transferred through the frame and it shook loose anything rusted or rotten made of metal or rubber that fell apart with the shockwave of being hit from the right then landing down hard. the only other durango that old with that low miles is at $18,000 on an online ad right now from a collector car seller.
@@epoxy1710 $13,000 is way too much. You overpaid by more than $10,000. You trust fund zoomers make me laugh.
I remember my former 6th grade teacher of mine used to have a 1st generation Durango SLT 4x4 in the bayside blue metallic with the sport package.
I liked the styling of these. Unfortunately here in the Midwest they rusted really bad and started falling apart earlier than they should have. That 5.9 was powerful but was an extreme gas hog. Having said all that, it was still a better vehicle than whatever FCA is putting out today.
My friend just sold his Midwestern durango. 275k and it was full of holes. Glass packs on a mostly rusted straight pipe, fog lights, subs, 700 stickers, Bright red paint with brown splotches. And holes....
It was magnificent.
When this came out I was three and my parents were sporting a late 80s early 90s Dodge Caravan and a 1996 Black Chrysler LHS. The LHS kind of had similar taillights to this as well. I remember seeing these around and thought they looked cool.
Still looks good today
My first car was a green 98 Durango with the 5.9 magnum. Absolute gas guzzler but at 16 years old, my buddies and I would send it through mud hole after mud hole it always took it like a champ. Never a check engine light or any mechanical problems
the tail lights on these are exactly the same as the caravan and town and country, once i noticed i can’t unsee it
yup i noticed that years ago. chrysler was probably too cheap to design and manufacture another tail light...these were the years they were too cheap to spend a couple bucks on each car to install brake-shift interlocks.
@trucking shenanigans check out the ford falcon AU/BA ute, same lights as 90's F trucks 🤣
@ trucking shenanigans
The newer Durango looks like a Honda Odyssey from the rear. Very feminine.
These were really easy to drift around anytime it so much as sprinkled rain. Like, insanely easy sideways driving. I had one with the 5.2 in it and use to have a blast with it.
I literally drive almost this exact same Durango today and it has held up great. With 145,000 miles it runs and drives fantastic and rarely has issues. These were very well designed vehicles. I miss that Chrysler.
“Excessive amounts of mechanical and interior noise” that sums up a Chrysler. My dad has a 2018 Dodge Challenger that he bought new and it has all sorts of clicking and whining noises, as well as whooshing from the leaky frameless windows.
Hmmm...
My dads 2016 ram 1500 has all sorts of mechanical noise as well. It’s probably normal for a Chrysler product.
I have a one year old RAM 1500 and it has zero rattles and wind noise. It's actually really quiet inside for a truck.
@@McVaio well good for you
My 1999 SLT durango has no interior noises
I've seen these Durango's all over South Carolina!!
And I own 2 of the ones right around the Florence area! I love em.
I see them all the time in varying states of rusted out here in Michigan
Despite the Chrysler jokes, these Durangos/Dakotas have staying power. Much better than the 2004 junk that Daimler greenlit.
I got one of those. Still runs like a champ. Parts are cheap and some parts you can find in the junk yard. Easy to work on. It's also one that many wont steal or break into because its ugly looking. The main part that gives out are the window regulator because of those cheap plastic wheel which I've already replaced six times on both front doors. Overall, it's a sweet ride.
I always liked the look of these as a kid when they were still kinda new, now most are rusted but still keep on chugging along!
Chugging fuel. Now a days you can get a diesel full size pickup truck and get double the gas mileage this thing gets.
@@xeong5 Not sure how much of a moron you drive like. It has a 22 gallon tank that lasts an entire month for me. Idiots don't understand that when you drive like a moron and also do not maintain your engine, you will be using more fuel.
I'm from illinois I remember when these first came out a Mexican family on my mothers block had one brand new I couldn't stop looking at it and the husband came over and we started talking about it and all the options he got on it, if I remember the color it was called chilli red pepper or something like that and it was a 5.9v8 SLT
Looks better than todays durango
Yessssss I still fall in love every single time I turn around and look at my 99 Durango in any parking lot
Hell naw y’all be saying anything
My 98 5.2 durango has never failed me
Loved our family's first gen Durango since the day we got it in 01! Still running wonderfully!
Still a cool, buff looking suv. I loved these as a kid growing up
Such a badass vehicle
Dodge's first 4-door SUV. Missing the '80's & early 90's stuff, guys. There's so much you still haven't uploaded separate from the streams, particularly from '81-'87. 2:42.........AHHHHHHHHH............the good old 318!!!!!!!
2:55
I love the shifter setup on the column and the 4x4 wheel drive on the floor! Jeep Wranglers should have that!
IN THE YEAR 1998 MY PARENTS BOUGHT A 5.2 ENGINE IN THAT WE VISITED MY GRANDPARENTS IN MIAMI FROM LARAMIE WYOMING IN SUMMER AND WINTER, MY PARENTS RULED ME IN 2008 TO GO TO UNIVERSITY, 450K AND IT STILL WORKS WONDERFUL.
Bought my 2000 SLT 4.7 with under 150K on it 2 years ago for….$950 😆😆
Love it and it gets the jobs I put it through done 🤙🏻
Anyone else remember the Edward Herrmann commercials with these Durangos and many other Dodges of that era? The thumbnail reminded me of them lol
Very soothing to listen to. Ed started doing them in late 1992 with the Intrepid, as Iacocca soon retired. Think it ended around 2002?
@@jmin8400 - Indeed. Seeing those ads so many times as a kid forever cemented Edward Herrmann in my brain as “the Dodge guy”. 😂
Of course it wasn’t until much later that I learned about his other work and how obsessed with cars he was - as a lot of us are, too.
Gone too soon. He is sorely missed!
@@drivedb7 Thank you so much for that information. Same story here regarding Ed. The New Dodge Marketing of that era helped cultivate my interest in automobiles, to the point I now work in product planning.
I was very sad to find out he had passed a year after I started working.
These were the shit when they got their mid cycle refresh. The SXT In white with the gray cladding and bumpers is still sexy to me. Throw a lift and beefy tires... 😍😍😍
Austin, TX's skyline looked so quaint back in the 1990s!
Was working at Junction Auto, Chardon Ohio, when they came out. Can still remember the smell of the interior, as I prepped so many for the new car lot. Chardon was out in a rural rolling hills area of Cleveland, that saw a ton of snow in the winter so these trucks sold like hot cakes
Happy birthday john davis have a awesome day and we need the 1998 grand cherokee 5.9lts road test
My parents bought one of these brand new in 1999. I got it at 16 as a hand me down, and the truck is definitely a blast. All the comments about reliability are true. Which is why I don't daily mine anymore. However everytime I drive the truck I always have fun. Also thankfully mine has spent it's life mostly out of the salt belt. So mine has is still rust free, like many of the one's I see here in the Northwest.
Back when the Durango was more focused with going off-road than hauling your family comfortably on vacation (hey, it could do that too, but it had a more trucklike ride, being based on the Dodge Dakota).
I had a 1998 with the 5.2l. Great truck, but an absolute pig on gas. I averaged just under 12 mpg.
the city?
@@agonzalez4980 It means overall smh. Fast forward to 2021 and a full size pickup gets more than double the mpg.
still got a 2000 R/T in blue and its such a great car
My brother drove this car all throughout his 4 years of highschool. It then ended up being my car and I drove it throughout my highschool years lol. I love this truck.
That Spartanburg plant is a sight to behold even today
My Dad still has his 2002 Dakota with the V8 mint conditìon in Canada. Unfortunately he had a seizure this week and can no longer drive that or his 1970 Dart.
I'm so sorry to hear that :( Hopefully you can baby those cars from now on!
There used to be another Motor Week video about this Durango that got deleted from TH-cam. Years later, it finally returned.
When I first noticed one of these as a toddler, I found it strange how it used the same taillights as the 1996-2000 Chrysler minivans.
I had an 03 with the 5.9. Thing was a monster. The engine and transmission were beautiful. Powerful as hell and fun to drive. Everything else gave me a hard time. If there was a drop of water on the ground it would slide like hell. It ate tires and brakes like crazy. My wife begged me to get a different car but I refused. A storm came through and a huge tree fell on it and Totalled it. I guess she got her wish 😆
My aunt and Uncle brought one of these like a year or so it was super nice
I remember when these came out, journalists wouldn't shut up about the fact it had minivan taillights.
Still looks cool today! Anyone Remember Brian Austin Green "David Silver " and "Donna Martin " Torri Spelling last 2 seasons of BH90210 cruising around in the maroon 98 Durango SLT 4x4?
Back in the day the Dodge trucks and SUVs had everything. From packaging, engineering, and style.
My childhood best friend’s father bought a deep molten red new in 2003. Looking back, that was a really sharp ride.
That Austin skyline. There's like 3x the amount of skyscrapers from that point of view today.
I love my 98 5.2 L V8 Dodge Durango and my 2002 Dodge Durango sport Dodge for life
The Durango is the SUV that I really want! It would be the go anywhere vehicle for me! A first generation version with full-time 4WD and four-wheel ABS would be perfect for me! I could swap out the old engine for a Hemi V8! Works for me!!!
I can't unsee the Dodge Caravan taillights now...thanks guys lmao
Right ! I never picked up on that before.
The year was '98 and I was faced with a choice of a Durango SLT 5.9 or JGC 5.9 Limited. I decided to go for the Jeep, but I remember how well I thought Dodge executed the Durango. Nobody at the time offered fold-flat third row seating(most midsizers did not even offer a 3rd row. It was only until 2002 Ford and Chevy got on board). The interior was very spacious, just not as luxurious as the Jeep. I've always loved that Dodge has always danced to their own drum beat when it comes to the Durango, whether it be its 'tweener size, V8 power since inception, refusal to forgo its truck or unibody construction(no car stuff here), or its mix of performance and towing duty. I mean...we even have a 710HP version that can tow 8700 pounds now!😂😂😂
Had a mint beige 99 SLT with a 5.2 V8, tinted windows, running boards and SRT wheels I bought off a mechanic, I loved the damn thing! To this day, I regret selling it! Gas mileage sucked, and it started to have some rust issues, but it was big, tough, and comfortable. It had such an intimidating look, cars would get out of my way!
I still see these on the road today 24 years later
My stepdad had a 1999 SLT Durango. The 5.9L guzzled gas so bad that they couldn’t wait to get rid of it. It was a great truck minus the window motors going out very easily.
I had an 03 Durango with the 4.7 V8. It was my first car and I really liked it. It started to get expensive to maintain around 140k miles though.
My parents bought one new in 98, slt with the 5.9 all leather interior I basically grew up in that thing. Now I drive it every now and then when I feel like wasting some money on fuel lol. Gotta say it pretty solid for being almost 25 years old with 250k but she’s gotta hell of a drinking problem.
The Durango is perhaps the only SUV I'm not mad about it going unibody construction, though it lost its off road capabilities it more than made it up with performance. The SRT Hellcat is pure madness.
It's actually pretty impressive how long they can last considering how bottom of the barrel the materials used were if you can afford to keep feeding the thirsty pigs. Like my old XJ Cherokee. MPG and fix and finish were awful, along with handling and road manners, but it ALMOST always got me home and was relatively cheap to maintain.
My XJ was my first car and would have lasted me if someone didn't rear end me going 50 mph. I was stopped thankfully but will always wish nothing but the worst on that woman for killing a car I would likely still have today 😭.
@@Eddierockification got in a crash in april of this year with my durango with a piece of shit in a brand new car doing insurance fraud. got t-boned with her going over 50-60mph on a 30mph road through a red light and slamming into me. flew in the air and spun 360 onto the opposite road going a different way. her car crumpled up like a tin can and all the airbags went off. my car had no airbag detonation and it's completely fine and drove it home. insurance wrote off both cars and i had to fight to keep mine. got $4,000 back and used it to buy another car for now and am fixing up my durango. just needs 2 front body mounts, 2 doors, inner rocker panel, outer rocker panel, rear differential seal, vacuum hose, possibly new head gaskets, rear suspension leaf strap, control arm bushings, inner rear bumper structure, and a patch panel on the driver's floorpan. being hit at that speed all the energy transferred through the frame and it shook loose anything rusted or rotten made of metal or rubber that fell apart with the shockwave of being hit from the right then landing down hard.
I can’t say I’ve ever come across one of these with the 3.9
Got a 5.2 I want to put in my 3.9 dakota and put the 3.9 in durango
When I was stationed at Henderson Hall, one of my buddies would take his Durango off roading a bunch. That was such a fun time! I absolutely LOATHE Chrysler products but that Durango is VERY capable off road!
My dad bought A 2001 Durango off Craigslist for $1,500 It needed a little bit of work and a few Driver's side window regulators During the course of his ownership Plus there was a Rust hole in the tailgate That got so bad you can actually see inside The tailgate Never got that fixed Never got that fixed plan to but never got it fixed planed to but never got it fixed But it was Solid as a rock Drove it to 200,000 miles to this day it remains my favorite vehicle my father ever owned.
Rusted out Durangos that still run are the hallmark vehicles of Mexican Chicago families 💪🏼
So true 😭😭😭
Do they drive them to the laundromat
One of the best midsize SUV’s out there!
Edit to say that the Durango is not really a midsize or a full size, it’s more in a class of its own!
Junk
ummm if that is midsize what is an example of an fullsize SUV?
@@sneff1052 midsize are trucks like the ford explorer, , oldsmobile bravada
edit: the tahoe isnt a midsize
@@sneff1052
Compared to a Suburban/Tahoe or Expedition it is midsize. Really, it’s in a class of its own, because it’s larger than the Explorer and smaller than the Tahoe, Expedition.
@@punchy207
The Tahoe is not a midsize!
The official SUV of trailer parks.
The Durango was definitely better than the Ford Explorer of the same year
@@jakey20022 100% correct. Last time I seen a first gen Explorer was at least 6 years ago. And it was a heap. Last time I seen a 1st gen durango? 2 months ago. it works at the grocery store i shop at so always parked there.
My parents had one of these (5.9 4x4) when I was a kid. Ate transfer cases for breakfast and regularly broke down.
It was a great looking little SUV
Daimler/Chrysler at the time also owned freightliner, yet they designed their Dodge trucks after “Peterbilt”.....even they know Pete’s are a better looking ring
The semi truck look came in 1993 with the new Dodge Ram... well before Daimler.
Also, ive known season truck drivers to mistake a freightliner FL classic for a peterbuilt at a distance.
“Thoroughly saturated SUV market” Boy if only they knew...
They did know. John Davis and his show, they saw it happening, and said so. He said things like "this trend shows no signs of stopping." He was prescient.
*I'll take an R/T in metallic blue with white stripes and the 5.9 please.* 👍
Yeah this is my dream SUV
The super rare Shelby Durango: Yeah baby!
My family had a 1999 Dodge Durango with the V8 engine. It fit the family well but that thing sucked gas so bad! Back when gas was a dollar and change a $5 would do nothing and the gas light would come back on as soon as you leave the pump. The A/C was weak and we did not have the rear A/C unit, so in the summer the truck did not cool the cabin with everyone packed in. Before the truck was traded in I remember driving it and the steering was so loose and scary to drive so I never drove it again.
I remember when these came out used be crazy about those so did my aunt she wanted one so bad. Still see them popping up on the roads sometimes in good shape they were some nice trucks used love the Dakotas around that time wasn't really particularly fond of newer generation Dakota/Durango from mid-2000s. I think Dodge got better below than average Chargers/Challengers are some nice cars.
Back when Suv were cool and simple not today's crap , today's cars owners are like "look at me I have a bigger screen and the brightest leds, " I hate the car industry now,
"GET OFF MY LAWN, YOUNG PUNKS! WHERE'S MY PUDDING? I WANT MY PUDDING WHILE JEOPARDY IS ON."
It’s gonna be ok Juan or Jose same shit
The durango that replaced this was trash
Miss my Durango.
Still have the 99 5.2 4x4 that my parents bought off lease. Yeah it has some rattles in the interior, but it's the most damn dependable vehicle in the family still.
Black Hole Sun was so fitting for the radio lol
Grandparents had a 99 SLT with the 5.2. The only thing that was ever complained about was the low fuel economy. It served them well for 17 years and around 250,000 miles before they went with a new Ford.
He said “sport ute” a couple times and wow I just realized ute is short for utility.
Still have mine 167000 miles no check engine light 1998 rango 5.9l magnum 4x4 ac did quit working but a easy fix on a day i feel like it redone front end suspension upgraded. The radio now a touch screen,dashcam install and 2 12s memphis mojo subs with 3600watt alphasonik Amp upgraded all engine grounds with 4gauge wire.i love mine
5.9 liter 360 baby