I agree, 1st gen was the best especially when it came to looks and in my opinion the 2nd gen was one of the ugliest looking suv that has ever been sold(yes uglier then the Aztec) the only good thing it had was probably the power from the 5.7 hemi but still nothing that would entice me over its ugly looks...3rd gen looked way better......but 1st gen will be the best in my view due to its offroad capable looks.....where the 3rd gen looks to be only for the streets.....
I remember when my mom came home with one of these back in 1998 and the styling really caught my eye. This was a very sleek looking SUV for its time. Trend setting for its era.
....many now may scoff at the 8.3sec 0-60, but 16.4 for quarter was fast for it's time especially for a full size SUV, remember that a Mustang GT of that era was good for 14.7secs.
@@KenanTurkiye That's a flat lie, the mustang GT in 2003 was recorded doing the quarter mile in 15.1 with an auto and 14.8 with a manual. From car and driver 2003. 2002 Ford Mustang GT 260-hp V-8, 4-speed automatic, 3495 lb Base/as-tested price: $23,845/$27,125 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 6.3 sec 1/4 mile: 15.1 @ 93 mph
@@hellkitty1014electronic gremlins, transfer cases. My buddy works for chrysler, I hear about it. He still likes them though and I agree they're fine suvs.
@@BigWheel.Broo the hellcat dursngo is a monster you take things tk track theyre going tk break period. Dodge is not known for eletric issues. They are actually quite reliaboe now. This isnt 1985.
The first-gen Durango had so much swagger when it first came out. Dodge gave 2 V8s at a time when many didnt have a single V8 offering. It also offered plenty of room inside. The 360 V8 was bulletproof but just as thirsty as the much larger Ram 1500.😂
Bless you for dropping a Durango video! Im right now restoring my fathers old 1998 Durango SLT plus and its really such a gem of a car. Really stand out here in Sweden nowdays even tho if it cost a fair amount to run :D
I love the Dodge Durango. It's one of my favorite SUVs. I want one with full-time 4WD with low range. This R/T version would be perfect for me. The perfect family off-road vehicle.
Just picked up an 03 with the 5.9 in it today. Bought it from a dealer 70 miles away in Lake Havasu Arizona. Not perfect by any means but it made the trip home. With a little TLC it will be a nice Durango again. Wanted one with the 5.2 or a Dakota. Couldn't find one so I settled on the one I bought. Most of the ones I was spotting were over 200,000 miles. The one I got was at 133,000. For an 03 at the end of 2023 that is fairly low miles. The nice thing about living in Arizona is cars don't rust out. I got it at book value and for around here from a dealer that isn't to bad. Most want twice book value for vehicles anymore. I do agree with the being thirsty pigs thing. For the distance I drove it the gas gauge moved a little over a quarter tank. It was pretty comfortable though and pleasurable to drive. It cruised nice at 75.
I had a 2002 base model Dakota, only new vehicle I've ever had, and I loved the design. At the time, my boss was driving a 2002 Durango R/T and I wanted it so bad. In 2008 I found a mint 2003 Durango R/T for a great price and only 100,000 miles. I drove that truck across the country several times, was homeless in it a couple times, and really loved it. However, I had to put two different transfer cases in it, not because they were bad, but because I was careless with the tire pressures. Remember, esp. in AWD powertrains, just 3 pounds more or less in a tire can change the circumference of that tire over 1/2" and that translates to slip in the transfer case. Constantly slipping transfer cases (and differentials) cause premature wear of the gears and certainly result in failure. I'd love to have another one of these again.
Those first gen Durangos had a much more muscular, truck-like design than the Explorer and Trail Blazer. Ones equipped with the 318 would make great sleepers seeing the 318 small-block is an easy engine to tune and play with.
I hate when people make inflation on old car prices relevant. By that logic gas is cheap today since $3 in 2002 is 6 today. And gas is what 4 avg today and people complain. It was 37k in 2002 thats it.
@@blue_lancer_esthey are comparing it to the price of today, what the world are you talking about? Inflation is a real thing and it puts prices into perspective.
@@sleeksilver no it doesnt. Then a model a is 140k today? Its a dumb thing to bring up. Even when reviewers say it I cringe. In 20 years. Oh that durango is 130k in todays money. Sooooo what!!n.
I daily drive a 98 Dodge Durango SLT 5.2 and I love the thing. It's utilitarian, the looks still hold up, and it's just a good reliable SUV. The interior is still in amazing condition for the year. These things were well built and mine proves it. I have kids so it definitely gets used as a family vehicle. I plan to keep mine for a very long time.
Never cared for the Durango or Dakotas. My uncle had a 99 dak 3.9 5spd he bought brand new. Ended up getting passed down to me in 2020. That’s now my work truck and I have a low mileage 01 Dakota RT single cab in pitch black 186 made in USA… Love these trucks never let me down takes me where I need to go every time I need it. And the RT is smiles every time I drive it
Bro we like lived almost the same life! LOL!!! My dad passed down a 2000 Dakota 3.9L v6 5spd and we used it for work as well! However it got into an accident and i took that check and bought a Black 2000 Durango R/T 5.9 and i wont ever let this thing go! I had the dakota when i was in highschool and didnt care for it either, until i saw another one with a "5.9" badge on it and did some investigating and lusted for one ever since LOL!!
@@dylanornelas454 that’s awesome bro! I’m glad that there’s people out there that still love these durangos and daks. These with the 5.9 are awesome man if my uncle never had it I probably wouldn’t have known about them at all. Keep em pushin! Much love from Oakland California!
I remember when this came out and was in aw of it. Yet another game changing vehicle by Dodge / Chrysler. One of the best SUVs of all time of you ask me.
I just bought a silver 2001 Dodge Durango R/T. Will be making some videos on it soon on my small channel. It's going to be getting a lot of work done. New timing chain and gears, intake, exhaust, other tasteful mods. Lowered etc. Stay tuned!
The prices are going up but a rusted out one is still $900 or less. Easy to repair down to complete body and chassis separation for restoration. Most of the underpinnings are all Dakota parts. One metric bolt size assembles the entire exterior.
My Dad's friend had one of these things and I remember lusting after the thing. He let me drive it once (he was drunk and pounding beers in the back... RIP Johnny lol) and I thought it was a rocket ship. I laughed when he said the 0-60 was 8.3 seconds. My little crossover does it in 6 seconds these days!
These were fun 20 years ago, but I took a brand new Durango R/T on a 4000 mile cross country trip and the new ones are crazy fast. 8 speed autos and north of 400 HP. 60 mph in under 5 seconds is a blast, but I am willing to bet that the new ones won't last 200k miles much less 20 years.
I put a supercharger on my 02 Durango R/T. Woah. The 2002 Durango compared to my 2020 GMC Crew cab truck: Durango's faster (now). Instant downshifts compared to drive by wire on the 2020. Really good turning radius on the Durango. Actually better, grippier brakes on the Durango (Also, they are brand new from master cylinder to caliper so that helps). The GMC's "Auto" 4WD is a good imitation AWD, but the AWD system in the Durango is far superior based on my driving around in the rain VS the truck. The Durango literally feels like a sport truck compared to my 2020 GMC Sierra, and has all the creature comforts to boot... All of which still work! I know this is an apples to oranges comparison, but the Durango really hit a sweet spot across the board. Then SUV's started getting gigantic, as big as possible - and you really did lose maneuverability in City or casual driving.
Durangos are so easy to drift in when it rains. At least the ones without the LSD. I have no idea how normal people kept from crashing them, because I literally learned how to hold a slide while driving just because it became necessary to know how to do so once the streets got wet. And once you got used to it, holy shit, you could almost go full ken block in one. They had literally like zero weight over that rear axle.
@@preciadoalex123 they were the Goodyear Wranglers that came on it(i think that's what those came with.) But yea, those tires definitely didn't help the matter.
@@PhillyDee215It’s impossible to find early 2000s Toyotas in the rust belt. There’s Ford Dodge and Chevys everywhere. There probably having tons of issues because they don’t take care of them.
@@PhillyDee215 The difference is Dodge never had to recall their frames because they were made out of Swiss cheese. My Durango is 20 years old and still looks better then the 2016 Taco TRD I was looking at. Toyota frames have a bad reputation for a reason.
We had a '98 Durango in 1999 with the Magnum V8. Roomy but poor gas mileage and the standard A/C without the 2nd row vents SUCKED in the Summer as it could not keep anything past the front row sufficiently cool. Really glad when they got rid of it a few years later.
There was no 3rd row vents for the first model year. It was a design flaw. When Dodge made the Durango they discovered the factory Dakota A/C couldn't cool the extra cabin space on the chassis. So they added a 2nd A/C compressor in the back with its own A/C vents. Eventually on premium trim levels in later years the headliner was re shaped to allow an additional set of air duct for the rear cargo area.
The 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited was a good chunk faster. Does 92 mph in the 1/4 mile which for the time was fast (a Mustang would run 96mph on a good day)
@@tezalehall2818 yeah I can see that. Mine lived it’s whole life in GA so it’s good. Actually was purchased by a Heisman trophy winner. Somehow ended up with me
It was not considered good then, now it literally makes the truck unusable as a work truck or as a daily driver. This was at the time a very nice suv, now it is a massive pile or s*** 😂
a good reminder of how far we've come - this was 8 cylinders and 5.9L of displacement and now GM's introducing a 2.5L turbo 4 that will have much more hp and just about the same amount of twist.
I mean Saab was producing a four cylinder that produced that same power in the mid-1990s. More of an issue of Daimler Chrysler using dated emissions technology in the 2000s.
@@oldieznut1 I mean, saab was certainly anomalous at that time though, and GMs turbo is very much the norm of today. the point being that tech advancements are impressive indeed, even for ICE despite EVs getting all the attention nowadays
The 98 Grand Cherokee 5.9L and Durango R/T both use the same 4x4 system/transfer case. NP249J case. Not sure if the axles are the same(Dana 30 front, Dana 44HD rear for the Jeep)
These were everywhere and now they're nowhere. Much like every '90s Mopar design. These were surprisingly bad on fuel economy though for the size. It's average combined mileage is as bad as most full size SUVs of the era.
The 5.9 was silly because it made the same power as the 5.2, but worse mileage. Great pulling engine, but not really that fast. I drove one once, not as quick as I expected, but I imagine it would pull a load just as fast.
Not the same power the 5.2l made 230hp whereas the 5.9l made 245hp Torque is 335 lb fts vs 300 lb fts for the 5.2l. I own a 99 Dakota with the 5.2l and 5 speed and have owned a R/T as well
@@BrownBomber92181 The Jeeps have a weight advantage of over a 1000lbs difference 3,901 lb for the V8 ZJ and the Durango weight was 5,313 lbs. Even my 2wd Dakota CC 5.2l 5-speed outweighed the ZJ 4620lbs hence why the ZJ was quicker off the line.
The original Durango had a predisposition for rusting. It was great looking but I can remember many looking pretty down in the mouth after a few years.
The issue was large drip channels and rain sipes on the body that ran all the water to the exterior corners, like on your house gutters, and it collects in that area and freezes solid in winter with snow and ice melt. This eventually will rot out the bodywork if not kept up. Mine rusted in the rocker panels from collecting in the B pillar channel, and the left side fender started to rust, as well as the tailgate lid on the bottom and the rear interior bumper frame.
The V-8 "may be" great off the line, but you will be replacing the front rotors faster than replacing tires. The front brakes are inefficient for a V-8...
Oh wow, I don’t think that I’ve seen one of those in years - in probably over a decade, yet I see old 90s and 2000s suburbans and Yukons now and then in LA. Were Durangos pieces of Chrysler crap that disintegrated after 30k miles?🤷🏼♂️
You had to edit your typical generic comment? I don't see what you changed, it's the same comment you leave on all of these videos. "Blah blah 2002 cars make 2002 numbers dur da dur" Way to go! Glad you brough some knowlege that none of us here knew about!
@@SimpleAsBDCs lol yeah it’s just how they were made. They didn’t have TH-camrs complaining about every detail with calipers hahahah My 93 ranger was the same way
2+ ton SUV with a 5,9 ltr. V8 with supposedly 245 HP. By this time European cars had 300 HP with 3 ltr. 6 cylinders. No wonder it all got sideways for Chrysler in 2008... I understand the fun and cruise argument... I just don't think that is enough to really justify cars like this.
Oh the good old days, before half of the price of your vehicle went directly to another manufacturer like Tesla, to buy carbon credits for them to spend on algae experiments
These were the bees knees when I was young. Fancy and powerful
These were never fancy nothing from Dodge has ever been fancy
@@ftr911drvrThe R/T Durango WAS fancy . As was the Viper , and 68-70 Dodge Chargers. Your are clearly clueless .
Fancy is a subjective term lol
They were rendered obsolete the very next year with the introduction of the 5.7 hemi.
This will always be my favorite generation of the Durango. I love the design of these beauties.
I love the first generation of Dodge Durango is my favorite
Same. They made it too big and bloated for the 2004 generation.
@@OldFordTaurusThe first gen is best of Dodge Durango
@@OldFordTaurusI love the 2004 Durango with the HEMI, but I must agree that 1998 OG Durango is my personal favorite one.
I agree, 1st gen was the best especially when it came to looks and in my opinion the 2nd gen was one of the ugliest looking suv that has ever been sold(yes uglier then the Aztec) the only good thing it had was probably the power from the 5.7 hemi but still nothing that would entice me over its ugly looks...3rd gen looked way better......but 1st gen will be the best in my view due to its offroad capable looks.....where the 3rd gen looks to be only for the streets.....
I remember when my mom came home with one of these back in 1998 and the styling really caught my eye. This was a very sleek looking SUV for its time. Trend setting for its era.
My guy, it's a Dakota in the front with Caravan taillights...
@@2dfxbur the package all together, I'm with him on this one. everything else was more square ish
@@2dfxnaw man these kicked ass in the 90s-00s. Think of what they were stacked up against…v6 blazer, Ford Exploders lol
@@2dfxthe Dakota and caravan both were great looking vehicles for the time.
@@2dfx My guy this was the #1 selling SUV of 1998 and by a sweeping landslide more reliable than any Ford, especially during the tire blowout scandal.
The Dakota and Durango R/T were my favorites when I was younger. They still look good to this day.
Very beautiful the Dodge Durango R/T
I dunno why but I loved this thing when it came out. This and the Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited...
The lightweight Jeep is so much more fun though, even today
Durango RT was like the Ferrari SUV for us when it first came out, jaw dropping.
....many now may scoff at the 8.3sec 0-60, but 16.4 for quarter was fast for it's time especially for a full size SUV, remember that a Mustang GT of that era was good for 14.7secs.
....2003 Mustang GT took 16 secs for quarter.
The 800 lb lighter 5.9 jeep has entered the chat...
@@leakyjeep5.9 lol Ronnie Coleman ''yeah buddy, light weight baby!!''
@@KenanTurkiye That's a flat lie, the mustang GT in 2003 was recorded doing the quarter mile in 15.1 with an auto and 14.8 with a manual.
From car and driver 2003.
2002 Ford Mustang GT
260-hp V-8, 4-speed automatic, 3495 lb
Base/as-tested price: $23,845/$27,125
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.3 sec
1/4 mile: 15.1 @ 93 mph
The Durango Hellcat makes almost three times the power of this 5.9 R/T, both sharing same EPA rating of 13MPG combined, now that’s progress.
Yep, and the Hellcat is still port-injected and pushrod design. Technology is truly astounding.
And yet they are still unreliable that’s the only area Dodge hasn’t shown progress.
@@walterarroyo5220 what exactly breaks on a current Durango?
@@hellkitty1014electronic gremlins, transfer cases. My buddy works for chrysler, I hear about it. He still likes them though and I agree they're fine suvs.
@@BigWheel.Broo the hellcat dursngo is a monster you take things tk track theyre going tk break period. Dodge is not known for eletric issues. They are actually quite reliaboe now. This isnt 1985.
I loved the Durango as a kid for some reason! Still fresh looking
The first-gen Durango had so much swagger when it first came out. Dodge gave 2 V8s at a time when many didnt have a single V8 offering. It also offered plenty of room inside.
The 360 V8 was bulletproof but just as thirsty as the much larger Ram 1500.😂
Bless you for dropping a Durango video!
Im right now restoring my fathers old 1998 Durango SLT plus and its really such a gem of a car.
Really stand out here in Sweden nowdays even tho if it cost a fair amount to run :D
One of my friends had one and it lasted for years. I still see them on the road today.
I love the Dodge Durango. It's one of my favorite SUVs. I want one with full-time 4WD with low range. This R/T version would be perfect for me. The perfect family off-road vehicle.
I still own my 2000 R/T. Wouldn't trade it for the world. 298,786 miles and she still roars like a freaking LION!!!
My 99 SLT has 254
The 1st generation Dodge Durango R/T is rare and I love the bright red exterior color!!
Much better looking than the one that came after
Just picked up an 03 with the 5.9 in it today. Bought it from a dealer 70 miles away in Lake Havasu Arizona. Not perfect by any means but it made the trip home. With a little TLC it will be a nice Durango again.
Wanted one with the 5.2 or a Dakota. Couldn't find one so I settled on the one I bought. Most of the ones I was spotting were over 200,000 miles. The one I got was at 133,000. For an 03 at the end of 2023 that is fairly low miles. The nice thing about living in Arizona is cars don't rust out.
I got it at book value and for around here from a dealer that isn't to bad. Most want twice book value for vehicles anymore.
I do agree with the being thirsty pigs thing. For the distance I drove it the gas gauge moved a little over a quarter tank. It was pretty comfortable though and pleasurable to drive. It cruised nice at 75.
We had one of these in its early days - if you can believe it, it was a head-turner in those days.
My uncle had one of these in black. Been in love ever since
I had a 2002 base model Dakota, only new vehicle I've ever had, and I loved the design. At the time, my boss was driving a 2002 Durango R/T and I wanted it so bad. In 2008 I found a mint 2003 Durango R/T for a great price and only 100,000 miles. I drove that truck across the country several times, was homeless in it a couple times, and really loved it. However, I had to put two different transfer cases in it, not because they were bad, but because I was careless with the tire pressures. Remember, esp. in AWD powertrains, just 3 pounds more or less in a tire can change the circumference of that tire over 1/2" and that translates to slip in the transfer case. Constantly slipping transfer cases (and differentials) cause premature wear of the gears and certainly result in failure. I'd love to have another one of these again.
Those first gen Durangos had a much more muscular, truck-like design than the Explorer and Trail Blazer. Ones equipped with the 318 would make great sleepers seeing the 318 small-block is an easy engine to tune and play with.
That 2002 base price of 37,070 usd is 62,870 usd today.
I hate when people make inflation on old car prices relevant. By that logic gas is cheap today since $3 in 2002 is 6 today. And gas is what 4 avg today and people complain. It was 37k in 2002 thats it.
@@blue_lancer_esthey are comparing it to the price of today, what the world are you talking about? Inflation is a real thing and it puts prices into perspective.
@@sleeksilver no it doesnt. Then a model a is 140k today? Its a dumb thing to bring up. Even when reviewers say it I cringe. In 20 years. Oh that durango is 130k in todays money. Sooooo what!!n.
@@sleeksilver would you pay 63 today if that suv was on sale today? No right? So it is not relevant.
your logic is a tad fuzzy...gas prices in 2002 were $1.36 per gallon which adjusted would be $2.34 today
*These are just as good as the Dakota RT both of them are hard to find!*
Oh yeahhh the RT Dakota I forgot
That thing was a unit. Always wanted one. Now I have the current gen Durango. And it still exudes that same style.
3:57 John: UNLESS YOU’RE RIDING TO THE GAS PUMP THAT IS! LOL
I daily drive a 98 Dodge Durango SLT 5.2 and I love the thing. It's utilitarian, the looks still hold up, and it's just a good reliable SUV. The interior is still in amazing condition for the year. These things were well built and mine proves it. I have kids so it definitely gets used as a family vehicle. I plan to keep mine for a very long time.
Never cared for the Durango or Dakotas. My uncle had a 99 dak 3.9 5spd he bought brand new. Ended up getting passed down to me in 2020. That’s now my work truck and I have a low mileage 01 Dakota RT single cab in pitch black 186 made in USA… Love these trucks never let me down takes me where I need to go every time I need it. And the RT is smiles every time I drive it
Bro we like lived almost the same life! LOL!!! My dad passed down a 2000 Dakota 3.9L v6 5spd and we used it for work as well! However it got into an accident and i took that check and bought a Black 2000 Durango R/T 5.9 and i wont ever let this thing go! I had the dakota when i was in highschool and didnt care for it either, until i saw another one with a "5.9" badge on it and did some investigating and lusted for one ever since LOL!!
@@dylanornelas454 that’s awesome bro! I’m glad that there’s people out there that still love these durangos and daks. These with the 5.9 are awesome man if my uncle never had it I probably wouldn’t have known about them at all. Keep em pushin! Much love from Oakland California!
Ugh 2002 is considered retro now...
I remember when this came out and was in aw of it. Yet another game changing vehicle by Dodge / Chrysler. One of the best SUVs of all time of you ask me.
Nearly 2 decades later and the most powerful Durango is now pushing 700+ HP from factory.
Dakota from the A-pillar forward and Grand Caravan taillamps. The perfect last-minute Frankenstein response to the Explorer craze.
Thought taillamps were ridiculous
Yeah, but these were so much more cooler than an Explorer at the time. Same remains true today.
That 5.9 liter V8 is one of my FAV non Hemi Mopar V8s.
they have so much potential to be really fast engines for little upgrades you do!!
@@dylanornelas454 they sure do!
I just bought a silver 2001 Dodge Durango R/T. Will be making some videos on it soon on my small channel. It's going to be getting a lot of work done. New timing chain and gears, intake, exhaust, other tasteful mods. Lowered etc. Stay tuned!
One of those cars you could obtain now for a very low cost if you missed it the first time, heck a newer one with the Hemi are pretty bargain too.
The prices are going up but a rusted out one is still $900 or less. Easy to repair down to complete body and chassis separation for restoration. Most of the underpinnings are all Dakota parts. One metric bolt size assembles the entire exterior.
such a cool looking vehicle!
I love that red Durango. I want it.
My Dad's friend had one of these things and I remember lusting after the thing. He let me drive it once (he was drunk and pounding beers in the back... RIP Johnny lol) and I thought it was a rocket ship. I laughed when he said the 0-60 was 8.3 seconds. My little crossover does it in 6 seconds these days!
These were fun 20 years ago, but I took a brand new Durango R/T on a 4000 mile cross country trip and the new ones are crazy fast. 8 speed autos and north of 400 HP. 60 mph in under 5 seconds is a blast, but I am willing to bet that the new ones won't last 200k miles much less 20 years.
Back in 2009 I almost bought a stunning blue 2003 R/T and wish I had damnit lol.
Still have my '02 SLT+.
Getting one in black soon next week hopefully no rust pristine paint interiors on these beasts are so nice and building the motor
did you get it mate?
working on the loan
I want to see the Shelby Durango review. I’m sure Motorweek did one. Or the Ram SS/T.
I put a supercharger on my 02 Durango R/T. Woah. The 2002 Durango compared to my 2020 GMC Crew cab truck: Durango's faster (now). Instant downshifts compared to drive by wire on the 2020. Really good turning radius on the Durango. Actually better, grippier brakes on the Durango (Also, they are brand new from master cylinder to caliper so that helps). The GMC's "Auto" 4WD is a good imitation AWD, but the AWD system in the Durango is far superior based on my driving around in the rain VS the truck. The Durango literally feels like a sport truck compared to my 2020 GMC Sierra, and has all the creature comforts to boot... All of which still work! I know this is an apples to oranges comparison, but the Durango really hit a sweet spot across the board. Then SUV's started getting gigantic, as big as possible - and you really did lose maneuverability in City or casual driving.
My mom had a beautiful one in burgundy red with ivory leather interior
Dodge V8s always sound the best
Still looks classy today.
Durangos are so easy to drift in when it rains. At least the ones without the LSD. I have no idea how normal people kept from crashing them, because I literally learned how to hold a slide while driving just because it became necessary to know how to do so once the streets got wet. And once you got used to it, holy shit, you could almost go full ken block in one. They had literally like zero weight over that rear axle.
Maybe your tires
@@preciadoalex123 they were the Goodyear Wranglers that came on it(i think that's what those came with.) But yea, those tires definitely didn't help the matter.
I only see these in the shop now of days with crazy issues
whats wrong with the Dodge Durango? it gives me Toyota 4Runner vibes
@@nickm5419 Toyota is much more reliable tho
@@PhillyDee215It’s impossible to find early 2000s Toyotas in the rust belt. There’s Ford Dodge and Chevys everywhere. There probably having tons of issues because they don’t take care of them.
@@waterloo123100 ima tell you one thing if we talking rust belt it's gonna rust regardless the manufacturer
@@PhillyDee215 The difference is Dodge never had to recall their frames because they were made out of Swiss cheese. My Durango is 20 years old and still looks better then the 2016 Taco TRD I was looking at. Toyota frames have a bad reputation for a reason.
We had a '98 Durango in 1999 with the Magnum V8. Roomy but poor gas mileage and the standard A/C without the 2nd row vents SUCKED in the Summer as it could not keep anything past the front row sufficiently cool. Really glad when they got rid of it a few years later.
There was no 3rd row vents for the first model year. It was a design flaw. When Dodge made the Durango they discovered the factory Dakota A/C couldn't cool the extra cabin space on the chassis. So they added a 2nd A/C compressor in the back with its own A/C vents. Eventually on premium trim levels in later years the headliner was re shaped to allow an additional set of air duct for the rear cargo area.
@@MrWolfSnack updated to reflect 2nd row vents. The lack of them in our Durango made riding in the summer unbearable.
I wish I was able to find another engine for mine. I really wanted to restore it, it was in great condition to be a daily
The 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited was a good chunk faster. Does 92 mph in the 1/4 mile which for the time was fast (a Mustang would run 96mph on a good day)
Looks good outside
Strong, reliable and good looking.
Unbelievable how good this vehicle looks! There's not a single one on the street that has aged well!
Mine has. 98. Clean af
Rust kills um in the Rustbelt
@@tezalehall2818 yeah I can see that. Mine lived it’s whole life in GA so it’s good. Actually was purchased by a Heisman trophy winner. Somehow ended up with me
So I guess R/T stands for really thirsty? Holy crap that fuel economy is horrible.
It was not considered good then, now it literally makes the truck unusable as a work truck or as a daily driver. This was at the time a very nice suv, now it is a massive pile or s*** 😂
The 5.9 was a gas guzzler
In the late 90s/early aughts, this was fairly normal for SUVs. Thankfully gas prices were much lower…
@BrownBomber92181 my Dad's 98 ram had one, there's many a good reason almost none exist anymore 🧐😂
Fuel economy depends on your driving, not the car.
That's a good looking truck!
Still a great looking suv and still see them everywhere on the road
I haven't seen one in months in Northern Virginia, where do you live?
@sleeksilver Kentucky they are everywhere here and mostly in good shape
A very cool Durango to be sure, but the Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited had it beat by about four years
And the grand Cherokee was faster too.
The 5.9 limited accelerated much quicker
Yeah, the Durango was way heavier than the unibody ZJ JGC. That Jeep was a super sleeper in '98 and looked soooo good.
That was a 318 V8 they tested in 98 and no slouch. 8.7/16.5 probably pre death flash.😊
I wish they would’ve spent a couple extra bucks to design some taillights instead of using the minivan ones.
Time to Durango hellcat swap it and with 2023 Durango hellcat parts
Vic Mackey’s SUV
😂😂😂😂
a good reminder of how far we've come - this was 8 cylinders and 5.9L of displacement and now GM's introducing a 2.5L turbo 4 that will have much more hp and just about the same amount of twist.
Remove the turbo and whatchagot?
I mean Saab was producing a four cylinder that produced that same power in the mid-1990s. More of an issue of Daimler Chrysler using dated emissions technology in the 2000s.
@@oldieznut1 You conveniently omit the fact the “little four cylinder” had turbocharging. And where exactly is Saab nowadays?🧐
@@oldieznut1 I mean, saab was certainly anomalous at that time though, and GMs turbo is very much the norm of today. the point being that tech advancements are impressive indeed, even for ICE despite EVs getting all the attention nowadays
But is it the Jeep Wrangler or the Jeep Grand Cherokee suspension or 4 wheel drive system that the Dodge Durango RT uses?
The 98 Grand Cherokee 5.9L and Durango R/T both use the same 4x4 system/transfer case. NP249J case. Not sure if the axles are the same(Dana 30 front, Dana 44HD rear for the Jeep)
As they say in the video, this RT version uses the Jeep Select Trac system with the NV244 transfer case. The NV244 is an evolution of the NV242J
@@peyeyeYeah but which Jeep though because I believe both the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler has the Selectrack system!
@@4HBirtcher the WJ Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo used Select Trac with NV242, Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ 4.7 used NV247
@@4HBirtcher Prior to 2003 the Dodge Durango used the Select Trac with NV242 transfer case and in 2003 the RT used the NV244
These were everywhere and now they're nowhere. Much like every '90s Mopar design. These were surprisingly bad on fuel economy though for the size. It's average combined mileage is as bad as most full size SUVs of the era.
awesome
This needed a 5 speed auto
13 mpg for a vehicles doing 0-60 in 8.3 seconds… this is a damn cool SUV, but SUV’s have come a Longgg way.
17 Feet per tank of gas!
I always wanted one when I was young cause I thought it looked like an FBI vehicle
13 mpg 🤣 I'm sure its more like 6-8 mpg on short commutes with traffic lmao
Awesome thanks
I remember my dad Almost trading in my sisters 2000 Altima for one of these at the dealership but the deal fell through…
❤️
The 5.9 was silly because it made the same power as the 5.2, but worse mileage. Great pulling engine, but not really that fast. I drove one once, not as quick as I expected, but I imagine it would pull a load just as fast.
Not the same power the 5.2l made 230hp whereas the 5.9l made 245hp Torque is 335 lb fts vs 300 lb fts for the 5.2l. I own a 99 Dakota with the 5.2l and 5 speed and have owned a R/T as well
Agreed. Only in the Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited was that engine fast. I remember driving the Dakota 5.9 RT and it was a dog, I was shocked.
@@BrownBomber92181 The Jeeps have a weight advantage of over a 1000lbs difference 3,901 lb for the V8 ZJ and the Durango weight was 5,313 lbs. Even my 2wd Dakota CC 5.2l 5-speed outweighed the ZJ 4620lbs hence why the ZJ was quicker off the line.
The original Durango had a predisposition for rusting. It was great looking but I can remember many looking pretty down in the mouth after a few years.
I've never saw one of these rusted. I live in Tennessee
@@OldFordTaurus I have only seen the older first generation ones rusted in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa recently.
The issue was large drip channels and rain sipes on the body that ran all the water to the exterior corners, like on your house gutters, and it collects in that area and freezes solid in winter with snow and ice melt. This eventually will rot out the bodywork if not kept up. Mine rusted in the rocker panels from collecting in the B pillar channel, and the left side fender started to rust, as well as the tailgate lid on the bottom and the rear interior bumper frame.
Hindsight is always 20/20… these things were absolute junk.
The V-8 "may be" great off the line, but you will be replacing the front rotors faster than replacing tires. The front brakes are inefficient for a V-8...
That's a you problem and not knowing how to properly drive or brake. I have an '02 and brakes are done every so many years.
This is a Dodge.
I bet with a ZF 8-Speed this would be 1 second quicker 0-60 !
Oh wow, I don’t think that I’ve seen one of those in years - in probably over a decade, yet I see old 90s and 2000s suburbans and Yukons now and then in LA. Were Durangos pieces of Chrysler crap that disintegrated after 30k miles?🤷🏼♂️
Crazy. 5.9l, 245hp. The ford fusion with the 2L turbo makes nearly the same 12-13 years later.
All that engine size and performance parts and mpg for an almost 9 second 0-60 😂
You had to edit your typical generic comment? I don't see what you changed, it's the same comment you leave on all of these videos. "Blah blah 2002 cars make 2002 numbers dur da dur" Way to go! Glad you brough some knowlege that none of us here knew about!
@@Corinthians- I never claimed it to be impressive. Only that the obvious was clearly stated in the video.
Such a good looking suv still to this day. But man look at those bumper gaps. Lol
Lol on my 2003 Durango theirs big bumper gaps I guess they weren’t worried about it to much on my rear bumper theirs almost a inch gap…😂
@@SimpleAsBDCs lol yeah it’s just how they were made. They didn’t have TH-camrs complaining about every detail with calipers hahahah My 93 ranger was the same way
If you are lucky you could get a whole 8 MPG in one of these.
I'd still rather the Jeep ZJ 5.9 from 98
I'd take an XJ.
Chrysler quality has always been horrible
And yet I still see more of these on the road then a 4 runner
@@waterloo123100Yeah, bullshit. 😂
R/T or not, these were such junky SUV’s!
things 20 years old arent retro. at all. if you were born after 2000 your opinions dont matter yet
2+ ton SUV with a 5,9 ltr. V8 with supposedly 245 HP. By this time European cars had 300 HP with 3 ltr. 6 cylinders.
No wonder it all got sideways for Chrysler in 2008... I understand the fun and cruise argument... I just don't think that is enough to really justify cars like this.
I don't own one and I couldn't be happier.
The official truck of gas station scratch tickets and copper theft.
13 mpg!
All that motor ans only 245hp?😂 even for 2002 that's pathetic
0-60 in 8.3??? That's grocery getter CVT Subaru or Nissan numbers! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Oh the good old days, before half of the price of your vehicle went directly to another manufacturer like Tesla, to buy carbon credits for them to spend on algae experiments
Lord, SUVs are stupid.
0-60 time is a full second slower than a V6 Saturn L200 🤣.
Mama it's the crackhead!!;