How to make a Dodge Dart sound like a dirt bike, in one easy step

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
08/31/2016 at 18:54 • Filed to: Die Dart die!

As I was driving home today, I kept hearing a weird noise. It sounded kind of like a dirt bike reving up off in the distance. I then noticed the white Dart in front of me kept slowing down, and it’s reverse lights were going on. I first thought that some wires must be crossed or something. Then a funny thing happened, he hit the brakes and the brake lights went on. Hmmmmm ...

Then the reverse lights came on again, he slowed again, and I heard that noise again. He did it like four more times. This was all in the span of a mile. The driver was a young looking punk, and clearly he felt the Dart’s transmission needed to die.

DISCUSSION (30)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 19:03

The shifter says R for “Reduce speed”

shop-teacher > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/31/2016 at 19:08

Riiiiiiiiiiight! Good call.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 19:09

Was he slamming it in park?

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 19:11

Dem soundz tho!

shop-teacher > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/31/2016 at 19:20

No, reverse. The reverse lights stayed on while the slowing down/aweful noises were happening, they didn't just flash.

BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 19:55

My Dart GT had a fun, raspy little exhaust note which was one of my favorite aspects of the car. Sadly it's abysmal reliability was not.

shop-teacher > BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre
08/31/2016 at 20:53

Sounds like an FCA product to me. I really wanted to get a Charger for our family hauler, but I just don’t have the patience for unreliable vehicles.

BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 21:07

Nor do I. That said, we have a 2014 Wrangler Rubicon and it’s had a troublefree 47k miles aside from the sometimes ornery 730N radio/nav.

Kinja'd!!!

Rico > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 22:14

Speaking of crossed wires. I was behind a Dodge Ram a few weeks ago that was on the highway accelerating with its brakes lights on the entire time. I watched as the trucked slowed down in front of me with absolutely no change in the lights. The same 3 brake lights all lit.

I immediately switched lanes and blew past him. Not waiting around for whatever accident that moron was about to cause.

Rico > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 22:15

I thought automatic trannys lock out reverse at speed

shop-teacher > Rico
08/31/2016 at 22:38

That could also be a driver who left foot brakes and rests his foot on the brake. Which still means they’re an idiot you should get away from.

shop-teacher > Rico
08/31/2016 at 22:38

I thought so too.

Sam > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 22:43

I think the Charger is a bit more reliable. The Dart is literally a Fiat.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Rico
08/31/2016 at 23:16

A few months ago I was driving down the freeway, and ended up behind a Sarurn Araura which had it’s brake lights on. I thought the idiots we just riding their brakes. But it continued for about 30 miles, and they seemed to have their cruise control seat at 73. I finally passed them and they seemed to have no idea anything was wrong.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Rico
08/31/2016 at 23:21

Kinja'd!!!

Maybe he was trying to get it back into first? Also this is the worst cheapest feeling, most plastic shifter I’ve ever used. Between that weightless and cheap feeling of the shifter, and total lack of feed back from the clutch, I actually preferred driving a Dart with an Automatic.

Rico > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
08/31/2016 at 23:32

Just your average everyday fuckin idiot behind the wheel. I wish the cops would start focusing on these kinds of drivers.

Rico > shop-teacher
08/31/2016 at 23:34

Probably that. The more I drive the more I also see people with absolutely no brake lights at all, especially work vans. I always get the fk away from them but I wish the cops would do something about it. I told a cop in gridlock traffic on the highway that the van a few cars up had no working brake lights and he just threw his hands up as if there was nothing he could do like are you serious??

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > shop-teacher
09/01/2016 at 05:08

He was trying to put it in Race mode, obviously

shop-teacher > Rico
09/01/2016 at 09:02

In gridlock the cop is probably right not to pull the van over for that, that would just make traffic worse. That is an odd reaction by him though.

shop-teacher > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction
09/01/2016 at 09:03

Clearly!

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre
09/01/2016 at 10:43

I know a dude that took a loan on a FoST he couldn’t afford, then about 9 months later he traded it in for a ... wait for it ... Dodge Dart.

I shook my head. That’s a depressing trade right there.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > shop-teacher
09/01/2016 at 10:46

Chargers are still partially M-B, so they’re a little more reliable than the Fiat-based Chrysler cars.

Think about this statement for a second.

Their biggest problem is, I believe, that they switched to some new transmission that is a pile of garbage.

shop-teacher > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/01/2016 at 11:11

Mopar is practically synonymous with transmissions that are piles of garbage :)

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > shop-teacher
09/01/2016 at 11:16

Yes, but I have heard that this one brings it to heights that haven’t been seen in over 20 years.

shop-teacher > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/01/2016 at 11:20

Ah, the heady days of the mid-90's, when they routinely shit the bed before 50k miles and if they made it to 70k miles it was a damn miracle.

BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/02/2016 at 14:22

Damn that is certainly depressing. I didn’t hate my Dart, but I commute about 175 miles one way to a city in a neighboring state and I just can’t deal with a car that needs constant attention. Mine was a super early build though.

I traded it for a Camry. Couldn't be happier.

CyborgAdaLovelace > shop-teacher
09/05/2016 at 18:50

I don’t know what you’re talking about! My ‘94 Grand Caravan has 208k on the clock and it’s great!

I mean, yeah, apparently it was already on its second transmission when my dad bought it at around 40k. And sure, when it’s cold it shifts really rough, and the torque converter doesn’t always let go right away when you come to a stop so if you brake hard it’s possible to kill the engine. And sometimes it just randomly goes into limp mode, but turning it off and on again fixes it.

So I mean, other than that, it’s got a fantastic transmission.

shop-teacher > CyborgAdaLovelace
09/05/2016 at 19:23

Yeah huh.

CyborgAdaLovelace > shop-teacher
09/05/2016 at 20:07

My favorite is when the transmission goes into limp mode when I’m getting on the highway. So I get it up to speed (in 2nd!) and then pop it in neutral, turn it off, turn it on, put it in drive, and continue on my merry way.

At this point, it’s pretty much my “going to Menards” vehicle, so I’m just gonna drive it till it dies and/or dissolves into rust. Consequently, I’m amused by the transmission issues more than anything else.

shop-teacher > CyborgAdaLovelace
09/05/2016 at 21:03

Whatever works for you!