Things Once Owned

"Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness" (long-voyager-2nd-edition)
12/15/2018 at 07:29 • Filed to: Mopar, wrenching

About 6 years ago now, we sold our 2006 Dodge Stratus SXT sedan. It was a wonderful car that came into our ownership at just the perfect time. When we got it in 2007-ish it has 12k miles, fresh off lease. She looked just like this when we got her:

Installed a Weapon-R intake with cold air tube:

Drove it like this until about 80k miles, when the front cat began failing. It was going to cost $1800 for the parts to replace the cats. I found a local shop that could build custom headers, install them, along with full 2.5" exhaust from the headers back, and tune the car for $1k. Needless to say she ended up with headers, exhaust, and a tune. AND WOW did that wake that motor up, this car was amazing after this. I lost some on the low end, but the sound and the gains in power and mileage were well worth the trade off.

Then at some point, my wife had an incident with a deer on her way home from work, which led to a $1300 check. I went my own route getting the parts and ended up with a Carbon Fiber hood, projector headlights with HIDs, and getting the wheels painted:

Drove her like this for a while before I clipped a raccoon on my way to grab us supper. I managed $1800 worth of damage. At roughly 120k miles now, she needed suspension work ( thanks WI roads ) along with the raccoon damage repaired. This led to me getting a new bumper and inner fenders, new battery and tray, new control arm driver’s side, and new struts/springs / links/bushings/ends/etc. I opted for B&G lowering coils on KYB Struts, along with upgrading the brakes to D/S units with aggressive pads:

I also picked up a set of smoked LED tails for it while I was buying things:

This was her completed form that soldiered on to 218k miles when we finally traded it on our F250:

All in all, she was a great car that served us very well in our time of need, and put up with my continual abuse without complaint.

DISCUSSION (22)

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 07:40

I’ve always liked the Stratus, under rated car if you ask me. Friend of mine had a an OG ‘98 with a stick. It was a pretty engaging car to drive actually, and was practical and comfortable.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 07:41

in all fairness 120k miles (nearly 200k km) isn’t too bad for suspension.

once replaced you would have thought “why didn’t i do this earlier”

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
12/15/2018 at 07:42

I feel they are severely under rated. Even in stock form it was a fun car to drive, while being very comfortable for trips, returned respectable economy, and became very fun after simple modding.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 07:43

I love this. We had an '03 that we unfortunately didn't take much care of and it still lasted us a solid 10 years. I want one for the memories again.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > pip bip - choose Corrour
12/15/2018 at 07:48

On our riddled WI roads it’s very good. Usually 80-100k is about all suspensions last around here. What I installed was definitely an upgrade.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
12/15/2018 at 07:49

I’ve been looking. I’d really like an RT sedan with the 2.7L manual combo. Sadly all of them I’ve found so far have been either poorly maintained or beat within an inch of their life.

MeatSaber > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 07:49

Love seeing stuff like this, I wish more enthusiasts understood you don’t HAVE to own a miata, fist, or a bmw to be “i nto” cars. It’s cool to just like what you like.

LongbowMkII > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 07:59

Smoked tails and bright red reflectors make my ocd twitch, but other than that, nice!

Usually these are pretty rough after not very long so clearly good ownership here.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 08:23

Was this one Auto or manual?

Stapleface > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 08:41

I love the fact that you blaze your own trail and don’t do the everyday normal things. The car looked good.

Side note, the Sundance sitting next to it almost looks like it is lifted. Is it?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Stapleface
12/15/2018 at 10:04

That’s actually my old Acclaim. That’s stock height, it looks high due to the Stratus being lowered. It ended up like this not long after:

Kinja'd!!!

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > MeatSaber
12/15/2018 at 10:07

I wish more enthusiasts would realize the fun of modifying “mundane” cars . They usually take very well to simple mods as they were designed with longevity in mind instead of performance, so a simple intake/exhaust can really open up a lot of potential.

I enjoy doing things most people wouldn’t think to do.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > LongbowMkII
12/15/2018 at 10:08

218k miles when we sold it and it still looked new inside and out. I’ve been looking for another now that we have a place for a 3rd vehicle, but they are hard to find in good shape.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
12/15/2018 at 10:10

Auto only in the SXTs. Manuals are hard to find, even in the RTs.

The auto was actually quite good in here, it took far more abuse than any auto should and never showed a sign of giving up.

and 100 more > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 10:25

Ws this the 2.7 motor? Ever have sludge issues with it?

MUSASHI66 > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 10:26

Tuned Stratus with 200k+ miles? Impossibru!

When I moved to states in 1999, I remember Dealers just got Chrysler 300M for sale in Serbia, just as I was leaving. It sold for the same price as a 5 series BMW. I arrived to states to see a much different story and approximately $10-20000 difference in selling price - Chrysler’s were not nearly as valuable here. I guess it was all the import costs for an American car vs a German car. I still drooled over 300M, Sebring Coupe, Dodge Avenger, and then my taste changed and I drooled over Pontiac Grand Am and Grand Prix. Not sure when my taste evolved to the point of disliking them.

What amazes me in your story is not that someone wanted to tune their car, but that parts existed for a 2006 Sebring. With your propensity for accidents, I hope you installed metal bumpers front and rear on your Ford.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > and 100 more
12/15/2018 at 11:24

Nope. Changed oil every 3k with Valvoline Synpower and a Mopar filter. Absolutely zero engine issues except the cat going to hell.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > MUSASHI66
12/15/2018 at 11:26

Mostly animals. It happens out here away from the city.

There are always parts out there, if there aren’t I just make my own.

218k miles of pure abuse, but meticulously maintained. Never had a drivetrain issue.

wafflesnfalafel > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 11:41

if that isn’t a huge argument for routine changes with a decent synth oil I don’t know what is - very nice

AC2 - The Now 15 Year Old Jalop > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 11:58

Kinja'd!!!

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > wafflesnfalafel
12/15/2018 at 12:02

I run Valvoline conventional in all my other vehicles at 3-5k intervals. Have 215k on the engine in the car and had over 225k on my old car’s engine, neither had/have any oil related issues.

Just doing regular maintenance goes a long way.

DucST3-Red-1Liter-Standing-By > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
12/15/2018 at 12:15

Oh boy! I had an 01 Sebring with the 2.7 too. I also installed that exact intake, and headlights, with HIDs . Then chopped the muffler of and replaced it with a cherry bomb. The look on the guys face at AutoZone was priceless when we told him what car it was going on. Blown head gasket at 128k killed it though. Fun times