I gave David Tracy some feedback on the FP.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
07/05/2020 at 13:06 • Filed to: None

His was an interesting write-up, though.

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DISCUSSION (33)

Brickman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 13:18

It’s all about that ad revenue. The hell with facts and interesting articles. We need more brown manual wagons no one will buy!

The “plant leaves used for favoring foods” company is turing the FP to shit. In my opinion .

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Brickman
07/05/2020 at 13:23

I actually read Tracy’s post with some interest because when people say “blah” about a car, I think, “cheap used car.” But are they dependable? He left that out. I’m curious to see whether or not he replies.

It’s interesting to me that we’re having FP links feeding to our margin. This has garnered a few clicks from me, including the Tracy story. Also, they’re linking stuff that I would consider marginal NSFW and not up to Oppo standards. I think that would be an interesting point to broach with somebody at the FP front office.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 13:27

They don't control what is linked any more. Those suggested articles are algorithm determined and authors can no longer choose their own suggested posts.

Brickman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 13:35

He’s good with the commenters, he should respond. Lot of articles are mostly copied and pasted from other sources. not much original content like it was years ago.

Those “you may also like” articles are not in my “ likeness”

Discerning > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 13:37

If you’re only looking for a bargain, then it will probably do just fine. Though I suppose that could be Dodge’s slogan at this point.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Discerning
07/05/2020 at 13:40

My fleet of six vehicles only contains bargains.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Discerning
07/05/2020 at 14:01

“We’re the used Nissan of American cars...**”

** Built by an Anglo-Franco consortium of financial engineers who stopped car ing at least a decade ago.

ranwhenparked > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 15:13

It is kind of crazy when you think of all this car has been in production through - 3 presidents, 2 major recessions, a global pandemic, two rounds of occupy protests and related rioting, and through it all, one generation of Journey.

These things will probably still be pretty common on the roads and used car lots into the 2030s, which will be like how you can watch a movie from 1998 and a movie from 2016 and the police cars will be exactly the same.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ranwhenparked
07/05/2020 at 15:46

When I next find myself in need of a car, I may go looking at one. I wonder what’s the towing capacity, if any...

Monkey B > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 15:52

I don’t rec ommend it, it’s poor quality...like the last Avenger quality. Nothing about driving them feels particularly connected to anything...like driving a wet noodle. They do look good though, I’ll give em that. A proper wagon.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Monkey B
07/05/2020 at 16:02

Back in the days of proper wagons, which among them drove like anything? Though in the 60s you could get big-ass engines in them and manual transmissions. For towing, you understand...

Discerning > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 16:07

2500 lbs if you get the V6 and the trailer package according to Dodge.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Discerning
07/05/2020 at 16:53

Class I. Is not very much.

Exage03040 @ opposite-lock.com > Brickman
07/05/2020 at 17:21

For me it has been tone and biased culture injection spread from the rest of the GMG sites. Authors that don’t promote tolerance and civil discourse. Even moderate liberals are backing away.

David, Andrew and the Torch tangents are the only mains I can usually click without some forced narrative typed up.

Discerning > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 17:31

I agree. Lately even some smaller stuff can tow over 4k. I was surprised recently to learn a Macan can tow more than it weighs! 4300 lb curb weight and tows 4400 lbs.

Ssfancyfresh > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 17:49

I don’t know why this car gets so much hate.

Later versions with the Pentastar v6 and UConnect were modern enough and drove fine. Was it a class leader in anything? No. Well, maybe in number of seats. There was a 3rd row. Can’t remember if that was standard or optional. Would I pick this over a comparable Chevy equinox or GMC terrain? I might, actually.

Monkey B > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 18:25

one could argue muscle cars and wagons and trucks and everything did back when we had proper wagons everywhere. Now though, even the worst cars feel planted and sturdy ...except for a few. Journey is one of them. Avenger may be the worst car I’ve ever driven.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Ssfancyfresh
07/05/2020 at 18:30

When I consider that car, which I never had before, I see simply a sensible car. And now that I have learned that it is a ubiquitous and an inexpensive car, I'm thinking it might be perfect. people expect so much from cars, and then there's all of this crap to break and you have to get it repaired. Not feeling that.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Discerning
07/05/2020 at 18:39

My ‘97 GMC Safari has a Class III towing capacity, 5,000 pounds. I don’t think I’ve ever towed much more than half that amount, and typically less. My van will not be easy to replace when the time comes. I have a pop-up trailer that I tow extensively and I should find out how much it weights. Oh, and this: the Safari will fit a 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood on its deck and I can close the hatch. Granted, I can only take about four inches of 4-by-8, but still...

I like the rifle compartment in the back of the Avenger.

50ford500 > Ssfancyfresh
07/05/2020 at 18:58

Neither did I. I mean yeah they’re not particularly (at all) glamorous or noteworthy in style and performance is tepid at best Having driven both a pentastar equipped one My ex wife had years ago and now a 4 cylinder one which my girlfriend has proves that they’re not sporty by any means which of course is kinda Dodge’s Schtick now. How about a Hellcat powered one to go out with a bang! But at least for my girlfriend it provides her with a reasonably reliable vehicle with a warranty she can afford and haul her stuff And sit up high enough to at least see the road here in full-size trucktopia with that isn’t too obnoxious and in reasonable comfort. Somehow she managed to buy the only one I’ve seen in an interesting color it’s like a metallic dark green of some sort. She’s happy with it and I guess a lot of people are too since I see them all over the place. I’d rather have my Taco though.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2020 at 22:09

An older friend of the family got one. Its big and cheap. it spent vast majority of miles doing a couple trips to/from florida, so i can’t really say how well it held up to daily abuse.

Forrest > Discerning
07/06/2020 at 00:45

I think Dodge's slogan now is "Yeah, but we could fix that if we just add more horsepower."

nerd_racing > Ssfancyfresh
07/06/2020 at 07:14

3rd row was optional. As far as I could tell from the ones I had for rentals and the one an ex of mine test drove, they drove ok-alright when new, but suspension and steering loosened up pretty quickly. We had a rental someone must have clocked a curb with or something. The steering wheel needed 1/8 turn to go straight and pulled a bit at random.

Long_Voyager94 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/06/2020 at 10:16

To answer your question, they are as reliable as their owner/the shop maintaining them, much like the vans.

The 4 cyls are slow as sin, but it is a well worn reliable drivetrain with little issue.

The V6 models are actually kinda fun, the added power, added gears, better suspension, and larger wheels/lower profile tires make them decently fun to drive. The Penta V6 is reliable overall and the 6-speed behind it is a stout unit so long as it’s maintained properly.

The higher models are actually a very nice place to spend time. They’re not chocked full of cutting edge tech, but they feel quality and are comfy.
The lower models are what they are, cheap transport.

My honest opinion, they are the best looking 3 row CUV on the market currently. They pull off sporty/aggressive, without overstyling.

If you plan on buying one and maintaining it meticulously, you’ll have a damn nice cruiser at a fraction of what others are paying for 3rd row CUVs.

If it wasn’t for the more cramped 2nd and 3rd rows, we would have had a Black on Black Journey GT sitting in our driveway instead of our GC.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long_Voyager94
07/06/2020 at 15:28

See? None of this did David Tracy talk about in his Jalo piece. I don’t need a car currently, but if I did, I’d be looking at these for sure. Then again, I couldn’t tow my tent trailer with it, which would be problematic.

David Tracy > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/06/2020 at 16:26

Thank you for the feedback!

Long_Voyager94 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/07/2020 at 12:09

The V6 trim can tow 2,500 lbs, the same or more than most 3rd row cuvs , I can’t see that being an issue towing a tent trailer.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long_Voyager94
07/07/2020 at 14:39

I went and looked at the data plate on my trailer and the empty weight is 2,000 pounds and the gross weight is 2,400 pounds. I’d be reluctant to use that FWD vehicle to tow at 90+% of its rated towing capacity.

Long_Voyager94 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/07/2020 at 16:02

The V6 trims are AWD.

You also gotta remember, that tow rating is likely far underrated.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long_Voyager94
07/07/2020 at 16:10

I would not want AWD. Too many moving parts. I’d probably want a four-banger base model and tow the trailer with something else. The Safari is rated Class III.

Long_Voyager94 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/08/2020 at 06:54

I personally wouldn’t buy a 4 cyl model, they’re far too slow for my taste.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long_Voyager94
07/08/2020 at 11:16

For My taste, I like the extra juice, it's just that whenever you buy the bigger engine you're usually also saddled with a bunch of extra features that you have to maintain.

Long_Voyager94 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/08/2020 at 11:43

Eh, the Journey is a pretty simple design in reality, I wouldn’t be too worried about it.

Then again I just had a $300 latch assembly go bad on the new van that got warrantied. That’s on a van with almost zero extra features....

Realistically, I think cost of repairs/upkeep is just something that will be more expensive on any new vehicle. I mean the “sensor” for the hatch on my 94 costs like $10 as it’s a simple switch and it’s a 10 min job to change. The new one has to complicate things by incorporating a sensor into the latch assembly, buried inside the hatch.