Cargo Fargo might be pulling a "bluesmobile" on me.

"Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer" (dash-doorhandle-and-bondo) 09/29/2020 at 13:29 • Filed to: None

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The new water pump is bleeding out the impeller shaft, which usually means pressure from the exhaust is entering the cooling system, meaning head gasket issues. I think the clutch is down to the rivets. The parking brake is untrustworthy. The turn signal switch is going wonky, among other issues. I need to do the math and see if she’s worth saving or just drive into the ground and defer maintenance to the next car. I badmouthed this car but it got the job done and made it to ‘doesn’t owe me anything’ phase of it’s life.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/29/2020 at 13:47

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Wait, is your Dodge Nitro a manual? They had a lot of style when new but the whole thing wasn’t exactly built to last. I’m kind of shocked any are still functioning. How many miles/kilometers are on it?

Shoulda gone for “cop wiring harness” and “cop head gasket” options to go with with cop wheels, cop shocks, etc.

flatisflat > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/29/2020 at 13:48

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made it to ‘doesn’t owe me anything’ phase of it’s life

That’s a job well done right there.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/29/2020 at 13:51

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about 270,000 Km, It’s a 6 speed manual rwd only nitro.  Would make somebody a good Hemi swap candidate.  Tons of them still on the road here, split evenly between ‘circling the drain’ and ‘minty’

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/29/2020 at 13:54

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Was never shopping for a dodge nitro, it qualified as ‘manual wagon’ 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/29/2020 at 13:58

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I don’t think I’ve noticed one on the road in months. Come to think of it, I’ve been thinking “huh, those haven’t had a presence on the road in a while” for years every time I see one. Pretty sure 150,000 miles was about the upper limit for these things. Those and the second gen Durangos were a blip on the map here. And good riddance as far as I’m concerned.

I’m kind of surprised they even sell 2WD versions up there though.

Crappy 2WD Jeep Patriots are like cockroaches though. Did the Nitros just attract neglectful owners you think or did they have mechanical maladies?

Longtime Lurker > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/29/2020 at 14:34

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What would be in the consideration for replacement?

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Longtime Lurker 09/29/2020 at 14:54

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May be for ester?  Will probably do what I did last time look for what’s out there with a stick. 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/29/2020 at 15:26

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There are like...barely any Nitros left running up here where I am, but they were not very popular in the first place. I have a Dodge Nitro t-shirt somewhere in my closet that I got as a birthday present from Mom one year (she always gets me ‘car stuff’ because she knows I am a petrolhead). :)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/29/2020 at 15:36

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Hehe because the D odge Nitro was such an enthusiasts vehicle. I like cheap purposeful cars but the Nitro was not particularly well executed. It always looked top-heavy to me too.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/29/2020 at 18:02

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Yeah, I’m one of those weird people who actually does like some Chrysler products, but the Nitro was always pretty ‘meh’...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/29/2020 at 19:54

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Chrysler. . . oh, so that’s why you don’t mind a late 2000s Hyundai plastic fantastic interior hehe

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/29/2020 at 21:38

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Well, mid-200 0s Chrysler interiors were terrible....looking at you Dodge Caliber and Dodge Charger/Magnum (as examples). Their later ones are better and I think their current interiors are quite nice :)

For being pretty plastick y, I think late 2000s Hyundai interiors are fairly well put together :)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/29/2020 at 21:47

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It’s just some friendly needling. Plastic isn’t necessarily bad if done right.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/30/2020 at 05:21

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drive it into the ground

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/30/2020 at 06:40

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Oh, I know :P

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/30/2020 at 09:51

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Mine is the only one like it I’ve ever seen, I saw one other manual once but in a 4wd loaded example. Only ever saw a few with the steel wheels. I’d almost suspect mine was a rental car save for the stick. When I researched it I found they had troublesome auto trans and transfer case, none of those in mine so I bought it (I really wanted that 6 speed stick, didn’t care what car it was in.) Nitro was a rwd cousin of the liberty and not related to the patriot. It also has an all black interior when most of them had tacky ammounts of brushed aluminum everything inside, making the poverty spec model actually more tasteful (The ven n diagram of Dodge Nitro and ‘good taste’ looks li ke boobs)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/30/2020 at 09:57

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The Venn diagram you mentioned sounds about right. I know I’ve never seen a stick. Since it was related to the liberty presumably they gave us that sp ec but I’ve never seen one in person.

In terms of spec, it reminds me of the car ny friend drive in HS. It was a 2014 Jeep Patriot with one (1) option: the red paint.

Everything else felt more like 1994 than 2014. FW D, w indy windows, 5 speed (yet the earlier Nitro got 6?), no central locking, no bluetooth, no nothing. Just a shoddily built box that didn’t break down.

For some reason below the snow belt everyone buys 2WD SUVs. Why I have no idea but it doesn't make too much of a difference considering how often you'd need to use 4WD.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/30/2020 at 10:12

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No idea why some one in Canada bought a 2wd je ep. But that’s why I got it cheap.  It was a good car until the day it wasn’t. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/30/2020 at 10:19

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That about sums it up. Down here, it honestly doesn't make much sense to spring for the 4WD as you'll never ever use it. But then you've just got a tall wagon with poor aero and mpgs. 

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/30/2020 at 10:29

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Bad mileage and goes like snot.  I enjoyed the goes like snot but will not miss the speeding tickets (there were a few). 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/30/2020 at 10:31

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I didn't know it was fast. V6?

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/30/2020 at 10:36

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Pretty zippy for a big red brick, awkwardly spaced gears though. 3.7 truck engine. Not winning any races but pull real hard in second. F irst is too deep though, 4.42 to 1 granny gear.  That 1-2 shift is pretty dodgy to do fast.  I think its good for 16 in the quarter mile which aint bad for a 07 dodge apartment building. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/30/2020 at 12:09

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Automatics tend to have lower first gear ratios so I’m not surprised. It was probably geared for economy more than anything.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/30/2020 at 12:13

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It does a number of things well, economy was never one of them. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/30/2020 at 12:18

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But you sort of feel like if you’re going to get terrible MPGs in a shoddily built box on wheels , you might as well have 4WD.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/30/2020 at 12:25

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I’m ready to move on, 3 years is a good run for my work vehicle. Down one suv, so my choices are sedan, other suv, pickup and smashed convertible, so I’m not hurting for vehicles. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 09/30/2020 at 12:27

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Obviously you should daily the wrecked Corvair over the winter. You could just sit in it and make vroom noises to save on gas.

What are the others again? 

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/01/2020 at 09:11

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Never have to deal with a water pump in your Corvair, god help you if you toss your fanbelt in the mountains.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 09:13

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You could install one if you really wanted more things to break.