Learn Me: Dodge Journey

My job is likely going fully remote (hopefully soon), thinking of getting out of my lease and buying a cheap commuter to haul the kids around in. Dodge Journey came up as the cheapest new to me 3rd row, some cheap ones in the $2500-$3500 not totally rusted out and decent. The 2008–2011 have 3.5 Chrysler SOHC  and 3.6 Pentastar V6 is in the  2011–2019. The both seem to be in a lot of Dodge and Chrysler (good or bad), however parts should come easy. The interior seems to be cheap (doesn't bother me). In size they seem to match the replacement of Mazda Cx9. Reviews seem to be cheap in price and good highway drive, but also cheap and pieced together.  

I'm not a journey fan, but at 3k they are a functioning 3 row.

The early pentastars commonly have oil filter housing and valve train issues. I've also seen a slew of dead trannies in them. Suspension generally dies an early death and makes a bunch of noises.

At this price range and the need of 3 rows doesn't leave you much room or other options. Beaters are never perfect, you buy them because of price and just deal with the problems if or when they show up.

There used to be two different wheel bases offered in the Morpar Minivan. 

The Dodge Caravan for short:

and, the Dodge Grand Caravan for long: 

For 2008, all that was offered was the new Grand:

It is my opinion that the short wheelbase was then replaced with the Journey.  The short wheelbase van disguised as an SUV.  Sliding side doors replaced with swing rear doors.  

Not trying to have Stow and Go then allows the Journey to have a rear drive shaft and optional AWD (but not all Journey are AWD.) 

Entry model Jouney are 2.4L 4cyl and V6 was optional.

As someone who works in auto parts I've always said you could run a repair shop and work on nothing else. Pentastar is a good motor but the rest of the vehicle is sub par in my opinion. Up here in the rust belt they don't hold up. I've seen subframe rot and even rear axle rot you could put your hand through. Rear chassis design is needlessly complex. They seem to be hard on rear brakes as well. So I guess most of the problems are in the back of the vehicle. 
However, as stated above for 3k it may be alright. 

They seem to be one of those vehicles that start actively falling apart between the 130-150k mile mark.

Cheap for a reason.

I have a Mopar van.  It was a price point purchase.  Even going into it I knew it wouldn't be a "forever" car but it was a good value.  my intention is to offload it just before 100k.  It's currently only at 69k.  The next 30k miles could take 3-4 years given how little my wife DDs.  

So, I'm not particularly against the Dodge Journey but I would be cautious of a high mileage sample.  

The Journey looks amazingly like a Mitubishi Mirage underneath.  Or a pre-X Lancer Evolution if you prefer.

I think some parts actually do interchange.

They cranked them out like sausages for many, many, many years.  Almost every one I have seen had the 2.4l "World Engine" (same design as many billions of Hyundais and Kias used, and Mitsubishi too I guess) but some few have the 3.6, which makes them ridiculously fast for what is basically a fat Mitsubishi Expo.

The journey was a decent vehicle. Very narrow bodied so confirm the kids fit. It lived a very long production life so yes some used parts should be out there. 

The pacifica minivan would be a better ride overall. 

If you don't mind some used car blues and consider it just this side of disposable then it seems a great deal. I drove one a little bit and found it ok to drive around but the chassis dynamics are not great. 

No direct experience, but I have a b-i-l who drove a lot of Journeys as rental cars. He was OK with the V6s but absolutely detested the 4s. FWIW, his vehicle at home was a newish 4Runner.

John Welsh said:

I have a Mopar van.  It was a price point purchase.  Even going into it I knew it wouldn't be a "forever" car but it was a good value.  my intention is to offload it just before 100k.  It's currently only at 69k.  The next 30k miles could take 3-4 years given how little my wife DDs.  

So, I'm not particularly against the Dodge Journey but I would be cautious of a high mileage sample.  

Ours has 140k and it's been rock solid

In reply to trigun7469 :

Not a Journey but a 2005, 7 seater with 113k asking $3.6k.  This one was from its final year of production.

Reasonably reliable (and moderate repair costs) and not the worst at mpg. Probably 23 mpg combined.

I bought a 2014 Journey with the 3.6 last year. AWD, mostly loaded, gets decent mileage, the kids and wife like it, and I don't hate it. The other 3rd row vehicle we have is a Merc R350, and other than being older and therefore less tech, it's better in almost every way, though it's a 6 seater, not 7.