Seriously consideirng an 05 Dodge Magnum 3.5 V6..

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any advice or info anyone might have?

we were looking at purchasing an 08 Rabbit 5 speed b4 this, but with the looks and solid feel and SAVINGS of the Dodge, we couldn't ignore the deal!!!

I know these are both very different vehicles, but I have always liked the look of the Magnums, and now that they've gotten a few years older, and all have the RWD setup and aggressive looks, I think it's the perfect car for us (no kids, but we love skiing and I love snowboarding, and the added space is just a bonus!!!)

what say you? any advise? bad stories? recommendations?

thanks in advance
 
P.S. I really wanted a crown vic, but sadly none have fold down seats or at least a ski pass thru
frown.gif


so the Magnum is the closest thing to it. Sor far from the online reviews, most seem to like them.
 
The early Magnums (which this is) were notorious for having lots of maintenance gremlins. It's a 4000lb car with a barely adequate (in terms of power/torque) V6. Gas mileage is also not going to be very very good...probably 17-ish around town and in the low 20's mpg on the highway.

Changing the oil isn't that big of a deal on the 3.5L. Don't forget to check to see if the original owner has already dealt with the timing belt service if it's got high mileage.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
The 3.5 is a very solid, reliable engine. Chrysler definetly got that one 'right'.
+1
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But the Magnum looks like a squashed Mini-Van or a bloated car. I think it's ugly, but to each their own I guess...
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
The 3.5 is a very solid, reliable engine. Chrysler definetly got that one 'right'.


It's a nice engine for sure. But that is a very heavy car for it. Sure, it can do the job, but you'll see the result at the gas pump. I originally looked at a Magnum, but Mrs. Familyguy said it looked too much like a hearse so I got a Charger instead, which shares the same drivetrain...though I opted for the hemi V8.
 
Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
Please, someone tell me there's a timing CHAIN on the 3.5..and have it be true. ;-)


I just checked the Gates application guide and it isn't listed. But it is definitely the same engine as the one used in the old LH (300m/Intrepid/Concorde/LHS), Pacifica, Prowler and those for SURE used a timing belt, not a chain. And it's an interference engine.
 
I drove a rental Magnum 3.5L a few years back. I loved it. I found it to be comfortable and plenty powerful. I didn't drive it enough for a feel of MPGs and such.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
I drove a rental Magnum 3.5L a few years back. I loved it. I found it to be comfortable and plenty powerful. I didn't drive it enough for a feel of MPGs and such.

Joel


I rented a 3.5L Charger on a business trip and absolutely hated it compared to the V8. The mileage was about the same. The Charger and Chrysler 300 are mechanically the same under the skin as a Magnum.
 
thanks for the help guys. I have the car booked for the next couple of days at the local dodge dealership where I'm getting the pre-purchase inspection done.

A few things that made me decide on this car over others are:

1. I considered other cars that are simsilar to it, and honestly, there's nothing else as bad a$$-looking as the Magnum. And when you consider the price they are selling at, the other "wagons" in the same category according to Edmunds are a lot pricier for the same years (Freestyle and Pacifica).

2. I know it's not the 5.7 Hemi, but a 3.5 is more than enough for our needs considering my GF and I weight a collective 300lbs, and dont have any trailer or boat to pull. So 99% of the time it'll be just the 2 of us in the car with maybe groceries or a purchase from Ikea.

3. The Magnum feels ROBUST when compared to our current car (92 Corolla) or any other cars we had considered in the past (i.e. Mazda 3, VW Rabbit etc.) Potholes and cracks in the road don't disturb this car at all! Something similar to the Grand Marquis I also considered

4. Sure the fuel economy isn't as good as the smaller cars we considered, but when you consider the 7-8,000 premium I'd have to pay to purchase them, driving those smaller cars I'd have to drive them for an additional 4-5 years to recoop the purchase cost. This is something most ppl. dont' consider when choosing a smaller car. It seems as tho everyone is stuck on the MPG ratings, and dont' seem to "pay" attention to the other factors. Not to mention the higher insurance for driving an import.

5. mods are dirt cheap!!! I'm considering a CAI and maybe a dual exhaust upgrade. I've hard of it done b4, and gives the car more hp and a nicer sound.

6.the drivertrain is tested and reliable from the reviews I've read, again similar to the Grand Marquis I've considered. Also, local law enforcement uses Chargers with the same drivetrain, so that makes me feel a bit better as well.

With the following considered, I think this is a very sound purchase. It offers the comfort and power suitable for daily driving, as well as looks that could stop an economy car in it's tracks! (seriously, other cars were giving us the right of way when we were test driving this car...something that I've never experienced with any other car b4, I think it's the aggresive looks).

thanks again for the help, and happy motoring
 
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Consider something else.

My wife bought a 05 Magnum and it was a total nightmare with every issue it could possibly have. She sold it a year later and bought a late model Crown Victoria which she really likes with no issues.

A local PD bought 2 Magnums for K-9 use and found out later on they also were nightmares. I thought they were nice looking wagons. Its too bad they had so many issues.
 
If its not too late you could try a mazda6 wagon out. I was surprised how cheap they are going for here. A mean looking 05 GT with leather, manual trans was $12k with 80k km...
I haven't driven either car but usually mazdas are kind of like fwd bmw's IMO.
 
Originally Posted By: MIAMI-DADE
Consider something else.

My wife bought a 05 Magnum and it was a total nightmare with every issue it could possibly have. She sold it a year later and bought a late model Crown Victoria which she really likes with no issues.

A local PD bought 2 Magnums for K-9 use and found out later on they also were nightmares. I thought they were nice looking wagons. Its too bad they had so many issues.



What issues are there? I dont' understand why everyone says these cars are terrible yet have nothing in particular to find fault with.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
If its not too late you could try a mazda6 wagon out. I was surprised how cheap they are going for here. A mean looking 05 GT with leather, manual trans was $12k with 80k km...
I haven't driven either car but usually mazdas are kind of like fwd bmw's IMO.


IMHO the Mazda 3 feels like a_crapbox_on_fancy wheels, therefore I don't expect much from the 6, as the apple doesn't usually fall from the tree
 
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we just had a mazda 3 rental in PR. Lousier than I would hve expected. It was a rental though...

Had no superiority over the (likely less expensive) ford focus rental I had long-term...
 
Originally Posted By: Stanley Rockafeller
Originally Posted By: MIAMI-DADE
Consider something else.

My wife bought a 05 Magnum and it was a total nightmare with every issue it could possibly have. She sold it a year later and bought a late model Crown Victoria which she really likes with no issues.

A local PD bought 2 Magnums for K-9 use and found out later on they also were nightmares. I thought they were nice looking wagons. Its too bad they had so many issues.



What issues are there? I dont't understand why everyone says these cars are terrible yet have nothing in particular to find fault with.

It had tranny,stalling,oil leaks including rear end. My wife spoke to other Magnum owners and they had similar issues. The car had only 7 thousand miles on it when she traded it in.

She was so upset over that car she was almost impossible to live.
 
Originally Posted By: MIAMI-DADE
Originally Posted By: Stanley Rockafeller
Originally Posted By: MIAMI-DADE
Consider something else.

My wife bought a 05 Magnum and it was a total nightmare with every issue it could possibly have. She sold it a year later and bought a late model Crown Victoria which she really likes with no issues.

A local PD bought 2 Magnums for K-9 use and found out later on they also were nightmares. I thought they were nice looking wagons. Its too bad they had so many issues.



What issues are there? I dont't understand why everyone says these cars are terrible yet have nothing in particular to find fault with.

It had tranny,stalling,oil leaks including rear end. My wife spoke to other Magnum owners and they had similar issues. The car had only 7 thousand miles on it when she traded it in.

She was so upset over that car she was almost impossible to live.


funny you mention that, as I actually went thru with the inspection. The car had a mere 57kms on it, yet the rear pinion seal was leaking [censored]?!?! seriously my 21 year old BMW e30 that has nearly 300kms on it, and sits in a quancet for 11.75 months a year doesn't even have any leaks with synthetic in it. Strange...very strange.

Oh well, at least we've decided on something much more fun and reliable with the SVT Focus :)
 
Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
Please, someone tell me there's a timing CHAIN on the 3.5..and have it be true. ;-)


No timing chain on the 3.5. It's a belt drive.

The 2.7L has timing chains - 3 of them actually. But don't let your preference for a timing chain sway you towards a 2.7. There's baggage that goes along with it.
 
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