[karde]

Hi everyone, you've got a newbie here =)

Let me tell you a little story: I've purchased a 2003 honda accord 185000 miles on it and transmission broke 20 days later. Had to replace it and out a lot of money into it. But a few days ago got into a car crash (5 cars crash, 4 were stopped, fifth kind of merged all of us), car was considered a total loss, so now I'm looking for a replacement.

I've come around dodge caliber 2010 sxt, which has around 90000 miles on it, has a gold check warranty and is priced at 7500$. Car was previously owned by two owners: rental first, leasing second. I have a few questions:

1. Is it a good price for such car or should I break it lower?
2. What kind of troubles should I expect from dodge caliber sxt 2010 at such milage?
3. Since, if I decide to purchase it, I'll be making my mechanic tke a look at it, so what things should I pay the most attention to?
4. Any general advises for dodge caliber purchases?

Thank you guys in advance!
Sincerely, Sergey.

 

[LYC79]

Hey Sergey! I'm in Italy so I can't help you much with your questions but someone else will chime in soon... just wanted to tell you "welcome"

 

[chrisf2012]

I want to say that the 2010 SXTs offered by rental agencies were decontented versions of the car...cheapened in various ways to keep the costs down for fleet buyers. Things like less sound insulation, fewer airbags, rear drum brakes instead of discs, etc. I know Chrysler had a separate brochure for the "fleet" version of the car.

$7500 for the fleet version with 90K miles on it sounds high to me. Have you tried valuating the car at Edmunds or KBB to see what it should sell for?

Problems you may experience at that mileage are the rather common suspension problems and noise from the alternator, indicating that the decoupling pulley on it is shot. Other than those, nothing that's really common.

As for general advice, I personally would only consider a Caliber made after Fiat took over the company, meaning late 2010 models (Express/Heat/Mainstreet/Rush/etc.) through the end of production in 2012. They made some changes to the car and spent a ton of money getting the factories modernized and "up-to-snuff", and I think that translated into better quality.

 

[Aleks]

No specific versions, just no optional packages.

Dodge keep their entry prices low by specifying a base model with limited production numbers.

We have a thread with the year model changes. If I remember right the MY12 Caliber was offered late to the public and the MY11 parts bins were used for fleet buyers only.