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+--- Thread: My writeup on the 2005 Dodge Stratus SXT ! (/showthread.php?tid=1723)
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My writeup on the 2005 Dodge Stratus SXT ! - WRXtranceformed - 02-09-2005
I haven't posted a whole lot here in a while, so I thought I'd break the ice and give a long winded writeup of a fantastically terrible car !
![[Image: stratus5.jpg]](http://www.allautoreviews.com/auto_reviews/dodge/photos/stratus5.jpg)
This car sucks balls.
Obtaining this rental car after my car went in the shop to replace the bumper cover, I now wish that I had just opted to walk the 30 miles to work. And I'm not even paying for it !
I knew this car would suck when the rental agent said "Well, I'll have to apologize for something in advance" when he drove it up. I said "What, that it has bird shit all over the hood?" "No" he said, "the guys only left about a 1/4 tank of gas in it. Just bring it back on E."
Right, this thing apparently guzzles gas worse than MY car does.
Let me give you a few biased opinions on this car.
Interior
I'm not a tall guy, and I feel cramped as hell sitting in the driver's seat. If I hit a large enough pothole, I have no doubt that I'd end up with a concussion from hitting the roof of the car. The car is roomy yes, I'll give it that. The layout however is totally worthless. WTF is this rubber box in the dash for ? I asked myself. What could I possibly fit in there ? Is that where the clock for this car normally goes ? Because I don't see one.
The cupholders are placed in the worst possible position; about halfway down where my shins are. If I were to consume a beverage in this car, I'd be concerned for my safety trying to reach for it. Further beyond the cup holders is yes, another rubber box. This one appears larger though, maybe to fit CDs ? I would never attempt to reach for them, however, as this would certainly require me to stick my head completely below the dashboard thus turning the car into a road missle.
At night, the gauge cluster has the "Indiglo watch" look that makes me sick to my stomach. It is so poorly designed in fact that the light from the other gauges bleeds somehow into the area where the CEL, seatbelt, and accessory lights all come on, making them appear to be half-lit and half-not..... wtf.
To its credit, this car does have a 6 disc changer and a little bump in it. I was listening to some shit real loud on the way home last night and realized though... where is the midrange ? I thought I was actually listening to a different CD other than the one I put in because the music sounded so whack.
I saw a hot chick in a baseball cap coming out of one of the sales offices this morning and even though I was late I thought I might swing by and holla at her. Then I realized that since I was driving a Dodge Stratus and listening to ATB house remixes that she would think I was some dude on crank who stole a car. Because I honestly think that's the only reason someone would acquire one of these.
Exterior
Not much to say, it's average. It's a Dodge. The bird poop all over it reminds me of the pooparu with spinn@rs to some extent, although I joked with my brother that the pooparu would probably win in a race. I really was only half joking though. Which brings us to......
Performance!
This car is about as much fun to drive as jerking off with broken glass. Being set behind by about 10 minutes this morning because I had to fill up gas, I thought I could step on it and make up some time (like I usually do). Sadly mistaken I was ! I mash the pedal, the front end bucks up, but what the fuck... I'm still going the same speed ? At the same rate ? I tried powerbraking, only to get the same piss-poor launch. Why even bother giving the option to go WOT on this car, it accelerates the same at 1/4 throttle. I seriously think there must be a leak in the gas tank, because I have no idea what could cause the fuel to be consumed so quickly. Oh right, aside from it's weight.
The stock tires on this car might be a little better than mine, but the body roll is tremendous. The suspension gives it that Russian tank feel, and I did have fun purposely nailing large potholes and sinks in the road this morning on the way to work. The breaks are adequate, but I should hope so considering how much this car weighs and the fact it only has 200 miles on it.
In conclusion, this American piece of shit has made up my mind to never purchase a Dodge in my life... even an OMFGZ TEH $Rt-4lyf. A car company that's willing to put out such a worthless piece of machinery to the masses surely does not care about the experience of driving ? Every time someone purchases a Dodge Stratus, an angel in Heaven loses its wings. Please people, think of the angels.
- ScottyB - 02-09-2005
bahahahaha
good thing there wasn't a soccer mom in a mini van who wanted to race you for pink slips....i guess you would have had to decline.
Re: My writeup on the 2005 Dodge Stratus SXT ! - BLINGMW - 02-09-2005
WRXtranceformed Wrote:Then I realized that since I was driving a Dodge Stratus and listening to ATB house remixes that she would think I was some dude on crank who stole a car.
WRXtranceformed Wrote:This car is about as much fun to drive as jerking off with broken glass.
:lol:
Awesome review. :lol: Sounds like a sweet ryd3 yO. Torturing POS rental cars is nothing but fun in my book! That "front end lifting up but not really going faster" feeling and worthless ergonomics reminds me of the Pontiac Grand Am my cousins had. Wanna write for my (non-existant but I wish it were) magazine?
- Feersty - 02-09-2005
What a piece of shit.
- deeseetoo - 02-09-2005
you sold me, i found a new beater!
Re: My writeup on the 2005 Dodge Stratus SXT ! - G.Irish - 02-09-2005
BLINGMW Wrote:Awesome review. :lol: Sounds like a sweet ryd3 yO. Torturing POS rental cars is nothing but fun in my book!
Oh yeah like that time you drifted my rental Sentra into your parking lot?
- Dave - 02-09-2005
I believe there was a certain rental mazda that graced us with its prescence at one of our recent autocrosses.... :-)
- Maengelito - 02-09-2005
Dave Wrote:I believe there was a certain rental mazda that graced us with its prescence at one of our recent autocrosses.... :-)
- Jeff - 02-21-2005
The picture above is an R/T Stratus. The SXT is a mid-line model developed for overall value. If it was a two-door (as pictured) it is the same thing as a Mitsubishi Eclipse. The four-door is totally different from the car pictured above. The 2dr is equipped with a 2.4L I4 in the SXT package and a 3.0L (BLING!) V6 in the R/T. The 2dr has an available 5speed whereas the 4dr does not.
The 4dr Stratus was designed in America and is produced in Canada and Mexico. It uses the 2.4L on the SXT and the Base models and the 2.7L DOHC V6 on the upper levels. It also sports the 2.4L turbo in Mexico and Europe. A mid-sized cab forward car used to bridge the gap between the new LX series (300/Charger/Magnum) cars and the PL body (Neon/SRT-4).
The CoupeÔÇÖ model is noticeably sportier but the SXT is not (and is not promoted) as a sports car. The R/T is promoted as such doesnÔÇÖt particularly stand out (just like the modern Eclipse). The shortcomings of the coupeÔÇÖ can be blamed on the Japanese. Word has it that Chrysler is liquidating all its holdings in Mitsubishi and the Neon replacement is to be the last Mitsubishi collaboration car.
My last thoughts... The SXT is not at all a fun car to drive as the 2.4 is massively underpowered (and it does have fairly poor MPG). The 3.0L is for the most part like driving an N/A 3000GT. The SXT package cars have been the best selling line of Dodge cars for the past two years and have proven to be a good value. You get the look of the fancier models without the extra cost of the larger engine, leather, and the like. IÔÇÖm fighting my urge to speak with anger on this subject, because it is dear to me in a round about way, but funk it.
- WRXtranceformed - 02-21-2005
Dude, whether you love Dodges or not, if you've driven one of those you'd agree: that car fuckin sucks ! When the rental agent asked me how I liked it, I used that same exact phrase... even he laughed.
Boy am I glad to have my car back now =p I was going through boost withdrawal after 3 days.
- KPWSerpiente - 02-21-2005
3 days...fuck you, my shit was in the body shop for 4.
-T
- ScottyB - 02-21-2005
KPWSerpiente Wrote:my shit was in the body shop for 4.
-T
don't tell me Thayer has pressured you into getting a supra wing for the gs-t!
- ViPER1313 - 02-21-2005
Last rental car I drove was a brand new (less than 2 miles when I got it) 2004 Chevy Malibu LS with the 3.5l V6 - alright pickup and great brakes (possibly the firmest and most linear I have ever felt), every feature you could imagine in a midpriced car (6 disc changer, automatic climate control, remote start, traction control, 4 wheel discs w/ ABS, power seats, etc.) Problem was that the steering felt like it was disconnected from the front wheels and the throttle tip in was completely nonlinear. It was so slow to start with that it forced you to dip deep into the throttle, which produced a quick kick-down and a chirp of the tires. The engine was also lacking in power considering how large it was, and it quickly ran out of steam as the revs picked up.
American car companies need to get their act together - compared to a Mazda 6 (which could use a little more steering feedback itself) the Malibu doesn't stand a chance.
- ScottyB - 02-21-2005
ViPER1313 Wrote:American car companies need to get their act together - compared to a Mazda 6 (which could use a little more steering feedback itself) the Malibu doesn't stand a chance.
i think part of the problem is that the average American family sedan driver has low expectation to begin with after dealing with decades of sub-par American crap in that market segment.
- Ryan T - 02-21-2005
ScottyB Wrote:KPWSerpiente Wrote:my shit was in the body shop for 4.
-T
don't tell me Thayer has pressured you into getting a supra wing for the gs-t!
The bling is spreading. :twisted:
- bassmangrammy - 02-21-2005
Don't talk about my dodge stratus like that! I'm a division manager...people are scared of me...I drive a dodge stratus!
- Jeff - 02-21-2005
WRXtranceformed Wrote:Dude, whether you love Dodges or not, if you've driven one of those you'd agree: that car fuckin sucks !
I have driven about every Chrysler/Dodge model put out for the past decade. Vipers (the truck, not the car
) to Neons. The SXT Stratus is not a race car, and they arenÔÇÖt the nicest cars in the world. Its Ironic though that so many posts on here point out that it is an American made car, because it is not. Only by name is this car American. But whatever. The point here is that you are evaluating this car on criteria it was not designed to meet, at least the performance part. If you find the car's layout poor then that is a personal problem. Your opinion is yours and you are free to have it, and express it. The last part of your post something about Dodge putting out crap is what gets me. Once again, your opinion is yours. That would be like me taking out a basic Subaru Forester and running the shit out of it, then saying "any company that would put out crap like this certainly isn't thinking about performance." I would be wrong, for sure, but thatÔÇÖs my point.
- bassmangrammy - 02-21-2005
We've got a 2002 330Ci in-stock...drove it today...yeah...it should definately out run the SXT...so buy it!
- Jeff - 02-21-2005
Aaron unknowingly reinforces my point.
- bassmangrammy - 02-21-2005
"My dodge stratus was in the shop today"...."you mean Your crappy dodge stratus"...."don"t talk about my dodge stratus like that"