I tow my two ATVs, the DVD screen does block some of the view, but if you have a camper, you really can't see much except the camper anyway. I have an 08 with the Hemi and we love it has plenty of power, can't even feel the 1000 pound trailer and 1300 pounds of ATVs. I think on this vehicle the running boards are a good idea, they look nice and make it easier to get in and easier on the seats. I know the door drains were an issue you may see rust forming at the base of all of the doors. Smaller wheels will probably do better in the snow but shouldn't have any issues really with the 20s. Remember it isn't an off road truck. Good luck!

 

Thank you KingZeke for the info. I had not heard that about the door drains, definitely something to look for. As for the DVD, just wondered for everyday driving. Kids have portable players now & use them all the time, trying to decide if I'd regret the built in DVD if I can't see well. Have you had to do many repairs?

 

you can definitely see the dvd player when it is down. Honestly though, I don't regret it. We had portable players for my kids in our two other cars before getting the Aspen. They love it and it isn't in the way enough to make me regret it. I use the side mirrors a lot. I haven't needed any repairs yet which is a good thing. I think I may look at replacing the shocks within the year but that is just due to having 78k miles. Good luck.

 

1. They only made the Aspen for a few years, but the Durango it's based on was built for three years prior to the Aspen making an appearance. I don't think there's anything wrong with any particular year.

2. Axle ratio deals with the amount of times the driveshaft turns before the rear wheel turns once. On the 2008 Durango, the vehicle has a stock 3.55:1 axle ratio, which means the axle turns 3.5 times to turn the rear wheel once (very generally speaking). The tow package has a higher 3.92:1 axle. Higher axle ratio = more torque, which is better for towing. The downside is that the axle continues to turn more at higher speeds, which = lower gas mileage because the RPMs tend to be higher at highway speeds.

3. It does somewhat, but you can flip it back up into the headliner when it's not being watched. It's never really been an issue for me.

4. Nope -- everything works as advertised.

5. Yep -- they work well. The paint tends to chip there first in my experience, but they're functionally good.

6. Yep -- tons of interchangeable part numbers across product lines with Chrysler. I haven't had any issues finding parts, although I haven't needed many. I've had the truck for 75k miles since 2008, and have replaced a temp sensor and a small piece of weather strip. Shocks were replaced at 50k because the stock ones are soft and wear quickly, and I did the brakes early for a performance upgrade.

7. I'm not a mechanic, but the spark plugs on the Hemi are to be replaced every 30k with copper plugs. That'd be a good thing to check to make sure the prior owner was on top of maintenance. The exhaust bolts tend to break, so if you hear a loud tick at startup, it's a simple fix. Shocks wear quickly IMO, as I stated above. I also had a TSB performed for a fuel line that burped gas out at fill-up. This was/is a common problem. Check under the fuel door to make sure the previous owner didn't have this problem without repairing it for a long time, as some Durango owners have complained about rust resulting from years of gas sitting on the paint under the fuel door. If you do ever have has spit out when filling the tank, it's a free repair with unlimited miles. Finally, rust on the bottom of the doors (door seams) has been an issue for me that was repaired under corrosion warranty. Mechanically, these are great vehicles.

8. Honestly, I don't think it matters. I prefer the look of the 20" wheels, and I use them in snow every year without an issue. The 20" tires will have a higher replacement cost than the 18" wheels, if that's a consideration for you.

9. Not that I know of, but I have a 2008.

Good luck! Lots of used Aspens out there for great deals. The Hemi engine gets crap mileage, but it's very reliable. The 4.7's mileage isn't significantly better.

 

I am listing my Aspen for sale on Kijiji and autotrader. My dealer did an oil change and peace of mind inspection. 77K kilometers on vehicle and they said my shocks are not leaking but are soft? I have had no issues with this vehicle up to now. Do I spend $1200 to get them repaired?

 

You're going to get better and more responses if you create your own thread rather than placing your question in a completely unrelated thread.

$1,200 for new shocks is ridiculous...beyond highway robbery. You can buy new Bilsteins for $300-$400, including installation. $1,200 for factory shocks is just unbelievable.

Anyway, if you're selling the vehicle, why do you care?

 

Hi 15951a\ can you expand on the exhaust bolts breaking. I have an exhaust tick on start up and when I accelerate. Which exhaust bolts are you referring to? manifold? Thanks.

 

Yes, the bolts on the exhaust manifold shear and cause a ticking at startup.