Another month spent driving the Intrepid hasn’t altered opinions much. Although we still like the way this car looks, we have been discovering more upsetting traits about the Intrepid. For starters, the black on white gauges are annoying to most of us, although the design does lend a classic sporty dimension to the vehicle and others may appreciate the nostalgia of it more than we do. It’s impossible to use AutoStick when there is a drink in the cupholder because your arm will knock into the cup, the seats are uncomfortable on long trips and difficult to snooze in when reclined, and there seems to be less legroom for the passenger than for the driver.

On a nighttime drive to Oakland from Los Angeles on California Highway 101, the Intrepid blasted up to 120 mph and stuck to the road like glue, rating a high score for handling and earning a fun-to-drive reputation. Shorter drivers who need the seat moved forward to reach the pedals end up hitting their knees on the underside of the steering column, however. And the lack of illumination on the steering wheel cruise controls and radio buttons make operating these devices at night a bit of a guessing game.

The last big complaint centers on the amount of energy required to depress the gas pedal. Although we didn’t expect the car to drive itself, we also didn’t expect to have to fight with the accelerator all the time, cramping our calf muscles and fatiguing our right feet. For twenty-five grand, we expected better.

The misaligned rear door, broken door lock and protruding window moldings that we cited last month were looked at by La Brea Avenue Motors in Los Angeles a few days ago. The service department aligned the door correctly, replaced the weather stripping and fixed the rear window molding free of charge. They also tested the ornery rear door lock, but could not find anything wrong.

Once again, we applaud Dodge for the nice styling of this machine and for some forward-thinking amenities like the split-folding rear seats, but we are so disappointed with the obvious lack of attention to detail during assembly that we have taken to calling the vehicle the “Decrepit Intrepid.”

One driver had this to say: “I really like the way the Intrepid looks when parked across the street, but once you get down to details, it isn’t so cool anymore.”

Best Fuel Economy: 24.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.8 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None.