Used 2002 Dodge Stratus Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Good Car....
I bought the car from a friend 4 years ago back in 2006. So far no major problems. Everything works, no paint problems. Small coolant leak noticed a few weeks ago. I drive the car a lot. The gas mileage is great and the drive is pretty smooth too. My only complaint is the plain interior. Changed the rear rotors once. That's the only major work we had to do. Overall, it's a good car to have.
103K and no issues
Gas, tires, oil, brakes and 1 tie rod end. Not sure I even needed the tie rod. My only expenses after 7 years and 103,000 miles.
- SE Plus SedanMSRP: $1,9991,137 mi away
- SE Plus SedanMSRP: $2,5001,529 mi away
- ES SedanMSRP: $2,9902,160 mi away
Surprised winner of the Year!!!
It is the surprised winner, didn't think it would be, friend told me to test drive it and has love it since. Will totally surprise you, give it a test-drive.
Great car - gonna miss it!
I loved my Dodge Stratus - the reason I say "loved" is because I'm about to sell it to my brother. I'm upgrading to an SUV with 4 wheel drive, but if I wasn't, I would keep my Stratus. I also owned a 98 Dodge Stratus before I was in an accident and totalled it out, but my first choice was again, another Stratus. They are great looking, smooth confortable rides, good fuel economy, great get up and go and overall fun to drive. I never once had any maintenance issues with either Stratus I owned. I only had regular oil changes and that was all I ever had to do - these are great cars!
Buyer Beware!!!!!!
I loved this car when I got it. It was used and only 3 years old w/decent mileage. Then I drove it for a while... The transmission slipped in the cold weather, the water pump and alternator went and never mind trying to fix "simple" problems on your own. This car is a total nightmare to work on, very very expensive repair costs. Over the weekend it was stolen and the joke is on them because it was a piece of junk. Don't buy these cars, I have a feeling there are more lemons than reliable builds of this model out there. Save your money and put it into somethign that will last and not break the bank to fix. Water pump alone was over $600 to replace...
100K, little upkeep and running strong
After 100,000 miles this car is running strong and has never needed more than the usual upkeep [oil, brakes, tires, etc]. Car is noisier than original condition but is to be expected after 100k. Car has never overheated. Air conditioner, heater, electronics, power, control - everything is working in great condition. I have to say for the value, this car is well worth it.
good car for us
this car has been very good for us so far. We've put 105000 miles on the car since we bought and only one major complaint. We kept losing transmission fluid every few months. Problem was due to bad connectors not made for our seasons in Minnesota (so we were told). After being fixed several times under warranty and the warranty about to expire the dealership replaced the connectors with a different type and we have had no problems since. Gas mileage is not the best but when I step on the pedal I go.
02 Stratus SE V6
Bought my Stratus SE V6 in Jan. of this year with 18,--- miles on it. Performance is definately more then most people expect it to be, so it's fun getting on the gas. After about a month of owning the car, my interior brake light kept comming on and my brakes made a moaning noise. Took it to the dealership and they said "nothing was wrong". Recently took it back to the dealership and they determined that my rotors needed to be replaced. Also, now my transmission leaks. I still have about 6,000 miles left on my warranty so I'm sure the Dodge dealership will tell me my transmission doesn't leak for another 6,001 miles. Won't buy another used dodge.
One of the best cars I've owned
I've had this car for about two years and have found it to be a good combination of sport car "fun-to- drive" and sedan practicality. Power and braking are excellent. It's loaded with options. The quality of construction is outstanding - no squeaks or rattles and everything works as it should. I have yet to take it in for anything more than routine maintenance. A great value for the money- about $15000.
I LOVE THIS CAR!!!
My dad has purchased this Dodge Stratus '01 and I just can't help looking at it from the outside. The car is very beautiful. By the time my dad parked it outside the house, our neighbors even said, "wow it's beautiful!" This car is very unique and bold, it has a distinct design and you would really know when the DODGE STRATUS is on the road! The car is affordable too which is so unbelievable. I like its outside features, and I love the interior design more. It's very comfortable, and I love driving the car, It's just perfect!
Ups and DOWNS
When I bought this car, I would have said it was a 10. It had looks, smooth ride, low noise, roomy interior, and power. About 8 months and only 5,000 miles later, it developed a vibration and growling noise. After five visits to the dealer (who really didn't want to work on it) and a letter to Chrysler (who said if I didn't like the dealer, take it somewhere else), the possible cause was the transmission. With some research I found out that this troublesome transmission was the same one used in prior years only to be renamed. Would I buy this car again even though it has looks, comfort, power, etc..? NO! Maybe I just got the lemon of the bunch.
Best car I have ever had!!!
I drove approximately 15 new vehicles before deciding on this Stratus SE. The 2.4L 4 cyl. is in fact slow, but is suprisingly refined and quiet - for a 4 cylinder. I might also add that even though the engine lacks the power of the V6, I find that the engine and transmission compliment each other very well. Great ride, no wind/road noise, and excellent build quality - Let me mention that I am a Quality Assurance Supervisor, with over 11 years in my field. I am extremely picky to say the least. This is just a fantastic vehicle.
crap!!!!
I have had my stratus for only one year. All i drive is highway miles, the easiest miles on your car. Well, now that my warenty is almost up i have had to replace the tourq converter, and the front tie rods. What else is going to break once my warrenty is up? All i have been hearing now is how cheap dodge has been making their cars. I am starting to beleive it. I wont buy another chystler product.
eh
I am very mixed on this car. My father bought the car new, and passed it down to me 9 yrs later. He did all of the routine maintenance and also had nothing but issues , but being I was in college and my truck had crapped out I figured why not. The car finally died at 186,000 miles, when the trans went I dumped it. I had already bought a new car but being i almost rebuilt this one I tried and tried to keep it. I loved the styling of it and how it drove, even to this day, ( it is sitting in my driveway) I still think it looks sharp and especially for its day! however the here goes some of the repair list. at 42,000 miles my father rebuilt the rear end. at 90,000 i had to replace the fuel rail due to a fuel leak. With that I did the injectors. after 100,000 I lost track ,but here goes, I've done the belts ( routine) motor mounts, shocks , 2 ball joints cracked on me while driving 2 separate incidents, both axels , sway bars , hose from radiator cracked and leaked , thermostat , starter , water pump , head gasket , oil pan , and brakes. From my opinion the braking system in that car is terrible. Also the AC had issues, and it had no heat. the Windshield wiper motor was shot , and the oil light would flicker. I know reading this all seems impossible, but my mechanic was my fathers best friend so I rarely paid for anything so no it was not a mechanic having a good time, this car was a mess. the only saving grace that I would consider Dodge again is before this I had a durango and my father had bought the 2006 stratus to replace the 2002 mostly because I needed a car and he loved his 06 and never had any issues.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
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- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
dodge stratus 2001
competent performer for its tier - main complaint is poor rear visibility and uncomfortable front seats even with power seats - not a car to take on the road for a long trip
My bad experience
I would never buy a dodge as long as i live. This car has had way too many transmission problems. It went in over 20 times for the transmission. Plus, when other things go wrong, you have to buy from Dodge directly. They also lied to me at the dealership. Was suppose to have a five year loan, have a six year. Never buy this car. Huge mistake.
2002 4dr- sedan Stratus
I had a 96 Stratus before so naturally I went for the 2002 when it became time for a new car. I love the pretty color (sky blue) and the body style. I think the interior is an improvement from the older models. But I have to say I am REALLY disappointed that my car is leaking transmission fluid all over the place for no reason...the older version was (I have a feeling) way more reliable than the 2002. Other than the whole "transmission" problem (which is like, probably pretty bad for the outcome of my car over the years), the car is lovely. Hopefully you all have better luck...maybe I just got a bad seed.
Happy driver
Has been a very good car, 65,000 so far. Will buy another one. Its fun, good fuel economy, reasonably fast, looks good, been reliable. Is holding its looks well. Has been much more fun with a set of Contis on it versus the OEM tires. Great in the MI snow.
02 Stratus
Bought the V6 2.7L 2002 Stratus SE. Love its powerful engine and acceleration. Its AT is not as smooth as my GM car. The paint job is poor. The plastic interior looks cheap. The battery is at a very odd position (not viewable under the hood). The work room under the hood is very tight, which makes many maintenance job more difficult. The headroom for the front folks is too small, regarding the size of this vehicle. It has a huge blind spot at the drive side. Have to be very careful when change lanes. Fuel economy is about 21-22 mpg for mostly highway driving. The trunk is narrow, but quite deep. Reliability: after 8000 miles, no any problem so far.
Like all but Electrical Problems
No rattles after 40000 miles and handles beautifully but the electrical system is quirky.
First Imperssions Can Be Missleading
The transmission in this thing is terrible. I have the 6 cylinder with an automatic. The car jumps when you pull up to a stop sign. Also if you sprint to 45 and completly let of the gas, the transmission gives you a nerve racking "THUNK" as it shifts. I had to have the Transmission hoses replaced at 26000. Since then the dealership keeps adding trany fluid but tells me it's ok. The battery whent completly out at 38000, no longer under warranty (Bat said 5 year 60000 dealer wouldn't warranty). Left me stranded at a stop light in town in lunch hour traffic. Now the Cig/ACC outlet has stopped working. What is next!!
My Baby Stratus
I really like this car....Its very reliable over the last 1 1/2 years. Great power, great look, great performance!! There are only 2 drawbacks to this car.....really only one MAJOR gripe! The front rims become FILTHY.....after any kind of trip. The brake dust is just disgusting....I love to keep my car in PRISTINe shape, but the front rims are the only downfall.
Stratus ES
My 2002 ES is fun and reliable. Performance with the 2.7L engine is great and it gets good gas mileage. It also looks sporty with my added spoiler.
Fun car to drive-excellent value
The Stratus SXT is a fun car to drive with excellent pick up when accelerating. Very comfortable and handles very well on snowy and wet pavement. Some very minor repairs required during warranty period but were promptly repaired by dealer.
Fun to drive
The R/T package on the Stratus has one of the best handling suspensions I have ever driven. The 2.7 liter engine has very nice performance for this class. I find the interior design well thought out and attractive, much better than any of the Japanese cars I have been in in this class. My car gets driven pretty hard and in some pretty atypical conditions, but it has never let me down.
My Second Dodge
The car is very dependable even in the coldest, wettest weather in the northeast, especially when very cold temps. Starts up without a problem even at 15 degrees. The car handles very well in blizzard conditions.
Great car, bad tranny.
After 5 years and over 100,000 miles this has proven to be a surprisingly comfortable and reliable car in general, and it has even aged very well. I've replaced niggling stuff like the wiper arms and washer nozzle, but everything else has held up. It's very easy on brakes and tires (each replaced only once in 100,000 miles), and the engine has always been smooth and quiet and required no unscheduled maintenance at all. The scary part is the most expensive part of the car. The transmission has been the leakiest I've ever seen in my life! It has leaked from day one and after replacing $1000 worth of hydrolic hoses and modules it has a bad leak again!
YIIIIPPPPEEEEE
Ilove this car. My fiance has a ram 1500 and I had to put it in the shop and they gave me a stratus on loaner. I fell in love with the car, I didnt want a car because I didnt think they would have enough room for my two kids but this one was. I went back the next week to look more into it....well I ended up leaving with a 2002 black sxt with a sunroof...this car is excellent and fast and cute!!
Everything Breaks
I had less then 36,000 miles on my car and the heat and air conditioning stopped working. The car gets a moldy smell that I have brought back to the dealer 5 times for and they can't figure out what the problem is. The break sensor started going off 3 months into ownership and I have had the breaks looked at and now replaced but the light continues to go on around corners. The guy at the dealership says we can disconnect the fuse-great what happens when there is a real problem. The car
Excellent Value
This is the car to have if you want it all. Performance, economy, and reliabilty. It is not overstated in the looks department, (no plastic cladding like on some cars in its class) and yet does not have the square utilitarian look of some other cars. The fit and finish is very well done, the interior is laid out quite nicely, everything is within reach, and the instruments are colored white and easy to read. This is not just a grocery getter.
2002 Dodge Stratus SE Plus
It is not my vehicle but my brother owns a 2002 Dodge Stratus SE Plus! I love this car. Doing 60 on the highway feels more like 30! It has great fuel economy. He has it in Stone White with Dark Slate Gray Cloth. The back seat is comfortable enough for 2 adults and a 5 feet tall 12 year old. Perfect legroom in front and back!
OK then Died at 115K
I gambled when I bought this car. My brother works for Chrysler so I thought that I would keep him employed. Frequent brake replacements, Car ok til 70K major repairs= $2500 Luckily I had 7 year 100K drivetrain warranty. This year the engine over heated cost me 2K,(mistake) then the engine blew about 2 months later. Figured tranny next so I junked it. If I would have bought Toyota it would have still been running and worth money. DON'T buy a used one unless you have a death wish!
Vehicle rating
The Dodge Stratus has lots of style on the outside and the inside is nice, but poor quality. My carpet is lifting off the floor and some of the molding near the roof is not snug. Unfortunately, just recently had some problems with a leaky transmission and had to have the transmission pump replaced. Inspite of excellent maintenance the drivability of this car has deminished greatly.
Wow...My first new car!
I've owned a 1969 Plymouth Valiant for 10 years. This is my first "new" car and I'm loving every moment. I do agree with everyone on here writing good reviews. I'm surprised at the great fuel economy for a v6 and love the tight suspension. I just put 18 inch wheels with 225/40/18 tires on it and man do they grab the curves of the road. I have not seen many of these cars around the Medford Oregon area. I get a lot of compliments on my car and everyone wants to know what it is. All in all I can't complain. I pray that I don't have the head gasket problem that I've read about in the late '90s models.
Never Again
This car is the least reliable of any I have owned. At less than 40,000 miles a rear wheel bearing had to be replaced. At 69500 miles the transmission suddenly failed with no prior warning, leaving me and my family stranded 300 miles from home. I had to leave the car at a dealership 300 miles from home for two weeks to get it repaired. The Chrysler dealership- rebuilt tranny failed within one mile of leaving the dealership. Now the check engine light comes on once every couple of weeks, each time for a different problem. Responses to my complaints to Daimler-Chrysler indicate that they are unconcerned.
whine in drive train
has a disturbing high pitched drive train whine between 60 -70 mph. Have to turn on radio or open window to drown it out. Took it to dealer and they said all the 4sp od do it. Not satisfied with that and am going to pursue it.
Can be fun, but...
I like how this car looks and how it handles, especially in slippery conditions, but I've had to bring it to a dealer for warranty repairs about every 3 months since I've owned it. The front suspension, interior wiring, pretty much every interior switch, radio, heater, transmission components, and other things have been replaced, some multiple times. It's also leaked transmission fluid, coolant, and power steering fluid. Now I need a steering rod replaced. Once the warranty on this car expires, I'm done with it.
Awsome
Some have bad mouthed this car and Dodge cars in general. I love my stratus es. It handles great in the snow which was an important factor living in the northeast. I have owned 3 dodge cars and have never had a problem with any of them. If you keep up the maintenance on them they will last forever. My last car was a 1994 dodge shadow es i traded it in with 156,000 trouble free miles on it.
Wonderful~
I bought 2002 Stratus SE 2.4lb last week. It is not so powerful, but it is enough. the design is very pretty, I love it. engine sound is so quiet. two things I don't like is fuel economy and poor sound system.
Love it
I love the look of this car. I love the pickup it has and everything. I wish they would have made the interior a little sharper and the brake dust has got to go!
Stressed out Stratus
At only 54,300 miles the outer tie-rod snapped at joint. Vehicle is not driven hard or abusively. More problems found at time of oil change maintenance 60,000 miles. Good thing I purchased the extended warranty. Oil leak from front of engine. Transmission fluid leak from solinoid pack on side of transmission. Warranty covers work and I pay $100 deductable.
2002 Stratus SXT a good value
This is my 2nd Stratus, and for the money it is a great deal. I had only one minor electrical problem with the A/C unit and the dealer fixed it promptly. The car should come standard with window guards as the roofline will leak the water in without them. The seating is very comfy as well as the ride. The sound system is more than adequate for a base vehicle. Fuel economy is reasonable at 25 city/30 highway. it's a nice vehicle for the money. Chrysler cars will be parked in my driveway for a long time if they keep this price/value relationship
pretty good car
This is a company car, so I didn't really have much of a choice. I probably wouldn't buy one myself. That said, I do think this is a pretty decent car. The seats are very uncomfortable (I do a lot of driving for work), and the interior is unimpressive. But I do like the speedy engine. This car has gotten me through quite a few bad passing decisions on my part with flying colors. Other than a freak problem with all of my tires unexplainably and constantly losing pressure, I've had no problems.
Unbelievable!!!
I bought this car after owning a 97 Avenger ES Coupe. I thought that car was great. This one is 10 times better than that one. It has a very fast 2.7L V6 Magnum engine. The handling is the best I have driven in a car (and that includes the BMW 3 Series). There is plenty of room in the trunk and in the interior. Great styling and an awesome ride all for under $25K.
SO FAR SO GOOD
THE ASSISTED BRAKING FEATURE TAKES A LITTLE WHILE TO GET USE TO. I AM NOT CRAZY ABOUT. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE CAR IS JERKING. I CANT TELL IF I AM DOING IT OR NOT. THE GAS MILEAGE IS NOT BAD AT ALL. IT MAKES AN UNUSAL HUMMING NOISE WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IT ONLY HAD 10 MILES ON IT NOW WITH 9800 MILES IT STILL RIDES THE SAME JUST ABOUT.
Stratus V6 sedan
Have some brake issues such as warped rotors and a little shakey on stops. Other than that the car has been a good car with no other problems.
Best Car I ever bought
I love my 2002 Stratus R/T, it is hands down the best car I ever bought. I drive around town and everyone's head turns to look at it. Outside and in, its style is flawless. It handles great, corners like a dream and can stop on a dime. If you purchase this vehicle, I highly recommend you get it with the autostick feature. Autostick really helps in highway driving, plus its a lot of fun on windy country roads. The sound system is top-notch for a stock system. Well I hope what I've said helps people out who are looking for a great car at a affordable price. I can honestly say that you won't be let down by this automobile, I haven't been!
Nightmare
After 18,000 miles, the transmission needs to be replaced. Excessive brake dust is a constant problem. Good in poor weather and lots of passenger/cargo room. B/c of poor transmission issues, I can't recommend this car.
Great while it last!
I purchased 2002 stratus with only 86k back in 2007 great car wood grain inside keyless entry, didn't have it for a year they car broke down needed head cover gasket, timing belt, water pump, oil pan needed be replaced, took it to the dealership paid almost 2g's to repair didn't have anymore issues. check engine light has been on past two year keep saying gas cap replaced it 3times never went off, come to find out it was the emissions hoses. I was few month paying it off, but to much was going on with it I traded it in for a 2007 chrysler sebring needed a upgrade! but i got my fun out of that stratus its a good car just dont dog it out!!
Exceptional & Really Fun to Drive
In one word "Exceptional". I decided on the ES package when purchasing my new Stratus. I opted for cloth instead of leather seats but made up for it with a power moon roof, CD changer & chrome rims. Besides it's sleak yet sporty looks this car makes you feel like you're floating when cruising down a country road with the moon roof open and windows down. But punch the gas to the floor and hang on. The 200 HP engine races from 50 to 100 in what seems like a few seconds. All in all exceptional handling, supreme power, sleak yet sporty looks & an exceptional sound system make this car the greatest I've ever owned.