webslave Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 Chrysler did a buy back on our 2008 Jeep Hemi Commander. Sorry to see it go, aside from the issue that caused the buy back, it was a marvelous vehicle... We decided that we didn't need the 4 wheel drive of the Jeep anymore (we used it for winter driving and towing our FunFinder 210WBS RV) since we've since moved up to a 5th wheel trailer and have a 2011 Dodge LongHorn 2500 HO CTD to pull it with and it is 4x4 for when we need 4 wheel drive. Looked at the Dodge lineup and we wanted something a little more "Car-Like", but, still had all weather capabilities. We ordered our Storm Gray R/T, loaded with everything except the DVD player (we don't have children; our "youngest" is 42... ). Ordered it October 30th and took delivery on December 29th. We've had snow here and I must say that it handles almost as well as the Commander, with full time QDII, in the couple of inches that we've driven in and it rides much nicer; definitely more car-like and less Jeep-like and the fuel mileage, needless to say, is much better than the Hemi of the Jeep. The Jeep and the RAM 2500 have/had the heated seats and steering wheel, so, we're happy with the Journey's inclusion of those features. The two things we miss, so far, are the memory seats and mirrors for each driver and the adjustable pedals. All in all, we're pleased with Journey; the keyless operation will take some getting used to, but, we're already liking not having to fumble with the buttons on the fobic or trying to get a key into the slot, the ride is great (less wallowing than the Commander) and the 3.6 VVT engine is plenty for our hilly back roads. The Garmin Nav is a big change from the Navteq units in the Jeep and RAM that we had, but, the size of the screen in the Journey is a definite bonus for our "older" eyes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolly Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 Welcome to the forum. I've got a 2013 SXT and love it. I've only had it three weeks and already have over 1500 kilometres (over 900 miles) on it. I also have a 2001 Neon- you could say this is a major step up for us. My wife and I are planning an extended trip through the U.S. and Canada later this year and the Journey will definitely make the drive more comfortable. Enjoy your new vehicle and Happy New Year ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webslave Posted January 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Thanks! And a Happy New Year to you also! We had a 2000 Neon ES. Great car and the son and his new wife are now driving it. Son has gotten our "hand me downs" for years...I think the last car he actually bought was back in the early eighties sometime. We buy new, he gets the old for free. He knows the history and the maintenance and he's quite happy with our cast offs and I don't have to dicker with trading in, selling on the public market or otherwise disposing of the old cars. He'd really like to have the '76 El Dorado or the '89 Le Baron Limited (both convertibles), but, alas, he'll have to wait until I'm in the ground for those... :waiting: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlytehbest Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Welcome to the club. Post up a pick of your new Journey, not to mention one of the old commander. Maybe you have one in tow mode or off roading? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webslave Posted January 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Here's the Commander and FunFinder that we used to own getting ready to head for Oregon: And at rest: A perfect combination for quite a few years until we decided we needed a bit more space for those times we had to stay inside for any length of time (we were in El Centro, CA and it was 118 degrees during the day, cooling off to a "comfortable 98 at 3 am). Now, this is what we haul: 35' of split level comfort. There are two slides on the other side and the whole unit is about half the size of our house's first floor. Twin A/C units for those hot days and plenty of space for the cats (we travel with 3; Coco, J-Lo and Ragamuffin) all hooked up to the 2011 RAM 2500 LongHorn HO Cummins Turbo Diesel. Wife says we've gone over to the "dark side"; instead of pulling a "camper", we haul a house. Enough room that I took out the dining room table and put one of her weaving looms in its place. Don't have any photographs, yet, of the Journey. We picked it up in the snow and it is positively filthy with the road spray. I did, however, get the mats, vent visors, hood shield and splash guards on it, but, want to wait until I wash it before I start any pictures. We were sorry to see the Jeep go, but, with the change from the trailer to a 5th wheel, we didn't need it for towing any longer and we were really tired of the check engine light being on (for over 2.5 years...). Chrysler got tired of trying to fix it and offered us a deal we couldn't pass up to get the new Journey. We're happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryl Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 A real nice set up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlytehbest Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 looking good sir! That is very far from camping, but is definatley a great way to travel with the whole family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webslave Posted January 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Thank you! We started our "camping" back when we got married in 1970. Started off with backpacking. Most of the Appalachian Trail, most of Mt Ranier's base trail, various other hikes in this country, coast to coast twice on Offa's Dyke in England (follows the Welsh / English border). We then evolved into car camping (backpacking equipment hauled in our Plymouth Voyager and later our Grand Caravan) when the kiddo got old enough to say he didn't like "hiking". Did that for a lot of years until around '00 and we started RVing (I can't call it camping either). Regular bumper pulls served us well until the episode in El Centro. It was tight in the trailer; the two of us and three cats, but, far too hot to do anything for more than an hour or two outside. Got back from that trip a week before the largest RV show; Hershey RV Show in Hershey, PA., and figured what the heck, we'd go just to "look". They advertised that they had 900 RVs there that year; don't doubt it and we must have crawled over and through 800 of them. The Cougar 318SAB and the RAM 2500 LongHorn were the result. A very expensive "look"! But no, we don't "camp" any more, too darned old for that "sleeping on the ground" thing, we travel and we (wife and I along with the 3 fur kids) do that quite comfortably in the 5th wheel, basically a house on wheels. Our "usual" is about 3 to 4 months on the road until we get "homesick", then its back home for a few months and then we get the "itch" and we hit the road again. Just got back from a trip across the US to the west coast, then up to the San Juan's and back; 11,998 miles towing, a bit over 14,000 miles counting the sightseeing. Over the years, we've been in every state in the Union with the exception of Hawaii and Alaska (they are on the list, but, I haven't figured out yet how to get the RV to Hawaii; wish they'd build a bridge...) and the provinces of Ontario east to Nova Scotia in Canada, and of course, Wales and Great Britain. We'll do the rest of Canada when we do Alaska. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord journey Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 welcome, and congrats, nice cars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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