Deal or Steal? My Mechanic Bought a Dodge Dart DOA

[@monettejb]

I almost bought a dart for my son less than a year ago. Took it to get a pre-purchase inspection and the seller went with me. The mechanic put a load test on it and the charging/battery light came on. Told me it would be about $650 to replace if it was the alternator. I didn’t even know the mechanic but he must have used his caller ID to call me and said “I’d be careful about buying that car. I didn’t want to tell you that in front of the seller but they can be very expensive to fix”. Thank God for honest people because I had the check in hand. He’s definitely earned my business. Edit: I didn’t realize that I would need to explain or write an essay for this comment. The guy wanted $8,000. I had done plenty of research and these cars were notorious for electrical issues to include the PCM going bad. They are also known to burn oil with no real fix from the dealer, and I noticed that a wheel bearing was rumbling. So with that being said the mechanic did say that it was clean, it was a nice car and appeared to have been taken care of. Then he followed up with the be careful comment. I knew from prior research that they were prone to certain issues and you either got a good one or you didn’t. It’s not like it was a $1500 car, it was $8000. Also the car sat on Marketplace for months afterwards and the asking price kept going down.

[@JobyJoby-iw2wr]

Mechanic probably bought the car for himself.

[@kylehiscock9827]

Did he run the load test with the vehicle running..? If so of course the battery light would come on

[@Stressless2023]

​@@JobyJoby-iw2wr Yeah that would be my bet lol the mechanic had way more to gain by getting a gullible buyer out of the way and lowballing the seller to buy the car for himself rather than literally turning down money for a complete stranger lol.

[@VorsprungDurchNik]

​@Stressless2023 lol, a "gullible buyer". You think the seller would entertain a lowball offer from the mechanic who torpedoed his potentially full-ask sale? Get a grip 😂

[@bcanfield33]

They’re definitely not expensive to fix if you can do the work yourself or have a knowledgeable friend. A lot of those “mechanics” want to take the easy money jobs and don’t want to mess with Italian cars

[@leedennis78]

Around 2005, i bought a 2000 Sunfire 5speed coupe with 40k miles for $800. It would run for a minute or two and die. Checked the dipstick and smelled more than oil. I didnt say anything and offered to get it out of his driveway that day for the $800. Which was $700 less than what was asked. Loaded it up and on the way home i bought 4 new injectors, FPR, 10 qts of oil and two filters. Installed new injectors and fpr. Changed the oil and filter. Let it rin for 20minutes. Changed the oil again and drove it for 10 years.

[@davydigger708]

From what I've heard, the 2.2 was a tough motor.

[@mph5896]

@@davydigger708 They were. One flaw was some leaked coolant from the corner out of the head gasket. They were crude though, loud/noisy and underpowered.

[@MrAllie-bf6zt]

What is FPR?

[@mph5896]

@@MrAllie-bf6zt fuel pressure regulator

[@davidt3563]

Haha my buddy had a 2000 Sunfire, those things were nearly indestructible. I still see a few of them each year. Same with those G6s, those things can even survive the hood.

[@tjnucnuc]

One thing with the MultiAir motors is you need to change the multiair filter roughly every 40-60k miles. A clogged MA filter can cause a slew of problems as it limits oil pressure to the MA brick. These engines also suffer from burned exhaust valves for some reason. They are relatively reliable engines otherwise but for whatever reason these darts specifically seem to suffer from a lot of electrical gremlins.

[@freddan6fly]

I like it when this young kid is on, he is a natural in front of the camera. And he is reasonable and understand what he is doing. Just like you and Mrs Wizard.

[@nickafanasyev6550]

Young kid?He is like 30😂

[@johnvender]

I'm an Aussie and I would not call the Dart a bogan car. It seems to be a basic economical A to B transport with just a bit of fun with the turbo, six speed manual and a bit in common with Alfa. In 2012 it was considered for the Australian market but I don't know if that happened, I don't recall seeing them here. We did get the Neon for a while.

[@adrianmclean9195]

No, we never got this car.

[@BubblesTheCat1]

A bogun car is a Nissan Patrol with no muffler, driven by a half naked, drunk Australian. Or even a Holden V6 with a drunk Aussie behind the wheel 🤭🤭🤭

[@nakoma5]

They are pretty cool equipped with the zesty, Italian Multiair Turbo from the Fiat Abarth, six speed manual and based on Alfa Romeo chassis [widened for our market]. Sporty styling has held up too. They do require some extra, more expensive maintenance because of the Italian powertrain but in that case you can get the 2.4 Tigershark engine.

[@jessewynne8193]

It’s a neon replacement

[@BubblesTheCat1]

A bogan car is a Nissan Patrol or a Holden Commodore with a half drunk Australian behind the wheel.

[@kendallsmith1458]

The Wichita youtube mafia is getting A LOT of mileage out of this old beater

[@georgeemeny6123]

Geez, You know your getting old when you can remember buying a pickup for $250 and driving it home. Dang is the 1970's really 50 years ago.

[@richardmorris7063]

I feel ya!

[@billyounger9713]

Right???😊

[@suttoncoldfield9318]

Heard a DJ on the radio comment, what's your favourite Beatles song... they were sixty years ago

[@MrAllie-bf6zt]

I miss the 90's $600 dollar cars.

[@YTT718]

Yep crazy

[@JrSpitty]

I don't know how I feel about you sponsoring duralast coils. I have have replaced more of those on 3.6l pentastars then i have actual factory coils. Plus they always implode coming out, they are much cheaper quality then the OEM.

[@auxmike718]

Autozone parts are low grade, only buy in a pinch when you can’t wait!

[@natgasf7236]

It’s all about the Benjamins

[@jamestabor587]

Absolutely. They are complete garbage. Wizard is on the “whatever sponsor offers me $$$$” bandwagon

[@mattbrown5511]

Your issue is having bought Pentastar junk in the first place.

[@patricknesbitt4003]

@@auxmike718Went through 3 Autozone "Duralast" alternators in 4 weeks on a 2003 Focus. Kept blowing regulators. (Replaced original working alternator due to high mileage and bad bearings). Bought a TYC alternator from Amazon for $55 less than the AZ unit and it lasted for over 60k miles until the car was wrecked.

[@cyclesingsleep]

Thank you, Wizard, for mentioning that you don't want to take advantage of the seller! ...really wonderful of you!!! The goal is to get a good deal given your risk...and for you to honor the seller. We are brothers/sisters in the world - love and care as you would want to be loved and cared! : )

[@PeugeotRocket]

What? It's not your job to think for the seller.

[@mrluckyuncle]

The manual transmission adds special appeal.

[@jayczyzyk9707]

Yes it’s weasel power

[@JohnWaldron-cm7ce]

@@jayczyzyk9707 It's sad how the valve actuation is so overengineered:(-John in Texas

[@jorgey4]

It also explains completely why he bought it

[@richardmorris7063]

As long as he doesn't get into traffic.

[@djsanluis]

I drove a manual Fiesta ST in traffic all the time. It's not that bad. ​@@richardmorris7063

[@chadillacinc]

I had a 14 dart gt, black, leather, loaded. Alpine sound system, heated seats and mirrors and wheel, six speed manual on 18's. I know it's a Dodge and practically a remastered neon but I loved my dart. And it was like $212/ month lol. I hardly even noticed the payment.

[@codycrawford2385]

These are small cars but not a neon lol, a neon was a pile of shit

[@EthanHyland]

@@codycrawford2385 Yeah. My dad drove one for a bit, and it was bad. The brakes and transmission were atrocious. Dad had to turn the car to the right to stop it when the vehicles in front of us stopped at a green light for an ambulance. We always called it the "Green Egg."

[@codycrawford2385]

@@EthanHyland sounds like issues with the driver

[@megachonk9440]

@@codycrawford2385 The Dart wasn't a very good car either, as it turned out. They have a lot of quality issues, particularly 2013 models like this one. This isn't a car for somebody who wants reliable transportation for a 60 mile daily commute in 2024. Even if they're a mechanic. Behind the scenes, you know the Wizard is telling Grimes he should have gotten a Toyota. He's almost certainly not wrong, and Grimes is probably going to end up agreeing with him.

[@codycrawford2385]

@@megachonk9440 you are full of it ain’t you 😂, I drive my 15 se with 300k EVERYDAY 50 to 60 miles a day, you can say what you want about these, a Toyota isn’t as reliable as you think anymore nor is a honda

[@MidwestMechanics]

I love the Dodge dart 1.4L DDCT but these cars are NOT for everyone! Even dealership techs can’t fix these cars. I’ve bought 3 of them now that the dealerships couldn’t fix, and I fix them very cheap every time. I just bought one with 70k miles the dealer diagnosed as a “bad transmission” that only needed a 15 min software update. There’s lots of videos on my channel about these cars and I’ll be making more to help people!

[@johnvasilis7692]

They put this engine in sporty little European cars. It's a really questionable choice to put it in a car that's supposed to compete with the Corolla.

[@kerrylewis2581]

I agree with the Wizard. It's tough for me to get through my 64-year-old brain that two or three grand gets you a car that needs work.

[@knockout_wj8886]

I bought a running car for $60. Used it to get to school after my Camaro got totalled. All I did was put gas in it. I use to find $200-$500 gas savers all the time. Those days are gone.

[@R3TR0R4V3]

There's still good deals out there once in a while.. You'd be surprised.

[@kerrylewis2581]

@@knockout_wj8886 Pickup trucks are even worse. I could purchase a 1/2 or 3/4 chevy that needed some love and have a great work vehicle.

[@guccipucci69420]

@@kerrylewis2581now people just want a truck to say “I drive a truck” they don’t use them for work anymore lol

[@sf49ersjshark2]

I send the. Messages that there crazy. 7grand for 120kmi 00 accord. Your crazy.

[@bobtis]

I love Grimes. You guys put on a lot of miles out there in Kansas. Long distance between cities.

[@Omegaman1969]

I love a gamble, I bought a non running 76 XJ-S V12 hahahahha. New fuel pump, fuel lines, pressure regulators, ballast resistor and header tank got her running.

[@joeslish-p1p]

good luck selling at a profit to anybody with a brain

[@100PercentJake]

oohhh, a Series 1! Those are wildly hard to find these days. Handled far better than the later revisions.

[@gearheadted5110]

Buying a non-running car is gamble, but can be a fun challenge. Nice job Mr. Grimes. 👍

[@mph5896]

I actually enjoy buying a challenge. Its like buying a scratch off lottery ticket.

[@stevewhite3424]

If you buy a 13-year-old car with a 150000 miles on it for 1300 bucks. You should probably plan on at least that much to get it running and driving nicely. Anyone who purchases a car like that? With an expectation of spending no money is simply fullyowing themselves..

[@nickreyes4570]

What is surprising to me is that the mechanics vehicle is usually the most neglected vehicle. Grimes works on cars all day and probably wouldn't be too excited on more punishment at home.

[@matthewjbauer1990]

It shouldn't be a surprise. From what I understand, most mechanics just want to go home and relax after coming home from a day at the garage. The last thing they want to do is turn the wrenches on their personal cars. You typically have 2 types of mechanics: either the mechanic that buys the dirt cheap car thinking they'll fix it and never does or the mechanic that buys a running and driving reliable car that never has to worry about anything. There are those mechanics that come home after working at the garage and actually fixes their fixer.

[@CrimeVid]

My friend, I have known a lot of mechanics and their own cars are usually a disgrace, a lot of them test drive customers cars by taking them home at night,and only use the garage runabout when there's nothing running in the car park. If he or she has a spouse their car will be older but spotless inside and out, and mechanically sound. This is not pride, but self preservation ! A mechanic's car has tools in the boot(not good ones !) and chain or wire bond tow stuff, there should be water and oil in there, it does not need to be legal on the road "I'm just taking it for a test drive officer !" (nobody ever asks, they know he's a mechanic) it will be insured through the garage policy. there's usually a lot of rag and paper around.

[@JohnSmith-wx9wj]

Doctors make bad patients.

[@alanbradford3130]

This car came from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform, so its basically a FIAT. A good friend of mine wanted to buy one, but I told him not to, because of the horrible reputation FIAT has. He bought it anyway, and so far, the only problem he had was with the clutch. Watching Grimes change the clutch on 100%Jake's channel, reminded me of the problem my friend had with his clutch. My friend did not get the multi-air, which turned out to be a good idea. All in all, these Darts aren't too bad, but they aren't Civics or Corollas either.

[@thebagnechannel3183]

I had this engine in a Fiat 124 Spider and it’s been great.

[@elnyoutube123]

The multiair is the best engine lol

[@mambi74]

My only experience with the Dart was as a week-long loaner (did that about 3 times) but I'll have to say I'd take it over a Corolla any day.

[@alanbradford3130]

@@mambi74 - the superiority of Corollas and Civics isn't readily apparent until you have owned them a couple of years and notice how little they break down and how well they hold up compared to other cars.

[@Barbarapape]

Good luck to Grimes, this car once it is all fixed up will be an economical daily driver at a good saving. My skills are in electronics and i have bought a number of items as spares or repairs the main thing to look at are the fixings and screws, if any are chewed up or missing walk away, someone has been there before and given up.

[@gabesever438]

2013 Dart limited owner- that car was likely hit in the back at some point and the trunk was replaced. The limited has an entirely different interior (gauge cluster, seats, headliner, sunroof, etc.), different wheels, and chrome handles on the doors.

[@UN4GTBL]

Came looking for this comment. I almost bought a Dart myself back when they came out, and once I saw that gauge cluster I knew it wasn't a Limited.

[@gabesever438]

@@UN4GTBL as much as I’m not a fan of the dart (after owning one, I loved them before owning one), I know way too much about them. lol

[@jvin248]

CW: do an episode on a scenario (because I see this a lot on Reddit) "should I sell my vehicle (that has too large of payments) and buy a cheaper used vehicle?" and focus on what are the common things such a buyer should do to ensure "problem free" driving for as long as possible. I generally recommend new battery, belts, radiator and heater hoses, fluids and filters, brakes, vacuum hoses, and evaluate tires/starter/alternator/water pump as those are common early failures or replacements that may or may not have been completed. Break up the episode into two or three segments that show definitely do/consider/evaluate on case by case basis.

[@plektosgaming]

It's almost never better to sell it versus repairing it unless it needs a transmission or engine or something huge like that. Every time you get into another vehicle, and this is never brought up on any of the KZbin channels, you lose about 3-5K due to sales tax, reconditioning (stuff like tires and so on, not actual repairs), and things like auction fees and so on if you are going that route. The real issue is reliability for most people. Having a car in the shop every few weekends means you need a second car. Versus something that starts every time.

[@captainkirk4514]

I scored a pretty good deal on Market Place on a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban for $1600. The body has a fair amount of rust, but solid, as well as the frame, but that is one advantage with a old school body-on-frame design. I redid the rear brakes with pads calipers and rotors, replaced the coolant hoses, both valve cover gaskets, and replaced a couple of o-rings that where leaking on the receiver dryer for the A/C, evacuated the system and charged it up, works, and that's it. Less than $500 for the parts, and did the work myself. All other accessories work, total cost,$2100, than passed it on to our daughter who had a jeep liberty that had a blown engine. Her, and her family absolutely love it!

[@michaeltutty1540]

Seeing this, I guess I got a real deal. When the 400,000 mile Volvo gad to come off the road, Ma's next door neighbour had to stop driving, and suggested I buy her car. 2004 Toyota Corolla, Yoda, with 100,000 miles. She was 75 when she bought Yoda new. Always dealer serviced. Passed safety with zero issues. $2,700 Canadian is what she asked. Sold! I put a set of Haakappilliitta winter tires on, got new alloy wheels for the H rated Michelin Defenders, and away i went. Ive had to do the front wheel bearings and the cat. 40 miles to the Imperial gallon. I'm not complaining

[@danielp709]

Yes, you got a really good deal.

[@hanswekking5134]

We just sold a near perfect 1995 Toyota Camry for $2,000. AC was cold, interior was mint exterior only had 3 small blemishes. Maybe we let it go to cheap!!

[@jaapaap123]

And it also wasn't some silly dodge!

[@AlvinBrinson]

A high chance that the #3 has a burned valve. Don't fall for the parts cannon, do a compression test before buying the coils!

[@mattbrown5511]

With the mileage and it being a Stellantis made vehicle, the coils most like need to be replaced regardless of what a compression reveals.

[@bigmacok]

Autozone paid for the coils and plugs. (Paid promotion)

[@Michael-yi4mc]

My late father had a new 1968 Dodge Dart. They don’t build them like they used to.

[@Scypher0th]

and for good reason....a old car would plow through everything on the road today.....so its basically a weapon

[@NVRAMboi]

Makes me wonder what the final year of the Slant 6 was.

[@mds2465]

That was my mom’s first car as well

[@knockout_wj8886]

They don't build anything like they use to. I test drove a Corvette with not even 6,000 miles on it. Had a bunch of glitches. It actually was more comfortable than I thought it would be.

[@williamegler8771]

That's a good thing!

[@justenbeavers3409]

I changed playback speed to 1.5x. I'm enjoying this channel so much better now.

[@thingserik7269]

After market coils are only good if they don't trip the CE light. Bought 6 cheap aftermarket coils for a Maxima once. Car ran ok but light kept coming on after reset. Put originals back, got 2 at a pick-n-pull. Passed emissions

[@billhooper85]

I just purchased a 2013 dodge dart 2.0 rallye 4 months ago at auction for 4,200 and had to replace fuel pump witch was list at most places for 900 found one on Amazon for 100 bucks new runs great now

[@VorsprungDurchNik]

After your 3rd or 4th FINGABLYTER brand Amazon fuel pump you'll wish you had bought the OEM for whatever price 😂

[@PlasticRocket2]

​@@VorsprungDurchNikyeah this doesnt seem like a car that i would use cheap parts on. Some of them work fine but i prefer to get the oem parts if i can.

[@ImJhark_]

@@VorsprungDurchNikfacts itll catch up to em they just dont know 😂

[@matthewf1979]

Congratulations on 1 million!! Thank you for keeping the sponsorship short and relevant.

[@georgebettiol8338]

For a non-technical person, such a purchase would be high risk. For Grimes, the purchase was a calculated low risk affair because he has an intimate knowledge about the engine and it's likely failures. This includes the hydraulically operated variable valve system - which gives a lay person the 'impression' that the engine has no compression when the engine remains stationary for a considerable length of time.

[@glennmoraga3576]

Yes. I thought it odd that more was not discussed here - specifically MultiAir engines such as this one have NO intake camshaft (the intake valves are actuated hydraulically).

[@lirr408]

Tyler, best of luck with the Dart. Nice looking car. Nice black 67/68 Coupe de Ville in the background. Wizard, another great video.

[@mph5896]

Your sponsor, I stopped buying parts from local chain stores unless its an emergency. I'll wait the 2-4 days to order from an online supplier for 1/2 the price and double the quality.

[@ralphinator2]

yup, rockauto gets most of my business

[@smokey2459]

My son bought a 2013 base model new with the 2.0 engine and manual transmission. Had it 2 flawless years (25k miles) and actually loved it. The seats and the ride were extremely comfortable too. Traded it for a new 4x4 when he moved to Ohio in 2015 (you know how winters can be).

[@joeslish-p1p]

miracles do happen sometimes

[@diverdave4056]

my oh my Grimes needs a major Pay Raise !

[@vilhjalmrwt]

Thats what I'm thinking 🤔

[@americanbobtail1]

I wouldn't worry about it. Either Wizard will make Grimes a sweat equity partner in the business down the road or Grimes will start his own shop. Time will tell...

[@anthonysvideos3000]

As an Aussie who is, I freely admit to being a hoon (but older & wiser to know I shouldn't be), I wouldn't call the Dart a bogan car but I find myself loving the look of its rear end. As I'm in my late 30s now, I acknowledge the feelings of driving something that is good on fuel but fun to drive. Aside from the 1.4? engine, which probably does go quite well, it looks like a perfect daily driver. I currently flog a 3.8 v6 & if I'm calm, it's quite alright on fuel but when I'm all........ pissy, it gulps the fuel. All in all, I just wish we got this in Ausland.

[@jeepinintexas6215]

What the hell is a bogan? I still haven't gotten a clear answer to this and would like to see what an actual Aussie says. Is it supposed to mean what we would refer to in the states as "white trash" lol?

[@NenadTrajkovic]

It’s Fiat Aegea//Tipo in EU now,Giulietta is deferant platform and heachback

[@codycrawford2385]

I own three and your wrong, it’s a Alfa Romeo guiletta platform

[@megachonk9440]

The Dart was heavily based on the Giulietta of its time. The suspension and brakes are all pretty much interchangeable between a Dart and Giulietta. The Mopar "big brake kit" for the Dart was just the front brakes from the Giulietta QV, for example. The Dart was an unholy mix of Dodge, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo engineering, and the result was something that was almost pretty amazing, but not quite.

[@codycrawford2385]

@@megachonk9440 it out handled the civic the carolla and the cruse, even with 300k my car takes corners like it did June 29 2015

[@KillaSupra]

I just bought a 2003 accord 5spd with only 189k km on it with brand new tires for 800$, no rust. Needed a wire to rad fan fixed, new front calipers (seized from sitting), a vtec solenoid, and a battery. Ordered a full front suspension kit off rockauto for only 150$. In it for 1700$ total now and it runs and drives great. Will be my daily driver for a while

[@Pudding175]

You should do a video where wizard, mrs wizard, grimes, Daniel, etc talk about some of your favorite vehicles/ vehicle brands. I'd love to hear everyones opinions

[@alanmackechnie5728]

What about a podcast? Or would it take up too much of everyones' time?

[@Pudding175]

@@alanmackechnie5728 ohhh a pod cast would be awesome!!!

[@rickc303]

We can all do without listening to her blabbering on, she makes this channel difficult to watch all the way through

[@Geotpf]

This was a great deal for a professional mechanic like Grimes who knows what he is doing and can do all his own work. Not such a good deal if you had to pay somebody else to fix everything, or even if you could do the basics yourself.

[@hotpuppy1]

If you had to pay a shop to do all the work, it would be $5000 in parts and labor. Would it be worth it then? Not really.

[@brandonb3118]

My 2013 1.4T manual is at 300k and has been mostly trouble free. Only issue it’s had outside of maintenance is a turbo at 200k

[@Milnoc]

Just paused the video at "misfire on cylinder 3." BLOWN EXHAUST VALVE!!! I have a 2015 Fiat 500 Abarth with the exact same engine that blew an exhaust valve last summer IN THE EXACT SAME CYLINDER!!! Now let's find out if it's the same valve! 😁 ... Apparently, not a blown valve. That's good! The parts to fix it aren't too bad, but labour is a bit of a nightmare. And I knew about the MultiAir brick emptying itself of oil over time which is why I start my car at least once every two weeks if I haven't been driving it for a while just to get the oil back inside. Changing the coil packs and plugs are pretty easy even when moving the 500's engine cover/airbox out of the way. I used NGK for the plugs and Bosch for the coil packs. Might still want to do a compression test while doing the work just in case cylinder 3 did go boom.

[@megachonk9440]

Or, you know, it's just the plugs and coil packs. This engine is notorious for eating spark plugs for breakfast. The manual specs a 36K mile change interval, but realistically, you will need to replace them sooner than that and should probably replace them between 25-30K. And the coil packs on 2013 Darts were pretty notoriously bad, so if those are OEM coils they probably should have been replaced 10 years ago. Even if they aren't, this doesn't look like a car that was religiously maintained by a knowledgeable owner, so I would replace them too. It's such an easy job there's no reason not to.

[@alexandermartincausey7333]

A friend of mine bought a Mustang that was advertised as a seized engine. It only clicked when you tried to start it. He paid $800. Turns out, it was just corrosion on the ground wire connection to the starter. He drove it like 8 years until he hit a deer and totaled it.

[@RobbaKeef]

I think he hit a bull's-eye 🎯

[@rickc303]

The 1.4 Multiair is a great engine, same as in Abarth 500. Very reliable, powerful, fuel efficient and fun to drive *Edit* timing belt is due at 150k and replace the 4 ignition coils with oem Alfa Romeo 4C coils

[@PlasticRocket2]

I heard way too much negative about the 1.4T so i got a 2.4L instead. The multiair system sounds complex but is probs the only thing i have to worry about from the engine atleast. I really hope my car doesnt go kaboom though as i financed it 😂

[@danf4616]

Car not running well?...Breaks down a lot? *Mechanic looks over car.* *Picks up the "Dodge" emblem.* *Here's your problem!* 🤦‍♂

[@dougfisher1813]

You recycled an old Ford joke.

[@mielec1catanddog336]

Why is that accurate? 😂

[@marcusjosefsson4998]

Really appreciate Wizards advice at the end. Very good points! Bought a '98 Volvo a couple of years ago, around $2500. If I sell it today I'll get $3500-4000. Done some work on it, nothing major, but it's been a daily driver. Taking good care of it, maintenance and service according to Volvo's spec. And still value has gone up quite a bit.

[@md2k8]

Do not ever buy a newer Chrysler vehicle.

[@Alex-xi2nz]

Wise piece of advice.

[@jaybeemhardscrote7466]

Worse it's got fiat parts!

[@codycrawford2385]

Never had a issue with them

[@codycrawford2385]

@@jaybeemhardscrote7466 SO who cares these cars are pretty freaking tough

[@shauny2285]

At least he bought one with a manual tyranny.

[@DrunkenChewbacca]

Bought a 1990 Corolla, 1 owner off Craigslist for $700. I'm still driving it after 5 years of owning it. Have to replace small things here and there but its very dependable and gets 35mpgs

[@codycrawford2385]

I own a 2015 dart with 300k and never had a problem with my car but maintenance, these cars are actually pretty good, even when people beat these up they still ran

[@MrDummyisDumb]

The thing people don't seem to get about cars is it's all statistics. Even the most unreliable of cars might have a 30% catastrophic failure rate in the first 150k, which is extremely high in the industry but it also means you have a 70% chance it won't. Even the most unreliable cars most owners won't have an issue with them

[@codycrawford2385]

@@MrDummyisDumb I have 3 darts all been great, all of my dart friends have the same thing they love them

[@MrDummyisDumb]

@@codycrawford2385 Like I said it's just all statistics. The maybe 20% who it did fail on are the loudest, and rightfully so with the prices they paid to now have a paper weight. But I do think the minority skews a lot of the image people have on certain cars. Don't know much about the Dart specifically but it looks cool in the age of crossovers and SUVs

[@codycrawford2385]

@@MrDummyisDumb the dart is still around too, just in a suv form now

[@midwestfarm757]

@@codycrawford2385kinda strange to buy 3 darts. Then again I did hear a guy on here say he owns 2-3 Ford Tempos.

[@mboggs8850]

I hear you on used car prices timing chain guide broke on my 04 Corolla replaced the timing components to find low compression. OK easy way out buy another one, I like the car with a manual they are fun cheap transportation. I live out a ways and don't want to drive my truck everywhere . Then I saw how much they want for them now 5-7K! Looks like I'm buying a head. Cylinders still look good nothing broke off internally and it had good pickup before the incident.

[@maxxmich]

thought he had cars he could borrow from Jake... lol

[@cheddrchad]

me too lmao

[@b52murph]

I owned two of these "PF" Darts; both had the 2.4L and both were great! My first was a '14 Limited, bought brand new in Jan 2014, and like Grimes' it replaced an aging BMW...an E-39 540i which was costing >$400mo to fix...doing work myself. It lasted about two years until it was totalled; so after an abortive experience with a Ford Escape (never again), I bought a '15 Limited, gently used in Nov 2016. The second was sold to my son in 2019, so I finally upgraded to the "big brother" Charger. The '15 is still running great for him now, very few issues. The 2014s and newer resolved some of the weird quirks & bugs of the first-year 2013s. Unfortunately, the PFs didn't sell well and I think FCA pulled the plug on them before they really could come into their own...

[@agrippa1234]

Ah Fiat/Stellantis, can't go wrong there......but being the skilled mechanic you are not nearly the risk that it would be for that community college student buying it because they need "cheap" transportation.......

[@plektosgaming]

Overall, the engines are fine. The issue is finding something with an engine that is small enough with enough room to work on verus oopsie - engine has to come out...

[@briandeschene8424]

That ceiling stain looks like it came from opening a can of overly shaken cola that went “boom”. You can usually get it off the seats because you’re working facing down to get at it. The ceiling, not so easy.

[@jarletronerud]

We never got those Fiat Darts in North Europe

[@Commentleaver-c6x]

Be grateful for that.

[@williamegler8771]

It's not a Fiat and it was based on the Alfa Romeo giulietta

This is literally Fiat Bravo sedan

[@codycrawford2385]

They are a dodge dart or a fiat viaggio in China

[@codycrawford2385]

@no it’s not it’s a Alfa Romeo

[@mcapps1]

I've got a 2013 Dart with the 1.4 and the automatic manual... No crank no start. But every once in awhile it will start out of the blue... Then sometimes out of the blue it will crank but no start. 99% of the time it's like it might be the ignition switch. I just don't know anymore. Also if you try to jump the starter motor it acts like it's in gear.

[@SilverBulletOBW]

When I bought my first car it was the same price with only 90K miles on the clock. Whomever actually got 147K out of a Dart should win an award! 😂

[@GiosueMannino]

Probably 4 different engines

[@risinbison1106]

I love the exotics you bring in but I like these type of videos when you diagnose vehicles. They’re more real world problems.

[@tomdunder2620]

Even being a mechanic & having access to a shop & lift, the amount of time & effort he had to spend on the car has to be considered, IMO.

[@NVRAMboi]

"If believin' in GRIMES!1!! is wrong, I don't wanna be right." Thanks guys. PS: This is an "OK" deal, only because it comes with its own highly skilled mechanic, a prerequisite for any Dodge or Fiat.

[@SeanBaker]

My mom has this exact car. It has ~240k miles on it, and it's running strong. She puts ~80 highway miles on it daily. She keeps up with maintenance religiously.

[@Michael-yi4mc]

A burnt clutch must have been driven by a Generation Z skipping the first gear take off.

[@mds2465]

There are times when that is acceptable and other times where you really shouldn’t do it. You just kinda gotta get to know the car a bit better and learn what you can and cannot do with the clutch.

[@AlvinBrinson]

​@@mds2465skipping first gear isn't really a thing you can do with a 1.4 turbo. It can be done, but it's very reluctant to do it without stalling.

[@mds2465]

@@AlvinBrinson yeah I tend to agree with that statement actually!

[@kendallsmith1458]

or riding the clutch

[@mds2465]

I only do that in my car which is a 2005 Honda CR-V whenever I come to a coast but not a full stop or if I'm going downhill. Otherwise, no I would not do that.

[@gilabear11]

I have a 2013 Dart Aero with the 1.4 turbo and 6-speed I bought new. 40+ mpg highway. Still a hoot to drive.

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

No new dodge dart is worth it

[@codycrawford2385]

I got one of mine new and 282k and still proving haters wrong

[@mielec1catanddog336]

No Dodge is worth it.😊

[@codycrawford2385]

@@mielec1catanddog336 I bet you drive a civic

[@mielec1catanddog336]

@@codycrawford2385 No, but even if I did, it would still be better than a Dodge.

[@codycrawford2385]

@@mielec1catanddog336 ok then stop feeding drama into something you can’t do

[@franciscorodriguez3141]

I recently bought one of these. Silver SXT 2.0 multi-air with the automatic. Got it for what I feel is a decent price and the only problem is it’s got the infamous ETC “lightning bolt” light on and feels like it’s misfiring or and the idle is all over the place. Figured I paid a grand for it so it was worth the gamble, specially with just 73k miles. Haven’t had a chance to check what could be wrong with it but figured It could be a fix worth doing or at the very least a lesson hard learned LOL.

[@opuscat999]

Dodge - CRAP even brand new. LOL

[@codycrawford2385]

Nothing to say bad so you call it crap

[@opuscat999]

@@codycrawford2385 yep, nothing good about it not one single redeeming feature.

[@codycrawford2385]

@@opuscat999 Yall are so slow it’s funny, can’t say ANYTHING bad about bc there is nothing to say bad 😂😂😂😂

[@patwilkes4122]

Great video today Wizard. Nice to see an episode on an entry level car. Well done.

[@ljfire100]

cracks me up when the car is owned by the shop/workers it's always "doesn't look to bad" but when it's a customer car "I'm not putting your old parts back in, replace everything" gotta make them boat payments

[@CarWizard]

Liability.

[@AlvinBrinson]

Mechanics cars are always the most sketchy.

[@CarWizard]

@@AlvinBrinsonNot at my shop.

[@TheLucasthatyouknow]

If it hasn't been replaced yet keep an eye on the T that comes from the coolant reservoir. It tends to dry rot and crack leaking coolant all over eveything, ask me how i know. Also if you ever figure out P0299 underboost on this engine post it.

[@gmctx5487]

😮

[@JSFGuy]

You said that last time.

[@Michael-yi4mc]

@@JSFGuy👍He must be a cute dog. My dog says the same thing everyday.🐶❤️

[@victorbaird8220]

You are so beautiful 😍 😊

[@brettjones4634]

I’ve got a 2020 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth I bought it with 3k mikes on it but I know something will break but I can fix anything that breaks, looking at that Dart I wonder how many parts are the same as my car it being a front wheel drive and mine being rear wheel drive I’m curious how many parts are the same? I hope you make more videos of Grimmes repairing his car on KZbin, good luck.

[@akashmohan999]

This car was meant for teenagers and college kids. It failed at that, nobody bought it. They weren't toyota reliable either, only about the same reliability as a VW or Kia

[@xxGravyBabyxx]

I remember my ex's brother having one. I was in high school still and I liked the look of the car from the outside and inside, but we he told me he bought for over $25,000 new, i was shocked. I knew it was a stupid purchase.

[@codycrawford2385]

A lot of them sold, not as much as a basic Honda or Toyota, it came out at the wrong time and was higher priced

[@martinlagrange8821]

Congratulations Wizard - you've got another Alfa Romeo ! Its basically a Guilietta (149) sedan....

[@robertcowie8230]

It’s a fiat fix it again tony

[@NenadTrajkovic]

thats more of vauxhalls and british ford story

[@williamegler8771]

That is a very outdated opinion. FIAT vehicles in Europe are usually rated around the middle of vehicles surveyed. Some areas need to be improved on just like there are in most vehicles but they are hardly the mechanical nightmares that urban legend makes them out to be. The Dodge Dart was actually based on the Alfa Romeo giulietta

[@charliebuzik9317]

I had a 2013 dart, and they said that was the worst year ever. Even going back to the seventys, I had to replace the engine transmission and was on my 3rd turbo and never ran well after all the problems i had fixed, so I traded it in

[@bcanfield33]

I’ve bought 3 of these 13 Darts!! One I got for $700 all that was wrong was MAF sensor. Another was no crank no start was the inline fuse at the starter and 3rd was a failed transmission actuator but got it covered under a warranty!

[@matt-hew69]

I once got a 2000 Chevy 1500 for $300, seller said needed a starter. Found out the fuel pressure regulator had failed and filled the engine with fuel up to the intake. One FPR and a oil change later I had a good running truck!

[@At-07461]

Mrs. Wizard, the commentary was pretty dang funny...😉😉

[@brianhampton9392]

I think Grimes needs a raise!!!Why is the Wizard letting him drive this death trap.

[@heidgandreiter8438]

When buying a second hand car colors matter. A red car means it's been driven fast = lots of issues. Red paint also often fades relatively quickly. Neutral colors, cold colors could indicate more passive driving style: White, gray, blue, green and black.

[@ssz28envy]

In 2012 I bought a 2005 Buick Regal for $1200 or $1300. It would sometimes run, sometimes not. Seller thought it was some electrical issue and wanted it gone. I was pretty sure it was ignition related but not quite positive on what exactly. It ran when I bought it and died on the way home. Had it towed, did some more research, replaced the ignition control module and it ran fine after that. I drove it a couple months, did the regular maintenance, and then sold it for almost $3000. I'm pretty sure after all the costs with it I netted $1000. Not bad, but I really don't recommend doing that and haven't done it since. Wizard is right, you can get yourself in a real pickle and lose quite a bit of money and time on these things. They don't always turn out well.

[@TradinTigerJohn]

Do keep us posted about that misfire in #3. Hopefully it's a plug/coil or an injector. If it is, Grimes got a really great deal on a car that has a turbo for a justifiable engineering reason, namely part-throttle efficiency. And for what he paid for it, not even a Prius Prime could make up for the miniscule difference in fuel costs! And a six-speed manual...WTG Grimes!

[@FrankBullitt390]

If your 1.4T sits and has the no compression thing just hold foot to the floor (stops the injectors from filling the cylinders with fuel) and just crank it. It'll take a bit, and dont burn out the starter but it will eventually prime and start

[@troynutter8902]

I thought it was 100% Jake’s car. Pretty sure I saw it in the background looking out Watch JR go’s garage. Has Hoovie shown it yet?

[@Jayhaze887]

Tyler start your own channel bro.That's what the car wizard did.Don't be an employee forever.Use the recognition I live in the ghetto in Chicago and I know who you are believe me.Your name will be out there

[@tony_25or6to4]

I think he does. He also makes a lot of 100% Jake appearances.

[@fogllama]

1964 to 1972 was the sweet spot for Darts. Particularly like the 1964, but also the 1972 Dart Swinger.

[@meme2780]

I had a 73 dart sport, Was still OK, Large bumpers did make it a bit ugly, But it was a 318 with the great 4 speeds dodge was known for.

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

Good deal,you're a mechanic you can basically fix anything... Your knowledge, educated guess you usually come out ahead if flipping or if you keep it as a driver,you bought it less than half price! I bought/sold every type of car(former Toyota Tech)..The last few years I just specialize in classic cars(mainly old Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth muscle car era).I do mechanical my cousin/best buddy does amazing bodywork!

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

My Hyundai had a misfire on cylinder four. Turned out to be low compression and Hyundai replaced the short block under warrenty. Had to keep the old head 50,000 miles on car 2014 1.8 liter.

[@neilperry2224]

The engine in the Dodge Dart , it's either ot the Lancia engined, or got the Alfa romeo engine g from the mito

[@TalismanPHX]

I came home as a newborn in a 63 Dodge Dart. Much later in life, I had a Dart like this one for a week as a rental car 🚗. It was a good car. The dual clutch automatic transmission was a little squirrely, but it drove and rode fine.

[@MrFastFox666]

Except for maybe the front, I've always liked the way the Dart and Chrysler 200 looks. Obviously it won't win any beauty contests but it's one of the better looking econo-boxes out there.

[@Alex88302]

Newer Chrysler stuff is fantastic for leasing for 40k miles and dumping when it starts to deteriorate lol. I worked at a Chrysler dealership for a little over a year in 2018 just in quick lube and was under a million of these. Always had a soft spot for em, love the sound and feel of them. But that was when thwy were brand new. Can't imagine they stood the test of time too well.

[@frh-freerangehuman]

Good video car wizard. Just shows how someone without mechanical knowledge could get blindsided. In the 80’s and early 90’s I was a hardcore dodge/chrysler guy. I never paid more than $300 for a car (including a rust free 68 valiant). I got very good at getting them running reliably in all weather (damn ballast resistors😂). Miss those days lol

[@EpicLakitu]

Very similar to what I just did buying an ‘05 Jetta 2.5 for a grand, needed an alternator but after $400 for the parts and a, frankly, horrible to do job, it’s on the road and runs and drives fantastically. All in I’m at maybe 2000 including some nonessential bits, 150k on the clock and cosmetically in exceptional condition. Solid deal and extraordinarily happy with it. Nothing feels better than driving something you’ve fully gone through that you’re not upside down in financially. Definitely an upgrade over my ‘99 Saturn SL2, and I bought this for half the price.

[@GrimesGarage]

Those 2.5’s are solid mills. You scored

[@tomcat630]

These were based on Fiat design, and built in Belvidere IL, near Chicago. Other cars off this platform were 2015-17 Chrysler 200 and 2014-23 Jeep Cherokee [also built in IL for later years]. If can do work yourself, then good deal.

[@VanSting-xt3vm]

The mentioning of Bogans was quite a surprise! Didn't know they are at all known of in the US!

[@FeralRC]

The Shart. Every single one I worked on had failures way too soon. They were annoying to work on too.

[@veedub447]

The clutch was bad, and it's running rough with a misfire, bald tires, boots are torn, one bad engine mount, oil leaks, 7:22 , "but I have't found anything that's real major"