How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

General discussion about cars. Looking to buy a new car? Have a great driving story? Post it here!
User avatar
bk7794
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1561
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:16 am
Cars: 00 Civic (Stock)
Location: Central CT

How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by bk7794 »

A while back I looked at a new Dart. With them aging and the fact that they're discontinuing them, I figured they've probably depreciated a decent amount. I always thought the styling was good for a 4 door but always feared the reliability and complexity of the 1.4t. What is the consensus?
2004 Honda Accord 2.4 5 Speed
1989 Ford Taurus SHO 5 speed
User avatar
potownrob
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 7833
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:35 pm
Cars: '17 CX-5 GT
Location: Dutchess County

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by potownrob »

I've never driven either, but I know the 1.4t multiair or whatever silly fiat name they assigned to it sounds like a rabid duck being estrangulated while dragged over hot coals, especially with the autobox.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
User avatar
theholycow
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 16021
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:36 pm
Cars: '80 Buick LeSabre 4.1 5MT
Location: Glocester, RI
Contact:

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by theholycow »

The Dart is aging and being discontinued? Didn't it just come out like last year?

I must be getting old. Stupid temporal perception dilation.

I saw one on the road yesterday and I think it's only the second I've ever seen.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT

Put your car in your sig!

Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
tankinbeans
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 4029
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:04 pm
Cars: 17 Mazda6 To, 18 Mazda3 i
Location: Shakopee, MN

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by tankinbeans »

theholycow wrote:The Dart is aging and being discontinued? Didn't it just come out like last year?

I must be getting old. Stupid temporal perception dilation.

I saw one on the road yesterday and I think it's only the second I've ever seen.
Berlusconi is doubling down on CUVs and is axing both the Fart and the Dos Equis. Theoretically he's going to hop in bed with somebody else for vehicles to fill those niches.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
Image
User avatar
potownrob
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 7833
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:35 pm
Cars: '17 CX-5 GT
Location: Dutchess County

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by potownrob »

tankinbeans wrote:
theholycow wrote:The Dart is aging and being discontinued? Didn't it just come out like last year?

I must be getting old. Stupid temporal perception dilation.

I saw one on the road yesterday and I think it's only the second I've ever seen.
Berlusconi is doubling down on CUVs and is axing both the Fart and the Dos Equis. Theoretically he's going to hop in bed with somebody else for vehicles to fill those niches.
I haven't taken Chrysler seriously for 20 years now. Should not be surprised.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
User avatar
theholycow
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 16021
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:36 pm
Cars: '80 Buick LeSabre 4.1 5MT
Location: Glocester, RI
Contact:

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by theholycow »

tankinbeans wrote:Theoretically he's going to hop in bed with somebody else for vehicles to fill those niches.
Wasn't the Dart already a badge-engineered Fiat?
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT

Put your car in your sig!

Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
tankinbeans
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 4029
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:04 pm
Cars: 17 Mazda6 To, 18 Mazda3 i
Location: Shakopee, MN

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by tankinbeans »

theholycow wrote:
tankinbeans wrote:Theoretically he's going to hop in bed with somebody else for vehicles to fill those niches.
Wasn't the Dart already a badge-engineered Fiat?
I think so. He thinks he's going to farm a Toyota product or something because he can't be bothered with the midsize sedan market.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
Image
User avatar
bk7794
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1561
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:16 am
Cars: 00 Civic (Stock)
Location: Central CT

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by bk7794 »

potownrob wrote:
tankinbeans wrote:
theholycow wrote:The Dart is aging and being discontinued? Didn't it just come out like last year?

I must be getting old. Stupid temporal perception dilation.

I saw one on the road yesterday and I think it's only the second I've ever seen.
Berlusconi is doubling down on CUVs and is axing both the Fart and the Dos Equis. Theoretically he's going to hop in bed with somebody else for vehicles to fill those niches.
I haven't taken Chrysler seriously for 20 years now. Should not be surprised.
When did you get a vw?
2004 Honda Accord 2.4 5 Speed
1989 Ford Taurus SHO 5 speed
watkins
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 15880
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:42 am
Cars: '08 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon
Location: Salem, MA

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by watkins »

Much like how everything that failed on Mopar vehicles was Mercedes-derived back in the Daimler Benz days, everything that sucks currently in the FCA situation is the Fiat stuff.

That said, Darts are painfully slow no matter what the engine option. They sound funny. The interior quality isnt all that special. The only thing I like about them (and the other small Fiat-Mopar things) is that the lug pattern and hub bore are the same as Saabs.

I do actually like the new 200 though and Im disappointed that theyre going bye-bye. I drove one just shy of 500 miles over a couple days and was impressed.
User avatar
potownrob
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 7833
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:35 pm
Cars: '17 CX-5 GT
Location: Dutchess County

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by potownrob »

bk7794 wrote:
potownrob wrote:
tankinbeans wrote: Berlusconi is doubling down on CUVs and is axing both the Fart and the Dos Equis. Theoretically he's going to hop in bed with somebody else for vehicles to fill those niches.
I haven't taken Chrysler seriously for 20 years now. Should not be surprised.
When did you get a vw?
where the San Hell have you been BK?!? :lol: :twisted:
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
User avatar
potownrob
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 7833
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:35 pm
Cars: '17 CX-5 GT
Location: Dutchess County

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by potownrob »

watkins wrote: I do actually like the new 200 though and Im disappointed that theyre going bye-bye. I drove one just shy of 500 miles over a couple days and was impressed.
go figure they're getting rid of their good looking sedans :|
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
IMBoring25
Moderator
Posts: 3418
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 5:01 pm
Location: OK, USA

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by IMBoring25 »

watkins wrote:I do actually like the new 200 though and Im disappointed that theyre going bye-bye. I drove one just shy of 500 miles over a couple days and was impressed.
Did yours have the rotary knob shifter? I'm not sure how far I drove one over a couple of weeks and I hated its guts. It was otherwise not bad, but that shifter...A nearly identical interface to the fan speed control with no real tactile feedback for which position is selected was bad enough, but only having "D" and "L" with appalling programming in the mountains was rough. It seemed to be conspiring to be in the wrong gear. On level ground in D it would be revving enough to be buzzy and on steep downhills in L it would still upshift enough to provide very little engine braking.
watkins
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 15880
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:42 am
Cars: '08 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon
Location: Salem, MA

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by watkins »

It did have the rotary shifter. I'm not a fan of it either. The transmission itself is fine, once you learn it. I tried to maintain a relatively reasonable 70-75mph, but it was constantly hunting 6-7-8 and fuel economy was rather unimpressive. I bumped my speed to 80-85mph and it locked in top gear with a pretty significant economy improvement as well.
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by Rope-Pusher »

I thought Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press answered the question well

http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/m ... /85636992/

“Why’s Chrysler dropping the 200 and Dodge Dart? Are they that terrible?” a reader asked recently.

No, but they’re not great. That, along with changing buyer tastes, doomed the two cars.

The 200 and Dart have their virtues, but neither is a clear leader in any of the areas customers care about most: value, style, safety, performance, technology, fuel economy and design.

Imagine yourself in a Hertz lot. Your choices are a Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Malibu and Kia Optima. Which one do you ignore? Yeah, me too.
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
watkins
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 15880
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:42 am
Cars: '08 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon
Location: Salem, MA

Re: How is the 1.4t and 2.4 Dodge Dart?

Post by watkins »

Id probably only look at the Ford and Chrysler. Maybe the Kia
Post Reply