Re: Question for Michael K, if he's still around -- Stiff's SUV Tyme!

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Subject: Re: Question for Michael K, if he's still around

Author:
Michael K

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Date Posted: 07:27:18 06/20/10 Sun
Author Host/IP: 67-134-99-197.dia.static.qwest.net/67.134.99.197
In reply to: mjc 's message, "Re: Question for Michael K, if he's still around" on 20:18:31 06/15/10 Tue

My biggest complaint about the way Dodge does the Caliber is the lack of availability of the manual transmissions. Unless they changed things in the past 4 years from when I was buying mine, the manual is only available on two of the three engine sizes and three of the four models. The three engines are the 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4 (I believe the SRT-4 uses a modified 2.4). The four models are SE (base model), SXT, RT and SRT-4 (at the time I bought mine, the SRT-4 wasn't being produced, that came two years later). The manual is only available on the SE with the 1.8, the RT with the 2.4 or the SRT-4.

The annoying part is the SXT is the most popular model because of the options packages and the price (RT and SRT-4 are considerably higher priced) but the manual isn't available. I insisted on a manual when I bought mine and ended up ordering a SE with the 1.8 and adding whatever options they would let me have.

I've been very pleased with it, the 1.8 gives me 30 MPG and any performance loss from the smaller engine can be made up with the manual transmission. I'm not going to be setting any land speed records with my car, but I never had a problem accelerating and merging at autobahn speed when I lived in Germany.

There is a steep hill near my home where almost everyone slows down going up it. If I leave my car in 5th all the way up the hill, I will drop from 70 down to 50 by the time I get to the top. Dropping the car into 4th I can easily maintain 65-70 all the way up. The wife's Beetle with a 1.8T and auto could keep 65-70 all the way up, but the pedal would be floored and turbo would kick in to keep the speed up.

The auto they do offer is the CVT built by Nissan. I've heard a lot of good things about that one, but I still prefer my manual. I just wish Dodge would offer the manual with all their models/engines.

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