So i'm looking at buying a 2007 Dodge Caliber. Anyone have one or have any feedback? There aren't that many informative reviews of this car.

3/4/2008 3:40:08 PM

what do you want to know? what trim level are you wanting? what's your price point?

base motor is a dog. people don't like the cvt until they get used to it. interior isn't the best looking, but is pretty functional. fairly reliable. r/t fwd 5 speed would be a decent all-around car if you can find one and you can drive stick. Unless you want the hatchback/wagon capability, there are likely better choices in the low 20k range. A more stripped down model with the 2 liter wouldn't be bad for around 17k.

3/4/2008 4:22:01 PM

you could get a modded mr2 for around the same price and it'd be faster and better on the track.

3/4/2008 4:25:07 PM

haha I don't race I just need a new car and don'twant to get something that sucks... I don't know a lot about cars

3/4/2008 4:42:48 PM

Is there a reason you want this particular car? Just looks or what?

3/4/2008 4:53:15 PM

It's not a small car but not as big as my explorer now...better gas...it already has the ipod hookup so I wouldn't have to deal with that...and it's relatively cheap..I don't need/want anything luxorious...

3/4/2008 4:57:55 PM

http://www.edmunds.com/dodge/caliber/2007/consumerreview.html

A lot of reviews, some good, some bad, overall decent.

-Crossover/small SUV
-Ipod hookup
-Better gas

I'll say there's better options available but when it comes down to it, get what you like, especially if you're the one paying. It doesn't look too bad.

3/4/2008 5:05:54 PM

Thank you so much!

3/4/2008 5:12:13 PM

of all the cars that ive ever rented, and that would be more than 50, id rate it the absolute worst

3/4/2008 6:02:45 PM

For that price, I would get the Toyota Matrix. Looks helluva lot better than the Caliber. And being a Toyota, a 1,000 times more reliable.

Or any of these:

Nissan Rogue
MazdaSpeed 3
Toyota RAV4
Mazda CX-7
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Subaru Forester
Subaru Outback
Volvo V50
VW Passat (Wagon)
Mazda 5
Volvo C30
Mini Cooper Clubman

before I would ever consider the Caliber.

Look them up at http://www.edmunds.com/new/index.html for prices, reviews, etc.

3/4/2008 6:08:44 PM

and which of ^ are under 20k?

that's one random list of vehicles, too. fj, clubman, mazdaspeed 3, etc.

[Edited on March 4, 2008 at 6:27 PM. Reason : ]

3/4/2008 6:24:13 PM

One of my co-workers who retired last year was the auto mechanics teacher at our school and his wife bought a caliber r/t with the CVT. the last time I talked to him about it they hadn't had it very long, but he seemed to really like it. He trades cars every 2 or 3 years so he's rid of them before they get old enough to give too much trouble, though.

3/4/2008 6:27:47 PM

yeah I'm looking to top out at $15,000 so it just seems the most affordable

3/4/2008 6:39:15 PM

mazdaspeed 3

3/4/2008 6:40:49 PM

why don't you buy a used car from 2003-2005?

A dodge economy car wont be worth 9 grand 2 years from now.

3/4/2008 6:43:21 PM

yea the Matrix is a better option, but the Caliber isn't a bad car from all Ive seen/read.

3/4/2008 6:44:46 PM

the depreciation will MURDER you on that thing. Dodge rental car, come on.

3/4/2008 8:00:04 PM

Get something a year or two older and save on the depreciation/ultimately get something a little nicer.

Just my $.02

3/4/2008 8:10:57 PM

my mother in law has a pontiac vibe which is the same as a matrix. it's a decent little car, but it is weak. I drove it to NY and it just didn't have what it needed to merge into heavy traffic.

3/4/2008 8:16:15 PM

I would also look at the toyota matrix, honda fit, toyota corolla, honda civic, nissan sentra, and nissan versa. From experience I have found these to be very reliable and great day to day cars. Goes without saying they are also great on mpg. (I find them better looking than the caliber too - and I loved my old honda) I believe they come with very similar options and should be priced similarly to the caliber.

Can't go wrong with a yota or honda.

[Edited on March 4, 2008 at 8:38 PM. Reason : s]

3/4/2008 8:37:33 PM

I'd rather have [obligatory faster car]

3/4/2008 8:57:49 PM

Quote :

"haha I don't race I just need a new car and don'twant to get something that sucks... I don't know a lot about cars"

If you don't want something that sucks, why in the world are you considering the Caliber?

3/4/2008 9:29:20 PM

Quote :

"and which of ^ are under 20k? that's one random list of vehicles, too. fj, clubman, mazdaspeed 3, etc. "

some of those cars do start under 20, but most are in the low 20s, and some in the mid 20s. please quote her where she posted before that post of mine any price range, let alone "under 20k".

as far as the randomness of the list, i put together all cars in a certain price range, and which have some space to them as she needs (large hatches, wagons, SUVs, 'crossovers', etc).

3/4/2008 9:29:56 PM

my GF just got a nissan rogue.

she loves it.

thats all i can say about it. oh and she also likes the paddle shifting

3/4/2008 9:43:05 PM

I bet she does...

3/4/2008 9:54:06 PM

Quote :

"of all the cars that ive ever rented, and that would be more than 50, id rate it the absolute worst"

for me its, the second worst, trumped only by the mighty chevy hhr.

the cvt in the caliber sucks and blows.

3/5/2008 1:37:34 AM

get something a few years old

the caliber is gay, and depreciation will kill you

you can get more car for your money with something a few years old


for that matter, i think crossover SUVs are the most pointless of all vehicles



also, an IPOD hookup is no big deal...that's easy to add to any car.

3/5/2008 3:06:29 AM

If you top out at $15k, consider a Honda Fit, new or used. Its a little smaller than the Caliber, but it may be fine for you.

http://www.edmunds.com/honda/fit/2008/review.html

3/5/2008 3:42:31 AM

^ditto

fit
matrix
subie wagon
civic hatch
anythingbutadodgecailber

3/5/2008 12:19:01 PM

My mom test drove one for a weekend. I got to spend a lot of time in it. I would stay as far away from them as you can get. Seemed like a piece all around. She also brought home a VW Rabbit at the same time and side by side there wasn't anything that we liked better about the Caliber. And I didn't really even care that much for the Rabbit either. But in comparison, it was better in almost every way over the Caliber.

My mom ended up getting a Rouge, which she loves, but is a little out of the $15K price range.

3/5/2008 2:43:36 PM

id rather get something 2-3 years old with about 40k miles on it than a new caliber...get a few more options without nearly the depreciation hit

3/5/2008 2:46:05 PM

Buy a BMW because

I mean lets be serious

I don't even have to define the because.

3/5/2008 5:32:51 PM

buy something fast. and I mean FAST.

this is tww garage don't BRING THAT WEAK SHIT HERE

3/5/2008 6:34:23 PM

^
&
^^


I agree

3/5/2008 6:37:16 PM

For under $20k if you're looking for a car (not suv) i don't know why anyone would look at anything except a Civic/Fit or Mazda3

3/5/2008 7:56:39 PM

honda ftw

3/5/2008 8:00:09 PM

hmm, what is a bigger POS--Caliber or Cobalt? which has worse depreciation?

3/6/2008 3:13:11 AM

cobalt is a bigger POS.

3/6/2008 8:37:31 AM

Quote :

"For under $20k if you're looking for a car (not suv) i don't know why anyone would look at anything except a Civic/Fit or Mazda3 Yaris/Corolla/Camry"

[if you care about reliability, ownership costs, resale value, etc]

Hey Wlfpackg001, I have THE CAR FOR YOU. So you say you like the size and shape of the Caliber? Here is something that will be on sale soon, has a similar body type, is a hell of a lot more attractive, and will be hugely more reliable:

Toyota Venza

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/minisite/venza/venza.html

Here is a pic:

3/6/2008 6:16:10 PM

good god that is ugly

3/6/2008 8:43:37 PM

Quote :

"if you care about reliability, ownership costs, resale value, etc"

you're seriously trying to tell me that a Civic is NOT good at those things listed by you?!?

3/6/2008 9:39:54 PM

^^ haha you call that toyota ugly, but not the caliber? wow.

aside from the body style (which is identical to the caliber's), the toyota actually has an attractive face and rear end. OTOH, the caliber has a truck-like front end and a bland/boring rear end.

^ the civic IS good at those, but not as good as a toyota. everybody knows that jap cars are the best at those criteria, and among jap cars, toyotas are the best.

3/7/2008 10:31:38 AM

^in its class, the civic dominated its competitors like toyota corolla and mazda 3 in sales. I guess a whole bunch of people disagreed with you.

3/7/2008 11:16:37 AM

the caliber ass is anything but bland and boring. It (mainly the tail lights) look like shit. Way too large.

The front end on that toyota is horrible. The back isn't bad at all, but the front is just shit.

And being the same size? The toyota is a lot larger.

Caliber Toyota

Overall Height 60.4 63.4 +3"
Wheelbase [in] 103.7 109.3 +5.6"
Overall Length [in] 173.8 189 +14.2"
Ground Clearance 7.7 8.1 +0.4"
Overall Width [in] 68.8 75 +6.2"

3/7/2008 12:02:48 PM

^^^Give me a break man, you're splitting hairs. And used Civics are prized far more than used Corollas.

3/7/2008 1:47:07 PM

I've heard a couple of people who had them that didn't like them. I haven't ready too many reviews, but consumer reports has it rated pretty bad. Poor build quality, not refined at all, probably will have pretty bad depreciation. I'd say go for a civic or matrix.

3/8/2008 10:16:44 AM