2008 Dodge Nitro

Rating from Nitro Enthusiast

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"I have owned my nitro for over 3 years and the only problem I have had with it was a leaking seal near the crank shaft about a year ago and that was completely covered by the warranty great value and great car for the money"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Silver Bullet

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"This vehicle was a surprise purchase as we were primarily looking at the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. I have had many vehicles over the years and not many Chrysler products. I have a 32000 mile R/T model and am very impressed with the power, handling, size and styling of the vehicle. The exterior styling of this truck is is what really sets it apart from other vehicles of similar size and style. This vehicle is also a great value when compared to other comparable vehicles. If your looking for a vehicle with a little more masculinity, take a look at the Nitro. You might be as impressed as I was."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from New suv Owner

(3)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"I own a 2008 which my husband surprised me with it as I was about to have our first baby. It handled the colorado canyons in December very very nicely. Then we moved 1000 miles away, and great for those road trips back to visit family and friends. Then we had had another baby. Still the nitro was comfortable. Then two years after purchase, the lock on the back door stopped working, but it was covered by warranty. Right at 38,000 miles the window mechanism died. I was out of town right before a storm and the window wouldn't go back up. So I had to pay the dealership to put it up and disconnect the motor to it. Then just a month later, current day, the passenger door lock will not unlock with the remote. With three kids and a dog, it is not convenient to have to manually unlock the doors, and not be able to crack the window on a warm day. So we purchased the extended warranty to cover any other future problems... Since we can't trade it in without being upside-down on it, the ext warranty was a good choice for us. But when we can, I will be getting a bigger SUV to fit our family comfortably. Otherwise I love this vehicle, and I love that mine is a manual trans. Oh but one thing that drives me crazy is the shiny trim around the shift stick will reflect the sun right into your face... I do not need that extra distraction! I find my self trying to smudge it or I have thought about scotch taping it until I can order a replacement in another color/ material And another draw back, as minor as it is, there is a gap between the tray and the area where the air controls are... Pens, and everything gets lost in there and there is no way to retrieve them without taking the dashboard apart. I also bought the cover for the cargo cover for the back... Great idea but it only covers about 2/3 of the areaso you can't hide your things entirely... Oh well... Still worth the hundred bucks for that accessory. Also I had a block heater installed... Faulty part and it caught the engine on fire. Scary cuz I was in the car! The dealership towed it and fixed it, two days of work. Also the E brake is stiff, sometimes doesn't work... Some models had it recalled, mine was not in the group and the dealer says mine is ok...but I still think they need to fix it, but I am not going to pay for that since I asked them to do it long before the warranty expired."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from gas gas gas

(3)
Comfort:		2 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		2 out of 5
Reliability:		2 out of 5

"I purchased my 2008 Nitro in Feb or 2009. They dealer had plenty of 2008s on the lot however my budget only allowed me to purchase the SXT level with the "SLT" look, which gave me 17 inch chrome plated rims a sun/moon roof and painted body side moldings. I loved this truck for about oooooh 6-7 months. The foot wells esp. on the drivers side offered no comfort at all. My foot was always at the 45 degree angle on the gas pedal. The brake pedal is really way to big and in the way at times. Also around the first few months of driving I began to have pain in my left (gas pedal) foot. It was something I had never experienced when driving and it persisted for almost a year (doctors only could offer pain pills). Fast forward to the late winter early spring of 2010. I noticed that my passanger side front and back carpeting was soaked. At first I figured it was the water bottle on the floor leaking out. However the next big rain storm I had a small pond on my passenger floor. Took it to the dealer and sure enough all the seals from the sun roof down the pillars had split open . Thankfully it was still under warrenty but this is not something that should happen to a brand new car. Fast forward to the summer of 2010, my front and or rear brakes began to squeal. Now I only had maybe 24,000 miles on the car and the checks at every oil change showed I had plenty of pad life left. But the squealing and screeching became to embarrasing so I replaced the pads, nothing changed, replaced the rotors, nothing changed, had to get hybrid brake pads to fix this issue(and according to Nitro websites the brake thing is a real issue). So I tried for months to trade it away, no one wanted it. No dealer would give me anything close to what I owed . I like most began to struggle with the raising prices of gas these past few months ($75-90.00 a week in gas), and I figured it was time to bite the bullet and go used to get out from under the Nitro. However I kept searching and found myself sitting inside something I thought I'd never buy a Kia. 2 hours later I was rid of my Nitro and already saving money on gas!!! The Nitro reviews say you will love it or hate it. Our relationship ended in hate."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Work

Rating from Prangerer

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Great car Great Buy I'm thirty years old and I have owned alot of cars and by far for the money and for the state of Michigan I am yet to own a more reliable vehicle for me...."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Work

Rating from Happy Nitro Owner

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"When my 2000 Chevy Blazer was telling me it was time to move on, I started looking feverishly for a new SUV. Not having shopped for a car in almost a decade, there was a lot out there I wasn't familiar with. I immediately realized that I kept being attracted to Nitros in most of my searches and always noticing them on the roads. However, like many of you researching this vehicle, I've read tons of mediocre professional reviews which made me wary of spending my money on one. I decided to also read consumer reviews and found that across this and many other sites, those were much more favorable. Turns out I guy I know has a 2007 R/T (also drives a Jeep Wrangler) and he said he absolutely loves it and has no issues in 3+ years of ownership. Between his and other consumer reviews (and about 10 test drives), I made the plunge and I bought a 2008 R/T (4.0 liter, 20in. wheels, MyGiG satellite radio with 20GB Hard Drive, Rear VES, towing kit, Load 'N' Go, rear park sensors, remote start, Premium audio pkg., moonroof, heated seats). I can honestly say that I'm extremely happy with my purchase so far and I just love this car. I rarely ever write reviews but I really have enjoyed the car so much that I wanted to help out people who may be thinking about purchasing one and help dispel some of the bad myths on the Nitros. First and foremost, this is an SUV, so super high MPG should not be expected. However, mine is rated for 15city/21hwy and so far I've far exceeded that. I've had it for a little more than 2 full months (small sample size, I know) but already have over 4200 miles on it. I would say that with mostly city driving (85/15 split), I'm easily getting 19.8-20.0 MPG right now with 87 octane. If I take even 1 moderately long (30mi) highway trip, I can easily average over 23 MPG. Keep in mind that I use the cruise control a fair amount, but it makes a huge difference if you do. Anyway, since MPG was always a big knock in expert reviews, I'm very happy with what I'm getting here. Coming from driving a Blazer for almost a decade, I'm used to a "truck-like" ride (yet another knock from the pro's), and the Nitro is no different. However, it's perfectly comfortable enough if you are an SUV driver. If you're coming from a car, then you may find it takes a little getting used to, but not much. My wife has a Ford Focus and likes driving my car just fine and enjoys the Nitro's ride. The leather seats are very comfy and firm enough that I don't mind no longer having my power lumbar support. The acceleration is pretty decent, as I hardly notice any dropoff form my previous 4.3l engine. It's also got a nice burbling exhaust sound that I admit I sort of like hearing. Very smooth ride on paved roads, and not bad on dirt roads (and there's more than a few near my home). It is a bit bumpy on the dirt roads, but I think that may be due more to the 20in wheels than anything else. Fairly quiet ride, too. Not too much outside noise, but certainly not soundproof either. As far as the interior goes, I like the overall look as well as the ease of use and placement of the console knobs. Radio controls on the steering wheel are nice, and while I never thought that would be something I would care for, I use them exclusively and find that it's much easier/safer anyway. Yeah, I would have liked to see a bit less plastic, but the general dark gray/metallic brushed nickel appearance still looks very stylish. The high plastic surface area is the only reason I knocked a star off my rating, but I hardly notice it as it's still far nicer than my last car. If I have any knock on my car it's that I wish Nitros came with a useable roofrack system factory installed. I have to purchase the factory inserts/crossbar kit and it runs @$300, but I'll get enough use out of it to justify the cost. Really, this car has everything I wanted and would possibly need other than the roofrack system, so it's really minor. Basically, if you can get over the quailty of the plastic interior, you'll find a very nice SUV with a lot to offer. The Nitro R/T can offer the options you'd find in a Jeep Limited for a smaller price and deliver better performance. I hope this review helps, as I know it would have been helpful to me when I was in the market a few months back. **Keep in mind that my review is for the 2008 R/T model (that's what it was called in '07/'08), and I feel it's appreciably better than the base Nitro for not much more money when buying used."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from dreamt of this car for three yrs to be dissapointe

(1)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		1 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"I should have just kept dreaming about owning, I would have been happier. To much needs to be fixed."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from nitrous

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I got my Dodge Nitro in July 2009 and have not had any issues with it what so even these vehicles are built like tanks and can take a lot of abuse! I would recommend this vehicle to anyone!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Rascal

(4)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"We took our Nitro to Maine and went by way of Vermont there was snow all over and we did not have a bit of trouble out of it And by the way it is not 4 wheel drive just 2 wheel and still went along great I'm very happy with it"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Chrysler Fan

(4)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		3 out of 5
Reliability:		3 out of 5

"I have owned my 2008 Dodge Nitro SXT for a year now and I am still liking it. The 3.7 V6 has adequate power, it easily passes on the highway. It has a comfortable ride and rules off road. I am disapointed that the 4x4 system only has one setting (4 lock), it is annoying having to keep switching in and out of 4WD depending on the terrain, when a 4x4 system is locked it can mess it up if you drive on dry pavement, an all wheel drive option would be nice. I have only one problem with the car, once in a while when I go to turn the windshield wipers on they don't go on and I have to stop and turn the car off and then on and then they work. The mechanics can't figure it out. The car has so many positive aspects that a problem like that doesn't bother me much. I enjoy being noticed when driving down the road."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around