Purchasing a vehicle should be an exciting experience, but for one customer, it turned into a nightmare filled with mechanical issues and frustrating dealership interactions. This dodge journey review details a deeply dissatisfying experience with a used Dodge Journey purchased from Cherry Hill Dodge, highlighting a series of recurring problems and poor customer service. If you’re considering a Dodge Journey, especially a used model, or are looking for insights into Cherry Hill Dodge’s service, this account serves as a crucial dodge journey review to consider.
Initial Issues Post-Purchase
Just days after driving off the lot in December 2021, the honeymoon phase with this Dodge Journey quickly ended. The customer immediately encountered a flat tire and electrical problems. This led to the first unscheduled maintenance stop, requiring a new battery and tire shortly after purchase. While the vehicle seemed to stabilize temporarily, this was merely the calm before the storm of persistent issues that would plague the Dodge Journey.
Alt text: Flat tire on Dodge Journey, illustrating initial problems shortly after purchase.
Recurring Mechanical Failures and Dealership Visits
By March, a cascade of new problems emerged. The radio began cutting out intermittently, the car’s locking system malfunctioned, and alarmingly, the engine started overheating. Seeking a quick fix, the owner took the Dodge Journey to a local mechanic. Diagnosis revealed a leak, and the radiator was replaced. However, this repair proved to be a temporary band-aid.
June brought further trouble when the car refused to start altogether. A jump start got it running, leading to another battery replacement, this time at Midas. By September, the persistent overheating issue forced a visit to Cherry Hill Dodge, the original dealership. Here, the vehicle remained for two weeks. The dealership’s service department replaced the radiator again, along with the water pump, thermostat, and several hoses. Hope for a resolution was short-lived. Almost immediately after leaving the dealership, the Dodge Journey began overheating once more, signaling deeper, unresolved problems.
Alt text: Dashboard of Dodge Journey with temperature gauge indicating overheating, highlighting recurring engine problems.
Terrible Customer Service and Communication Breakdown
Returning to Cherry Hill Dodge yet again, the customer was instructed to bring the vehicle back immediately. This marked the beginning of an extended period without their car, stretching weeks into October. While the dealership performed more repairs, the overheating issue persisted upon the vehicle’s return on October 12th. Another call, another drop-off, and this time, a rental car was provided – a gesture initially presented as a courtesy, with the manager Roko seemingly indicating dealership responsibility for the rental costs.
However, the customer’s experience with customer service, particularly with Roko, deteriorated significantly. Initial helpfulness gave way to frustrating unresponsiveness. Daily calls for updates went unanswered, promised callbacks never materialized, and attempts to reach anyone at the dealership often resulted in being hung up on after lengthy hold times. The communication breakdown was so severe that the customer resorted to involving family members in an attempt to get through to the dealership and obtain information about their vehicle. This lack of communication amplified the stress and disruption caused by the ongoing car problems, impacting finances, work, and daily life.
Rental Car Payment Misunderstanding
A particularly contentious point arose concerning the rental vehicle. Upon finally retrieving their Dodge Journey after another round of repairs, the customer was presented with a $500 bill from Enterprise for the rental car. This directly contradicted the initial impression that the dealership would cover these costs. Confronting Roko about this discrepancy led to an unpleasant confrontation. The customer reports being argued with, accused of lying, and dismissed. The situation escalated to the point where Roko’s supervisor, Chris, had to intervene. Chris assured the customer that the rental issue would be resolved, seemingly offering a resolution, but the overall service experience had already been deeply soured.
Escalation and Seeking Resolution
Despite assurances, the Dodge Journey’s overheating problems continued into December, ultimately rendering the vehicle unusable. Contacting Cherry Hill Dodge again resulted in further dismissive and unhelpful behavior, this time from Chris, who reportedly became aggressive and offered no viable solutions. Feeling scammed and left with a defective vehicle, the customer took matters into their own hands, researching consumer rights and ultimately filing a complaint with consumer affairs. Following this escalation, Chris from Cherry Hill Dodge contacted the customer, indicating that Consumer Affairs had indeed contacted them and that they were now obligated to provide assistance. The review concludes with a sense of exhaustion and uncertainty, hoping for a positive resolution through consumer affairs intervention, but deeply scarred by the entire ordeal.
Conclusion
This dodge journey review paints a stark picture of a negative ownership experience. From the outset, the used Dodge Journey suffered from a litany of mechanical problems, and the dealership’s service, while initially appearing helpful, devolved into poor communication, unresolved issues, and customer service disputes. For prospective buyers, this dodge journey review serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the importance of thorough pre-purchase inspections, understanding used car warranties, and carefully considering dealership reputation and customer service before making a purchase. The experience detailed in this dodge journey review highlights the potential pitfalls of buying a used vehicle and the critical role of reliable and customer-centric dealership support.
