At $8,500, Is This 2013 Dodge Durango A Deal The Whole Crew Will Appreciate?

With a hemi under the hood and three rows of seats inside, today's Nice Price or No Dice Durango Crew isn't fooling around. Let's see if its price is fooling anyone.

I, for one, was shocked—shocked, I tell you—at the vote on the 1990 Honda Civic Si we looked at yesterday. That Honda was a desirable model, in good shape, and had Acura wheels! Of course, it also had over 200K on the clock and a goofy-tall shift lever. The pros couldn't outweigh the cons—not least at a $9,500 asking price—and that led to an overwhelming 86 percent No Dice loss.

I suppose if you're going to spend that kind of cash, there are a lot of newer, more utilitarian, and easier-to-service options out there. One such choice could be this 2013 Dodge Durango Crew. It is, after all, a capacious three-row tall wagon with decent towing capability and easy parts availability. Oh, and as an added bonus, this Dodge's mileage is under 200K.

Another thing this Durango represents is the longest-surviving model in Dodge's severely-truncated lineup. Presently, that cast of characters is comprised of the brand-new Charger, the almost-as-new Hornet, and the old-as-dirt Durango. While it has enjoyed a couple of facelifts along the way, this third-iteration of Durango has been on the market pretty much like this since 2011. That makes the present model not only the most mature nameplate in Dodge's corral but also one of the oldest vehicles of any kind on the market.

Craigslist

That means that getting a 12-year-old edition like this one doesn't feel like you're missing out on much. After all, the nose and tail lamps aren't all that different from the current version, and the part in between those is pretty much exactly the same. It's a similar story in the cabin, where, aside from fewer buttons on the steering wheel and a smaller center stack screen, it's not all that far off the current Durango experience.

Dodge's Durango is named after Durango, Colorado, the quaint former railroad town that is the county seat of La Plata County. That, in turn, is named after the Mexican state of Durango, which would have been a pretty obvious choice for a namesake if the Durango were built in Stellantis' truck factory in Saltillo, Mexico, even if that's one state over in Coahuila.

The Crew package may not make this the fanciest Durango on the market, but it still offers leather seating surfaces, rear climate controls, and a moonroof. According to the ad, everything in the truck works as it should, except for the rear entertainment system and the center-screen navigation. Another victim to age and use, the center armrest between the front seats shows evidence of years of elbow grease. Everything else inside appears to be in very decent shape, with little wear and/or tear. It should also feel a modern enough experience to occupy with its fancy push-to-start and multi-zone climate control. 

Craigslist

This Durango shows its age and 192,000 miles on the outside, too. Per the seller, the clear coat is giving up the ghost on the front bumper, and there are some chips in the paint on the factory alloy wheels. The ad describes the bodywork color as "purple," but it comes across as blue in the pictures. There is also a mention of some scuffs in that paint, but those don't show in the ad, making this a 10-foot truck at worst.

On the plus side, the seller claims the mechanicals are in good condition. Obviously, with the truck's age and mileage, a good going-over is warranted to ensure there aren't any major issues (tick, tick, tick).

With a clean title and what looks to be a solid rust-free appearance, all that's left for us is to decide if this truck is presently worth its $8,500 asking price. That's a $500 reduction from just a few days ago, which is reflected in the fact that the ad still calls out the $9K price in the copy with the lower price featured in the intro.

What do you all say about this Durango and that $8,500 price tag? Does that seem like a fair deal for a capable SUV that could almost pass for a new model? Or do the miles and the age call that asking into question?

You decide!

Nice Price or No Dice:

Marshall, Minnesota, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to James Nye for the hookup!

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