Can anyone from the Northern Illinois area suggest a Dodge dealership they've had good (or bad) experiance with?

 

I went to the dealer when I bought my truck. Never went back.

 

I do not know where you live so this one maybe too far. I would suggest Dempsy Chrysler/Dodge in Plano Il. I have had good luck with them since the Feds closed down Westside Dodge in Aurora Il. I am doing all of my own maintenance now since I have fixed my truck for improve fuel mileage. So I have not been there to often for warranty work.

 

Burke ( sp? )Dodge In Naperville Illinois, the mechanic you want is a guy by the name of Donny Lean, he has been at it since 1989, comes highly recommended by my buddy the Dodge dealer.

Cannot vouch for the rest of the Dealership, but I know Donny knows his stuff.

 

Ya I do all my own repairs 'cept my trucks developed an excessive black smoke issue I'm concerned is going to cause further damage if I don't get it figured out soon. Took it to a good (gasser) mechanic friend of mine who checked the truck with a MAC scan tool but found nothing out of the ordinary. Also got a recall notice (shown below) and figured I can have the recall notice checked out while the trucks having the black smoke issue diagnosed. Figured I'd pole some suggestions regarding folks experiences on local Dodge dealerships with good track records with diesels in the Northern, Illinois area before biting the bullet & taking the truck in. This is only the trucks 2nd trip to the dealer ... 1st trip was for the "out-of-park shift selector" safety recall which was done by (the now closed) Richard Chrysler Jeep Dodge in St Charles, Illinois.


NHTSA RECALL #09E001000
Chrysler is recalling 18,000 aftermarket steering linkages used for service on some MAY 2003 through 2008 Dodge Ram heavy duty pickup trucks. The subject linkages may experience drag link inner tie rod to pitman arm ball stud fracture, also, the steering linkage damper attaching bracket may yeild and shift on the linkage. The part numbers of the affected assemblies is 52122362aa through 52122362ad.

This could result in a loss of steering control and the restricted ability to turn the vehicle in one direction increasing the risk of a crash without warning.

Dealers will replace the steering linkage drag link inner tie rod end assembly, and inspect the steering linkage damper bracket free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2009. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning recall #09E001000.

 

Westside dodge is closest to me but by the looks of their empty sales lot I figured they were having some issues. A few months ago I searched Dodge.com for the latest local list of official Dodge dealerships which survived the closings and WESTSIDE DODGE was NOT listed ... FEENY CHRYSLER in Elgin, DUPAGE DODGE in Wheaton and NAPERVILLE-JEEP-DODGE were the only ones that came up. Oddly enough, I just searched dealerships via Dodge.com again today & WESTSIDE DODGE is BACK again on the Dodge.com dealership locator search...I wonder what's going on with Westside and if I should take a chance on 'em?

 

It is probably too far for you but Frank Boucher in Janesville WI has done almost all the work on my truck. They even put in my transmission sensor. A few years back with only 12k miles, the piston rod bearing went out and the engine had to be completely rebuilt. I had it towed to there shop (from Madison) because I already had been going there for service. They paid the extra $60 for towing and rented a QC gasser for me. In 10 days I was back on the road and no problems so far 71k miles to date. They still refer to me as that guy "with that engine" . At first they mentioned that I had gauges at the time and I explained why I put them in, they never said another word. They let me go back and talk with the mechanic at times. I like the folks there and they are still here.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxborough

A few years back with only 12k miles, the piston rod bearing went out

Curious to know...what (if any) symptoms did the piston rod bearing produce?

 

The symptoms happened pretty quickly. I first heard a "tap, tap, tap"..and thought it was my son playing a game in the back. Then after a few minutes with the same noise, I noticed the sound was a little louder and would change with engine speed. Then after about 5 minutes the wifey noticed the sound and then I knew I was in trouble . I stopped along the side of the road ( not reccomended near Madison on a Saturday) and checked the oil, water and anything I could think of. When I started the truck the noise was more like a small hammer against the block. I only had about 5 miles to go to the next exit. By the time I got there we were expecting engine parts to start comming off. So to answer the question it took about 10-15 minutes from a slight tap to major pound, pound, pound.
I was towing our boat to Madison at the time, here is a picture.

 

Yes, Westside Dodge was one of the dealers closed under the Fed's bailout of Chrysler. The recall can be done at any Chrysler dealer/ and or Dodge. Mine was done at Dempsey Chrysler Dodge in Plano Il on RT34. Has far as a good diesel shop in the area you could try No Limit Diesel Performance, they are located in Leland Il. Send me a pm and I will provide you their phone number, if you want.

 

Since WESTSIDE DODGE is closest and back up on DODGE.COM's dealership location finder ( http://www.dodge.com/hostc/fad/findD...e=&dealerName= ) I'm gonna give 'em a shot at check'n out the excessive black smoke issue. I'd be interested to hear any positive (or negative) experiences anyone has had with Westside!

 

If you are looking for Dodge dealerships in Northern Illinois, check online options like AutoNation, Carvana, and Vroom. These online dealerships can deliver to your area and provide info on the vehicle’s history.

For local options, some people have used Napleton Dodge in Roselle and River Front Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in North Aurora. It is a good idea to read reviews for any dealership you consider to see if others have had good experiences.

You can also call some dealerships nearby and ask about service specials. Some offer discounts or packages for customers.