If you're plunking down something north of $30,000 for a well-trimmed crossover or SUV, $50-100 for an oil change every few months probably isn't going to put your family out on the street. Nevertheless, it's nice to get things included in the purchase price, and that's just what Dodge and Mopar are teaming up to do for the loaded Durango Citadel and Journey Lux.
The new 2011 Durango, in case you missed it, gets a wicked new look, a focus on aerodynamics, plus the benefit of much of the materials and design lessons learned on the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, interpreted through the Dodge lens. Now you can add to that 3-year/36,000-mile "no-cost" maintenance when you opt for the top-tier Citadel trim package. That includes oil, filter, and lube jobs at three month/3,000-mile intervals, a $35/day car rental allowance, a $100 "sign and go" towing and roadside assistance program, and $1,000 in trip interruption coverage to help beat the cost of an unplanned mechanical failure during a voyage.
Why offer free maintenance? According to Dodge president and CEO Pietro Gorlier, "With this specific no-cost maintenance plan, we are offering an added benefit to those customers who check all of boxes on their all-new Durango or Journey. In addition, we are helping these customers build a long-term relationship with their local dealer." In other words, they are aiming to make money in maintenance and repair work long after the free and warranty coverage run out.
The 2011 Dodge Journey Lux gets the exact same treatment, and the "no-cost" maintenance operates in addition to the existing five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty already offered on both vehicles.
[Dodge]
