I have owned my Chrysler for around 6 1/2 years. Purchased used from a dealer for around 12k$, it had around 48k miles, and allegedly was a lease return.

The a/c went out twice within a year or so and now is unhooked. I am not going to spend the thousand plus again, I am afraid it will just go out sooner rather than later.

The transmission went out, torque converter died, and I ended up spending around 2800$ for a rebuilt to be installed, from a highly regarded transmission shop, and it has held up since then. It went out about 6 months after buying the car and now has about 120k miles on the "new" rebuilt one.

My car is now at 181,000 miles and still going strong. Except for 2 batteries, front brakes, oil changes and trannie fluid changes, plus getting tie bar link ends replaced twice, it pretty much has been trouble free.

When I drive it to Vegas or other long trips, I have averaged as high as 30.5 mpg but that has dropped some, a check engine light is on, plenum issue I believe, and the spark plugs now have about 130,000 miles and need to be changed.

I also need to think about doing the water pump and timing belt also, which reminds me that I did have to put in a new radiator recently after a desert trip.

Luckily for me, the Chrysler engineers built one longlasting motor here, the 3.5 6 in the 2002 year, and I am starting to think that with a change of plugs, water pump and timing belt, I might try to go for 300,000 miles!

That's been my experience with this car, except for the catastrophic transmission failure shortly after the purchase, it has been pretty bulletproof and still looks and runs good.