Dodge occupies a specific place in the New England driveway — the Durango hauling a family and a trailer, the Charger and Challenger doing duty year round with a good set of winter tires, and a long tail of Grand Caravans still on the road. Auto Care Plus services all of them at our New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine locations, across Pentastar V6, HEMI V8, and Hornet powertrains.
HEMI Maintenance Is Mostly About Oil
The 5.7-liter HEMI is a durable engine with one significant caveat: the cylinder deactivation lifters are sensitive to oil condition and viscosity. Late or low oil changes are the fastest route to a collapsed lifter and, if ignored, a damaged camshaft. Using the correct specification oil on a disciplined interval is genuinely the most valuable preventive step a HEMI owner can take, and it is inexpensive.
Pentastar V6 Patterns
The 3.6-liter Pentastar powers most of the lineup and is generally reliable. The items we see regularly are the plastic oil filter housing warping and leaking onto the exhaust, water pump seepage, and on earlier versions, a cylinder head issue that presents as a persistent misfire on cylinder 2 or 5. We diagnose that properly rather than replacing coils and plugs repeatedly.
Rear-Wheel Drive in a Salt State
Charger and Challenger owners here know the drill. A proper set of winter tires transforms these cars, and the brake and suspension components deserve close inspection every spring after a winter of salt exposure. We also pay attention to rear differential fluid, which is easy to overlook and important on a rear-drive vehicle.
Seasonal Storage Done Properly
Many Chargers and Challengers here go away for the winter, and what you do before storage matters more than what you do after. Change the oil before storage rather than in spring, because used oil holds acids and combustion byproducts you do not want sitting against bearing surfaces for five months. Use a proper battery maintainer, not an unattended trickle charger. Fill the fuel tank to limit condensation and add stabilizer. Overinflate tires slightly to reduce flat spotting. In spring, inspect the brakes before driving hard — rotors rust and pads can bond — and check for rodent damage, which is more common than owners expect.
Service at Every Location
NH and ME state inspections, brake and suspension repair, transmission service, A/C work, and complete diagnostics are available for every Dodge at all Auto Care Plus locations.
