Thanks for posting.

Thanks for the update. I am still very interested in what you find out at the end of the month. I would really like to be able to order the first of January. I wish DCX would put a monitor on this forum the way they did with a Jeep Compass forum I read frequently. They provided great info. in the first 6 months of build and were after build quality feedback from new customers. I think that would be helpful here as well.

I agree, that helped a lot!

Updating this issue. I emailed Chrysler on Saturday about the availability of the Full Time transfer case. With the exception of my name and case number, this is their un-edited reply.

(Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:42:31 -0500 (EST)
From: "customerassistmkt" <customerassistmkt@daimlerchrysler.com>
To: "Deleted"
Subject: Re: DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance

Dear Sir:

Thank you for your email regarding the Dodge Nitro.

We are pleased to read about your interest in the 2007 Dodge Nitro R/T.
At this time, there has not been a date released regarding the
availability of the Full-Time four wheel drive transfer case. Please
stay in contact with us (Dodge.com) and your local Dodge dealership for
updates.

The Dodge Nitro comes with a standard six-speed manual or optional
four-speed automatic. The Dodge Nitro SLT has a standard four-speed
automatic. The Dodge Nitro R/T has a standard five-speed automatic. All
U.S. models offer 4x2 and 4x4 capability. The new mid-size SUV boasts
excellent acceleration, braking, handling and towing capacity of 5,000
lbs. when properly equipped.

To find out more on Dodge Nitro, as well as pricing, incentives, dealer
locations, brochure requests, and many more shopping tools, please
follow the link below:

http://www.dodge.com/en/nitro/index.html

If you would like me to provide you with the contact information for a
dealer, or if you have further questions, please feel free to reply to
this email. You may also call us on our toll-free number at
1-800-964-0600. When you call, I can connect you directly to your local
dealership, providing your call is during the dealer's hours of
operation.

Thank you for your interest in Dodge.)


Any of you that have ordered an R/T with Full Time 4WD may also want to contact Chrysler.

They have a customer assistance phone line that is answered from 8:00 AM till 12:00 Midnight, 7 days a week. 1-800-4ADODGE.

Plus, if your interested, perhaps you can get the same straight answer about the MyGIG if you care to ask.

Hope I don't offend anyone, but a this stage I am becomming a bit sarcastic

I have been waiting on pulling the plug on a 4WD R/T myself and I am curious. Besides the obvious difference on full time vs. part time... what are the pros and cons of the two systems? Thanks for any advice on this.

-Lil'

The main difference is flexibility. With the full-time transfer case, you can leave it in 4WD on road or off, not so with the part time unit. The full time unit allows you to drive on pavement in any inclement weather condition. With the R/T package, this means you will be able to put more power on the road with less likelyhood of loss of traction. However, keep in mind that all versions of the Nitro are equipped the traction control, so this may be less of an issue than in older vehicles. Since no one has an R/T yet, we can't ask how well the traction control system functions on a full throttle launch.

I have researched this particular transfer case (full time). In the manifacturers literature, it reads much like an all-wheel drive transfer case. It adds sensors at each wheel to provide feedback for wheelspin. It sounds like a good thing, but who knows when we can get it.

I picked up a 4x4 SLT with traction control after 2 test drives. There is snow on various roads & freeways here now so a couple hundred miles of the driving I've done in the Nitro has been in slick, snowy, icy or slushy conditions. I'm not sure I'd rate it up there with the Subaru yet, but the thing handles great when the conditions get bad.

In my book the ability to put the Nitro in & out of 4wd & to enable/disable the Traction Control is the ultimate in flexibility. I mean, lets face it, the Subaru AWD gets around great in the snow, but it's no fun at all when you want to play around a little in it!

__________________
--
Bill
'07 Dodge Nitro SLT 4x4

The dealer got his pre-spec Nitro RT in and it had part-time 4-wheel drive (switch on dash). I still don't have a build date either. I'm betting the July first build for the full-time 4WD is probably accurate. Anyone got better news than this?

Hey guys, I thought about this subject quite a lot. I decided to go ahead and order my R/T 4X4. So on January 10th, I did just that. I know that I will get the part-time transfer case, but I decided from a fuel economy aspect, the part-time unit may be better. The dealer showed me the order computer as he made the order. I learned that there is no option for the full-time 4WD transfer case. When you select the 4WD option, you get what the plant builds. So at some point they will switch over to the Full-time transfer case, but the dealer has no control over the ordering of it. I guess we can look at it from a different angle, order a part-time 4WD R/T and get rare vehicle that you will not be able to order in a few months.

Later...

Thanks for the info on ordering 4WD. I'll probably take what comes too. Did you get a build date yet?