Anyone have a 2008+ Dodge Challenger?

My automotive fantasy of the day involves me buying a newish Hemi Orange Dodge Challenger R/T, preferably with a 6-speed manual.

So... Anyone have one? Anyone know anything about them?

This would be my daily driver (I think, more on that later). No HPDE's with this, except for the occasional jaunt down New England Dragway's 1/4 mile strip. I drive a lot, maybe 500-600 miles a week and put about 30k miles on per year. It's all highway mileage, but there's a lot of sitting in traffic.

Right now with the 2012 Mazda 3 with the 2.5/6MT, I get anywhere from 25-28mpg a tank. Worst was 24.9, and the best was 32mpg. It is a good car, almost too good for me! I really do like it for what it is. But alas... I want a muscle car. SWMBO really likes the look of these, and actually wants one for herself, but I think she would be happy just snagging the keys for one if I was to get one. I've read reports that I can get similar mileage on regular unleaded with a Challenger R/T/6MT, and those have a 19 gallon tank, which I like. What kind of mileage should I expect with a Challenger?

One thing about the 3 that I am growing tired of is that it's not as good a highway bomber as I would like. The range is great for a car of it's size and class, and it gets up to speed fine, but something with a longer wheelbase and a bit more power would probably do the job better and be better suited for my commute. I am also a big guy, and sometimes I get tired of the seats in the 3. The Challenger looks a lot more comfortable inside.

Also, what about consumables? Maintenance on the 3 is hilariously easy. Oil changes with 0w20 full synthetic every 7500mi, rotate the tires every 15k, do an air filter once in a while, do a cabin air filter a couple times, and change wear parts (like brakes) when needed. Are Challengers a maintenance nightmare?

Yet another concern is the fact that I live in New England, and we have winters where it snows. The last RWD car I had in the snow was a 1987 Mercury Cougar XR7, and I couldn't get out of a parking space with it without spinning around. That had only 150hp on a good day! Then again, it had bald, non-snow tires and I was 17 years old. How would a Challenger equipped with snow tires do in a winter storm? Should I plan on getting a winter beater?

If all goes well, I would like to get into one of these within the next 4-5 years. If all goes perfectly, I'll pay off the 3 and have it as a winter beater/HPDE car and sell the Trans Am or CSX to make room for the Challenger.

As a side note... I've driven a 2011 Mustang GT/6MT in anger and LOVED it, and I have not driven the new Camaro. I like the looks of the Challenger the best. It looks so awesome. I am not a huge fan of the new Camaro.

Any suggestions/comments? Fire away.

I may or may not have changed my stance on the Camaro. I didn't realize how cheap they were getting. I'm seeing 2010 SS/6MT cars with options for as low as $22k around here. Wow....

Ive driven the v8/manual camaro and ridden in the v8/manual mustang and challenger.

Of the three, the challenger was probably the slowest (non SRT) but might have felt the fastest, and was overall my favorite. It just has more of the sound and fury and drama that you expect a 'musclecar' to have. It also has the least 'compromised' interior by far.

I really dont have much positive to say about the new camaro. It has a shockingly bad amount of utility for a 4000 lb car. It's fast, but in a boring way (imo). The mustang i simply dislike the interior somewhat, but if i was buying a new mustang for a high-miles commute, id be buying the 3.7L. The v8 is deceptively fast, but just that: deceptively. It doesnt feel like it's as fast as it is. The challenger feels faster than it is. The feeling is a lot more rewarding than the numbers when you're just driving down the road.

As for challenger in the snow, a 2008 challenger has traction and stability control that are entirely likely to save your ass at least once when you're pushing it, and also make life easier when you're just poking around in the cold stuff.

Thought really hard about getting one of these when I was shopping Mustang/Camaro/Challenger. Got the 'stang mostly because it ran neck-and-neck with the new M3 in a C&D comparo (I think it was C&D, might have been MT). And it was $4-5K less expensive loaded up.

Of the three, Challenger styling speaks retro-muscle the best, IMO.

Got to drive a brand new 2013 Challenger R/T for a day. My thoughts

It's huge, like barely fit in my driveway huge. It easily dwarfed both the Jetta and the Matrix (let's not even talk of the miata) at my house.

It felt like steering a boat

The engine had acceleration but it didn't make very good muscle car sounds. Would need an exhaust to own one or an intake or both. The interior was decent but very plasticy and did not feel like what I would expect out of a 30k+ car new.

It had the looks but after driving one for a day (was an exotic rental) I would push even farther towards either A) a mustang or B) A charger because its essentially the same appliance with a different body.

Oh and I got like 25mpg out of it in its time with me

But it definitely looked sexy.

I have a '12, header orange, 6 speed R/T with the "track-pack."

Your mileage expectations are off. My 'vette with the 6 speed could touch 30 on the highway, I think the dodge is too big and too much of an air dam to get that.

Granted; the track pack has a 3.91 rear and the 6 speed does not have cylinder deactivation. Real world I get 24mpg highway, personal record is 26. I have full synthetic trans fluid and full synthetic diff fluid (as well as motor oil). The auto with cylinder deactivation and a lower rear might do a touch better, but you don't have the double OD 6th. '13's have a 8 speed auto, no idea on them however. Also, the 6 speed requires premium fuel (5 more hp.), auto regular. Town mileage is 16-19mpg.

The engine requires 7 quarts of 5.20, plus filter, so almost 8 quarts. 18' tires are reasonable, 20's are dumb and expensive, but look appropriate.

I have use mine as a DD, I have lots of positive things to say but I don't want your mileage expectations to be exaggerated. I am a very conservative driver and always beat epa ratings. This thing is just too big to be a fuel sipper.

I will try to post more later. Great DD, would have traded for a yota frs if the dealer wasn't looking to skin me alive. It is a great DD, but not wonderful at anything in particular.

Sheesh, why did I get the WRX. It gets like 22 highway or city no matter what.

The Camaro...NO. Ergonomics of the interior are horrible, tons of blind spots, trunk is awkward, etc.

For me it would be a Mustang, but that's just my preference. I love the look of the Challenger but I'm just so weary of Chrysler products.

SilverFleet wrote: This would be my daily driver (I think, more on that later). No HPDE's with this, except for the occasional jaunt down New England Dragway's 1/4 mile strip. I drive a lot, maybe 500-600 miles a week and put about 30k miles on per year. It's all highway mileage, but there's a lot of sitting in traffic. One thing about the 3 that I am growing tired of is that it's not as good a highway bomber as I would like. The range is great for a car of it's size and class, and it gets up to speed fine, but something with a longer wheelbase and a bit more power would probably do the job better and be better suited for my commute. I am also a big guy, and sometimes I get tired of the seats in the 3. The Challenger looks a lot more comfortable inside. Also, what about consumables? Maintenance on the 3 is hilariously easy. Oil changes with 0w20 full synthetic every 7500mi, rotate the tires every 15k, do an air filter once in a while, do a cabin air filter a couple times, and change wear parts (like brakes) when needed. Are Challengers a maintenance nightmare? If all goes well, I would like to get into one of these within the next 4-5 years. If all goes perfectly, I'll pay off the 3 and have it as a winter beater/HPDE car and sell the Trans Am or CSX to make room for the Challenger. As a side note... I've driven a 2011 Mustang GT/6MT in anger and LOVED it, and I have not driven the new Camaro. I like the looks of the Challenger the best. It looks so awesome. I am not a huge fan of the new Camaro.

A few thoughts, now that I have a little more time.

I like to think of the challenger as more of a GT car than a muscle car/pony car. Do you think a bmw 8 series is awesome? you bet, and I like to think this car is cool for similar reasons.

Hemi orange has a reddish tint. Header orange was a short run, I wish I could have found my exact car without a sunroof, but very limited run. I think the bright colors are awesome.

The car is huge. Difficult to park huge, takes up an entire spot, you can not park next to anyone who doesn't understand lines. Turning radius is good, but big car and big doors makes getting out difficult in normal spots next to adequately parked cars.

.

The size has its advantage, the ride is good. I have the track-pack, so it has bilsteins, stiffer springs and bushings. I would imagine the SRT-8 selectable suspension or base suspension rides nicer, but it is not bad. '11 or '12 had a front suspension re-design, supposedly made it "feel" sportier and less boat like. I have never driven an older model but it hides its weight well. I was sold when I took a railroad crossing at speed and only heard a thud (felt nothing), same crossing in my c-4 vette used to punch me in the back and try to remove my teeth.

Trunk is huge, but opening is small... Also, rain or residual water on the trunk lid drips into the open trunk (from the spoiler)....

I have had three baby seats side by side in the back seat, children all buckled in. Have had adults ride in the back without complaining. The sun roof is a head room killer for front and back passengers. This is no miata, you don't have to worry about rubbing elbows with your passenger.

Sitting in traffic is nice, climate control is strong. It is a quiet car. It will cruise at high rates of speed comfortably. R/T is limited to 140.

Seats are good, but not brilliant. They need just a little more adjustability. No reference from the srt8 seats. Lots of techy things standard (bluetooth, heated seats, auto headlights/mirrors etc etc.)

You mention power, it has some. I asked where the power was during the test drive. "Torque management" and knock sensors supposedly allow dumb people to put 85 octane in the tank and beat on the car without breaking it and trying to get it fixed under warranty. Unfortunately, torque management, variable valve timing, an electronic throttle, stability control and other black box wizardry surprise you with how much power it feels you deserve. A cold day with 93 octane, stability and traction control disabled and the intake and fluid temps within a small range and the car is a beast. Mess any of those variables and you can feel the loss of power. It has a built in 0-60 timer and my PR is 5.7 seconds. Supposedly its faster, but I'm no expert.

I have no ideas on reliability. Mine is 12k miles new. It is a 5.7 truck motor, a tr6060 trans and a getrag diff, so I would think it would last forever. However, it has variable valve timing, MOPAR electronic (BUS crap!!!) controls, 10million airbags and a load of other things I'm leery about. (rain-sensing brakes, two fuel pumps [with fuzzy logic fuel gauge] auto lowering frameless windows, double pivot ball joints etc.)

In comparison to the mustang, the mustang wins hands down, however, I have never got so much positive attention for a car from non-car people. So many people love it, I guess it just has that look. No mustang will draw the same attention, even if it is faster cheaper lighter and better.

The GM or Ford have an aftermarket which let you play if you want out of your warranty, Dodge is stingy with its ecm code and likes to sue if you try to crack it. Hot Rod magazine keeps saying the engines and heads are great, but I don't see much aftermarket.

And to close; just listen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYeIq0ikni8

From my experience they are BIG, HEAVY, cumbersome, and I'd buy a Mustang. But I own a Miata, so take that as you will.

That being said, they look awesome, are pretty damn quick, and very comfortable.

In reply to daytonaer: Thanks for saying leery, why do people say they are weary of things?

OT: I don't own one but I've driven two. I loved them and honestly would buy one over the mustang or the camaro because it isn't a mustang or a camaro.

Would need an exhaust to own one or an intake or both.

I should have specified this in my post too.. good call.

I also agree with the comment about it being more of a low-end GT car than a pony car. I used to think of the Challenger purely in terms of how it compared to the mustang and camaro and i hated it in those terms. To be fair, i still think of it as a hemi magnum with 75% of the usefulness removed. But i like it a lot more in GT terms. It has a little bit of majesty and presence. It's still cool when its going slow, whereas anytime the camaro isnt hauling ass you're just left with a badly designed car.

I have spent extensive time in the new Challengers(mainly the SRT version) and have found it to be a very good GT car(consider the shared chassis with MB). I was able to run a completely stock Challenger to 174mph and it was as stable as any import at that speed. The seats are comfy, the interior is roomy and quiet for what it is and the car just eats up the miles. It doesn't embarrass itself on the track either(I won't bring up the mag comparo that had the SRT8 outrunning the Lotus) and there are many ways to mod the car and tailor it to your specific taste. I think they look great-go for it!

I have not driven any of the 3 cars in question, but I think the challenger looks the best by a long shot. Mustang wins in performance numbers, and the camaro just looks like ass inside and out.

Plus they are the tits with a good wheel/tire combo

Spoolpigeon wrote: I have not driven any of the 3 cars in question, but I think the challenger looks the best by a long shot. Mustang wins in performance numbers, and the camaro just looks like ass inside and out. Plus they are the tits with a good wheel/tire combo

Jesus, that has me thinking Challenger now...

I haven't driven a Challenger or a Camaro. I have driven a Mustang and a GT500 in anger and liked both very much.

I'm not much help.

That is John Sibal's car I want to say. I think it has a lot more than wheels and tires. Its the "RWB" style

They look great. And it drove nice. I just could not live with something that large on a day to day basis

They look great. And it drove nice. I just could not live with something that large on a day to day basis

Unless it had the usefulness to go with it. Ultimately, the Srt8 Magnum is the main reason i could never seriously consider a hemi challenger.

But yeah, the challenger interior is not getting any better. You'll have to buy a charger or wait for the cuda if you want the benefit of the massive interior improvements that the rest of the lineup has received.

My '13 GT mustang with the track pack eats up miles as well. Rides great, handles fantastic and is almost too quiet. Numerous times I've looked down and realized I was cruising down the highway at 90+

I never considered the other two. I think the new camaros just look super cheap, Challenger looks awesome, but has like 500lbs on the mustang and is Huge! The Mustang is big and the long doors do make it a bit of a pain to get out in some parking lots.

My other car is a track prepped Miata and I'm still very happy with how the mustang turns. Can't wait for a year or two down the road to put a proper suspension on it and 285-295 wide stickier rubber on it.

Vigo wrote:

They look great. And it drove nice. I just could not live with something that large on a day to day basis

Unless it had the usefulness to go with it. Ultimately, the Srt8 Magnum is the main reason i could never seriously consider a hemi challenger.

Except the Magnums and Chargers couldn't (and still for the Charger) be had with 3 pedals.

Wait... they're putting the third pedal in Magnums now? I got to drive a friends a few years ago, and that was my only bitch about that car.

I don't even see the Magnum in their lineup anymore

Magnum's been out of the line-up since 2008. Never drove the Camaro, but I drove the Challenger and Mustang. Like everyone said, the Challenger is great for touring, and being seen in. But it's a HUGE boat that has nothing sporty about it. Heck, it's the kind of car where it makes a lot of sense to buy the v6/auto model. Also, for the kind of mileage you are looking for, I don't think you would get that in any of the v8 models. Drove the V8 mustang, and if the V6 model drives just as well, I'd be curious to try it out as a DD.

Jaynen wrote: That is John Sibal's car I want to say. I think it has a lot more than wheels and tires. Its the "RWB" style

I think you are correct, but it was the first image that googles popped up so I went with it :)

My brother has a dark blue R/T 6 speed track pack Challenger he ordered new. It has every option available and is a great car. Really a muscle car in that it will scare passengers in a straight line, it also handles reasonably well but you can sense the heft. I don't generally like cars like this but his is really fun to drive and a great looking car.

Of course he got transferred to Italy a month after buying the car so it's been sitting in storage ever since with about 1000 miles on the odometer.

Spinout007 wrote: Wait... they're putting the third pedal in Magnums now? I got to drive a friends a few years ago, and that was my only bitch about that car.

No...what I meant was that the Magnum is dead. They dropped it a few years ago.

bluesideup wrote: My brother has a dark blue R/T 6 speed track pack Challenger he ordered new. It has every option available and is a great car. Really a muscle car in that it will scare passengers in a straight line, it also handles reasonably well but you can sense the heft. I don't generally like cars like this but his is really fun to drive and a great looking car. Of course he got transferred to Italy a month after buying the car so it's been sitting in storage ever since with about 1000 miles on the odometer.

See that's funny since the Challenger is NOTICEABLY slower than a 11+ GT.