Impure Thoughts

Forgive me GRM but I am having impure thoughts lately and I don't know whats happening. I daily drive a 330i ZHP and on paper it is the perfect car, its like a 4 door Miata. Razor sharp handling, glorious noises, proper transmission and RWD...

Yet I think I want to sell it. Sell it for something utterly different, a 1st Gen 300C SRT8. For some reason I want a big, brutal road car. Something more comfortable for my (soon to be) family of 4, something to do the shifting for me, something less "busy" on the highway. I haven't autocrossed or done a track day in years and am questioning whether I need a scalpel anymore, or if its time to get a hammer.

Help me GRM, help purify these impure thoughts!!

Do it.

Or how about a E39 M5 or 1st gen CTS-V? More accurate than the 300C and you still get the fun shifting your own gears. But it is still a hammer compared to your ZHP.

MINIzguy wrote: Do it. Or how about a E39 M5 or 1st gen CTS-V? More accurate than the 300C and you still get the fun shifting your own gears. But it is still a hammer compared to your ZHP.

After seeing a friends horror stories with his E39 M5 I am sort of turned off by them, though it is a fantastic car. 1st gen CTS-V is temping

The Lincoln dealer on Capital Blvd. in Raleigh has and SRT-8 Super Bee Challenger that made me do a double take.

http://www.leithlincoln.com/used-Raleigh-2012-Dodge-Charger-SRT8+SUPER+BEE-2C3CDXGJ2CH201413

I have no problem with your idea.

Do it. Friend of mine has an srt8 charger. Big berkeleying hammer. Its glorious.

And easy to make even better.

I've got a couple grand left to pay off the ZHP and then its going up for sale. Mid-late summer.

Brett_Murphy wrote: The Lincoln dealer on Capital Blvd. in Raleigh has and SRT-8 Super Bee Challenger that made me do a double take. http://www.leithlincoln.com/used-Raleigh-2012-Dodge-Charger-SRT8+SUPER+BEE-2C3CDXGJ2CH201413 I have no problem with your idea.

I absolutely love the 2nd gen SRT8 Charger, I think its one of the best looking American cars out there. Unfortunately even at that price is a little outta my league.

Storz wrote: Help me GRM, help purify these impure thoughts!!

Seriously.

I can't stand Dodge products. I'm so Dodge racist it's kind of disturbing. I automatically think "mouth breather" when someone I've just met tells me they own a new Ram, Dart, Challenger, or Charger.

And I secretly want one of these so bad it's painful. Just a big berkeleying burbling bruiser of an auto. With as much tire and torque as I'd have you'd need to set your clocks back an hour when I attacked the on-ramp on my morning commute. The exhaust would burble at the stoplights, but would become so damn loud and uncontainable it'd actually produce a significant amount of thrust when the skinny pedal was smashed against the floor.

If I owned this car I would pay the state to open a lane of the highway that was set aside just for me where I could blast past traffic while other drivers gaped in silent, startled, amazement as I motored away off into the distance after which they'd finally struggle to mutter "my god. Did you see that?"

(If you'll excuse me, I may need a minute)

If it makes you happy, its the right choice.

seems as tho American cars are getting better!

First gen CTS-V is a finish hammer. Second gen is a sledge wrapped in velvet. The SRT-8 falls somewhere between the two (to me). I'd be looking for the Magnum version, but I'm into that sort of thing.

I'll just add this (maybe the 300c front end swaps right on):

Appleseed wrote: If it makes you happy, its the right choice.

Yup.

740i???? I drove a very nice example of one a while back and just can not get it out of my head.

Appleseed wrote: If it makes you happy, its the right choice.

Best advice I've ever read on a car forum.

In reply to Storz:

Those cars rot like Valiants did and Hemis are worth a lot in junkyards because they have a bunch of valvetrain problems from oil not getting to where it has to be if the engine idles or runs at low RPM all the time. Rather like the 426 Hemi, actually...

There, I've done my civic duty in telling you why you should not buy one. Feel free to completely ignore it. It wouldn't be the first time rational thought was ignored in the pursuit of awesomeness.

ronbros wrote: seems as tho American cars are getting better!

The funny thing: It's more or less a Mercedes with a Dodge engine. Even the trans is Mercedes.

The funnier thing: Because they are NOT "German" cars, they are not subject to the 155mph top speed gentlemen's agreement between Mercedes/BMW/VWAG. So the DC execs were driving 300Cs instead of Benzes, so they could go faster. There was a reflash that fixed one glaring problem: The cruise control didn't work at 170mph. (I forget at what speed it stopped working, 130 rings a bell)

Having owned an SRT8 Super Bee Charger, I say do it. The 300C is its twin. Take the SRT badges off, and no one will know just how big your hammer hits. The SRT8 300C is, IMNSHO, the ultimate sleeper. Sure, some may know that it could be powered by a V8, but holy berk! A 392?!

Oh, I've been to the SRT Track Experience thing, as a passenger. The things SRT vehicles - especially the Jeep - can do is amazing.

Sorry, can't belp you. I just bought a sports limo myself. It isn't here yet- ebay auction ended yesterday- so I am unwilling to admit what the hell I've gotten myself into just yet but suffice to say it puts me in the same boat...

Storz wrote: Forgive me GRM but I am having impure thoughts lately and I don't know whats happening. I daily drive a 330i ZHP and on paper it is the perfect car, its like a 4 door Miata. Razor sharp handling, glorious noises, proper transmission and RWD... Yet I think I want to sell it. Sell it for something utterly different, a 1st Gen 300C SRT8. For some reason I want a big, brutal road car. Something more comfortable for my (soon to be) family of 4, something to do the shifting for me, something less "busy" on the highway. I haven't autocrossed or done a track day in years and am questioning whether I need a scalpel anymore, or if its time to get a hammer. Help me GRM, help purify these impure thoughts!!

I like it. Big, evil looking (i have to admit, the SRT kit really does those well) and scads of power. Sounds like fun to me.

rcutclif wrote: I'll just add this (maybe the 300c front end swaps right on):

It does.

drive one first, i hate them. the windows are so short it's hard to see out of. i like the caddy better

The machine gun nest slit windshield is a little difficult, but the seats are way better than the CTS. Not that the Caddy seats are bad, but the Mopar seating is better. For me. Personal choice.

The Caddy instrumentation also bugs the poo out of me. Magazine reviewers hate it but I like simple Mopar switchgear. So what if the Viper had the same HVAC as a Neon or Shadow (forget which), that just means that they got it right for their low-buck car so why spend more money to just do it worse?

This is making me recall the 300C with a Hemi at work. It did good burnouts and unexpectedly moved quick for its size.

I feel that these cars are one of those who "should have been offered in a manual" cars that fit in the other ongoing thread. I'd have a hard time picking between CTS-V, M5 and 300C/Charger then.