First Impression of Dodge Challenger

[NOT A 45]

I grew up in a Chevrolet household, my mother was a GM for a local Chevrolet dealer so we always had cool cars in the driveway. One of my first cars in high school was a 68 Formula S Barracuda with a 340 and 4speed. I loved that car, so I'm not opposed to the other makes out there. That said, I work in a dealership and inspect used cars as part of my job. I have driven plenty of Challengers and Chargers. To me they feel like driving a truck! Big, bulky, clumsy, and heavy! Great in a straight line, but I have dusted off my fair share of 392's in my 13 SS.

[PaulsSS]

I had a 68 Formula S too dark blue, I loved that car!

[ariZona28]

My first impression? My current impression? No major changes in 15 years or so. Sure, they tacked on some JC Whitney '70s style fender flares and called it a "wide body". Great car for doing burnouts and donuts. If I was a Dodge guy I'd have one but I'm not so I don't.

[Moto-Mojo]

I’ve been a little hesitant to chime in here. I’ll try not to bore…former son in law (divorce) owned a tricked out Hellcat. 32 year old adrenaline junkie - with money. He got bored and traded it in for a Harley. A mishap on a 2-lane last month ended his life.

Not looking for any sympathy because he probably wanted to go out in a broken, smokin’ heap. But I (and my daughter) wishes he’d have kept the Challenger.

[MSgt O]

Sorry to hear Moto, but some people cant be fixed...as a wise musical group once said...Sad but True

[ADVMax]

I’ve driven several Challenger rent-a-racers, just turned in a newish V6 base Challenger that I drove to Milwaukee this week. Have an RT ScatPack reserved in a week to go back to Wisconsin for a couple of weeks. Unless they get a Camaro SS in!

The Challengers are OK, like someone said about the higher HP ones, good for doing burnouts and going fast in a straight line.

They’re pretty comfortable for highway use but they’re heavy and just don’t handle as well as the newer Camaros.

I wouldn’t mind having a Hellcat just to hoon around in.

[Dave-G]

I like them a lot, but its a completely different car. My camaro is a pretty good sports car, and handles like one, but the challenger is a different kind of car. They never intended it to be a sports car as much as it was intended to stir that retro spirit in people remembering the stop light to stop light launch. I find a challenger to be bigger and heavier feeling, but with good manners and a comfortable ride overall. Between the two having to do a lot of mies, I'd probably pick the Challenger. For just sex appeal and a fun driver, I chose the camaro. Both are good cars, but different.

[Danial]

Originally Posted by Dave-G

I like them a lot, but its a completely different car. My Camaro is a pretty good sports car, and handles like one, but the challenger is a different kind of car. They never intended it to be a sports car as much as it was intended to stir that retro spirit in people remembering the stop light to stop light launch. I find a challenger to be bigger and heavier feeling, but with good manners and a comfortable ride overall. Between the two having to do a lot of mies, I'd probably pick the Challenger. For just sex appeal and a fun driver, I chose the camaro. Both are good cars, but different.

Well said. I drove my daughter and son-in-law's SRT-8 cars a few times. Big, heavy behemoths that ruled the straight line track but for me, the Camaro handles so much better on a road course. This morning, I took my new (to me) 15 SS/RS Camaro out for her first run by my hands. Just like the time I took my 13 SS/RS for her first ride, I was simply amazed at the speed and handling of this car. She hugged the corners, accelerated beautifully, and stopped on a dime when I rounded a corner and found a rock in the road. (Desert run.)

I'm Camaro all the way. If one needs pure, grunt, straight line speed, then yeah, SRT-8 or one of the bigger beasts is the way to go. But if you want elegant body lines, easy handling and impressive acceleration between the curves, it's a Camaro, hands down.

[ADVMax]

Different kind of car indeed!

We have to remember Dodge’s approach to current times and the screaming push for electrics;

GM - let’s restructure Cadillac into a full electric brand and start working on other electrics and hybrids!!!

Ford - the tesla truck looks like something I drew in kindergarten, lets get a normal looking electric truck in front of the world ASAP!

Dodge - (Rails coke off a stripper’s ass) “Lets slap a Hellcat motor in a minivan!

[Danial]

Originally Posted by ADVMax

Different kind of car indeed!

We have to remember Dodge’s approach to current times and the screaming push for electrics;

GM - let’s restructure Cadillac into a full electric brand and start working on other electrics and hybrids!!!

Ford - the tesla truck looks like something I drew in kindergarten, lets get a normal looking electric truck in front of the world ASAP!

Dodge - (Rails coke off a stripper’s ass) “Lets slap a Hellcat motor in a minivan!

HAHAHAHA!!!! Fkn hilarious!

[Danial]

I guess the bottom line for me is that I moved beyond the 1/4 mile adrenaline rush and more into an F1/Grand Prix state of mind. When I had my 09 Mustang GT in Oregon, I can tell you that hitting those curvy river roads and high mountain passes at warp speed was awesome. Even at only 300 HP, I don't think any Dodge product could have kept up unless there were long straight places to pass.

That's what I like about my Camaros. They not only go faster than my Mustang, they handle beautifully on the road courses.

The 14 and 15 Z/28 cars are (to me) the culmination of the best of everything. Some day, I will have one of those rare beauties.

[ADVMax]

It would take some work to get the handling straightened out on a Challenger - step 1 = lose as much weight (a LOT) as possible. Step 2 = get some suspension and tires that are more OK with hard cornering stuff.

Even then with a Scat Pack or Hellcat you can blow the ass sideways at will. It would end up being the terror car at a track day.

[ADVMax]

And @Danial, +100,000,000 on the Z28! At a minimum I would love to get my hands on one of the newer GM LS7’s with wet sump! Pretty much a bolt in.

[Danial]

Originally Posted by ADVMax

And @Danial, +100,000,000 on the Z28! At a minimum I would love to get my hands on one of the newer GM LS7’s with wet sump! Pretty much a bolt in.

The Z/28 has about 1000 parts in the suspension and engine that were custom made specific to the car. It is a very special machine. I regret not buying one when I had the chance at $39K. Yes it was used, and yes it had more mileage than most you see, but at the time I wasn't able to keep a car of that pedigree in out of the weather.

Now, most examples I find, that come up for sale, are $50K and up. I suspect these cars will be in the mid 6-digits in 10 years.