Test drove a Challenger (I need my Camaro)

[fsuredneck]

the challenger interior does have perks over the camaro's though. mainly, it has much more interior room, primarily for the backseat. I like the seats in the challenger better than the pics i've seen of the camaro's. i view the simple styling not as bland, but as more opportunity to customize it (individualize it). it's gonna be hard to customize the interior of the camaro because it has already been done for the most part.

[Matrix]

Having already owned a Dodge Magnum RT and over the moon with it, I almost put money down on the Challenger but one look at it especially the rear made my stomach turn. Its awful in looks! Im sure it pleases some peeps but its so retro!! Hence the Camaro which has a nic balance of retro and modern!

[TheClassicCarKid]

Originally Posted by Matrix

Having already owned a Dodge Magnum RT and over the moon with it, I almost put money down on the Challenger but one look at it especially the rear made my stomach turn. Its awful in looks! Im sure it pleases some peeps but its so retro!! Hence the Camaro which has a nic balance of retro and modern!

I think it looks great. Dodge would have my money for an R/T six speed if it weren't for the Camaro.

[franknbeans]

Originally Posted by fsuredneck

the challenger interior does have perks over the camaro's though. mainly, it has mush more interior room, primarily for the backseat. I like the seats in the challenger better than the pics i've seen of the camaro's. i view the simple styling not as bland, but as more opportunity to customize it (individualize it). it's gonna be hard to customize the interior of the camaro because it has already been done for the most part.

Might be more room in the back but you can only access it from the passanger side. :bangdesk:

[Muscle Master]

Originally Posted by franknbeans

Might be more room in the back but you can only access it from the passanger side. :bangdesk:

I really like it that way

[BryGo]

Originally Posted by fad1

and you forgot about the interior. you cant tell if you are sitting in a challenger, 300, or charger. Damn, Chrysler has to work on their bland interior.

This was the dealbreaker for me over a year ago. The Challenger interior is NOTHING to the Camaros. Even if they decide they cant get ABL to work in time, the Camaros interior was well planned and designed. The Challengers interior showed some promise in the concepts, but once I saw the first production car it was game over.

[maxdmax]

On the Challenger interior, I am color blind so I cannot say much for the colors. While it is not saying a lot it looked beter than my 05 Mustang. The first thing I noticed was the seat and how it wraps around your back. I am 5' 8" tall 185lbs. and it fit me fine and kept me in the seat comfortably. I wondered if I was a bigger person if he side pads would be a problem. I did notice the big back piller, it was a pain to back it out of the covered area they parked it in. This thing is definately a challenge to back up due to the lack of window area in the back. As for the gauges and info center in the middle, I thought they did a pretty good job with them. It did have DVD/NAV, but the NAV seemed jerky and did not perform a smoothly as my Wife's 07 Tahoe. There was very little engine noise until you gave it a lot of gas, but then it did sound very good, better than the Mustang from the inside. I did not even look at the back seat. Guess I am old school and was too focused on the driving.

[MerF]

Originally Posted by fsuredneck

the challenger interior does have perks over the camaro's though. mainly, it has mush more interior room, primarily for the backseat. I like the seats in the challenger better than the pics i've seen of the camaro's. i view the simple styling not as bland, but as more opportunity to customize it (individualize it). it's gonna be hard to customize the interior of the camaro because it has already been done for the most part.

1) Want back seats? Get a mini-van. This is a pony car, back seats are for show.

2) You really think 95% of the population even cares about customizing a new car's interior? Not to mention the folks that could even AFFORD an SRT8 Challenger at Dodge's price...do you think they are the types of people to hack a brand new car's interior and through bling and flash into it?

[Muscle Master]

Originally Posted by MerF

1) Want back seats? Get a mini-van. This is a pony car, back seats are for show.

2) You really think 95% of the population even cares about customizing a new car's interior? Not to mention the folks that could even AFFORD an SRT8 Challenger at Dodge's price...do you think they are the types of people to hack a brand new car's interior and through bling and flash into it?

Thats why are interior looks like that

[tbss1]

Originally Posted by maxdmax

I have never owned a Dodge and probably never will, but I had some extra time while my Wife was shopping so I decided to take a test drive of a Dodge Challenger SRT8 yesterday. I asked for a manual, but they said they did not have any manual cars and due to the shutdowns they would not have any until March or April. The young salesman (which it turned out to be his first day working on his own) that approached me got his boss and we talked about the car for a while. He offered a test drive so he got the car for us. So the Saleskid and I go driving off in the SRT8. The first thing he said was it was great that someone finally came in to look at a real car and not a minivan. He said he was sick of them already. Since I was from out of town I asked him where we should go for the test drive, he immediately responded by saying turn right so we can find a place to turn this baby loose. As soon we got going he said punch it and I looked at the mileage and it said 10 miles, I looked at the temperature gage and the hand had not even moved yet. You can imagine “a lot went through my mind at that point” but I told him let’s let it warm up a bit and get a little further out of town. I was conservative over the next few minutes but I got to know the car a little and really did not like the automatic, it felt heavy and the Camaro that I have on order was the winner so buying the car was not an option. So at that point the overwhelming thought I could not get out of my mind was “this kid was in for the ride of his life”. Since I am rambling on, I will try to be short. Three hole shots later, a couple of donuts and some fairly fast power slides in corners so here are my thoughts. This care will totally smoke the tires off in 1st gear, this car will beat my 05 Mustang in a ¼ mile easily, it is solid in its feel but this car is HEAVY. It feels like you are going 60 at 100mph. The car road like a much bigger car and this thing would be great cruising at on a trip. The fun factor off the line is by far its best attribute. The Mustang beats it hands down in cornering and the overall fun factor. It is certainly a muscle car, but it is a high speed cruiser as well. The stuff in the middle “cornering, agility and quickness” it just does not have. All I have read and thought about the Camaro tells me Chevrolet may have just hit the sweet spot between these cars if so my bet is we are in for the best car yet!

nice thanks

[Pushing_Tin]

Originally Posted by fad1

and you forgot about the interior. you cant tell if you are sitting in a challenger, 300, or charger. Damn, Chrysler has to work on their bland interior.

You are exactly right. I've got new car fever bad and in the last two weeks I drove an 08 vette, and the R/T Challenger and SRT8 in manual. My local dealer is already selling all Challengers at $2k off MSRP. Unfortunately the weather in the Pac NW has been awful and the roads are wet and covered in sand and gravel from the snow we've had. Anyway I wanted an R/T in manual but they only had automatics, but the SRT had a manual.. so I drove both. The previous review was right on. It's a very heavy car more like a GT, the blind spots were quite bad and the interior was awful. I really liked the retro styling. We had to put gas in while we were out and the black SRT8 had everybody at the station looking her over.

While I liked the car, I certainly did not love it. Up next is a drive of the new 370z which should be at the dealers in the next 2-3 weeks. I will be interested to see what they are going to do for pricing initially.

[fsuredneck]

Originally Posted by MerF

1) Want back seats? Get a mini-van. This is a pony car, back seats are for show.

2) You really think 95% of the population even cares about customizing a new car's interior? Not to mention the folks that could even AFFORD an SRT8 Challenger at Dodge's price...do you think they are the types of people to hack a brand new car's interior and through bling and flash into it?

1) Had a mini-van. OK, but not cool. Might want to bring more than one friend for a ride.

2) Yes.

[The_Beast_]

Originally Posted by BowtieGuy

Except the guy who has to do a PDI and drive the first couple miles.

Thats why you get there before the truck and YOU do the PDI and drive the first couple miles while that guy sits shotgun.

[MerF]

Originally Posted by fsuredneck

2) Yes.

Well, you are wrong. Sorry, there's no other way to tell you but you are completely incorrect.