Learn me: Modern Dodge Challenger

Jk!Jk!

Oddly enough the only Challengers i've ever driven (highest spec was 6.1/6spd) i never did much turning in.  What i can say is that i had a base model dodge magnum and the handling was just dandy in spite of its base model softness. I think the weight distribution of the wagon with the light motor just made it feel very well balanced. I'd have to actually put a v8 challenger through its paces to say that the same balance was retained with a heavier front and lighter rear. 

Ian F is right: the magazine ran a highly detailed "Tech Tips" piece on the 08-up Challenger in the December 2015 issue.  The author was someone from SRT, who said, "Challengers may be big, heavy cars, but they can dance"  and went on to discuss how to mix and match sway bars and brakes and tires and a bunch of other useful stuff.

Maybe this would be a good time to update that piece with three more years of tips and put it online.  Somebody might want to include information about Chargers, too.  Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.

So I was reading a new episode of Hemmings and learned that there are now SIXTEEN different Challenger Trim Levels. They are:

*Challenger SXT

*Challenger SXT Plus

*Challenger GT AWD

*Challenger R/T

*Challenger T/A

*Challenger R/T Shaker

*Challenger R/T Plus

*Challenger T/A Plus

*Challenger R/T Plus Shaker

*Challenger R/T Scat Pack

*Challenger 392 HEMI Scat Pack Shaker

*Challenger T/A 392

*Challenger SRT 392

*Challenger SRT Hellcat

*Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody

*Challenger SRT Hellcat Demon

I had one for a couple days it was HUGE would be a great GT car but it was super long, and wide

A challenger is 197.5 to 198 inches long, a dodge durango 7 passenger SUV is 201.2 inches long which happens to also be the same length as my 2010 Honda Odyssey.

In comparison a mustang is 188 inches, 

In reply to Jaynen :

Nobody has ever claimed the Challenger to be a small car.  For many, it's added size over the Mustang and Camaro is a positive because it has a more useable back seat and trunk.  It was also larger than the contemporary Mustang and Camaro models of the early 70's.

Yeah, it's a bit long in the tooth styling-wise, but at the same time it is the quintessential "retro" car and has never made any apologies for that.  I can imagine maybe one more facelift after the current one (which mimics the '71 grill design, vs. the previous '70 design) where they go to the '72 grill (which remained until the end of the run in '74).  Then Dodge will end the model entirely with no replacement.

If I could find a way to trim 800lbs out of it I'd consider one. Love the looks and the soundtrack.

In reply to DaveEstey :

SpeedKore is going to be making a full carbon fiber body for the Challenger that will cut out 600lbs. Cheap? No

I still want a Challenger very, very badly. I have considered them as a daily driver, but I have a long distance commute and live where it snows, so it's probably not the greatest idea, but they look so damn cool and are great GT cars, so I keep coming back to the idea. The 2015+ cars have a vastly better interior and updated exterior, and if you could swing it, that would be the way to go. I'm assuming you would choose the manual, but the automatic has 8 speeds instead of 5 in the 2008-14 cars. 

When I was researching these last year, a must-have option was the Super Track Pack. It's tough to tell what cars received this package, but I believe one of the tell-tale identifiers are the Bilsteins that come with the package, so look for bright yellow shocks under the car (of course, they can be changed out, so be careful here). I'm not sure if newer Mopars list all the options on a RPO sticker on the inside of the glovebox door like they used to, so figuring out what the cars came with can be a mystery. I did notice that the earlier-gen R/T Classic models were a lot more common with the Super Track Pack. 

They are big and heavy, but as others have said, they can handle very well with some minimal mods. 

Make mine a 2015+ R/T Shaker, please. 

Last night, I picked up rental Challenger #3 in the past two months. All were RTs and I’m kinda in lust - if I could get the AWD with the V8 they’d make the shortlist for the current attempts at finding a new DD.

As mentioned before, they are big but have much more usable space compared to a  Mustang or Camaro. Plus that noise...

I really need to find one of these rental Challengers.

I forgot what years maybe 07-08 you could get the Magnum and Charger with AWD and V8, not going to happen in a challenger.

Ian F said:

In reply to Jaynen :

Nobody has ever claimed the Challenger to be a small car.  For many, it's added size over the Mustang and Camaro is a positive because it has a more useable back seat and trunk.  It was also larger than the contemporary Mustang and Camaro models of the early 70's.

Yeah, it's a bit long in the tooth styling-wise, but at the same time it is the quintessential "retro" car and has never made any apologies for that.  I can imagine maybe one more facelift after the current one (which mimics the '71 grill design, vs. the previous '70 design) where they go to the '72 grill (which remained until the end of the run in '74).  Then Dodge will end the model entirely with no replacement.

I'm not hating on the car, I think the styling is some of the best of the 3 rebooted muscle/pony cars its just so huge I think some people mistake it for being a sports car that can be compared to a Camaro or Mustang when in reality I don't think it can at all

Mike said:

I really need to find one of these rental Challengers.

I'm realizing now that when you guys said Challenger, my brain said Charger, which is what I actually had as a rental.  They're basically the same running gear underneath though, correct?  Anyway, apparently someone else actually had a rental Challenger so I guess they exist.  I've never seen one though.

i took my kids (16 and 12) to the auto show yesterday and made them sit in the back of the Mustang and the Challenger.   Both were acceptable but Challenger is noticeably more comfortable for them.  Make mine a 2015+ T/A Plus or any of the 392's that fall under my $30k price cap.

In reply to Matt B :

Hertz has them in the "Adrenaline" line, where you can reserve a specific model. Unfortunately, I can't find it nearby. None on Turo nearby either. I'll research more this weekend. 

This thread is sending me window shopping for a Challenger in the worst way. Its been on my short list for 'fun daily' and I have been seriously tempted to trade in my Colorado on one, maybe once I have a few more things handled financially I will take the plunge and that will be my 'own a new car once' car. 

Knowing that it can be made to handle well is making the want much stronger.

I know the V8 gets all the press but is the V6 worth it? 

V6 + Manual still should be fun. Still puts out 305hp/ 268ft/lb!

Lowered a touch with some neat wheels and you got a great DD

Matt B said:

Mike said:

I really need to find one of these rental Challengers.

I'm realizing now that when you guys said Challenger, my brain said Charger, which is what I actually had as a rental.  They're basically the same running gear underneath though, correct?  Anyway, apparently someone else actually had a rental Challenger so I guess they exist.  I've never seen one though.

National has them occasionally - I picked up two in the Bay Area in December and now got one in Orlando last night. 

I got to drive a few and honestly they are great to look at and sound amazing. They are def fast. BUT, the interior really pisses me off. I don't know if I'm getting old or fancy or something but I cant do it. I want one for the simple fact that it's my son fav car next to 911's and he would think i'm the most awesome person ever if I had one. Honestly I prefer the looks of the newer Charger even though they only come in auto trans. 

In reply to yupididit :

What is it about the interior that you didn't like? The one I drove was pre 15 but the interior was one of the things I liked the most about it.

In reply to Nick Comstock :

The dash, sunvisors, door cards  looks and feels really cheap. The stereo/buttons/knobs look like they were an after thought from a dodge caliber. And the ones with the screen that looks like it was installed by a ghetto stereo place. 

The seats were comfortable and the back seat was more roomy than you'd think. 

Thanks for being enablers. I have been looking at mustangs and camaros and now challenegers are on the list. How is the interior quality control on the dodges though? Rams are notorious for little annoying issues compared to the fords. I wonder if this would be the same with challengers.

The “rode hard and put away wet” rental cars I’ve had were pretty decent interior quality wise.

IIRC I had two ‘17s and one ‘16 - the audio system on the 17s is much nicer with a bigger screen and better controls. 

The one thing I can't abide in modern cars has to be cheap little screens in places designed for large expansive screens.