If I were able to own a 4 door sedan it would almost certainly be an AWD Charger with the V8.
We looked at them in 2013 and I can't recall if it was a 13 or 14. But I was very very impressed with the vehicle all around.
Wife ended up with an SUV if she would have gone with a car the Charger would have been it. And we drove everything and it stood out. Plenty of room, lots of power with a great exhaust note, and very controllable.
Only thing that would make it better is if it were a manual.

In my work I get to drive a variety of cars, albeit 4-5 years old or older. I've never seen a Pentastar V6, in its various states of tune for the variety of vehicles it is put in, lack power, it just makes it at higher RPM than a V8. I have only seen one broken, in a circa 2012 Chrysler 300M where the oil filter housing/oil cooler sprung a leak and filled the cylinder "valley" with oil.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
Not even the fabled LT1 Caprice of the mid 'nineties.

Good Motor.....

Really bad brake fade......

Engine would die if you took a corner hard with less than a 1/4 tank of gas.

Maybe the good old days weren't so good after all.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryanp225:
The automatics are faster in the 1/4 mile.

If you are into that sort of thing...

I had a V6 in a rental several times and it was a hoot to drive. I was in Boston / SW NH / SE Vermont for a long weekend in May, and had a lot of fun on the twisties.

I haven't driven the V8, but rode in my coworker's who has lowered it, upgraded exhasust, and pushed it to over 500 hp. I was impressed.

bought a Challenger new in 1972. 340 6 pack. I kept getting stopped because it just looked like it was doing 120 standing still. I can't imagine a Demon or Hellcat.

I'm also interested in this thread, as I'll be needing to purchase a new to me car within six months. Our youngest (of six) will be getting her license the first of January, 2018. I'll be swapping cars around, to give our 2nd child/daughter my Honda Accord (I gave her older sister my last Accord). I'll then be giving the 2nd daughter's CRV to the youngest, as a 2008 CRV with 100K+ miles seems to be the perfect fit for a 16 year old.
That allows me to buy a new car for myself. I looked at a Charger the last time (March, 2016??), and was impressed by some of the attributes of a new leftover 2015 Charger. But, being a practical cheapskate, I went for another Accord. After having a few Accords, I'm underwhelmed, and need a change.
So, the Charger looks like an interesting option. I just wish a back-up camera was more prominent in "pre-owned" Chargers.

I have always liked the looks of the Challenger but never really looked at them because I've never been much of a current Chrysler fan. When the Scat Packs came out I decided to go test drive one and came home with a 2016 Scat Pack Shaker. It's a nice weather weekend car for me so I don't drive it a ton but when I do I absolutely love it.

If this tells you anything I enjoyed the car so much I ended up buying a GT for a daily driver which is a V6 automatic with AWD.

They are roomy and supremely comfortable and I much prefer the interior to the Camaro or Mustangs. The V6 with the A8 has excellent acceleration while getting good gas mileage. They handle way better than you'll ever need without beating you up and most models have excellent brakes. The infotainment system has been chosen by several publications as being at the top of its class. Very easy and intuitive. You can use normal buttons for most stuff if you still prefer though.

I don't know if it's true but I was told that the V6 with the new automatic 8 speed is faster than the original 5.7 liter V8 so who knows. It does run excellent though.

To be honest the V6 GT is a much better daily driver. It has slightly taller sidewall tires 19" vs 20" with a softer suspension so the ride is way better, it's much quieter, gets better gas mileage, and is easier to drive in stop and go traffic or tight downtown garages.

The 392 V8 is insane to drive but it has so much power, combined with the 8 speed auto it always wants to romp right off idle which isn't always wanted in stop and go traffic or when negotiating a tight downtown parking garage. Get it on some open road or a back road with sweeping corners and elevation changes and you will be in nirvana.

It just depends on what you want to afford and what you are going to use it for. The best part about the Challenger is that they make so many different cars that provide vastly different results that you can easily configure one that will suit you to a T if you do a little due diligence.

I had a 2008 Charger R/T from Dec '07 until 11/10. I never liked the looks of it, and never have been a 4 door fan, but I liked the car other than the looks and the amazingly cheapo interior. 3 years in, I was looking to get what I wanted all along, a Challenger.

I currently own a 2010 Challenger R/T and plan on buying a Scatpack 392 in about a year. I don't want, and never would buy a stick in a daily driver. It's the 8 speed auto for me. The 5 speed auto is already quicker than the 6 speed manual in these cars, and the 8 speed is worth a couple of tenths in the quarter mile. My car, with a Solo catback exhaust, and an SRT intake with a drop in AFE Pro-Dry S filter, has run a best of 13.33 @ 105.75. Once. It's very difficult to launch, even on a sticky track without spinning the tires. Most runs are 13.50's.

Of the 3 cars, the Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger, it's the only one with a useful trunk, the other ones are seriously lacking. I need the trunk, as I use it every day. I hate hate hate the Camaro's looks. GM screwed it up when they brought it back, then screwed up again when they made the new car look as ugly as the the last one. I like the Mustang's looks ok, and the 5.0 is a great engine, but it's a Ford, and I like the Challenger a lot better, and it is a lot more comfortable.

After I learned my wife was expecting our first child I realized I needed a 4 door car as my current daily driver was a regular cab F350 with a dump bed. I ended up getting a 2016 Charger Scat Pack. It's been great so far through 11000 miles. I enjoy it as does my wife. The baby seems to enjoy it too! I managed to get a very good price on it last year when they did 20% off msrp. If I behave the gas mileage isn't bad at all and it's nice to have the acceleration when merging in tight traffic. It does require premium fuel but otherwise maintenance is standard. I thought the vehicle was a base model when I purchased it but I was pleasantly surprised with several of the standard amenities. If I was in the market for another vehicle I wouldn't hesitate to go with another Charger Scat Pack.

Guy I know has a 2016 Challenger SRT w/rack package (?).

It will scream.

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:
Guy I know has a 2016 Challenger SRT w/rack package (?).

It will scream.

Probably Track Package as most, if not all, SRT's and Scat Packs come with it.

We bought a '17 Graphite SXT Challenger in late March, 6 cylinder is impressive!! I can tell you it would beat the pants of my '70 340 Challenger in a heartbeat.

Get loads of compliments, something our Accord never received.

Only thing I've done to it so far is the fog light kit, but I want to get a better exhaust system soon!

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
392

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LS1 GTO, June 24, 2017 09:46 AM

I wondered if the original "292" was a reference to the HP rating of the Charger V6 and that you were trying to say it's plenty of engine. I guess not.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
Big, big Charger fan here. I've owned one (2012) and been issued one (2016). The cars are awesome. I hear guys pop in to Dodge threads and tell horror stories about this or that, but it ain't my experience. I purchased a 2012 V6 new in 2012. The car was a little slower on top end than the V8, but it really would get up and go if you needed it to. If you drove it decent, it got really good gas mileage. One trip in Virginia, I got 31 MPG actual with the cruise set at about 75 MPH. I got rid of the car at 26k, and bought a new 4x4.

Last year, I was issued a 2016 police package Hemi AWD. The car has been awesome. Top speed on the track at driver's training is about 149. The AWD handles great in the snow, and will do as well as a truck without the ground clearance. If you drive it halfway decent on the interstate, it will get around 19 or 20 MPG. The harder you stay on it, the more it drinks gas. Around town, cop driving, I probably get 14 MPG. Out of all the cars and SUVs I have been issued over 21 years, the Charger is tops in pursuits. Nothing holds a candle to it. Not even the fabled LT1 Caprice of the mid 'nineties.

Dodge has really got it going on with the Charger. I will buy another V6 at some point for a travel car.

The local Sheriff's office has started replacing their old Crown Vics with Chargers (and SUVs). City PD is still driving Crown Vics. I got to take to look inside one of WCSO's Chargers a couple weeks ago when I was at the courthouse. I was wondering what the hell they did with the shifter since that space was all taken up by the radio stack and the data link setup, but saw they moved it up onto the steering column the "old fashioned" way. Sweet looking car, for sure.

The V6 engine is an absolute piece of junk. If you must buy a Dodge, stick with the v8. I was completely unimpressed with the Challenger I drove, especially in the handling department. A v8 Charger might be worth considering since Dodge seems to have finally figured out their transmission problems.

This has been an interesting thread. Two different views regarding engines, one that the V6 is plenty for a daily driver (oops - except for cobrajet's) and another that are focused on the power of the bigger V8s, even into racing. I fall into the first camp, but I appreciate all the different viewpoints.

I've heard elsewhere that reliability in Dodge products is not so good, but asking people who have actually owned one I'm getting nothing but positive responses.

I absolutely love the looks of the Challenger (Vanishing Point is one of my all time favorite movies, so go figure ). I start to drool every time I see one on the street. But practicality usually rules for me, and the 4-door wins out on those points. So I'm leaning toward the V6 Charger, maybe with a suspension upgrade (Track Pack or Rallye Group) instead of the bigger engine. I still need to test drive a couple of different ones to be sure (V6 vs 5.7L V8 - maybe I'll treat myself to that this weekend), but I think I'm settling in on direction.

Thanks very much to all who have responded!

quote:

Originally posted by cobrajet:
The V6 engine is an absolute piece of junk. If you must buy a Dodge, stick with the v8. I was completely unimpressed with the Challenger I drove, especially in the handling department. A v8 Charger might be worth considering since Dodge seems to have finally figured out their transmission problems.

I've never heard anyone say that about the new V6. It's always at the top of the list during shootouts and has been one of Wards best engines for several years now.

We bought a new 2013 Durango R/T and I've been itching for a Challenger or Charger ever since. I've never driven an SUV that will eat up double digits like that thing. I decided it would be wise to opt for a Jeep Wrangler to keep me out of trouble.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
If I were able to own a 4 door sedan it would almost certainly be an AWD Charger with the V8.

Except you can't. V8s are all now RWD only.

You can put me fully in the hater category for the Charger/Challenger. The platform came out in 2005 using the rear end from the Mercedes W211 platform that was already a generation old when it came out. The platform is 17 years old now when every other automaker has replaced their chassis twice in the same amount of time. The steering is slack, the cars are overly heavy, and about the only improvement has been getting rid of the old Mercedes 5 speed auto for the 8 speed ZF auto that almost every European automaker uses.

Except for the Hellcat, there's nothing it does that the Chevy SS can't do better. If you really want one, wait a year or two for the brand new one that's coming.