how are Dodge Chargers?

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I realize that Dodge Chargers are the most affordable RWD cars on the market and reviews are not that bad (I haven't found much angry owners by googling, comparing to the number of angry owners of 2014 Grand Cherokee)
What do you think? Would you consider buying a base model for around 25k?
 
I think my dad has a co-worker with the SRT-8 version, granted but drives it everywhere, and I think has 20,000 + without any trouble. Could be thinking of the Challenger though.
 
Ive got a 09 Hemi and love it. Just turned 97k with no problems. Rented a 2012 V6 5spd auto to drive from Fl to Tx and back. Got 30+ mpg no problem and drove every bit as nice as the Hemi. My brother bought a 13 300 V6 8 spd and it is awesome.
 
Originally Posted By: 08sienna
I realize that Dodge Chargers are the most affordable RWD cars on the market and reviews are not that bad (I haven't found much angry owners by googling, comparing to the number of angry owners of 2014 Grand Cherokee)
What do you think? Would you consider buying a base model for around 25k?


Since the now dead Magnum and the ever popular 300 are the exact same car under the skin the LX series has been very successful for Chrysler. Even the Challenger is based on this extremely well made chassis. Solid and tight, lots of content, really nice driving... what's not to like?

FWIW my August 05 production SRT8 300c has been a rock, virtually without any issues despite 200 drag strip passes and countless track days at road courses all over the country.

Doors still shut like a bank vault, no rattles or squeaks, one heck of a good car.
 
They are a nice ride - I know a real estate agent that has a 2011 Charger and loves it. Gas mileage and ability to go in snow might be considerations.
 
Originally Posted By: 08sienna
I realize that Dodge Chargers are the most affordable RWD cars on the market and reviews are not that bad (I haven't found much angry owners by googling, comparing to the number of angry owners of 2014 Grand Cherokee)
What do you think? Would you consider buying a base model for around 25k?


I've never driven a Charger, but I've driven a few 300s. They're very solid cars. I liked the chassis of the earlier generation better, the 2005-2010 models. I had a 2013 300 as a rental for about 5 weeks and didn't care for it too much. It was objectively nice, but the dynamics were poor, the suspension was floaty, and the 8-speed transmission programming was a mess. The seats were way too large and the blue lighting hue was much too bright at night, even turned all the way down. It struck me as a car with a lot of bling but they got the fundamentals wrong.

Maybe the new Chargers are tuned differently. The 300 rode like a Town Car, which is fine for some, but it just didn't excite me. If you can still get a base model with the 5-speed transmission, I would spend a long time comparing it with a model with the 8-speed transmission. The 5-speed is the excellent W5A580. Not to say that the 845RE 8-speed is objectively bad--it's not. But the programming was a mess and the silly electronic shifter doesn't let you manually shift up and down through the gears. It was very frustrating to drive with a spirited foot. It would do fine idling around all day, and that was the general nature of that 2013 300 overall. It seemed designed for the Town Car crowd.

I'd like to try a Charger to see how different it might be.
 
Originally Posted By: GenSan
If I want American muscle my money will go to Ford or Chevy and stay Stateside. Sorry Dodge(Fiat&Italy). Car Brands - Who Owns What?


That means almost zero. 'Buy American' now means a car made/assembled in the US with American made parts.
The most American car last year was a Toyota Camry according to USA Today.
 
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Originally Posted By: GenSan
If I want American muscle my money will go to Ford or Chevy and stay Stateside. Sorry Dodge(Fiat&Italy). Car Brands - Who Owns What?


That means almost zero. 'Buy American' now means a car made/assembled in the US with American made parts.
The most American car last year was a Toyota Camry according to USA Today.



Not true! The MOST Amer vehicle period is Ford F150 followed by Camry. Sorry no link to back this up but ive read it about 3 times now in major publications.
 
Originally Posted By: FordTrucks71
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Originally Posted By: GenSan
If I want American muscle my money will go to Ford or Chevy and stay Stateside. Sorry Dodge(Fiat&Italy). Car Brands - Who Owns What?


That means almost zero. 'Buy American' now means a car made/assembled in the US with American made parts.
The most American car last year was a Toyota Camry according to USA Today.




Not true! The MOST Amer vehicle period is Ford F150 followed by Camry. Sorry no link to back this up but ive read it about 3 times now in major publications.


i can't even count the number of factories within a 2 hr drive from me are either owned by, or are making parts for Honda.
now granted the ones owned by Honda are all staffed through temp services, and give you the line that you'll get hired in by Honda after 3 years, but they almost never do.
 
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Mine was assembled up here, Brampton Ontario.

Pretty much everything I have read or watched says that the re-design addresses just about all of the issues from the first generation.

Hokiefyd, I don't find the Charger floaty and that is coming from basically a 2.4 Cobalt SS (lower/stiffer springs and 17" tires compared to a normal Cobalt). Lots of sidewall with the 18s too and can't say that the handling is bad. Maybe not quite as sharp as the G5 but I'm not sure the limits are much lower. I haven't pushed it quite as hard through the few fun corners on the way to work but I've only driven it down here a couple weeks. All this and yet the comfort level is leaps and bounds ahead, the G5 wasn't this comfortable sitting still!

As for the transmission, I think mine is the 8HP45, I have not had any issues. I love how the thing pretty much idles and any cruising speed. A guy at work has an '11 (3.5 & 5speed) he bought as a former rental and said that he had the transmission reset because it was acting odd, possibly from some of the abuse it received in the fleet. Maybe this was an issue with your 300 rental.

I'm not even a month into mine but so far I'm more than happy but I don't know if I've had enough experience to recommend it or not. Love the interior, quiet and comfortable, the big screen is awesome, oil pressure and temperature has to be a plus!
 
Originally Posted By: FordTrucks71
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Originally Posted By: GenSan
If I want American muscle my money will go to Ford or Chevy and stay Stateside. Sorry Dodge(Fiat&Italy). Car Brands - Who Owns What?


That means almost zero. 'Buy American' now means a car made/assembled in the US with American made parts.
The most American car last year was a Toyota Camry according to USA Today.














Not true! The MOST Amer vehicle period is Ford F150 followed by Camry. Sorry no link to back this up but ive read it about 3 times now in major publications.



Yep, F-150 put the Camry into 2nd place for 2013.

http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?...;referer=advice
 
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Originally Posted By: GenSan
If I want American muscle my money will go to Ford or Chevy and stay Stateside. Sorry Dodge(Fiat&Italy). Car Brands - Who Owns What?


The fact that it's a Fiat/Chrysler product wouldn't bother me in the slightest- after all, I eventually want a true Axis coalition in my garage- something from Germany, Japan, and Italy!
thumbsup2.gif
 
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The city I live in has started going to the Charger as they're police cars and NC has started buying them for their highway patrol cars. I think they're the coolest looking law enforcement cars since NC had camaros and Mustangs in the early nineties.
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: GenSan
If I want American muscle my money will go to Ford or Chevy and stay Stateside. Sorry Dodge(Fiat&Italy). Car Brands - Who Owns What?


The fact that it's a Fiat/Chrysler product wouldn't bother me in the slightest- after all, I eventually want a true Axis coalition in my garage- something from Germany, Japan, and Italy!
thumbsup2.gif



Just wait till you see the AWD SRT Dart II. It is shaping up to be quite a little car...
 
We have over 700 ('07-'13's)Chargers in our Fleet. For the most part they have been good cars for us. There have been some issues but those have been corrected by Dodge over the last few years. Our biggest issue has been the brakes. The pads and rotors only last us about 5k to 7k miles, but that is in police service so typical civilian service may be considerably different. Dodge told us just a few weeks ago the '14 model will have a new and improved larger brake package.
In comparison the '05-'07 Chevrolet Impalas cost us about .27 cents a mile to operate and the Chargers are running about .19 cents a mile. The old Crown Vic's were right at .16 cents a mile. We replace our cars around 100k miles and when the Impalas reached 100k they were absolutely done for. The Chargers have rolled right on past the 100k without many issues at all.

Hope this helps.
 
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