New Dodge Muscle vs Old Dodge Muscle.

SteveSS · Nov 24, 2020

I'm not sure how you guys come down on this but here goes. I've been driving all of Dodge's new muscle for over a year. Not the Demon but the Red Eyes, The Wide-Bodies, The TRXs, along with the more tame versions of the Charger and Challenger. Don't get my wrong, they are nice, especially that TRX. There's just something missing.

I drive them in cities on straight highways and curvy mountain roads. We don't drive the high horsepower stuff in rain and snow. I've driven them enough to get used to them and FCA is looking for any flaws I can come up with. Here's the rub.

When you're hovering around the $80K mark I'm not sure they are worth it. Agin the TRX is its own weird beast and it does its own weird cool stuff. If I wanted a car I could take to the 1/4 mile track and drive home with the AC on these are the cars for you. On the street, they are very mild-mannered. If you punch it on the street you get great acceleration and are pushed back in the seat but it's just not the same as an old muscle car.

All those things that make a modern car so wonderful take away from the visceral experience you get from an older car. When I'm driving a $90K Hellcat Red Eye Wide-Body Charger for 8 hours I'm thinking wouldn't I rather have an $80K 1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440 4 Speed and drive a $10K Dodge truck on the street?

So I'm only pulling 14's on the track instead of 11's but I look so cool doing it. One caveat. You will never pull up next to a good-looking woman at a stoplight when you're in your cool car. Only when you're in your beater.

Broken Mopar · Nov 24, 2020

And you are driving the TRX on the street how?

Michael_ · Nov 24, 2020

Man i wish i had your job.

(Getting paid to drive the new dodge performance vehicles)

I could test them on the autobahn in germany in case you guys need someone testing them out at higher speeds.

I got plenty expierience on going fast.

Anyway,

When I'm driving a $90K Hellcat Red Eye Wide-Body Charger for 8 hours I'm thinking wouldn't I rather have
an $80K 1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440 4 Speed and drive a $10K Dodge truck on the street?

I was already driving both the 2017 Challenger Hellcat (~700hp) and the biggest naturally aspirated 2017 Challenger SRT (~500hp).
Both 8 speed automatics.

Boy, those things have both put a permanent smile on my face while i was driving them.
On top of that they are very addictive. Dont think driving them would get old pretty quick.

But your right, despite they're being great vehicles, they still cant touch the old classics.
They dont look THAT great, They dont have THAT nice interiors and they are so complex, especially in comparison.

So i ended up buying the 69 Charger R/T 440 you're talking about, but with automatic, ac and cruise control.

Yeah its not as fast but overall the nicer vehicle.

And if you got money to burn, why not buy a 69 hemi charger? With a nice tune it shouldn't be that slow either...
Of course you could also build a bitchin restomod in that case.

BUT if money would not be an object for me,
i would probably also own a Redeye Widebody or Demon Challenger.

Michael_ · Nov 24, 2020

Michael_ said:
Redeye Widebody or Demon Challenger.

If you can pick them up in good shape for cheap when they're 10 year old used cars i would advice to (and probably will) buy one.

chargervert · Nov 24, 2020

My friend and his wife bought a 2019 redeye widebody Challenger, and they are selling all their old school muscle cars and they have some Hemi stuff too. All one off cars that they built themselves, and they said the redeye is so good that they have completely lost interest in the old school stuff.

Michael_ · Nov 24, 2020

chargervert said:
My friend and his wife bought a 2019 redeye widebody Challenger, and they are selling all their old school muscle cars and they have some Hemi stuff too. All one off cars that they built themselves, and they said the redeye is so good that they have completely lost interest in the old school stuff.

They ARE awesome but i would not go that far.

Under Pressure · Nov 24, 2020

I sure hear you all on this topic, but I just don’t feel the same driving our 07 or 11 R/T Chargers as I do when I’m motoring in the 70 GTX.
Yeah she no way handles, or has the relaxing comfort as our Chargers, she takes bumps hard, can tire you out after an hour drive, but she keeps my Adrenaline up, takes me back to the days I want to remember, gets the smiles on the road that makes new friends....
and when I need relief, I mash that bitch until you can’t get the smile off my face!
Just saying

Michael_ · Nov 24, 2020

Under Pressure said:
Yeah she no way has the relaxing comfort as our Chargers, she takes bumps hard, can tire you out after an hour drive

Interesting.
I personally feel the old ones are more relaxing/comfortable to drive.

64BEL · Nov 24, 2020

My daughter once asked me if our Hemi Satellite is faster than a 5.7 modern Hemi. My reply was the Satellite is violently fast. That's the best way I've come up with to describe the difference. The modern cars won't scare you like the old ones.

Hey-O · Nov 24, 2020

I've had good sized horsepower old cars and my coronet with a new school hemi is a bunch of fun to drive. No real handling, but stops on a dime and runs to a 140 in short order. I think I have the best of both worlds. I love my 65 and It's reliability is through the roof. That doesn't mean I wouldn't like a 426, because It's an engine with a serious top of the line history.

plymouth67 · Nov 24, 2020

So, we have a 17 Scat Pack Challenger and a 71 Challenger. The 71 has a 512 stroker and it will eat the newer ones lunch but, the 17 is awesome to take on a long trip. They both have their place but, for me the 71 is the one that brings smiles per gallon!!!

70chall440 · Nov 24, 2020

Not exactly sure what the "ask" is here, there is obviously a huge amount of difference between "old" and "new" school pretty much in almost every measurable way. Speaking only for myself, I do love the old iron however I am not going to drive across country in one of them. I few my old cars as toys and things i work on and play with but I view my new cars as true transportation and vehicles I can rely on. I absolutely love driving my 10 Challenger, 01 Viper and 14 Ram 2500. They are all a pleasure to drive, are comfortable and are reliable. Like many here, I grew up daily driving the old stuff and it was great (back then) but would not even consider it today. For me the biggest reason is the fear of something happening to them; yea they can generally be rebuilt but I do not want to go through that again.

I have also thought many times about selling off all my old stuff and buying new stuff but building the cars is what I enjoy the most. I know that these cars were meant to be driven but I prefer to build them, tweak them, improve them and that is how I enjoy them.

Dennis H · Nov 24, 2020

I’m liking the Redeye. Apples and oranges though. There is no replacement for the fear experienced while driving the 69.

moparedtn · Nov 24, 2020

There's no "versus" here - it's perfectly acceptable (and tens of thousands do so, I'm betting) have examples of both the old stuff and the newer stuff and like them both just fine.
I know we sure do.

This is kind of a non-issue to me; not sure what the purpose of ginning up debate over such is?
Neither old nor new need "win" here.

69 GTX · Nov 24, 2020

I'll take the one that I can fix in an hour with out the use of a scanner.

70chall440 · Nov 24, 2020

My 2 examples of old and new

ZR9B · Nov 24, 2020

chargervert said:
My friend and his wife bought a 2019 redeye widebody Challenger, and they are selling all their old school muscle cars and they have some Hemi stuff too. All one off cars that they built themselves, and they said the redeye is so good that they have completely lost interest in the old school stuff.

They will be sorry in a few years..so I think. I have a 10 SRT Challenger 6 SPD and a 72 Charger with a Mild 440 727 ....I know neither are the cats AZZ but both are fun. I cant bring myself to sell either one, but I do like the Charger waaay better when it runs rite...LOL

70chall440 · Nov 24, 2020

When I bought my 10 Challenger RT they wanted to upsell me to an SRT, it was $10K more and I decided that since I have a Viper already in the garage I didn't need another garage queen (not to mention all of my old cars). I've put about 30K miles on the Challenger and while the extra power would nice, the 5.7 seems to get it done. I've run that car at 125 for extended periods and it feels like 60, its hit 140 without complaint.

Yes I do love the visceral feeling of the old iron, the sound and the feeling but I can honestly say that I also love the smooth power and conveniences of the 2010 equally but different. All that said, I absolutely love driving my 01 Viper for the pure "gut" feeling; that car wants to kill you every time you start it..

ZR9B · Nov 24, 2020

I bought my 2010 SRT 2 years ago for 15 from my neighbor with 45,000 miles on it. It was supposed to be a daily driver but when I went under it and seen how spotless it is and never been in the rain...still hasn't seen rain . Love the Viper!!!

dadsbee · Nov 24, 2020

Great Winter car... goes better than my truck in the snow ! That's where it ends for useful IMHO..... but the Wife loves her car (other than all the severe blind spots in it!)

New Dodge Muscle vs Old Dodge Muscle.

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