• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Pretty smart, great "sales" idea, and one heck of a cool car

biomedtechguy

Accelerati Rapidus Maximus
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
9:56 AM
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
33,599
Reaction score
53,189
Location
South Louisiana
I am definitely "old school" when it comes to my preference for muscle cars.
There are NO cars, absolutely NOTHING new that can bring me the deep emotional JOY that my 440 6bbl 3 pedal 70 Roadrunner does, except for other cars like it....
Superbird, sure. 64 Max Wedge with a cross ram and those amazing factory cast iron "headers" with cutouts from the factory, hell yes! A 426 Hemi powered Savoy-oh heck yeah! Even a Super Bee or another Roadrunner (68-70 or just the interior of the 71-because that interior was just like my 71 Charger R/T)
It's the memories that endear me to old school muscle. I absolutely love my wife's 65 421 Tripower GTO too!
Having said all that, and having suffered through what looked like the END of performance from 1974-1984 or there about, the new cars from the big 3 and even overseas that have performance at the core of their being are pretty amazing. It's absolutely NOT the same experience, BUT a car like this one could really tug at the heartstrings of the teenager inside of me that has never been buried and forgotten nor too far under the surface of my "mature" 56 year old visage.
https://www.nhra.com/news/2018/dodg...-owners-receive-free-one-year-membership-nhra
 
How much $$$ are they bilking potential buyers for ?
I didn't look, I'm not in the market. I'm sure it's comparable to other cars of similar performance (although this is the quickest normally aspirated car in its class).
Why such a negative question?
 
I didn't look, I'm not in the market. I'm sure it's comparable to other cars of similar performance (although this is the quickest normally aspirated car in its class).
Why such a negative question?
Sorry if it appeared that way. Not implied to your post, which I agree, but simply because the auto DEALERS, which I despise, always whack potential buyers for these cars. Back when our classic cars were new, I could walk into a dealer and get a bargain off list price. Now, it's the opposite. Few years back I saw a Shelby Mustang I liked and would've bought actually. Talked to a salesman who said he'd " give" it to me for 10k over sticker. I told him he just may get that 10k over sticker, but it wouldn't be from me.
 
Last edited:
I really hate it when a dealer adds a premium to an already inflated retail sticker price.
The other part of me says be consistent and says "free market"... If it's priced too high, it won't sell.
I think what you may be referring to and what REALLY steams me is a really great, unique car with performance that may be attainable by a "normal hard working guy" or someone of middle or upper middle class means, but thanks to the "premuim" a dealer may add above sticker price it becomes something that only the wealthy (like @Richard Cranium :poke::p) can afford...Lol.
 
I'm another who has grown to despise dealing with dealers over the years.
I used to love "horsetrading" with them in younger days - it was fun, actually.
Part of what I do for a living now, to be honest, but like Wile says, things have changed for the worse
at dealers as far as I'm concerned.

The answer? The last few new rides I've procured for the homestead were totally, and I mean
totally, negotiated and purchased online. I do my homework on whatever I'm after so I know the
numbers, then go about locating a dealer to act as delivery/prep boys for what has already been
bought.
They actually like it, too. They don't make as much money on the deal, but their efforts (and therefore
costs) are minimized, too.
Heck, the last one delivered our new (then) car to us here on the ridge and took our trade back with
them after we had both taken a quick shakedown drive on the cars involved - on a Saturday!
I actually signed the papers on my workbench in the garage. What a hoot.

You bet that particular dealer (out of state to boot) and that particular salesman is now on the "must call"
list for if there's a next time - they/he work the online sales angle hard and tell me over 90% of their new
car sales are actually online.

By the way, on that particular car, think about the advances in technology there:
Runs 11's normally aspirated - with all mandated safety and emissions equipment - weighing WAY over
two tons - loaded down with every comfort and convenience bit of kit known to man - oh, and it gets
over 20mpg highway, too.
Oh, and it sounds amazing (it's a Mopar, it better!).
Amazing stuff, really. Just think what they could have done with a car 1000 pounds lighter and the same
equipment - which is what I'm still waiting on from Ma, a Mustang in pentastar clothing.
 
I think what you may be referring to and what REALLY steams me is a really great, unique car with performance that may be attainable by a "normal hard working guy" or someone of middle or upper middle class means, but thanks to the "premuim" a dealer may add above sticker price it becomes something that only the wealthy (like @Richard Cranium :poke::p) can afford...Lol.



upload_2018-12-7_6-3-51.jpeg
 
My son bought a standard Scat Pack Challenger. With sticky street tires it's been [email protected]. The only real difference is no trans brake. Same mph.
Doug
 
Last edited:
Until 2016 I was "old school". I made the decision to sell some of the vintage cars in my shed and order a Hellcat. I will always have a soft spot for my vintage cars, but they rarely see the light of day anymore. I actually let relation use them so they get some miles on them.

Why you ask? Technology. I enjoy riding in a car. Old school muscle cars have to be driven, manual everything. Modern muscle - press the gas, go fast in comfort. Drive the car every day and get 20+ mpg, change the tune and hang on! My HC has over 30,000 miles on it without a single issue.

We are in the grasp of winter here in the upper midwest. Spring can't come fast enought to hear the fine sound of the HC again.

D
 
I am still old school. As much as I love my old Mopar Muscle and drive them as much as possible. I did buy a 2012 Challenger R/T Classsic & I like it in different ways. Mine may not be a H.C. but I still enjoy it. I am just glad Chrysler finally built a 2 door rear wheel drive musclecar again but way too many still seem to complain about it.
 
I am still old school. As much as I love my old Mopar Muscle and drive them as much as possible. I did buy a 2012 Challenger R/T Classsic & I like it in different ways. Mine may not be a H.C. but I still enjoy it. I am just glad Chrysler finally built a 2 door rear wheel drive musclecar again but way too many still seem to complain about it.
I like the modern stuff just fine. In fact, I'm quite proud of them, especially given what constraints they were put under by their masters. Heck, our own Charger R/T (374hp 5.7 hemi) has run a 13.96! My brother has a late model R/T Classic as well (six speed - and he lives in a city!) a likes it a lot, too.

That said, the Challenger is a tank and too big a car. Ever seen one next to the original one?
It DWARFS it:
db6c9f1971233560693c65e7d12a60cd.jpg

They did the best they could given that it had to be based on the old e-class chassis, not to mention all the federally mandated crash safety requirements, but still - it's ginormous.
The 4-door Charger actually weighs less!
Here's hoping the next gen is of a more sporting, svelte size.
 
They did the best they could given that it had to be based on the old e-class chassis,
The platform isn't a Mercedes E-class chassis, it is the LC chassis which is derived from the LX platform that the Charger and 300 use. It did use some Mercedes suspension designs though, in particular the E-class 5 link rear suspension and W220 S-class front suspension.

That LX platform in turn came from the LH platform which was front wheel drive, but designed to be either front or rear. This LH chassis in turn descended from American Motor's Premiere, which itself was descended from the full sized Renault 25. So all told, the platform goes way back to 1983. And yes, the car is a tank.
 
I'd like to see those motors in an A-body or for me-because A and E-bodies are just too damn small on the inside for me, a nice B-body...
I saw a beautiful Sublime Green 70 Super Bee at Mecum Kissimmee 2 years ago with a Hellcat motor and 18" wheels...BAD ***!
 
At MCACN this year. 8600 mnhrs to build. It was beautiful.

D
20181117_080544.jpg
20181117_080600.jpg
20181117_080624.jpg
 
The platform isn't a Mercedes E-class chassis, it is the LC chassis which is derived from the LX platform that the Charger and 300 use. It did use some Mercedes suspension designs though, in particular the E-class 5 link rear suspension and W220 S-class front suspension.

That LX platform in turn came from the LH platform which was front wheel drive, but designed to be either front or rear. This LH chassis in turn descended from American Motor's Premiere, which itself was descended from the full sized Renault 25. So all told, the platform goes way back to 1983. And yes, the car is a tank.

"The LC chassis is a modified (shortened wheelbase) version of the LX platform that underpins the Dodge Charger (LX), Dodge Magnum, and the Chrysler 300. The LX was developed in America from the previous Chrysler LH platform, which had been designed to allow it to be easily upgraded to rear and all-wheel drive. Many Mercedes components were incorporated, or used for inspiration, including the Mercedes-Benz W220 S-class control arm front suspension, the Mercedes-Benz W211 E-Class 5-link rear suspension, the W5A580 5-speed automatic, the rear differential, and the ESP system."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Challenger#Third_generation_(2008–present)

It should also be noted that Marchionne said earlier this year the next gen Challengers and Chargers would not be moved onto any European lines' design-based chassis because they didn't have any capable of holding the torque of the various hemi's.
Instead, the next gen cars will be on a redone "LD" chassis, with an eye towards lightening the cars.
 
cool for a new car
I like the heavier cars too
Chrysler 300's SRT, Grand Cherokee SRT or the Durango SRT too

But
I'm an old school 68-70's are in my wheelhouse, favorites
68 is by far my favorite year, hands down
& the earlier 62-65 B-Bodies, select models Plymouth SS
or Dodge Max Wedge cars
(or 71-72 also)

albeit I do like the 67-69 Dart's GTS BB cars
& 383 or 440 Barracuda's & Formula S's, even the 340 cars
the 70-71 Demon's & Duster's V-8 performance cars
 
I just saw a triple black 65 Sport Fury convertible cross the block at Mecum. 426 Wedge, auto.
Failed to go over $11k, they said it would take over $15k...no sale.
Really good looking car, has to be fun to drive, and drop the top on nice days!
 
I like the modern stuff just fine. In fact, I'm quite proud of them, especially given what constraints they were put under by their masters. Heck, our own Charger R/T (374hp 5.7 hemi) has run a 13.96! My brother has a late model R/T Classic as well (six speed - and he lives in a city!) a likes it a lot, too.

That said, the Challenger is a tank and too big a car. Ever seen one next to the original one?
It DWARFS it:
View attachment 688222
They did the best they could given that it had to be based on the old e-class chassis, not to mention all the federally mandated crash safety requirements, but still - it's ginormous.
The 4-door Charger actually weighs less!
Here's hoping the next gen is of a more sporting, svelte size.

Yes, I do see them next to each other everyday in my driveway. LOL. I still prefer the 70 over the 12' though.

20150926_110049 (002).jpg 20150926_110120 (002).jpg 20150926_110142 (002).jpg
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top