Anyone driven/owned any newer v8 Challengers? Or Camaros?!
I'll be honest - when I bought my GT last year I was looking for a used Challenger v8. Once I spotted a few 05-09 GTs though I really fell in love with the old school looks, then the fun of driving them. Of course an additional huge factor was the price. The GT is a whole 'lotta car for what the used market price offerings are. It just can't be beat for $$ to fun factor ratio. Especially since I already have a couple other cars as dailys. However, I do still have a lust for a Challenger as well. I wish I could have both! In a couple more years, I may! I have a cousin that had done just that. He has an SRT8 6 speed and a drop top 06 GT auto bought new. As far as I'm concerned that's the best of both worlds. He lets me tear around in his SRT8 when I go visit him. I don't plan on getting rid of my GT - I love it, but I'd love to add a Chally to the stable. Any fans here? I'm not looking for biased comparisons or bashing here, I'm simply expressing my interest and love of the Challenger style. I really dig both cars and want one of each!
Better yet, does anyone here own one of each? I'm not brand-specific at all. I love all performance cars but have a special love for american muscle/pony cars.
I drove an SRT8 when I was looking for my GT. Pistol grip shifter is awesome, and Dodge know how to tune an exhaust. I love their sound, and the Challenger makes a great road trip car. Very comfortable cruiser. One benefit to being the biggest.
Thanks for your thoughts! I changed the thread subject to include, Camaros - not sure why I didn't think of that earlier. Lets all talk about our love of modern performance cars!
Anyone have/had a camaro too? What did/do you love about it? How does it compliment owning a Mustang?
I'd probably own one of those if they weren't so expensive when I was looking for a car in 2011. That's basically why I have this car. For my price range, the 05-09s were popping up all over my web search.
I always have seen a lot of Challegers on the road, stock and modified. Not so many Camaros until recently. I've noticed more of them around here this spring. I guess they're now in my price range. Lol.
In this area, the Camaros don't seem to get as highly modified as Mustangs and Mopars. What's up Chevy guys?
I did come across one a few years ago that was cammed, supercharged with full exhaust........THAT was nice.
Son in law has a 2010 5.7 Challenger RT. Have to say the exhaust sound is awesome. Car rides nice and is no slouch, though I can take him in my 4.6 2010 GT. I think the Challengers are nice, haven't driven the Camaro yet though they do seem to have less visibility than Mustangs and CHallengers, but price and style I have found the Mustang to my favorite. If I was rich, I would have one of each in the garage.
My son is an Auto tech, Alignment Specialist, and State Inspector in Virginia. He gets to drive everything. Last month a Hellcat came in for annual safety/EPA inspection, and an alignment. He said he was a little apprehensive pulling onto the alignment machine, afraid it would shoot through the back wall of the shop. The road test after the alignment was a life changing experience. BUT, he still prefers Mustangs.
My cousin just bought a Challenger R/T swearing up and down that I could never outrun a Hemi. Well.... it hasn't been able to keep within 2 car lengths of my 07 GT in the 1/4 yet.
It rides nice, but it's a pig. My GT feels much more responsive, gets better gas mileage, and has more power. I dealt with Dodge reliability in the early 2000s (had a 99 4.7, 99 360, 00 4.7, and 01 4.7. Each had major issues), and I personally don't care to ever again, but things may have changed in the past 10 years.
Couple years ago we were driving by a dealership just outside Pittsburgh, they had a red SRT 392 "core" (the one that didn't come with stripes) and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't drooling over that car a little. I love the retro looks of the Challenger and the big-inch V8's they come with, but the SRT's are not cheap, and it sucks that they're so heavy because you can make tons of n/a power out of those big Hemi's, yet they still aren't all that fast!
I have a 88 Mustang LX with some mods and a 2000 Camaro SS all stock and my mom has a 2009 Challenger I have driven a bunch but it's a V6, not a good comparison. The Camaro is a nice car, will beat the Mustang on the strip and the road course but the Mustang is more fun to drive and I do drive it more than the Camaro. The newer Camaro and Challengers are just so heavy, really hurts them. Not a big fan of any Chryslers, seem like things break on them that shoudn't. Have a 2003 Stratus winter car that I can't wait to get rid of, you can check out my thread from the other day about my latest misadventure with it about another reason I like rear wheel drive cars. My mom's has had some weird maintenance issues, good thing she got the extended warranty through Chrysler.
The Mustang has been very reliable with my aggressive [abusive] driving style. It's been to several track days and only failure was a radiator cap and it was old. Here's a short video of some Mustang fun.
Excellent topic of discussion.Last spring when I went shopping for a modern muscle/pony car for our summer pleasure,all of the big threes offerings were on the table.The Camaro missed the mark, in my opinion,for the retro style I was looking for so it was easily crossed off the list first.I was not interested in a 6 banger at all,so onward I went with my search.I quickly discovered that the Mopar was a fair bit more $$ for the V8 stick shift,which was my powertrain preference.As money really matters to this poor boy,the mustang GT was the vehicle for me.I searched diligently and found a great one for a fair price and never looked back.Its beautiful,works great in every respect and I enjoy every second I'm detailing or motoring around in it.My mustang is certainly this poor boys pride and no matter if its not the most expensive,bad a$$ version of the current offerings of modern muscle,I'm in the game.Everyone out there enjoying the best pony and muscle cars ever made, right now, may realize that these beasts are too going to go by the way of the dodo bird one day soon.Just as the muscle of the 64-74 model year cars did.The V8 300-750 HP cars will be replaced by four bangers hopped up on goofballs.When that happens,and it will,the cherry originals of what we are driving now may become a bit more expensive as time progresses.Peace
Great comments here so far. I agree that the Challengers and Camaros weight hurts them for performance. For most of us though, we don't track our cars. How much power do we need? I too was disappointed in the power (seat of the pants feel) of my cousin's SRT8, BUT it is beautiful, PLENTY powerful and still fun to drive. I mean, how much of us can even utilize the 300 crank hp of our GT's in modern traffic? We sure are in the golden age of muscle cars now though, at least performance wise. The original golden age of muscle cars, i feel, was more stylish than today's cars.
I have only driven the v6 model of new Camaros, which of course are complete dogs like pretty much any other n/a v6. I've read that the new v8s they have are MONSTROUS. But I just don't enjoy their styling. I heard someone say that the modern camaro is simply "a caricature of the original" and I couldn't have put it better myself. Its styling is odd, but again that's just my opinion, which isn't worth a thing to another guy who loves the camaro style. which by the way, is what makes the world a fun place! I also am not too fond of the newest mustang's styling. Again, simply my opinion.
even though the challenger didn't quite give me the seat of the pants feel of my lighter GT, i'd still love one in the garage next to the GT!
On a side note, I've got a 66 mustang 200/3 speed manual. Talk about a dog!!! It sure is fun though!
More often than I should probably admit, but my driving is fairly unique. Some of which is backroads that are in some of the least populated portions of the country. It's nothing to get stuck behind 2-3 semis where no one will pass for 20+ miles, and good stretches are limited, so it's best to hit them all at once of the good stretches. Other times is Birmingham interstate traffic. Some merge ramps are very short and depending on how traffic is flowing, slow merging may be best or running 2nd up may be. Again, both scenarios are a lot easier in the GT than the F-250.
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