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Dodge Charger 2006+

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Comments

  • jimhemijimhemi Member Posts: 223
    I hardly think a road rage incident of tailgating a Vette is proof that a V6 Charger is fast. If he had punched it, trust me, you would have seen nothing but tinny tail lights disappearing into the sunset. Go to a local drag strip near you and pay the entry fee and take a couple of passes up the 1/4 mile. When you see the Vette is 5 seconds faster then your Charger, that should be proof enough that the base Charger is just that, basic transportation.
    Get a grip, the 4,000lb sled is only quick when equipped with the 100 more hp HEMI. Any Man that says the V6 is fast must have spent a life time of driving punie 4cylinders. If you want to go quick the Hemi is the way to go. If you want FAST, wait till the SRT comes out in Oct.
  • motown1motown1 Member Posts: 2
    First post! Great site :)

    Having had the opportunity to put in a significant number of miles in all three engines currently offered in the LX platform, I am of the opinion that the right choice depends on buyer priorities. There really isn't a 'wrong' answer.

    Obviously, the Hemi is an iconic, suberb motor that completes a really unique package. You do, however, pay for the privilege, both in terms of increased MSRP and dealer markups. Hemi LX vehicles remain difficult to get in many parts of the country, and dealers are accordingly slow to negotiate much. In the Detroit area, I've found 300Cs to be MSRP--take it or leave it. I don't hav a lot of experience with the Charger, yet, apart from seeing several $3000 'market adjustments on various window stickers. YMMV

    The 3.5 w or w/o the 5 spd tranny is also a stellar vehicle, with plenty of power for almost any use. If the premium to step up to the 8 cyl. is a concern, the 3.5 is more than satisfying. Dealers are more inclined to negotiate on these models, IMO.

    Finally, and off-topic, the base 2.7 in the 300 is a hardy little offering. Of course, it seems out of place in such a large vehicle, but in terms of drivability, it really isn't as much of a dog as one might imagine. I've put several thousand miles on one, and for the price, think it's fine even when with a full load of people. Cutting edge? Of course not. Price effective? Certainly.
  • knightmare65knightmare65 Member Posts: 20
    Granted the Vette was the 1980's or early '90's style, it was trying to keep up. If the driver wanted to pass all the cars in the other lane, he had no choice but to follow me....about 20 to 30 yards behind me. I have driven 4, 6, and 8 cylinders cars. I had a 1972 Chevy Nova with a 350, Holly 650 dual feed carburator and high performance intake. This car could fly. I bet my Charger is just as fast, maybe faster than my Nova. The V6 Charger doesn't act like a 6 cylinder.

    What I wanted in my Charger and what Chrysler/ Dodge is asking for with the Hemi is just too much. Besides, all I see are black, red, and silver R/T Chargers right now. I wanted the Magnesium Pearlcoat color with a moonroof, 6 speaker system w/ Boston Accoustic speakers, leather seats that eletronically move, and the 18" rims. Around here in the Baltimore/ Washington area, they want around $35K for the Charger with the Hemi. Compared to the $28K they were asking for the SXT model with the 3.5 liter engine and the color I wanted, it was a no brainer which model was going to buy. Maybe, if by chance in a few years I could afford the Hemi, I will get one.
  • hemivegashemivegas Member Posts: 1
    I just got my RT 2 weeks ago. I love this car , looks and the handling is great. All you hear about is speed, Hey this car is plenty fast . I,m with you dude its a great car. I laugh at all the guys trying to compare it to the old chargers which were nothing more then big boats. This Car is glued to the road and is a real eye catcher. Hope you enjoy yours also.
  • craigp1craigp1 Member Posts: 17
    I'm considering buying the Carger RT Daytona. The only thing stopping me at this point is the rediculous gas prices at this time ( I drive 60 miles per day). What have you Charger people (with the 5.7 Hemi) been averging with your gas mileage in real life?
  • johndodgejohndodge Member Posts: 25
    My name is John and I am a Marketing Representative from the Dodge Information Center. I came across this thread and thought I’d offer my assistance in any questions you all may have in regards to the 2006 Dodge Charger. So if you have any questions, feel free to shoot them my way!

    Thanks,

    John B.
  • jimhemijimhemi Member Posts: 223
    Well, since you're a marketing guy, I was wondering why you don't do more with the NHRA and get some Chargers and even some other cars at the track. All NHRA races offer a unique experience for the fans with the fact they each have pit access. Currently MOPAR offers a huge tractor trailer at the manufacturers midway. This lets everyone see the HEMI along with various other after market parts. GM does much the same with many of their cars on display and using various after market parts.
    I like the Charger commercial with the MOPAR dragster coming out of the toll booth, you can really play that up at the upcoming events. I haven't been to a NASCAR race since 2003, but the Charger could be on display for people to sit in and get a feel for it. Work on some pre race activity where they can be driven around the track in a new Charger. Lots of possibilities.
    On a side note, I don't know what kind of pull you have at Dodge, but the MOPAR site offers NO tech support. You need a phone number so people can call with a question. I'm trying to build a HEMI for my 71 Charger and sometimes you just need a human voice to help you along. Because of the lack of support I had to buy cylinder heads from Keith Black instead of mother MOPAR.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Dodge will be introducing a new 6.1 liter version of the Hemi. Will that engine see it's way in to the Charge or Chrysler-based sedan?

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • heinzh2heinzh2 Member Posts: 49
    Hey John! Do you have any info as to when the Daytona model will be offered ... other than just in the Fall?

    Thanks!!
    Heinz
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Ummm, it already has. Take a peek at a Chrysler 300C SRT8:

    6.1 liter V8
    425 HP @ 6,000
    420 lb-ft @ 4,800
    0-60 mph "low 5-Second range"
    top speed 165 (approx)
    1/4 mile "High 13-Second range"

    Hmmm, sounds like a bit of a beastie if you ask me. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • johndodgejohndodge Member Posts: 25
    Jimhemi, I can’t specify why we don’t have anything set up for the 2006 Dodge Charger at the NHRA events. We do have Chrysler and Jeep events running through the summer this year. I have noted your comments and we’ll see what’s offered for Dodge next year.
    Regarding your Mopar question, Mopar is treated as a whole separate entity from the Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler brands of which I represent. What I would suggest to you is to go to their site and in there Mailbag section; then click on ask a question. I know it’s not a human voice, but it is what they offer. There are also some good questions asked by people building engines for their beautiful Mopar machines!

    Dusty, the 6.1L HEMI engine is offered in the Chrysler 300C SRT-8, which went on sale earlier this year. Then of course there’s the Dodge Magnum SRT-8 which has become available VERY recently. Coming late fall/ early winter the Dodge Charger SRT-8 will start appearing in dealerships across the nation.

    Heinz, the 2006 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T in the GoMango color has just recently started appearing in dealerships. There hasn’t been an official date as to when production will start on the Top Banana color though. Stay in contact with your local dealership and I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to let you know when the Charger Daytona is available at their location.

    Well thanks for reading!!

    John B.
  • heinzh2heinzh2 Member Posts: 49
    Hey John ...

    Thanks a bunch for taking time out to reply to our questions. In regards to the GoMango color, do you have any info as to how many will be produced, and if there is a possibility of offering either of the colors as an option in the future ... with or without the packages they come with now?

    Thank again,
    Heinz
  • johndodgejohndodge Member Posts: 25
    The number that Dodge has released at this time is 4000 of each color. There will be plaques inside of the vehicle as well to indicate which number it is (xxxx/4000). I can’t say for certain whether either of those colors will be offered on future Charger Daytona Models or future Charger models in general. Dodge has announced though that there will be additional heritage colors offered in the future. Those colors have yet to be announced; although a few days after the 2006 Dodge Charger and the Charger Daytona R/T were introduced at the Daytona 500 there was an event at Dodge City at Daytona. More than 60,000 Dodge fans attended the event. They got thrill rides in the new Charger and the Charger Daytona and voted for their favorite Charger Daytona classic muscle car color. There were 20,000 votes cast, with Plum Crazy finishing on top, followed by TorRed and Go ManGo! This may not indicate the new heritage color to come, but we are collecting your input.

    Hope this helps!

    John B.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    I liked the looks of the concept R/T much better. You know, the one that was CNG powered? I think the production model just looks like another version of the Chrysler 300. Why does that always happen? The beautiful concept car turns ugly when it becomes the production model.
  • z9z9z9z9z9z9z9z9 Member Posts: 101
    > I just looked at the base model Charger today and fell in love with the car. My quesiton is, is the base model worth it?

    The SE is a deal. If you do the math you'll find that the contents of the STX package are worth about $2000 retail, not the $3000 that Chrysler charges. There is a similar discrepancy between what you pay for and what you get when you move from the STX to the R/T.

    > The hemi is out of my price range, plus I don't need all that power. I don't know much about Dodge's, but how's the reliability on them?

    Neither Chrysler not M-B have a very good reputation for quality control or reliability, but being an optimist I will say maybe it's average.

    The build quality on the few Chargers that I have seen isn't very good - a lot of misaligned body panels. The early 300s were like this too. They eventually got better, but are still average at best. If I buy one, it will be off the lot so that I can inspect the car carefully before I buy it.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    We are talking about a Dodge here. You aren't going to get Lexus-like build quality in a Charger.
  • z9z9z9z9z9z9z9z9 Member Posts: 101
    > You aren't going to get Lexus-like build quality in a Charger.

    I'd be happy with Toyota-like build quality.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    Lexus, Toyota, same thing. You won't get either in a Dodge.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    The question originally asked was about reliability. These are fairly new vehicles so much long term reliability hasn't been established. Since reliability as measured by various sources indicates that "average" today is about equal to very good just a few years ago, I'd be optimistic.

    As to build quality, I have to disagree. I looked at several Chargers on my dealer's lot a few days ago and I would challenge anyone to show me where build quality wasn't very good. They were just as good as our Toyota Avalon.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • z9z9z9z9z9z9z9z9 Member Posts: 101
    > As to build quality, I have to disagree. I looked at several Chargers on my dealer's lot a few days ago and I would challenge anyone to show me where build quality wasn't very good.

    I've looked at 14 different cars at 4 different dealers. About half of them had panel alignment problems. The hood in most cases, although a couple had trunk problems. One of them had a huge gap between the leading edge of the hood and the front facia. A couple had ill-fitting front bumper covers.
  • knightmare65knightmare65 Member Posts: 20
    I don't know where you all have been looking, but my Charger's body panels all line up. Even the moonroof is aligned correctly. The car looks sharp, and the ride is smooth. I had an Intrepid before I traded it in for the Charger and I had absolutely no quality issues with the Intrepid. I predict that I will have no quality issues with the Charger for some time to come. ;)
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    ......is how the Charger and Avalon would compare after they both have 100K miles on them. I'd be willing to bet the Avalon would drive better, have far fewer squeeks and rattles, and will have been in for fewer repairs.
  • heinzh2heinzh2 Member Posts: 49
    the Charger would still be 100% betting looking!!! I have said it before, Toyota can build good cars, but there is nothing they have in a dealership that would be of ANY interest to me! Normally there would be a car, or two, from some manufacturer that would be cool to view, but Toyota ... there is nothing. Now they do have the new Avalon coming out next year that might be worth a look. Now if we want to talk about Lexus ... the new IS is looking mighty sharp ... now ;) Otherwise, I would take the Charger or Magnum or 300 any day of the week! Just my 2 cents for the day.
  • johndodgejohndodge Member Posts: 25
    Hello bottgers,

    The reason behind switching the look of the production from the concept model is pretty simple. The 1999 Dodge Charger concept vehicle was designed around an old platform that isn’t being used anymore. The engineers at Dodge did attempt to make that design work with the current LX platform; the concept design just did not fit. The engineers had to go back to the drawing boards and come up with a new design that would work. I hope this helps you understand why the design change was made.

    John B.
  • tex10tex10 Member Posts: 27
    I new guy that had 1969 dodge charger 426 hemi and we supercharge that hemi . That car can take on any japanese coffee can muffler, weed eater noise making piece off dunk and i hope that this charger can bring back American muscle.
  • knightmare65knightmare65 Member Posts: 20
    I agree with you, Tex10. I hope that the Magnum, Charger, and the 300 SRT-8 are the beginning of American muscle coming back and making the foreign car companies eat dirt. The only car that GM has is the GTO, but the body looks too Japanese. The Grand Prix looks cool, but has no power. The only car that Ford has is the new look Mustang, but that has a poor excuse for a V8 in it.
  • johndodgejohndodge Member Posts: 25
    Hey tex10,

    Well I’m more than confident that the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT-8 will re-kindle your love for American Muscle! The 6.1L (370 cu. in.) HEMI engine produces a whopping 425 bhp, and an astounding 420 ft. lbs. of torque. The Charger SRT-8 will be hitting dealerships across the country in late fall/early winter.

    John B.
  • cfazzaricfazzari Member Posts: 77
    Most of us understand their reasoning....We just don't like it. For some on this board, it was a MAJOR letdown after seeing what was essentially a 1999 Dodge Charger being built with plently of 1969 Dodge Charger Sheetmetal DNA (You know...like the 2005 Ford Mustang borrowing it's fantastic looks from the 64-69 Mustangs...that kind of thing...).

    That being said I cannot stop looking at the new Charger. It stopped me dead in my tracks at the NYC Auto Show in April. I'm still quite a few months away from buying one, and I'm hoping I can purchase one next year with AWD.
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    Today I finally found a dealer that had two Charger's on the lot! I loved the way the car drove, but was a little disappointed with the ho-hum exhaust system. I thought it would have more of a muscle car like rumble sound. The interior was nice, but I think the cup holders in the center console are a bit too small and I wish the lid folded to the rear out of the way.
    The trunk space was great, except I'm not too crazy about having the battery back there... kind of reminds me of the old VW's with the battery under the rear seat. It was hot outside and the AC didn't seem to be that cool compared to my GM vehicles. I was surprised to see Dexcool under the hood of a Dodge. I was not aware they were using Dexcool now. Overall, I think the Charger is a nice car, but I don't think they went quite far enough in some areas. The $32-$35k MSRP price tag is a bit high for what you get in return and I won't ever buy one at those prices. Maybe the V6 will be more acceptable price wise... the dealer didn't have one in stock, so we'll see what happens in a few months.
  • tex10tex10 Member Posts: 27
    Mother Mopar is back in action know if NASCAR would bring back the hemi . Thin that would put mother mopar back on the map and bring back the days where cubic inches was every thing. :D
  • jimhemijimhemi Member Posts: 223
    JOHN DODGE
    Just as an FYI, the Charger could have been worked to look more old then what the currant team came up with. With C.A.D these guys did a pretty good job in my opinion. Please read and pass along to your buddies at headquarters.
    http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0404phr_dodge/

    Just make sure you don't screw up the 2009 Challenger. Use the Firepower as your platform and offer it for a reasonable 29,500 and up depending on options, of course with the HEMI for this price. :shades:
  • jimhemijimhemi Member Posts: 223
    Never going to happen. NASCAR Banned the HEMI in its glory days which forced the pull out of factory supported teams in the late 60's(Eventually returning, only to pull out in the late 70's and not returning until 2001). They sure wouldn't allow a race version HEMI in a Cup car now. If they have 800hp motors now with non-Hemi heads, can you imagine what a Race preped Hemi from Evernham Motorsports could turn out? :D
  • eagle41eagle41 Member Posts: 54
    I may test drive an RT today. I already have the financing set up(4.75 % 5 yr) I 'll see what they have to offer. When you price out the charger a $500. rebate comes up. Does anyone know if it does indeed exist and how it would work? Meaning do you get a check from Dodge or do they just reduce the price of the car? I only will take the car if they are willing to reduce the sticker price.And I don't mean by $ 500.
    Thanks for any input !!

    It seems that by checking the inventory around here in central Fl that there are plenty to chose from.
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    " I only will take the car if they are willing to reduce the sticker price.And I don't mean by $ 500. "

    I wouldn't expect them to drop it by much with Charger's in short supply. Most dealers around here have either no Charger's or two at the most on their lots and they don't stay around very long. The Charger is just too new to expect deep discounts until supply overtakes the demand. The same thing happened when the PT cruiser was first released.

    Good Luck...! :D
  • eagle41eagle41 Member Posts: 54
    Thanks!
    I'm getting ready to call the sales guy up to see if I can come over.I'd rather have a charger(had 69 charger once ) but have deal on the table for a Mustang Gt.It's about 4k cheaper.That's why I need the dealer to negotiate some.. Maybe $1200 -1500 off. That's why I asked about the rebate. Does that have any effect on what the dealer takes off?

    Thanks Again!!
  • jimhemijimhemi Member Posts: 223
    They'll use the rebate to get the price down. Keep it in your back pocket, don't let them know you know until you're getting closer to a deal. You should be able to get 1,000 off of sticker and they can swing another $500 from the rebate.
  • eagle41eagle41 Member Posts: 54
    Thanks for the quick response!! The guy luckily hasn't called me back yet.
    If I can get off the $1500. I'd do the deal.
  • eagle41eagle41 Member Posts: 54
    Salesmen just called me back. I told him that there is a 4k diff between the charger and the stang. He needs to close the gap or I go across the street and finanlize the deal on the GT. The charger does suit my needs better. The price doesn't!!
  • eagle41eagle41 Member Posts: 54
    After hours of negotiating , I'm ( bank is) the proud owner of a silver RT.
    The salesman had my head snappnig back on his portion of the test drive.
    The car rides nicely and the power is there if you want to play. I was surprised how big the car is. I had a jeep and now this thing is a tight fit in my garage.
    I got a desent deal considering how new the car is. Gainesville dodge is a well run operation.
    The ride is a lot smoother than my 69 Charger was.. Then again ,I'm quite a bit older.
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    Congrats eagle41.... :D So how hard was "the fight"? :shades: Did you get any black and blue marks? Enjoy your new ride!!!
  • heinzh2heinzh2 Member Posts: 49
    Congrats!!! I have to agree with you on the size of the Charger. Saw my first one driving around the streets of Marietta, GA and it really stood out at the traffic light. I have seen them on the lots ... but in company of the Dodge trucks & Magnums. So seeing this thing around everything else out there was impressive. Also seeing this car driven around town shows more of the attempt of the 2-door look. You can kind of see the look when it is sitting dead still on the lot, but if you were in traffic and it was in front making a turn up ahead ... that is when a double take is needed to make sure a 2-door wasn't all-of-sudden made. Good job Dodge for making the attempt in trying to please both sides of the fence .. for now.

    Enjoy the ride Eagle ... keep us informed as to how the car does!
    Heinz
  • knightmare65knightmare65 Member Posts: 20
    Congrats to you as well, Eagle41. Enjoy the ride, trust me you will. Try not to get into too much trouble, hehe. Good choice in a new car. :D
  • eagle41eagle41 Member Posts: 54
    Thanks for kind responses ! I was soooooooooo close to buying a Mustang GT. In
    the end having a REAL back seat,trunk, and a better ride was important. I can see me driving my clients around it this car and at the same time be able to kick ***!
    Take care
    Steve
  • acjoyalacjoyal Member Posts: 2
    I was asking about reliability because I'm a fan of Japanese cars but my husband likes American cars. I know that a Dodge would not stand up to a Toyota 10 years from now in terms of reliability & mechanical problems, but I'd like to get at least a good 8 years out of a Charger. We're planning to start a family in a few years, so that's also why I was asking how kid-friendly the Charger is. My husband is dead set on getting a Charger, but I just don't know if I'm comfortable in an American car. But it sure does look pretty!!!
  • gorbbegorbbe Member Posts: 1
    Japanese cars are not the most reliable cars in the world. Believe or not German auto manufacturers are like Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Mini, and you'll find alot more running older German cars then older Japanese
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    I think the charger would work out well with children. But I think the long term reliability question is one that nobody can really answer right now. The Charger is a new design, so only time will tell how reliable the car will be. If you cover yourself with a good warranty to handle any major problems, then you should be good to go. But you have to factor in the added cost of the warranty as part of the total cost of ownership. Overall, Chrysler doesn't have a good track record for reliability, but that doesn't mean the Charger will be a problem child. Over the next six months to a year, we will have a better picture of how reliable the Charger will be. Buying first year production cars is always more risky. I'm in the same boat. I like the Charger, but given Chrysler's past history, I'm not sure I'm ready to put my money down just yet.
  • heinzh2heinzh2 Member Posts: 49
    That is true in that the German manufactures have the better track record in overall quality over the Japanese ones. Just remember when the Japanese cars first arrived here in the states ... talk about sorry cars! Even Hyundai has come a long way! So my take is that all the auto manufactures know that quality is a huge, if not the biggest, factor in building a car. I can't speak of Toyota's, but in my experiences with Honda's ... we have had our fair share of problems with them too ... more to speak of then our Pacifica! So did we buy a lemon with the Honda's we have had? Or is the whole quality thing a numbers situation where Chrysler builds so many more cars than honda ... 3,897,800 vs 1,394,398 with the Chrysler figure being passenger cars only! So of course there is more room for quality issues to come up because there are more cars. I have also read somewhere that with the merger of Mercedes, that a lot more focus is going to be placed on quality within the manufacturing processes of the plant that builds the 300's, Magnums and Chargers. Chrysler even delayed the release of the 300's back when just to over them twice to make sure everything was as close to perfect as they could get em.

    But in my opinion ... I would go with what your heart desires, and not worry so much what is going to happen a decade from now. The smile on your husbands face will last longer in the car he desires over one that is just so so ... to him. By the way ... I believe the Charger has 3 car seat positions in the back ... or anchors in 3 positions ... FYI =) Lots of luck ... Heinz
  • aab4aab4 Member Posts: 39
    The statemen you made is incorrect.- " Japanese cars are not the most reliable cars in the world. Believe or not German auto manufacturers like Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Mini, and you'll find alot more running older German cars then older Japanese "

    Actually that is incorrect.
    "German auto manufacturers like Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, may have been great quality 10 years ago, but not up to par with Lexus, Toyota."

    Take the last 5 years of JD Powers. Germans are not in top people.
    They are not even better then Ford or GM. Lexus and Toyota are much better
    quality than the Germans.

    Please lets give accurate info on these forums, not opinions based on feelings, just because you like German cars.

    I wouldn't touch a Volkswagen even if you gave it to me!!!
  • hardhawkhardhawk Member Posts: 702
    I can state that my Magnum is very kid friendly. It is very similar to the Charger except for the wagon rear end vs. the trunk on the Charger. I went for the Magnum for that extra cargo space, as we came out of a Town & Country van. My 7 and 11 year old boys love the Magnum. So do all of their friends, who always want to ride in it. Even at age 7, they know it has a HEMI !!!! The Charger looks sweet too, so your future kids will thank you for getting it rather than rolling around in another belly button car.
  • heinzh2heinzh2 Member Posts: 49
    Cool the jets there aab4! If you read the statement again that you were replying to ... gorbbe stated that you will find more older running German cars than you will Japanese cars ... and I tend to agree with that statement. Lets hope the Charger and siblings will be able to pull off the same thing. By the way ... 5 years is but a drop in the bucket time wise to me for a car ... we will see how the Japanese cars hold out come 10 or 15 years from now. Until then ... I will wait to be impressed. Oh, and I wouldn't touch a VW either ... unless it was their SUV!!!! :)
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