Any info on the "removable cooler" mentioned from the Detroit Auto Show? Some kind of cooler is integrated in the interior of the wagon; however, the official Dodge Magnum website makes no reference to such an amenity/option. Use your search engine to browse for "2005 Dodge Magnum Removable Cooler".
According to the local Dodge dealer by me, they're expecting to be getting some Magnums in stock by April sometime. I asked about the availability of AWD, and he commented that he thought they might be pulling in availability for AWD to have some ready by April instead of making us wait until nearly Fall, though I have not seen any information anywhere else to back up that claim. I'm going to have to go back in a couple months to check and see. At the very least by then I ought to be able to test drive a RWD model and see what the pricing actually looks like (I know what it says on dodge.com, but as always it tends to vary by dealership).
i don't think you'll see any AWD versions hitting the dealerships until close to next autumn. that's not for sure...but i suspect that is the case. and i believe that is what chrysler has said in the past.
Just read it and it sounds very positive towards the car. It's great to read that the reviewers thought the car was pretty nice. I thought it was a great idea ever since the original spy pictures were shown in Auto Week. I like the looks, the size, the engine, AWD option should pull alot of buyers in. Now hopefully the new engineering is relaible and the assembly line will build a quality defect free car.
Evening group... Spoke with a local 5 Star Dealer yesterday. They are expecting their first Magnums to arrive in late April and early May. The sales manager verified that the 300's will be hitting Chrysler dealerships shortly. Happy Spring!
Chrysler is clearly the leader in great designs carried-thru to actual retail sales.
Now, if they could just build reliable cars that "measure up" on the Reliability pages of Consumer Reports. It is sad to read through those pages and clearly see the American automakers with the same problem(s) on the same make year after year after year. It's obvious they don't have the quality assurance mechanisms in place to identify and correct problems on a timely basis and incorporate those changes in subsequent years of manufacturing the same vehicle. The PT cruiser, however, seems to be a welcome exception to the rule.
"The PT cruiser, however, seems to be a welcome exception to the rule."
And that with the PT being based off the mechanicals of the much maglined and lowly Neon. Of course, my wife had a Neon and it was perfect, not a single squawk for the three years that she had it. Then again are our two Caravans, they too have been perfect with the exception of a dead battery after three years on the older of the two.
If I was due for a car right now, I would have no quality concerns what-so-ever about buying a new Hemi Magnum.
on your views of "American quality" kirbstoy.. Didn't Consumer Reports just release a statement that American manufacturers (to the extent that they really are "American") are consistently improving and have now met or surpassed the Europeans? Now..in all fairness...I think CR has one of the most flawed methodologies for determining "quality" of any rating system. Self report is inherently unreliable.. Shipo.. A number of us have had very similar experiences. My family has owned Chryslers for many years with no "catastrophic transmission failures" or any of the other issues that supposedly plague the vehicles.
I ordered my Magnum last week, sight unseen, but with lots of research. I researched every article I could find about this car: my links: http://www.runlevel6.com/dodge/links.html
Research included looking at Consumer Reports. My family abandoned American cars ages ago and I was burned on a bum GM product about 7 years ago. However, CR rates Chrysler cars (not trucks) as reliable as the benchmark Accords and Camrys.
Also, coming from a BMW, I'm no stranger to fit and finish problems and I actually look forward to increased quality with my Dodge. Speaking of BMW, the Magnum RT compares well (at least on paper) to a 540i wagon, at least the previous generation since the Germans are usually a few years ahead on technology (and the owner pays the price as Beta tester).
That 540i wagon would cost $60,000+ for what I'm getting in my RT for $34,000. Reliability should be improved over a 540i, performance the same, amenities similar, safety probably as good. The only thing a RT doesn't have over the BMW is the precise handling at the limit -- BMW's black magic.
Will the Dodge Magnum sell? I don't know. I'm not the "Joe Sixpack" target market but I'm in love with the concept. My friends and family who are more in the demographic laugh at the car. I would prefer it be marketed on its performance and technology merits, and how it compares to Euro sports sedans. Instead, we get monkeys.
There's a stigma owning a BMW and there may be the opposite stigma with the Magnum. Yes Bubba, that things gotta Hemi.
I ordered my Magnum last week, sight unseen, but with lots of research. I researched every article I could find about this car: my links: http://www.runlevel6.com/dodge/links.html
Research included looking at Consumer Reports. My family abandoned American cars ages ago and I was burned on a bum GM product about 7 years ago. However, CR rates Chrysler cars (not trucks) as reliable as the benchmark Accords and Camrys.
Also, coming from a BMW, I'm no stranger to fit and finish problems and I actually look forward to increased quality with my Dodge. Speaking of BMW, the Magnum RT compares well (at least on paper) to a 540i wagon, at least the previous generation since the Germans are usually a few years ahead on technology (and the owner pays the price as Beta tester).
That 540i wagon would cost $60,000+ for what I'm getting in my RT for $34,000. Reliability should be improved over a 540i, performance the same, amenities similar, safety probably as good. The only thing a RT doesn't have over the BMW is the precise handling at the limit -- BMW's black magic.
Will the Dodge Magnum sell? I don't know. I'm not the "Joe Sixpack" target market but I'm in love with the concept. My friends and family who are more in the demographic laugh at the car. I would prefer it be marketed on its performance and technology merits, and how it compares to Euro sports sedans. Instead, we get monkeys.
There's a stigma owning a BMW and there may be the opposite stigma with the Magnum. Yes Bubba, that things gotta Hemi.
Regarding the Dodge Magnum R/T. When someone is able, please advise me of the insurance costs on this vehicle. My my recent purchase, new, was a 2001 Grand Caravan ES which is currently rated an 11 by my insurance company, but the Intrepid/300M line was rated an 18 which would have made it 40+% more expensive to ensure over my current stable of vehicles. Please let me know if this is considered a sports car like the LH bodied vehicles were? Regardless, I still love this newest Dodge vehicle. I'd consider it my high-performance station wagon. Thank you kindly.
...I'd guess with a 5.7l 340 hp hemi V8, this vehicle will be considered a sports car! It certainly won't be anywhere near an 11. This is a concern for me as well as it will definitely be something I'll look at when it is released...
It's not surprising for Dodge to try to classify the Magnum as a truck. Chrysler did the same to the PT Cruiser and Subaru recently did so with the Outback wagon. I don't think you'd have to worry too much about the gas-guzzler tax with the MDS system on the hemi, I didn't see one on the 300C sticker at the local dealer the other day, and last I heard they weren't trying to classify the sedan as a truck. I'm curious if the PT convertible still classifies as a truck or if they have to call it the car that it is.
Remember when the first Chrysler minivans came out? They didn't even have head rests for the front seats on the base models! Because they were classified as trucks! Amazing what car companies get away with.
are largely based on the configuration of the load floor for cargo. C&D had an interesting editorial on it in this month's edition. Curiously while the PT Cruiser is labeled a "truck" the absence of a flat load floor brands the convertible PT Cruiser a car.. Stranger criteria...but then again so many things to come from the 70's were...
Just had a chance to take a look at the Magnum and 300C at the show. Both are impressive looking vehicles in my opinion, but I think the 300c will become a bling bling mobile Both have lots of room, especially in the back.
However, I was really let down by both of them. They both have essentially the same interior design and surfaces. In a word CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. They look nice, but once you touch the surfaces, it feels low grade. A big motor and lots of flash is great, but the details are key in a $30k+ car.
Im really disappointed, I was expecting an upscale interior and finishes to match the exterior.
hummm...almost all the auto mag reports i've seen are raving about the 300 interior. from what i understand, however, is that the magnum's is kinda blah...
You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I don't see how you can complain about a huge car that starts at $23,000 and can be optioned up to $30,000+ with a huge V8. At this price, you'd be in a much smaller Japanese car with a tiny V6.
It's a trade-off. You want a big car with lots of features? Then you might get the PERFECT interior. Frankly, I was extremely impressed with the 300 interior. The Magnum didn't float my boat, but again, this is a big, sturdy car for not a lot of dough.
If details are so important to you, it may be your best bet to get a $30,000 BMW 325 wagon. Of course, it's still a trade-off: You get a tiny little car!
I'm happy for Chrysler (and Dodge), and I finally feel like they have a car that can take on the world and WIN.
I wouldn't expect Audi materials at $30,000. Can't buy much at that price if you're real picky. 300C has arrived at a local dealer, seemed pretty nice all around to me. If the Magnum is similar I think it'll be great. I think it's greatest competition will be SUV's, and most of those don't have high-end interiors anywhere near this price level.
from the local Chrysler dealership that the Magnum's should be arriving shortly. I was under the impression that they wouldn't be released until the end of May.. Anyone seeing/hearing anything about the Magnum's.
Considering there have only been 518 Magnums built, I think "shortly" might be premature. There were only 69 built for the week ending 4/17 so they aren't exactly producing them yet. In comparison, there have been 26,645 Chrysler 300's produced so far and just started creeping into dealerships over the last two weeks.
This is no link to this from the Dodge homepage however, and the build you car configurator is not working 100%, but it looks like they are very close to launching it officially.
Folks, I talked to my local Dodge dealer, and first they told me they are getting their first shipment of Magnums at the end of the week. Now, they said the new information says mid-May. The dealer did say that the order is WAYYY overdue...
Has anyone here driven this car? If this car has the interior similar to the new Durango, that is ok with me... I think this car should be one heck of a bargain!!
Deniss.. I think it's probably better to say that the Magnum has Dodge's spin on the 300's interior--as opposed to the Durango. I spoke with several dealerships in the area. They had a "ride and drive" sponsored by Dodge for the dealers a few weeks ago. The consensus was that the Magnum is every bit the "hot rod" in Hemi form that we are hearing about the 300C.
I spoke to a local dealer yesterday (while looking at the 300C) and they said that they would be getting 60 300's in mid May, and also their first shipments of Magnums.
So I looks like another few weeks until they start becoming more available.
No doubt a hot rod. I was actually really impressed that they tagged the RT trim at only 30 grand. That's a lot of power for the money. If ONLY it were available with a manual....... What's interesting is that the reviews to date are mostly very positive about this car, which gives hope.
after seeing more pics and videos of the magnum....i think this puppy is a potential sleeper hit!! i think DC is gonna have to add a third shift back at brampton to cover the production of 300s, magnums and chargers...!
I like everything but the nose. Gimme a 2/3 size grille, and I'm ready to sign on the line!
Actually, I need nothing this huge for anything, but I love the fact that a spade is a spade, a wagon is a wagon, a Hemi is (almost) a Hemi and it has RWD rather than WWD (Wrong Wheel Drive).
And Vanilla is a way-hip color choice. Here's hoping it scores big.
Folks, it seems like Magnums are becoming available. A dealer in Jersey has an SXT in stock now. Granted, just one... But I know that more are on the way.
Just dropped by one of our local five star dealers.. Two Magnums--both SXT's--one with Leather and a sunroof; the other an unadorned are on the lot. Looks like one just arrived today and the other was detailed. Vanilla and Black... Looks good and is roomy--great utility with the hatch.
A local ChrysJeepDodge dealer (northwest NJ) has a silver Mag SXT in stock, 3.5L V6, dark gray leather, 6-disc CD/MP3 player. The online window sticker also has a line at the bottom, "Hold for Premiere Night".
Nothing in the Magnum press kit gives a date, but now that stock is arriving and the commercials are running fast and furious, I'll bet it's pretty soon.
FYI.. Two local 5 Star Dodge Dealers have their Magnums on display (one has 8 in stock). Standard issue price stickers are on the Magnums I've seen--no "hold for Premiere" stickers to be seen.
I have test driven the SXT version twice now. I ordered an RT last night. I should know in a bout a week on the delivery date (probably 6-8 weeks).
As far as the test driveswent.My wife and I both love the car. Though the SXT feels a little sluggish. I have a souped-up 2000 Bonneville SSEi nowandmy wife has a Mazda 626 ES. The SXT handles much better than my Bonneville, but does not feel any faster than my wife's 626. Probably is does not feel like it. The RT I ordered should be great.
Comments
nb2169
I'm going to have to go back in a couple months to check and see. At the very least by then I ought to be able to test drive a RWD model and see what the pricing actually looks like (I know what it says on dodge.com, but as always it tends to vary by dealership).
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/dodge/magnum/100380761/roadtestar- ticle.html?articleId=101403
Now, if they could just build reliable cars that "measure up" on the Reliability pages of Consumer Reports. It is sad to read through those pages and clearly see the American automakers with the same problem(s) on the same make year after year after year. It's obvious they don't have the quality assurance mechanisms in place to identify and correct problems on a timely basis and incorporate those changes in subsequent years of manufacturing the same vehicle. The PT cruiser, however, seems to be a welcome exception to the rule.
And that with the PT being based off the mechanicals of the much maglined and lowly Neon. Of course, my wife had a Neon and it was perfect, not a single squawk for the three years that she had it. Then again are our two Caravans, they too have been perfect with the exception of a dead battery after three years on the older of the two.
If I was due for a car right now, I would have no quality concerns what-so-ever about buying a new Hemi Magnum.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Shipo.. A number of us have had very similar experiences. My family has owned Chryslers for many years with no "catastrophic transmission failures" or any of the other issues that supposedly plague the vehicles.
Research included looking at Consumer Reports. My family abandoned American cars ages ago and I was burned on a bum GM product about 7 years ago. However, CR rates Chrysler cars (not trucks) as reliable as the benchmark Accords and Camrys.
Also, coming from a BMW, I'm no stranger to fit and finish problems and I actually look forward to increased quality with my Dodge. Speaking of BMW, the Magnum RT compares well (at least on paper) to a 540i wagon, at least the previous generation since the Germans are usually a few years ahead on technology (and the owner pays the price as Beta tester).
That 540i wagon would cost $60,000+ for what I'm getting in my RT for $34,000. Reliability should be improved over a 540i, performance the same, amenities similar, safety probably as good. The only thing a RT doesn't have over the BMW is the precise handling at the limit -- BMW's black magic.
Will the Dodge Magnum sell? I don't know. I'm not the "Joe Sixpack" target market but I'm in love with the concept. My friends and family who are more in the demographic laugh at the car. I would prefer it be marketed on its performance and technology merits, and how it compares to Euro sports sedans. Instead, we get monkeys.
There's a stigma owning a BMW and there may be the opposite stigma with the Magnum. Yes Bubba, that things gotta Hemi.
Research included looking at Consumer Reports. My family abandoned American cars ages ago and I was burned on a bum GM product about 7 years ago. However, CR rates Chrysler cars (not trucks) as reliable as the benchmark Accords and Camrys.
Also, coming from a BMW, I'm no stranger to fit and finish problems and I actually look forward to increased quality with my Dodge. Speaking of BMW, the Magnum RT compares well (at least on paper) to a 540i wagon, at least the previous generation since the Germans are usually a few years ahead on technology (and the owner pays the price as Beta tester).
That 540i wagon would cost $60,000+ for what I'm getting in my RT for $34,000. Reliability should be improved over a 540i, performance the same, amenities similar, safety probably as good. The only thing a RT doesn't have over the BMW is the precise handling at the limit -- BMW's black magic.
Will the Dodge Magnum sell? I don't know. I'm not the "Joe Sixpack" target market but I'm in love with the concept. My friends and family who are more in the demographic laugh at the car. I would prefer it be marketed on its performance and technology merits, and how it compares to Euro sports sedans. Instead, we get monkeys.
There's a stigma owning a BMW and there may be the opposite stigma with the Magnum. Yes Bubba, that things gotta Hemi.
Regards... Vikd
Either way, I like it and will seriously consider it when it arrives...
Regards... Vikd
I don't think you'd have to worry too much about the gas-guzzler tax with the MDS system on the hemi, I didn't see one on the 300C sticker at the local dealer the other day, and last I heard they weren't trying to classify the sedan as a truck.
I'm curious if the PT convertible still classifies as a truck or if they have to call it the car that it is.
They didn't even have head rests for the front seats on the base models! Because they were classified as trucks! Amazing what car companies get away with.
However, I was really let down by both of them. They both have essentially the same interior design and surfaces. In a word CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. They look nice, but once you touch the surfaces, it feels low grade. A big motor and lots of flash is great, but the details are key in a $30k+ car.
Im really disappointed, I was expecting an upscale interior and finishes to match the exterior.
You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I don't see how you can complain about a huge car that starts at $23,000 and can be optioned up to $30,000+ with a huge V8. At this price, you'd be in a much smaller Japanese car with a tiny V6.
It's a trade-off. You want a big car with lots of features? Then you might get the PERFECT interior. Frankly, I was extremely impressed with the 300 interior. The Magnum didn't float my boat, but again, this is a big, sturdy car for not a lot of dough.
If details are so important to you, it may be your best bet to get a $30,000 BMW 325 wagon. Of course, it's still a trade-off: You get a tiny little car!
I'm happy for Chrysler (and Dodge), and I finally feel like they have a car that can take on the world and WIN.
"It's a trade-off. You want a big car with lots of features? Then you might *NOT* get the PERFECT interior."
(I think this editing program drops words on me!)
http://www.dcxmediaservices.com/videoptrs/wms/dctv/Apr04/Magnum_M- usic_300k.wvx
i must admit the design is growing on me...but i'll never buy one being 36 and single with no kiddies...!
http://www.dodge.com/magnum/
This is no link to this from the Dodge homepage however, and the build you car configurator is not working 100%, but it looks like they are very close to launching it officially.
Kerry
So I looks like another few weeks until they start becoming more available.
Actually, I need nothing this huge for anything, but I love the fact that a spade is a spade, a wagon is a wagon, a Hemi is (almost) a Hemi and it has RWD rather than WWD (Wrong Wheel Drive).
And Vanilla is a way-hip color choice. Here's hoping it scores big.
kcram
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As far as the test driveswent.My wife and I both love the car. Though the SXT feels a little sluggish. I have a souped-up 2000 Bonneville SSEi nowandmy wife has a Mazda 626 ES. The SXT handles much better than my Bonneville, but does not feel any faster than my wife's 626. Probably is does not feel like it. The RT I ordered should be great.
Any questions holler.